"Big sister! Big brother!" Shao Hai pulled Jing Yi with him and called out to the young couple.

Seeing two young children stumble over the woman couldn’t help but stop and pull at her husband’s sleeve. "Husband, look there!"

The man followed her gaze and smiled back at Shao Hai, leaning down toward them. "Oh, what is it, young man?"

Shao Hai pulled Jing Yi closer and nudged him to smile while he pointed at the teahouse. "My Auntie just opened a teahouse today. The tea and the snacks she serves are super tasty! Why don’t you come in and have a taste? I’m sure the pretty sister you’re with would like it!"

The man grinned. "So? Would she like it?" He turned to his wife who was staring at Jing Yi with hearts in her eyes.

Ah, what a cute child! Hopefully, their own child would be at least half as lovable when they finally had one. She really wanted to pat his head.

The man laughed and nodded. "Alright, alright. I guess you’ve been right about that." He ruffled Shao Hai’s hair and took his wife’s arm. "Let’s go in then."

"Mn!" His wife smiled happily and followed him inside. She couldn’t help but steal another few glances at Jing Yi.

Next to the entrance of the teahouse, a certain dragon king crossed his arms and harrumphed. "These mortals are so superficial. They just look at you and think you’re cute and then they do whatever you want. Really stupid, ah." He looked at Jing Yi with sad eyes. Mn … Stupid mortals …

He furrowed his brow and hurried to a spot on the other side of the building where people couldn’t see him. Hmph, who said he couldn’t be like a stupid mortal himself? He’d just glamor his appearance, walk up to them and then bring his Jing He to spend some time with him. That couldn’t be too hard.

Qiu Ling smiled smugly and changed his appearance into that of a handsome young man. Looking at the other men walking about, he searched in his spatial ring and finally took out a fan. Mn, it seemed young men needed a fan in the mortal realm.

He dropped the spell concealing him and stepped out of his hiding place. Slowly, he walked down the street toward the teahouse. His beloved and that brat had already talked to a lot of people and most of them indeed hurried into the teahouse. There had been young men and women, couples, older aunties and uncles. There wasn’t any kind of person they wouldn’t ask.

Mn, this was his chance!

Qiu Ling walked toward them, deliberately steering to the side so his Jing He would have an easy time to approach him.

The boy looked up and blinked his eyes cutely. Qiu Ling slowed down. Now! His beloved would certainly come over now! Indeed. The boy lifted his foot and took two steps toward him, pulling at Shao Hai’s sleeve so he would accompany him.

Shao Hai looked at him, looked at Qiu Ling and finally looked at the teahouse. Then he pulled Jing Yi back. "Xiao Yi, I think all the seats are taken already. Let’s go inside and see if your mother needs our help there."

"Oh." Jing Yi nodded and followed him, forgetting about Qiu Ling.

The dragon king opened his fan with a harrumph and cracked his knuckles behind it. That stupid brat! There certainly would have been at least one seat for him! It was obvious that he wanted to keep him away from his beloved because he was afraid to lose him! Ugh, this called for severe measures!

With a fluid motion, he turned around, slipped back into a hiding place and procured a smooth stone from his spatial ring. He imbued some of his energy into it and the surface lit up.

In a beautifully decorated palace in the Nine Heavens, two dragons gave a start. Both their gazes slowly found their way to the bracelet one of them was wearing on his wrist. The big smooth stone inlaid there was glowing.

Qiang Wei cleared his throat. "Ahem, that … is that the transmission stone His Majesty gave you?"

Yi Zan nodded. "I think so. I had it embedded right the next day."

"Maybe you mistook another one for it?"

"But it’s the only one of this size and color I ever got. How could I have mistaken it? Show me yours! They looked exactly the same."

Qiang Wei nodded solemnly and took out a necklace hanging around his neck. The pendant at its end was indeed another smooth stone. "They do look the same but mine isn’t glowing."

"Maybe he’s only trying to reach me?"

"Why would he?"

"Why would he try reaching any of us anyway? He’s in the mortal world with the crown prince."

The two stared at each other. Indeed, why would he? Whenever he was with the crown prince his subjects were less than air for him. They were hindrances, parasites robbing him of his precious time with his beloved. He normally treated them like an infectious disease! Why would he contact one of them of his own volition now?

Qiang Wei furrowed his brow. "Maybe something happened?"

"Was there a large scale invasion of the human world by the demons?"

"Not that I know of. I could ask Fu Min?"

"No, let’s just hear what he wants." Yi Zan poured some of his spiritual energy into the stone and was instantly greeted by an apparition of Qiu Ling’s frowning face.

"Why did you take so long?"

"I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I felt too overwhelmed being bestowed with your favor and —"

"Yes, yes, stop with that. I’m contacting you for a reason."

His expression became even grimmer, making Yi Zan’s heart beat faster. Maybe there really was an invasion? That would be bad. They should immediately notify the others so they could arm themselves!

"Yi Zan, if I remember correctly … your sister is quite the beauty?"