Yunxiao Inn.
"Do you think it'll be our match this afternoon?" Chen Su asked Chen Wu.
"If it is, then good luck!" Su Yi told him.
"Thanks!" Chen Su grinned.
"G – good luck to your mages, too, if it will be th – their turn!" Chen Yu said.
"Thank you, Chen Yu-shidi." Cui Xiang smiled.
Chen Yu blushed and shrank his neck. He also shyly lowered his head.
Meanwhile, Cui Xiang. "…" am I that scary? She thought and shrugged.
The disciples of the other sects also bade the Xinfaxian Sect and Youxiwang Sect disciples along with Sun Ri 'good luck' and resumed eating. Meanwhile, their sect leaders and elders are camping outside Bai Tan's space, hoping to see Cheng Sheng come out.
But, it was Fei Yin who came out instead. "…" what the hell are they standing here for like statues? He thought.
Everyone who saw Fei Yin's cold face greeted them, and even felt he brought cold air. "…" we want to see Cheng Sheng, not you! They thought. But, they got no other choice than ask Fei Yin. The other is already here, and he's the only one by Cheng Sheng's side.
"Xiao Yin. How is xiao Sheng now?" Fan Wen asked his eldest disciple.
"Answering shifu, Cheng-shidi is still asleep." Fei Yin answered as he cupped his fist and respectfully bowed.
Fan Wen felt emotional since it has been a long time Fei Yin has acted like this. He lowered his head to hide his tearful eyes while Xie Lan patted him on the back to comfort him.
"Does Ah Sheng… still… that, last night?" Chen Han asked as he bit his lip. He is referring to Cheng Sheng still suffering from the pain.
Fei Yin turned to him. "Sheng's condition turned better." He just said.
They all heaved a sigh of relief. Fei Yin's words meant that Cheng Sheng's pain has alleviated.
Chen Han clenched his fists. "Thanks." He stiffly told Fei Yin before he left.
Li Tian helplessly looked at his back. He smiled and nodded to Fei Yin before he followed after Chen Han. This guy… how long was it now? All these years, he still hasn't accepted Fei Yin as his brother-in-law! Well, Fei Yin and Cheng Sheng haven't gotten married yet. But still! They are acting like a pair of husbands already! But Chen Han still can't accept that!
Just what will it make Chen Han to accept Fei Yin as Cheng Sheng's other half? Li Tian thought and then shook his head since he can't think of anything.
…
In the infirmary, Ling Yun and Ho Ting are left.
"You…" Ho Ting muttered as he looked at Ling Yun with a complicated gaze.
"I already told you to not call me 'you'." Ling Yun told Ho Ting as he tilted the bowl with one hand to sip the soul while his other hand is holding a brush as he wrote. "Is this how you address others in your land even if they have already given their name for you to address them with?" he asked him.
Ho Ting shut up. "L – Ling… Yun?" he called, unsure.
"Yes. That's my name." Ling Yun nodded, feeling pleased. Then, he continued to write while still drinking the soup.
Ho Ting looked at him with a complicated gaze. "Why are you doing two tasks at the same time?" he asked the busy Ling Yun. "Can't you do one at a time? It's already noon so you should take your lunch first. You can resume writing after you finish your food." He told him.
"That won't do!" Ling Yun shook his head. "I have to do everything that I could right now since next week, I won't be here because I am going to participate in the next stage of the competition." He explained. "I have to write as much as I can about my conjectures, in case they might held elder Cheng Sheng…" he added and paused. "… shizun." He corrected himself.
Ho Ting's brows furrowed. "This Cheng Sheng…" he spoke in awkward words.
"Hey!" Ling Yun cut him off. "You can't speak my shizun's name like that! You should call him 'elder Cheng'!" he told him. "Don't you know that it is my shizun who cured you?" he asked him.
Ho Ting was taken aback. "What?!" he exclaimed in shock. "It was him?" he looked at Ling Yun with widened eyes.
