The two guards seemed to be able to read his thoughts. At the very least, they looked very skeptical even though Ye Yang was looking at them with righteous indignation.

“Well, are you going to tell that Xiang Yong that I’m here or not? I believe he’d like to decide himself whether he wants to know what I have to say or not.”

The two of them sighed deeply but finally, one of them went in. They might not like Ye Yang but he was indeed right. They couldn’t just send him away if there was a chance his information might be vital for the advisers to know.

The guard went to knock on the door to Xiang Yong’s study and made sure to show a dismayed expression. “Adviser Xiang Yong, I’m sorry for disturbing you but that Ye Yang from the demon realm is back. He asked for adviser An Bai but now wants to see you after we told him adviser An Bai wasn’t in. He said he had some information about the war you might like to know.”

Xiang Yong rubbed the spot between his eyebrows, feeling that this Ye Yang really was an eyesore. They had thought for so long to get him to leave the Nine Heavens so An Bai could get rid of him and now, here he was in the dragon realm! Did this guy have nothing better to do? Unfortunately, he also couldn’t just have the guards tell him to leave.

He got up with a sigh and motioned for the guard to wait. “His Majesty is currently in. Let me have a word with him first.” In fact, Qiu Ling had just left a few minutes ago. He didn’t really want to disturb him while he was spending time with his family but Jinde and Leng Jin Yu needed to know not to come out until Ye Yang had left again so he had to go there for sure.

The guard inclined his head and then waited outside while Xiang Yong went to knock on the door.

The two looked at the door in surprise.

“Eh, do you think Qiu Ling returned already?”

Leng Jin Yu shook his head. “Unlikely. It should be somebody else.” He let go of Jinde and went to open the door just a crack. Even though they had started to introduce Jinde to people, he still felt that it was better to be careful when they weren’t sure what was going on. Seeing Xiang Yong, his brows rose faintly. “Adviser Xiang Yong?”

Xiang Yong inclined his head. “Is His Majesty in?”

Leng Jin Yu shook his head. “No, he left a few moments ago. You just missed him. He went to the mortal realm to catch up with Zhong Jing Yi.”

“I see.” Xiang Yong’s brows furrowed. “Well, there’s a person from the demon realm at our gate who is supposedly bringing some information. I had wanted to inform him.” He looked straight at Leng Jin Yu, clearly not wanting to tell this to Qiu Ling but to him instead.

Leng Jin Yu smiled in response. “A person from the demon realm? Well, we could contact His Majesty while you deal with the matter. Who is it?”

“Somebody called Ye Yang. He … should be a senior in their race. Somebody very … strong and old. Probably very knowledgeable and close to the current demon king Jin Ling.”

Leng Jin Yu nodded. “Then we will tell him.”

Xiang Yong gave a hum and then turned away, motioning for the guard to follow him back to the gate.

Meanwhile, Leng Jin Yu closed the door and turned to look at Jinde who had heard every word from where he stood.

“I guess we should lock the door?”

Leng Jin Yu nodded and then followed through with that, even going so far as to lay down an array just in case. “I guess we still thought too simply when we came here.”

Jinde walked over and wrapped his arms around his husband’s neck. “No. We knew it wouldn’t be easy but just think of today: Would you have wanted to miss out on the opportunity of having Qiu Ling there while we went to get the shell? Or not having him around when we did the ceremony afterward and decided on a name?”

Leng Jin Yu shook his head. “No, I do want him there.”

“Then there you have your answer. Even if it’s not easy, this is still the right way. I know we will never … live normally as long as the matter between Jin Ling and me is still unresolved but we will get there. At the very least, we won’t have to forgo the things most important to us.”

Leng Jin Yu nodded. “I know. I’m just … afraid. Not for myself but … for you and for our child. I don’t want anything to happen to either of you.”

Jinde smiled and kissed him on the lips. He was currently the person who had the least to fear from Jin Ling. Not only was he back to almost peak strength, but if Jin Ling’s feelings for him hadn’t changed — and he was afraid they hadn’t in the slightest — then Jin Ling would never harm him directly. No, the person he would go after would be Leng Jin Yu.

Even their child could be tolerated because it was a part of him and Jin Ling knew how much he loved children. He would likely be weirdly jealous of them but he would still not hurt any of his children. Otherwise, wouldn’t he have fought more fiercely with Qiu Ling? But clearly, despite so many years and so many opportunities, he had never even tried. So his unborn child also had nothing to fear.

“Anyway, we have been warned. So let’s just stay in until Xiang Yong deals with this.”

Leng Jin Yu nodded and the two of them went to sit down, both looking out into the courtyard and watching the shell that was quietly lying there. Anyway, there currently wasn’t anything else they could do.

« ToC »