Meanwhile, in Shen Qingqiu's Perspective...

"The trail ends here, but demonic energy is scattered everywhere." Liu Qingge examined the cold water of Luo River. "I've never seen a corpse emit so much energy in a large area."

Yang Yixuan observed carefully beside his master: "Shizun thought so too? I thought I must be mistaken so I didn't bring it up."

Liu Qingge sighed. "You should always tell me your observations, even if they turn out wrong. What's the point of making you my disciple?"

Flustered, the young disciple bowed deeply. "I will, sir!"

"Wait, this doesn't make sense." Yue Qingyuan frowned.

"What is it?" The Bai Zhan Peak Lord asked.

"Luo Binghe's energy fragments are not only scattered." He realized. "It's everywhere."

"What do you mean, everywhere?!" Liu Qingge shouted in disbelief.

"Can't you all sense it? That's why we can't find a specific trail to where the soul came from." 

Mobei-Jun nodded. "We noticed."

Shang Qinghua interjected. "But I didn't---"

The demon glared at him and he shut his mouth. "Aren't you supposed to be specialized in logistics?"

Shang Qinghua scratched the back of his head. "Of course, yeah, I noticed it the first time we got here!"

Mobei-Jun just glared daggers at his companion and the poor novelist-turned-cannon fodder whimpered.

Mu Qingfang stroke his beard. "I've never heard of a soul scattering, not even for demons. Should we ask Tianlang-Jun about this?"

Shang Qinghua: "He's still recuperating from the aftermath of what happened and.... the last time I saw him when we let him go, he's trying to find someplace to bury that nephew of his. I don't know how far he can travel with those injuries, but I haven't heard of anything at all."

Yang Yixuan: "I don't get it. How does a body be at a bamboo house at Qing Jing Peak miles away then suddenly appear floating in Luo River alive, yet with traces of his soul scattered? This is not like the Dew Seed flesh shell situation that happened to Lord Shen Qingqiu at all, the body he was holding should have shriveled instead of magically disappear or transported. It's almost like there's two Luo Binghes...."

Liu Qingge: "Two Luo Binghes?"

"Ah, I might be speaking nonsense, Shizun." The disciple was more energetic than his already super puppy-like self because of the mystery unfolding before him, but still conscious of his Shizun's disposition.

Yue Qingyuan: "What do you make of this, Shen?"

"Huh?"

Shen Qingqiu wasn't listening to this conversation at all. His head was elsewhere while he's staring at the ice cold river rushing through.

Liu Qingge: "We just found out that Luo Binghe's soul fragments are scattered everywhere. Were you listening?"

"Oh, really?" He made a confused look. "How did that happen?"

Mu Qingfang: "That's what we're trying to figure out. Sect leader Yue asked if you have any ideas?"

"No, I..." His eyes are still wondering off to space. "That is strange."

"Shen Qingqiu..." Liu Qingge frowned and tapped him.

"Hmm?" He didn't turn to him and just kept staring at the water clashing through rocks. 

This is a very cold place to die. A cold place to be born.

Did he also became cold like this river that he was named after?

"Shen Qingqiu!"

"What?!" The Qing Jing Peak Lord snapped in a harsh tone. Even Liu Qingge was shocked by the way he answered him.

Shen Qingqiu closed his mouth and pressed his lips together. "Sorry."

After an awkward moment, Shang Qinghua took the initiative to ask, "Shen Qingqiu, you've been out of it since this morning. Is something bothering you?"

"...." Shen Qingqiu looked away from the group of eyes staring intently at him. "It's nothing."

"....It's about Luo Binghe, isn't it?" Liu Qingge guessed.

"I---" He faltered. "I just don't know what to do about it, I was taken aback this morning..."

He recounted the events that took place and the things his disciple told him, voice shaking now and then because of being overwhelmed by the many emotions inside of him. He was just at a lost.

"That bastard!" Liu Qingge shouted, "What's gotten into him?"

"Maybe it's just his tactic to get Shen Qingqiu to notice him, pamper him more." Expert Airplane Towards The Sky-juju pushed back invisible glasses on the bridge of his nose. He then felt a heavy hand on the back of his head.

Mobei-Jun: "It's you who's teaching him all these unnecessary tactics!" 

Shang Qinghua: "Hey, I didn't teach him this hard-to-get technique! I told him to be more clingy! And my tactics work all the time."

Mobei-Jun: "Work with who?"

Shang Qinghua suddenly gave a cheeky smile. "Isn't that what I do with His Majesty all the time? That's why I'm still always by his side~ hehe, AH! PLEASE DON'T HIT ME!"

"Hmph. Who said that it's working? Stop spouting nonsense." Mobei-Jun retracted his hand and crossed his arms with a cold and stoic expression.

Shang Qinghua muttered under his breath. 'Looks like Luo Binghe isn't the only one playing hard to get..."

