Leng Jin Yu didn't waste any time and returned to the Yun Zou Sect at the fastest speed possible. He hovered in the air above the sect grounds but the person he was supposed to find didn't appear like the last time. In that case …
Leng Jin Yu observed the sect grounds for a while and finally flew to the Sect Master's peak. That person was probably still in the Yun Zou Sect but if he had to search for him he would need some time and there was no way he would be able to do it without being seen. Since Zhong Jing Yi and Longjun had already returned anyway he should just announce that he was back too. So, he should first go and see his Master. After that, he would search for that Senior Xin and then find the person he couldn't remember yet.
Leng Jin Yu landed in front of the two disciples guarding the gates and nodded. "Is my Master inside?"
The eyes of the two widened and they exchanged a glance. Was that … the Sect Master's disciple Yu Jin? But wasn't it said that he had vanished?
Leng Jin Yu waited. He could imagine that it was hard for them to accept that he was suddenly back. "Maybe one of you could go and announce me? I wouldn't want to disturb him."
"Uh …" One of the disciples cleared his throat. "The Sect Master definitely wouldn't feel disturbed!" He straightened up and motioned at the gate. "Senior Martial Brother Yu is the Sect Master's youngest disciple and has been vanished for so long. The Sect Master will certainly be very happy to see you again! He won't want to wait."
Leng Jin Yu nodded and followed the disciple into the palace.
The youth almost ran to the Sect Master's study and only stopped at the door. "Sect Master, Sect Master! Senior martial brother Yu returned!"
Yuchi Bing Xia froze at his desk. What had he just heard? Yu Jin … had come back? He leaped to his feet and stormed outside, almost knocking Leng Jin Yu down. "Yu Jin, you … you're really back!"
Leng Jin Yu smiled and gave a nod. "Yes, Master. I'm sorry for making you worry."
"Ah, you! What are you even saying?" Yuchi Bing Xia examined his disciple from head to toe. He didn't seem to be hurt at all. It was as if he had never been away. Yuchi Bing Xia sighed and patted Leng Jin Yu's hands. "It's good that you're back. Come on in. Tell me what happened."
"Mn."
Leng Jin Yu followed him inside while the disciple ran out again and leaned against the wall with a sigh. "I can't believe it! It's really Senior martial brother Yu!"
"Mn, he's finally back. Let's see if that Qiguan Cheng Da will continue to be so arrogant now!"
"Mn!" The first disciple nodded. Finally, they had their senior martial brother Yu back. "We should inform the others!"
"Ah? But we can't leave our post. How are we going to do that?"
"Don't you have a paper crane?"
"Yes, but that is for emergencies only. How could I use it now?"
The first disciple sighed. "That's right too. Well, let's wait until we get off-duty then. Anyway, it won't change anything. He's back and he'll certainly stay here for now. The Sect Master wouldn't let him go on any mission after something like that happened. Let me tell you, senior martial brother Yu is his favorite disciple. He'll guard him especially closely now! Every possible kind of danger will be eliminated before it can get into a hundred meters of senior martial brother Yu."
"That's probably true. Although I don't think that he needs that. Doesn't he have a high cultivation base? I heard rumors he is already in the leaf stage."
"Me too, me too. And you have to consider that was before he disappeared on that mission. Since he managed to return he should have had some kind of fortuitous encounter. He might already be in the bud stage by now."
The two disciples looked at the sky with sparkling eyes. Ah, this senior martial brother Yu was too outstanding! Not only did he have a high cultivation base, but he was also so modest about it. Unlike a certain someone who shoved into everyone's faces just how great he was …
While the two disciples were daydreaming Leng Jin Yu sat down in his Master's study. A cup of tea was forced into his hands and his wrist was grabbed, almost making him spill the tea. Leng Jin Yu hurriedly adjusted the cultivation base he was projecting and just like the disciples had guessed he elevated it to the bud stage. After all, when would he get a better opportunity to adjust it?
Yuchi Bing Xia's eyes widened and he looked up at his disciple's face. "You reached the fifth stage already?"
Leng Jin Yu gave a small smile. "We were trapped in a secret realm for a few years, after all. The environment was very suitable for cultivation. Junior martial brother Zhong also made tremendous progress. He reached the third stage by now."
"Ah? Oh, you mean … the fiance of Grandmaster Zhangsun's disciple."
Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Precisely so."
"So he is also back. That's good, that's good. Does Grandmaster Zhangsun's disciple know already?"
Leng Jin Yu nodded, reverting to the way he had portrayed Yu Jin before. Ah, this might become troublesome in the future. Maybe he should also use this experience to change his ways a little? After all, even he himself didn't know just how long he would stay in the mortal realm. He didn't want to have to act all the time.
And there wasn't a reason to do so anyway. Zhong Jing Yi already knew him better and wouldn't catch onto something. Furthermore, he wasn't in any danger regardless of how the rest of his trial passed. It wouldn't change anything.
With that thought, Leng Jin Yu turned to Yuchi Bing Xia and gave him a bright smile for the first time. "Master, I'm happy to be back."
Yuchi Bing Xia looked at his disciple, startled. Was this really the taciturn Yu Jin he had taken in?