Yuchi Bing Xia looked at his bowing disciple and sighed. Ah, he didn’t want to be too harsh on him. It was just … "Yu Jin, it’s not that I can’t understand you. He’s beautiful and has a pleasant disposition. Falling in love with him is probably easy and nothing strange. But you’re a disciple of our sect while he …" He shook his head. "I’m just afraid this won’t end well."

"That is a risk I’m willing to take."

Yuchi Bing Xia sighed again. "Is there no way to convince you to go on that mission instead? Maybe with a bit of time …"

"Jin Yu!" Jinde couldn’t take it any longer. His lover had already rejected the idea of going on that mission and leaving him so directly. Why couldn’t his Master just let him be? He wouldn’t accept this! He would make this Sect Master Yuchi promise right here that Jin Yu wouldn’t have to go.

"Jinde!" Leng Jin Yu immediately leaped to his feet and hurried over. "How do you feel? Are you alright?" He took his hands and took another look at his face. His cheeks were indeed not as pale as yesterday. Maybe it had really helped him not to be alone anymore?

"Mn. I’m feeling very well. What was this about just now? Did I hear you have to go on a mission?"

Leng Jin Yu wanted to deny but Yuchi Bing Xia was faster than him.

He also stood up and came over, smiling a little apologetic. "I’m afraid that’s true, yes. You see there is that array in our sect that suddenly malfunctioned. It is extremely important to us but we are lacking the necessary materials to repair it. I’ll have to entrust this mission to Yu Jin."

Leng Jin Yu stared at his Master disapprovingly. Just where did he get this excuse from so suddenly? He had always thought his Master was an upstanding man that wouldn’t casually lie but now it seemed he had a lot of experience with this.

Jinde also frowned. At this moment he really missed Xin Lan. Finding some materials in the mortal realm would have been so easy for him. He could have asked him if he was willing to go in Jin Yu’s stead. But who knew when Xin Lan would come back? Was there really nothing else he could do?

Maybe they could go together? But that was too dangerous. He could never know if he might not meet someone from the immortal races. The gods might not care too much but every dragon or demon would be a problem. It was alright with Qiu Ling but —

Jinde perked up. Wait! Qiu Ling?

A treacherous smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Ah, my dear stepson, you can’t fault me for this! I might owe you because I didn’t hold onto your father properly but you also owe me for Chun Yin’s faults. And I might even be able to do you a favor with this.

"That’s really a grave issue, Sect Master."

"Mn. It is. I’m afraid something might happen at the sect if the array isn’t repaired soon."

"I see. Well, there’s nothing that can be done I guess." He grabbed Leng Jin Yu’s hands tighter and took a step closer. "Then you have to promise to take care of yourself. And that you will hurry so you can return soon."

"I …" Leng Jin Yu wanted to say that he didn’t want to go at all but before he had the time to do so a certain someone had somehow managed to free one of his hands from his grip and was pressing it against his chest. The breath caught in Leng Jin Yu’s throat.

"I guess I’ll miss you. It was so nice to have somebody else here with me. I’ve stayed alone for such a long time. But I guess there is nothing that can be done."

Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath. He really, really wanted to clear this up. As fast as possible.

Jinde scratched him before his gaze trailed to the side to where Grandmaster Zhangsun had silently stood up when he stepped into the room. "Ah, Grandmaster Zhangsun. I didn’t know you were here too. How have you been?"

"Very well."

"And your disciple? I haven’t seen Qiu Ling for such a long time."

Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "Qiu Ling … is having some issues right now." He glanced at Leng Jin Yu who was looking like he was also having some issues.

"Oh, what might have happened?"

"His fiance …" Zhangsun Xun Yi blinked. Something told him he was playing into this man’s hands right now. Well, this wasn’t his matter. "He broke up with him."

"What a pity! I remember that Qiu Ling mentioned that he was so much in love with him. Don’t you also think it’s a pity?" He turned back to Leng Jin Yu, inching yet a little closer. Another step and he would once again lie in his lover’s arms. Mn, such a tempting thought! But it was still too early. He first needed to make sure that Jin Yu would be able to stay with him.

"It … definitely is. If it was me … I definitely wouldn’t want to part with my lover."

"Mn." Jinde murmured his assent. "It really makes me wish I could help them somehow …" He looked up through his lashes, his fingers curling around the hem of his lover’s lapel.

Leng Jin Yu gulped. Could somebody help him first? His Master and Grandmaster Zhangsun were still watching. "Well, I don’t know if there is anything we could do. That matter … They’ll have to sort it out themselves."

"I see …" Jinde’s fingers slid up and down and he kept silent for a while. "Eh?" As if he had suddenly realized something, he turned to Grandmaster Zhangsun. "Grandmaster, how about sending Qiu Ling with his fiance on this mission instead of Jin Yu? Wouldn’t that give them time to sort things out?"

Zhangsun Xun Yi looked at Jinde’s face and then at his hand that was tugging at the other’s robe. Well, whatever the reason his disciple would still be ecstatic if it turned out like this. "I don’t see any problem with that. It’s his fault anyway that the array broke down. He should take responsibility."

Yuchi Bing Xia’s eyes bulged. He really wanted to retort but what could he still say now that Grandmaster Zhangsun had spoken? He could only grit his teeth and nod. "Well, if you think it’s a good idea, then we should do it like that."

"Mn. How great." Jinde answered but his gaze remained on Leng Jin Yu’s face. Ah, how great. Now he only had to make sure that the extraneous people would finally leave so that he could spend some alone time with his Jin Yu.