Chapter 147 - Reminiscing About Old Times Together

Meanwhile, in the Yun Zou sect, Qiguan Cheng Da had left the pagoda of forging talismans and hurried after Jing Yi who was on his way back to his quarters.

"Junior martial brother Zhong!"

Jing Yi took a deep breath and stopped. Just because he was furious about Qiu Ling's behavior he couldn't be less courteous to other people. He turned around and found himself in front of a foreign senior martial brother from the outer sect. Jing Yi cautiously nodded. "Senior martial brother, how may I help you?"

Qiguan Cheng Da chuckled. "There's no need to be so formal. Actually, I'm here to apologize."

"Apologize?" Jing Yi lifted his brows. He certainly hadn't expected this. He didn't know this man. So why would he come and apologize?

"I heard you have some problems with your cultivation. I should have come and helped you sooner, it's just … Ah, please don't blame me but I actually only found out about you yesterday because of that proposal."

Jing Yi lowered his head. So this person had come because of the proposal? Could it be that those other senior martial brothers had also been so strange today because of that? See? This is exactly what I didn't want. How am I ever going to grow if everything will depend on that man's help?

"Senior martial brother, I'm afraid you are mistaken about something. I'm not going to marry Senior martial brother Qiu. So, if you are here because of that, I'm afraid I have to tell you that it's futile."

"You're not going to marry him?" Qiguan Cheng Da was taken aback. If it was him … Even the idea of getting together with another man disgusted him but if someone of the station of the Grandmaster's disciple proposed to him he certainly wouldn't reject him. Just think of all those opportunities he could get through that! He would be able to endure everything he had to do if it just gave him more power.

Jing Yi kept quiet. He had already said it. And yes, at this moment, he had truly decided. He wouldn't marry him. He just didn't want to depend on another person for everything he achieved. He wanted to do it through his own hard work. That was the only way to go.

He should probably go and tell that Senior martial brother Qiu right now. Or maybe he'll wait until he came back by himself. After all, he couldn't just enter the inner sect just because he wanted to.

"Actually, that wasn't the reason I came." Qiguan Cheng Da put on a jovial smile. He had seen the scene at the lakeside before. He certainly wouldn't drop this opportunity just because the boy said something strange. He probably just didn't want others to profit from his luck. "What I meant was that I only found out that you are here because of that proposal. Had I known earlier, I certainly would have come and helped you."

Jing Yi furrowed his brow. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you are talking about."

Qiguan Cheng Da laughed again and whipped out a white fan with an elegant ink painting. "Aren't you Zhong Jing Yi? Your parents should be Zhong Lei and Zhong Chun. You certainly can't remember me but you might know my mother, Madam Qiguan. She lives in one of the villages not far from yours."

"Oh." Jing Yi definitely remembered Madam Qiguan. She wasn't nice and his mother didn't like her, though he never knew why. Well, at least this had nothing to do with that Senior martial brother Qiu and his proposal. And even though this Senior martial brother Qiguan was the son of that woman he himself seemed quite nice.

"Junior martial brother Zhong, did you just say you didn't want to marry Grandmaster Zhangsun's disciple? May I ask why? You would certainly have a lot of opportunities if you accepted his offer."

Jing Yi smiled wryly. "This isn't about having opportunities. We don't really know each other so marriage shouldn't even be considered. Furthermore, I believe I should earn opportunities through my own hard work and not through some sort of connection."

Qiguan Cheng Da snorted inwardly. What kind of morally uptight nonsense was that? Well, it was good for him. He'd use him for a while and meanwhile make sure that he wouldn't change his mind. "Your attitude is commendable", he praised. "Well, it's probably to be expected. People like us from the rural areas who weren't born with status are just like that. Someone like him probably couldn't understand. They feel … entitled to all these things, isn't it?"

Jing Yi looked back in the direction of the lake. Maybe that was it. That Senior martial brother Qiu Ling had probably enjoyed having whatever he wanted all his life. Now he had taken an interest in him and felt like his feelings should naturally be reciprocated. He really didn't want to be with such a person.

Jing Yi sighed, lifting Qiguan Cheng Da's mood considerably. "Have you told him already?"

Jing Yi shook his head. "Not really. I … well, I guess he understood somehow? But I think I should make it clear if he shows up again."

"Mn, in such a case one has to be decisive. Else, he won't give up. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

Jing Yi shook his head. No, he didn't want that. This whole situation was something he didn't want.

"Ah, never mind. We shouldn't talk about that. I wasn't home in a long time. How about you tell me a little? I'm curious how things stand in the village." In fact, Qiguan Cheng Da didn't care one bit. He was a cultivator now. What should he care about those common people? But this was the only thing that connected him with Zhong Jing Yi and he had to get his trust first.

"Actually, I myself don't know much. My family moved to the capital some years back and I've been here in the Yun Zou sect for five years already. It's been too long since I was home in the village."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up. I myself have been gone for twenty years already. My family probably misses me greatly."

"Yes. Certainly. My mother also …" Jing Yi sighed. He really wanted to see her again. Who knew what she was doing now? Was the business at the teahouse still good? Were his uncle and aunt caring enough for her? And what about sister Nie Huang who brewed the tea? His mother had been quite close to her in the last days before he went with Senior martial brother Wu. Were they still getting along?

Qiguan Cheng Da smiled behind his fan. It seemed like his plan was working. Now all he had to do was continue to gain his trust and wait for an opportunity to strike up a relationship with that disciple of the Grandmaster. That couldn't be hard, right? He had even managed to become friends with that elusive Senior martial brother Yu with his stoic face. A pretty boy like that Qiu Ling would certainly become close to him after a few compliments.