Old Friends

The two of them went over to the Sect Master's peak, going up to the house where Leng Jin Yu and Jinde lived.

Jing Yi couldn't help but blush when they arrived at the door. The last time Qiu Ling had taken him here … It was kind of hard to forget what he had seen back then. He reached out and grabbed Qiu Ling's arm when he just pushed the door open and wanted to go in. "Qiu Ling, maybe we should knock or call out first?"

Qiu Ling tensed but didn't look back at him. Right now, he just couldn't look at him even though nothing had actually changed. "Why would you think so?"

Jing Yi's cheeks flushed even deeper and he looked away, not noticing that Qiu Ling was evading him. "Well, after the last time … We did disturb them, didn't we? It wouldn't be very nice to do so again, would it?"

Qiu Ling stared at the door in front of him and thought back to the last time he had brought Jing Yi over. Back then, he had come here because he wanted the old geezer to help with healing Jing Yi's soul. They had been caught in their playful banter, the old geezer actually being naked. He hadn't minded but Jing Yi had. Naturally, he wouldn't want to get into that kind of situation once again.

Qiu Ling let go of his hand and looked at the ground, forcing yet another smile. "Well, I'll go and take a look. You can wait here."

"Then … Wouldn't you still be disturbing them?"

Qiu Ling already turned around and opened the door. "Who knows where in the house they are or what they are busy with? They might not hear if we knock on this door." He didn't wait for a response and stepped right into the house, going forward while extending his senses. Naturally, he knew that the old geezer wasn't here but his old man should be.

Strangely enough, he couldn't feel Leng Jin Yu's energy though. He wouldn't have hidden away, would he? Or maybe he had followed the old geezer? Ah, how lucky these two were! Even though one of them had died, they could still be together now that he had been reborn. There was no choosing involved. That certainly was easier, wasn't it?

He shook his head. No, he shouldn't think like this. Even though the old geezer didn't need to choose between his old man and his old man's reincarnation, he had still lost his father. It hadn't been easy for certain, especially not after his mother had stolen him away.

Well, whatever, comparing his situation to their's wouldn't change anything. It wouldn't free him of his current dilemma. Nothing could. And nobody but him could decide. Anyway, just where was his old man?

Qiu Ling closed his eyes and focused his senses. He actually wasn't able to feel the old man anywhere in the Yun Zou Sect. Had he really followed the old geezer? In that case, where had he said they would go? Some alliance? Ah, but even if he remembered, he couldn't just go over. Then what? Should he just return and tell Jing Yi to do whatever he thought was right? That shouldn't be a good idea either.

Qiu Ling sighed and still returned outside. At the very least, he should tell Jing Yi that the old man wasn't in.

Jing Yi looked up with a worried expression. He still wasn't too sure if it was a good idea of Qiu Ling to go right in. Seeing his expression, he worried even more. "What is it? Did something go wrong?"

Qiu Ling looked at the ground and shook his head. "Not like that. They're just not in. We'll have to wait."

Jing Yi calmed down. "So it was like that." That wasn't too bad. At the very least, they hadn't disturbed them again. "Then … let's go back to the house?"

Qiu Ling nodded.

Jing Yi gave him a smile and grabbed his hand, stepping closer to his side. "You should teach me how to fly. I'm still not able to do it. If I knew, then if something happens again, I might be able to get away."

Qiu Ling mechanically nodded again. "I'll do that."

He didn't say anything else and Jing Yi didn't speak up either. The two of them just quietly walked down the peak and back toward the bamboo house.

A while later, Jing Yi couldn't help but sigh. "I feel like I've been gone for a very long time. It might not have been that long since that person took me away but I was also in that secret realm for a long time and didn't stay in the Yun Zou Sect for long afterward. I haven't even seen Shao Hai and Xiao Dong again. Do you think we should go and visit them? They are friends, after all."

Qiu Ling nodded. "Let's do that then." Maybe this was actually a chance. He could leave Jing Yi with the two of them and maybe go off and find out what had happened with his old man or just quietly think about what to do now. At the very least, it would be good not to be right next to Jing Yi. He just couldn't deal with that right now.

Jing Yi still didn't notice what was up. He just happily walked over to the house where Shao Hai and Xiao Dong were staying in the inner sect since they had been promoted here. He knocked on the door, feeling thrilled that he would finally see these friends again. Ah, it had been so long. Way too long! He couldn't wait to see them again.

He waited but nobody opened the door. Nothing could be heard from inside either. Jing Yi furrowed his brows and knocked again. Unfortunately, there still wasn't any answer. He looked up at Qiu Ling and furrowed his brows. "It seems they're not in. What do you think happened?"

Qiu Ling could only shake his head. He had no idea and his mind was preoccupied anyway. "Let's ask somebody, how about it?"

Jing Yi nodded and turned to look for somebody close by. He didn't need long to spot a person who actually knew. His eyes lit up and he let go of Qiu Ling's hand, rushing over to the person. "Senior martial brother Wu!"

The person in question turned around and raised his brows. "Jing Yi?" He hadn't seen that person in a while but he was happy that Jing Yi seemed to be doing good. "What are you doing here?"

Jing Yi gave a smile and motioned behind him. "I was searching for Shao Hai and Xiao Dong. You wouldn't happen to know where they are?"

Wu Min Huan looked at the house and gave an awkward smile. "They … They went on a mission."

"A mission?" Well, that kind of thing probably shouldn't be unexpected. Even he had been sent on a mission already even though he had only been an outer sect disciple. After all, missions were something very important to the sect. It was nothing unusual. "Ah, well, I won't be able to see them then. Do you know when they'll be back?"

Wu Min Huan shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't know."

Jing Yi nodded. "Well, thank you anyway, senior martial brother Wu. Then we won't disturb you any longer." He gave him a bright smile and bid his farewell, not noticing the complicated gaze that Wu Min Huan had given him. As for Qiu Ling … His own mind was still preoccupied so he didn't notice either.