CHAPTER 41 He hadn’t come for eight years, and now he was here. What’s the possibility he was here to save him?

“Why...” Qin Yan slowly asked, “Do you want to find Fu Changling first?”

“The seal of the Hidden Realm of Xuanji is a blood pact seal.” Jiang Yebai seriously explained this to Qin Yan. “According to what you said, if they truly made such great efforts to set a trap for Fu Changling to open the seal, then Fu Changling’s blood is certainly crucial to undo the seal. As long as Fu Changling is alive, they will not let him go. So, you should first find Fu Changling to avoid him from falling into the hands of the demonic cultivators. It is naturally better if he can take care of strengthening the seal, after all, you’re not proficient in arrays and he is an array genius.”

“An array genius?”

Qin Yan wondered why Jiang Yebai knew this. Jiang Yebai appeared rather tired. He leaned on the bed, and after a while, he slowly said, “That array you gave me should’ve been drawn by him. The ink in that array was added with his blood. I will give you three methods to inject my spiritual power into the array. Once you find the seal, at that time, if Fu Changling is by your side and able to, then hand it over to him to operate; if not, do it yourself. ”

As he spoke, three scrolls floated out in the air. Qin Yan extended his hand and took them, putting them into a spiritual bag.

Qin Yan swept a glance at the three scrolls. The array on top was identical to the one Fu Changling had given Jiang Yebai. He put away the arrays and nodded. “Understood.”

After he finished speaking, Jiang Yebai also felt fatigued. He closed his eyes and slowly said, “If there is nothing else, set off as soon as possible.”

Qin Yan stood still. Jiang Yebai saw that Qin Yan hadn’t left yet. He tardily opened his eyes and saw Qin Yan looking at him; hidden in his consistently chilly eyes was a worry he was unable to conceal.

Jiang Yebai couldn’t refrain from smiling. “How old are you to still be afraid of leaving home?”

“I’m worried about Shifu.” Qin Yan didn’t conceal his worry at all. “Your injuries haven’t healed. If I leave now...”

“Can you stay with me for the rest of my life?” Jiang Yebai helplessly interrupted him. “I will have to be alone sooner or later. If something were to really happen, it would be my fate.”

“I can.”

Qin Yan spoke. Jiang Yebai was stunned as he listened to Qin Yan speak in a calm and solemn manner. “I can stay by your side forever. If something happens to you, it would have to get through me first.”

Jiang Yebai’s expression changed drastically as he quietly watched Qin Yan. After a long time, he forcibly moved his gaze away from Qin Yan, his voice was much colder as he indifferently said, “Since Wenji said nothing will happen to me, then nothing will happen to me. I will transfer Elder Su and Shangguan Jun to come over and investigate. At the moment, the most important thing is the three seals, don’t delay it.”

Listening to Jiang Yebai’s arrangements, Qin Yan pondered over it for a moment. After confirming that it was the best plan, he finally made his decision.

“I will come back as soon as possible.”

Qin Yan raised his hands and respectfully said, “Shifu, please take care of yourself, and abstain from drinking. Don’t think too much. Recuperate well, and if there is something, wait for me to come back and discuss.”

Jiang Yebai’s head hurt listening to him. He hastily said, “Yes. Yes. Alright. Go quickly.”

Qin Yan nodded and turned around to walk out of the room. After a few steps, Jiang Yebai abruptly called him. “A-Yan.”

Qin Yan halted his steps. Jiang Yebai hesitated for a moment, then finally said, “Come here. I have to give you something.”

Qin Yan stepped forward suspiciously. Jiang Yebai spread out his palm. In his palm was a shiny, exquisitely carved wooden box. When Jiang Yebai opened the wooden box, he saw red gemmed stud earrings on the satin of the wooden box.

Qin Yan raised his head at a loss. Jiang Yebai smiled. “This was the gift for your twelfth birthday. That year, I went to the Donghai Sea to suppress the Demon Clan and brought it back on the way.”

Qin Yan didn’t speak. He remembered this.

Before his twelfth birthday, he still lived with Jiang Yebai. That year, Jiang Yebai went to suppress the rebellion started by the Demon Clan of the Donghai Sea. That was the first time Jiang Yebai left him on his birthday since he was four. He also wanted to go, but Jiang Yebai thought he was too young and let him stay at the Heavenly Palace of Hongmeng.

After returning, Jiang Yebai was seriously injured and went into seclusion. Since then, they have gradually become estranged. Jiang Yebai built the Reaching Moon Palace for him and drove him out of the Inquiry Moon Palace. Qin Yan himself had a cold natural disposition, and as a result, the master and disciple drifted apart even more.

