While An Bai leisurely sat in his cell and read, the confrontation on the battlefield continued. Taking someone to the demon king's palace and returning didn't take long for someone from the demon race. Thus just a few moments later, the demon that had brought An Bai to the dungeon stood next to Jin Ling again.
He bowed. "I've brought him over, Your Majesty."
"Mn, very well." Jin Ling looked at Qiu Ling. "Longjun is really decisive, abandoning one of your own people just like that. I truly wouldn't have thought you'd be able to make that decision so easily."
The dragons stared at him with disdain. What did this guy expect? He was holding their future consort hostage! Every dragon would decide in favor of their own partner before considering anything else. Naturally, their king was no exception.
Qiu Ling didn't feel bothered by Jin Ling's words either. Sure, An Bai might have to suffer a bit but it wouldn't be as bad as it would be for Jing Yi. And, well, An Bai might be someone whom he had known for a long time and who had done a lot for him but they had never been that close. In fact, before he got to know Jing He he had barely taken notice of any of these so-called 'advisers' he had. He had only regarded them as people he could conveniently throw work at that he didn't want to bother with.
Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. Come to think of it, nothing much had changed since then. It was just that he now remembered their faces and even names and he trusted them even if it concerned his beloved. That was also why he would let An Bai take Jing Yi's place. He knew that these men understood how important Jing He was to him.
"Since the demon king has gotten a beauty in exchange just as we promised, it's time to release my beloved." He spoke to Jin Ling but his gaze remained on Jing Yi.
Ah, his beloved was so brave! He had had to remain in Jin Ling's arms all this while but he hadn't cried or made a fuss and instead reacted this calmly. Mn, his beloved was really great.
His gaze softened. When Jin Ling let Jing Yi go, he would take him to the Nine Heavens immediately. Forget about ascending, it should be enough to bring him back so that he would wake up in his original body. Then they could confront the Heavenly Emperor together and marry. That old man certainly shouldn't have anything to say considering he would have saved Jing He from the claws of the demon king by then. Ah, he couldn't wait to marry him!
Jing Yi's lips couldn't help but curl up when he saw his fiance's lovestruck gaze. It wasn't hard to guess what Qiu Ling was thinking of. Seeing that he could still spare some thoughts on other things, Jing Yi's heart felt lighter. Maybe he could indeed get out of here? Well, if he couldn't, that man from before who took his place would really have suffered without reason. Not that it would make any difference. Whether or not the demon king let him go, that man would still be imprisoned in his stead.
Jin Ling frowned when he saw the gazes exchanged between the two people he was trying to torment. Were those two not taking him seriously? It seemed he needed to step up his game!
Jin Ling restored his charming smile. "How could that be? Didn't I say that everything else would depend on how beautiful the person you sent is? You certainly can't want to say that you sent me a supreme beauty, can you?"
Qiu Ling blinked his eyes and looked at Jing Yi. Supreme beauty … There was only one anyway and he could hardly want him to exchange Jing He for himself, could he? This Jin Ling was really too unreasonable!
The dragons behind him were in an uproar once again. What was this supposed to mean?! Their scholar An Bai was definitely a supreme beauty! This stupid demon king should go and wash his eyes if he had so much trouble to see!
Jin Ling wasn't bothered by their reaction though and just continued to smile happily. "I do have to say that he doesn't meet my requirements that well."
"You can't keep Jing He."
"Who wants your Jing He? Your beauty-standards are way too poor! If we want to talk about beauties of the dragon race, then the one you should bring up is the previous dragon king Jinde. There certainly isn't anyone more beautiful than him."
Qiu Ling frowned. That old geezer? "Eh … I guess he's alright. Not that he could compare to my Jing He."
Jin Ling frowned back at him. "What are you even saying? How is this boy any better than Jinde?!"
Qiu Ling clenched his fists. Was this guy trying to badmouth his beloved? "In which way is he better? In every way! Look at his hair! And those eyes! That fair skin! What isn't perfect about my Jing He?"
Jin Ling tsked. "How can he compare with Jinde? That pair of muddy eyes can't even be spoken about in the same sentence as Jinde's golden gaze that makes you feel as if you're basking in the sun!"
"You fucking bastard! How is my beloved's gaze muddy?! This is obviously a pair of eyes as mysterious as the night sky dotted with a thousand stars! It's incomparably beautiful! You demons probably don't have a soul so you need something like the sun to burn your skin or you wouldn't be able to feel anything at all!"
"Don't tell me what I'm able to feel or not! Jinde is much more beautiful than your Son of Heaven, that's for sure! You can ask everyone what they think and they'll give you the same answer!"
Qiu Ling wanted to retort when Jing Yi cleared his throat. "Uh … If the demon king finds me this atrocious, then why not just throw me out? Nobody forces you to keep me here."
The demons behind Jin Ling and the dragons behind Qiu Ling nodded. Yes, ah! Why were their kings arguing over who was more beautiful? Weren't they trying to take advantage of the other side just now?
And furthermore … Why was the dragon king arguing on behalf of a god and the demon king arguing on behalf of a dragon? This was so wrong! Could somebody lend some common sense to these two?!