"… huh?" Jing Kang, Jing Bai and Chen Han muttered as they blankly looked at Ling Yun after they heard what he said. "… Er Zi punched you?" they asked.
"What?!" Ling Xi exclaimed as he looked at Ling Yun. "Why did he punch you?!" he asked.
"I, uh…" Ling Yun muttered and suddenly blushed when he remembered that he almost touched Cheng Sheng last night.
Yu Wen cut him off. "Oh! To be able to punch Yun-er… that disciple of Cheng Sheng must be strong!" he spoke. "As expected of Cheng Sheng, raising such a disciple!" he said. His voice and face are filled with admiration.
Ling Xi sharply looked at Yu Wen. "You should worry about my nephew first, idiot!" he said and hit the top of the head of Yu Wen again.
Jing Kang, Jing Bai and Chen Han who felt de ja vu. "…" he hit their sect leader… twice… they thought as they watched Ling Xi scold Yu Wen who is muttering in pain again.
Ling Yun. "…" my heart felt tired… he thought. But, there is a smile on his face as he watched his uncle and their sect leader.
Ling Xi and Yu Wen are friends. Both of them lost their families five years ago when the demonic cultivators attacked. Fortunately for Ling Xi, Ling Yun was alive. Yu Wen then suggested for them to build a sect. And that is now the Yuling Sect. Although some people might think that the Yuling Sect was built out of Yu Wen's capriciousness, but Ling Yun, and also Ling Xi, knows that Yu Wen wanted to soothe the loneliness that they feel in their hearts after they have lost their families.
"Yes. Fei Yinzi have become stronger." Ling Yun spoke.
They all turned to him.
"Although I was caught off-guard at that time, but I could have dodged his attack." Ling Yun continued. "But, I wasn't able to." He hollowly laughed and scratched his cheek. "And I, shamefully, became unconscious." He sighed.
When he woke up, he was already in the Yuling Sect. it was his fellow disciples who brought him back and healed the bruise on his face after Fei Yinzi punched him. Fortunately, it immediately healed so his uncle didn't find out about this until just now.
"Hmph." Ling Xin scoffed while Yu Wen smiled at Ling Yun, comforting him.
Meanwhile, Jing Kang, Jing Bai and Chen Han looked at each other. "…" Er Zi punched Ling Yun… but why? They thought.
After finished a cup of tea, the three of them left and Chen Han generously gave the Yuling Sect some magic pills and talismans, which, obviously, made by Cheng Sheng. The Yuling Sect, well, specifically Yu Wen their sect leader, wasn't reserved at all and received the gifts, which made Ling Xi hit him again.
"Ai… Er Zi's temper is starting to become like Ah Sheng…" Chen Han spoke as they walked back. "I am worried." He said and sighed.
"There must be a reason why Er Zi punched Ling Yun." Jing Bai spoke. "Ling Yun also looked like he was admitting his mistake earlier." He said. "Such a good kid." He added and smiled.
"Er Zi punching someone… it definitely has got something to do with his master." Jing Kang said. "Ling Yun must have trespassed and Er Zi saw it thus he punched Ling Yun." He explained, then paused. "Though, Ling Yun must have unintentionally done it." He added.
"Oh… you are right." Jing Bai and Chen Han nodded.
"Jing Cheng also said earlier that Ling Yun is a fan of Ah Sheng… ah. Ah Sheng really is a troublemaker." Chen Han grinned, though there is pride in his eyes. "Ling Yun looked reserved, but to be able to make Ling Yun trespass… and Ah Sheng being unconscious at that." He clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"Mn." Jing Bai and Jing Kang nodded.
Jixu Peak.
"Achoo!" Cheng Sheng suddenly sneezed and immediately rubbed his nose. He looked at the failed product and poured it out. "Ha." He sighed and walked towards the water to wash his arms. Then, he looked at the waterfall.
This is the secret place where he makes his dangerous experiments. Although Fei Yinzi knows this place, but every time he tries to look for it, he isn't able to find it. Though he only did it out of good intentions and not to peek at his master or disturb him. He is just worried that Cheng Sheng might forget to eat after being so focused in his experiments.
Youxian Peak.
