Qiu Ling could see how difficult this was for Jing He but there was no way around it. He tilted his head and kissed him on the lips before smiling faintly. “I’ll miss you too but … you really have to go now if you don’t want to be seen.”

Jing He nodded but still did not move to actually open a portal. The issue that made him fall was his indecisiveness and his inability to stick with whatever he tried to decide on. At this moment, he suffered from more of the same: He knew he had to go and he had said he would but the draw of being with Qiu Ling was too strong and the usual deterrence of his father’s anger and disappointment wasn’t there. How could he easily let go and leave?

Qiu Ling couldn’t see the underlying issue but he did realize that more trouble was sure to follow if Jing He stayed. While he wouldn’t care that he was a fallen god and his mother and uncle certainly wouldn’t either, the same couldn’t be said for others.

The Heavenly Emperor currently didn’t believe that Jing He had fallen. He still assumed that this had to be something set up by Qiu Ling and Tian. So that one could snatch his precious son away while the other could take revenge on his family. As for the talk of Jing He being a fallen god now … to him, that was simply Qiu Ling’s audacious lies which were supposed to make them do whatever he wanted in the faint hope of getting their child back.

This belief was naturally due to the fact that Jing He’s father didn’t trust him. It was frustrating enough as it was but it also meant that they had nothing to judge by the Heavenly Emperor would react if this belief was challenged. If he saw Jing He with the Mark of Wisdom between his brows … could he keep up this attitude of making up his own version of events that suited him or would he finally accept that Qiu Ling had told them the truth? And if it was the latter, would he also believe that Jing He could still be saved or did he hold onto the idea that every fallen god was a lost cause? Then, what would he do? Call the heavenly guards to deal with his own son?

There were many ways in which this could go wrong and a very slim chance that everything would turn for the better. Qiu Ling didn’t want to risk it. Especially not now when Jing He was only at the beginning of his journey. The path to returning to his identity as a trueborn god was too long. If anything happened right now, they might not be able to stall for long enough.

Thinking of all this, Qiu Ling could only insist. “You need to go, my love. Don’t worry. We will definitely see each other again. It probably won’t be all that long.” He gently pulled Jing He’s hands off and stepped back but he could see that Jing He was still unwilling. Of course, he felt the same but what could he do? He sighed and finally opened his spatial ring. “Alright, let me give you something else.”

He rummaged around the room inside, needing some time to find what he was looking for. When he did, he smiled faintly, and hurriedly handed Jing He a transmission stone. “I know you’ve never used these but I guess now would be a good time to change that. Even if you can’t come here, maybe we can see one another this way.”

Jing He took the stone, holding onto it tightly. He didn’t know what Tian would do or say when he got back so this might be his only way to reach Qiu Ling after he returned to the High Heavens. “I … I will reach out as soon as I can.”

Qiu Ling nodded and reached over, covering the hand holding the stone. “I will be happy to hear from you at any time. You should first and foremost focus on yourself though. Don’t worry about me. Anyway, it’s really time to go now.” He rubbed the back of his hand with his thumb before letting go and stepping further back.

Jing He didn’t want to but with Qiu Ling’s serious expression, he didn’t dare to linger any longer. He reluctantly opened a portal but continued to look at Qiu Ling as he stood next to it. Oh, if only he could stay with him …

Qiu Ling smiled and motioned to the other side. “It’s alright. We’ll see each other again soon. Didn’t you have something to tell Tian? The answer to his question? Since you’ve found it now, maybe everything else will go much faster. Just think of that. Separating now is so we can be together forever soon.”

Jing He nodded and finally stepped through the portal. Yes, he couldn’t be willful now or it would only have negative consequences. He needed to be strong and focus on what he had to do right now. Only that way could he return to Qiu Ling’s side and truly stay there.

He took one last glance at his lover and finally closed the portal. He tightly held onto the transmission stone as he did, telling himself that Qiu Ling was only one thought away if he couldn’t take it any longer.

Qiu Ling continued to look at the place where Jing He had just vanished with a wistful expression. He also loathed to separate but … it had to be done. He sighed to himself and put on his outer robe, deciding to go out.

As a result … as soon as he turned around, he spotted a fluffy tail peeking out from under the desk. Grabbing it and pulling it out, he looked into the dumbfounded face of An Xin who clearly hadn’t realized his owner was indeed leaving this time after hesitating for so long.