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by kitiycat2266

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Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories:

F/MM/M

Fandom:

人渣反派自救系统 - 墨香铜臭 The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù

Relationships:

Original Luò Bīnghé/Shěn Yuán Shěn QīngqiūOriginal Luò Bīnghé/Original Luò Bīnghé's HaremLuò Bīnghé/Shěn Yuán Shěn QīngqiūLiǔ Qīnggē/Shěn Yuán Shěn QīngqiūShěn Yuán Shěn Qīngqiū Yuè QīngyuánShàng Qīnghuá Shěn Yuán Shěn QīngqiūMòběi-jūn/Shàng Qīnghuá

Characters:

Original Luò BīnghéShěn Yuán Shěn QīngqiūOriginal Shěn QīngqiūShā HuálíngOriginal Luò Bīnghé's HaremLiǔ QīnggēYuè QīngyuánSystem (Scum Villain)The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System EnsembleShàng QīnghuáMòběi-jūnLuò BīnghéMù QīngfāngQí Qīngqī

Additional Tags:

Dimension TravelObsessionBlack Lotus Luo BingheThe System's ShenanigansOther Additional Tags to Be AddedAirplane's emotionally stunted charactersProtagonist HaloPeak Lords as FamilySlow BurnDeveloping RelationshipLiuShenPossible BingLiuShenUncertain about the last tagBut I want to be as upfront as possible while the story is still in progress

Language:

English

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Published:2020-10-24Updated:2020-12-25Words:78821Chapters:29/?Comments:1692Kudos:3296Bookmarks:713Hits:67526

Roulette Wheel of Fate

Muzu

Summary:

After returning from the mirror world and dealing with the disappointing copy of himself and the strange copy of his old Shizun, Luo Binghe makes a choice. If he can't have that Shizun, then perhaps there's another Shizun somewhere not under a Luo Binghe's protection yet that he can take for himself.

There are hundreds of worlds with endless possibilities right? Surely with enough desire one can be opened to lead him to what he's searching for.

Shen Yuan most certainly did not sign up for this shit.

Notes:

I'm gonna say it, but Luo Binghe of the original novel is most certainly a bad guy...but he's just so fun to play around with. Oh well. :-)

Notes for this chapter are as follows: Really just sort of a setup chapter, although there is sort of a misogynistic kind of understanding of the world (I mean come on 3000 wives? And how he gets them over and over again by just killing some man in their lives and then getting them? Ridiculous) that's touched upon here lightly with Sha Hualing's characterization but that's just because she's a byproduct of the original novel's world and how it's twisted and affected everyone within it.

Chapter 1

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

In the end, it doesn't even take a month before Luo Binghe breaks down and makes the decision to do something about this cursed fate he was given.

Ever since his short trip over to the strange mirror world of his obnoxious doppelganger and that other Shen Qingqiu; he hasn't been able to get the two of them out of his mind. It's like a particularly irritating bug has crawled into his brain and burrowed down deep where it just keeps gnawing away until Luo Binghe can't stand it anymore. The images and the knowledge of that other him's life over there drives him insane slowly but surely, like drops of water on his head, one after the other until finally he breaks.

Luo Binghe knows what it is to lose. He's rather intimately accustomed to losing despite what people might think of him these days. He knows very well what it meant to be the smallest person all alone on cruel streets with no one turning a second glance upon him in his misery and desperation. He knows what it feels like to be down in the dirt already and to have so many people come and kick him while he's down there. Sometimes it entertains him how everyone, even his own wives who knew him before he became the demon emperor, seem to have forgotten where Luo Binghe came from originally. They no longer have the capacity it seems to connect the image of the powerful heavenly demon who brought down heaven and hell under his reign with the one of the dirty and perpetually tired disciple trailing after a master who despised him and went out of his way to make sure that Luo Binghe knew it. No, nowadays no one remembers Luo Binghe before the Abyss. Now they all look at him and only know the demon who rewrote the world as he saw fit when he emerged from his own personal hell.

Back then, Luo Binghe felt like he had something to prove. Something to accomplish and something to be rewarded with. Coming into his full powers had almost made the world seem like a joke, like a coin was flipped and his entire life became as simple as a child's game, one that he always came out on top. Any fight he went into, he won and was gifted a beautiful woman in response to it. After a while it just seemed natural to have it play out like that. He fought and killed someone and somehow a beautiful daughter or granddaughter or disciple would throw themselves at Luo Binghe's feet as the prize won for the day, only to be done away with the next week with the next fight and the next prize and so on and so forth. He's lost count how many fights he's won. He's lost count how big his palaces have gotten. Full of unfamiliar faces who all claim to love him, who all call him husband. Who will all open their doors and their legs to him and yet he couldn't be hard pressed to recognize one from the other.

It had never bothered him before. It had just seemed right and natural. He was the strongest now, none above him in that regard; so if he wanted something he took it. If he desired something, it was his. Everything was his to have, nothing was out of his reach. Women, power, status, wealth – name it and it was his.

…so why didn't it feel like enough?

Why did he walk through dozens of palace's halls and see nothing worth anything in all of the intricate decorations or lavish parties or beautiful women? Why did he feel like a ghost going through those halls and visiting rooms and women he didn't recognize? Why was there no satisfaction in any of it? Why did he feel like he was stuck in a senseless roundabout circle of fight, kill, marry, fuck that never gave him any true pleasure at the end of it? Why didn't it feel like enough? Like he still didn't have enough? What else was left in this world for him to take? Why wasn't he happy yet?

He should be happy.

How could he not be in a world that he owned completely? Why wasn't it enough already? And why did he feel like that embarrassment on the other side of the mirror rift had it all while he had none of what Luo Binghe had accomplished? No palaces across the continents full of every treasure and beauty in existence? No nations whimpering in fear at the mere thought of his name? No wives to slake his lust in? No empire to last for eternity with him at the top?

No, all he had was a pathetic Shizun in a bamboo hut and somehow it had been enough for him. It had been enough.

That strange, ever-elusive concept of 'enough' that Luo Binghe has never been blessed enough to touch. Has never had it grace him with its presence. He's never had enough in anything he's done…he's never been enough no matter how much he accomplishes. He's never felt 'enoughs' sweet embrace and yet that Luo Binghe has. All in the arms of his precious Shizun.

Shen Qingqiu.

The man who still haunted Luo Binghe's nightmares to this day. The man who had carved himself so deep into Luo Binghe's psyche that to this day sometimes Luo Binghe was surprised that he couldn't find blood. He'd thought that it'd all go away when Shen Qingqiu died. He thought that having the final power over that man's existence and paying him back a hundred-fold for the terrors wrought onto him that Shen Qingqiu's power over him would dissipate with the man's death.

But it never did. Instead all it left was this kind of gaping hole inside of him full of rage and spite that could no longer find a suitable outlet for it. Then, fate decided to find it amusing to mock Luo Binghe with the image of how it might have been. With the image of another Shen Qingqiu. A Shen Qingqiu who smiled at him and who was proud of him and who had apparently laid down his life for that unworthy maggot time and time again.

