บท 143: Let Me Help You

The two of them strolled through the outer sect. Jing Yi had already seen everything countless times but he had never been able to enter any of the buildings. Still, he could tell Qiu Ling about them.

Right now, they passed by a lake that was glittering in the morning sun. Lush grass encircled it and two pagodas with seven stories stood at its edge. They were built from red lacquered wood and their roofs covered with shining black tiles.

"These pagodas are for the disciples studying talismans and formations. It's said that the two disciples of the sect's founder who mastered these arts were brothers. That is why the pagodas were built next to each other like that. For a long time the sect's disciples studied both arts at the same time but in the last few years, they went back to trying to master only one. I guess it's just like with cultivators and practitioners. You can't be both if you want to become a true master."

"Then … What do you study?"

Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling before he looked away. He'll probably think badly of me if I told him the truth, after all, he's a true genius. He must look down on people who can't achieve anything even after a few years. "I … I haven't decided yet."

Qiu Ling tilted his head. Ah, he had seen that kind of face before … He reached over, gently gripped Jing Yi's chin and turned his head back. "What's the real problem?"

Jing Yi's eyes widened. He opened his lips but couldn't get any sound out. "You … How did you know?"

Qiu Ling smiled. "It's the way you looked."

Whenever Jing He tried to evade a topic he wouldn't be able to look at you and instead turn his head to the side, tilting his face a bit toward the ground. He would even lower his eyelids half the way to shield his gaze. Jing Yi did exactly the same. This similarity was really astonishing and Qiu Ling couldn't help but feel drawn even closer to him. This was his beloved. It really was.

"Jing He …"

Jing Yi looked up and smiled. Somehow, the person who had proposed to him didn't even know his name. "It's Jing Yi."

"Mn." Qiu Ling interlaced his fingers with Jing Yi's. "You know, I really missed you."

Jing Yi blinked. "Didn't we see each other just yesterday?"

"We did. I still missed you. I hope I won't ever have to leave your side again."

Jing Yi didn't answer. Honestly, it was a bit too much for him. They didn't even know each other. He looked up to Qiu Ling as a person but he didn't love him. In fact, he couldn't even call him a friend. He wasn't that comfortable with being so close to him. Strolling through the outer sect with him, talking and getting to know him were alright but why did they have to hold hands? Why did they have to walk so closely next to each other? Actually, he didn't like it. Not one bit. And having to hear these constant confessions was even worse. He felt like he should make it clear to him but also didn't want to hurt him. He just didn't know what to do.

Qiu Ling didn't pick up on Jing Yi's general mood but he at least noticed that he didn't want to talk about it any longer. "So, what is the problem with your studying now?", he came back to the original subject.

"I have full spirit veins."

Qiu Ling lifted his brows. Full spirit veins? He had never heard of that.

"It means I have six spirit veins."

Qiu Ling tilted his head. "I don't understand. What spirit veins?"

Jing Yi smiled. There was actually someone who also didn't know about spirit veins upon coming to the sect. And he wasn't even a child. "Spirit veins are something you need to become a cultivator. You can have six of them but the fewer you have the better." He sighed. "With my six spirit veins, it's nearly impossible to become a good cultivator."

Qiu Ling frowned. This wasn't good. The sooner Jing Yi ascended, the sooner he would be together with Jing He in the nine heavens again. But to do that he would need to become a cultivator first. If his spirit veins were unsuitable for that …

"Is there any way to change spirit veins?"

Jing Yi pursed his lips. "Probably. But would someone like me from the outer sect be able to do that? It would be good already if I could understand how to cultivate. Even if the progress would be slow, I could at least work hard to become a true immortal someday."

"Then … Is there no way to learn it?"

Jing Yi shook his head. "Not for me. Those with full spirit veins aren't taught. We have to figure it out on our own if we want to become cultivators. You could only have three spirit veins at most if you want to be taken care of by an adviser."

"Would my master know about it? I could ask him."

Jing Yi smiled but shook his head. "It's nice of you to offer it but Grandmaster Zhangsun is a practitioner, not a cultivator."

"Oh." Qiu Ling frowned. Was there no way to help Jing He? He could contact Fu Min to find out about it. But gathering information about something only related to mortals wasn't that easy. Especially if it was something that wasn't taught so easily.

"It's alright. I've been here for five years already. I might not have managed to cultivate but I already know much more about it. I'll be able to figure it out sooner or later."

Qiu Ling's eyes gleamed. There was a determination in Jing Yi's eyes that he had never seen in Jing He's. It was like a fire that burned neither bright nor high but instead steadily. With enough time and enough nurturing it could burn the whole world to ashes. This silent pursuing of a goal … He liked to see it very much.

"My love, don't worry about it. I will help you. I'll find a way."

His gaze wasn't less fiery than Jing Yi's. Yes, he would help him. The sooner Jing Yi became a cultivator and ascended, the sooner he could embrace Jing He again. And he really couldn't wait for the day he could finally hold his beloved in his arms again. He missed him too much.