Chapter 538 - If You’d Let Me Take a Look …

While trouble was approaching for Jinde, Jing Yi was also having trouble with his situation. He stared at Qiu Ling's face, cursing his previous self inwardly for never looking at Tian's face or inquiring more about him. How was he supposed to judge this without knowing more about the situation?

Qiu Ling quietly requited his beloved's gaze. He felt that Jing Yi was struggling but there was nothing he could do for the moment. He had already provided so many clues. Now it was up to Jing Yi to draw his conclusions and ask for more. Thus he just waited.

Jing Yi looked at the pond next to them, his thoughts in disarray. He knew that something was wrong, that something didn't fit but he couldn't make any sense out of this.

He turned to Qiu Ling and opened his mouth to speak up but in the end, he didn't know what to say. He couldn't just ask him if he knew about Tian, could he? Or maybe …

Jing Yi looked up again, meeting Qiu Ling's dark gaze. "Qiu Ling …"

"Yes?"

"Have you … ever heard about someone called 'Tian'?"

Qiu Ling gazed at his beloved, his lips almost curving into a smile. So he finally dared to bring him up, huh? Well, that was good.

Jing Yi held his breath. Why wasn't Qiu Ling saying anything? Could it be that he didn't know him? Or could it be that he did and that their relationship was bad? In that case … Wouldn't this trouble their own relationship even more?

His heart throbbed at the thought. If he was honest with himself, then Qiu Ling still meant a lot to him. He didn't want to lose him. And somehow he had still hoped that they could see each other every now and then even if he went to the demon realm with Tian. If that wasn't possible … He would really miss him.

Qiu Ling finally sighed. "Tian, it is? Of course, I've heard of him. Jing He is a trueborn god, after all, and that story is pretty popular among them. He told me about it when we … could be considered friends, I guess?"

"A story?" Jing Yi blinked in confusion. What did Qiu Ling mean? Could it be … Had his past life been so long ago that even Qiu Ling and his Jing He had only heard of the things from back then in stories? Had his Tian become that important that people actually still talked about him? Then maybe the Jing He that Qiu Ling had fallen in love with had liked that story because he shared the same name with Tian's lover. Maybe he had even been given that name because of him.

That might explain things. What he had thought of as coincidences weren't coincidences at all. They would all have to do with the fact that this Jing He and that were linked through their names. Well, their names and maybe even their heritage. They might very well be related.

Qiu Ling motioned to the sky. "According to Jing He, Tian is Heaven, the one who stands above the immortal races. It's said he had a lover called Xing who was from the gods."

"Xing?" Jing Yi frowned. How could this be? His name had clearly been Jing He in that life!

His heart throbbed once again and he couldn't help but reach up and rub the spot.

Qiu Ling frowned. "Does it hurt?" He leaned down to Jing Yi and gently grabbed his shoulders while peering into his face to search for any sign of discomfort.

Jing Yi indeed didn't look too well. He seemed a little pale and his eyes were widened as if he was spooked.

Qiu Ling rubbed his cheek and his own head drooped. "I'm sorry. It's my fault."

"Ah?" Jing Yi looked up and shook his head. "No. What are you even talking about? I … It doesn't hurt. I just … I was in thoughts and —"

"Leng Jin Yu —" Qiu Ling glanced at the sky and cleared his throat. "Uh, that senior martial brother Yu Jin told me that there might be some problem with your soul."

"Huh?" Jing Yi was startled. "Senior martial brother Yu? Why would he say something like that?"

Qiu Ling's gaze flitted about. Ah, he couldn't say anything wrong now! He had already blurted out his father's real name just now without thinking. If he said anything suspicious now, then he might as well tell Jing Yi the whole story and hope that he would understand it and believe him.

Mn … He considered doing exactly that but finally still decided against it. No, it was too risky. He had to take a look at Jing He's soul at least before he tried that.

"Well, you remember that he wanted to talk to us? Before you left for the mission?"

"Ah, right. But wasn't that about —" Us? He didn't dare to finish his sentence and just glanced away.

Qiu Ling murmured an agreement. "Yes. Uh, the thing is … this likely happened while you were in the secret realm and it could make some trouble in the future so it would be better if someone took a look at it."

"And … that someone should be you?"

Qiu Ling nodded. "Mn. You don't know but the dragons are naturally talented in regards to souls because … Well, it's a natural talent." He hurriedly looked to the side so he wouldn't give himself away. Not even the real Jing He in the Nine Heavens knew that he had bound his soul to him. That was something he wanted him to find out under more favorable circumstances. Mn, some time when it was really romantic …

Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling and his lips curved up in a smile. He had that look again. The one that said he was imagining some weird things again. "Qiu Ling. What about my soul now?"

Qiu Ling's eyelids fluttered and he resurfaced from his thoughts. "Uh, right, your soul. Well, I could take a look if you'd let me. Just to … make sure everything is alright."

"Alright."

Qiu Ling blinked. "Really? But … we're not a couple anymore. Are you sure you …"

Jing Yi continued to smile. "We might not be a couple anymore but you're still the person I trust the most." His lips curved up a little further. "Well, after my mother maybe."