His mirror-copy Shizun's dreamscape had been like swallowing acid. So many memories of that Luo Binghe's life playing out in the way that Luo Binghe had once secretly dreamed of once when he was young. Gentle teaching, kind words, soft eyes that looked at him and saw him. He'd even allowed himself to be poisoned by the Without A Cure poison in order to protect that brat. He'd taken so many hits to shield that unworthy version of Luo Binghe from those who would seek to harm him before he was strong enough to stand up to them.

"If you have no way of becoming strong, I'll be by your side and protect you."

What a laugh. What bullshit. Shen Qingqiu protect him? Why would someone like Shen Qingqiu say something like that to Luo Binghe? What was it about that Luo Binghe that made Shen Qingqiu do things like that? He'd even self-destructed for that wretch. All to save that Luo Binghe from Xin Mo's never-ending thirst. Shen Qingqiu had given up his life, and worse he'd done it freely and without hesitation. Why? Why? Why did that Luo Binghe get to have Shen Qingqiu as a protector when Luo Binghe had only ever had the pleasure of having him as a nightmare?

Why did that Luo Binghe get someone willing to die for him without regret? Luo Binghe is not a fool. He knows that most of his wives only tolerate his touch for his power and position. Even his favorites like Ning Ying Ying look at him with uncertainty and submission but never with the gentle gazes that that Shen Qingqiu bestowed so freely on the other him. He knows that none of them, not one of his wives would have even thought to offer themselves up as a sacrifice to save Luo Binghe from something like Xin Mo's backlashes. He knows that it wouldn't have even crossed their minds to do so, let alone to actually follow through on it.

And yet, Shen Qingqiu had done so. With a soft smile he'd laid down his life for that unworthy pest. Why? What was so special about him? What did he have that Luo Binghe didn't? What was Luo Binghe lacking and how did he go about acquiring it? He's still considering it all when he senses the new approach.

--

"My Lord?" Sha Hualing says softly, slinking into the room with the soft clink of her bangles echoing in the large area. She glances upon him, sitting so haphazardly in his throne and there's something different about him. She's seen him do this so many times before, come in here to consider his empire but these last few weeks have been different. She approaches carefully and he doesn't seem to fully register her presence. She knows that's a lie though, there's no one who could sneak up on Luo Binghe without the demon emperor knowing about it. Regardless though, he doesn't reply to her questioning, just sitting in his throne with his cheek resting on his hand in a pose of absolute boredom. "Have you eaten? I can have the servants bring you a selection if you wished."

He doesn't move or respond to her, and honestly for the most part that's pretty par for the course these days. She knows however that he's been even more distant than usual, ever since his strange excursion which left a stranger wearing her Lord's face in their world before her true Lord returned, seemingly muted. It's such a strange thing to consider. That there are other worlds or realities that echo their own. That possess all of the same players in it who have gone through the same lives. How is it different over there? What is she like? The Luo Binghe of that world was an oddity. She's so used to being looked over with lust from her Lord's eyes that she'd almost thought that he was about to do away with her with how his eyes held no attraction for her in them.

That other Lord though…he'd been…he'd been different. Soft almost and yet somehow something in his eyes was more unhinged than her own Lord outside of Xin Mo flareups. He'd moved with a kind of purpose and desperation to return to his world that Sha Hualing hadn't known what to do with. Her Lord had no need to rush into anything. What was there that could pull him along like that? What threat could concern him? What sort of thing could it be that held such sway over him and his emotions that he'd practically been a dangerous wreck in his desperation to restore enough energy to his sword to return to his own world.

What was it that her Lord saw over there that had him like this? She'd almost call it defeated if she didn't know any better. Nothing defeated Luo Binghe. It was just the way of the world. It was just the way that it was supposed to be.

"I am not hungry." Her Lord finally says after she's stood around uncertainly for a while. "Leave me." She bows her head instantly.

"Of course, My Lord." She says quickly. "If you have any need of me, please don't hesitate to ask." She turns to walk away and she's stopped by him speaking out again.

"What do you think of this one?" He asks and she pauses to turn back around and look at him. He's not glancing at her, continuing to look off into the distance but his question still stands.

"You are my Lord." She says confidently. "The most powerful ruler to ever live. I am pleased to serve such a strong master."

"'Pleased to serve such a strong master'." He repeats after a moment and Sha Hualing's heart skips a beat for a second in fear. Did she misstep? Say something wrong? He usually adores being praised on his strength. "Is that why you're here?"

"My Lord is my Lord." She says carefully when she realizes that he wants an answer. "And has been ever since he overthrew the previous Demon Lord." She doesn't say her father. Doesn't really have to. Luo Binghe knows very well who he was, and who he was to her when he killed him before declaring Sha Hualing his. It was a fortuitous pairing and one that the demon world appreciated. Of course she'd be snatched up by whoever was strong enough to overthrow her father. What else was she good for if not to be a prize won at the end of the day by whoever would become the next Demon Lord? Luckily for her it had been someone that she'd already been eyeing up, but at the end of the day it hadn't mattered. He'd won, and he'd won her. Why was he asking now why she was here when they both knew that? She slowly turns back and approaches him once more. "Is something bothering My Lord? Something that I can try to help with?" Nothing but a kind of faraway glance and heavy silence. "You've not been yourself since your return." She says carefully and finally his eyes track over to her even as the rest of him doesn't move. "Some of us have noticed."

"You met him." Her Lord says and she nods. "What did you think?"

"Soft." She says after a bit of thinking. "Too easy to read."

"What did you 'read' on him?"

"Fear." She says and it's the truth. That Luo Binghe was driven by a kind of all-consuming fear that had kept him pushing and pushing to return to his world. Her Lord just hums in a kind of agreement. "He did not seem as impressive as My Lord." She tries to offer and he lets out a huff.

"No, he wasn't." He mumbles. "Barely a kingdom and only him and yet…" He doesn't press on, but Sha Hualing is starting to notice the signs. It's unlike her Lord to fuss so much over a future conquest, let alone to reference a male one. She figures that it was always a possibility that her Lord would get tired of the same flavor on an endless buffet and decide to try something new.

"Shall we prepare for a new concubine to arrive at the palace, My Lord?" She asks and he clenches a fist and it makes her wish that she hadn't said anything.

"No." He says after a bit. "Let that pathetic copy keep him. Why would I need him?" He stresses on the other man's reference and yet all Sha Hualing hears is 'need'. Not 'want', but 'need'. Her Lord doesn't need anything, and anything he wants for he takes. Why is this stranger any different? Is it because her Lord wishes not to step on his own toes? Wouldn't that be best though? There are no strong competitors out there for him anymore, wouldn't beating a version of himself and taking whoever this person is from them prove his superiority? "Do you believe in fate?"

"Yes, My Lord." She says carefully.

"Do you believe that some of us are fated to have good things while others are fated to suffer?" He's in a strange, strange mood.

