A Different Parting
"Acting weird?"
Chen Ling rested his chin on one hand and began to recall.
Speaking of which, Jian Changsheng had indeed been acting a bit abnormally lately. Ever since he woke up and finished eating hotpot, it was as if he had sothing on his mind. He wasn't making a fuss or being sarcastic, and even spoke less. His whole person seed to have beco... more profound?
"Profound." Chen Ling couldn't imagine that Jian Changsheng could actually be associated with this word.
However, after waking up, Chen Ling had been busy with collecting the Dao Foundation Shards and the matters at the Spirit Void Domain, so he didn't directly notice Jian Changsheng's abnormality. It was only after Sun Bumian's reminder that he realized there was an issue.
"When I first woke up, I saw a sneaky shadow wandering around nearby... Looking closely, I found it was Spades." Sun Bumian continued with a strange expression, "Guess... what was he doing?"
"Doing what?"
"He washed that pair of walnuts I've been fondling for years!"
"...?"
"I was dumbfounded at the ti. Later, I asked him what he was doing, and he said that seeing constantly touching these walnuts, he felt they might get a bit dirty after a long ti, so he conveniently washed them... At first, I thought he was being a jerk and looking for trouble, but then I discovered that he actually even folded all my clothes neatly..."
Sun Bumian slapped his hands together hard. "Tell if this is bizarre or what!"
"It is quite strange... but, it's not hard to guess."
Chen Ling looked into the distance and paused for a mont.
"Based on my understanding of him, he... probably has his own matters to attend to."
This wasn't the first ti Jian Changsheng had fallen into this abnormal state. Back when they left the Underground Palace and headed to the Hanging Jade Domain, it was a similar situation... The 6-series mbers were already so familiar with each other; Jian Changsheng's little thoughts simply couldn't escape Chen Ling's eyes.
Sun Bumian seed to have a similar guess and nodded slightly: "Mm... With Bai Qi dead, his pressure must be even greater."
Chen Ling sighed lightly.
"Let's go back and take a look first."
When Chen Ling returned to the Bridge Underpass, Jiang Xiaohua was still sleeping in the dirt. Jin Fugui was nowhere to be found, probably out begging for food. There was only a figure in a black leather jacket holding a broom, sitting on the spotless ground, staring blankly at the sunset gradually sinking into the horizon.
Seeing that back slowly elongating in the sunset, Chen Ling remained silent for a long ti before still walking up behind him.
"...When are you leaving?"
"?!!!!"
Jian Changsheng was startled by the sudden voice.
"No way bro, how co you don't make any sound when you walk????"
"I'm used to it."
Jian Changsheng cald his wildly thumping heart, and only then did he snap back to his senses, looking at Chen Ling blankly. "Leaving what..."
"Aren't you leaving?"
"You... how did you know?"
"You made it pretty obvious," Chen Ling answered sowhat guiltily.
Jian Changsheng did indeed make it very obvious, but he had been too busy and didn't notice it imdiately...
Jian Changsheng hesitated for a mont, but still nodded:
"Mm... I need to take a trip to the Ancient Vault of the Military Path. Probably... leaving tonight."
"So urgent?"
"I was originally supposed to leave two days ago, but Diamonds hadn't woken up yet. I wanted to bid you all farewell before leaving."
Chen Ling frowned. He sniffed a hint of sothing unusual from Jian Changsheng's few words:
"Is it very dangerous?"
"No, it's not dangerous." Jian Changsheng imdiately waved his hand. "It's just... I don't know when I'll be back. If things go smoothly, a few months? If not... it might take a long ti."
Chen Ling lowered his head, looked into Jian Changsheng's eyes, and said seriously:
"You actually don't need to push yourself so hard. Going all the way from being a nobody in Aurora City to now, you're already very formidable."
"Hehe, true..." Jian Changsheng subconsciously raised the corners of his mouth, but then quickly suppressed it. "But... it's still not enough. I can beco even stronger!"
"Why are you so obsessed with becoming stronger?"
"Only when I'm stronger can I beat you to the ground!" Jian Changsheng shook his fist at Chen Ling. "Until now, I've never won against you once! This ti, when I return from the Ancient Vault of the Military Path, I will definitely make you willingly admit defeat!"
Chen Ling smiled helplessly and didn't try to persuade him any further. He knew that things Jian Changsheng had decided on were not so easily changed.
"Then leave after eating." Chen Ling glanced to the side.
"There are still so hotpot ingredients left from last ti, and Diamonds has been clamoring about not getting to eat... Let's have a al together, considered as a farewell for you."
"...Okay!"
Jian Changsheng nodded heavily.
...
The night grew darker, and an orange bonfire was lit in the dimness, letting out bursts of crackling sounds.
Under the crude Bridge Underpass, four figures gathered around the fire, skillfully opening packets of ingredients and pouring them into the boiling hotpot...
Jin Fugui hadn't returned. It was unknown whether he had run too far to beg for food, or if he was tied down in so corner of the domain by a certain black-skirted young girl acting under soone's instructions... In short, this was a farewell dinner exclusive to the 6-series mbers.
Chen Ling poured the opened ingredients into the hotpot;
Sun Bumian used his chopsticks to swish tripe for Jian Changsheng;
Jian Changsheng didn't do anything; he just sat to the side holding his chopsticks, watching sowhat awkwardly as Sun Bumian placed the steaming tripe into his bowl.
"Eat." Sun Bumian raised his chin like a domineering CEO. "This great master personally cooked it for you."
Jian Changsheng: ...
"Clubs, see what this is?" Chen Ling patted the ground gently with his hand.
In the next second, the dirt beside Jiang Xiaohua loosened, and an arm-sized centipede popped its head out from underground, holding up a vat of richly fragrant Five Poison Wine and placing it into Jiang Xiaohua's hands.
Jiang Xiaohua's eyes visibly brightened!
"Five Poison Wine!!"
"I promised you this before entering the Ancient Vault of the Ghost Path." Chen Ling smiled. "It took so ti for them to deliver it from the Ghost Mockery Abyss... But today, you can drink to your heart's content."
Without another word, Jiang Xiaohua opened the lid of the wine vat and began to chug it glug glug glug.
"Drink slower, leave so for !" Jian Changsheng beca a bit anxious.
"You're drinking too?"
"I'm drinking! I have to drink today!"
Otherwise, who knew if there would be another chance to drink together in the future.
Jian Changsheng didn't say the latter half of the sentence out loud... This trip to the Ancient Vault of the Military Path carried extre risks. A slight carelessness would result in becoming an Annihilated Soul. Add on the turbulent situation in the Human Domains now, who knew what the future would hold?
Even Jian Changsheng, who didn't usually like to drink much, didn't want to miss this opportunity, and poured himself a full cup as well.
The bonfire reflected on Chen Ling's face. He took in everything about Jian Changsheng...
He didn't say much.
After a long while, he proactively raised his wine cup:
"Then co on, cheers!"
"Cheers!"
The bonfire blazed, and the wine and at flowed continuously;
It wasn't that they hadn't experienced partings in the past. But during those tis, there might have been concealnts, unwillingness, anger, and incomprehension... They would chase after each other and question each other. But this ti, they only had reluctance and nostalgia.
At this mont, all four of them vaguely felt a certain sensation in their hearts.
This parting,
Seed... a bit different.
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