8. How Not To Make An Alpha Panic 101
When he finally arrived at Cang Qiong Mountain he was somewhat shocked to hear Luo Binghe had already been there for two days without backing down. What a stubborn child he was, he really needed to let it go finally. He truly just wanted to go to him, pat his head and gently tell him it was alright, Shizun is here, you don't need this body anymore.
But he couldn't possibly do this.
So he decided to hide inside the crowd of disciples, listening to everyone argue over and over again, without going anywhere. At least right now no one was being seriously injured, other maybe than poor Airplane bro who was stuck to fight with one of the cultivators.
He did not do anything until someone got provoked enough to attack Luo Binghe again and he truly didn't feel like seeing his fellow cultivator get hurt more than this for a version of him that wasn't alive anymore.
So he rushed in, blocking to upcoming swords while making sure the Demon Lord wouldn't draw his sword out either. "It's only a corpse, everyone, it's only a corpse. There's no need to be like this, is there!" he said, something in him still a bit annoyed at the idea that all this was about a stupid body he didn't care about anymore.
Before he could react, Luo Binghe twisted around his hand to grab at his wrist, pulling him closer to him. "Shizun finally came out" he heard whispered near his ear, making him shiver despite trying to repress it. This little demon had known?! For how long, why didn't he told him earlier?
Then everything was a cacophony, everyone talking as they wonder if he was really Shen Qingqiu, after all, he did look like him, yet some key things were not matching. Notably that he was an omega. He had finally accepted that this was going to be his new life, it was a bit annoying to see no one could accept that either.
"You didn't die" he heard from Liu Qingge a bit farther from them, "Why didn't you told me?" he asked with a frown.
"You thought I would do so when you were grabbing my neck? You could as well just have snapped it out of shock" he replied. He felt the hand around him tighten, looking up to a displeased Demon Lord who didn't like the idea of what had happened between them. Oops, maybe he should have chosen a better wording.
It made him cough to try and move the subject along, looking back up at Luo Binghe "When did you notice?".
"Something ticked me off in the second dream, Shizun wasn't as interactive in dreams following the first one," he explained but didn't add more despite looking like he wanted to tell more. Right now was probably not the time to an in-dept explanation about how Luo Binghe had figured out it was him.
He was then accused of not caring enough about his Peak, because how dare he be playing around for the past years when everyone had been mourning him. This did hurt him a bit, how dare anyone say he didn't care about his disciple?
"I was buried in the soil for five years; do you believe I would play around while my disciples are all believing I am dead?". To be fair, he did play around a bit at first, but he had planned to go back to his peak when he had figured out how to explained how he was now without saying the whole truth.
More arguing until Liu Qingge was the one to prompt everyone to stop talking, Shen Qingqiu not against the idea of not having everyone against him. He sighed a bit, twisting around to look up at the Demon Lord "Binghe, you said you came here to catch me, right?" he asked before receiving a positive answer, "You caught me now" he said with a smile probably softer than he meant it to be, "I won't run away this time, just take me back".
These were not just words to soothe him, he truly wanted to simply go back with him, he could find a way to reassure him enough to let him go back to his peak later. If he was still allowed to go back...
Then Liu Qingge decided to ask why he decided to give up his body so easily for him, even wondering if the alpha had tricked him as if Shen Qingqiu didn't have any agency over what he decided to do. It was back to arguing they couldn't possibly let him go again like this, sacrificing himself again for the good of everyone, not when "He didn't know what he was doing".
Even Yue Qingyuan tried to argue, yet the omega reminded him that the well-being of everyone here was on his shoulder and that he should let Shen Qingqiu deal with this situation he had somewhat caused himself. Luo Binghe was his responsibility, not theirs.
When everything seemed settled and every Peak Lords understood he was either too far gone because of Luo Binghe or just dead set on doing this. He tried not to melt when he felt the Demon Lord loop an arm around his waist, ready to take him away with him.
Then it was his disciple turn to try and convince him, asking why he must always be the one to sacrifice himself for them. Something in him softened and tighten at seeing Ning Yingying cry like this for him, reaching out to gently rub the omega's cheek, trying to calm her down with his scent, an old habit he apparently had not managed to push away. Well, if it could help her calm down now too, it was a good habit to have.
