Outside of the secret realm, Qiu Ling was pacing up and down. "Why is this taking so long?!" He glared at Qiang Wei who was waiting beside him.
"Your Majesty … Didn't An Bai already say that they needed to research on the array first? They have already decided on the next steps and are working on it. That is the most that can be done for now."
Qiu Ling stopped walking. "Ah, there has to be something I can do! My beloved is all alone in there!"
"There's that senior —"
"He's probably scared! And lonely! And misses me very much."
Qiang Wei shut up. He deeply felt that his king wasn't interested in what he had to say anyway.
Qiu Ling continued pacing up and down. He couldn't help but feel restless. He felt as if … something bad was about to happen. He stopped once again and looked at the array on the ground. "Damn this! We should just force our way in!"
He wanted to go over but Qiang Wei grabbed his arm.
"Your Majesty, you can't! I don't know much about these things but this is a formation that connects this place to a dimension. If you use force, the array might shatter and the realm it connects to would strand somewhere or even cease to exist. And that would include the people inside. So you can't brute force your way in under any circumstances."
"But —"
"Your Majesty. Please keep in mind that the person inside is only Zhong Jing Yi, not crown prince Jing He. If that boy dies, his soul will just ascend to the Nine Heavens again and the crown prince will wake up. Isn't that what you want? It would actually be for the best if he can't hold on in there."
"But …" Qiu Ling frowned. He didn't want him to suffer. He wanted him to be happy. Whether it was Jing Yi or Jing He, this person was his beloved. And his beloved deserved to be happy. "I want to help him."
"You can't."
Qiu Ling sighed and rubbed his brow. "I feel like … something will happen. Something bad."
"It's normal that you're worried about him. But as I said there's no reason to. Maybe … Maybe you should do something else for now? Search for some clues yourself or … return to the immortal realms for a while? You could visit His Highness, you know?"
Qiu Ling froze. Right. He could … use this time to go and have a look at Jing He. It wasn't like he could guard Jing Yi right now anyway.
But the last time he went to the immortal realms because he longed to see his beloved something had happened to his beloved's mortal father. Who could assure him that something like that wouldn't happen again? He definitely didn't want to explain to his beloved why he hadn't paid attention once again.
"Your Majesty?" Qiang Wei raised his brows and waited for Qiu Ling's decision.
"I … I should try to help for a bit." Qiu Ling said so but his gaze said that he wanted to do something else.
"It wouldn't be a problem to leave that to An Bai and the gods. You can go to see His Highness without worry."
"But what if something happens here while I'm away?"
"Then I'll inform you immediately." Qiang Wei pulled out the pendant with the transmission stone he wore. "You could come back immediately. And I honestly doubt that something will happen soon. An Bai and the gods need time to find out something and the secret realm won't open on its own for quite a while. It's not a problem to go and have a look at His Highness."
"Mn. Then I … I'll just go and take a look. Just a look."
Qiang Wei nodded happily. He really wouldn't have known what to do if his king still hadn't resolved himself to go. It really was too much of a torture to wait here with him.
Qiu Ling also nodded. He still felt a little worried in his heart but the prospect of seeing his real beloved again naturally lifted his spirit. "Then … I'll go now. You inform me immediately if anything happens, even if it seems unimportant!"
"Naturally! Nothing is unimportant if it concerns His Highness!"
Qiu Ling nodded relieved. It seemed Qiang Wei had understood how important Jing He was. There was probably no reason to worry. He turned around and left the mortal realm for the Nine Heavens. Needless to say, his steps immediately led him to Jing He's palace.
Qiu Ling hesitated for a moment in front of the folding screen behind the entrance but finally stepped past it. There he was. Still lying on that bed, his dark hair flowing down like ink next to his pale skin. Qiu Ling's heart ached once again upon seeing him like this. The last time he had come he had been dead drunk, his emotions high-strung but a little numbed afterward. This time he was completely clear though.
He slowly walked over and looked at that familiar face he hadn't been able to forget for the past ten years. He stood next to the bed and just observed him for a while.
The last time, he had feared Jing He wouldn't wake up again. This time, he actually thought that Jing He … looked especially peaceful.
He slowly sat down and took Jing He's hand. It was cool to the touch but otherwise exactly like in his memory. The soft skin, the slender fingers, the way it fit perfectly into his larger hand … It really brought back memories.
Qiu Ling looked up at Jing He's face and smiled. "I came to visit you. I really hope … you'll wake up soon."
Ah, he didn't mind spending time with Jing He's mortal reincarnation in the human realm but it would still be better if Jing He woke up and they could resume their previous life. Maybe … it wouldn't be too bad if what Qiang Wei had said became reality and Jing He returned from that secret realm directly to the Nine Heavens.
At least then, this vexed trial would be over and everything would be back to normal.