Tian watched as Jing He’s expression changed from the previous caution. “Do you remember what happened?”

Jing He nodded faintly. “I remember my trial. We … we indeed met before.” And remembering the conversation they had had at that time, he felt a vague sense of dread. His soul had been fractured before? If it wasn’t healed and well-maintained, it would finally shatter? But then wouldn’t he …

Jing He trembled and unwittingly reached up to hug himself. Even he who prided himself in being able to deal with any circumstances and keep a calm expression couldn’t do so in the face of the possibility of becoming a fallen god. Everyone knew how abhorred they were, how dangerous. If he truly fell … his life in the Nine Heavens would be over.

Opposite him, Tian lowered his gaze and finally turned back around, watching the rain fall again. He didn’t say anything and simply gave Jing He time to sort out his feelings. Maybe while doing so, he would also remember how he had regained his memories of the trial. This fact of what he was now, he couldn’t spare him from it.

Jing He hardly noticed that the supreme sovereign had moved. He froze as soon as he realized what Tian’s words back then had indicated. A fallen god … just the idea made him afraid. At this moment, he really would have given a lot to have Qiu Ling at his side. If he could just throw himself into his arms, he would certainly feel better. There was no place where he would feel safer, after all. Qiu Ling …

He trembled again, his fingers clutching the fabric of his robe. When he thought of Qiu Ling, those memories from before finally shone through: His father’s continuous insistence, how he went back to his palace, and … what he had remembered about Qiu Ling while he was in that state.

“Ah …” Jing He couldn’t hold back a faint sound before he hurriedly bit his lip.

He didn’t want to believe it. He wanted to tell himself that he had misunderstood during his trial because he was only a mortal and didn’t have the context to interpret Qiu Ling’s words the right way but … looking back on everything, thinking of all the time they had spent together in the mortal world and even the ten years in the Nine Heavens … it seemed like … there was no other explanation.

Jing He’s eyes filled with tears. He hurriedly closed them, trying to restrain his feelings and restore his calm. He didn’t want to break down in tears in front of anyone, even less the supreme sovereign. But no matter what he did, they simply continued to fall. He couldn’t help it.

All those years … he had never doubted Qiu Ling’s heritage as a full-blooded dragon. He had fallen in love with this man until the point of no return, even injuring his own soul. Even though he had always known that it would be difficult because his father loathed Qiu Ling and because they were of different races, he had also believed that one day, there should be a happy end for them. With Qiu Ling’s insistence, what couldn’t be achieved?

Now, for the first time since he had realized his feelings for Qiu Ling, he felt doubt.

Jing He finally couldn’t help it. He covered his face and sank to the ground, trying to at least not make a sound if he already couldn’t stop his tears. The beautiful future he had imagined for them seemed to have gone up in smoke. The things he wished for … it seemed they could not be achieved any longer. If he had known … If only he had known …

Just then, a soft sound rang out beside him, and then, his leg suddenly felt as if it was being pressed down.

Jing He lowered his hands and noticed the little Flame Heart through his tears. “Oh, An Xin …” He picked it up, pressing it against his chest, and gently rubbing its body.

This was the Flame Heart Qiu Ling had brought back for him so it could accompany his body while his soul was on the trial. These weeks while his father had forcefully separated him and Qiu Ling, there was only An Xin to accompany him in the evening hours and all throughout the night. Whenever he thought of his lover, he would hold An Xin instead, the warmth seeping from its fur reminding him of the warmth he would feel if Qiu Ling wrapped him in his arms.

Jing He lowered his head, closed his eyes, and hugged the Flame Heart tightly. In those weeks, An Xin had been the only ray of light to him, a beacon of hope that everything would get well. But now, was there really still a chance left for things to turn out well? He really couldn’t see it.

His tears quietly continued to spill, dropping down onto the little Flame Heart’s fur.

An Xin blinked its eyes, wriggled here and there, and finally turned around in Jing He’s arms. It reached up with one paw, lightly tapping Jing He’s cheek. As a mythical beast, it understood more than a pet in the mortal realm would. While it might not know the ins and outs, it certainly understood Jing He’s sadness and from everything it had observed, it also knew that Jing He had somehow changed that day in the Nine Heavens. It didn’t know what to do though and could only continue to gently pat him.

Jing He cried even more. Holding An Xin only reminded him of everything Qiu Ling had done for him, everything he had lost now. It couldn’t comfort him at all. No matter what, if he could not be with Qiu Ling, then … then what was he supposed to do with his life? He had never had any aspirations other than to find a special person for himself. Now that he had found them … how could it end like this? How could fate be so cruel?