Niu Hai hadn’t expected something like this to happen so he lost his footing after Xiao Dong’s attack. He crashed against the wall and only then managed to stabilize himself, his brows furrowing tightly. He really wanted to curse and ask that guy what the fuck was wrong with him but looking at Jing Yi next to him, he couldn’t bring himself to do so.

It hadn’t been that long since Zheng Yin had left. He was still sad and, in fact, he had run over here to complain to Yue Lin again because the guys in the division of blades didn’t want to hear about it any longer. But seeing this person again — and this time without his fiance — hope flared up in his heart. He couldn’t waste this chance!

Niu Hai shook himself and lightly cleared his throat, trying to pretend that this hadn’t perturbed him at all. Anyway, who would be petty? Brushing through his hair to try and get it back in order, he gave Jing Yi a smile. “Jing He, you’re back! I haven’t seen you in ages! How are you doing?”

Jing Yi once again smiled wryly, his gaze flitting about. He had no idea what he would do when he returned for his second chance at life but maybe some of that time would be spent in the mortal realm as well. He didn’t want anyone to think that he was called Jing He by then.

No, when his second chance at life started, he wanted it to only be about himself. The name that had pained him so much in this part of his life, he wanted it to be a thing of the past by then. The only one who could still bring it up every now and then would be Qiu Ling because he couldn’t ask him not to ever speak of that person.

He also cleared his throat and then stepped further inside, rubbing his hands to get rid of his restlessness. “Oh, I’ve been pretty well. Just … you know, my name isn’t Jing He, it’s Jing Yi. There was a bit of a mix-up at the beginning.” In fact, he felt as if he had already told him that at least once but he wasn’t completely sure anymore and he wouldn’t insist on that. Anyway, it was good enough that Niu Hai remembered him at all. After so much time, that really was a nice surprise.

Niu Hai was also taken aback but thinking about it, it seemed that there had indeed been something like that. “Oh, sorry. I really don’t know how I got that wrong. Anyway, come on in! Sit down!” He hastily grabbed the chair, and almost wanted to pull Jing Yi over to make him sit but one look from Xiao Dong made him stop in his tracks. He pursed his lips and then couldn’t help but ask again. “So, who is the person you brought over?”

Jing Yi indeed sat down and motioned for Xiao Dong to do the same but the dragon continued standing. He didn’t insist any further and instead turned back to Niu Hai. “Oh, this Xiao Dong. He’s … well, he’s somewhat related to my fiance. You remember …” He hesitated, finally noticing that not only he but Qiu Ling had also gone by a different name.

Well, in fact, calling it a ‘name’ was wrong. In fact, he had just used his title as the dragon king as a name. Saying it out loud seemed awkward to him now that he knew about everything.

Ah, were these the mistakes of one’s youth coming back to bite you? Somehow, he felt like this wasn’t what other people were usually referring to but it sure felt that way in regard to his own life.

Niu Hai winced as soon as Qiu Ling was brought up and then felt that it really was no wonder that he had gotten that kind of reaction. That guy had probably told this child about him and that was why he had kicked him at first sight.

Well, this probably meant that Jing Yi considered that one to be his friend as well so he should be nice despite that. “Oh, so it was your fiance’s relative. Well, welcome to the Hei Dian Sect! Are you … here to register him as a disciple as well?” Anyway, he did look young enough. It wasn’t completely inconceivable.

Xiao Dong still had his arms crossed in front of his chest and gave Nie Hai an annoyed look. He really didn’t want to talk to him, not after what he had just said to him. But then, since this was what Jing Yi wanted and they were also here to invite him, it didn’t seem right to just ignore him or teach him a lesson. One kick was still justified and he would probably do it again if he dared to get handsy with his king’s lover but more than that or doing it in any other situation just wasn’t right.

Having made up his mind, he slightly relaxed his stance and shook his head. “Nothing of the like. I’m just here to accompany my king’s lover.”

Niu Hai stared at him at a loss and even Yue Lin gave him a second glance at this time.

“Your king?”

Jing Yi smiled wryly but figured that he might as well explain it all. “He means Qiu Ling.”

At that, the two men turned to look at him, clearly still not getting what was going on.

“My fiance. You know, he’s … well, the king of the dragon race.”

At this, Yue Lin and Niu Hai didn’t know what to say. In fact, there was a little too much information contained in this exchange. How had Jing Yi’s lover suddenly turned into the king of the dragon race?

In fact, didn’t this mean that he was a genuine immortal? Like, not even an ascended deity that had cultivated for thousands of years to get to that point but somebody who had been born immortal? That kind of thing … you didn’t see it often. And to think that they had interacted with that person … it sure gave them a shock.

Not to mention that one of them had actually had a fight with that person, almost making it a duel to the death. Now, Niu Hai was suddenly happy that the dragon king hadn’t insisted on it. If he had, there was no doubt just which of them would’ve ended up losing his life. Well, not that the result of the fight back then wouldn’t have already told him.

It was a bit irksome just how many dragons were thwarting his plans for his love life. It almost felt as if he had unknowingly provoked the dragon race into having some kind of vendetta against him.

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