Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling expectantly. After finally figuring out that regardless of what memories he still had from his previous life he wanted to be with Qiu Ling and then having to be separated from him and missing him continuously every hour of the day, he was sure now. Marrying this man was what he should do. There was no need to worry about anything and hesitate any longer.
Who cared what had happened with his past self or whether or not he was currently a mortal? He loved this man and Qiu Ling also loved him. Why shouldn't they get married? He certainly wouldn't regret it. And whatever issues came up, they would be able to solve them somehow.
Seeing his gaze, Qiu Ling couldn't bring himself to say no or even ask him to wait a while. Wouldn't his beloved be extremely disappointed then? He wanted to promise to marry him immediately but Jing He's beautiful face flashed through his mind, making him pause.
Ten years … Even though it had taken a long time and they had only slowly gotten closer, he cherished each and every day of these years. Jing He had always been and would always be the most important person in his life. To him, Jing Yi and Jing He had been the same person but maybe his beloved himself didn't see it that way. In that case, wouldn't he be hurting Jing He when he married Jing He? Ah, this was almost as difficult as deciding what to do about the trial!
Getting married in the mortal realm, he had always thought it would be romantic and something Jing He would look back at as a fond memory. But who knew if that was really the case? Maybe things weren't as easy as he had thought. In that case, he couldn't do this. But then again, how could he say no to Jing Yi? And even if he did, maybe Jing He would also misunderstand? After all, this was his mortal reincarnation. Maybe rejecting him would feel to Jing He as if he himself had been rejected?
Qiu Ling had no idea what to do. In the Nine Heavens, he had never hesitated. He loved this person and he had done everything he could to make him his. But now, things were suddenly different. The person he loved wasn't exactly the person he loved anymore. Not that he loved him any less …
"Is it that you do not want anymore?" Jing Yi couldn't help but grow anxious when he saw Qiu Ling's lack of reaction.
Qiu Ling was startled out of his thoughts and his instincts took over. This was the person he loved! It was the soul he had bound himself to. He pulled him back into his arms without any further thought and once again buried his head in Jing Yi's neck. "I want to. I love you and nothing will ever change about that. It's just that …" Qiu Ling closed his eyes and gulped down the explanation that he had almost blurted out. He wanted Jing He to understand but he didn't want to make Jing Yi worry either. For as long as his mortal life lasted, his beloved should also have good memories. He shouldn't burden him with these worries about his reincarnation. He would just explain to Jing He when he woke up again. Things would work out somehow.
Qiu Ling leaned back and gave a wry smile, brushing through Jing Yi's hair. "That bastard actually came back to the Yun Zou Sect today. I guess I should go and deal with him first." He got up and squeezed Jing Yi's hands before he turned away. Before he reached the door, he turned back though. He certainly couldn't go just like that, could he? "Actually, it might be best if you came with me. Who knows what he'll try to do if I leave you alone?" He went back over again and pulled Jing Yi to his feet and back into his arms. He didn't wait to hear what Jing Yi had to say to this and rushed out of the bamboo house, pushing off the ground and flying over to where he could feel Xin Lan. Most likely, that guy would have engaged that stupid bastard in a long-winded discussion already to give the old geezer time to run away.
Xin Lan had indeed worked on stalling Jin Ling. At first, he had waited in the house while Jinde left in the hope of misleading the demon king into going to look there instead of surveying the whole sect grounds. Only when Xin Lan had thought that Jinde was far enough away, did he come out and went to confront this annoying person. By now, the two of them were facing off in the area between the inner and outer sect grounds.
Jin Ling couldn't help but grin when he saw Xin Lan. "You're here once again. It really makes me wonder just what is so special about the Yun Zou Sect." His gaze roamed about, taking in the buildings in the outer sect and the courtyard houses in the inner sect. Now that he had really seen Xin Lan int he Yun Zou Sect once again, he felt even more sure that Jinde had to be here. "Since I've already figured it out, you can make it easier for both of us. Just tell me where he is. I'll go over and have a nice talk with him. That's all I want. I'm sure Jinde wouldn't mind."
Xin Lan narrowed his eyes. It probably wouldn't help if he denied that Jinde was here. Jin Ling had always been sure that something fishy must have gone on with Jinde's death. Well, he had been right, just that nobody other than Jinde himself had known about that. The only question was if his Master was already far enough away that he wouldn't be caught by Jin Ling. After all, that ability of the demons to move instantly to another place was really troublesome. Even embroiling somebody like that in a fight wasn't easy at all. In that case … He should probably continue to pretend even though it wouldn't change Jin Ling's mind at all.
Xin Lan forced a smile and turned away. "I don't know what you're talking about. Somebody didn't really want me in the demon realm and then I was told that it might be nice to take a break. Can't I enjoy some free time in the human realm?"
Jin Ling rubbed the gem embedded in his ear and nodded. "Sure you can enjoy it. It's just that I coincidentally know that you enjoy your time the most when you're with my Jinde. So where is he? I swear that if you tell me, I'll just go and say hello. Nothing else. Otherwise …" His lips curved up further into that infuriating charming smile that Xin Lan hated the most.
Ah, in the current situation, his Master shouldn't mind if he taught this brat a lesson for once, would he?