Chapter 250 - 250 Refinement, Departure

Chapter 250: Chapter 250 Refinement, Departure

After returning home with Ji Qing, Ye An silently ate the grilled skewers. Both seemed to have lost their appetite, heads bowed, minds occupied.

In just five minutes, they finished their meal. Ye An looked up and said, "I might be very busy in the coming days."

Ji Qing wiped her mouth with a napkin, nodded, and replied, "Me too."

Then, they both got up and went back to their respective rooms. Different bedrooms, the same view outside the window, but similar expressions on their faces.

Neither could sleep well. They lay on their backs, staring at the ceiling, their faces grim.

Ye An even felt a bit suffocated for a moment.

Have I been lazy?

No.

I've had all sorts of great opportunities, extraordinary luck—everything handed to me on a platter. Yet here I am, the one needing others to worry about me.

Only the weak need others to worry about them.

Am I weak?!

Why?!

Ye An gritted his teeth, having an internal dialogue with himself.

No reason.

Weak is weak, that's a fact. No arguments there.

I'll just have to get stronger.

At any cost, I'll do more training than ever before, squeezing out every ounce of potential to become the kind of strong person others worry about, not someone who's worried about.

In the adjacent room, Ji Qing was feeling much the same emotionally.

She knew she wasn't weak.

But today she faced a task that required her full effort and barely managed to complete it.

If she were stronger, she could issue two commands simultaneously, endure for two days and nights, and help Ye An deal with the side effects of the Extinction Power.

But she couldn't.

Not strong enough. This feeling was unfamiliar to Ji Qing, the first time she had experienced it in her life.

Uncomfortable, unhappy.

So, I must become stronger.

Strong enough that nothing in this world can harm me or him!

Finally, both covered themselves and went to sleep.

Early the next morning, at six o'clock.

Approaching winter, the sky was barely light when they both woke up simultaneously.

Ye An set off for Zhuque Star. The fragrance of morning dew accompanied him on the way.

Upon reaching Zhuque Star, he quickly consulted Zhuque Grandmaster about the Refinement Technique and shared his gains from last night.

"The Refinement Technique is straightforward, but raising the limit of physical strength by two levels is difficult."

"I'll help you with the first task now. We'll discuss the second after the refinement is complete."

What a kid.

Normally, young people don't even need to kneel in front of me. I wouldn't say a word, let alone help them.

Yet here's Ye An.

I've already pointed him in the right direction, and he's still hesitant. He needs me to personally send him to his destination and speak well of him to those who will help him.

That person is a figure in the Hall of Heroes, a hero of the epic saga.

In terms of strength, seniority, or accomplishments, I have no face to speak of before such a person.

If it weren't for the fact that the other party was approachable, I wouldn't dare to speak lightly.

So now, Zhuque couldn't help but feel nervous, thinking that Ye An better perform well. Don't let me down.

Before leaving, Ye An told Ji Qing that he was going on a long journey to find Elder Tan Que's Village Chief.

Ji Qing stood in place, watching Ye An off, feeling a bit unhappy.

Though she understood everything, she wasn't quite willing to be separated from Ye An.

On Tianqi Star, although they were separated by distance and hadn't seen each other, she knew exactly where Ye An was and what he was doing.

Now, not knowing these details made her feel empty.

Moreover, if he took too long on that side, he might go directly to the Swordlight Tournament, and she would go to another side to participate in the battle.

If that happened, their next meeting might be months away.

If something happened to Ye An or herself in the meantime, could this separation be permanent?

Sitting in the dimly lit and empty living room, Ji Qing felt uneasy at the thought of spending the night alone.

Suddenly, she remembered Ye An's determined face.

If there were any difficulties, it was because she wasn't strong enough.

Separation was for becoming stronger.

Becoming stronger was to never part again!

Ji Qing nodded silently, forgetting about time, devoting all her attention to cultivation, thinking that when her cultivation was over, she could meet Ye An again.

Late at night.

Ji Qing was preparing to go to bed when the Star Platform suddenly rang. She looked down and saw a message from Ye An.

"What are you doing?"

A smile involuntarily appeared on her face, and she quickly replied, "I'm getting ready to sleep."

"Almost there, I guess I'll be at my destination after I sleep."

On the spaceship, Ye An lay in the luxurious room of the Presidential Suite, his eyes not on the splendid decorations around him, but on the Star Platform in front of him.

He chatted with Ji Qing for a while.

Seeing the words Ji Qing replied with, he couldn't help but imagine her expression and posture as she spoke.

In the end, they seemed to chat late into the night before he unconsciously fell asleep.

He slept soundly that night, but upon waking up, he felt empty inside. He quickly sent a message to Ji Qing, letting her know he was almost at his destination, just reporting in to feel a bit more at ease.

Ye An sat silently on the edge of the bed, looking at the boundless starry sky, thinking about how many hearts across the cosmos were separated by this starry expanse?

If longing had a shape, this endless starry sea would surely be filled with waves of energy called longing.