"I believe that we can take those good things if we're strong enough. Regardless of what fate says." She says, figuring that it might be something he might want to hear. There's a moment before he smiles a little and she knows that she's gone the right way in this discussion path. "If there is something that the other you has that you desire, why should you not take it for yourself?"

"He won't give him up so easily, and he won't let himself be owned by anyone else other than that mutt." She wonders still who he is talking about. "As fun as it would be, it'd be more trouble than it's worth. They're too…intertwined." He pauses. "There'd be no lasting satisfaction in it. Not really." He's starting to drift away again, back into that strange kind of melancholy and she tries once more to bring him back.

"Then go after another?" She offers and there's that pause, before those red eyes glance at her once more.

"Come again?"

"I just mean…if there's one world out there, then maybe there's two? Or five? Or a thousand? If you want something that isn't here and you don't want to take that one, couldn't you just find it in another world and bring it here?" There's a moment of silence, before a slow dark grin spreads across her Lord's face. It both thrills and terrifies her as it always has.

"That…is a good point." He says, his voice dripping with amused satisfaction. "That is a very good point."

Notes:

Shen Qingqiu's quote is taken from bcnovel's Scum Villain Translation of the Nightmare arc. Chapter 18. Shen Qingqiu says it to Luo Binghe.

Chapter 2

Notes:

Thank you all for the amazing response to the first chapter! No real chapter warnings necessary for this chapter. There are some references to past torture (Shen Qingqiu) but nothing graphic and it sort of pokes at the opening scene of the show with the whole 'drag the pot into the middle of the throne room' scene which struck me as very very creepy in how chill everyone was about this.

And I struggled with the decision whether or not to refer to Luo Binghe as either Luo Binghe or Luo Bingge, but eventually settled on the first one. So this is most definitely Bingge, but I'm just gonna refer to him as Binghe in narration.

Chapter Text

Ning Ying Ying isn't sure what Sha Hualing said to their husband, but whatever it was seems to have ignited a fire in his heart in a way that she hasn't seen since the old days when he had made the decision to bring the world to its knees before him. She hadn't even realized that fire had dimmed into embers until it rekindled, bright and terrifying.

Things have been very, very strange these last few weeks. It all started with that strange scenario of her husband tearing through the palace looking for their old master. It had made Ning Ying Ying cringe, fearing that he'd slipped in his remembrance about Shen Qingqiu once more and that they were all going to have to weather another breakdown surrounding the old Peak Lord. Honestly, Ning Ying Ying has always preferred to not spend any time thinking about Shen Qingqiu after the man's death, and probably not for the reasons that her husband would think if he ever considered her feelings on the subject. He'd probably think that she didn't want to think about the man who raised her and whose eyes followed her inappropriately around the peak as she grew into the young woman who eventually took Luo Binghe's hand…but it couldn't be further from the truth. She doesn't like thinking about Shen Qingqiu not because of Shen Qingqiu himself or anything the man did, but because of Luo Binghe and what Luo Binghe did.

Sure, their teacher hadn't been the kindest of souls especially towards Luo Binghe for reasons unknown, but the way that Luo Binghe had reveled in how he destroyed him completely still manages to send a trickle of fear down her spine anytime she remembers it. The way that his eyes would light up and how that smile would curl on his lips anytime he paraded the horrible mutilated monstrosity of their teacher in front of everyone like a particularly entertaining animal on display before he'd disappear with what was left of the man's body and mind down into the dungeons for hours before sliding into one of their beds with far too much pleased satisfaction in his recent actions makes her shiver to remember it. Just thinking about it reminds her of the monster underneath the surface of his skin, the one hidden behind that handsome face and charming tongue that can so easily be triggered to come out and play at a moment's notice. The monster that they all pretend doesn't exist but know deep down into the marrow of their bones that it does.

For years, everyone has known that mentioning Shen Qingqiu is the fastest way to push Luo Binghe into a dangerous rage. Has been ever since their old master's body finally gave way to the damage and horrors that Luo Binghe had forced it to endure and had finally been given the freedom of death much to Luo Binghe's frustration and rage. Back when it'd first happened, Xin Mo's backlash had been terrifying. Luo Binghe tearing through them all to find where Shen Qingqiu was hiding away. It had been hours before they were able to talk him down and convince him that no one was hiding Shen Qingqiu from him and that he was gone for good. It's a scenario that's happened a few times since and everyone knows to run for the hills whenever Luo Binghe seems to forget himself and forget what he did to Shen Qingqiu in the end. Like a child not understanding why a broken toy had to be thrown away and that it will never come back.

That's why her husbands desperate grab of her arm as he called her Ning-shijie as he asked her where 'Shizun' was had made her heart plummet into her stomach and ice flow through her veins.

"A-Luo…he's not here anymore…he's been gone for some time now; did you forget again?"

"Gone? Gone where?" Unable to accept it again, but at least he hasn't started destroying things yet demanding that Shen Qingqiu return right now or else.

"He's dead A-Luo." She says as carefully and as softly as she can. "You killed him, remember?" She has to reach out and put a hand on his arm when he sways for a moment and looks like he might be sick and like the ground has been ripped out from underneath him.

"…I killed him? I killed him?" He seems to repeat a few times, almost like he can't believe it. How could he not? Could he really not understand that even with all of his power the things he did to Shen Qingqiu would eventually be beyond even him repairing the broken pieces? "He killed Shizun…and now he's with…" The words don't fully make sense, and they're almost too soft to hear. "No." There's a fire in his eyes now. "No, he won't touch him. I won't allow it."

He'd gathered a few of them a few hours later, pulling them together to do the strangest version of giving energy to Xin Mo that she has ever done with him before. She'd tried to take off her clothes and he'd recoiled from her like she'd been something disgusting. He'd thanked her for the offer, and he'd cringed when he said 'offer' like he was trying to be kind or diplomatic and yet still couldn't believe he was having to say it before he told them that he was going to try something new before entering their dreamscapes and somehow managing to glean a little power from each of their cores for Xin Mo's abilities. It's softer and gentler than most of the times when he uses their energy to help with Xin Mo's constant thirst, but crueler in the way that it seems as though he's digging through their minds for memories of Shen Qingqiu.

Remembering the memories of it, sometimes Ning Ying Ying wishes that she'd spoken up, even just once. That she'd protested the macabre display just once instead of docilly laying her head against Luo Binghe's shoulder and pretending that none of it was happening. Sometimes, her own silent approval of Luo Binghe's actions in the past regarding Shen Qingqiu sickens her. Sometimes, she wonders how she could love such a man when he shows nothing but passing favoritism and little else. One that she has nothing in common with and who isn't the young boy that she fell in love with back at the Peak but who she can't seem to find it in herself to leave or criticize. Luo Binghe's been abandoned enough, who knows how he'd respond or what he'd do to any of them if they ever tried.

