"Junior Brother Song."
Lin Qing's eyes were deeply sunken. At some point, a vertical golden mark had appeared on his forehead.
Perhaps he had practiced some cultivation method...
Song Yan asked with concern, "Senior Brother Lin, you..."
"It's nothing."
Lin Qing waved a hand. "A while ago, I was a little too eager for quick results while trying to break through..."
"Something went wrong with my cultivation, but I'm fine now."
"Oh, good to hear."
Song Yan nodded.
"This must be your first visit since I entered the Inner Sect."
Lin Qing welcomed Song Yan into the little courtyard of his cave abode.
Seeing the Sword Case on his back, he gave it a few interested looks but said nothing.
"Make yourself at home. Come and sit."
Song Yan felt a little embarrassed at this. "Please don't take offense, Senior Brother Lin. A while ago, I went to the Flower Festival on Beiya Mountain on the sect's orders."
"I only returned to the sect a few days ago."
Understanding dawned on Lin Qing. "Oh..."
Then regret showed on his face. "Unfortunately, those were precisely the days when something went wrong with my cultivation, so Senior Brother Lu Ziye took my place."
"Otherwise, I really would have liked to go and broaden my horizons."
It would have been fine if Lin Qing had not brought it up.
But the mention of Lu Ziye reminded him that Senior Brother Lu had once exposed Lin Qing's secrets in front of them.
Thinking of how this gentle, refined Senior Brother Lin before him was in love with Senior Sister Qin, Song Yan felt a slight urge to laugh.
Perhaps noticing something odd about Song Yan's expression, Lin Qing asked, "Junior Brother Song, you... what's wrong?"
"N-nothing."
"Here, have some tea."
Lin Qing set out