He hadn’t received any birthday gifts from Jiang Yebai after that; but now he knows that when he turned twelve, Jiang Yebai had prepared a gift for him.

“When you were a child, your mother gave you an ear piercing.” Jiang Yebai gently spoke. “I felt it was a pity, so I forged this demon stone into an earring for you. This demon stone is also a treasure of the Demon Clan. You carry it with yourself. Regardless of where you go, I would be able to communicate with you or heal , and find your location. In case you’re harmed, it would be able to detoxify most common poisons or minor injuries. I have also placed three sword intents inside; it will protect you on its own if you’re fatally wounded.”

“I felt it was suitable at that time. Unfortunately, I was injured and went into seclusion after returning, and didn’t see you after that.” Jiang Yebai raised his eyes to look at him with a little helplessness in them. “Later, you grew up and I felt it was inappropriate, but I suppose you won’t like it now.”

“It’s not like that.”

Hearing these words, Qin Yan looked down at Jiang Yebai’s startled expression, and softly said, “I like everything Shifu gives me.”

Jiang Yebai watched him attentively. After a long time, he lowered his head and took the earring. “Then I’ll put it on for you.”

Qin Yan bent over, his hair hung down, caressing Jiang Yebai’s face. The peculiar orchid fragrance lingered in the night’s breeze. Jiang Yebai’s complexion was as serene as water as he put on the earrings for Qin Yan and said, “Alright. Brush your hair aside and let me see it.”

Listening to him, Qin Yan lifted his hair to the side to reveal the red earring.

The moonlight fell on Qin Yan, who was dressed entirely in snow white. His earlobe looked like jade, adorned with the red gem on top, under the glittering river of light overflowing with color, it looked like the only spectacular brightness.

Jiang Yebai quietly looked at him without saying a word.

He was not the same as twelve years ago.

Qin Yan who was almost eighteen, had been long brought up as an upright and graceful immortal. His face had lost that loveliness of a pink carven jade from his early years, but within those youthful lines, there was a distinct handsomeness, and the corner of his eyes, charming and beautiful.

It was a pity that he was used to a cold temperament which concealed that gentleness, making his entire person appear frosty like cold springs and mountain pine. However, at the moment he lifted his hair to reveal the earrings, he was like a fatal beauty evoking provocation.

Jiang Yebai was silent for too long. Feeling puzzled, Qin Yan raised his eyes to look at Jiang Yebai. “Shifu?”

Jiang Yebai retracted his gaze, nodded, and said, “Alright. If you get into any sort of trouble, call for me immediately.”

“Yes.”

“Go ahead.” Jiang Yebai looked down at the embroidered quilt. “I’ll wait for your return.”

Qin Yan nodded and bowed towards Jiang Yebai before he retreated to leave.

After withdrawing, he went to prepare the course of his journey according to the customs of the Heavenly Palace of Hongmeng, and lit his spirit-lamp in the Disciple Hall. Then, taking advantage of the night he maneuvered his sword and left the Heavenly Palace of Hongmeng.

He flew at neckbreak speed, but this would also completely consume his physical strength. Yun Yu, Xie Yuqing, and Shangguan Mingyan who were closely following behind him intended on riding the spiritual ship, however, looking at Qin Yan’s speed, they had no choice except maneuvering their swords and following behind.

Looking at Qin Yan’s silhouette, Yun Yu couldn’t help himself from asking, “Even if Shixiong is in a hurry to save someone, is it necessary to rush? It has only been two days…”

“Two days makes a lot of difference.”

Shangguan Mingyan sighed. “If it’s truly as Shijie said, that Shixiong saw Xiufan fall into the flood, then he’s certainly reproaching himself right now.”

Saying so, Shangguan Mingyan turned to look towards Xie Yuqing. “Right, Shijie?”

Xie Yuqing briefly nodded in agreement. The wind blew against her temples, outlining the gentle features of a young girl. Shangguan Mingyan who was quietly watching Xie Yuqing abruptly asked, “Shijie, if I were in dire straits would you be as anxious as Qin Shixiong to save me?”

“I...”

Xie Yuqing had only opened her mouth to speak when Yun Yu, who was on the side, came closer and spoke with considerable pride. “No. Shijie cultivates the Path of Lovelessness, and her level is also higher than Qin Shixiong’s. So can’t you see why our Shijie, regardless of what she does, is always steady and calm? Right, Shijie?”

