Qiu Ling looked from one person to the other. Actually, come to think of it, he should have known that Xin Lan and that Hua Lin Yu weren’t together anymore. After all, hadn’t Xin Lan brought that Zheng Yin to the dragon realm just a few days ago? If he and Hua Lin Yu were still together, he certainly wouldn’t have done that. At the very least, he would have brought both to ensure nobody would think he was cheating.

When he saw Hua Lin Yu like that though, he had just automatically thought of Xin Lan because he had seen these two together before. And then, he acted on instinct based on what he would want others to do if this was Jing Yi or Jing He. Even if they were broken up, it wouldn’t matter to him. He’d still want to be there for him even in that situation. Well, judging from Xin Lan’s reaction, he had made the right decision. How that youth would see things was a different matter altogether.

Just when he wanted to suggest going in to see what was going on, the person in question already came rushing over. He was still a bit pale but it was a far cry from his almost white skin before.

Hua Lin Yu looked around in a daze. “Where’s Xiao Li?” He had thought he could just pull him aside to ask a few quick questions but now, he couldn’t see him at all. Could it be that he had really gone to catch up with the people of the Hei Dian Sect? Ah, he should have thought of that!

Everyone else turned to stare at him, not sure what to think. This situation … how could it be explained?

Fei Bai Mu was the first to finally react but she didn’t bother to answer his question. “How are you doing?”

Hua Lin Yu looked at her and then glanced around, finally realizing how everyone was looking at him. Well, it seemed like everyone already knew what had happened. He lowered his head, feeling a bit embarrassed after he had previously insisted on eating that fruit. But who could have known there would be such an outcome?

Then again, hadn’t Jing Yi told him he should be careful? Hadn’t even the Grandmaster’s own wife said that maybe it might be better not to do it? Clearly, this was all because he had insisted despite everyone’s warnings. He had been willful once again, not considering the consequences of his actions. No wonder he had managed to get himself into one bad situation after the other and then didn’t know how to deal with them.

Hua Lin Yu furrowed his brows, feeling that he owed a lot of people his apologies. He didn’t even know where to start.

Fei Bai Mu sighed when she saw her disciple like this. “Do you want to go back in and talk?”

Actually, he really wanted to do that but, in the end, Hua Lin Yu still shook his head. “There is something I need to ask Xiao Li first. After that …” Yes, after that, he’d talk to everyone.

Fei Bai Mu really wished he wouldn’t but she still nodded and motioned in the direction Xiao Li had vanished in. “He ran away when he saw the dragon king. You might still be able to find him. Maybe you should take Xin Lan along?” She really didn’t want Hua Lin Yu to be alone with Xiao Li if she was honest. Wasn’t that the main reason why she had sent them on a mission with many other people previously and why she had taken Xiao Yu here personally?

Unfortunately for her, Hua Lin Yu shook his head. “No, it’s alright. I’ll come back to talk to him after this. He already knows.” Anyway, what he wanted to ask … he was embarrassed to bring it up in front of Xin Lan and after being together with Xiao Li for a while, he felt that he also owed him the courtesy of speaking to him alone. Surely, with how understanding Xiao Li had always been, he wouldn’t make things difficult for him.

Fei Bai Mu would have wished he reacted differently but then, she couldn’t force him either way. “Very well. Then go and do what you have to. Remember to send a message if you need help.”

“Mn!” Hua Lin Yu nodded and then rushed off. Right now, he only wanted to solve this whole mess he had navigated himself into. He knew it wouldn’t be easy but he needed to do this. Otherwise … he would only come to regret it in the future.

The only problem was that he didn’t know where Xiao Li had gone. Clearly, he had been afraid of the dragon king if he simply ran off without a word. Considering the enmity between the dragons and the demons and also how the dragon king’s people had treated him in the past, that wasn’t surprising.

Still, he wished Xiao Li had thought of trying to say goodbye to him or leaving him some kind of message at least. The fact that he hadn’t done that … maybe he truly didn’t love him as much as he had always said he did. But then, that was good as well.

He couldn’t say for sure yet and still needed to wait for the answers he would be given but right now, after seeing that vision, he felt that maybe Xin Lan had always been right. He was who he was supposed to be with. His infatuation with Xiao Li might indeed only have been because of his past life. Maybe deep down, those memories stored somewhere had influenced him, making him feel that he owed this person something.

Now though, he was ready to let go. He shouldn’t live this life as an atonement for his past life. Whatever had happened back then, it couldn’t be changed any longer. Whatever love and hate there had been, whatever vows had been broken, it shouldn’t hinder him from finding happiness in this life.

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