When he creates the portal and jumps through it without a second's hesitation, they're all left in confusion. It's not till he returns that they learn the full scope of what's just transpired. Another world, another Luo Binghe…another Shen Qingqiu at the heart of it all. Sometimes she wonders about that adage that says love and hate are separate sides of the same coin with how Luo Binghe has always gravitated to anything Shen Qingqiu related. She wonders a little what that Shen Qingqiu must have been like to have one Luo Binghe so desperate to return to his side and another Luo Binghe fallen into a kind of blank melancholy after their separation. Two days, what could have truly transpired in two days that could derail Luo Binghe so thoroughly? And why was it always Shen Qingqiu who could pull out the deepest of feelings and emotions from her husband, be he dead or in another world out of reach?

She can't help but wonder about the possibilities of that world. What was she like there? Ning-shijie he'd called her, were they truly not lovers? Were they not married? Did he not take her into his arms and whisk her away into a palace where no one could ever hope to harm her or take her away from him as soon as he was able? If she wasn't one of the wives of Luo Binghe, then just who was she in that other world? What choices and chances did she take with that life outside of marriage to the demon lord? Were there any other options for her outside of it? What was that world like? Did it play out better or worse than theirs?

Whatever the answer is, the knowledge of it has upset A-Luo. Immediately after returning from that place, he'd visited them all in quick succession like he was desperate to reacquaint himself with them, like he missed them or like he was searching for something within their arms that he clearly didn't find with how quickly he'd rip away and go to another's bed and repeat the same pattern over again until he eventually gave up with a frustrated snarl and locked himself in the throne room. No matter what any of them tried to do afterwards was met with any sort of response, A-Luo just kept sitting on the throne with an absent look and with eyes that didn't seem to be seeing anything. Eventually she'd convinced Sha Hualing to give her hand a try at shaking their husband out of whatever spell had taken a hold of him – she has a feeling the spell's name is Shen Qingqiu – and it had obviously been the right choice with how after speaking with the demoness he'd gotten up from the throne and had set about with a new kind of excited energy about him. He'd gone and visited each of them, doted on them in ways he hadn't really done since their courtship and had given out orders to be obeyed while he was away while he prepared for a trip back across the worlds.

She'd tried to ask him how long he'd be gone, but he hadn't answered. He just smiled and pushed her down into the sheets until she stopped thinking about it, letting him infuse Xin Mo with more and more energy. She figures that he'll come back when he deigns to return, just like he always does and Ning Ying Ying settles in to wait for him as she always does. It's strange, when he's gone it's like the sun has gone out and like he's taken the reason for everything with him, but she soothes herself with the thought that he'll be back. Of course he will.

After all, what could be more important to him than his kingdom and his wives?

--

The first world he comes to, he kills Shen Qingqiu within ten minutes of seeing him again. That familiar sneer and that cold gaze raking over him like coals and he rips his limbs off just to hear him scream before he puts him down like the dog he is and moves on.

He's able to restrain himself for the next ten or twenty worlds, managing to not snap and kill that wretch in new and creative ways for at least an hour or so. It's so nostalgic, hearing his screams and seeing the blood flow over his hands. It's alright though, he can do this to this Shizun because this is not the Shizun that he's looking for. This isn't the Shizun that doesn't deserve such harsh treatment from Luo Binghe.

A few times, he kills the Luo Binghe's of those worlds just for being such a pathetic rat as to accept the treatment that he did for so many years with his head down. It's strangely cathartic to say the least, even if he still hasn't found his prize yet.

The amusement, catharsis and nostalgia start to wear thin though after the fiftieth or sixtieth world. More and more frigid and cruel Shen Qingqiu's, that's all he finds. More and more of the world that he knows so intimately and that doesn't resemble that strange mirror world at all. There's no change here, nothing significant that he's able to find at least. Instead he just keeps stepping into the story of his own life at different points in time in the narrative over and over again and with the same cast of characters that he's always known. There's no soft smiles and side rooms to be found and he pushes forward and searches again.

Somewhere past a hundred, he leaves one version of Shen Qingqiu alive. He's not Shen Qingqiu yet, he's still just Shen Jiu and he's just killed the family that used and abused him and Luo Binghe looks down at him covered in the blood of his slain enemies and he approves. Even though it's early though, he can tell when he sees the coldness seep into the bones of that someday-to-be Shizun that he's not the one that Luo Binghe is looking for. So he leaves him there to fall to another version of himself someday in the future. Two broken boys lashing out and hurting the world in a never-ending cycle until one of them ends it for the other.

There's only one kind of major shift in a world that he goes to; and in that world, Shen Qingqiu killed Luo Binghe instead of throwing him down into the Abyss. It leaves the world utterly ravaged and destroyed by Luo Binghe's reawoken father. The humans are dead in that world, everything a barren wasteland under the lazy care of a demon lord who couldn't be bothered to intervene. It solidifies Luo Binghe's decision that he'll never allow his father to awaken or draw breath in the world that he'll go on to claim for himself along with Shizun. Shizun would be mad after all, if Luo Binghe allowed the world around him to fall to ruin.

He loses count of how many worlds he's been to when he crosses the three hundred mark. Now they're just a mix of similar events and cruel eyes. So many Shen Qingqiu's left dead in the dirt behind him as he opens up the fragile veil between the worlds over and over again. It's not in his nature to fail, and it's certainly not in his nature to give up…and yet as each world passes in a blur of rage and disappointment, he can't help but start to feel as though he's never going to find that magic world that will create the Shen Qingqiu of that mirror world.

And then he sees Liu Qingge alive past his fated demise for the first time since that mirror world – and he knows his persistence has finally paid off.

Chapter 3

Notes:

So this chapter got away from me, Liu Qingge took over the narrative and refused to give it up. Also, this just in, this now has a Liu/Shen tag. Don't ask, I don't know what's happening either *shrugs helplessly*

Chapter Warnings: Nothing of note, other than Luo Binghe actually being a rather concerning person and making me side-eye him in uncertain worry for Shen Qingqiu. So business as usual.

Chapter Text

That night, Liu Qingge dreams of Shen Qingqiu.

Strange dreams, that have him revisiting old memories and new ones about the man as he flits between one hazy recollection and the next. He dreams about the Shen Qingqiu he's come to know, that lighthearted fool who thinks that Liu Qingge of all people is easy and fun to be around and who always comes back no matter how awkward and curt Liu Qingge can be sometimes. It's such a separation from the original Shen Qingqiu, the Shen Qingqiu of old, and Liu Qingge has never found the care to mourn for the passing of the first.

It's always been obvious to Liu Qingge that that Shen Qingqiu is gone and that this one isn't him regardless of the multiple checks that Shen Qingqiu has had to undergo in order to ascertain whether or not he's been possessed after his severe personality shift after his horrible fever and qi deviation fueled coma. No matter what they've done, and no matter what tricks they've used – whatever soul that is inside Shen Qingqiu's body now is registering as the one that rightfully owns the body and really Liu Qingge finds it a relief after having dealt with the older model so he's never really pushed harder for more invasive tests. If he makes a point in checking Shen Qingqiu's energy signature these days every time he soothes the Without A Cure flareups then that's more to make sure that the Shen Qingqiu that he's come to know is still very much in there and in control and not someone or something else. He figures that the least they could do is quickly catch the shift and help right it immediately if it ever happened again.

