23 Call Me 'Gege'

The youth is shocked upon hearing Qin Jin's words. While completely baffled, he stammers out, "T-The March of Wrathful Spirits? Liu Jian was the first?"

The Sect Leader nods, and Liu Jian stays silent. Instead, the handsome man settles on staring at the uninteresting floor, unable to say anything.

"But.. but how did you find out? There weren't any cultivators at the scene during the time, and if Liu Jian can't remember what happened after getting possessed, then…" Xu Jiyu rambles on, a thousand questions running through his mind.

Finally, Qin Jin breaks out into a hearty laugh. "The King of Spirits has incredibly high spiritual power. Only those who have broken through to Immortality can sense the residue of spiritual energy left on a body after its use. In Liu Jian's case, with his amnesia along with my senses, I only guessed what happened."

Xu Jiyu is completely bewildered upon seeing the previously serious Sect Leader break out into sudden laughter. "So… you knew exactly what happened the moment we got here, but only pretended to be oblivious?"

Qin Jin, now completely friendly, nods again. "Yes, you sure are an entertaining youngster! You appeared to be scared out of your wits, hahaha!"

Liu Jian sighs, his previous worried demeanor now gone as well. He shakes his head from side to side in disapproval. "Sect Leader, making me play along with one of your pranks like that…"

"...Was completely ingenious! I should scare these young ones more often, it never gets old, ahaha!" By this time, Qin Jin had gotten up out of his seat and casually strolled over to Liu Jian. He gives Liu Jian two pats on the back, a completely amused smile upon his countenance.

Liu Jian's face fills with black lines, before he sends an apologetic glance over at Xu Jiyu. He even mouths the words, 'I'm sorry' for good measure.

Although Xu Jiyu is dumbfounded from the sudden change in atmosphere, he finally releases a sigh of relief and smiles. "I see, that's good. I was really fooled, ah! Sect Leader, you have my utmost respect!" And so the youth cups his hands and bows, and the tension he'd been feeling begins to recede.

Qin Jin puts a hand up, "No need for formalities, you may address me as gege, hahaha!"

Liu Jian sends yet another apologetic look over at Xu Jiyu. "I deeply apologize for our Sect Leader's lack of restraint. I did say there was nothing to be afraid of, he likes to pull pranks often."

The youth straightens up and stares disbelievingly at the Yun Sect's so-called 'Sect Leader'. Although their methods of cultivation are harsh, the Shifu and his disciples don't seem to have gone through any kind of intense training at all!

"There's no need to apologize, Liu Jian. He's perfectly fine with it, isn't that right, my boy?" Qin Jin questions with a grin upon his lips, finally making his way towards Xu Jiyu. The youth does feel slightly intimidated by their height difference, and the fact that the all-powerful Sect Leader was getting nearer by the second. But he manages to root himself in the spot, not wanting to be disrespectful towards Qin Jin.

When Qin Jin stands in front of him, the man reaches a hand out and does something unexpected--he pats Xu Jiyu's head.

Xu Jiyu freezes, and hesitantly questions, "...Sect Leader?"

Qin Jin is not fazed at all, and continues to pat the youth's head with a friendly air about him. "I told you to call me gege, silly boy! There's really no need to call me such a stuffy title like 'Sect Leader'! Now go on, say it!"

Liu Jian sighs and shakes his head. He mouths over to Xu Jiyu, 'Don't do it'.

Xu Jiyu sees the gesture and words from Liu Jian, who was behind Qin Jin. But, despite that, he can see the eagerness within Qin Jin's eyes.

He takes a deep breath and finally says, "Sect Leader, this disciple can't bear to be disrespectful, ah…"

After all, even if he now knows that the King wanted him to trust 'Liu Jian', which was the King himself and not the original Liu Jian, he still has a soft spot for his companion. He'll trust both for now!

With those words, Qin Jin's face visibly falls. "Ah, what a shame. It would have been nice to have a youngster call me 'gege' at least once. Everyone else just calls me 'Shizun' or 'Sect Leader'. It's not fun to be called that all the time, I'm reminded of my age and feel too old whenever they say it…"

After all, since the Yun Sect Leader had already reached Immortality, he was surely hundreds, if not thousands of years old.

"Ahaha… Many apologies, Sect Leader…" Xu Jiyu manages to laugh out awkwardly. Liu Jian gives him a nod of approval, with Qin Jin unaware of his action.

"Well, that's alright. Since you're already here, stay for a while as a guest. We can discuss what your next action will be afterwards—I'm sure you want to find the King of Spirits now, but for a different reason, am I correct?" Qin Jin says thoughtfully, finally retracting his hand from Xu Jiyu's head.

Xu Jiyu is astonished once more at the leader's keen sense of reading others, and eagerly nods. "En, I want to find him… he's gone back to the Spirit Realm, but I—I still have many things I want to talk to him about…"

Qin Jin hums his approval and waves a hand at Liu Jian, indicating him to come over. The handsome disciple does as he's told and walks over to his Shizun.

"Take this young man to a guest room, make sure he gets a nice, warm bath and lunch as well as dinner," Qin Jin orders, and Liu Jian naturally doesn't object. He nods and makes his way towards the door.

"Follow me, Xu Jiyu," Liu Jian says, before pushing the doors open. Of course, the youth does as he's told and bows gratefully to the Sect Leader.

"Thank you for your hospitality!" He exclaims, before bounding over to his partner and following him outside.

Once the doors are closed, Qin Jin wistfully sighs. He murmurs, "Aiyah, it must be nice to be young…"

And he takes out his white fan, snaps it open, and waves it in front of his face to hide his expression.

---

"Xu Jiyu…" The King sighs the same name for the hundredth time, unable to forget about his beloved partner. Although Xu Jiyu appeared to hate him to the core, he could not stop thinking about the youth for even a second.

If he had a heart, he would truly be what humans called 'yearning' for Xu Jiyu. But alas, he has no physical body of his own, how could he have any feelings?

This is the one thing he doesn't understand. Before he met Xu Jiyu, he had only ruthlessly and emotionlessly killed humans without batting an eye. But now, he's been stirred to the core—even without a physical body, he still feels human emotions. Perhaps his attachment to Xu Jiyu is too deep—too deep, to the point that he feels the pain of being separated from him even from the Spirit Realm.

...But there is one easy solution to all of this: if he doesn't have a physical body, then why can't he create one of his own?

Now he only wishes Fang Lei would hurry and come back. Only then, will he hear of any news of his partner.

A plan is already forming within the King's mind…

"Wait for me, Xu Jiyu…" He finally says, standing up from his throne after days of sitting. His expression carried one of determination and resolution. To him, it didn't matter that the youth hated him. All the King wanted was to be with Xu Jiyu, and stay by his side. Even if the youth were to chase him off, he wouldn't retreat this time.

For Xu Jiyu, he would even stop being the King.