Apparently, the vessel with System S's demonic Qi required an expert to track it, one with the ability able to discern the faint difference in Qi. Su Zemin thought it might be possible for Qin Yan to do it since he was a wood Qi user, the best kind for sensory abilities, but when Qin Yan cracked open the lid he only thought that the energy inside was disgusting like garbage that should have been taken out three weeks ago.

Anyway, Song Heqing said he’d try to find someone, but all of them were important cultivators that charge a lot of money.

Life is never simple…

It made Qin Yan feel so impatient he gnawed through an entire bed frame while he slept, so he decided to do what he’d been wanting to do; Go and cultivate in the garden amongst the other eggplants. Nothing brought him more bliss than brilliant rays of goodness that fell on the top of his head for 8 hours a day.

And so Qin Yan spent two months in the garden consolidating his powers.

This was not much time for a cultivator to go into seclusion, however...

…Song Heqing became increasingly unhappy for two months.

For some reason, the Qin Yan who had been clinging onto him so sweetly before he left to the martial competition was now like a stranger he only saw in the evening before retiring to sleep.

And this was not the worst of it.

Qin Yan had moved into a spare room, setting up a bed by himself, so they no longer slept in the same bed together or cuddled. Bai Lian bragged about how she hand fed Qin Yan essence stones, and yet Qin Yan refused the stones Song Heqing offered, saying the Qi purity wasn't enough anymore.

Despite knowing he should allow Qin Yan to do what he needed for his cultivation, Song Heqing was lonely. 

Unfortunately, he was awful at approaching this issue. The most he'd done was secretly catching a glimpse of Qin Yan's figure at the garden. But there were subconscious reasons as to why Song Heqing did not dare bother Qin Yan.

At Phoenix Demonic Sect he saw all kinds of 'relationships' from the age of eleven. Sex and sex and sex. Entire groups going at it at once in Wangzi’s inner champers. Doing it from the front or back, or both. Standing or seated. Toys, whips, torture. Even people who were fucked to death. He heard moans, wall thumping, screams, heavy panting. He smelled the fishy odor of cum and traces that it left behind. It wasn’t as though all those people enjoyed it.

It appeared to be a display of one person stronger in power subjugating the weaker. Nothing more than carnal desires, raw and useless and horrible. It was how everyone looked at him, with lust, like Lin Hui’an.

Seeing the things that he did at such a young age, it was impossible Song Heqing wouldn’t be affected by it. He found it all disgusting.

When he first came to Eagle Sect he instantaneously rejected anyone who'd asked him to dual cultivate¹Another way of sharing Qi via sexual cultivation (transfer of energy) BIG trope in Chinese fantasy genre.. He thought the relationship of 'close brotherhood' between himself and Qin Yan was much better...at least until he occasionally began to have dreams *cough cough*. In them Qin Yan was an adult demon, with the handsome devilish face…and they…did things he had seen others do…a variety of things.

Song Heqing was at first bewildered and conflicted, but there was no one he dared talk to about it. These feelings, however, had never faded in five years. It was unavoidable he would be a bit flustered when interacting with Qin Yan.

Most of all, Song Heqing never wanted to be like the people he remembered and pressure Qin Yan into a relationship. 

He did want to be more intimate, but...

Spending time with him was enough to make his heart flutter with happiness. Even cuddling was great. It did not necessarily have to be kissing, s*x, or unmentionable XX. If he had urges, he could use his two hands gifted at birth to resolve it.

But the problem was that Qin Yan seemed to have forgotten about him now. They seem close, but Qin Yan hadn't actually told him much about himself at all. He'd been so hopeful from the things Qin Yan had said to him about 'liking' him, and hugging him...

Maybe it had been his wistful thinking.

…

It was a hot summer afternoon.

Cui Luoyang’s hairline was dripping with sweat as he stepped back. He neatly dabbed his hairline with an embroidered cloth, surely given by one of his many previous ‘fate-bound’ lovers. Song Heqing sheathed White Mist.

The two had gone through a round of sparring.

Cui Luoyang’s way of sword was intense and brilliant, a flashy performance. In contrast, Song Heqing’s swordplay was cold and fluid. Each move was efficient and seamless, in a single lacking moment, one would be immobilized by frost or ice. Regardless, Cui Luoyang was in a higher cultivation stage and typically held the upper hand, but Song Heqing had improved aggressively since joining Eagle Sect, so it was uncertain who would surpass who in the coming years.

The two’s sparring was naturally an entertaining spectacle, so there was a crowd of younger disciples observing. Cui Luoyang would give some pointers to them afterwards, and Song Heqing would do the same if he was in a passable mood.

Lately, he was not.

Eventually, the crowd dispersed, and Cui Luoyang looked somewhat bored.

“These days you’re too impatient. Do you want to stagnate in cultivation?”

