Eastpeace Inn.
The second floor was empty. Barto had long since taken Qin Tao and the others downstairs.
Only Qin Hao, Mu Ziqing, and Jing Hong remained.
Pop.
Qin Hao smiled and brought out a jar of fine wine. "If you want to drink, I'll drink with you."
"We entered the Azure Flame Sect together after leaving the True Martial Continent. Jing Hong, don't tell me you don't consider us friends." Mu Ziqing smiled and sat down as well.
"You two..." Warmth welled up in Jing Hong's heart as he listened to them, though his voice remained terribly hoarse.
After a pause, Jing Hong stood. Perhaps he had been sitting for too long; the moment he moved, his bones crackled from head to toe.
He poured wine for Qin Hao and Mu Ziqing, then filled a bowl for himself and drained it. "I thought that if I left the True Martial Continent, I could put it out of my mind... But I couldn't move on."
Qin Hao paused, drank a bowl of wine, and shook his head. "Some things have to be faced head-on. Why force yourself otherwise?"
Mu Ziqing said nothing. She only sighed inwardly, knowing full well why Jing Hong had become like this.
Put it out of his mind.
Put what out of his mind?
"Teacher died. I can't move on."
King Yongtai's death had struck Jing Hong too hard.
It had reduced him to this state.
Qin Hao and Mu Ziqing both understood him. Had either of them faced the same loss, they might not have fared any better.
"I was an orphan, all alone."
As though he had finally found someone to tell, Jing Hong spoke slowly. "Teacher found me and saved me. He gave me food and taught me himself..."
"But Teacher died..."
"After