Honestly, he's not sure how anyone can believe that this is the Shen Qingqiu of the past. Especially Yue Qingyuan who apparently has some kind of guilt complex when it comes to the history between him and the Shen Qingqiu of before. Liu Qingge figures that perhaps he might have accepted the idea that a qi deviation could do something like this. That it could create the strangest sort of gap-amnesia he's ever heard of and ease old wounds and bad lessons that a person might have been shaped subconsciously by. That in the face of those memories' absence a lighter, kinder and more joyful version of a person could come out. One that could finally sit down in a room with Sect Leader and manage to hold an actual conversation without the whole scenario turning tense or testy in a matter of minutes leaving Yue Qingyuan looking like he'd be willing to carve out his own heart and hand it to Shen Qingqiu in apology if the other man only asked for it.

Maybe he could have been able to accept the idea that such a thing could lead Shen Qingqiu to forget the grudges of the past and aid Liu Qingge in his own moment of need in the Lingxi Caves instead of taking advantage of his weakness like Shen Qingqiu had always been secretly desiring to do. Maybe he could accept the difference in how Shen Qingqiu treated the other Sect Leaders, no longer looking at them as rivals to be held at arm's length and instead treating them as though they were his own siblings and willing to come to their defense at the drop of a hat.

Maybe he could believe that something as simple as a qi deviation could change up how Shen Qingqiu responded to his duties to his Peak and to his students. Liu Qingge had heard stories, of harsh punishments without real reason and a level of spiteful cruelty towards those who showed exceptional promise who had made the mistake of choosing him for a master – but it's as though overnight the man becomes someone else in that as well. Someone proud of his students and their strengths and accomplishments and someone gentle and patient with their shortcomings. Shen Qingqiu used to be annoyed with his disciples and tended to see them as a burden, and now he referred to them as his 'little ducklings' with such a level of fond pride that Liu Qingge often finds himself sighing and rolling his eyes at. Little ducklings is a good image, with how they trail after him excitedly anytime he's near.

Liu Qingge figures that he could have easily accepted the simple answer in front of them and taken it for face value like all of the others seem content to do – but the truth is that Liu Qingge cannot because of one simple, glaring fact: Shen Qingqiu fights differently these days.

Liu Qingge might not be the best conversationalist, nor does he claim to be the most observant when it comes to people, but there is one thing that he knows better than anything or anyone else and that's fighting. Fighting styles are a kind of touch that exist from person to person that can tell an observer everything about what that person believes, what they value, where they come from and so on and so forth. Liu Qingge has always despised Shen Qingqiu for how he fought. The man's fighting style had been full of underhanded tricks and tactics and he had an almost obsessive need to be mocking or cruel in his victory. He had no honor, and what was worse was that he didn't care to because he actively thought that it was a worthless thing to have. He'd always hated Liu Qingge for his stance on it and Liu Qingge had always felt that Shen Qingqiu brought down the combined honor of the Sects with his very presence. Truly he never understood whatever power the man held over Sect Leader that allowed him to continue on with his shameful behaviors without recourse.

In contrast, the Shen Qingqiu of now has none of those markers or habits. Not even the faint whisper of them in his movements or choices. No, as much as Shen Qingqiu has now decided that he abhors the fight, opting to try for diplomacy for as long as he can until given absolutely no other choice – a trait which has made him a favorite amongst the various Sects these days since his much calmer and peaceful demeanor shows well on Qing Jing Peak and the other Peaks as well – when he finally does get pulled into battle Liu Qingge has never once seen him even entertain the briefest thought of taking advantage of the easy and shameful openings that Shen Qingqiu of old would have taken. It's like the idea doesn't even register in his mind to do, instead he sees the battle as some kind of chess game, dancing around the board with graceful, light and quick steps staying just out of reach until he eventually sets them up to run headfirst into their own downfall like a grand chess master.

He has fun with it, there's no doubts about that, but it's not the same level of spiteful cruelty that the other him had. He doesn't gloat about it anymore; he doesn't mock or sneer or kick them even more when they're down. He fights with honor and he wins with grace and that's how Liu Qingge knows that the spirit inside that body isn't the old Shen Qingqiu.

As he goes through the memories of these last few years, he can't help but want to sigh. Shen Qingqiu has somehow managed to settle himself easily into Liu Qingge's small world despite all odds. So many visits to Bai Zhan Peak, sometimes to train with Liu Qingge –

"Can't you take it easy on this foolish one even once?" Shen Qingqiu asks as he allows himself to remain sprawled on the ground where he fell. Careless about his image as he doesn't move to get up. There's a slight pout on his lips as he glances at Liu Qingge.

"You're the one who said you wanted to train with the Immortal Binding Cables to prepare for any situation where Without A Cure might act up and leave you vulnerable, and I agreed." Liu Qingge reminds him as he approaches. "Don't ask for pity now. Your enemies won't show it, so neither will I." Shen Qingqiu whines softly at his words.

"Liu-shidi is so cruel to me."

Sometimes just to scold him unsuccessfully about 'keeping track' of his students –

"As far as I can tell, there is no reasonable reason for why Bai Zhan Peak's disciples keep running 'surprise attack' drills on Qing Jing Peak's disciples." Shen Qingqiu says, fanning himself calmly as he looks over the tea set and Liu Qingge just takes another slow sip of his tea with a hum. "Liu-shidi."

"Hmm?"

"Why are you giving your disciples praise for their excursions to Qing Jing Peak? And don't pretend that you're not, they already confessed."

"You're too soft on them. Consider it practice for them for the real world."

"Not making them run drills at all hours of the day is not being too soft." Shen Qingqiu says with an amused sort of sigh. "Getting jumped in their beds or when they're just walking around by their sibling Sect disciples however, is mental warfare. I've had two complaints from students this week already. Even Binghe is getting harassed when he's just trying to make dinner." Liu Qingge huffs at the mention of Luo Binghe.

"You favor that boy too much."

"Who Binghe?" Shen Qingqiu smiles and waves it off. "I don't think so. Just like I don't think that you've managed to successfully change the subject off of your students and onto mine."

"You should reign him in better. He's getting too possessive and greedy with your time."

"He's my head disciple. Why shouldn't he be possessive and greedy with my time? How else is he going to get the training he needs to succeed otherwise?" Shen Qingqiu closes his fan and leans over the table to tap Liu Qingge on the head with it. Liu Qingge lets him like he has every other time before. "And you're still trying to change the subject. Stop telling your students to terrorize mine in the name of training."

"I'll take it into consideration."

Sometimes it's just to check in on him after he returns from a particularly bad fight –

There's a soft knock at the door and Shen Qingqiu lets himself in, holding the tray of medical supplies before pushing the door closed again with his foot.

"What are you doing here?" Liu Qingge asks with a frown and Shen Qingqiu just gives him a small smile as he holds up the tray.