"Oh! They are here!" Feng Mo exclaimed when they saw that the teleportation array lit up. "Finally!" he added as he grinned and crossed his arms over his chest.
They left the Hexie Peak, where the residence of Fan Wen and Xie Lan is located, and returned to the Youxian Peak to wait for Chen Han and Jing Kang to return. The Youxian Peak is where the teleportation array, as well as the reception hall and punishment hall of the sect are located.
"Say, what do you think should have happened between Cheng-shidi and Er Zi?" Lei Qing asked You Rou when they saw Chen Han's and Jing Kang's figures appeared.
"Hmm…" You Rou muttered as she pondered. "If it is Cheng-shixiong, we really couldn't guess correctly, right?" she asked.
Li Tian, Feng Mo, Lei Ling and Lei Qing. "…" that's right. They thought.
Chen Han and Jing Kang who heard what You Rou said. "…" definitely right. They thought as they approached Li Tian and Lei Ling, respectively, leaving Feng Mo feel sour because he has not spent much time with Wu Bai lately, and Lei Qing and You Rou felt lonely being single women.
Cheng Sheng is very unpredictable, so no one could guess what he is exactly thinking. He is also sometimes reserved, which makes them feel more at a loss since they can't even saw a clue from his expression.
"Chen Han! What did Sun Rong and Qie Shi say?" Li Tian excitedly asked after he hugged his husband.
"Jing Kang?" Lei Ling called when he saw that his husband is just silently hugging him.
"… sorry. I failed you." Jing Kang spoke as he held Lei Ling's cheek.
Chen Han. "…" you don't need to make this sound like a big deal, okay? He thought. Though, I also feel regretful and sad for failing my beloved's expectation. He added as he looked at Li Tian's face.
"Huh? What happened?" Feng Mo asked.
"We found nothing." Chen Han sighed.
"What?" they were surprised.
"Sun Rong and Qie Shi don't even know that Cheng Sheng was mad at Er Zi." Chen Han answered. "It was Jing Cheng whom Cheng Sheng talked with last before he left." He said and looked at Jing Kang.
They all turned to Jing Kang. "Jing Cheng might have noticed that Cheng Sheng was angry. But, he doesn't have any idea what caused it, and only connected it with Er Zi whom Cheng Sheng was with before he went to talk with Cheng Sheng." Jing Kang told them. "It was only about uncle that Jing Cheng and Cheng Sheng talked about before Cheng Sheng left and returned here." He added.
"So… there really was no clue." They sighed. "We can't help Er Zi, then…" they said, feeling downcast.
"But, something has happened with Er Zi the night before." Chen Han spoke and told them about the Zunjingde Sect and Yuling Sect catching the plant demon, and Fei Yinzi punching Ling Yun who was guarding Cheng Sheng.
"This Ling Yun…" they said as they looked at each other.
"He is the head disciple of the Yuling Sect, and elder Ling Xi's nephew." Jing Kang answered. "According to Jing Bai, he is Cheng Sheng's fan and wanted to be his disciple. But, his uncle didn't permit him to leave Zhongyang because of overprotectiveness." He explained.
A long silence fell. After some time, they spoke. "… Cheng-shidi's…" Lei Qing muttered.
"… fan…?" Feng Mo and Li Tian looked at each other.
But, contrary to their complicated expressions, Lei Ling's and You Rou's eyes sparkled. "Eh?! Cheng-shixiong's fan?!" they asked, looking very excited.
Chen Han, Jing Kang, Li Tian, Feng Mo and Lei Qing. "…" we forgot that Cheng Sheng also has these two fans… they thought and grimaced.
Since there was no clue, they all went their separate ways to resume their tasks and decided to wait until a month and observe what will happen. Other than that, they continued their daily life. Meanwhile, contrary to their expectation, Cheng Sheng is eating regularly even though he is brewing potion to cure Jing Rui. He can still remember to eat because of the smell of the Shaking Forked-Leaf Plant which is stimulating his brain, making it work faster than normal and making him able to divide his attention between his work and daily life. There is also Bai Tan, the Shapeshifting Blanket, beside him which provides him food and is also entertaining him, while also washing clothes for him and is turning into a hammock for him to sleep on during night.
Then, one month passed by.