"He didn't have to. I... I kind of already knew. Sometimes Da-ge forgets - forgot - that I have eyes and ears. After seeing our father and with how he wasn't himself anymore, it was kind of hard not to know."

Nie Huaisang had the shunned the saber and skipped out on his cultivations for reasons more complex than simple laziness, even if that had been a factor, too. This time he doesn't shrink back from the touch. It wouldn't be fair to punish him for crimes not yet committed and he'd already done his due diligence and performed the duty expected of him as a clan leader and Nie Mingjue's little brother. It's been settled.

"But thank you, San-ge."

He'll accept this Jin Guangyao's condolences until he's given a new reason not to.