Oh. My. Fate?! (BL, Volume 6)

119 The One I'm Most Thankful to

Jing Yi stared ahead blankly, notunderstanding what was going on. How was it Qiu Ling's fault ifsomething had happened to his soul? It wasn't like he had causedhim to be sucked into the secret realm. Quite the contrary, he haddone everything he could to get him out of there, hadn't he?

Jing Yi sighed and gently combedthrough Qiu Ling's hair. "That's not true. There is nothingyou have to feel responsible for. You've always wanted my best andyou've done so much for me. Accompanying me out of the Yun Zou Sectto learn how to cultivate, going with me to the Hei Dian Sect toaccomplish that mission, finding a way to get senior martial brotherYu and me out of the secret realm ... You even followed me this timeeven though I rejected you so harshly. Considering all the people inmy life, you're probably the one who did the most for me. The oneI'm most thankful to."

Qiu Ling raised his head and lookedat Jing Yi as if he wanted to hear that it indeed wasn't his fault.

Jing Yi's heart throbbed. Hecouldn't bear to watch this. Qiu Ling wasn't supposed to be likethis. He should be happy and a little shameless. Just like he alwayswas. This sadness didn't suit him at all.

He cupped Qiu Ling's cheeks andleaned down, his lips touching Qiu Ling's forehead. "It'snot your fault. Even if it was, I still wouldn't blame you. You're... very important to me."

Qiu Ling stared up at him with raptattention. Was this ... his beloved confessing to him? Could it be hehad finally understood that there was no Tian? Or could it be ... hedidn't care? He wanted to ask but just then Jing Yi stroked hischeek, making him shut up and relish in the feeling a little longer.He closed his eyes and burrowed into his arms, listening to hisheartbeat that had picked up speed.

Somehow, their roles had reversed injust a few minutes and now it was Jing Yi holding his former lover inhis arms. He didn't mind though. Qiu Ling had always liked thiskind of thing. Even back when they had been traveling outside in thatyear they left the Yun Zou Sect, he had used every possibility torecline in his arms or rest his head on his lap.

It had weirded him out a little atfirst but considering how Qiu Ling had grown up, it wasn't thatsurprising. Parents that didn't love each other and just played outan act every day of their lives, then losing even them at a young ageand remaining all alone with a secret he couldn't tell anyone, noteven the people closest to him ... The strength that he showed on anormal day, it had come at a high price.

He probably just wanted to make upfor all that. It was alright. If it made Qiu Ling happy, he would doit.

Jing Yi patiently combed through QiuLing's hair and stroked his back until he was sure that his formerlover had calmed down. Only then did he dare to ask the question thathad inevitably come up. "So about my soul ... How bad is it?"

Qiu Ling blinked. Uh? It seemed ...he had completely forgotten about that? He hurriedly closed his eyesand once again took a look. Since he already knew where the engravingwas and didn't have to search for it again, he only needed a momentto sense the spot again. Looking at the part of the soul around it ...It seemed there wasn't much need to worry.

The soul-engraving dagger was ableto cut through a soul easily. The only problem and the reason why itwould lead to damage alongside the engraving was that pushing it intoone's soul would feel as if the soul was being ripped apart. Fewpeople could take that kind of pain. Even if they were earnest intheir attempt to engrave their souls, their hands would involuntarilytremble. Even more so the longer they used it.

But despite that heart-wrenchingpain, Jing He had drawn the characters so straightforwardly as if hewas merely adding strokes to a scroll of paper with his brush. Theprobability of this having caused injuries was quite low.

Qiu Ling still took the effort toexamine the core around the characters more closely. Especially thepart around the end of it. After all, however resolute Jing He hadbeen when he decided to engrave his soul, there was no way hewouldn't feel the pain. Someone like him who had been raised in agolden cage, protected by the Heavenly Emperor and the HeavenlyEmpress, never to know pain ... How was he supposed to bear this kindof self-mutilation? It was a wonder he hadn't collapsed before hefinished adding these three lines.

Qiu Ling hoped that Jing He mighthave been lucky but, naturally, that wasn't possible. One personcouldn't have this much luck. There actually was some damage to hissoul.

Qiu Ling exhaled and opened hiseyes, looking at Jing Yi with a tinge of sadness still in his eyes.He gently cupped his cheek and rubbed his skin with his thumb. "Don'tworry about it. I wouldn't let anything happen to you. We'll ...look for a way to heal your soul."

"So it is bad?"

Qiu Ling hesitated a bit but finallyshook his head. "No. Considering the circumstances ..."

Jing Yi tilted his head. "Thecircumstances?"

Qiu Ling cursed. "Uh, well ..."He looked up at the sky and sighed. Ah, screw it. Sooner or later,he'd have to tell Jing Yi the truth anyway. After all, he hadremembered part of his life already and he would soon figure out thatthere was no Tian. So why should he wait until his beloved grew angryfor withholding the truth from him? He might as well tell him now.