Shen Qingqiu woke up with a major hangover, as to be expected for downing 15 bottles.

Why was he drinking again?

"Binghe!" He jumped to a start. That's right, he was drinking so he would have courage to tell Luo Binghe that he loves him!

Did he do it? What happened? What was Binghe's reaction?

It was all so fuzzy.... but he think they had s*x or something... did they really have s*x? His back doesn't hurt though, maybe Binghe was gentle last night. He can remember some of the things he said though...

UGGH, SO EMBARASSING!

He sounded like a shoujo manga protagonist or some loli in a rom-com. He even spoke in modern Chinese slangs!

Fuck, I'm never drinking again!

But it's okay, it's all for Binghe... It's all for Binghe...

Where is he anyway?

He looked around, went to check on the side room of the bamboo house.

It was empty.

No, not just 'no-person-is-there' empty. It was completely empty. The blanket, sheets and rolling mat are gone.

Shen Qingqiu's head hurts, his heart going 200 beats per minute. "BINGHE!"

He ran around Qing Jing, meeting Ning YingYing and Ming Fan who had just woken up.

"Have you seen Binghe!?" He asked, trying not to panic.

"Shizun?" They both widened their eyes and looked at each other.

"No, we haven't." Ning Yingying answered.

"Where did that brat ran off to again?" Ming Fan knitted his eyebrows. "We'll try to find him if he's still around Qing Jing, Shizun."

"Thank you!" He rushed out to ask more people but nobody has seen Luo Binghe anywhere.

Qi Qingqiu saw him searching around in a frenzy. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"Binghe's missing! Did Liu Qingge or Sect Master Yue know anything about this?"

"No, I think they went to investigate the soul traces again in Luo River." She frowned. "Where did Luo Binghe go? Did he say anything? Did he leave a note?"

"Nothing, he---" A memory suddenly flashed in his mind.

"I'm not the man who deserves to be loved by you."

Did Binghe really say that last night?

That gloomy expression, don't tell me he...

No, not again! I can't lose him again!

"I have to go to the Luo River!" The Qing Jing lord rode on his sword and travelled fast.

When he reached it, the whole place was filled with fog.

"Liu Qingge! Sect Master Yue!" He shouted. "Is anybody here!? Shang Qinghua! Mu Qingfan! Mobei-Jun!"

The fog was so thick he can't see anything.

"Where are you---AHHHH!!!!"

*****

"You've been awfully quiet, great god sir." Bingge's trail stick hit on a rock to support him on climbing the steep, rising path.

He's hiking some unknown mountain, in an unknown origin. All he knows is that this place is in one of the boundaries between the Demon World and the Human World, so sowers and other fiends attacking is common. He helped some villagers on the way, though it was as easy as pie for him. One evil stare and he scared every enemy away.

This isn't a bad way to live. He had killed so much in the past life, including innocent lives. Saving others for no reward like marrying their daughters or for riches is new to him, it felt kind of... good.

[.......]

"What, you wouldn't even tell me how many life pearls got deducted after leaving Can Qiong?"

He saw a wild lamb on the way and feed it some grass. If he could find one more, and they breed, maybe he can start a sheep pen and get all his essential needs from there. Living on this mountain might be nice.

[No pearls were deducted.]

"Really?" He patted the lamb on the head. "Why so?"

[Because you will come back.]

"How can you be so sure, great god sir? I'm already planning to settle here, live the remaining of my life alone as a farmer or a shepherd." He grinned. "You're not going to stop me?"

[No, because you're unsure if that's what you really want to do. You used 'maybe' and 'might'. Deep inside, you miss Shen Qing---]

Bingge heaved a huge, loud sigh. "I preferred it when you were quiet, I just wanted to mock you a little bit."

He walked a few more steps and gathered wood to make a temporary dwelling. Along with the lamb, he found a nearby waterfall and drank from there.

It's already been three whole days since he left, he's been doing quite well. He never had a single thought, about that 'Shizun'.

During his rest, he laid on his small camp using his arms as a pillow.

Staring at the blue sky, it was hot sunny day. He's starting to sweat.

He wished he had a fan...

A fan.

He grumbled and covered his eyes with his left arm.

[... Would you like to know how Shen Qingqiu had been now?]

"Drinking tea in Qing Jing? Training new disciples? I don't care." Bingge replied. "He's probably asking people to search for me, but he'll get over it soon. Liu Qingge might convince him that I'm no good eventually. Then, he'll be just fine."

[... And how can you be so sure about that?]

"What else could have happened?" He sat up with a scowl, the lamb bleeping in the distance.

[You wouldn't care even if he was in danger?]

"What danger? You can't fool me."

[I can offer you a sight of how he is now in exchange for 50 pearls.]

"...." Bingge thought over it, clenching his fist.

This might be a trick. Besides, if he really was in danger, someone else would save him. That would be the better option, he already decided to never see him again.

"I want you to---" He was about to say 'mind your own shitty business', but in the end, his determination weakened.

"Show me."

[Alright. Look at the water.]

He went to the edge of the waterfall and peered through the crystal clear pool. It should have shown his reflection.

But what it showed was a dark, desolate cave, and someone breathing heavily against a rock wall, his body full of injuries.

Someone with a fan.

"Shizun!" Despite himself, Bingge called out to the mirage. "Where is he?"'

[In the Land of the Tender. He's been stuck there ever since you left.]

"How did he get there?! You did all this to make me come back?!"

[I didn't. He was searching for you.]

Searching for...

The lamb bleeped and nuzzled on his knee.

He let go of the rope around its neck, letting it run freely in the mountain forest.

[I can transport you there through the waterfall in exchange for 1000 pearls]

Bingge sighed again, exasperated and frustrated.

"Why did he have to go searching for me alone?" He stepped into the water. "I really hate him so much..."