Wu Fan and Chen Jing smiled. "What a glib tongue." Chen Jing said, looking at Xi Ming. "You just want to avoid Fei Lin and Xi Ling since Xi Ling will definitely scold you, right, for sneaking out of your sect?" he told Xi Ming.

Xi Ming's face flushed and he awkwardly smiled. "Chen patriarch found me out…" he hollowly laughed and looked at Shu Mu who rolled his eyes at him.

Chen Jing chuckled. "Alright. You go on your own way." He told them. "But, even though there were no more demonic cultivators, you should still never let your guard down!" he said.

"Yes!" they answered, then flew on their swords and left.

Wu Fan and Chen Jing watched the four disciples' figures disappear in the distance before they left, flying to the Southmost Region.

Southmost Region, Shashan Pass.

"Have you already sent a Message Talisman to the sect elders?" Xi Ling asked Fei Lin.

"I did." Fei Lin nodded.

"Did you send it to elder Zheng?" Jing Rui asked Jing Kang.

"I did, uncle." Jing Kang answered.

"Good." Jing Rui nodded, satisfied.

"Brother, do you think everyone has already returned?" Qian Lin asked.

"I hope so." Qian Tian answered and patted his younger brother's head.

"Our fellow disciples will inform sect leader Tang, sect leader Li, elder Su and elder Jing once they receive my Message Talisman." Li Tian told Feng Mo, Lei Qing, Lei Ling and You Rou.

"Great, Li-shixiong!" Lei Ling grinned and gave him a thumb's up.

Zuo Zhe leaned on the chair while he drinks his tea. He watched the disciples watching the scenery beneath them and afar. "How nice… to be young…" he muttered.

"You're also young." Xie Lan spoke as he sat beside Zuo Zhe while Fan Wen sat on the other side of Xie Lan.

"I'm from another world. How can you say I am young and not a monster that can't age?" Zuo Zhe asked.

"I'll believe what I'll believe in." Xie Lan said.

Zuo Zhe didn't speak anymore and just resumed drinking. They have already finished eating their breakfast and no one has arrived yet. So, they decided to admire the scenery first and wait for their reinforcements to arrive.

"None of you told the disciples what will happen after the battle against Wu Ran is over." Zuo Zhe said. "Can't bear to tell them?" he asked. "You should let them face the harsh reality. You can't just always wrap them in a beautiful fantasy." He told them.

"We don't need to hear this from someone who can't even tell which is reality and which is fantasy." Xie Lan spoke.

Zuo Zhe smiled. "It's up to sect leader Xie to accept my advice." He said.

"I bid you good luck in choosing which side to take." Xie Lan smiled back.

Fan Wen. "…." I can't understand what they are talking about, but I feel it is definitely something not good. "Lan…" he called, his voice is filled with worry.

"What's the matter?" Xie Lan turned to him.

"… nothing." Fan Wen answered and secretly sighed in relief when he saw there's nothing wrong in Xie Lan's expression.

But, who would think Zuo Zhe would continue verbally attacking Xie Lan?

"Oh. Now I finally realized…" Zuo Zhe spoke as he glanced at Fan Wen. "You're doing it for the sake of someone." He said.

Xie Lan sharply looked at him.

Fortunately, Zuo Zhe must have thought of something and finally stopped speaking. Xie Lan could understand why Zuo Zhe is petulant today, which he usually not is. Not only Yu Sheng is here, but that Yu Sheng left, facing the dangers in Heilong Realm yet it is useless, since it actually isn't needed. If Xie Lan is in Zuo Zhe's position, he would really kill Fei Huang. So, Zuo Zhe being sharp-tongued today is actually very 'kind'. That's why Xie Lan endures and suppressing his anger.

He knows that it should be Fei Lin who Zuo Zhe should be attacking since Fei Lin is Fei Huang's relative. But, Zuo Zhe must also know that Fei Lin is too kind and already feels bad for what happened. So, Xie Lan 'volunteered' for Zuo Zhe to vent his anger onto, and Zuo Zhe really wasn't polite. Jing Rui isn't an appropriate 'candidate', since he will definitely attack Zuo Zhe if Zuo Zhe did lash out his anger on him. Qian Tian is also out of the question, since he was just dragged by Fei Huang because Qian Shan is too straightforward and wouldn't be able to keep his mouth from telling the truth, and so the plan will be exposed.

