Qiu Ling’s brows slightly drew together but his gaze was still as gentle as ever. “Don’t cry, my love. My heart will hurt when you do.”

He said so but his words only made Jing He cry harder. He had made his decision but that didn’t mean that he had found happiness. This choice still meant losing the one he loved and the future he had imagined. To say that he was heartbroken would be an understatement. How could he not cry?

Qiu Ling’s gaze softened even further but Jing He wasn’t even sure if it was his illusion at this point. He could hardly see through the veil of tears.

“It’ll be alright. Somehow, everything will work out. Don’t worry about it. Just … just take some time and then go home. I’ll leave beforehand so you won’t have to see me.”

Jing He lowered his head, covering his face with one hand. He didn’t dare to look at him. If he did, he would want to tell him that he loved him but he had truly lost all right to do so. He really shouldn’t burden him with his feelings at all.

Qiu Ling kept quiet for a moment before he sighed. “Don’t think too much. Just … go back home. You’ve finally become a trueborn god again. This was what you wanted. Now, it’s time to see your family again and get used to your normal life again. Everything else can come after that.”

Jing He bit his lower lip and nodded but still didn’t dare to look up. It just seemed so wrong. All of it seemed wrong but the vision he had seen told him that this was the right way forward. Otherwise, all those consequences he had imagined would indeed come true and he couldn’t square that with his conscience.

“My love …” Qiu Ling’s voice trailed off and, in the end, he only sighed once more. “I will leave now. If you ever want to talk or to see me again, you can contact me no matter the time. You can use the transmission stone or … tell someone that you’d like me to come and I’ll be there. I always will. I just want you to be happy.”

Jing He nodded but couldn’t even speak. He just quietly cried, his emotions going even more out of control when Qiu Ling finally cut the connection.

His heart felt empty or if it was full, then it was only full of pain. The projection that suddenly disappeared seemed to tell him that he had now lost the man he loved forever. Even if Qiu Ling had told him that he could see him whenever he wanted to, he just couldn’t believe it. Surely, those had just been words to reassure him a little. After thinking about it, Qiu Ling would realize how wrong all of this was. He certainly wasn’t without a temper either and he had betrayed him so badly. How could he just accept that?

No, after he had some time to himself, Qiu Ling should be disappointed in him. He would see all of his faults that he had previously overlooked and finally, the deserved anger would bubble up and he would want to sever all ties, never to see or hear about him again. From then on, there would truly be nothing tying them together apart from the good memories they had once made and even those would be tainted for Qiu Ling.

But maybe that was better. Maybe by thinking the worst of him, he could let go. After all, the curse said dragons could only fall in love once. It didn’t say that they couldn’t fall out of love with that person, right? So maybe this way, Qiu Ling could return to a state of neutrality. One where he didn’t have to love him even if he was unable to find somebody else to love. It would be for the best. That way, only one of them would have to bear the pain of losing the best thing that had ever happened to them, wishing for it back every day of their life.

Even though he told himself this, the pain didn’t end. Putting down the transmission stone, he covered his face with both hands and silently cried. He didn’t know how to stop his tears or how to make the pain squeezing his heart go away. The worst thing was that he couldn’t return home in this state. If he tried to and broke down like this in front of his father, who knew what the consequences would be? He was afraid he wouldn’t like them.

An Xin watched him in distress. The little flame heart had already sat up during the transmission with Qiu Ling but figured that as long as that person was there, it shouldn’t do anything. Seeing Jing He like this now, it pawed the table, trying to get his attention.

Jing He was too much in his own world to notice though. Right now, he couldn’t think clearly and certainly didn’t have the mind to pay attention to his surroundings. Anyway, he was still in the High Heavens. What was going to happen if he just quietly stayed in the same spot and cried?

Seeing that its actions didn’t have any effect, An Xin stared blankly for a moment and then walked to the edge of the table, stretching out a paw to directly tap Jing He’s arms. After thinking for a moment, it made a soft sound before jumping into his arms. Anyway, this person liked touching its fur so it would conscientiously supply itself so Jing He could pet it. Surely, he’d calm down any minute if he did!

This time, Jing He couldn’t ignore An Xin even if he had wanted to. He lowered his hands and seeing the little flame heart looking up at him with wide and shining eyes, he indeed reached down and petted it, trying to calm down. Even if he didn’t know how to go on right now, he definitely had to take good care of An Xin. This was the mythical beast Qiu Ling had caught for him. All the love for him he’d have to keep to himself in the future, he’d pour them into An Xin instead.