"What's it look like? I'm here to bandage your wounds."

"I'm fine."

"Your definition of 'fine' tends to be my definition of 'about to keel over and die'." He sets down the tray next to him and motions for him to shift. "Besides, Mu-shidi said that you wouldn't let him look at you."

"Because I didn't need his help."

"That's exactly why I came. If you don't let him at least get a quick glance, then that means that you're probably hiding something serious that you don't want him to know about." Shen Qingqiu looks him over. "Where is it?" Liu Qingge can see the stubborn set to the other man's brow and he sighs.

"It'll heal. I'm not so weak as to need someone fussing over a flesh wound." Somehow though, he loses the fight or maybe he never even got into the arena to try and fight with Shen Qingqiu, because the man just reaches out and starts shifting Liu Qingge around until he finds the area where a demonic beast got in a lucky shot. Shen Qingqiu makes a soft sound before tugging at the clothes around it before grabbing the supplies and starting to clean it up better than the rushed job that Liu Qingge did earlier. "It's fine."

"…you know you're allowed to be hurt right?" Shen Qingqiu asks softly after a long pause as his hands continue to fuss over it. "No one is going to think less of you. You're allowed to be human. You're allowed to need help every now and then."

"What good would I be to anyone if that were true?" Liu Qingge huffs and Shen Qingqiu finishes bandaging him.

"Why do you think we only care about how useful you are to us? Maybe, just maybe, we care about you more than that." Shen Qingqiu says and thankfully Liu Qingge is saved from having to say anything in response to that – and what would he even say? His throat is tight and he feels tense and he doesn't know why – but thankfully his sister comes in and Shen Qingqiu excuses himself in the face of that. They don't talk about it again, but Liu Qingge makes a point of going over to Qing Jing Peak the next time he has something that should probably be looked at and lets Shen Qingqiu fuss to his hearts content without putting up too much of a fight about it.

Through it all, Shen Qingqiu keeps coming back despite all odds. Settling himself into Liu Qingge's small world like he's always belonged there. He visits, and brings back teas that he thinks Liu Qingge will like, and he researches beasts that might be in the areas that Liu Qingge is preparing to head out to so that Liu Qingge won't 'be caught off guard', and he pokes at him and talks with him in a way that most people are too afraid or to in awe of him to do. Liu Qingge has been a symbol more than a person for so long now, the War God of Bai Zhan Peak, that he's forgotten how to be anything else.

Shen Qingqiu doesn't care about any of that though. Maybe that's the reason why he's become all of the Peak Lord's favorite. He's rather good with ignoring all of that and just letting them be human once more.

The truly horrible thing though, is that Shen Qingqiu has changed once more. Not in the way that the massive shift of the qi deviation allowed, but a deeper sort of crack inside of him that he doesn't seem to know how to patch up and the wound it made inside of him bleeds. Ever since the Immortal Conference, he's been distant. Prone to spacing out and looking at doors like he's expecting – or perhaps fervently wishing – that his dead disciple will come through it once more.

There's a kind of defeat in his eyes that Liu Qingge and the others don't know what to do with and a new tremor in his hands where he clenches around his fans anytime Luo Binghe gets mentioned. It's pretty much made Yue Qingyuan forbid anyone from bringing up Luo Binghe or what happened that day and even if someone were crazy enough to consider ignoring the calm threat that the Sect Leader excludes, they wouldn't be foolish enough to ignore the added threat of Liu Qingge or Qi Qingqi or the rest of Shen Qingqiu's students. It's funny how all of them have taken to working together silently, making sure that one of them is present for Shen Qingqiu to keep the man out of the darker moments of his sorrow. He favored that boy far too much, put too much of himself into him, tied himself together to Luo Binghe far too tightly and now in the aftermath of the boy's death he was left unmoored and deeply shaken.

It makes Liu Qingge wish that he was better with people during those moments when he sees that darkness start to overtake the other despite their best attempts to prevent it. He wishes that this were just a monster or a demon that he could get up and go slay for Shen Qingqiu and manage to bring back the soft amused smiles and twinkling eyes from before. He'd sworn to himself to protect the other from anything in this world; first as a payment for the Lingxi Cave incident and for his immediate failure in paying Shen Qingqiu back by being too late when the other man called for his help with the demon attack and his subsequent poisoning - He did that for Luo Binghe, it always came back to Luo Binghe – but now it was more because Shen Qingqiu was his friend, was someone dear to him, and what else was Liu Qingge good for if he couldn't make sure that those he cared about never had to worry about outside threats? Unfortunately this wasn't a beast that Liu Qingge could go stand and fight against and he hates Luo Binghe for it even though he knows that doing so is foolishness.

Yue Qingyuan says that they just need to give Shen Qingqiu some time and that with time he'll eventually bounce back and learn to live with the loss. They'll make sure that he never attaches himself so tightly to another student to prevent anything like this from happening again, but in the meantime they can only sit by and hope that Luo Binghe doesn't end up taking Shen Qingqiu along with him in the end despite their best attempts.

--

He follows the Bai Zhan Peak's War God for several days at a distance, forcing himself to be patient and to not go storming off into this world looking for Shizun without some understanding of the situation at hand. It wouldn't do to tip his hand this early, and what use is the knowledge that he's gleaned from that mirror world Shizun's memories if he rushes in too soon and makes a sloppy mistake that he could have prevented by just waiting. Shizun will be his, it's a foregone conclusion, and he can show a little bit of patience along the way. He's given so much of his time wooing past wives, surely he can use that same patience for Shizun.

Getting into the man's dreamscape impresses him with how difficult it is. He's never had the pleasure of crossing paths with his bride's brother, and he finds himself deeply amused by the future knowledge that the two of them will undoubtedly come to blows over Shen Qingqiu. It's written all over his memories of Luo Binghe's Shizun. He thinks he has some sort of claim over Shen Qingqiu. How hilariously misguided. Shizun was always meant to be Luo Binghe's. To love or to kill. Always his.

He feels a deep level of pleased satisfaction when he realizes when he is in the timeline. Luo Binghe is down in the Endless Abyss, currently away from Shizun's view and when he's gone Luo Binghe can easily slip into his shoes and Shizun won't be able to register the difference. He expects Luo Binghe to return changed, it seems as though he's going to get exactly what he's expecting.

He opens the portal down into the Abyss, promising to return as soon as he's finished putting down a certain mutt. Then he'll be able to start the next part of his plans.

Wait for me Shizun. I'll be with you soon.

Chapter 4

Notes:

Shen Qingqiu finally takes the narrative! And truly I feel so much for the whole mess that is Yue Qingyuan and Shen Jiu.

Chapter Warnings: Shen Qingqiu considers the future massacre of Qing Jing Peak and has some victim-blaming moments in taking far too much responsibility for Luo Binghe's craziness; but other than that nothing really of note.

Also there's some references to Shen Yuan's misunderstandings or lack of true knowledge when it comes to what actually went down in the book (AKA Yue Qingyuan's death).

