When Jing Yi’s hands followed the course of the spiritual energy, the last bit of doubt about what this might be about vanish from Qiu Ling’s mind. Obviously, he had been right: His beloved’s reincarnation had indeed picked up on him using his spiritual energy.

It actually made him feel a bit stupid. Why hadn’t he thought of trying this sooner? Naturally, it was also a good way to show him. Well, it wasn’t too late. Now that he had realized this, he could just double his effort.

"I’ll show you." He dispersed the layers of wind around them and gently turned Jing Yi around, so that Jing Yi’s back rested against his chest. Then, he interlaced their fingers, the palms of his hands covering the back of Jing Yi’s hands. When he used his magic, the spiritual energy would course through his body and maybe Jing Yi would be able to pick up on it and mirror it somehow. Anyway, that was what he hoped for.

Qiu Ling took a deep breath and silently raised their hands a little. He didn’t actually require any motion or anything to use his magic. He never had. But back in the capital city of the dragon realm, he had seen the younger children often do this while they were still learning and their magic was unstable. He wasn’t quite sure but he suspected that motioning at whatever they wanted to use somehow helped them. Maybe it would be the same for humans?

Qiu Ling looked up and decided on one of the currents of air around them that had already returned to its natural course. The spiritual energy rushed through his body, a sliver escaping through his fingertips and calling out to the air current above them. The current left its predestined path, slowly curving toward them and then once again changing its course when Qiu Ling motioned at it.

Jing Yi held his breath. He could feel it. Not in the winds but from Qiu Ling’s body. It was like water rippling along a small stream. It flowed from somewhere in his body, down his arms into his hands and back up again, building a never stopping cycle.

He couldn’t tell every one of the small paths it took but he was pretty sure that there was only a single one that it repeated over and over again.

So that’s how it is supposed to be …

Jing Yi tried to sense the same cycle inside himself. He wasn’t completely sure but most likely, every person with spirit veins had that cycle in them. In fact, the path the spiritual energy took was likely along the spirit veins. He didn’t know where exactly those were located either but he might be able to find out even if he couldn’t feel them. Still, if he managed to sense them, that would naturally be much better.

He pressed his eyes shut and frowned, focusing on his body as much as he could. He felt his limbs, their warmth, and the tension within. The cycle he had felt from Qiu Ling eluded him though.

Jing Yi lightly sighed. Well, that would have been too easy. He shouldn’t expect to suddenly be able to do everything just because he had found a direction he could work in.

Anyway, he wasn’t about to give up. After five years he had finally managed to sense something even though it was not in himself. This was a first step. He just had to try further and soon, he would be able to take the next one. If it wasn’t by sensing his own spirit veins, then he had to try something else.

Maybe it would help to first sense the actual spiritual energy?

With that thought, Jing Yi paid attention to the wind around them. The light breeze he had felt before that seemed to blow past the mountain was nowhere to be felt. Instead, there was a current coming from above, brushing past their bodies, circling them and finally going back up. It was as if it was playing next to them just that every twist and turn was accompanied by a light motion from Qiu Ling’s hands.

As for the spiritual energy inside these winds …

Jing Yi sighed and opened his eyes, leaning heavily against Qiu Ling and staring up at the treetops above them. He had been so close. Why was this last step still eluding him? He could neither feel his own spirit veins, nor could he sense the spiritual energy outside of Qiu Ling’s body. Was this because he only had full spirit veins? Would it be different if he was born with heavenly spirit veins? Or, well, at least minor spirit veins?

He didn’t know but right now, he felt as if cultivation was an insurmountable difficulty that he would never be able to overcome. Maybe he would be better off trying to learn how to become a practitioner after all? Well, if he decided on that, Qiu Ling would also be able to help him. After all, he was even able to become a dual practitioner. He just was that type of genius.

Qiu Ling didn’t know what Jing Yi was thinking but he could feel that Jing Yi seemed a little down. Naturally, he wouldn’t let that continue! He finally had the chance to do something for him. He definitely wouldn’t let this chance pass! So whatever it was that worried his beloved, he would take care of it for him and make sure that they could continue with this.

Mn, cultivating really wasn’t bad. If he was always able to hug him like this, he would be willing to cultivate his whole life with him!