Yun Yu turned to look at Xie Yuqing who remained silent for a moment and turned to look into the distance without replying.

Shangguan Mingyan looked at Xie Yuqing’s expression blankly. Yun Yu looked ahead and urgently said, “Shixiong went ahead too fast. I will catch up first. Shijie, you too should pick up speed!”

With that Yun Yu went ahead on his sword and Xie Yuqing led Shangguan Mingyan at a steady pace.

Shangguan Mingyan was standing behind Xie Yuqing. Right now, he was only fifteen years old and Xie Yuqing was born tall, so he was still a little shorter than her. He raised his head to look at Xie Yuqing’s eyes. As he did so, he didn’t know what was wrong but he felt an indescribable sorrow.

He tugged at Xie Yuqing’s hem, suddenly speaking in a small voice. “I think… Shijie, you would come to my rescue.”

Xie Yuqing glanced back with a neutral expression. Shangguan Mingyan gave a faint smile. “I don’t understand what is the Path of Lovelessness and what is not. I only know that if one day, if anyone from the Heavenly Palace of Hongmeng were in any sort of trouble, Shijie would draw her sword just like Qin Shixiong.”

Xie Yuqing twitched her expression slightly. It seemed like she wanted to say something yet, after a long time, she only let her gaze fall to look into the distance, and responded with a calm “En”.

Qin Yan rushed through day and night for seven days before finally reaching the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff. After arriving there, he first observed the surrounding perimeters.

The Ten Thousand Bones Cliff looked like any other ordinary cliff from the top. Both sides of the cliff were bare, and the few occasional trees that had grown there lacked any sort of foliage. Vultures circled the sky above and the pitch-black ghost energy shrouded up from below the cliff. Once in a while, there would be a sound similar to a beast’s roar from under the cliff. It was impossible to tell which animal it was, but the sound made one’s heart tremble in fear.

Qin Yan took a step forward and saw the black mist lingering around the bottom of the cliff. That black mist slithered as it spun, appearing like a great serpent.

This black mist, which was so dense that it was almost substantive, belonged uniquely to the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff. Only a place that possessed an exceedingly hostile energy of ten thousand malicious spirits could have such a strong dark supernatural energy.

Qin Yan perceived the situation for a moment then immediately descended down from his sword.

Yun Yu and the others who had rushed over soon after saw Qin Yan going straight down. Seeing this, Yun Yu couldn’t help his anxiety. “Why are you rushing so urgently? You weren’t so worried earlier, what’s the use of getting worried now? Shijie,” Yun Yu turned and apprehensively said, “What’s to be done?”

“Let’s go.”

Xie Yuqing replied solemnly. As she moved ahead on her sword, she saw the dense supernatural dark energy and hesitated for a moment before turning towards Shangguan Mingyan to say, “Hold on to me.”

Shangguan Mingyan smiled and answered, “okay.”

Xie Yuqing flicked her wide sleeves to form an energy barrier to protect Yun Yu and Shangguan Mingyan, then immediately proceeded to follow down after Qin Yan.

Qin Yan rushed forward alone. He raised the sword in his hand and brought it down with the momentum of thunder, directly expelling that dark supernatural energy.

The Ten Thousand Bones Cliff trembled at once as malicious spirits swarmed over them in ear-piercing screeches. Qin Yan raised his hand to grab a malicious spirit, holding its neck, he coldly asked, “Eight years ago, a man named Fu Changling came to the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff. Where is he?”

*** ***

When Qin Yan rushed down towards the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff, Fu Changling was winding up with his one-day training.

He roasted a chicken for Tanxin and then loaded the wine with the skeleton flowers he picked yesterday. Tanxin accompanied him as he sealed the wine jar and buried it in the soil. Then, he watched him walk to the stone wall and draw a horizontal line on the wall already covered with a large number of “正” characters.

Tanxin propped his chin while floating in the air. Looking at him, he sighed rather ruefully and said, “Don’t draw. You’ve been drawing for such a long time, and the person you’re waiting for still hasn’t come. He has forgotten you.”

Fu Changling twirled a stone from the side and discontentedly threw it at him. “Nonsense.”

Tanxin skillfully dodged Fu Changling’s stone. The child’s face showed a remorseful expression only an adult could. “Don’t deceive yourself. You said it. It’s not the first time he lied to you. In your previous life, he asked you to wait for him, but in the end, he never came back. He must have lied to you again!”

“I say,” Fu Changling didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Do you have to be so heart-rending? I’m already so miserable. Can you not try consoling me for once?”

