Xingtian looked troubled when he heard that. "Little Sage, isn't that a bad idea? You've already told Houtu?"
"That's right." Du Yu nodded. "Don't even think about running off. Whatever you have to say, clear it up with Houtu now."
"I... I wasn't planning to run." Xingtian shook his head slightly. "I've thought it through. I'm damn well not dying at the Yellow Emperor's place. I'm coming back alive, and then I'll marry Houtu."
"Huh?" Du Yu froze. "Marry Houtu? That's..."
"It's precisely because I don't want her to worry that I wasn't going to say goodbye to her alone," Xingtian said, looking a little embarrassed.
"She'll worry more if you say nothing!" Du Yu said. "That's how girls are. If you leave without saying goodbye, she'll spend every day worrying about you. You don't want her to suffer like that, do you?"
Xingtian considered this for a moment. "You have a point, Little Sage..."
Du Yu frowned, still feeling that this wasn't quite safe. "Brother Nameless, how about I help you rehearse first?"
"Rehearse?"
"That's right." Du Yu nodded. "How are you going to say goodbye to Houtu? Tell me first, and I'll see if there's anything wrong with it."
The towering Xingtian actually gave a bashful smile. "Wouldn't that be a little inappropriate, Little Sage? What I have to say to Houtu might be things meant for private ears... Saying them straight to you might..."
"Stop agonizing over it, brother!" Du Yu said anxiously. "Houtu will be here any moment! What if you say the wrong thing? What if you upset her?"
Xingtian scratched his head in embarrassment. "It's rare for someone to take such an interest in me and Houtu, Little Sage. Then... then help me think it over..."
Xingtian clumsily put his thoughts into words.
Du