"How is he?" Qin Bingwen questioned when Master Yin finally returned from the prince's side.

The young master turned back toward the door as he closed it behind him, taking one final peak inside at the young man dozing off inside, and sighed. "He will be alright. He just needs some time and rest. We will be returning to Shiyanyi as soon as he is well enough."

The white-haired man hummed from where he stood leaning casually against the wall, his eyes too falling on the door that separated them from the sleeping prince. "And his Qi? Will it recover?"

The question disturbed a pang of anguish within Master Yin for it pained him more than anything to admit the severity of Song Yun's condition. His eyes fell as he shook his head, grateful for their new acquaintance's concern, nonetheless.

"I fear he will never cultivate again but he is strong. I have every faith he will do everything in his power to restore his Qi, even if it takes years of his life to do so."

"I do not doubt that for a moment." Qin Bingwen made a sound of agreement and pushed himself away from the wall. "Well, it was a pleasure to fight alongside you both, despite the circumstances. I am afraid this is where we must part ways. I shall pray for his quick recovery."

Master Yin bowed out of courtesy for everything the welcome stranger had done for them and the village of Quzhou. A gesture which was returned gracefully by the lonesome traveller. He had a mysterious aura about him. Master Yin had noticed it the very moment they met upon their untimely arrival in the village. Still, he had helped them and a village in need when he could have easily walked away. He was an honourable man. One any of the Clans would have wished to take in and train as a true cultivator.

"Until we meet again, my friend."

A smile pulled at the curves of the traveller's lips as he turned to leave. "May our paths cross again."

With Qin Bingwen's departure, there was little else for the young master to do to pass the time. So, he made use of his time to check up on the people of the village. In the time that Song Yun had been in recovery, the victims of the Nian had been given a proper burial. Their parents and loved ones wept as their small, fragile bodies were lowered down into the ground, where they would finally be able to rest.

With the beasts defeated, there was little celebration. The village folk were still shaken up and devastated by the attack which had been on those so young. To celebrate after such a loss felt wrong. Master Yin was able to understand exactly how they felt as he too did not feel like celebrating their victory after someone so precious to him had come to such great harm. He only thanked the stars that the prince was still alive.

He knocked gently on the door to the prince's room and entered only after being given permission to do so from the quiet voice inside. Any other time he wouldn't have hesitated to intrude but with Song Yun's condition, he was hesitant to disturb his rest.

"It is time for us to leave. How are you feeling?"

Song Mengyao sat at the end of his bed with his head hung low. He looked exhausted and, although it was clear he had tried to get out of bed already, Master Yin was sure he had not taken even two steps forward before moving to sit back down.

"I... I am afraid I might need a hand getting to the carriage."

Although Yin Jianguo smiled slightly at the request, it did not quite reach his eyes. He walked slowly as he crossed the room, taking a moment to sit beside the prince.

They had no need to rush but they both knew the sooner they returned to Shiyanyi the better. The physicians there had a better chance of healing their prince than any did in such a small village.

Even the familiar, welcome warmth in the air around him did not seem to brighten the prince's mood. And, when he placed his hand atop of Song Yun's, allowing himself to thread their fingers together before giving it a reassuring squeeze, the prince only sighed. Still, he did not pull his hand away nor did he show any other sign that he did not welcome the gesture.

With their hands still entwined, Master Yin stood and helped Song Yun to his feet. He was shaky as he stood, his limbs trembling slightly the moment he stood up. Master Yin was quick to wrap an arm around him but, even then, as they began to move the prince only made it a few paces before he lost the strength in his legs again.

If it were not for the support of his friend, he would have collapsed completely to the ground. Instead, Yin Jianguo held him up and, before he could protest, swung an arm under the prince's legs to lift him off the ground. Song Yun opened his mouth to protest but soon remembered the pain he was in only moments ago. Even walking was too difficult for him so, unless he wanted to remain bedridden in Quzhou for another week or two, he knew he had to let the young master carry him to their carriage.

Out of either humiliation or exhaustion, he rolled his head to the side and hid his face in Yin Jianguo's shoulder as he wrapped his arms tightly around the back of his neck.

"I will not drop you," the young master chuckled as he began to walk them out of the inn, "I had the innkeep prepare us some food for the journey and prepared you some lotus tea. You once told me it has healing properties and I thought it might remind you of home."

Song Yun lifted his head with a smile. "You remembered."

Such a small gesture and yet Yin Jianguo could feel his heart doing somersaults in his chest. It was a relief to see the prince smiling again, even if his sombre mood was still yet to fully lift.

Their journey home was as swift as they could have hoped for. Only one or two minor instances which delayed them no more than an hour. Master Yin was only relieved that the journey was not a long one. Song Yun was only just able to travel in his condition, after all.

