In the High Heavens, Tian watched Xiang Yu leave before he himself turned back to the palace behind him and went back to the entrance. He reached out to push the door open but stopped at the final moment. He looked in the other direction and finally sighed. "I guess it can't hurt to take a look."
He took his hand back and turned in the other direction, leaving this place that was formed after the capital of the Nine Heavens behind and walking into the empty plane past of the walls. Not long after, a person came into view. It was a young man about twenty years of age in a white robe who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, cultivating. Tian didn't bother to take a closer look at his appearance and instead checked his soul. A glittering white haze appeared in front of his mind's eye, that surrounded an equally light-colored core.
Tian sighed. This wasn't the soul he had been searching for but he hadn't expected it to be anyway. No, if it was, then he would have known already. Although … This soul might be suitable to help him achieve his goal. Especially if he considered who this person was and what had caused the faint cracks in this soul.
He looked a moment longer, clicking his tongue in dissatisfaction and shaking his head. Even if it was suitable in general, with the soul in this state, the risk really was too big.
"I guess I should do the gods a favor then."
He raised his hand and a silver light coalesced at his fingertips before rushing over to Jing Yi and sinking into his forehead. The cracks on his soul healed in a speed that was visible to the naked eye.
Jing Yi's eyelids fluttered and he finally opened his eyes. He had no idea what had just happened but his whole body suddenly felt warm as if engulfed by soft light or caught in a gentle embrace. He looked down at his hands but nothing could be seen. This … Just what had happened? Could it be that this was an after-effect from cultivating here in the High Heavens? It wouldn't be anything harmful, would it?
He shook his head to drive that fleeting thought off. This kind of soft feeling, he couldn't imagine that it was anything harmful. No, if anything, then it should be something good. Maybe this was him nearing the next stage of his cultivation?
Jing Yi hadn't learned too much about the theory behind cultivation so he wasn't sure how he would know that he was about to reach the next stage. He could only hope that he would be able to sense it when he really managed to do so. He already wanted to close his eyes again and continue when somebody cleared his throat behind.
Jing Yi flinched and jumped to his feet, hurriedly turning around. The person behind him wasn't Xiang Yu. Instead, it was a man with an expressionless face, that looked at him with neither good nor bad intentions. It rather seemed that in this man's eyes, nothing was important. He was merely somebody he had seen and that was all. He wasn't even sure if this man had really made a sound just now. He really didn't seem as if he wanted to talk.
Jing Yi couldn't help but back off a step before he tried to give the man a smile. "Oh, what might be the matter?"
Tian looked at him and finally turned away, gazing back in the direction of the capital. "Entering my realm and still asking me what the matter may be. The crown prince of the Nine Heavens sure is daring now that he has been reincarnated as a mortal."
Jing Yi blinked and needed a moment to figure out what this man meant. His realm? Then didn't this mean …
Tian looked over his shoulder and nodded. "Indeed. I am Tian, sovereign of all realms, ruler of the High Heavens. Since it was Xiang Yu who brought you here, I won't make things difficult for you. Your soul has already been healed. There's no need for you to remain here. Tell me where you want to go and I'll send you back there."
Jing Yi gaped at him. This was Tian? The real Tian? The one that his former self had thought about so often? This kind of expressionless man …
He gulped and couldn't help but congratulate himself that the previous misunderstanding had already been cleared up. If he had really come here, thinking that this was the lover from his past life, then he might have as well died of embarrassment. Obviously, this person felt nothing for him. If it wasn't for his previous self's status in the Nine Heavens, this person might not even know who he was.
Tian's brows furrowed slightly and he motioned ahead. "Now, where do you want to go?"
Jing Yi reeled and finally shook his head. Right! How could he forget to answer this man's question? He looked at the ground with a sheepish expression and cleared his throat. "The Yun Zou Sect in the mortal realm. Can you send me there?" After all, this should be where Qiu Ling would wait for him, shouldn't it?
Tian nodded. "Naturally, I can. Let me give you a word of advice though: Your soul has been healed but the problem that made it crack wasn't resolved. In the future, when you encounter it again after your trial ends, you should be careful. Otherwise, the next time we see each other, you will be a fallen god just like Xiang Yu."
He didn't wait for Jing Yi to answer and merely lifted his finger. A bright light flashed and Jing Yi felt himself falling, finally dropping down to the ground after what felt like an eternity. When he opened his eyes, he saw a slightly familiar ceiling above him. It seemed … he had been transported to the small house in the bamboo forest in the Yun Zou Sect's inner sect?