Surprise, Surprise

I hadn't expected this to be the first question he had for us, and a chuckle escaped me. "There wasn't a ceremony for you to miss," I said. Then I nodded toward Xie Lun and Wen Shiyin. "Though it seems like … there might be a different one happening soon."

Xie Lun looked our way—he was an immortal now, which meant that any conversation within sight would be loud enough for his ears. Returning my comment with a knowing smile, he strode over.

"It's a pity that I wasn't there to bid the two of you farewell when you left." He gave Bai Ye and me a courteous nod. "I owe you a congratulations … and I'm glad the weight of keeping those secrets is off my shoulders now."

Qi Lian gasped. "S-Senior Xie, you knew the news all along?" Then he turned to me disappointedly. "How come I had no clue?"