Jing Yi — the real Jing Yi in the Nine Heavens — immediately sat up as soon as his eyes flew open. His cheeks were flushed crimson and he couldn't help but feel a little annoyed.
"Shameless!"
How could he do this?! Although … this kind of swooping in when the other was wavering and using the moment to make him falter even more through honeyed words and faulty logic … It was oddly familiar. It was probably exactly what Qiu Ling would have done in such a situation. After all, his fiance really had a talent for inverting what others said.
"Don't tell me I have some odd preference for that kind of man?"
Jing Yi rubbed his brow and sighed. He really would have liked to deny it but it was hardly possible. Furthermore, this wasn't the only similarity. Never mind that Qiu Ling was normally overly excited and tended to be even more shameless around him, always trying to hug and touch him, deep down he had the same attitude as that man.
He would always guard him regardless of what happened. Watching him suffer was probably worse for him than suffering himself. Just imagining what would happen if he collapsed in front of Qiu Ling like that …
Jing Yi sighed. As similar as they were it was a little bit ironic that that man from his past seemed more mature than Qiu Ling. How come his immortal fiance lost to a human in that regard? As someone with hundreds or maybe even a thousand years of experience shouldn't he be far ahead?
But maybe that was the difference between a normal person and a king. After all, the latter would be responsible for all his subjects. Just a few years in that position would probably make you a really dependable person.
Jing Yi frowned slightly. "Didn't you tell me you were something like an adviser to your king? How come nothing of your king's maturity rubbed off on you? Or are dragons just different?"
He sighed and lay down again. He knew he should get back to cultivating but right now his head was full of thoughts about that man. Remembering him had seemed so torturous at first but right now he didn't really think so. In fact, he felt … really warm.
To know that there had been such a person at his side, someone who would stay with him regardless of what happened, who would care for him and protect him and share the good and the bad times … it really made him feel happy.
"In the end, did we find happiness?"
He wanted to know. Had that man finally succeeded in swaying him? Had he thrown aside all those worries and uncertainties and been with him? He hoped so. That man had made that much of an impression on him that he couldn't help but do so. He felt like he deserved it. Even if it wasn't for himself, at least that man should have had his wish fulfilled.
"Who knows how much of the Fractured Crystal Leaf's spiritual energy is still inside me? For how many memories will it last? If I really was immortal … it should be a lot, right?" Jing Yi sighed again. "I can hardly believe this. Just yesterday I was still hoping that this would end as soon as possible and now here I am hoping that it will last for a while longer so that I can see some more."
It seemed strange but … he really wanted to know. Wasn't there something he could do? Could he really just wait until he remembered the next part of his previous life? Would it really just depend on his luck which part that would be? Wasn't there any way to control this?
A knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts. Jing Yi hurriedly sat up again and straightened his clothes. "Senior Martial Brother Yu?"
"Mn." Leng Jin Yu opened the door and gave a nod. "How do you feel?"
Jing Yi hesitated for a moment. It had been more than a day since they had last seen each other. The last time … Yu Jin had brought him here after he collapsed at the lakeside. "A lot better."
"That's good then."
Jing Yi nodded and wanted to ask how things were going with the traps when his eyes suddenly widened. "Senior Martial Brother Yu! You … You do know a lot about cultivation, don't you?"
"Yes?"
"And you researched that Fractured Crystal Leaf, didn't you?"
Leng Jin Yu had a bad feeling but he had more or less said that already so he could hardly deny it now. "I did although I don't know that much."
"Then … do you know if there is any way to influence when you see something and what it is?"
Leng Jin Yu relaxed when he heard this question. So it was merely this. That shouldn't be much of a problem. He still had to make sure, though. "Is it that you want to avoid seeing something?"
"Well … Not exactly." Jing Yi lowered his head. He knew this had to sound strange. After all, he had said previously that he didn't want to remember. "I just thought that … Wouldn't it be better to remember everything as soon as possible? I mean I have to remember it anyway. I'd rather like to do so now and be done with it than be faced with these memories randomly appearing. You know I … I was cultivating before and then I just … collapsed like at the lake. It's not a problem as long as I am here but what if you need my help later on and something like this happens? Wouldn't that be dangerous?"
"Mn." Leng Jin Yu sighed and slowly walked to the window.
He was right. It was dangerous. In that case, he should probably not get involved. Maybe this was something the Fate's Scribe wanted to use. There was that possibility. But then again he would also feel better if Jing Yi remembered everything he could because of the Fractured Crystal Leaf. At least then he would know if there was any problem that would influence the crown prince's trial.
It might be wrong but Leng Jin Yu still felt like he should tell him. He couldn't think of anything that might go wrong. Even with the method he had thought of, Jing Yi could only influence the when and not the what. It wouldn't change anything in the overall matter of things. After all, there was no way to prevent him from remembering all of this anyway.
"There is. But you'll have to enter your inner self for that."