Leng Jin Yu had barely left his Master's peak and entered the common area of the inner sect when a sense of danger assaulted his heart. He threw himself to the side and the attack missed his heart but left five deep gashes on his arm.
Leng Jin Yu leaped to his feet and whirled around. His expression blanked. "Longjun?"
Qiu Ling didn't wait for any other words and pounced on him again. Leng Jin Yu clutched his arm and fell back, barely evading yet another attack.
"Longjun! What are you doing? We're allies!"
"Shut up! You seduced my Jing He!" Qiu Ling gnashed his teeth and leaped forward again. "Damn it! Stop dodging already! If you have the guts to try and steal my beloved, then you also have to have the guts to fight me!"
His beloved hadn't left his chamber for the past couple of days. He didn't even react when he went and knocked on his door. He was ignoring him! And it was all this guy's fault. It was because of him, because he had pushed him aside and had spent those four years with his beloved instead of him. He wouldn't let him get away with it!
Leng Jin Yu stumbled backward again, cold sweat beading his brow. He had always thought he was a good fighter and that there weren't many who could be dangerous after his ascension but in front of this man he suddenly realized just how dumb that notion was.
Yes, those cultivators in the human realm were nothing to him but weren't there still the trueborn gods, the dragons and the higher demons? He hadn't spent enough time in the Nine Heavens to be able to accurately judge their strength.
After fighting a few times with Lan Ling and the others he had thought he was on par with them but he hadn't considered that Lan Ling was a young god, after all. Longjun, on the other hand … And he couldn't even fight back! After all, that would implicate the gods if he managed to injure him by some stroke of luck.
"Longjun, please! This is neither the place nor —"
Five claws headed for his face. Leng Jin Yu fell to the ground only to see a sword swoosh down. He rolled to the side, barely evading the strike. Qiu Ling cursed.
"Stay put, damn it!"
"Please, calm down. We can talk —"
The sword cut off some of his hair, the blade only missing his face by an inch. Leng Jin Yu leaped up again and staggered back even further. This guy was going after his face on purpose!
"How about we go and seek out junior martial brother Zhong to clarify?"
"Don't you dare go see him!"
Leng Jin Yu sweat-dropped. Damn! He had thought bringing up Zhong Jing Yi would at least make him pause but it seemed he had made it even worse. Not good!
"I won't! I promise I won't!"
"As if I would believe you!"
The sword came at him again. Leng Jin Yu cursed and unsheathed his own weapon. He had to defend at least or this guy would really kill him. He couldn't let that happen. He hadn't found the person from his memories yet. And … he hadn't even thought about what had happened with Jinde just now. And wouldn't succumb to anything before he didn't manage to do at least that!
The swords clashed, sending sparks into the air.
"I'm not interested in junior martial brother Zhong. I only did what I had to. There are no romantic feelings involved."
"Lies!"
Leng Jin Yu frowned. Why was this guy not listening at all?! "Longjun, really, I don't think of him that way at all."
"You're still lying! Why wouldn't you want him? My Jing He is perfect all around!" Qiu Ling slashed out again, the blade screeching across Leng Jin Yu's sword and going straight for his heart. Qiu Ling's eyes lit up. This time he had him!
"But I'm already in love with somebody else!" Leng Jin Yu frowned. He wanted to fall back but Qiu Ling followed him, the blade closing in on his body. He wouldn't be able to evade this time. He raised his hand and lashed out with his spiritual energy to deflect the blade at least far enough so it wouldn't puncture his heart. He gritted his teeth, bracing himself for the impact.
It never came.
Leng Jin Yu looked up blankly. The first thing he noticed was Qiu Ling's annoyed expression. It definitely wasn't that he had finally reconsidered.
A certain dragon king even tightened his lips to make sure that point came across. "Who could be better than my Jing He? You have no taste at all!"
As a consequence, he was hurled in the other direction. He managed to stabilize himself in the air and glared at the other person reproachful. "What do you think you're doing? I almost had him!"
Xin Lan frowned. "This person, you cannot kill." The way he looked at Leng Jin Yu spoke another language though. It seemed as if he wanted to rip him apart.
Leng Jin Yu gulped and sat up. How come these people he hadn't interacted with much seemed to hate him? Unrelated people might think he had killed their fathers.
The sounds of the fight had indeed managed to attract those unrelated people. They weren't so sure what had happened to Qiu Ling's father but the smell of gossip was still strong in the air. So it turned out the senior martial brother Yu that had vanished four years ago had returned and not only that but he had used his time and seduced the fiance of the Grandmaster's disciple! This was huge news! Eh? And who was that man with the white hair that had half his face covered by a mask?
The latter was especially important to the female disciples that had gathered around while the others were more interested in finding out whether there would be another part to the fight. It couldn't be that this senior martial brother Qiu would let off the guy who had snatched his lover, could it?