"Don't worry about your Shizun, I am not going against my will and won't be suffering" he tried to say reassuringly, not caring about how others might react to his spreading scent that was meant to be calming for her. He had Luo Binghe probably ready to bite someone's head off if they even dare tried putting a hand on him. He wasn't sure if it was a reassuring thought though.
"Don't look at me as if I was going to be executed, I trust him not to do such a thing, everything will be alright". He was happy to see that he had at least managed to make her calm down, finally letting go of her cheek and gently prying away the hand that had been grabbing his wrist this whole time.
He was ready to go away, but of course, Luo Binghe had to demand he be also given the other body, which did make something in him feel a bit uneasy. Why would he need it now that he had him here? Was he not enough like this? Was it really not alright?
Yet all they found was that it had been stolen away, making Shen Qingqiu wonder why was his body in such a big demand. It was just a dead shell with a broken meridian, what would anyone want to do with it?
He still managed to remind the Demon Lord to lift his siege when he was finally ready to go away, letting him carry him around as if he weighed nothing, ignoring the looks he would get from others. Luo Binghe scent was enough for him to calm down and forget about them.
He was a bit surprised to realise they were not inside the Huan Hua Palace, instead, it was inside what he assumed to be the demon realm. He was brought to a room that looked a bit too much like the inside of his bamboo house, but it did make him feel a bit more relaxed to have somewhere so familiar looking. It was a rather nice change from his boring room at the Palace or being in this decor only when he was dreaming.
He was let go of for long enough to look around a bit, only to feel arms grab him again, freezing a bit when he felt Luo Binghe hide in the crook of his neck, something in him telling him to push him away. Yet he didn't, because he felt like it would only make him feel worse now that Shen Qingqiu was finally here with him. He didn't want to reject him again, not this time.
"Shizun is finally back" he heard whispered against his skin, feeling himself shiver a little bit at the sensation. "This disciple is so sorry for how he has treated Shizun all this time, I will take any punishment for the pained caused, but I really needed this spiritual energy" quickly came his apology, the Demon Lord sounding scared that he would be pushed away for what he had done to "Huang Hua".
More apologies came afterwards, only stopping when he gently went and pat his head, humming slightly at his words. "Why didn't Binghe told me earlier he knew it was me?" he simply asked.
"I wasn't fully sure at first, but I was also scared it might make Shizun run away" he said. Ah. As if Shen Qingqiu would have been able to run away from him in the first place.
Shen Qingqiu managed to twist around, looking up at Luo Binghe. "What made you suspect it was me?".
"The Shizun in my dream didn't have a constant way of acting with me and would change the most when I was troubled by something happening, the last time I was pretty much convinced it was you because I made sure to pull 'Huang Hua' in" he replied, "Plus the scent of Shizun is the same as before, but a bit stronger than it was before".
He kept on listing little thing he had noticed, mannerism Shen Qingqiu had not realised he had and had help in giving him away, how well he knew Qing Jing Peak sword form, how sometimes it felt like "dream" Shizun knew more than he should and how familiar it looked like when he was teaching the other omegas. He also explained how Shen Qingqiu clearly was missing some key information about the dreamscape, since he had been doing thing he should normally not have been allowed to do by Luo Binghe. Apparently, he had not done as great as he thought he had done. "It also explained how Shizun wasn't really good at being an omega and was acting still like an alpha by times".
He supposed all the little thing did make it easier for Luo Binghe to figure it out, maybe he should have been more careful. Or maybe not, who could say what had influenced Luo Binghe into acting a bit less cold with him other than suspecting it was Shen Qingqiu? Maybe it was better like this.
It made him sigh a bit, well now it would all be alright, he didn't really need to hide anymore now that Shen Qingqiu was officially back into the cultivation world. He wasn't sure exactly how he would manage to get back to his peak and convince the other peak lords he could be trusted despite so willingly following Luo Binghe, but he would find a way.
