Mei Chao Bing took a deep breath and pushed the thought away. Anyway, there was nothing he could do right now when he was still outside with the other disciples. He had to think this through calmly and then tell Elder Baili. After all, even if he understood how his Master thought and that he was likely involved in this plan, one person alone couldn't deal with the whole demonic faction. No, he would need help with that. And even though the other disciples might have a better attitude after what Elder Baili had said this morning, they would still need some time to get used to this new situation. And who knew if they'd keep it in their minds at all after it was revealed that his Master was involved in this?
So it was better if he didn't show that he was the one who had found out about this and instead quietly told Elder Baili so that he could make a plan and take care of things from there on out. This meant that for now, he couldn't say anything.
Mei Chao Bing quietly waited together with Yun Bei Fen who was currently engrossed in a conversation with Kui Min. Maybe this would have been a good opportunity to find out more about cultivation from somebody who was of a similar level but ... the two of them only seemed to be gossiping.
Right now, Yun Bei Fen was shaking his head with a sad expression. "I don't know, I've been in closed-door cultivation the past few years. I haven't seen anybody. When I came out, Master dragged me over to the Sect Master's hall immediately. I didn't even see my own senior martial brothers."
Kui Min patted his head with an expression that was saying that she pitied him very much and gave a sigh. "I also don't know much about that. I think your first senior martial brother went on some mission and your third senior martial brother followed along. As for your second senior martial brother ... I think he should also be in closed-door cultivation?" She didn't seem too sure though.
Yun Bei Fen sighed as well. "I don't think so. Second senior martial brother always hated going into closed-door cultivation. I don't think he'd be able to sit there for a long time and cultivate. He's just not that kind of person."
Kui Min couldn't help but laugh, patting his head again and then patting for a bit longer. Ah, she finally understood why Mei Chao Bing was always doing this. It really was an addictive feeling! "Mn, you might be right with that. Maybe it was the other way around then? But I don't think he'd be good when accompanying someone on a mission either. He'd probably make a lot of trouble."
Yun Bei Fen ... didn't even think about it and just nodded his head, selling out his second senior martial brother. "I think between all three of them, first senior martial brother went out the most often. Sometimes, he would just be gone for a few hours but sometimes, we wouldn't even see him for several weeks or months on end. Third senior martial brother was much better. He was there a lot but he also went out sometimes. I don't think he ever went alone though."
Kui Min nodded. "Sure, ah. If I remember correctly, isn't he with one of the other disciples?"
Yun Bei Fen blinked his eyes, not understanding what she was talking about. "Well, who would he go with if not with another disciple?"
Kui Min didn't know what to say and looked at Mei Chao Bing instead.
Mei Chao Bing just raised his brows. "I don't know too much. I think I heard somebody say that he was in a relationship with one of the other disciples though."
Yun Bei Fen turned to him, his eyes wide. "Really?"
Mei Chao Bing nodded. "If I remember correctly that is. It seems they've been together for a while as well?" He wasn't too sure though. Anyway, if one of Elder Baili's disciples was in a relationship, shouldn't the others know? After all, Elder Baili only had these four disciples. They should be pretty close.
Yun Bei Fen pursed his lips and pondered. "Then who is it?"
"I think his name is Shen Lei? Elder —"
Before Mei Chao Bing could finish what he wanted to say, Yun Bei Fen already perked up. "Shen Lei? I know him! So that was why he came to visit so often."
Mei Chao Bing couldn't help but laugh and reached out, brushing through Yun Bei Fen's hair. "I guess so." Well, thinking of that, it might not be too strange that Yun Bei Fen didn't know. Right now, he should barely be past twenty. About five years had been spent in closed-door cultivation so he had at most been fifteen when he saw his third senior martial brother the last time. And who knew how often they had seen each other at that time? It could very well be that they had both been cultivating at different times, not seeing each other much. And at the time when they probably saw each other the most, Yun Bei Fen had only been a child. Maybe he just hadn't understood what he saw.
Kui Min also nodded. "Ah, yes, Shen Lei. I wouldn't be surprised. He's really handsome! Honestly, I think some people would probably be very depressed if it's true that he's with your third senior martial brother. A lot of the martial sisters were secretly in love with him." She couldn't help but glance at Mei Chao Bing and a mischievous smile lit up her face. "Actually, a lot of them like your senior martial brother Mei as well." Alright, that had been before the thing with his Master happened but it wasn't like it was untrue now. The ones that still liked him just didn't dare to say it.
Mei Chao Bing glanced at Yun Bei Fen but his little bunny wasn't perturbed at all. He couldn't help but reach out, gently wrapping a finger around one of the strands of his hair. "What's this? Aren't you the least bit jealous?"
Yun Bei Fen turned to him and blinked his eyes. "Jealous? Why would I? I think the senior martial sisters are very good. If they can see that you're a good person and worth loving, then that just means they also have to be good people."
Kui Min couldn't help but laugh. "I guess in your eyes, nobody is better than your senior martial brother Mei, ah?"
Yun Bei Fen very honestly nodded. "Of course. Who could be better?"
Mei Chao Bing didn't say anything and just continued to look at Yun Bei Fen. He really didn't understand how he deserved this unreserved praise but after a few weeks of spending every hour of the day with Yun Bei Fen, he really couldn't say that he was surprised by it either. It probably wasn't wrong to say that he had already grown used to it? Anyway, it was still nice to hear.
Steps sounded from behind them and Gongsun Chen and Yuan Lei finally showed up.
Kui Min raised a hand and waved. "Senior martial brother Gongsun, senior martial brother Yang, we're here."
Gongsun Chen nodded and the two of them walked over, sitting down next to them. "Did you find anything?"
Kui Min shook her head, looking dejected. "I don't think there's anything around here. I guess we were just given a bad direction. Who knows if the others have any more luck?"
Gongsun Chen nodded and didn't ask any further. Indeed, it was their bad luck that they hadn't found anything yet. If they did ...
He sighed and then looked up at the stone next to them. It had looked like there might be something here and the feeling he got from this place was strange but he hadn't been able to find anything. "Well, let's take a short break and then go back? It'll get dark soon. It wouldn't do for us to still be here at that time. Who knows if the demonic practitioners won't be lying in ambush somewhere."
The others nodded but with the addition of Gongsun Chen and Yuan Lei, Kui Min didn't dare to engage in any further gossip. She knew Yun Bei Fen very well and after the bit of time with Mei Chao Bing so far she didn't feel that he was hard to get along with. That Gongsun Chen was a little different though. After all, he was still the one in charge of their group. Even though he had said they could take a break, he might not like it if she jabbered on. She didn't want to risk it.