“We’re all adults,” Tanxin raised a hand. “Don’t always run from reality. If he doesn’t come, so be it. You don’t have to feel miserable. Think about it, you’ve been doing well here. You’ve learned all the four styles of the Heavenly River. This is indeed the Tianpin sword technique, it is rare to come across such an opportunity in your life. ”

“I beg you. Please, speak a little less.”

Fu Changling made a pleading gesture. “Your words are making me too uncomfortable. Please, eat your fill, and go to sleep.”

Tanxin curled his lips in disbelief, walked to his small bed by himself, and wordlessly pulled the small quilt over his head.

Fu Changling turned around to look at the horizontal lines on the wall. After quietly looking for a moment, he went back to his bed.

This was his eighth year here.

In the beginning, he still waited with joy. After waiting for so long, he didn’t know whether he was waiting or forgetting.

These eight years of living here allowed him to get a general understanding of the state of affairs at the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff. This place was roughly divided into two parts. One was the core of the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff. Here, there was a city named the White Jade city. It is said that all the high-level malicious spirits of the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff resided in the ghost city, among whom the strongest was Xie Shen, the Ghost King.

Outside the White Jade city, there were lonely, wild rogue ghosts. These lonely, wild ghosts wandered around and divided up their own territories, and each of those territories had one Ghost Lord. These territories put together did not makeup even one-fifth of theWhite Jade city, but they already had more than a dozen Ghost Lords.

Now, Fu Changling was one of the Ghost Lords.

He didn’t have a golden core. These eight years, he had been following that person in the sword to improve his swordsmanship. This person in the sword was not an actual person, but a wisp of spirit left behind by a certain senior from back in those years. She seldom appeared herself and almost always communicated through Tanxin.

His everyday life consisted of learning the sword in the morning and practicing with the fierce ghosts on the cliff at noon. After this routine for eight years, he learned to walk out of the cliff step by step, until he somehow fought for his own territory and inexplicably became its little Ghost Lord.

A Ghost Lord’s life was truly hectic. He had to fight with little ghosts every day to maintain control over his territory and negotiate with other Ghost Lords. To live a tempestuous life in this manner, if he hadn’t carved those horizontal lines on the wall, he would’ve practically forgotten who he was and what he had come here to do.

Only when engraving those horizontal lines would he recall that he was still waiting here for a person.

Sometimes he would wonder if that person would come, and sometimes he would think about what was going on outside; whether his father was alive or not, or if Yunze had met with a mishap.

But as he recalled that the Hidden Realm of Xuanji was already sealed at that time, and Qin Yan and Jiang Yebai were also present, he felt much more reassured.

Tanxin said that he worried unnecessarily. Every day, he urged him to come to the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff, saying that he should forget about Yunze. Because living here as a small Ghost Lord was not a bad way of life.

It’s not that Fu Changling hadn’t thought of this, but every day when he made that line, he would recall that the last thing Qin Yan said was to wait for him.

He didn’t know why this feeling was particularly strong tonight. He tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. After hesitating for a little while, he stood up, put on a mink fur cloak, and dug out a jar of wine. Then, he sat in front of the official documents and flipped out the scriptures that were popular in the ghost realm.

As he was flipping through it, he heard a female voice. “You seem to be upset.”

Fu Changling paused and immediately knew that it was that senior who had come. He lowered his head and smiled, as if embarrassed. “I’m not unhappy.”

“Then what is it?”

“Just,” Fu Changling thought for a while, and hesitatingly said, “missing someone.”

“Is it the person you like?”

“I don’t know.” Fu Changling took a sip from the wine. “I certainly liked him in my previous life. Right now, I’m not sure if it’s guilt, true love, or simply a crush; but I think, in the end, it still feels more like a crush. Even if I don’t like him that much now, there are still some feelings I can’t quite put my finger on.”

“Has Senior ever liked someone?”Fu Changling didn’t want to talk too much about himself, so he turned to ask that person instead. That person gave a bashful smile, and without feeling embarrassed, magnanimously said, “I have, and I still like them.”

“Oh?” Fu Changling cheerfully asked, “Is that person still there?”

“When I died, he was still alive.”

“How did you both get to know each other?” Fu Changling asked with interest. The other party’s voice turned softer. “Our families were old friends. We were betrothed since childhood.”

“That is truly a destined marriage. Did you both get together in the end?”

The other side was silent. Fu Changling realized he might have said something wrong, and was about to apologize when he heard the other person speak. “It can be counted as being together. We were married in the front of the heaven, earth, gods, and buddhas.”

