Chapter 177 - The Energy Of The Wind

"I think I felt the spiritual energy from you just now. I can't feel it in the wind, though." Jing Yi hung his head. He had been so sure that it would work! He had never been closer but …

"Don't worry." Qiu Ling turned Jing Yi around to face him again and cupped his cheeks, not caring about the winds surrounding them. "You already felt something. Isn't that great? Let's just try a bit more. Mn?" He smiled and Jing Yi indeed felt a bit better.

"Alright."

Qiu Ling nodded and pulled Jing Yi down onto the ground, carelessly waving the winds away. He didn't forget to keep one strand of it back, though. It blew around them, ruffling their hair one moment then weaving around their hands the next.

Jing Yi breathlessly observed it. This time he felt like there was something special about this breeze. It wasn't like the wind before, such a large current that spanned their whole surroundings or even the entire mountain. This was just a strand of wind, barely enough to weave around their figures once.

He couldn't see it, of course, but he felt it. He could actually feel its beginning and end as if it was a snake curling around him.

"Close your eyes." Qiu Ling gripped Jing Yi's hands once again. They were sitting opposite each other, both seated in the lotus position. Just perfect to try something like this.

He waited until Jing Yi had done what he told him to, then he closed his own eyes and concentrated on his magic. He actually didn't know how exactly his magic worked. It was an innate ability of all dragons that would come to them sooner or later, not something they needed to think about. Most of the time, they would learn the finer details from their parents or a teacher, though, but he had figured most of it out on his own. But maybe that was good. Maybe Jing Yi could learn it the same way as him: Just interacting with the elements around them.

Qiu Ling manipulated the wind energy, his magic once again spreading throughout his body. Jing Yi tensed. He could feel it even clearer now. After he had managed to do it once it seemed like he wouldn't have any problems repeating this step ever again in the future. The revelation made him giddy with happiness, until Qiu Ling tightened his grip.

"Concentrate. Don't think of anything else now. Just … try to feel it. I'm sure it will naturally come to you." He slowly let go of Jing Yi's hand but only to press their palms together. Then, he once again paid his attention to the strand of wind.

He lifted his left hand while manipulating his magic and the strand twirled around and rose up.

Jing Yi took a trembling breath. Before he could react further, Qiu Ling had taken one hand back and gripped his left hand. The strand of wind followed his motion and descended once again, curling up in Jing Yi's hand. And yes, this time, he could actually feel it. It wasn't just a breeze grazing his skin. It was indeed a strand of wind and one that had build a form. It was like a living thing.

Qiu Ling smiled. His beloved seemed to have calmed down, so it should have worked. "How about you try to take it in?" He slightly opened his eyes and, as if on cue, Jing Yi did the same. They looked at each other.

Jing Yi watched Qiu Ling for a moment and finally smiled. "Thank you, Qiu Ling. You know this … means really much to me."

"I know." Qiu Ling smiled back at him, suddenly feeling warm. This smile … Jing He had always looked at him just like this. It was somehow happy, but also a bit melancholic, a bit like he couldn't trust this sudden bliss.

Ah, my love, I'll make you understand. I'll fulfill whatever wish you have in this mortal lifetime and then, when you wake up in that palace once again, then you'll see that you can trust me with everything. Maybe then we can finally marry.

"Come here." Qiu Ling gripped his hands once more.

This time, he really didn't know how exactly he could help Jing Yi. Who knew how similar his magic really was to the human cultivation? After all, he didn't have to take in any energy. The magic was already a part of him. But he had to try nonetheless. Jing Yi's dream depended on this.

Alright, let's try this.

He guided the energy as close to Jing Yi's body as he could. He hoped that something might happen, that Jing Yi might understand on his own like he had managed to do it back then.

Jing Yi, too, tried to take the spiritual energy in. He had already sensed it. How difficult could it be to take this last step? Just a bit more …

He tried once again to sense that circle he had discovered in Qiu Ling in himself. But nothing. Once again, he came up empty-handed. Jing Yi suppressed a sigh and instead focused on the energy itself again. Wasn't there any clue? Any indication what to do with it whatsoever?

He furrowed his brow and gripped Qiu Ling's hands tighter. But, of course, that also didn't help. However much he concentrated and however much he tried to find some kind of link between the energy and that cycle he could feel by now, he couldn't find a way to take it in.

In the end, Jing Yi opened his eyes and smiled wryly at Qiu Ling. "Thank you, but … I'm afraid this is as far as I'll be able to go. Maybe someone with six spirit veins like me is really not made to cultivate. I probably should have stayed in the capital from the beginning instead of attempting to become a cultivator."

At this moment, he really felt like his dream had shattered. Feeling hope before despair was really much worse than never having any hope at all.

Qiu Ling smiled back at him but he didn't seem defeated at all. He bent forward and lightly kissed Jing Yi's cheek. "My love, after five years of achieving nothing you finally took the first step. Is this really the moment where you should think of giving up? Trust me a bit. It might not have worked just now but we're not at our rope's end, are we? I still have an idea that might work. Let's just try it."

Seeing Qiu Ling's confident gaze, Jing Yi's worry dispersed and he finally nodded. "You're right. I shouldn't give up this easily. No hero would do that. Isn't that right?" His smile lightened, too. Really, to have met this man might be the best thing that happened so far in his life. Why hadn't he noticed sooner?