Chapter Text

He can tell that he's been worrying them for a while now with how they all keep sharing glances with each other every time they think he can't see them or isn't fully paying attention. Goodness knows that they're not as subtle about it as they seem to think that they are, which is both sweet and painful in its own way. Shen Qingqiu knows though that they're all working under a misunderstanding. They think they know what's happening here and are responding to the situation with that 'understanding' as their guiding principle. They think he's heartbroken. They think he's in mourning for a student that died out on the battlefield.

They don't have the faintest clue. They don't realize that they don't understand anything. They don't get that Shen Qingqiu isn't just mourning the death of his little white lotus, he's mourning their deaths as well.

They don't understand that they're all just dead men walking now. They don't know that the days are counting down to when the child that once stood at Shen Qingqiu's side will return to mutilate Shen Qingqiu for decades in payment for an event that Shen Qingqiu couldn't prevent and kill all of them in violent and sickening ways before absconding with a few new bedwarmers to add to his ridiculous harem.

To think, that once Shen Yuan had cheered at all of the wives and their petty catfights and laughed at all of the stupid porn plots that occurred within the book and didn't pause to really think about how really fucking insulting it was to those women to have a husband that kept coming back with new women and then getting pitted against each other for his amusement and 'favor'. No, now he looks at Ning Ying Ying all grown up into a remarkable young woman who was coming into herself so well and would go on to do amazing things – and he just can't help but despair at the thought that all the future holds for her is a place as one of Luo Binghe's constantly revolving doors of bedwarmers. It makes him sick to the stomach to think about it. Or to think about Liu Mingyan being curtailed into the same fate when he's come to think of the young woman as a kind of cousin figure that he's mildly protective of. He can't see Liu Qingge really allowing Liu Mingyan to fall into Luo Binghe's arms but who knows how any of this might play out at this point.

Although, will either of those two even be spared when Luo Binghe comes back? Now that he thinks about it, Liu Mingyan fell into Luo Binghe's arms because Shen Qingqiu killed Liu Qingge and Luo Binghe helped her get 'justice' for it. No such thing has happened here, and despite that short glimpse he got of the two of them talking once before, Shen Qingqiu isn't certain how deep any feelings might run between the two. Not just that, but Ning Ying Ying's crush on 'A-Luo' had waned in those last final years. Does that mean that she's not protected by the wife halo anymore? Will Binghe cut them down when they inevitably stand against him in defense of Cang Qiong?

What about the younger children? The new disciples who had nothing to do with the time before Shen Yuan came and took over for Shen Jiu? What about them? It's sickening to him to realize that he'd never really paid them any passing thought when he'd read the novel and its descriptions of the destruction of Cang Qiong and Qing Jing Peak in particular. All of those extra people had just been nameless, faceless canon fodder for Luo Binghe to work through and declare victory upon their deaths…but none of that is true anymore. He knows each of their faces, he knows each of their names. They're not useless filler characters meant to make the whole thing seem more impressive, they're children. How could he have ever felt a sense of satisfaction when reading their demise? Did he think them all adults who raised swords to defend the Peak and died for it? Would that even matter? Even with what happened to Luo Binghe in the past not everyone here was involved in it so why did they all have to go down for it? They were innocent and they'd be slaughtered like cattle in Luo Binghe's determination to reach his old teacher and pay him back a hundred-fold for what transpired once upon a time.

He often finds himself walking through the pathways of Qing Jing Peak and sees the students rushing all about and his mind will start to play tricks on him. He'll see Ming Fan and he'll get the passage of his death in crystal clear clarity playing through his mind as though he's just finished reading it once more. He'll walk down the bamboo paths and tries to ignore how he can already smell the smoke and taste the ash in the air on his tongue and hear the soft echoes of what sounds like screams in the distance…he thinks sometimes that the System must be playing with him, preparing him for what's to come.

But Shen Qingqiu has to have changed something right? He has to have changed even just a little tiny bit and he prays that it might be enough that maybe, just maybe, they can be spared if Shen Qingqiu hands himself over to Luo Binghe. Could Luo Binghe even do it? Could that little white lotus of Shen Qingqiu's really go through with all the slaughter?

It terrifies him that the answer is yes. It has to be, or he guesses that it will be when the time comes. Luo Binghe came out of the Abyss more demon than man, having cast away the weakness of his humanity and he never showed mercy to anything standing in his way.

Sometimes, Shen Qingqiu finds himself waking up from horrible nightmares where he sees everything dying and he's crawling over the blood-soaked ground, pleading and begging on his knees for Luo Binghe to just stop and when he wakes, he barely manages to keep himself from running outside and demanding that they all leave. Outright order them to abandon the Peak. Maybe if they're not here then Luo Binghe won't chase after them. Maybe if they just give him Shen Qingqiu then this can be settled without the horrible wanton violence that Luo Binghe will bring down on this place.

On children. On his shidi's and shimei's. On his old friends.

…On his Shizun.

"Shidi, are you alright?" Yue Qingyuan's voice brings him back to the present and he jolts a bit as he looks up to where the other man is sitting across from him. Yue Qingyuan's voice is as soft and gentle as it ever is when he speaks to Shen Qingqiu, yet there's a distinctive feeling that he's trying to soothe a spooked animal that might bolt if he's not careful.

"Of course." Shen Qingqiu says and they both know that he's lying. It's not even a well-done lie. He can hear it in his voice. It's too tight and too far away and too tiny. He clears his throat a little. "I was just thinking that it might be time to resume missions and night hunts for the students." He says in an attempt to steer the conversation into safer waters. "It might be best if the students were allowed to leave Qing Jing Peak for a while, and get some 'real world experience' as Liu-shidi would say." Hopefully they'll all be out on a mission in two years when he returns. Maybe he can get as many off of the Peak as possible when Luo Binghe comes calling. That won't save the children he can't help but think and he has to swallow down the bile.

"Of course, that sounds acceptable." Yue Qingyuan agrees easily. He's always like that, so calm and always ready to have Shen Qingqiu's back and all Shen Qingqiu can think is that that desire in him to protect Shen Qingqiu is going to get him killed and it'll all be his fault.

"Tell me something." Shen Qingqiu asks as Shang Qinghua ruffles through the various order requests on his desk.

"Shoot."

"There's one thing I never really got. Why did Shen Qingqiu kill Yue Qingyuan?" He asks and Shang Qinghua actually pauses for a moment to look up and level a baffled glance upon him. "I mean, I get that he was a scum villain and all that, but I never really understood the animosity between them."

"He doesn't." Shang Qinghua says. "I mean sure, he was angry at 'Qi-ge', but he didn't kill him."

"Didn't he though? I mean, the arrow thing. Kinda hard to forget and who does something like that to someone they don't hate?"

"What? No bro, that was Luo Binghe." Shang Qinghua says with a shake of his head and ice goes through Shen Qingqiu's veins at those words. "I mean, I know that I probably didn't delve too far into that whole thing and maybe it wasn't all that clear in the final draft after the outline got lost, but Shen Qingqiu didn't kill Yue Qingyuan. Yue Qingyuan died because he got lured into a trap by Luo Binghe while trying to save Shen Qingqiu."