Married in front of heaven, earth, gods, and buddhas. Fu Changling thought for a moment and roughly figured out that this Senior and her lover weren’t officially wed at all.

Just as he was about to say something, he heard the screeching of a ferocious ghost in the distance. Fu Changling’s face fell. Tanxin also opened his eyes and hurriedly asked, “What’s going on?”

“Don’t panic.”

Fu Changling stood up with his sword. He raised his hand to throw a blanket atTanxin, and mildly said, “You go to sleep first. I’ll go take a look.”

After speaking, Fu Changling walked out of the cave. Just as he walked out of the cave, he saw a large group of malicious spirits floating in the air. The boss leading them was the one he fought most often with, called Zhang-Er. Zhang-Er saw him come out and anxiously said, “Boss, it’s not good. Some people from outside have infiltrated.”

Fu Changling was stunned, and right after, he felt an unbridled happiness surge up in his heart. He blithely said, “Where? Who are those people? Do you know what they’re here for?”

“Landed near the White Jade city,” Zhang-Er’s voice sounded rather excited. “I heard that the guards of the White Jade city had come out. The people… I haven’t seen them either.”

“If you haven’t seen them, then go and find out!”

Fu Changling slapped Zhang-Er’s body, and urgently said, “Hurry up, go find out who’s here, and what they did!”

Zhang-Er was pumped by Fu Changling. He repeatedly nodded his head and whizzed away with his brothers at once.

Once Zhang-Er left, Fu Changling steadied his state of mind.

He shouldn’t get too anxious. It’s not certain that the one who came was Qin Yan. Moreover, even if it was Qin Yan who came, the guards of the White Jade city had come out. This was definitely not the time for him to be happy.

After slightly sizing up his heart, he finally turned around and went into the cave, took every kind of relic and medicinal pill he had extorted over these years, and hurriedly rushed out.

Fu Changling ran wildly all the way to the vicinity of theWhite Jade city, while Qin Yan brandished his sword as he dashed in the direction of the White Jade city.

He calculated the position of the landing place and moved away from the White Jade city. According to his plan, at the current level, so long as they were away from the White Jade city, there wouldn’t be any problem. But as soon as he fell, he heard a loud sound coming from the edge of the White Jade city in the distance. Along with the loud sound came the thunderous clang of Xie Yuqing’s spiritual powers. Qin Yan understood at once this was no good, and urgently rushed in the direction of the White Jade city.

These little ghosts in the distance were not a big hindrance to Qin Yan. He moved with agility, and not long after, hurried to the White Jade city gate where he saw a malicious spirit holding a broadsword, slashing towards Yun Yu. Qin Yan’s long sword went straight out of his hands to slay that malicious spirit which vanished like smoke in thin air, then it whirled around and fell back into his hand. He lifted Yun Yu up, as Xie Yuqing on his side said, “Go.”

Xie Yuqing grabbed Shangguan Mingyan and quickly went after Qin Yan. The guards of the White Jade city rushed to catch up. Qin Yan and Xie Yuqing were both fighting and moving, while Shangguan Mingyan and Yun Yu stood on each of their sides to stop the little ghosts that were approaching. But these guards were too strong. Qin Yan and Xie Yuqing were dragging two more people, and not long after, there were ribbons of blood fluttering behind their bodies.

The four people fought and fled, but in the end, they were completely surrounded by several hundred guards.

Those guards were uniformly dressed in army armors, held broadswords, and carried tricoloured flags on their backs. Within the armor, nothing apart from a pair of green eyes could be seen.

The four of them were leaning against each other’s back as the guards besieged them together. They came over, incessantly slashing with their broadswords. Xie Yuqing and Qin Yan focused on shielding the two people on their sides and exerted themselves to brace against wave after wave of incoming attacks.

Amidst the fierce battle, Fu Changling stealthily led Tanxin and a few hundred little ghosts to the battlefield. He hid behind a rock, then stuck out a pair of eyes along with Tanxin to look at those people in the crowd.

“I couldn’t see clearly.”

Tanxin decisively said. Fu Changling didn’t speak. He vaguely saw a set of white robes among the swaying shadows.

His heart started pounding.

Eight Years.

He had waited for eight years.

“Shixiong!” Yun Yu anxiously yelled out. “Mingyan is on the brink of death.”

“Shut up.”

