It was night. There were only Lu Qingyun and Qian Jingjing as they sat at the ledge of the cliff that was overlooking their camp.
Lu Qingyun was looking at her curiously before he asked, "You say that you have something important to tell me? You can tell me now?"
Qian Jingjing was sighing softly before she asked, "Fairy Ling Xiu didn't come with you?"
Lu Qingyun shook his head, "I am the only one from New Empyrean City that is here. Even Shangguan Furong from the Clear Sky Pavilion won't be coming. Is there anything wrong?"
Qian Jingjing shook her head but she was soon nodding her head, "Actually I have come alone on this trip."
Lu Qingyun was startled as he stared at her, "You have come alone? Do you know how dangerous it is for you to come alone here?"
Qian Jingjing averted her melancholy eyes, "I am fine already. I had hitched a ride with some of the friendlier celestial clans. They had protected me on the way here."
"Why did you come alone?" Lu Qingyun was really curious as he looked intently at her.
"Because I know that Brother Qingyun will here. I can't sleep or eat knowing what you have to face in this experiential expedition." Qian Jingjing said quietly.
Lu Qingyun: …
"To be frank with you," Qian Jingjing said quietly. "I didn't have the permission of my Spirit Sword Manor to come here. I have come alone."
Lu Qingyun was greatly startled, "Jingjing, you…"
"I was warned by my protégé masters and protégé grandmaster that if I insist on coming here, they will cripple my cultivation and expel me from the sect." Qian Jingjing said sorrowfully and her eyes had turned red.
All of a sudden Qian Jingjing had sunk her head into his chest and was sobbing, "I really don't know what to do from now on. I am now homeless…"
Lu Qingyun was at a loss what to say to her and he could only pat her back gently while saying, "Maiden Jingjing, please don't cry anymore. Things will be better…"
He waited for a while for her tears to dry before asking, "Jingjing, so what are your plans now in the future?"
Qian Jingjing gave him a pleading look before she said quietly, "I really have no idea at all. Brother Qingyun, can I follow you from now on?"
Lu Qingyun was startled and he was suddenly stammering, "This…I don't think that is a good idea…"
Qian Jingjing turned away from him, "Brother Qingyun, are you looking down on me now…"
Lu Qingyun said firmly, "It is not that. I don't want to get the Heavens Ridge Villa into trouble with the Spirit Sword Manor. As you know, you are a core protégé of the Spirit Sword Manor and your celestial clan will never allow their secret sword techniques to fall into the hands of the other celestial clans. I have heard of many stories about the Spirit Sword Manor."
"What shall I do then?" Qian Jingjing murmured with great sadness.
Lu Qingyun suddenly said excitingly, "Jingjing, have you heard of Saint Gao Tianshou?"
Qian Jingjing nodded quietly. "He is the number one hero in the Nine Celestial Fraternity now."
Lu Qingyun nodded, "He is now recruiting the celestial fighters to join him in the fight against the Devil Goddess. I am thinking of joining his banner to fight the Devil Goddess after this experiential expedition. If Jingjing does not mind, you can join me?"
Qian Jingjing gasped, "I can really join Brother Qingyun? I will be glad to."
Lu Qingyun smiled, "In this way, I won't get the Heavens Ridge Villa into trouble with the Spirit Sword Manor. We will use an alias when we join Saint Gao Tianshou."
Qian Jingjing returned a nod before she asked curiously, "Why did Brother Qingyun wants to join Saint Tianshou? I've heard that he is fighting against the three dark divine realms. We may even lose our lives in the battle against the dark celestials. Brother Qingyun, are you sure about this?"
"For many centuries now, we are all living in the shadows of the Devil Goddess and the three dark divine realms. The combined size of the three dark divine realms is bigger than any of the nine patriarch divine realms. Saint Tianshou is our only hope of overcoming this stalemate. I hope to lend my puny strength to his efforts. If we succeed then we will be witnessing the dawn of a new celestial era."
"Also, if we have the strength to change the current state of affairs, why don't we at least contribute to the greater good?"
He did not want to tell her that he had also hoped to find Qin Keqin among the ranks of the celestials that were supporting Saint Gao Tianshou.
"I am glad that Brother Qingyun has such a noble aspiration. I will go with you." Qian Jingjing said shyly.
Lu Qingyun laughed weakly, "But first, we got to survive through this experiential expedition first."
Then he said solemnly, "Jingjing, actually this expedition may be quite dangerous. Do you want to wait for me in the camp until I've returned?"
"No!" Qian Jingjing said firmly. "I will want to go with you. I am also a cultivator. If I stay away from any possible dangers, it won't be useful to my future cultivation progression."
Lu Qingyun smiled weakly; it was because that was exactly what he had told Qin Keqin.
"Alright then." He said as he returned a nod at the same time. "We will take the experiential expedition together."
Once again Qian Jingjing had leant her head on his chest and she was muttering almost incoherently.
"Jingjing?"
But Qian Jingjing seemed to have dozed off as she muttered, "Brother Qingyun…do you know that…Jingjing had been waiting day and night…at the entrance of the camp…for you…I'm so afraid that I will miss seeing you…I didn't dare to sleep till I've found you…"
"Jingjing, wake up?" Lu Qingyun was stunned. "She has fallen asleep?"
Then he was muttering, "She had actually waited for me day in and night at the entrance of the camp…"
He sighed heavily, "Jingjing, don't sleep here. Let me take you to my tent to have your proper sleep."
With that he had lifted her up and walked to his tent. As he walked he could feel her soft body against him and he was muttering, "Well, I don't know where her tent is so I can only bring her to my tent for the time being…"
Even though it was the late of the night, there were still many cultivators around since the high level cultivators require little sleep.
When they saw that Lu Qingyun was carrying Qian Jingjing and was walking to his tent, many of the cultivators were secretly whispering;
"Look at that…"
"Isn't that the good-for-nothing Lu Qingyun and Qian Jingjing from the Spirit Sword Manor?"
"He is actually carrying her to his tent…"
"Did he drug her or what?"
"What a beast…"
"Shall we stop him from doing his beastly act?"
"His master is an elder of the Heavenly Fragrance Villa and his two escorts are both golden celestials. Are you trying to court your own death?"
"Despicable…"
"To think that such a thing is happening in the camp and he is so bold to do such a thing…"
"He is not only a good-for-nothing cultivator but a good-for-nothing womanizer…"
This was also witnessed by Gongsun Ya who had left in an angry huff.
When Lu Qingyun had reached his tent, he put Qian Jingjing gently on the bed.
With a soft yawn, he rolled a mat on the ground and he was soon asleep.
Hours later;
When Qian Jingjing had opened her eyes, she was startled to see that she was on a stranger bed and she was gasping softly. After a quick inspection, she heaved a soft sigh of relief that nothing had happened to her.
It was then she noticed that Lu Qingyun was sleeping on the ground.
With a soft giggle, she was suddenly flushing as she covered her face with her hands but she was actually peeking through her fingers. "We are actually sleeping in the same tent together. We are now one step closer now…"
That very night, she began to dream that she was in a bridal dress and the groom was Lu Qingyun. After they had their wedding ceremony, they had their dragon and phoenix dance…