"If Binghe thought it was me, why did he still treated me coldly?" he asked, feeling the alpha tense in his arms, making him step back outside of his grip. "After all, shouldn't Binghe have acted a bit more nicely for his Shizun? Just in case it really turned out to be me?". His questions seemed to make the alpha anxious, thinking he could give him a little punishment for the way he had still treated him for the longest time. The second dream they meet in wasn't that far into his stay at Huan Hua Palace, he could have been less cold with him.
He was going to scold him a bit more, only to see Luo Binghe suddenly kneel in front of him, making him a bit confused, not expecting him to do that. "This disciple is ready to take any punishment Shizun sees fit for the way I mistreated him". So he was ready to take on anything to repay how he had treated him? He decided to scare him just a little bit, just so he would learn his lesson and not do it again in the future, although he wasn't planning on changing his body again. He could also maybe get him back a little bit for what Shen Qingqiu did had to go through before self-destructing.
"Then don't interact with Shizun again-" he started with the intent to add "For a time given", only for his eyes to land back on Luo Binghe and make him freeze. The alpha looked genuinely heartbroken and distress at the thought of never being able to interact with him. It made him feel suddenly guilty of trying to punish him with something he wasn't even meaning, only empty threats of punishment.
He couldn't stop himself from quickly getting closer to the Demon Lord, wrapping his arms around his head so he would be held close to him despite his kneeling position. "Shizun didn't mean it, please don't cry," he said, trying to soothe him, not enjoying the heavy panic he could still feel in the room. "It was cruel of Shizun to try and scare Binghe with this after all his disciple has been through".
He was seriously wondering how he had never majorly fucked up with him in the past, at least up until the endless abyss. He felt like he had only done bad choices since Luo Binghe had come back from the demon realm.
Then the Demon Lord suddenly got back up, taking the omega in his arms, Shen Qingqiu yelping in surprise when he felt his feet leave the ground. He was pressed close to the alpha, the man hiding against his chest as he begged him not to ask this, anything but refusing him the right to be by his side. Shen Qingqiu soon looped his arms around Luo Binghe, sighing a bit as he placed his chin on the top of his head. "Binghe, listen to me, I didn't mean it, Shizun won't ask you to go away forever" he promised, "I only wanted to teach you a lesson but I went too far".
He stayed in the Demon Lord embrace, gently whispering reassurance that he was not going to punish him, letting him hide in the crook of his neck, where he had migrated, despite the slight unease of having him this close to his exposed neck. Maybe he should think of finding a leather collar just in case, as he didn't really want to be bonded. He didn't feel ready for any of this. Sure he had some... unexpected feeling for his old disciple, but it didn't mean he was anywhere near ready for that.
"Is Shizun really going to stay with me?" he finally hears after some time, making him push the alpha a little bit just so he could see his face. He's a bit taken aback again by the teary puppy eyes as if the man was scared he would try to run away after saying he wouldn't run anymore and had gone through the last ten minutes telling him nearly the same thing again. It made him smile softly, gently patting his head again. "Of course, I will, didn't I say I wouldn't run this time?" he asked, "And no punishment" he also reminded in case it would come back.
This seemed to immediately make him relax, his grip around Shen Qingqiu body loosening just a bit too. The hope and happiness in his eyes were enough to make Shen Qingqiu even more sure of his choice. Seeing him happy again would be enough even if it meant having some problem in the near future because he was with him.
He was then dragged to a large bathroom, a bit surprised by the sudden change of atmosphere. He tried telling the Demon Lord he would be alright, yet he still insisted on preparing what he would need, because "Shizun must be tired from all his travelling to Cang Qiong Mountains and a good and warm bath is just perfect for this".
He is left alone to of the bathing, at least, yet the Demon Lord didn't really stop here, helping him change and even making him some food. That last part was probably the best, he had been dying to taste the comforting and familiar food made by Luo Binghe. He had truly missed this so much and he couldn't find words for how good it was to have it after so long.
It was a bit weird to see the alpha putting so much attention on him when in the past month, despite knowing and suspecting he was Shen Qingqiu, hadn't done this much. He was a bit worried that he was acting like this because he wanted to convince him to stay for all this. His little punishment had probably not helped in his fear of seeing Shen Qingqiu try to run away again. He would need to work on this later a bit more, he would show Luo Binghe he wouldn't leave again.