Leng Jin Yu only smiled. "So you've known since then. I thought it was strange how you looked at the teacup."
Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "I had my doubts. Although I do have to say that I never suspected anything until that day. It's just that … that tea set was much too distinct and the memory too clear to miss this. I wrote a message to the Liu He Alliance afterward, asking whether there was still one of those paintings around."
"Ah." Leng Jin Yu nodded. "That's right. He loved to paint. And as strange as I thought it was, he always loved to paint me. I guess he kept them."
"Mn, and since Hua Min knew how much his Master was attached to those paintings he kept him after his death. I feel honored that he would let a disciple bring one of them over here."
"He probably knew that you wouldn't ask for one if it wasn't important. Since we've established how this conversation came about why don't you tell me what it is you wanted to ask?"
"That person … does he know?"
Leng Jin Yu nodded. "We're married. Naturally, he knows."
"Then … your —" He stopped himself and shook his head. "Sect Master Yuchi, does he know?"
"No."
"Do you intend to tell him?"
"No, I don't. And … I'd appreciate it if you didn't either."
"So your goal for coming here …"
"It's not the sect. It wasn't, originally. It's just that … things happened." He turned away and walked to the edge of the path, reaching up to the lowest branch hanging from the fringe tree. He rubbed the leave and sighed. "Your disciple … You know who he is, don't you?"
"Mn. He is of the dragon race."
"He isn't just any dragon though. He is … the dragon king. And the person he fell in love with is none other than the Son of Heaven, the Nine Heavens' crown prince." He turned back to Zhang Xun Yi and smiled. "You can imagine what it means for such a person to descend to the mortal realm. That kind of trial, it's necessary but dangerous. So after some things happened that put the Heavenly Emperor ill at ease, I was sent to look over him since I would know better about the mortal world than a trueborn god."
Leng Jin Yu retracted his hand and the two of them fell silent.
"I didn't think much of it. Being called Leng Jin Yu or Yu Jin … What does it matter? Pretending to cultivate under a Master …" He shook his head. "I wouldn't have thought things would turn out this way. I just thought that showing a bit of talent would allow me a position in the sect that would make certain things easier. I never intended to be treated this well by the Sect Master and I certainly wouldn't have thought about inheriting his position. Now that it's come to this there isn't much I can do anyway. I could reject the offer but the Yun Zou Sect has lost a lot. If I leave, then it's likely that the sect will face its demise."
"There is still the Sect Master and me."
"Mn. But you have remained here for so long. Don't you want to ascend and see for yourself what the Nine Heavens are like? And to be honest, I doubt the Yun Zou Sect can rely on just one person's strength forever. What the sect needs are young talents. People that will … grow in this sect and become its new pillars of strength. Otherwise, there is no future ahead."
"Yuchi Bing Xia knows that. That was the reason why he was so happy to have found you."
"Yes, and because of his sincerity, I have decided to stay. I will help him with my strength to turn the sect into the one he imagines. It's just that … there are some things that need to be done."
"If there is something I can help with …"
Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "There are many things that remained unresolved. Not here in the Yun Zou Sect but outside. I'm afraid there isn't much you could do. If you … could lend a helping hand to the Sect Master in the time I am still occupied with other things, I would appreciate it though."
"Naturally. Then … what are your plans now?"
"Jinde is still hurt and there is somebody searching for him that can't be allowed to find him. We're working on that. Other than that, we need to find a way to strengthen the Yun Zou Sect."
"That is easier said than done."
"If we remain as we were before, yes. But maybe it's time to go new ways. Maybe … we just need to be more daring."
"Grandmaster Leng has an idea?"
"Mn." Leng Jin Yu nodded. "There is one thing I have learned while I cultivated myself and in my time since I became an ascended deity. There are things holding each of us back and the potential lying in someone often can't be seen. If that is so, then why do we rely on these old hierarchies?"
"Your meaning is …"
Leng Jin Yu turned back and smiled. "The Yun Zou Sect took in the Son of Heaven's reincarnation. He had full spirit veins and was put into the outer sect where nobody paid attention to him. Since then it's hardly been ten years and he reached the third stage even though he was never guided properly. How many prodigies would be able to do the same? I was the same. A lot of the strongest individuals in the cultivation world are the same. We … presume to know everything. We dare to claim to know what will happen, who will have a bright future ahead of them and who won't. But deep down we have to acknowledge that that isn't true. We are lost in this world and we will remain lost until the day we die or ascend to another place. And even then … we will still not understand the will of the Heavens above those Heavens. We will … remain oblivious to the true fate of the worlds."