Chapter 211 - Return
Yi Bing watched Di San, Feng Er, Liu Lin and Si Shui left. Since it was only Yi Bing's speculation that there might be a Soul Fragment on Huo Ling, possessing him so his personality changed again, Di San can't gamble on it. Even just one Soul Fragment can destroy a world.
However, they can't ignore it, too. But since Yi Bing was there to watch over Huo Ling, he left with the others to look for the other possibilities where a Soul Fragment might be.
After Di San and the others disappeared from his sight, Yi Bing glanced at Huo Ling who, like earlier, was also looking at him. "What are you looking at me for?" Huo Ling asked.
Yi Bing. "…" wasn't it you who was looking at me first? How shameless can you be lying with that guileless look on your face and with your eyes open?! Are you not afraid of retribution?! He took a deep breath to calm himself and then spoke. "Sect… master Huo. Can you remember now anything of your sect?" he asked.
."Yes." Huo Ling answered.
"Oh, is that so…" Yi Bing muttered. He already expected Huo Ling would lie and deny, even with or without Di San sharing his thoughts on him earlier. However, suddenly, his brain finally processed Huo Ling's answered. "What?!" he exclaimed, his reaction really was really slow since his mind was full of some other thoughts. "What can you remember?" he immediately asked.
"Aside from having two disciples, my disciples are very young and are orphans." Huo Ling answered. "That's all." He added and didn't speak again.
Seeing Huo Ling becoming silent again, Yi Bing didn't force him to answer for more. Since he doesn't want to take advantage of Huo Ling, he decided to give him more information about the world. "The planet… the earth was destroyed after experiencing an apocalypse, thus the humans fled to the outer space." He told him. "After they save settled themselves in another planet, they built an empire. This year, it is year 3031 by the imperial calendar." He said and told him the other details pertaining to the Zergs, and the Alliance which is the enemy of the empire.
Huo Ling sighed as he looked at his hand. "I figured." He said.
"What is?" Yi Bing asked.
"The qi here is richer." Huo Ling answered as he took a deep breath to gather more qi. "Thus, the humans could strengthen themselves more, and evolve…" he said. "However, they do not know how to cultivate, thus some were born weaker than the others, and the great qi that remained on the land is wasted." He explained.
Yi Bing nodded in understanding. "You've crossed the time and space… maybe it was for this reason." He said.
However, Huo Ling frowned. "I wouldn't commit such a crime of stealing one's body just to enlighten the humans on how to use their wasted resources so they could advance more." He said, his tone obviously displeased. Seeing Yi Bing didn't speak, he felt a fire burned in his chest. "Possessing someone's body is evil!" he roared.
Yi Bing inwardly sighed as he showed a calm expression. "Do you know how you crossed the time and space and arrived here?" he asked him.
Hearing the question, Huo Ling was taken aback. Suddenly, an ill-foreboding arose in his heart. "It can't be… I really – " he said as his pupils shrank and his eyes widened.
"No. You didn't possess someone's body." Yi Bing said. "You were rightfully born in this era, thus it isn't a body possession." He explained.
"… reincarnation." Huo Ling muttered. Seeing Yi Bing nodded, Huo Ling sighed in relief. "I reincarnated… however, I am a soul again." He said and looked at his transparent body. "I died." He said
"Yes." Yi Bing answered.
Huo Ling doesn't know whether to feel depressed. "Why can't I remember anything in the life I lived in this world?" he asked.
"You died from an explosion which is due to a scheme against you." Yi Bing answered.
Huo Ling. "…" why do I get the feeling… he raised his head and looked at Yi Bing. Yi Bing calmly stared back at him. "That young master who had a grand funeral procession… what is his name?" he asked.
"Howee Jackson." Yi Bing answered. "However, he is of pure Chinese origin, so his Chinese name is…" he meaningfully looked at Huo Ling.
Huo Ling whose thoughts was confirmed. "…" so I dissed my own funeral? Am I crazy? His face was covered in black lines. However, to not lose face in front of Yi Bing, he recovered his calm before looking away. "I see." He just said.
However, his ears are flushed red.
…
When Jiang Ce went home after he took out Mary Jackson during his one-day leave, he saw Harry Walter who is surprisingly home. "Husband." He called as he took off his coat.
Harry Walter, this abstinent-looking man that was about to help Jiang Ce remove his coat, froze when he heard his husband's address. "…" his handsome face looked cold by being expressionless, but his ears are red. "En. Welcome back." He said and took Jiang Ce's coat then hung it.
Jiang Ce felt warm in his chest and he tiptoed to kiss Harry Walter, which made the marshal's ears becoming redder. "How… did your initial investigation come out?" he asked.
The warm and pleasant romantic atmosphere immediately disappeared. "Nothing suspicious." Harry Walter answered. Jiang Ce was asking about Huo Ling's plotted death.
Jiang Ce's heart sank as he lowered his head and heaved a sigh. "What about Huo Jinghua and Gerard?" he asked.
Harry Walter shook his head. "Huo Jinghua felt ashamed to see Mary. And Gerard…" he sighed as he wrapped his arm around Jiang Ce's shoulder and guided him to the kitchen for their dinner. "His temper became worse after he found it was a fruitless investigation. Fortunately, Lewis was there to keep him in check. And the emperor – " he said. " – he threw things again. The ministers are very grateful for Sam's intervention of His Majesty's tantrum." He explained.
Jiang Ce couldn't help but sigh again. He felt heartache for Mary and Huo Ling. "Is there nothing that can be done?" he asked.