Bai Fen nodded. Yes, they should focus on the good things. Right now, there weren’t many of those so such a piece of information was important to keep in mind. Anyway, the most important part was that Jing He was alive and now also awake again. Even if it took a long time, he would recover. She was sure of that.

“Tian said that it could take years until he returns to being a trueborn god, didn’t he? Then I’m afraid that from now on, we will have to wait without knowing what to expect. I suppose the chance that we’ll hear from him again soon is slim. Maybe we won’t at all until he recovers and comes to tell us himself.”

Qiu Ling could only sigh. “There is such a possibility.” Especially so since he might have angered Tian last night. But then, the supreme sovereign might be more magnanimous than …

Qiu Ling paused mid-thought and felt like slapping himself. That guy definitely wasn’t magnanimous. Hadn’t he cursed the three immortal races and the Heavenly Family? He might not even know how to fucking write the word magnanimous because it wasn’t in his dictionary. He was more the type that went for revenge than for whatever warm, fuzzy feelings anyone else could think of.

Qiu Ling cleared his throat, looking a little embarrassed but he didn’t mention any of this. “There is indeed a chance he won’t get in touch but I don’t think it is hopeless. He didn’t have to let me find Jing He when I went up to the High Heavens. He didn’t have to tell me that he could recover either but he did. Then last night, he showed me that Jing He had woken up and what he was doing of his own volition. Whatever his reason, I feel like these three incidents are a good indication of his general attitude toward this.” Also, he hadn’t scolded him when he accused him of trying to get a glimpse at his beloved’s naked body so … his temper should be pretty good after all. Unless you touched his bottom line, he probably wouldn’t bother about punishing you at all.

“He’s not wrong.” Qiang Yan reached over and took Bai Fen’s hand. “I know you’re worried. We all are but … we have to trust that this will turn out well. Anyway, Jing He has lived through so much. This time, he will also survive.”

Qiu Ling nodded vigorously. “He definitely will. Anyway, even if he doesn’t recover, at most, he’ll stay a fallen god, won’t he? At the end of the day, what’s the problem with that? He will still be the same person.”

Bai Fen and Qiang Yan looked at him with some doubt. Even though the gods and the dragons weren’t that involved in each others’ matters and some information had clearly been lost on the respective other side considering how the trial had gone but … surely, fallen gods were universally seen as a menace, weren’t they? Who would ever have to ask why it was a problem if somebody was a fallen god?

Qiu Ling could only twitch his lips. Of course, these two wouldn’t understand. To them, fallen gods were scary existences that had to be eradicated at all costs. They didn’t have the experience of looking at Xiang Yu’s baby face and seeing him ask for praise.

He cleared his throat, not sure how to explain. Of course, he could mention Xiang Yu but … chances were the gods would be odd about that and he didn’t want to make trouble for him. “Just take it at face value. I saw in the water mirror last night how Jing He acted. It wasn’t any different from before. Essentially, he is still the same person. Just … one that was hurt deeply. But that’s not his fault and it shouldn’t be made his fault either. So no matter what happens, I will stand beside him.”

Bai Fen sighed. “It’s not like I disagree. That’s my child. No matter what, I would accept him. But fallen gods are dangerous, there is no other way to describe it. Even if we accept Jing He, what about others? The trueborn gods definitely can’t. Can the dragons?”

Qiu Ling kept quiet. Most likely, they couldn’t. Still … “I wouldn’t mind living in the High Heavens with him or anywhere else where we wouldn’t disturb others.”

He had done it once while alone. What was the big issue about doing it once again with Jing He? In fact, they wouldn’t even have to wander the way he had done back then. They could just go to the mortal realm where fallen gods weren’t known as much. Maybe they could just go back to the Yun Zou Sect and hide in that secret realm that Jinde and Leng Jin Yu had set up. That way, they’d have a safe place where nobody would bother them and they couldn’t make anyone afraid. That didn’t seem to be so bad.

Bai Fen smiled faintly. This promise was just one more reason why Qiu Ling was the right choice for Jing He. Somebody who could even accept him like this … How could anyone else compare? Still, it wouldn’t solve all issues. “The problem is his position in the Nine Heavens. We can’t have a crown prince who is a fallen god.

“Right now, nobody knows. Not among the common people anyway and we can trust the few who have been made aware so far so the news won’t spread. But … if it ever does, then what chance is there for Jing He to survive? People would expect a new crown prince and with the curse on the Heavenly Family, there can only ever be one. I certainly won’t take part in it but … who knows if Rong Su wouldn’t?”

At that, Qiu Ling could only furrow his brows. Right. His father-in-law didn’t believe him so there was indeed a chance he would come up with such an idea. If this really happened … how could they prevent it? Other than ruining every relationship he might try to start, there didn’t seem to be much of a way? But if they did that … he was afraid the alliance between the gods and the dragons would indeed break down. Ah, he suddenly felt sorry for all his predecessors who had worked hard to establish and maintain it …