Qiu Ling turned to the highest peak of the sect where that Master of his lived. He hadn’t gone over there in the last five years and instead stayed close to the building where Jing Yi lived all the time. He just wanted to feel a little closer to him. Just a little. Because with each passing day, he missed Jing He a little more.

Being all alone … he wasn’t used to that anymore. He had already become accustomed to being around Jing He and having his mother-in-law help him out whenever something happened. This sense of belonging … He missed it.

Qiu Ling sighed. This wasn’t the time to become all sentimental. It wouldn’t be long before he got his family back. He would make sure of that!

He flew to the palace and rushed inside, calling out: "Master! Help!"

Zhangsun Xun Yi opened his eyes and stared at the door opposite him. He had been meditating in the innermost room of his palace and Qiu Ling had obviously been at the main entrance just a moment ago but not even a minute later the door was pushed open and his disciple barged right in.

"Master, I need your help!"

Zhangsun Xun Yi motioned to the place opposite him and Qiu Ling took a seat at once, an expectant look in his eyes. "What happened?"

"It’s Jing He!"

Zhangsun Xun Yi had never heard that name but looking at the pitiful look his disciple sported now he could guess who he was talking about. He waited for further information.

"You see I asked him yesterday if he wanted to marry me and I promised to give him seven days’ time but it doesn’t seem like he’ll say yes."

Zhangsun Xun Yi still kept quiet.

"Uh, shouldn’t you try to reassure me now?"

"Would that change anything?"

"Maybe I’d feel better?"

He didn’t get an answer again.

Qiu Ling sighed. "The problem is that he has somehow decided that he wants to become a hero. But now he feels like I would hinder him because he’d be too secure if he was with me." Qiu Ling looked down at his hands. He had always felt that it was good to be strong. Then at least he could protect the ones he loved. But now … How come being strong was his biggest problem?

Qiu Ling still hadn’t understood that rather than his power his behavior was what had put off Jing Yi.

"Then what do you intend to do? Cap your powers?"

"No! How could I do that? I think I should help him achieve his dream. So how does one become a good cultivator? Jing He said he needed not too many spirit veins for that but he has six."

"Full spirit veins?" Zhangsun Xun Yi raised his brows. His disciple had found a difficult goal to obtain if he wanted to make his beloved into a powerful cultivator.

"Yes! He said that. Is there any way to … make him lose some?"

"Rather than losing you should better speak of remodeling. In fact, everyone has six spirit veins. The question is how many of the elements are compatible with them. In the case of your Jing He, his spirit veins are able to channel the six basic types of energy."

"Six basic types?" Qiu Ling tilted his head. What was that?

Zhangsun Xun Yi sighed. If he didn’t know that his disciple wasn’t human, he would wonder how he had lived for so long without knowing about something as simple as that. "The basic types of spirit veins are fire, water, air, earth, metal, and wood. There are also some mutated types like ice spirit veins or lightning spirit veins. But someone with full spirit veins will normally not have those."

"Oh, so it’s like that. Then what can I do to help him get rid— er, remodel them?"

"There are some pills that can achieve that."

"Then I’ll get one of those for him! Where do I go for that?" Qiu Ling leaped to his feet and got a sigh from his Master in return.

"Not so fast. Those pills aren’t something you can just get. They are something that can only be refined by high-ranking alchemists."

"So? Can’t I just ask a high-ranking alchemist?"

"They will also require many valuable ingredients. Nobody will do that for free. Furthermore, do you know any high-ranking alchemists? The Yun Zou Sect only has one and even he might not be able to refine a pill that would be strong enough."

"Oh." Qiu Ling pondered. "Well, in fact … I might know one."

Zhangsun Xun Yi’s brows raised higher but his disciple evaded his gaze. "Mn. That’s good then. Then you’re only lacking the ingredients now."

"That shouldn’t be too difficult. Those pills, aren’t they just made out of some herbs? I’ll just go and gather them."

Grandmaster Zhangsun repressed a sigh. His disciple really thought it was so easy. Well, he was part of that race so it might be alright. "Very well. I’ll write down what you need." He stood up and went over to his study.

Qiu Ling watched him write down a list of ingredients in neat characters. Ah, as expected of his Master! His handwriting looked just as serious as the man himself!

"So, that is all I need?" Qiu Ling looked at the twenty ingredients. This didn’t seem like much. He probably wouldn’t even need a day to gather twenty herbs. Tch, even an hour might be enough!

Seeing his disciple’s overconfident expression, Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head. "Do you know what those things are and where to find them?"

"Mn …" Qiu Ling looked at the names. Well, if he asked like that … "So what are they?" He looked up at his Master and raised his brows.

"Go to the Grand Elder. He will have information on the ingredients that will help you."

"Uh … alright? Then … where do I find him?"

Grandmaster Zhangsun sighed once again. "His palace is on the peak on the other side of the Sect Master’s peak. The herb gardens are located on that mountain as well so you can’t miss it."

"Alright. Thanks, Master! Then I’ll head over there!" Qiu Ling smiled, ran out of the palace and flew over to the Grand Elder’s dwelling.

Grandmaster Zhangsun watched his leaving figure and sighed. "He is really excited about this. I hope this won’t end in another tragedy."