Ling Yun nodded as he smiled proudly. "Of course!" he answered. "My shizun is the best doctor in this land! He even managed to cure your soul that was almost devoured by another soul!" he told Ho Ting.
Ho Ting's face paled in horror. "No wonder… no wonder I feel light and can't control my body!" he said. "It's actually another soul taking over my soul!" he said in lament of his self.
Ling Yun looked at him in pity. "Yes. At first, we didn't notice it. But, after you fought against my shizun and lost, it was then that we discovered that there was actually another soul inside your body aside from yours." He explained. "That soul was killed during the fight, though, so you were saved." He looked at him.
Ho Ting wanted to cry but there were no tears. Life is really hard! He thought. "But, right now… I feel normal." He said as he patted his chest.
Ling Yun nodded. "The Fostering Magic Pills are good nourishments." He spoke and smiled.
"'Fostering Magic Pills'?" Ho Ting asked when he heard this unfamiliar words.
"Yes. The Fostering Magic Pills are magic pills to foster your mind and spirit. That's why they are nourishment pills." Ling Yun explained. "Of course, this is what my shizun created!" he added with a grin.
"I see… so, how much are they?" Ho Ting asked, wanting to repay them because he felt guilty.
He thought that this Cheng Sheng is a scum for making this fair youth named Ling Yun work busily. But, he found out that this Cheng Sheng is actually a respectable person. He is a very good doctor and can even create magic pills. He wronged his name without him knowing everything.
In short, he is his life-savior.
"Oh. My shizun didn't say…" Ling Yun scratched his head as he fell in a conundrum.
"It's fine, it's fine. I can just write and sign my name telling that I will definitely pay you!" Ho Ting told Ling Yun.
"Great idea!" Ling Yun's eyes brightened. "Sure! Then, you write with me now!" he told him as he handed him another brush and paper.
Ho Ting has already finished his lunch earlier. He only ate a light meal since that's what Cheng Sheng instructed Ling Yun, as well as Qie Shi and Sun Rong who provide their food, with.
"'I, Ho Ting, of…'" Ho Ting muttered as he started to write.
Ling Yun looked over. "Hey. Is that the name of your land?" he asked. "'Dong… yang'?" he read. "And you know how to write in our language?!" he was shocked.
Ho Ting nodded and smiled when he saw the shocked expression of Ling Yun. What a cute face. He thought. "You should have realized that I can also speak your language." He said in a helpless tone.
"Oh… you're right!" Ling Yun exclaimed.
"It's because of my uncle." Ho Ting spoke. "When I was young, he had met a friend in the past. Later, I realized he's from a different land. This should be your land." He told Ling Yun. "His friend taught us his language, how to speak and write it. In exchange, my uncle taught him our language." He explained.
"Oh… where is this friend of your uncle, then?" Ling Yun asked.
"I don't know." Ho Ting answered. "He left, telling us that he has to return to his family. He was lost in the waves and accidentally drifted to our shore. Then, he left the same way he arrived. I've never met him since then." He explained.
"So that's why…" Ling Yun muttered. "How about you? Why are you here? And your uncle? What happened to him?" he asked in succession.
"I am actually here because of my uncle." Ho Ting answered. "I am looking for him. He left to find his friend." He explained.
"Huh?!" Ling Yun was shocked. This guy's uncle is actually reckless?! Or bold? He thought. "But, you were possessed by that spirit… then, you still haven't found your uncle?!" he exclaimed.
Ho Ting nodded. "Yes. After I recover, I will find him immediately." He smiled.
"Then, you have to follow my shizun's instructions so you can heal as soon as possible!" Ling Yun told him. "Hm? Wait. How did that spirit possess you? I heard from my shizun that it was a sword spirit that's why he didn't see the demonic energy thus we didn't notice that you were possessed." He explained.
"Ah. I was on my way here but then I picked up a sword somewhere. Thinking that I have to equip myself in case a danger befell me later, I took it with me." Ho Ting explained.. "Who knows that sword is actually evil?" he helplessly sighed.