"I highly doubt it." Inviting him over was definitely a mistake. He glared at him underneath the fur hood. His hands shook at the memory. He wasn't going to hurt him, he just wanted to escape.

He regretted that action. Poor Jin Ling. He must have hurt him deeply after all. It wasn't his plan, he wanted to set him free outside the temple. He wanted to give him a few more years to enjoy his childhood.

"Who is to say if it is him or someone else? There are others of course. You certainly let a lot of pieces fall, didn't you? Were their lives incidental? Didn't you use my nephew as a pawn in your game yourself? He almost died more times in your hands than actually being in any danger in mine. And Jiang Wanyin was your closest friend from your teens. How would you have faced him if he died? Killing his only family in the name of revenge? Killing all of mine.

Were their lives worth less than Nie Mingjue's? Was it justice?

Pretend to be better than me all you want Nie Huai-."

He was shaking with emotion and anger and he forced himself to take some deep steadying breaths.

"Okay.

You know what?

Fuck this. Aren't you tired? I am fucking tired. I have been tired for decades and I don't have the energy to continue this.

We can rip each other apart until the end of eternity, we know each other too well. Is there a use in doing this? I don't know where I am and you are the first familiar face I have seen. Apparently, I can't even talk about what you did to me to anyone, or something bad will happen.

We can keep arguing like this, or we can find something to eat and try and warm up. Unless you want to trek back to town in the dark."