Jin Ling looked at the boy in his arms and smirked. "Actually, what you said makes sense. I really shouldn't keep you with me. I'm not satisfied with what your ex-fiance offered me in exchange for your life though. But you're giving me an idea there …" He turned back to Qiu Ling and his eyes seemed to sparkle. "Longjun, don't you agree that being of differing opinion is quite good in this case? How about this? I'll give you your beloved Son of Heaven back if you bring me your predecessor Jinde."
The dragons hissed at him. What kind of suggestion was this? Never mind that the person he wanted was their previous ruler that was almost as important to them as their current king, the person he asked for was also long dead! Who didn't know that Longjun Jinde had courageously sacrificed himself in the battle against the demon king Jian Heng back then? This story was still being told in the dragon realm!
While the dragons rioted, Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes. This guy … Did he or didn't he know that the old geezer was still alive? And how come he wanted him in exchange for Jing He?
He thought back to the story Xin Lan had told the Heavenly Emperor about how Jin Ling was of mixed blood and had been brought up by Jinde. Even though Xin Lan hadn't been very honest with everything else he had said, he had believed that there was some truth to this. After all, it wasn't like this kind of thing couldn't be checked. Back then, he certainly wouldn't have risked that the Heavenly Emperor asked someone old enough to remember and found out that he had lied. Not if that might mean that they wouldn't get help to find that man who could open the array to the special dimension.
Since that was the case, most of what Xin Lan had said would have needed to be true. But it seemed that Jin Ling growing up in the old geezer's care wasn't just Jian Heng's plan? At least not to him. He obviously felt strongly about Jinde.
Qiu Ling's eyes narrowed further. Jin Ling's attitude obviously wasn't that of someone who wanted to see the person that had raised them again. The way he spoke about the old geezer … That was the kind of obsession demons felt instead of love.
Qiu Ling's eyelids lowered, half-shielding his gaze. "What a peculiar demand. Hasn't Longjun Jinde died by your father's hands?"
The dragons hissed again. Right! It was this bastard's own father who killed their previous dragon king! How could he utter such shameless words now?! Did he want to mock them? Asking to see Longjun Jinde in exchange for their current king's consort was the same as telling them that they would never get the Son of Heaven back!
Jin Ling sneered. "Don't pretend. I'm sure he's still alive. And you know where he is."
Qiu Ling smiled. Yes, he did. And he could tell Jin Ling and maybe get his beloved back that way. Wouldn't that be nice?
He couldn't do that though. Yes, he still resented the old geezer for not properly holding onto his old man back then. If he had just tempted him a bit more, just made more of a fuss when his father wanted to leave him, then maybe … maybe he could have had a better life. What was so hard about that? Hadn't he been able to play the vulnerable white flower quite well? Looking at his father like that … Thinking back now, his old man had obviously been tempted. So why hadn't he been able to take that last step and ensnare him? Make him leave his wife and bring his child with him to live with his lover? Was that really so hard?
Be that as it may, Jinde had never done anything to him. Quite the contrary, he had always tried to help him. Back then it had been him who sent Xin Lan and had him follow him onto the throne. He hadn't wanted to but considering it from where he stood today it had been exactly what he needed. It had been a new perspective in his life and ultimately, it was what made him encounter his beloved and even have the right to stand next to him.
The person who had enabled him to find the love of his life … That person couldn't be betrayed so casually. Not when he knew that Jin Ling's thoughts about him weren't anything good.
Qiu Ling's lips hooked up. "My predecessor?" He laughed.
The dragons behind him fell silent. The gods and demons likewise looked at him. What was going on? Had the current dragon king lost his sanity?
Qiu Ling continued to laugh before stopping abruptly and leveling Jin Ling with a deathly stare. "Never mind that the person is long dead and your so-called demand can't be fulfilled, even if he was still alive it wouldn't change anything. Weren't you raised by a dragon? How come you still don't understand us? It's our curse never to fall in love a second time. There is only one person in our hearts and my predecessor's heart was long given away. So even if you could somehow turn back time and make sure your father doesn't kill him, it wouldn't change a thing. He would still be pining for his dead lover and ignoring you and your feelings."
The hand around Jing Yi's throat tightened but he hardly noticed. He only stared at Qiu Ling. Who could have known that his fiance could also be like this? His words didn't seem vicious but they had obviously touched a sore spot. The demon king was trembling.
"Is that so?"
"You probably know that even better than me. Whatever you think about him, he has never and would never reciprocate your feelings. If his soul hadn't been annihilated by your father, he'd turn in his grave if you went to confess your feelings to him now."
Jin Ling's hand around Jing Yi's waist clenched into a fist and the claws that had threatened to cut his throat drew the first drop of blood. Jinde … wouldn't need to turn in his grave if he confessed now. After all, he had confessed his feelings to him a long time ago already. But hearing it still made his blood run cold.
"You —"
Jin Ling wanted to lash out, to threaten this person that dared to laugh about his feelings for Jinde but his senses tingled. He diffused his body and reappeared with Jing Yi a few steps to the side.
The demon behind him gave a gurgling sound and collapsed to the ground, a white arrow lodged into his heart. Ah, it seemed the time to civilly talk about things was over.