CHAPTER SIX

Jian Ji weakly made his way out of the small room with Zixin behind him. After the realization that he has to help these people, he willingly gave them drops of his blood so that they can turn back to normal.

"Thank you again!" The man called out, his once dark skin and yellow teeth now clear and white.

"How noble of you, if it were me i would've killed them all" Zixin says skipping ahead. Jian Ji rolled his eyes and went to his horse.

"I guess this is where we part ways" he says making Zixin freeze.

"I guess so....goodluck with your travels"

"Thanks"

He watched him and his horse disappear in the distance, he sighed sadly.

"I thought he'd invite me along but i guess he didn't want me after all this time....i still have you though" he says to the snake.

"At some point i will have to leave you as well, you helped me find out what was wrong with these people"

Tears dared to escape his eyes but he denied them the chance as he looked up to the sky.

"I guess I'm not wanted after all"

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He had lost a day and it means he will be late to arrive at the Qingcheng province, however he does admit that having that short boy from who knows where made the trip feel...less lonely.

"He was really cute" he slapped his mouth once he realized he had said that outloud.

"I can't keep thinking like these about other men....if my mother found out...I'll be dead meat"

He didn't have to travel long until he found himself in another town, Lou Yang town.

Luckily for him the people here we normal, at the inn he slept soundly and ate food suitable for two....because he accidentally ordered a plate for a friend he forgot was not here.

In the evening as Jian Qiang laid in his bed, thinking about Wei Zixin-

Wait....he was thinking about Wei Zixin? He sat up on the bed and frantically walked out of the small inn to the dirt road.

"I have to find him"

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"It's time"

He sighed sadly hearing that, he will now be alone for the rest of the journey to the unknown.

"It's alright....be safe and avoids the snake eating birds"

"You too....except for the birds part, we shall meet again"

He laughed softly before releasing the white snake, it didn't waste time as it slithered into the thick forest. He sighed and picked up his small bundle of clothes wrapped in a makeshift bag made of cloth.

He found the dirt road and walked to the east, he doesn't have a home to go back to so why not travel the world, experience new things and maybe....find a place where he can be himself.

He admits that kissing the sect elder's son back at home was just to cause a riot but after being with Jian Ji...he finds himself fantasizing about the older brother, especially since he had seen his naked top half of his body.

Heat engulfed his face as he blushed, he has to suppress these feelings....Jian Ji was a normal man unlike him, if he came forth with his feelings, Jian Ji would certainly not want to be associated with him.

"Is that why he didn't invite me along?"

"Invite you to what?"

He froze, why did that sound like Jian Ji? No..his mind must be playing tricks on him.

He walked forward only to bump into a wall, a human wall.

A gasp escaped past his lips as he fell backwards but a pair of strong hands held him up before he could fall on the ground, with wide eyes he looked up and locked eyes with Jian Ji's  dark brown eyes, his sharp jawline and his thin lips. He swallowed thickly.

Jian Ji on the other side was fighting with himself, the desire to kiss this boy was too much, he wanted to but he was afraid....would Wei Zixin think of him as a pervert? Will he bash and shun him?

"Ehm....you can pull me up now," Zixin whispered softly, the pink hue on his cheeks made Jian Ji snap back to reality, he was embarrassing the boy.

"Sorry for startling you"

"It's fine....did you forget something?"

Their eyes locked again and Jian Ji could feel his inner battle with his burning desire weaken.

"Yes....i forgot.....you"

Zixin gasped and his eyes went wide again. Jian Ji wanted him? He came back for him?

With teary eyes he hugged him startling Jian Ji. He then felt his strong arms hug him back, he smiled.

"I knew you missed me" he teased.

"Well i did, so what?"

He blushed again, why was Jian Ji so...forward this time.

"Jian Qiang....can i call you Ji Ji?"

He hated the nickname but then he found himself wanting to please this boy, he wants him to be happy, he wants him to be there....for the rest of his days.

"You can call me anything you want"

The hug tightened making Jian Ji smile, being like this made him feel content and relaxed...could it be that he has found....his partner?

No, it's too soon to tell, he will have to spend more time with this boy to know how he behaves before he rushes into things, which means....

"Come back with me....i found a town nearby"

"Okay....where's the horse?"

Jian Ji blushed, how can he explain that the horse was back at the inn because he came running here?

"Ehm....he's back at the inn"

"Oh? The town must be nearby then, let's go"

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"Why is it too far?" Zixin complained making Jian Ji growl in annoyance.

"You said you wanted to come!"

"Eh? You told me to come with you, brother JiJi are you blaming me now? Why did you leave the horse in the first place"

The feeling of desire had been replaced with the feeling of murder, this boy complained too much!

"What do you want me to do then?" He asked in exasperation.

"Carry me"

"What?"

"You heard me....carry me"

To Zixin's surprise, Jian Ji did carry him, like a bride, the blush that spread to his face made him realize that he should never tease Jian Ji again.

They walked in silence to the town and for once, Jian Ji felt like he had succeeded.

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"Eep!" He squeaked once he was thrown onto the bed. He glared at Jian Ji who rolled his eyes at him and sat down at the table.

"This room is nice, suitable for a sect leader's son" Zixin says looking around.

"Mn, you can say that"

Zixin stood up and stopped behind Jian Ji.

"So your sect....is it a nice place?"

"No, it's so dirty we use our hair to mop the floors"

"Eh? Really?"

Jian Ji sighed in anger, why did he bring this fool here again?

"I was being sarcastic, stop doing that to my hair"

Zixin sighed and let go of the soft strands of hair and sat on top of the small table.

"So what should we do today? Go hear a story at a liquor store?"

"How about, you sleep while I meditate"

Zixin pouted.

"You're no fun, I'll be downstairs"

"Whatever"

Once the door closed Jian Ji threw the cup he was holding at the door.

"Why did I bring him here? He's so annoying!" He whispered yelled at himself.

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Zixin sat at a table for two with hope that Jian Ji would come join him.

"Now let me tell you a story about two men who made the cultivation world lose face" a man says on the stage, he was wearing a dark green robe with a Guqin in hand, the melody he played made Zixin feel at ease.

"It's the story of Li Xiwang and Wang Zunyan"