Qiu Ling lay on the beach, unable to move even a single inch. Ah, damn. He had known this would happen. Why did that stupid Amethyst Lightning pill need a herb from the ground of the sea? Wasn’t it enough to make his way to a lava lake, brave an ice desert and climb some high mountain and all these things? Well, alright, he hadn’t climbed anything but still! If he was a normal human, then that would have been what he needed to do! Nobody could pretend that it was different.

Qiu Ling stared at the spatial ring on his index finger darkly. These stupid herbs! They should better work on the first try. If not …

He pursed his lips. Well, he had more than one set of ingredients if he didn’t count that glowing seaweed thing. If the old geezer really messed up with refining the pill, he’d better be able to tell him where he could find a substitute! He definitely wouldn’t go down to the bottom of the sea again. Not even for his beloved. There had to be another way!

Qiu Ling glanced ahead and gathered the spiritual energy from around him. He had found all the ingredients he needed so there was no need for him to stay around here any longer. He had to regain his strength and then return to his beloved as soon as possible. His beloved would miss him, after all.

Qiu Ling’s gaze softened at that thought.

"Jing He …"

Thinking of him, he felt that this journey hadn’t been that bad. Hadn’t the first half gone by very quickly and without him needing to expand much strength? It was just this last one that had been more difficult. Well, he could take that for his beloved. His Jing He deserved to make him dedicate everything of his to him.

Ah … He really, really wanted to see him now. He wanted to make sure that his beloved wouldn’t leave him, that he would stay at his side.

He wanted to make sure his secret was still safe.

Qiu Ling closed his eyes. Would it be too much if he went to the Nine Heavens for a bit? He could just fly over, slip into Jing He’s palace and sit at his bedside for a while. He didn’t have to do anything else. He just wanted to see him. Well, maybe he also wanted to hold his hand for a moment.

Mn, his hands …

Qiu Ling shook his head and then turned onto his side, staring in that direction instead. Ah, he could finally move again. It wasn’t much but this was already much better than before. Who would have thought that he, as the mighty king of the dragon race, would have a moment like this where he was lying defenselessly on some unknown beach? Even a three-year-old could kill him. Now … well, he should be able to survive the attack of a child. A human cultivator would be a different thing though.

Qiu Ling glanced around but nobody was there. He heaved a sigh of relief and continued to take in spiritual energy, finally turning onto his back and looking at the sky above him.

Nobody came by as if the land surrounding the Glowing Sea wasn’t inhabited. Well, who knew where exactly he had been washed ashore? Since he had nothing better to do he glanced around to find some clues but … there was only sand and water, nothing even remotely resembling a memorable landmark. Well, who cared?

Qiu Ling looked back at the sky, watching the clouds pass by. He couldn’t help but wonder … Was his beloved just as bored as him? Having to lie in his palace in the Nine Heavens, unable to move or even watch his surroundings … That had to be even worse.

But then again, his soul was somewhere else so maybe he didn’t even notice. Or maybe it was like having a nice dream? Was he seeing Zhong Jing Yi’s life in his sleep? Then he would also see just how much he was worrying about him and trying to help him along! Mn, he would be really, really touched when he woke up …

Qiu Ling closed his eyes and sighed. Unfortunately, Jing Yi was only fifteen now. It would still take several years until he could finish his trial. It wouldn’t be as bad if he had waited for him in the Nine Heavens where only a few weeks had to go by. No, here in the mortal realm, he had to stay for all those years and he would feel how they passed. He would experience them just the same as Jing Yi experienced them.

Well, at the very least, he wasn’t alone. After he managed to get his energy back and returned to the Yun Zou Sect, his beloved’s reincarnation would be with him. He would certainly be happy when he handed him the Amethyst Lightning pill and then they’d get married immediately. And as a happy couple, the time would probably pass in the blink of an eye. They might even feel that it had been too short when they reached the end of it.

Qiu Ling imagined the decades they would live side by side all while taking in spiritual energy. Some hours went by until he had finally gathered enough strength to get up.

He heaved a sigh of relief and waved his hand, using a sliver of energy to dust off his robe and dry the still wet spots. He definitely couldn’t look shabby when he went to see his beloved. Well, before he could do that, there was something else he had to do.

Thus Qiu Ling returned to the Yun Zou sect and headed directly for the formation at the foot of his Master’s peak. His beloved had been angry when he left so he couldn’t return to him with empty hands. He first had to get that Amethyst Lightning pill so that he could present it to him when they saw each other again.