Chapter 518 - Trying and Trying Again

Qiu Ling didn't really understand what was going on but he didn't mind explaining to Jing Yi again. Especially … since his beloved still hadn't complained about the half-hug he was doing right now! Ah, if he didn't say anything, he wouldn't let go of his hands and he definitely wouldn't step back. It felt so great to be this close to him again.

Mn, pretending to be a refined person was really such a good thing. He should have done that much sooner. Who knew? Maybe they would already be married by now then. Well, he shouldn't think about that for now. They could still marry when his beloved had finally realized that he had always been his only lover. Mn, it would be so great then. Maybe he could even find a way for his beloved to remember the rest, then it would be just like marrying Jing He himself.

Qiu Ling almost hummed but he held back just in time. Ah, that had been dangerous! He definitely couldn't show his happiness now or his beloved would catch onto something.

"Alright. I said that you shouldn't think of it as just energy. I mean it is energy but it takes on a form too." He furrowed his brows. Alright, it didn't make sense if he said it like that. "Maybe it's not as obvious with air but think of something like water. Sometimes you can feel the energy around you without seeing any water, right? But then when there is a lot of spiritual water energy you will also see a lot of water. I guess you could say that the energy took on a form."

"That makes sense."

"Mn. And you could move water, right? So why shouldn't you be able to move its energy too? The same goes for air. You could wave your hands and the air would move away from you, so you could do the same with the energy. Just try it. I'll help you."

Jing Yi nodded and closed his eyes again. He tried to sense the spiritual energy first but this time, he couldn't concentrate as well as he wanted. Somehow, instead of sensing the energy, the only thing he felt was Qiu Ling's body in his back.

Ah. Had they stood this close the whole time?

He turned his head and looked up at Qiu Ling, their gazes meeting. For a moment, they just looked at each other, neither of them saying a word.

Finally, Qiu Ling couldn't hold it in any longer. "Is it still not working? Maybe we should try something else then."

"Ah, no, I …" Jing Yi turned back to the front.

Qiu Ling hadn't seemed as if he was doing this intentionally. He was just trying to help him. He had probably … really given up. Jing Yi sighed lightly. This was what he had wanted. Qiu Ling was supposed to move on. So how come he suddenly felt that it was a pity?

Qiu Ling would have liked to lean forward to take a look at Jing Yi's face but he was afraid that that might give their embrace away. He couldn't remind his beloved that he was doing something forbidden now. With no other option, he just spoke up again. "If you want me to explain it differently, I can try. You just have to say so."

Jing Yi shook his head. He didn't trust his voice too much right now. Ah, this would probably stop soon. He just needed a bit of time to get used to the thought that Qiu Ling and he wouldn't be this close in the future anymore. Even if they somehow managed to stay friends instead of lovers, there was no way they could keep spending time together like this when he went to the demon realm with Tian.

Jing Yi sighed and forced himself to speak up. "No, I … I think I understood it quite well now. Let me try again."

He concentrated on the energy again and tried to do what Qiu Ling had said. Imagine it as an object … The spiritual energy shuddered a little but still rushed forward into his body.

Behind him, Qiu Ling smiled though. "That was already a lot better. Let's keep trying."

Jing Yi nodded, his own lips also curving into a smile. He started over, once again sensing a part of the spiritual energy around him and imagining it as an object. He tried to push against the object, even extending his hand to do so but it didn't seem to work. Once again, the energy shuddered and maybe it got a little slower but it didn't stop. He still couldn't move it at will.

Qiu Ling let go of his hands and instead grabbed his shoulders. "Don't rush it. We have time. You're already doing very good considering you've never tried this before."

Jing Yi nodded again and started over. Again and again, he sensed for the energy and tried to imagine it as an object that he could push back or move somewhere else. It seemed like there was some progress but it was so little that he didn't know if this was just his wishful thinking. He still didn't give up though. He just continued, starting over and over again. Sooner or later, he would get the hang of it.

Finally, the air spiritual energy in front of him halted at his cue.

Jing Yi froze, almost losing the grasp on the energy. This … How had he done that just now?

Behind him, Qiu Ling beamed. "You did it, my l—" He coughed. "Uh, you did it, Jing'er! That's great! How about trying it once more to see if you can do it again? After that, we can take a break."

Jing Yi nodded with his eyes still closed, not placing too much emphasis on how Qiu Ling had almost called out to him again. He took a deep breath, sensed for the energy and made it move before having it stop again.

It was … surprisingly simple. Why had it taken him that long to learn something this easy? He opened his eyes to turn around to Qiu Ling and ask but what he saw made him freeze. Or rather what he didn't see made him freeze.

How had it already become night?