Chapter 382 - An Array Drawn with Blood

While Jing Yi observed how Jing He had tried to make sure that his lover wouldn't miss out on anything with him the person in question finally arrived at the Leyuan region with Xin Lan.

Qiu Ling felt a little torn. Yes, he wanted to get his Jing He back as soon as possible but he also felt a bit bad about selling the old geezer out. If he could, he really would have liked to warn him that such a troublesome person had found out that he was still alive. Unfortunately, Xin Lan didn't leave him out of his sight and he would take it out on Jing He if Qiu Ling really tried something. Thus, he couldn't do anything. Well, the old geezer would be able to cope with it somehow. Probably.

When Qiang Wei saw the two of them arrive his expression brightened. "Your Majesty, Senior —"

A dark look from Qiu Ling shut him right up again. Ah, he might look up to Xin Lan but not so much that he would risk offending His Majesty over it. He wasn't like Fu Min who blindly worshiped Xin Lan, after all. Before he could react further Xin Lan had already stepped past him anyway. Don't even mention responding to his greeting, he didn't even look at him.

Qiang Wei smiled wryly and just remained where he was. Right, he had completely forgotten how stand-offish Xin Lan could be. There really was no merit in offending His Majesty for him.

Xin Lan didn't consider how his behavior might be perceived. He only had one goal: Seeing his master again as soon as possible.

He walked to the array and took a look at it, spreading out his senses while he was at it. He had spent a bit of time in the human realm when his master had still been king and he had come into contact with quite a few arrays back then. After all, he had only come in search of things his master might need and those were only rare things that would most likely be found in such a secret realm. This kind of array seemed quite different though.

Qiu Ling couldn't help but follow Xin Lan even though he knew that the other didn't like to see him. "Can you see anything? That guy from the Hei Dian Sect said it was an ancient array someone from his sect used. Uh, right, that guy from the Hei Dian Sect is that bastard's uncle but you should know about that, right?"

"Mn." Xin Lan only murmured an assent. He had followed Jin Ling for so long under his master's comment and had even seen him grow up before, naturally, he knew everything about him there was to know.

He didn't say anything else and just followed the outer layer of the array. This thing was actually quite simple but it didn't astound him that the dragons of today wouldn't be able to figure it out. Considering that, the array could probably be called brilliant. Furthermore …

"I can tell you how to open the array. You'll probably not succeed though." Xin Lan's lips quirked up. Honestly, he could somehow relate to Jin Ling's wish of imprisoning Qiu Ling's beloved. It was … quite entertaining to watch.

"What do you mean?" Qiu Ling worriedly walked after him, staring at the uncovered half of Xin Lan's face.

"This array wasn't erected with the elements like other mortal arrays. Instead, the person used blood."

"So, we'll need blood to solve it?"

Qiu Ling frowned. He might not know much about arrays but it was common sense that an array would either be solved by using the same medium that had been used as an anchor or by something that was the polar opposite of the anchor. Since blood didn't really have an opposite … They could only use blood. What was the problem with that?

Xin Lan nodded. "Yes. Since it's you I'll tell you even more. This isn't normal human blood. Consequently, you won't be able to open it with only human blood either. You'll need blood of roughly the same composition."

"That means?"

Xin Lan just continued to smile.

"Heh! You said you'd help me open the array!"

"I already did. I provided you with most of what you need to know. Unfortunately, I don't really trust you. So I feel it would be safer for me to wait with telling you the last part until you've brought me to where —"

Qiu Ling's eyes widened and he reached out to clasp a hand over Xin Lan's mouth. He couldn't let Qiang Wei hear about this, too!

Xin Lan angrily slapped that hand away. "What? You think I'm as dumb as you, blurting someone's secrets out just like that? Now, tell me what I want to know. Then I'll tell you what you'll need to know about that blood."

Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "I'll bring you there."

"Tch." Xin Lan snorted. "Do you think I'd fall for that? You'd just be trying to play for time once again. You already did that on the way here. Don't think I didn't notice. So, tell me."

Qiu Ling sighed. "Yun Zou Sect." He nodded in the vague direction of the sect.

Xin Lan smiled. Thanks to Jin Ling's intense hatred for Qiu Ling he was very clear on where Qiu Ling had spent his time in the human realm. The Yun Zou Sect had been one of those places so it was likely that his master really was there.

"Very well. You've upheld your end of the bargain. Then I'll uphold my end, too. The blood you need has to be part human, part god, and part demon. Naturally, it needs to be blood from just one person." He smiled and turned around, his feet already leaving the ground. "Good luck finding such a person."

With that, he vanished in the direction of the Yun Zou Sect. He wasn't like Jin Ling who absolutely wanted to see Qiu Ling's defeated expression when he lost his beloved. No, it was enough for him to know that Qiu Ling wouldn't be able to find such a person. To him, it was much more important to finally see his master again.

Master, I'm coming to see you. Please, tell me, have you missed me at least a little bit in all these centuries?