Two days later, on the Ling Yuan family's estate—
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Clanging their cups together, Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng downs their drinks at the same time.
Currently, the two are in the courtyard of Qing Ming Yang's residence—seated around a stone table with three pots of wine on top.
"Again!"
Setting their cups down, Qing Ming Yang picks up one of the wine pots, and refills both cups.
Never have the two felt more refreshed in their lives.
Injuries wise, although there are still a few that haven't been healed, these wounds won't impede their daily activities.
"Ai, truly refreshing…"
Setting his second emptied cup down, Lin Yu Heng stares up at the clear blue skies with a smile of satisfaction on his face.
Just as Long Hua had predicted, both Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng had been rewarded handsomely for their display of valor.
"Indeed."
Staring at the same skies, Qing Ming Yang asks—
"Any signs of a breakthrough yet, Lin-xiong?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Lin Yu Heng replies—
"Futile to rush. With resources in hand, it's all just a matter of time at this point. …The experience this time around has taught me one thing."
"Oh? And that is?"
"…Don't provoke that senior."
"…True."
Having been informed of what had happened to Xia Lie Yang and the 5,000 practitioners of the Ling Yuan family, Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng can't help but shiver.
"An Immortal realm practitioner, and that many people just…- Ai…"
Refilling his cup, Qing Ming Yang downs another drink, while Lin Yu Heng asks—
"How have things been on your end?"
"Pretty much the same as you. Right now, I just want to take a long vacation, and do nothing. Actually… Maybe find me a lover and start a family?"
Having gone through what he did, Qing Ming Yang is still traumatized by the experience; hence, he wishes to find himself a lover as soon as possible.
Otherwise, who knows when on a random day he might just suddenly get crippled, and lose his abilities as a man to have a child of his own—to take care of him in his retirement?
"…"
Towards Qing Ming Yang's words, Lin Yu Heng downs a drink—choosing not to comment on the matter.
"…"
"…"
For a while, silence loomed in the air between the two, as they savored the taste of the wine and mood.
Picking up a fresh pot of wine, Qing Ming Yang slaps the rice-paper seal open, and lifts the pot directly to his mouth.
Chuckling aloud, Lin Yu Heng does the same.
Upon pouring most of the wine into their mouths, Qing Ming Yang sets his pot down, and wipes his lips, prior to stating—
"I've decided, I'm going to-!"
"What do you have in mind, Ming Yang?"
"…Uh?"
Towards the question that was asked by an archaic voice, Qing Ming Yang pauses his words, and looks up, to see—
"…"
Descending from the air is a white-haired and blue-eyed elder dressed in mountain patterned black robes.
"E-Elder Wufeng…"
As soon as Qing Ming Yang had addressed him as such, the smile on Qing Wufeng's face vanishes, as he says—
"Ai, calling me grandfather is fine. Elder is far too distant."
"Uh, understood… Grandfather…"
"Mm."
Qing Wufeng is the head of the Qing family's bloodline branch, and is also an Immortal realm practitioner at the Heaven Immortal stage.
With such status, it goes without saying that it is extremely rare for Qing Wufeng to give his time of day to anyone; hence, Qing Ming Yang is rather puzzled to be visited by the former personally—despite their blood relationship.
(…Ai. When I fall out of favor, he'll definitely ask me who gave me the galls to call him that…)
Within a practitioner household, blood relationships—at times, they really do not amount to much.
"…"
As a feeling of bad premonition appears in his heart, Lin Yu Heng sets his wine pot down, and rises off the stone stool in preparation to leave; however—
"Kid from the Lin branch, you can stay. Your old man will be informing you of what I'm about to talk about; you may as well hear it from me instead—to save yourself some time."
"Ah?"
Left with no choice but to stay, Lin Yu Heng could only sit back down.
Taking out a third cup, Qing Ming Yang fills it out of courtesy, and asks—
"So? What exactly are you here to inform me of, grandfather?"
Clearing his throat, Qing Wufeng says—
"Hou Xu Heng suggested that we send some observers into the Leng Bing Realm."
"…"
"…"
Simultaneously, Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng freezes, and thought—
(The Leng Bing Realm… Again?)
(Wait, this pattern…?)
Without paying much attention to Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng's expression of panic, Qing Wufeng continues to say—
"After a long meeting, the elders have selected you two—to act as the Leng Bing Realm's observers."
"…"
"…"
Blinking their eyes on the outside, Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng inwardly thought—
(First, it's Hou Chang Feng, and now it's this Hou Xu Heng… This Hou family's bloodline branch…)
(Screw this bloodline branch.)
Taking the two's silence to mean that they have accepted this task, Qing Wufeng continues to add—
"Tomorrow, you two are to head to Leng Bing City, and purchase a set of suitable attires that will let you blend into the Leng Bing Realm."
Turning to Qing Ming Yang, Qing Wufeng continues to remark—
"Ming Yang, you never finished saying what it is that you've decided on. I'm rather curious to hear it."
"Heh…"
Responding with a light chuckle, Qing Ming Yang—who wanted to say that he intends to retire early, and live a laidback life of leisure, can only choose to change his statement; and rather quickly, he replies—
"Grandfather, I've decided, I'm going to become an elder like you."
Saying this on the outside, Qing Ming Yang inwardly thought—
(That way, I can screw the people in that Hou family's bloodline branch over!)
"Oh?"
A look of subtle satisfaction appears on Qing Wufeng's face—seemingly proud to have a grandson with this sort of ambition.
"…"
Rising from his seat, Lin Yu Heng clasps his hands to Qing Wufeng and leaves—intent on finding his father for a discussion, in an attempt to overturn this decision.