Shangguan Mingyan howled lowly. Qin Yan inclined on one side to immediately let Shangguan Mingyan go behind the three of them. The three of them stood shoulder to shoulder and encircled Shangguan Mingyan in the middle. Then Qin Yan coldly said, “Heal yourself.”

That sound seemed particularly distinct amidst the screeching noise of those ferocious ghosts. Fu Changling’s whole body felt tense just listening to it.

He had innumerable thoughts surging up. Tanxin glanced at him, and whispered, “This is the person you were waiting for?”

“Zhang-Er, lead people to surround them.”

Fu Changling commanded in a low voice. Zhang-Er was taken aback, and cowardly said, “Boss, those are the guards of the White Jade city...”

“Give one of these things to the brothers. Take it with the paper and don’t touch it.”

Fu Changling took out a pile of something as large as medicinal pills and handed them over with a paper to Zhang-Er. When Zhang-Er touched it, he felt the power of thunder on it and trembled with fright. “Boss, to use this item in the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff… wouldn’t it be overbearing?”

“After a while, I’ll throw out a bomb. You can take this thing and drop it on those guards. After that, you have to follow those people and find an opportune moment to bring those people to the cold pool cave. ”

Fu Changling was indifferent to Zhang-Er’s panic. He twirled out the medicinal pill-sized items in his hand. This thing was the blinding pellet often used when malicious spirits fought over territories. To use it is to cast nothing but flying sandstorms in the vicinity where no one could see anything.

Fu Changling fixed his attention on Qin Yan’s position, then he looked at the surroundings.

Qin Yan was slashed across his arm by a knife blade. He heard Xie Yuqing’s muffled groan and understood that Xie Yuqing was injured. He felt anxious as he quickly thought of ways to retreat. He looked around and saw a shadow whirling about. Behind a huge rock, there was a familiar shadow of a person pointing towards him while sitting in a spread-out posture.

Qin Yan was slightly stupefied, and at that moment, a sharp blade swung straight down at him. Yun Yu hurriedly yelled, “Shixiong, watch out!”

Qin Yan subconsciously dodged to the side, exposing Xie Yuqing’s back. He simply moved out his sword horizontally, and directly incised the abdomen of the person in front of him. Then he screamed out. “Run separately!”

As soon as his voice fell, he urgently turned over to the front and dashed in Fu Changling’s direction.

At that exact moment, Fu Changling smashed the bomb towards the front, and in an instant, sand and stones flew into the air. Everywhere was chaos. Soon after, they heard the screeching of a hundred ghosts leaping upwards, and countless flashes of lightning struck straight down from above!

Thunder was what these malicious spirits feared the most. Amidst the chaos, Fu Changling hurriedly walked towards the direction Qin Yan had just come from. Qin Yan couldn’t see anything clearly. He only felt a strong gust of wind chasing after him in the periphery as it slashed down onto him. He turned around and used his sword to counterattack the slashing of that long knife. That long knife sent out a mighty force that jolted Qin Yan and sent him flying out at once! Fu Changling was listening to the sounds in the wind. He had only heard Qin Yan’s muffled groan come from up above when he leaped up right away using the tip of his toes. Then he raised his hand to hold on to Qin Yan’s waist and stop the backlash of the momentum.

“Fragile beauty,” Fu Changling supported Qin Yan as he fell to the ground and spoke with a smile. “Where are you going?”

Qin Yan saw someone come over. He frowned and grabbed the clothes on Fu Changling’s chest. Fu Changling was just about to laugh at him when he heard him vaguely call out. “Fu Changling.”

At the same time, he vomited out a mouthful of blood following that sound, spraying it all over the ground.

Fu Changling was slightly taken aback and then right after, he threw the person on his back without hesitation and trotted all the way to the cold pool cave with him on his back. While running, he picked out a suitable medicine from the spirit pouch, opened the medicine bottle, directly put the medicine in Qin Yan’s mouth with one hand, and urgently said, “It will make you a little uncomfortable. Hold on just once.”

Qin Yan was being carried on his back. Leaning on Fu Changling’s back, his entire person was somewhat in a daze.

The injuries he had sustained previously still weren’t completely cured. Now as well, he had been rushing for six days on this journey without having a rest, and he was also injured while coming down. The moment he saw Fu Changling, he couldn’t hold out anymore.

He knew that for Fu Changling to still be alive after living under the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff for eight years, he must have had his own ways to survive. In fact, he was not worried about it at all, but while leaning on this person’s back at this moment, he still couldn’t help himself from asking, “Fu Changling, have you been doing alright?”

