Jinde tore himself away from Leng Jin Yu's sight and turned to look at Yuchi Bing Xia. "Considering it's such a grave issue I wouldn't want to keep Sect Master Yuchi longer than necessary. It might be for the best to tell Qiu Ling and his fiance immediately so they can hurry along on their journey."
"Ah, sure …" Yuchi Bing Xia nodded and cupped his fists, already turning to the door when he suddenly realized that something was wrong. Hadn't he come to see how Yu Jin and the beautiful god were getting along? Hadn't he wanted to appeal to Yu Jin's conscience when he found out that something was going on that shouldn't be happening? And now his plan to separate them through the mission had failed. He definitely couldn't just go!
He turned back. "Yu Jin —"
Jinde's eyes flashed. Was this guy still not going? Just why was he so intent on having them break up with each other?! He definitely wouldn't allow it!
Jinde put both his hands against Leng Jin Yu's chest and inched closer. "Jin Yu, actually, now that you're staying here there's something I'd like to talk to you about."
"What is it?" Leng Jin Yu gently grabbed Jinde's elbows. After seeing him go so pale yesterday and hearing him talk about some injuries he had suffered that still ailed him, he couldn't help but be a little cautious. Maybe it would be better to have him sit down? Come to think of it, Longjun had told him to sit down too when he came by yesterday. Maybe Jinde's injuries were even worse than he had thought? He should pay more attention to this in the future.
"Well, those paintings in the shelf … Were they done by you?"
"Mn. They were."
"You're really good at this." Jinde's hands slid lower until they rested on his lover's abdomen, making the men in the room with him wonder just what he was talking about there.
"Uh … Thank you. It's … just something I do in my leisure time."
"Really? That courtyard seemed familiar. Is it something you've seen?" Jinde looked up, his golden gaze inquiring earnestly.
Leng Jin Yu's grip tightened. "I think I did but I'm not too sure. It seems to be something like a distant memory, something from another time, another life."
"Would you care to tell me more?"
Leng Jin Yu nodded but didn't start talking immediately. Instead, he looped an arm around Jinde's waist, much to the horror of his Master. "You're still looking a little pale. How about sitting down for a while? Let me pour you a cup of tea." He led Jinde over to the table and made sure he was sitting comfortably.
Grandmaster Zhangsun watched the two of them from the side before walking to the door. He glanced at Yuchi Bing Xia pointedly before he silently left. The Sect Master stared at his disciple in the hope that he would reconsider but Leng Jin Yu was completely absorbed in his task of caring for Jinde.
Yuchi Bing Xia followed the Grandmaster out of the house and sighed. "I can't believe this happened. I warned him so many times even before they met and then … How come something like this still happened?"
Zhangsun Xun Yi looked over to his own peak and narrowed his eyes. "Sometimes things are just like that. By the way, I thought your disciple was called Yu Jin?"
"Ah? He is."
"Then why …"
Yuchi Bing Xia's expression darkened. "That's exactly what I'm talking about. When they met Yu Jin was so enraptured that he even messed up his own name. Ah, what am I going to do about this?" He put a hand to his brow and shook his head. He never would have thought he'd have such problems with Yu Jin. The first five years with him had been a breeze but now his disciple had encountered a problem and it was even such a difficult one. Ah, what a pity!
Zhangsun Xun Yi just murmured something that could have been an answer before he motioned to his palace. "I'm sure he'll be able to cope. Now, if you would excuse me. There is still something I have to take care of."
"Oh, but of course. I should also go and continue to take care of the documents." He sighed. "Hopefully Yu Jin won't forget that he's supposed to inherit my position over this matter."
"I doubt he will. He seems quite … dependable."
"Yes, I thought so too." Yuchi Bing Xia nodded but he couldn't help but be anxious. This was his favorite disciple, his chosen successor, ah! What if he became so caught up with his feelings that he suffered from a Qi deviation or something? Things like that weren't unheard of!
Well, he couldn't expect the Grandmaster to discuss this with him. He cupped his fists. "You said you were busy so I won't keep you any longer. Thank you for accompanying me."
"Mn. No worries." He turned around and returned to his own peak.
He immediately walked to his study and sat down at his desk, grinding the ink and finally taking up the brush. The problem with Qiu Ling was already solved even though he hadn't talked with that person. After all, that man hadn't seemed too bothered by the fact that Qiu Ling's fiance had broken up with him. Yes, he had been preoccupied with his own affairs but if this matter could actually endanger Qiu Ling's life, then he certainly would have shown more interest.
Now, there was only one thing he had to make sure of.
Zhangsun Xun Yi dipped the brush into the ink and wrote a message, folding the scroll into a paper crane afterward. He imbued it with his spiritual energy and sent it out of the sect grounds of the Yun Zou Sect and to one of the righteous sects beyond the ranking system.