Jing Yi wanted to warn him that he shouldn't underestimate the storm but by then they had already entered and he found that the man had indeed been right. He was able to make sure nothing happened to him. In fact, if he hadn't been able to see and hear that the storm was still raging around them, he would've believed it to only be an illusion. The wind didn't touch them. The rain didn't touch them either. It was as if the elements would deliberately skirt around them, making sure not to harm even a single hair on their body.
Jinde smiled to himself when he saw the boy's expression. It seemed that even though the two of them were a couple, the boy didn't understand too much about the dragons yet. Well, there would be time in the future to slowly teach him. He should tell Jin Yu to bring him with him into that secret realm every now and then. He certainly couldn't rely on Qiu Ling to do that type of thing.
Jinde pushed the thought aside and then rushed over to where Qiu Ling was, stopping right opposite him while making sure that he was still far enough away that he wouldn't be hurt should Qiu Ling somehow lash out at him with his claws.
Qiu Ling had been focused on the person he wanted to kill but when his beloved got closer, his focus naturally shifted. The hand that had just been raised remained awkwardly in the air and the impending attack never came.
His beloved … Why was his beloved in the way? And who was that strange person next to him? He furrowed his brows and stared at the dark veil, not really comprehending what he saw. It couldn't be that somebody was trying to abduct his beloved again, could it? His eyes narrowed and the spiritual energy gathered around his fingertips again. He wouldn't let anybody take his beloved away ever again!
Jinde's eyes widened and he pushed Jing Yi in front of him. "You talk to him!" In his current state, he definitely couldn't withstand even a single hit from this bear child.
Jing Yi flinched and looked at Qiu Ling warily. "Qiu Ling …"
Qiu Ling stared back at him, not knowing what to say.
Being faced with his lost gaze, Jing Yi's thoughts flickered back to the moment when he had found Qiu Ling in his inner self. Back then he had also looked at him like this. As if he didn't know what was happening around him or how he should behave. "Qiu Ling, it's alright. You've … You've already won. Why don't you stop it now?"
Qiu Ling blinked his eyes in confusion. He had won? But the guy was still alive! And there was still that strange person standing behind his beloved! Thinking of that, the spiritual energy at his fingertips condensed even further. Most likely, that person was instructing his beloved to say that. He was threatening him just the same as that guy down below. He couldn't let that happen. He should kill them one after the other.
Jing Yi glanced at the person behind him but with the veil in front of his face, he couldn't see his expression at all. There was no clue to be had there. He turned back to Qiu Ling, dearly wishing that he was able to fly on his own. That way, he could plunge right into his arms. After all these years, he knew Qiu Ling well enough to understand that that would probably calm him down. After all, it wasn't too hard to figure out just what had upset Qiu Ling this much today: It was because somebody had threatened to have him fight and Qiu Ling had feared that he might get hurt while doing so. In that case, if he showed him that he was here and that he was alright, everything should go back to normal, right?
Jing Yi looked at the man behind him, his gaze pleading. "Can you bring me closer to him?"
Jinde looked from Jing Yi to Qiu Ling and furrowed his golden brows. "Are you sure that's a good idea? He doesn't really look like he'd appreciate me getting closer."
Jing Yi anxiously looked at his lover. Unfortunately, that man was right. Even though Qiu Ling had focused on him, his hand was still raised as if he would attack any moment now. If that man didn't want to get hurt himself, he definitely couldn't approach him.
Jing Yi bit his lower lip, wondering what he should do. He somehow had to calm him down. He had to get closer and reassure him. But talking alone didn't seem to help. Or maybe it just needed more time? "Qiu Ling …"
Qiu Ling nodded immediately while his head trembled. "Don't worry, my love. I'll save you!"
Jing Yi's expression turned complicated. Obviously, his lover wasn't able to understand the current situation. "Qiu Ling, it's not that. Look, he's helping me. You also know I can't fly. Why … Why don't you come over and carry me?" He reached out with one hand, hoping that it would somehow make Qiu Ling drop his threatening attitude.
Qiu Ling looked at that hand and his own twitched. Yes, he also wanted to go over and take him into his arms. He also wanted to. He didn't move though. What if that person used the opportunity to do something to his beloved? He couldn't risk that!
"Don't worry. I'll kill him and then … then you won't need to be afraid."
Jing Yi stared at the person opposite him, hardly believing what he heard. Had Qiu Ling really just said that he wanted to kill this man? But weren't they familiar with each other? Just what was going on here?
Jinde sighed. "Don't take it to heart. It's … Well, maybe you wouldn't call it a normal thing but it's not unheard of for dragons to react like this. He probably felt that you were threatened before and he can't really make sense of the situation right now. He's just too worried. He'll return to normal as soon as he is assured in his mind that you're safe. Until then though … And I'm afraid we don't have much time anymore." He motioned at the Elder on the ground who had already failed to muster any spiritual energy to defend himself.
Jing Yi's eyes widened. This … This definitely wasn't the Qiu Ling that he knew. Even if this man said that it wasn't unusual for dragons to do something like this, he just couldn't understand. It seemed that he had to do something and that he had to do it fast. Otherwise, there really would be deaths. And that … Neither would he be able to forgive himself, nor would Qiu Ling be able to do so after he came to.