Even though he finally had something else to focus on, Jing He still needed several hours to calm down. When he did, he stood up slowly with An Xin still in his arms, walking over to the door leading to the garden and looking up at the sky.

It had already become late and the first stars were glittering in the dark sky, illuminating the garden. At this time, the world around him looked a little different from what he was used to so leaving for the Nine Heavens didn’t seem like a good idea. To be honest, he didn’t know the way back since he had never traveled out of the capital city before. If he added in going by night, he didn’t know where he would end up going. But before he left for his home, there was one more thing he had to do anyway, something that couldn’t be ignored.

Jing He turned to the left, looking toward the city. He knew it might be a long shot but … since he was here, he didn’t want to leave anything untried and so far, Tian had been helpful. Even though much or maybe even all of that was due to his own interests, he still felt that this wasn’t impossible. As long as he did this right, it could work.

Jing He rubbed An Xin’s head, using the familiar sensation to calm down before he walked out of his palace and toward the one where Tian lived. The Supreme Sovereign had told him before not to leave his palace at night but … he couldn’t wait. He had to find out whether Tian was willing to help or not as soon as possible.

When he finally arrived in front of Tian’s palace, he stood rooted in fear. To be honest, Tian never seemed to have guessed that he would decide against Qiu Ling. This probably wasn’t strange. The Supreme Sovereign had no family left and he had been willing to choose Xing over everyone else. Naturally, he wouldn’t be able to understand the difficulties of someone who had more to consider.

This also meant that matters had now become different from what Tian had expected to happen. Different from what he had hoped with all his being to happen. The child he wanted to be reborn could not be conceived and the lover he wanted to return to his side would not wake up without that happening. And the culprit behind both who had made the waiting period of almost three hundred thousand years be for naught … was him. If Tian did not kill him in a fit of rage, it would be considered benevolent.

Jing He’s hands shook and he had to take a deep breath to force himself to calm down so he would not accidentally drop An Xin. Only then did he finally call out toward the palace. “Supreme Sovereign.” He didn’t even dare to speak his name at this moment. Clearly, he had added even more guilt onto his shoulders. And this time, the consequences would follow at once.

The person who was doubtlessly inside appeared after just a moment, looking at him with the same unmoved expression as always.

Jing He wasn’t sure if Tian’s gaze might have lingered on the spot between his brows which was now empty for a moment longer or if he only imagined this but, either way, he was sure that Tian was aware that he had made his decision and became a trueborn god again. As for whether he had paid close enough attention to him to know what he had decided on … it was tough to say.

He gulped but finally forced himself to explain himself. “I have seen the consequences my future holds if I were to choose Qiu Ling and I could not bring myself to do so. I … I have decided to follow my father’s wishes.”

Tian didn’t respond and simply continued to stare at him as if he knew that this was not everything.

Jing He couldn’t speak for a moment, his whole body still frozen in fear. He wasn’t Tian’s opponent. He knew that. So far, this man had treated him kindly but that could change from one moment to the other. Tian was ruthless. He knew that so he wouldn’t try to appeal to his conscience. In short, it was questionable if he had one. He had to be that honest with himself.

“I … I know that this goes against what you saw my fate to be and I know that this will make things difficult for you. After all, your child …” He lowered his head, not sure how exactly to continue. This child was everything to Tian because it was the one way he could regain the love of his life. He would never give it up.

He took a deep breath and raised his head again, trembling faintly. “I can’t square it with my conscience to follow this path but I love him nonetheless. I know … how much you love Xing as well and I promised to bear the reincarnation of your child for your help. You … have indeed helped me so how could I not do as I promised? It’s just that …” He fell silent again, unable to say the words: Since he had cut off the connection with Qiu Ling, it was a pipe dream to expect to conceive his child. He wasn’t even sure if he could see the man he loved again. Giving birth to his child was out of the question.

Jing He gulped and finally knelt down, looking at Tian with determination. “I know I have no right to ask anything more of you than what you have done but … I love Qiu Ling and I do not want him to suffer. You are the one who has created the curse so I know you must have a way to lift it. If … If you can take the curse off Qiu Ling so he may fall in love again and have the family he dreams of, then I will bear the child of whoever you deem to be the ideal candidate in whichever way you request of me.”