Fu Changling was a little stumped. He hadn’t expected that the first thing Qin Yan asked him would be something so mundane.

He couldn’t help curling up the corners of his mouth, but he also felt that he was too easy to coax.

He came to find him only after eight years. Who knows what things this person, Qin Yan, had experienced. Maybe he spent these eight years guarding Jiang Yebai as he ascended, and only then did he recall that Fu Changling was under the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff.

When Fu Changling thought of this, he felt somewhat displeased. He pursed his lips and said, “No. I was living on the verge of death every day. I’ve not lived a single good day.”

Qin Yan wordlessly laid on his back. After speaking Fu Changling felt that he spoke a bit too much. After hesitating for a moment he continued, “Actually it’s alright. I met a Senior here and learned a lot of things. I suppose it can be considered a blessing in disguise...”

“I’m sorry.”

Qin Yan spoke in a low voice. Hearing that sorry, Fu Changling became speechless.

He suddenly felt that Qin Yan shouldn’t be saying sorry to him.

When he said sorry to him, he felt that there was nothing in this world he could blame him for.

He smiled reluctantly. “What are you saying sorry for? You came to save me. This is enough.”

No matter how long it took, he had promised he’d come to save him. He came, and that was enough.

Even after he said this, Qin Yan didn’t respond. Fu Changling turned around to glance at him only to find that this person had finally passed out. He held out for so long only to say I'm sorry.

He smiled and looked at Qin Yan sideways. He didn’t know why he felt that this person with his eyes closed, leaning on his shoulder looked especially adorable.

So adorable that he couldn’t help having an urge to lean forward and place a kiss on the other person’s face.

But this urge was just a thought. He didn’t dare to violate Qin Yan this way. So he quickly halted his impulsive thoughts, turned his head, and ran wildly all the way with Qin Yan on his back.

Eight years of training had given him extremely good physical strength, and he ran back to the cold pool cave without showing any signs of fatigue.

Tanxin followed him back, leisurely floating to the cold pool cave. He spoke rather contemptuously with both his hands folded inside his sleeves. “Look at how happy you are. He came to rescue you after eight years, maybe he didn’t intend to come at all.”

“How’s that possible?”

First Fu Changling felt Qin Yan’s pulse to determine the condition of the injury. This is the same as he learned from an old ghost doctor. He didn’t have a golden core, so he couldn’t use his spiritual power to examine the body’s condition, and had to learn to feel the pulse.

Qin Yan had a few internal injuries, but they weren’t a major issue. He hurriedly went to rummage through the pills he usually made and fed them to Qin Yan. He turned his head towards Tanxin and said, “You don’t know how messy it is outside. He was probably a little busy. Now that he’s not busy anymore, he came back to look for me.”

“What if he simply came out of convenience?”

Tanxin floated over to move closer to Qin Yan and examined him in a circle. Taking advantage of Fu Changling healing Qin Yan, he suddenly took away Qin Yan’s spiritual pouch. Fu Changling glared at him and continued to feed the medicine to Qin Yan. “What are you doing? Bring it back!”

“There is something in it with an impressive odor,” Tanxin took out four scrolls from the spiritual pouch, then spoke in astonishment. “Ah! The cultivation base of the ascension stage.”

When Fu Changling heard this, he also felt that something was amiss. He fed the medicine to Qin Yan and started preparing a gauze to tie the wound, while simultaneously speaking to Tanxin. “What ascension stage? Open that thing and let me have a look.”

Tanxin floated over to Fu Changling’s front. Since he had been mingling with Zhang-Er for a long time, he didn’t like walking anymore.

“Look.”

Tanxin opened the scroll. Fu Changling was stunned when he looked at it. On that scroll was a map of Yunze, and among the three places that were marked on it, one of them was the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff.

Suddenly, he felt something stuck in his chest.

Although he seemed to be a straightforward person, he was in fact quick-witted. Just with a glance, he understood what Qin Yan was here for.

But he was still unwilling to give up, and said, “Open the other scrolls and let me have a look.”

Tanxin was doubtful about the change in Fu Changling’s expression, but he still opened the three scrolls next to him. The three scrolls on the side had diagrams of three arrays. Fu Changling was a master of arrays, so he naturally knew what these three diagrams could be used for.

The joy from just now abruptly dissipated, and a sourness slowly bubbled up.

In fact, he should’ve known that for all these eight years, regardless of what happened, if Qin Yan had wanted to save him he would’ve come long ago.

At that time, Qin Yan had seen him use the transportation array. With Qin Yan’s knowledge, he should know that the place shown in the transportation array must be extremely shady. If all such shady places were searched through, he could’ve found him long ago.

