Chapter 156 - Drowning His Sorrows (1/2)

Qiu Ling sat there on the grass while the sun slowly climbed up the horizon. He didn't notice how time went by, though. In his head, he was still replaying that scene of Jing He rejecting him and then running away. He really didn't want to see him anymore. It seemed there was no chance for them.

He unsteadily stood up. What now? His whole reason for coming to the sect had been because he wanted to be close to Jing He. He had never thought it might turn out like this.

Slowly, Qiu Ling made his way through the outer sect, not noticing the disciples around him. He didn't see them much less hear their greetings. He just walked on toward the gates to the inner sect. He passed by them without paying attention to the disciples guarding them and then continued on even further. Somehow, his steps brought him back to the formation Zhangsun Xun Yi had shown him.

He hesitated for a moment, then he stepped inside and found himself in the special dimension again. He walked to the lake in the middle and sat down on the boulder, silently staring off into the distance.

At the bottom of the lake, Jinde opened his eyes. He blinked and leaped out of the water, his magic drying his hair and clothes before he sat down next to Qiu Ling.

”Why are you back so soon?”

Qiu Ling kept mum. He didn't want to say it. Maybe if he didn't, it wouldn't become reality?

Jinde observed his expression and continued to sit next to him. He didn't say anything and just waited.

Finally, Qiu Ling sighed. What was there to say anyway? Speaking about it wouldn't help. It wouldn't change the fact that his beloved had already rejected him.

”Back then … how did it feel?”

”Mn?” Jinde turned around but Qiu Ling wasn't looking at him. He still stared blankly.

”When he told you that he had decided on her how did it feel?”

Jinde averted his face. ”Is that something you should ask?”

Qiu Ling took a trembling breath and stood up. He went over to a tree and started to dig.

”Heh!” Jinde frowned. ”What do you think you are doing?”

A moment later, Qiu Ling came back with two big flasks of wine. He handed one of them to Jinde and then woodenly sat down next to him again. ”Let's drink.”

”Drowning our sorrows? I feel like I'm a little old for that.” He peaked at Qiu Ling and his expression derailed. That boy had already opened up the flask and was really starting to drink!

He observed as Qiu Ling emptied half the flask, then he sighed and put the flask in his own hands onto the ground. ”Alright, what happened? Does that mortal already love somebody else? Is that it?”

Qiu Ling kept silent and just continued to drink.

”Haish. Didn't your father teach you anything? Who knows what dumb things you'll do once you're drunk?” He sighed again. It seemed the younger generation really hadn't learned anything from their faults. Mn, if he had a son he probably also wouldn't have dared to tell him those stories from back then.

Qiu Ling emptied the first flask and gripped the one Jinde had put down.

”Heh!” Jinde grabbed his wrist. ”What's with this senseless drinking? At least, tell me what happened!”

Qiu Ling wrested his hand back and still took the flask. ”He rejected me.” He opened up the second flask but didn't start to drink immediately. Instead, he stared into the flask and at the sweetly smelling wine inside. ”He said we were not meant to be.”

”That's harsh.”

”I begged him. I knelt down in front of him and begged him to give me a chance but he turned around and ran away.” He fell silent for a moment and just continued to stare at the flask. ”What did I do wrong?”

Jinde turned away and looked at the still surface of the lake. ”It's not always about doing something wrong.”

”Then what is it about? I don't understand. I love him so much. I'd do anything for him. Why … Why can't he accept me?”