Harmless Banter

Qi Juan and Ling Bolin walked along one of Ling palace's long, still corridors. The hallway was illuminated by the gentle, pearly light of the crystal balls embedded into the ceiling. It lit up the young men's faces and cast long shadows onto the tiled floor. Neither of them spoke, which created a somewhat awkward atmosphere. Only the steady sound of their footsteps could be heard. Ling Bolin, who was leading the way, wore an indifferent expression. Although he seemed calm and collected on the outside, Bolin was boiling inside. Not only was he mad that the person walking behind him showed his dislike for Ling Suyin so openly, he also remembered the kind of gaze that roguish man looked at his younger brother with. And now these two had to be together at all times! But there was nothing he could do about it. In the end, it was his father's order to have Qi Juan accompany his brother. He must warn his Ah Yu to not trust this guy blindly! Bolin's hands balled into fists as he picked up his pace.

The tall young man behind him smiled lightly. He could guess what Ling Bolin must be thinking about now. Well, it wasn't far from the truth. When Qi Juan had first looked at Ling Mingyu, he was indeed charmed by the other's fascinating demeanor and enchanting looks. That healer was certainly his type. However, he wasn't a fool. Qi Juan wouldn't simply fall for a person or chase them because of their appearance alone. Why would he waste his time trying to woo someone if he didn't know their character?

After all, most people would hide their ugliest, most selfish desires deep inside of them. They would not reveal them easily, covering themselves day by day with a carefully crafted mask of kindness and compassion. Sometimes, the person who shone brightest on the outside was in reality the one with the blackest of souls. Was a pretty face worth having to put up with someone whose inside was appaling? Definitely not! No, Qi Juan would wait and see just what hid behind that beautiful exterior. Furtermore, Ling He had clearly stated that his son was suffering from amnesia. He would surely have to rely on Qi Juan in the next few days and consequently let his guard down.

This was bound to make things more interesting! Qi Juan's phoenix eyes turned into crescents, unbeknownst to the disciple in front of him. If Ling Bolin had seen it, he would surely have blown his top right then and there!

That aside, he should definitely not underestimate this task. Qi Juan was very certain about that. Someone who had the ability to attempt an assassination on sect grounds was not an easy opponent by all means! Spreading rumours about an influential family was easy. There were always those who were jealous of another's success or wealth, so it was only natural for some gossip to arise. Or maybe they were bored and needed something to talk about. Even the cultivators of Jiang Feng Sect, who were brought up with a strict moral code, were not perfect when it came to this. But inflicting bodily harm was much different.

Five hundred years ago, during the era of the five great sects, a righteous cultivator might have dared to send someone to kill another. However, those times were long over. Nowadays, everyone was on their best behavior. It wasn't that all these lofty immortals suddenly gained a concious, they simply didn't dare to scheme the way they had used to. That was because half a milennia ago, four of the five great righteous sects had been befallen by a great calamity. At that time, no one had expected that the hypocritical way these seemingly honorable masters acted would incur the wrath of one of heaven's mightiest gods.

The 'righteous' cultivators of the great sects had behaved too insincerely and greedily for too long.

The powerful deity of justice, who was a paragon of virtue, was enraged by the way those people conducted themselves. Having to watch them act under the pretense of great moral integrity and letting them diligently cultivate so they could ascend to join him in heaven had severely enraged the heavenly official. He descended and unleashed his wrath. In the end, only Jiang Feng Sect had been spared. That was for one reason only: their strict moral rules. Fu Yun Peak, where the immortal scholars resided, was devoted to following these principles and made sure every member of their sect upheld them. Their strictness turned out to be Jiang Feng Sect's saving grace. It was the only sect that survived that fateful day.

Funnily enough, the demonic faction had been completely uneffected by this event. The justification for that was quite simple. The demonic cultivators had always been straightforward about using immoral means. They had not hidden their selfishness and cruelty. Why would they have needed to, anyway? They weren't ashamed of their dark side. Ironically, these immortal masters could be considered to be quite honest. In the end, the deity had not bothered with them at all! They were overjoyed. On the other hand, the remainder of the righteous faction had not even dared to light a candle for their slaughtered companions.

So, who dared to attempt an assassination on Ling Mingyu? A demonic practitioner? Or was there someone inside their own sect that was wicked and shrewd enough to try something like this? Qi Juan was at a loss. Well, it was useless to waste more time on thinking about it with so little information at hand. He would certainly keep an eye out for any suspicious activity, though.

In front of him, Ling Bolin came to a halt. He turned his head and shot Qi Juan a cold look.

"Here it is." he said and pushed open a plain, wooden door. Qi Juan peered inside curiously before raising an eyebrow.

"This is...?"

Ling Bolin showed a crafty smile. "Weren't you the one who said cultivators don't need sleep? Surely you don't mind meditating in a small space like this. It's not like you need to keep your eyes open to cultivate, do you?"

In front of them lay a small, shabby looking bedroom. Someone had apparently taken it upon themselves to turn this space into a makeshift supply closet. The windowless room was almost completely filled with old, rusty cauldrons and shelves bending under the weight of bottles stuffed with dry herbs and other supplies for alchemy. In the middle of the cramped room stood a narrow bed. Everything was coated with a thin layer of dust. The air was stuffy due to the lack of circulation.

Qi Juan sighed. This situation was actually somewhat amusing. He may be confident, but he wasn't overly prideful. This kind of provocation had absolutely no effect on him. If he really wanted to, he could always sneak back to Ling Mingyu's bedroom to accompany him and cultivate. Naturally, Qi Juan would even remember the way with his eyes closed. He gave Ling Bolin a cheerful smile.

"Alright then. Let's go to accompany your brother?"

The other definitely hadn't expected him to accept this arrangement so willingly. Ling Bolin's attempt at getting back at Qi Juan had obviously failed. That person didn't seem insulted at all! He opened and closed his mouth like a dead fish, like he couldn't bring himself to say anything. Truly, having a host treat their guest like this should be a great insult. However, this guy didn't seem to mind it! He let out an angry huff before arrogantly saying: "Good!"

At least that man knew his worth! Ling Bolin whirled around, his posture prideful. Then he walked down the corridor in quick strides. Qi Juan chuckled lowly and followed at a leasurly pace.

Before he could even arrive at Ling Mingyu's room, Ling Bolin had already rushed back towards him with a panicked expression. Qi Juan raised his eyebrows in surprise before inquiring:

"What's wrong?"

"My brother, he is gone! He's not in his room! What if something happened to him?!" Bolin exclaimed with unhidden anxiety in his voice.

Despite the other's distressed tone, Qi Juan remained calm.

"Relax. He wanted to go out before, remember? I'm sure he is somewhere close by."

He furrowed his eyebrows. Judging by the other's reaction, the attack must have left quite a psychological shadow on Ling Bolin. Even if they disliked and teased each other, Qi Juan put all these things aside the moment he saw the other's worry. He wasn't a petty person.

"Come on, let's look for him."

The two walked down the palace's hallways, inspecting rooms left and right before finally opening the building's front door. The sight that awaited them stunned them both.

Ling Mingyu sat on a meadow filled with delicate flowers. They swayed back and forth delicately, dancing in the wind. A tender breeze caressed his long hair and made his emerald robes flutter. His face held a serene expression as he looked at a petite daisy held between his slender fingers. Ling Mingyu's eyes held deep, unknown emotions.

Qi Juan forced himself to tear his eyes off the bewitching sight and turned towards Ling Bolin.

"See? Like I told you, he's fine."

Bolin exhaled in relief, not answering.