Yue Qingyuan placed a hand on his chin thoughtfully. "Did he act strange after the resurrection?"

Yang Yixuan's eyes lit up. "Ah, maybe there's some sense to what I said earlier after all. About there being two Luo Binghes!"

Shen Qingqiu frowned. "Two Luo Binghes?" 

Just like how he and Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky is different from the original? That's impossible. 

He sighed. "I don't think that's it. He's still acting like himself, he just seemed... upset. I should have expected it, after all, he... he was..."

He killed himself because of me, why wouldn't he be upset? Why did I thought everything will go back to normal now that he's back? Just because he's the protagonist... he still suffers too. And he suffered because of me, even if it was to save him... to save everyone...

"Don't feel guilty about it, you didn't do anything wrong. ' Liu Qingge seemed to guess what's running in Shen Qingqiu's head, after all, he had seen that kind of expression for a month whenever he holds Luo Binghe's corpse.

Because of this, Shen Qingqiu remembered what Luo Binghe said this morning. 

"I thought, what if the reason Shizun is with me right now..... is because Shizun feels guilty about what he did? What if what Shizun feels isn't love, but pity?"

That isn't it! He feels sorry for him, but he's not only doing it for that! 

He loves him.

He just don't know how to say it.

"I need to..." Shen Qingqiu looked helpless, his usual calm facade fading. "I need to tell him what I feel, but I just can't. I'm not used to being... expressive. How do I get the courage to tell him?"

He looked expectantly at all the inexperienced men in front of him.

"Uhm... That sort of affairs isn't part of my expertise." Mu Qingan answered awkwardly.

"I--- I still think it's his fault and you shouldn't give a damn about it!" Liu Qingge answered grumpily.

"I don't really understand what's going on, but I agree with Shizun!" Yang Yinxuan answered absentmindedly. 

"I'd really like to help, but nothing comes to mind at the moment. I apologize." Yue Qingyuan answered remorsefully.

"I don't know either, ask him." Mobei-Jun just pointed at Shang Qinghua coldly.

"...Uhm... Alcohol?" Shang Qinghua suggested meekly while waiting for Mobei-Jun to hit him for that suggestion.

Everyone went quiet as they waited for Shen Qingqiu's reaction.

"...."

"That's right! Airplane-bro, you're a genius!" He clapped his hands. "Why didn't I think of that before, I got so used in this ancient China set-up I forgot about modern cliches!"

"Of course I know everything about cliches! Who do you think your talking to?" The two joined hands and jumped up and down together like celebrating a miracle.

"...What the hell are they talking about?" Liu Qingge asked Mobei-Jun.

"Don't know, don't ask." 

"You demon son of a---" Liu Qingge was stopped by his disciple.

"Um, I still don't know what's going on, but at least Shen Qingqiu looks so happy, Shizun. Let's just let him be."

Shen Qingqiu raised a fist in the air. "Alright! Let's go back and buy bottles of rice wine along the road! I'll definitely get drunken courage for sure!" 

*******

"Binghe... I l...lo... Uggh, it's not enough! Give me another glass!"

"What in the nine heavens are you doing with yourself, Shen Qingqui?! This is already your 15th bottle, that's enough!" Liu Qingge snatched the glass of alcohol from Shen Qingqiu's hand.

"Ah, just help me out here, Liu-juju! You drink too so you can be my practice buddy." 

"Practice buddy? What are you saying, your already drunken stupid! Sect Leader Yue, help me out!"

"Shen, don't drink anymore..." He said gently.

"The hell, how would you stop anyone from drinking with that light tone of voice? Act more strict!"

Even the overly energetic Yang Yixuan was knocked and had to be sent by Liu Qingge's sword back to Baizhan Peak after 10 bottles. Mobei-Jun and Shang Qinghua left after 12 bottles and Mu Qingfan declined from the start, saying alcohol is bad for the health. 

Shen Qingqiu: "Ahhh, why can't I just say the l-word?!"

Liu Qingge: "What l-word?! Come on, just give up already!"

Shen Qingqiu: "I don't wanna! I don't wanna give up on Luo Binghe!"

He hugged a bottle tightly and got into a more millenial way of speaking because of the drunken stupor. No matter how much the two stop him, he would still take a drink and try to openly say the words he can't express while sober.

"Binghe, Shizun lov.... don't be mad anymore, I lo... lo... lo...."

Most people get drunken courage before getting knocked out. Yet Shen Yuan/Shen Qinqiu is the type who's so appalled by the l-word that he fell asleep before he could say it with a straight face.

He collapsed while still clutching the bottle, cuddling it and calling it 'Binghe'.

Yue Qingyuan nudged at him lightly. "Shen. Wake up."

Liu Qingge shook him violently. "GET UP FROM THE GROUND, YOU IDIOT!"

They were about to carry him with one arm each when they heard a loud, angry shout at the distance. 

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY SHIZUN!!!!"