Qiu Ling looked up at the person quietly talking to him. This was important. He knew that. This was about his Jing He, after all. But his Jing He was gone … He had been taken from him again. Once again, they were separated and he didn't know when they would see each other again.
He didn't want to believe it but could it be … Jing He had been right back then? Were they really a pair of star-crossed lovers like Tian and Xing? Would they forever be unable to be together? Would they always be separated like this? Would they never marry like he wanted them to?
He didn't want that. He didn't want to be without him. His Jing He … He was the only important thing in his life. The one he wanted to spent all his remaining years with. How should he go on without him?
"Longjun." Leng Jin Yu shook his shoulder but the person in question obviously didn't listen. He was already in a world of his own and didn't seem like he would get out of it soon. Leng Jin Yu looked at Jinde for help.
"He should have a transmission stone in his spatial ring."
"Can we get it without his help?"
Jinde shook his head. "Just tell him you want it. He will hand it over. And you should contact the Heavenly Emperor directly. It's his son, after all, and a situation that concerns all of the Nine Heavens. The God of War might have the command over the army but he can't make this decision alone."
Leng Jin Yu grabbed Qiu Ling's head again, making him look up. "The transmission stone to reach the Heavenly Emperor."
Before he could try to explain further, something was thrown at him. It was … indeed a transmission stone. Leng Jin Yu raised his brows and looked at Jinde.
His husband smiled in return. "He trusts you. Naturally, he will hand it over. His condition right now … It's not that strange. Not even considering the rest, just the fact that the Son of Heaven is the person he bound his soul to will have a big impact on him. It's as if … he's caught in a circle of gaining and losing him again and again. It's hard to understand. No dragon would be able to take that forever. He'll need a moment to come to terms with it. Afterward … you should make sure you get out of his way. So contact the Heavenly Emperor fast."
Leng Jin Yu wanted to question it further but Jinde's look made him stop himself. He could still talk to him afterward and find out what this was about. First, he really needed to get help.
He patted Qiu Ling's back again and raised the transmission stone, imbuing his spiritual energy.
The pale apparition of the Heavenly Emperor sprang up and immediately hollered at him. "You better have a good reason to disturb me, you bast—" The Heavenly Emperor's eyes widened and he stared at the image of the person that was projected by the transmission stone. "Uh … Who are you?"
Leng Jin Yu's brows twitched. "Greetings, Your Majesty. This one is the ascended deity Leng Jin Yu. You might remember me from the investigation about His Highness' changed scroll of fate."
"That's the person I sent to help the Fate's Scribe with taking care of Jing He's trial," the voice of the God of War could be heard from somewhere. A moment later, his head popped up next to that of the Heavenly Emperor. "Leng Jin Yu, ah, how are you doing? How is your mission going?"
Leng Jin Yu gave a wry smile. It certainly was nice of the God of War to try and give him an official reason for being in the human realm but … He really didn't want to let the crime of the Son of Heaven being abducted right in front of his eyes be dumped onto his head. He hadn't been tasked with guarding him at all!
"Thank you, God of War, for inquiring and for trying to make me look better in front of His Majesty. I'm afraid I don't deserve this after refusing to stay in the Nine Heavens for my personal reasons."
Qiang Yan's lips twitched. What was this guy doing? Was he trying to purposefully slap his face? And here he was being nice!
"Actually, I'm very happy here. I've married yesterday. Naturally, that isn't the reason why I've dared to contact the Heavenly Emperor." The slight smile that had made his lips curve up when he thought of Jinde instantly vanished. "My spouse is living in the Yun Zou Sect so I've been staying there as well. Today, it seems like the demon king, Jin Ling, came by here. I am afraid … something might have happened to His Highness. He can't be found anywhere and Longjun …" Leng Jin Yu's gaze switched to the person sitting next to him in a daze. He still hadn't gotten over it. He could only hope that Jinde would be right and that the dragon king would get a grip on himself soon.
Qiang Yan frowned, forgetting about the previous slight. "What's with him? Is he hurt? Do you have a way to reach someone of the dragon race? They should know about this."
"I'm not too sure what is going on myself. I only —"
"That fucking bastard!" Qiu Ling leaped to his feet, clenching his fists and roaring at the sky.
Leng Jin Yu flinched, almost dropping the transmission stone but he managed to catch it before the connection could crumble. He stared at the person standing next to him and wanted to call out but right then, Qiu Ling took to the air. Leng Jin Yu only managed to take a breath before his figure had vanished. If he didn't remember wrong … that was the direction of the demon realm.
Leng Jin Yu's brows twitched again. Don't tell him Longjun wanted to go and fight his way through the demon realm all by himself? Was he nuts? Even if the dragons were strong, he was just one man. How could he survive by himself if he ran into his arch enemy's territory?
In the Nine Heavens, Rong Su and Qiang Yan exchanged a glance before turning back to Leng Jin Yu's image.
"Was that Longjun?"
Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes. I'm afraid he left in the direction of the demon realm to get His Highness back."