Song Heqing frowned but couldn’t rebuke it.

“If Master saw this fight, he’d make you go back to the basics and swing the sword… Hey, still not going to say anything?”

“What is there to say?”

“Well, not much.” Cui Luoyang walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s get a drink at Red Peony?”

“No.”

“Why not? It’s not sunset, so even if you go back junior Qin won’t be there. If you join me at Red Peony, this senior of yours thought he’d impart some advice to you.”

Song Heqing slapped Cui Luoyang’s hand off his shoulder. “I don’t need your advice.”

Cui Luoyang gave a thin smile. “How long are you going to endure? Even I feel bad for you when you have to sneakily visit the garden. The problem is that you’re too passive, polite, and hesitant. It’s all very obvious to me.”

Song Heqing quieted. “…fine. What is it you want in return?”

“Only that you’re my drinking buddy~”

And so they went to Red Peony. It was a high-end place of entertainment down the mountain from Eagle Sect, where the women performed dances and songs. The shop was filled with red and golds, bright colors and women with intricate jewelry hanging from their hair. Within a private room the table was covered in various brews of wine and jade cups.

Cui Luoyang started telling stories about his past achievements. It included getting into a fight with Kang Sect disciples when they mistook him for a demonic cultivator, and also how he defeated a furnace ghost without getting any soot on him.

The sun dipped low and emptied wine jars piled up. Song Heqing pinched his forehead repeatedly but couldn’t see straight anymore.

Being a drinking buddy of Cui Luoyang wasn’t easy. It was as though the man was drinking water, he could guzzle down two jars of wine and still order more without being tipsy, and even Song Heqing couldn’t distill out all the effect of alcohol with his Qi after a certain point.

Cui Luoyang circled the wine in his cup, then took another sip.

“I shouldn’t forget why my shidi agreed to have a drink with me. So then, what’s good about Qin Yan? He’s just a beast you found in the mountains.”

Suddenly, Cui Luoyang found that his wine was frozen solid. He quickly made a placating gesture.

“Sorry sorry sorry, junior Qin is really charming, but I wondered why you’re so interested in him? Just a talk between brothers.”

“That’s none of your concern.”

Song Heqing had an exaggerated frown on his face, but then waved his hand and turned the wine back to normal. His face was red, eyes slightly unfocused. It replaced his usual coldness with a bad-tempered sultriness that made him more alluring. One would almost want to make him angrier. Cui Luoyang had a lopsided grin. He knew he’d lose an arm or two if he did anything, but just being able to lay eyes on a beauty was always a good thing.

“Fine, all right! Let’s not come to blows here…you’re so irritable these days,” he said. “Junior Qin already lives with you side by side, it’s pretty good.”

Song Heqing’s almost laid his head on the table in depression.

“I know, but…he’s not interested in me anymore…”

Cui Luoyang sneered. “I think you’ve got the wrong impression. From the times I’ve spoken to him, I found that junior brother Qin is the introverted sort. He won’t easily converse with others besides you, moreover, he’s probably trying to focus in cultivation so he won’t burden you.”

Song Heqing downed his entire cup of wine. “How can he be a burden! …I know what he’s done…”

Cui Luoyang cleaned his ears²Phrase in Chinese that means he's listening closely, out of interest or hoping for gossip.

Song Heqing stated, “…I know he secretly gnawed through five pillows, seven quilts, and a quarter of a bed. I don’t care. I can buy him new ones.”

Cui Luoyang gave him a look, then interrupted,

“Let’s focus on the issue at hand. He’s more interested in developing his cultivation right now, so, to get his attention you need to involve something beneficial to that. For example, there are numerous materials that would useful for his cultivation that can’t be found within the sect. Suggest one, then you’ll have to travel to get it, and on those days…he really has no choice but to spend time with you.”

“It can’t be anywhere dangerous.”

Song Heqing said. He held his forehead trying to think of a place, but he was so drunk he’d never think of something, so Cui Luoyang kindly put in a suggestion.

“I heard that Fulao Mountain has a natural wood Qi spring. That should be suitable, the spring water is purer than any plant-beast’s essence stone. It’s just that where it’s located is a bit mysterious.”

“Is it dangerous?”

“Junior Qin is your sword spirit, shouldn’t he be willing to face a little danger?”

“Never. I...won’t let him!” Song Heqing once again froze all the wine in the room. “…maybe he’s forgotten I exist…”

Just then, a little red and blue paper butterfly fluttered in through the window. It went over the transparent folding screen in an arc and was going to land on Song Heqing’s arm, but Cui Luoyang grabbed it out of the air.

“Heh. Let’s see…junior brother Qin is asking when you’ll be back. See, he hasn't forgotten about you!”

Song Heqing stood up from the table immediately but almost stumbled over, muttering, “I will take my leave now.”

Cui Luoyang figured he couldn’t fly his sword straight.