The Stone King's Lover (石王的愛)

Chapter 55

Wen Reian

2005 years after The Long Night

Lêung Shãn

<South Jiezhî>

Reian woke up very early like it was any other day, except with a sudden surge of joy as he recalled that in the afternoon they were heading home. Finally, after so many days of living on their own, they all could return to their family and friends in Jingshén... and Wen Reian could return to the King.

Rubbing his eyes and yawning as he got dressed, Wen Rei noticed that Jin Yu and Xie De weren't in their beds, while Sun Xieren was still sleeping soundly.

Their routine was as follows; one or two of them would wake before the others, go downstairs and see if the Innkeeper had heard of anything around town that might be of interest to four newly-of-age cultivators.

Like that they had managed not only to help a lowly farmer clear the malevolent spirit that had been scaring his goats, but also return a little girl's doll that some teenagers had stolen.

While the ladder had required more social skills and running than the other, and not nearly as much magic, the four of them including Wen Reian were content that while they were here, they'd done their best to leave the place a little better.

Thumping down the stairs one at a time as sleep and the light of the early morning beckoned Reian to curl back up in bed, he caught the gaze of Xie De, sitting on the bench in the front room, seeming to be tapping his feet in agitation. When he saw Reian the boy jumped up, shaking his head-

"Have you seen him?!"

Reian blinked, "Seen who?"

Xie De looked as if he was a few seconds from shouting, his face red and fingers clenched. When Reian realised Jin Yu wasn't with him, he frowned...

"I just woke up. Wasn't he with you?

Pacing back and forth, Xie De's tension was not only visible, but tactile. Wen Reian could see and feel exactly how nervous his friend was, which only made the knot in his chest grow.

"I think he went out before the sun rose to get us all breakfast, but he hasn't returned. You didn't see him come back? I've been waiting, I even went out looking-"

"Calm down..." Reian held a hand up, all at once very awake.

Jin Yu doesn't get lost. If he's really been gone for that long something must have happened.

"I'll come search with you. If A'Yu does come back, Xieren is upstairs. I'm sure it's all fine, he probably just got distracted by something."

When Reian tried to smile in reassurance, Xie De only frowned. The older boy had a keen sense of when danger was near, and Reian had learned to trust him, however, the thought that something bad had happened to Jin Yu was practically inconceivable to Reian. He just couldn't believe it-

Not here, not today. We've only just started to come out into the world, he couldn't have gotten lost here!

Practically running, the two headed out side by side, the freezing air causing Reian's cheeks and the tip of his nose to turn red, quickly followed by his ears. He really didn't like the thought of Jin Yu being out here for so long in this weather...

No matter where they looked for A'Yu, there was no sign of him. Concerned and frustrated, they continued on, probably looking like wandering children with their constant turning around, scanning the few crowds that were out at this time.