Xie Lan tiredly sighed when Zuo Zhe left to rest inside the cabin.

"Are you okay?" Fan Wen worriedly asked.

"It's fine. Just mentally exhausted." Xie Lan answered.

Fan Wen bit his lower lip. "If I was in his position…" he muttered. "I'll hate teacher Fei all my life." He said.

Xie Lan's felt his heart melted and he held Fan Wen's cheek, to which Fan Wen snuggled in his warm palm. "Wen…" he took a deep breath and hugged him. "We're not in the position to blame teacher Fei, but we're also not in the position to tell Zuo Zhe to let go of his hatred." He said.

"That's why you're letting him vent his anger on you." Fan Wen said.

"Mn." Xie Lan closed his eyes. "I don't want anyone to hate on you." He said.

Fan Wen blushed, then hugged Xie Lan back. "I feel happy and sad." He said.

"Why?" so contradicting? Xie Lan thought.

"I feel happy that only I can see your kindness." Fan Wen said. "But, I also feel sad since the world is blind." He told him.

Xie Lan felt his heart is about to explode. "Wen, you…" he took a deep breath to calm himself. "Don't be naughty!" he told him. They're still in the middle of a mission!

Fan Wen blinked, looking skeptical. "When did I become naughty?" he asked as he stared at Xie Lan.

Xie Lan. "…" why is my wife so dense? Is he really dense, or just acting like one? He thought, feeling confused. He can only drag Fan Wen inside the cabin and kiss him until both of them are out of breath.

But, they didn't expect to be interrupted by a knock on their door. It's not Zuo Zhe who still wants to vent his anger.

"Founder. Shifu. Are you inside?" Li Tian asked outside. "I want to ask you something." He said.

Xie Lan and Fan Wen were forced to separate their lips from each other. Fan Wen was blushing furiously and Xie Lan was frowning for being interrupted. He opened the door, only to see Li Tian's serious expression.

All of Xie Lan's excitement earlier disappeared. It's not that Li Tian is rarely serious. Li Tian is serious in his study, and is level-headed. But, right now, his seriousness is mixed with gloominess.

"Xiao Tian?" Fan Wen called when he saw their disciple. "What's wrong?" he asked when he noticed Li Tian's expression. The color of his face returned to normal.

Li Tian looked at them. "Founder. Shifu." He called. "I want to ask…" he took a deep breath, bracing himself. His expression turned even more strained. "… does sect leader Fei also planned for Chen Han to be captured by Wu Ran?" he asked.

Silence. It took a long while for Xie Lan and Fan Wen to react. Their eyes widened. They looked at Li Tian, stunned. They didn't expect for Li Tian to ask them this, so they were at a loss. They don't know what to answer him, and how to answer him. They looked at each other and see the helplessness in each other's eyes.

"So, he didn't." Li Tian spoke, breaking the silence and atmosphere that's about to become tense. He bitterly smiled. "Guess he also didn't expect it." he said. "Cheng-shidi must also not mean it." he sighed. "No one knows what will happen in the future, and every second the situation in the battlefield can change." He raised his head and looked at Xie Lan's and Fan Wen's expressions. He smiled, comforting them. "It's alright. I understand." He told them.

"Xiao Tian…" they called. Their voices filled with worry. They never saw Li Tian this downcast. How can they not notice Li Tian's feelings! They thought in self-blame.

"Founder, shifu. I didn't ask you this for you to blame yourselves." Li Tian said. "I'm not blaming you. I'm not blaming anybody, either. I know that no matter how long and how careful sect leader Fei has planned, there would definitely some details that he has overlooked. Chen Han's capture is an example." He explained. "I… just…" he lowered his head as his eyes reddened.

"You feel wronged on Chen Han's behalf." Xie Lan said and patted Li Tian's head.

"Mn." Li Tian nodded as his tears finally fell. "He's alone right now, and is captive, worrying for every second that passed, in which he actually doesn't need to, since everyone is alive, and everything is fine." He said.