But he hadn’t come for eight years, and now he was here. What’s the possibility he was here to save him?

He was here for something else, and saving him was a matter of convenience.

But why didn’t he come?

Fu Changling asked himself, and in an instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Maybe he knew this was the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff and he was unwilling to take risks.

Maybe he felt that looking through each and every shady place one by one would be too time-consuming, and he had other important matters at hand.

Maybe he thought he was already dead, and even if he wasn’t dead, there was no value in saving a cultivator who had already lost his golden core.

No matter how or what, in the end, it’s all just three words. He was insignificant.

Insignificant. Nothing more.

If it mattered, if he was the Qin Yan from his previous life, and if he cared about him, then he would’ve come back to save him.

The Qin Yan from his previous life hadn’t asked for anything and came to the Ten Thousand Bones Cliff by himself to fetch the Flower of Rebirth for him.

When Fu Changling thought of this bit, for a while, he didn’t know if he should be happy or sad.

He knew he shouldn’t complain. After all, Qin Yan had done so much for him in his last life, and he was just repaying his debt and nothing else. However, the moment he realised that Qin Yan was emphatically not here to save him, he still felt a little...a little wronged.

Tanxin noticed that Fu Changling hadn’t spoken for a long time. He floated over to his front, waved his hand, and said, “Hey, what’s the matter with you?”

Fu Changling snapped out of it with Tanxin’s call. He hurriedly restrained his heart and smiled reluctantly. “It’s nothing. Quickly put those things away. Tanxin, I tell you, you cannot touch other people’s things as you please. In Yunze, people like you are beaten to death.”

With that Fu Changling rushed over to Qin Yan’s side. He looked at the bloodstains on Qin Yan’s body and hesitated for a moment. Nevertheless, he picked up Qin Yan and put him on the soft bed. He prepared clean water, medicine, and cloth strips. After that, he sat by Qin Yan’s side and gazed at the young man on the bed.

Obviously, eight years had already passed, yet this person still looked the same as when they had parted. There was no change at all, except his complexion was a little paler, and he looked thinner.

This person, Qin Yan already possessed a scholarly and pure kind of beauty. If he becomes thinner, his thin skeleton makes him look pitiful and sick for no reason at all.

At this moment, he was lying on the bed with his hair scattered around him. His clothes were slightly pulled apart due to Fu Changling’s movements just now, faintly revealing his delicate collarbone.

Looking at such a scene, Fu Changling couldn’t help but stop his hand that was going to untie his clothes.

He couldn’t aid his pounding heart and subconsciously called out. “Qin Yan?”

Qin Yan didn’t reply. He unconsciously turned his face to the side, revealing a red stud on his ear. That red colour reflected on his skin making him look a little less aloof and more beautiful.

Fu Changling’s gaze fell on that stud earring, and he couldn’t help feeling slightly entranced by it.

Qin Yan always liked plain colours. When did he learn to wear such bright coloured earrings?

Fu Changling was in a daze. Tanxin floated to him, looked at Fu Changling, and then looked at Qin Yan. He couldn’t help but urge on. “You’re still not going to take it off? Are you not going to take care of this injury? ”

Upon being yelled at by Tanxin, Fu Changling’s face suddenly turned red.

It was obviously a serious matter but he was rather ill at ease. He felt that Tanxin was to blame for all of it, so he aggressively stood up, threw Tanxin out of the door, and closed the entrance of the cave with a bang.

This set of movements were incomparably smooth and unhindered. Tanxin was completely at a loss as he sat on the blue stone slab by the entrance.

Fu Changling threw Tanxin out and returned to the bedside. Then, he realised that once Tanxin left, only Qin Yan and he were left in the room.

The lantern on his side suddenly exploded. Looking at Qin Yan on the bed, Fu Changling’s heart anxiously palpitated and flurried. His palms were sweating and his whole body felt uncomfortable.

It’s not like he hadn’t had this feeling before.

In his previous life...

Fu Changling took a deep breath and put his hand on Qin Yan’s belt. His hands trembled as he untied this person’s belt while thinking seriously at the same time.

How about letting Tanxin in?

Author’s note:

Fu Changling: How about calling Tanxin in?

Tanxin: I’m still a child. Forget about it.

Fu Changling: What do you think I’m going to do?

Tanxin: Whatever it is, it’s your business. Once you face Qin Yan, it’ll become unsuitable for a child to watch.

Fu Changling: ...