His mother and sister were quick to his side the moment they arrived and, although Master Yin intended to carry the prince back to his bedchambers, Song Yun had mustered up the strength to slowly walk back on his own two feet. The last thing he wanted was to worry his family too much and, although the young master had to help hold his weight as they traversed the palace, it was preferable to him having to be carried back to his bedchambers again.

"You can go, Master Yin. I just... I need to rest."

The young master nodded and stood from where he had been sitting, once again by the prince's side.

When he returned the next day, he was surprised to find two guards outside of the prince's room. Each of whom insisted that the prince not be disturbed. So, he left and busied himself with other things and returned the next day only to be met with the same greeting.

Almost a week passed and still, the prince had instructed his guard to keep the young master from entering his chambers. In fact, the only people Master Yin had seen coming and going from the prince's room were his sister, mother, and the physician.

Over a week and still he had heard not a word. It was as though the prince was forbidden from seeing him, but he knew that not to be true. Song Yun had hidden himself away of his own accord but that only made the young master worry more.

"Why will he not see me? Have I done something wrong?"

Jiaying sighed as she had been expecting their guest to raise the question eventually. In fact, she was surprised he had been as patient as he had. She put her tea down and beckoned for him to sit with her rather than continue to wander around the palace like a shepherdless sheep.

"He is scarcely seeing anyone, even me. The physician frequents his room more than anyone else and even when he agrees to see me it is only during the short breaks he takes from his meditation."

Almost as soon as he had sat down, the young master was back on his feet again, and he spoke only as he began to pace across the room, "Meditation alone will not restore him. He should be out in the gardens amongst the fresh air. He should be training his sword arm lest it grow weak. At the very least, he should go out for a walk. His wounds will never fully recover if he sits in his room meditating all day."

The princess sighed again. "You know A-Yun as well as I. His physical condition means nothing to him if his Qi is lost. Cultivation is everything to him. It is the force that drives him. Without it he feels trapped. As if he's stranded alone on a deserted island."

The young master frowned for he knew she was right. When he found out about his Qi, as much as he tried to hide it, it was obvious that the prince was devastated. So, if he needed time to meditate it was the least Yin Jianguo could do to give him that time. Although he hoped the prince would come to his senses sooner rather than later.

"Give him time, Master Yin. At least he is allowing himself to rest for once," the princess chuckled as she tried to lighten the mood and, in some small way, she did.

The very next morning, the prince left his room, but it was not for the reason the young master had been hoping. No, the prince was simply moving his meditations elsewhere, to the palace temple so that he could be closer to the Gods.

He took in a deep breath of fresh air as he stood before the large, decorated temple doors. They stood at twice his height and were made of pure gold. Carved into the golden doors was the image of a dragon chasing clouds in the sky, flying up towards the heavens to find its place in paradise. Like the dragon depicted on the doors, Song Mengyao too wished to call on the heavens. If losing his Qi was punishment for using their powers to defeat the Nian then he would meditate for as long as he needed to and beg their forgiveness.

With a metallic creak, the doors parted enough for him to enter, and he bade farewell to his personal physician, who would be back to check on him the next morning. Outside of these medical check-ups, the prince was not to be disturbed under any circumstances. Food would be bought to him in silence, so not to disturb his meditation, and he would only eat one meal a day. All the time he could afford to spare was to be spent on his meditation. Those were the instructions he had gave. Even his mother and sister were forbidden from visiting him. Restoring his Qi was imperative, and he would not allow anyone or anything to disrupt his efforts.

This all came as sombre news to the young master, who had already felt at a loss after only a week without seeing the prince. He was no longer ashamed to admit to himself that he did not quite feel whole without the prince by his side. It was an unexpected feeling that he had tried to push away for some time before he came to realise that there was strength in admitting the bond shared between them. Song Yun was his closest friend and companion. He was, dare the young master admit, a part of his very soul.

He had come to realise all of that in his absence as he had had time to think. To truly think about all they had been through. About the way his world began to crumble at the very thought of the prince in pain. About the way his heart ached to be near him when he was so close, yet still so far away. Most of all, however, he thought about that afternoon in Quzhou when the prince awoke from his injuries.

It played over and over in his head like a repeating song. Soft fingers against his face tracing each of his features. Those reddened golden eyes squinting as the prince tried to picture the man before him who sat now only in blurs of colour. The blush that crept upon the prince's face when he realised the improperness of what he was doing. But was it really improper? If the prince felt the same way Master Yin did then he was sure those small moments shared between them felt as natural to Song Yun as they did to him.

It felt natural to hold the prince in his arms. Just as it felt natural to worry so dearly when the prince had come to harm. He had been a fool to pretend it hadn't meant anything more. But now was not the time. Song Yun's recovery was all that mattered. Everything else was an afterthought. Even this. At least, it had to be for now.

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