"What?"

"Yeah bro. I mean sure, Shen Jiu was all kinds of 'fuck that guy' to Yue Qingyuan…but like at the same time he really…wasn't? Like he would have never allowed that to happen to Yue Qingyuan if he could have stopped it. That's what made it so sad and, in the end, why I didn't elaborate too much on it. I mean, readers weren't really all that interested in having Shen Qingqiu be humanized or having any sympathy for him but I mean, I don't have to tell you that."

"…so I haven't saved Yue Qingyuan? It's not like Liu Qingge?" Shen Qingqiu asks softly and it hurts. He thought that it would never come to pass, that Yue Qingyuan was safe now that he was here and not Shen Jiu, but that never really mattered because Shen Jiu didn't kill him after all? "Luo Binghe kills him…for me?" Shang Qinghua pauses for a moment and gets a tiny guilty look.

"…yeah bro. Yeah, Luo Binghe kills him to get back at Shen Qingqiu. Yue Qingyuan wasn't ever going to sit back and let Shen Qingqiu be hurt by anyone else ever again and not come for him."

"…do you think we could convince him to not come for me when the time comes? If our backup plan fails?"

"…I'm sorry bro." Shang Qinghua says with a small shake of his head. "There's no world where Yue Qingyuan doesn't come for you in a heartbeat if you're in trouble. More so now, because he thinks…he wants to protect this version of you, you know? The one that he thinks came from Shen Jiu forgetting all of the crap they had to deal with growing up. He thinks that this is what you could have been if none of that had happened and he wants that for you. He'd give anything to keep you happy like this…even his life."

Another future rushing at them that Shen Qingqiu hasn't managed to stop. Another future death where someone suffers because of a stupid system and a stupid plot and a stupid stupid reader stuck in the middle of it all. He doesn't even realize that his hands are shaking again around his teacup until a pair of warm hands enclose around them gently and he glances up to see Yue Qingyuan's patient gaze looking at him in concern.

"Shidi, is everything alright?" He asks. "I hope that you know…that you can trust me. I would never let you down again, this I promise you. Whatever is bothering you, we're here and we want to help." Shen Qingqiu doesn't know what Yue Qingyuan sees on his face, but whatever it is makes a soft furrow show up between his brows. "You've not been yourself for a while now…we had hoped that with some time there would be improvements…" Yue Qingyuan glances down at where he's helping steady Shen Qingqiu's hands for a moment before he looks back into his eyes. "But it seems as though it's only getting worse." Shen Qingqiu's hands feel like ice even under the warm grip of the others. What is he supposed to say? What would he even be allowed to say? That there's a bomb that's ticking down with no hope for diffusing it? That they were all going to die horrible, gruesome deaths in just two more years all because it read better to a bunch of morons living in a world where none of this held any real weight? Where all of it was just 'escapism'? Where they cheered at the levels of cruel depravity that Luo Binghe could go to in order to 'get his revenge' before skipping ahead in the chapter to see who the new legs of the week were going to be?

That because of that damn plot, Shen Qingqiu has done the unforgiveable and destroyed an innocent? Luo Binghe was innocent once and Shen Qingqiu put a stop to that quite spectacularly. He looks at Yue Qingyuan's eyes though and something cracks.

"…I feel like it's all my fault." He admits softly, and it's all he can say but even letting that much out hurts. "I just…can't help but feel that it's all my fault." Yue Qingyuan's face actually falls a little, overcome by far too much pained sorrow from the looks of it.

"Xiao Jiu." He says softly and it's been a while since Shen Qingqiu has heard him slip and call him that. "None of this is your fault." He doesn't know how wrong he is. "Did you set up the attack?" He's clearly waiting for an answer and Shen Qingqiu shakes his head. "Did you unleash the demons onto the grounds?" Another head shake. "Are you responsible for the choices that others make?" That one makes him pause. He knows that Yue Qingyuan means the demons choices to attack, but all Shen Qingqiu can think about is Luo Binghe.

"What if they made them in response to something someone else did?"

"Even if that were the case, they would still be the ones responsible for the choices they made. No one gets an easy pass and gets to hand off the responsibility of our own actions onto someone else no matter how easy it might be to do or how much we might want to do it or how 'justified' we might claim it is. At the end of the day, our actions are our own; and no one else is responsible for them but us." There's a moment before the soft laugh that tears itself out of Shen Qingqiu's throat echoes in the area and it's far too shaky. Yue Qingyuan's thumb rubs gently over the back of his hands. "No matter what someone else did, we have to carry the burdens of our own choices. We can't carry the burdens of someone else, it's not how it works. You have to accept that we are responsible only for us and we do the best we can and sometimes…" He gets a small, almost rueful smile. "Sometimes we fail despite our best intentions, and people we care about can get hurt; but at the end of the day the only one we can control is ourselves. You're not responsible for the actions someone else takes." They sit there in silence for a bit before Shen Qingqiu nods and manages a tiny, but authentic smile to the other and it makes a soft smile bloom on Yue Qingyuan's face in response to it.

"Thank you." Shen Qingqiu says and Yue Qingyuan nods and he seems to wait for a moment before he pulls away and just sits back down. "Perhaps you're right…perhaps I'm stressing too much over things outside of my control." He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "Maybe…maybe the students aren't the only ones who need a break from here."

"Would you like me to assign you a mission?" Yue Qingyuan asks, sounding pleased with Shen Qingqiu's statement. "As always, I would request that you not go alone, just in case Without A Cure flares up; but I do think it would do you some good to change your routine up a little."

"Liu-shidi always has some sort of mission or two he's doing." Shen Qingqiu says thoughtfully. "I doubt he'll mind too much if I tag along."

"Liu Qingge does in fact have a mission that he'll be leaving for soon." Yue Qingyuan nods. "I don't foresee him having any disagreement with you joining him for it. I'll inform him right away."

Yue Qingyuan leaves their meeting looking lighter than when he came into it and Shen Qingqiu lets himself settle a little. He's still got time, almost two years. He'll come up with some kind of plan before Luo Binghe returns. He has to have changed something, and silently he begs that fate be kind to him just once and give him something good to work with going forward.

…He forgets how much fate seems to hate him here.

Chapter 5

Notes:

I really like the thought of Shang Qinghua and Shen Qingqiu actually being good friends and working together despite everything ridiculous happening to them and so that's portrayed in their interactions with each other in this story. Plus it was interesting to consider how Luo Binghe messing up the multiverse might effect not just those worlds - but the various transmittigator Shang Qinghua's considering his connection to the texts.

Chapter Warnings: None whatsoever. Just plot and character stuff.

Chapter Text

Liu Qingge has just finished a rather disappointing training session amongst the Bai Zhan Peak disciples and he looks at them littered around the training grounds and he wants to sigh. If another demon attack happens like the one with that demon saint or like at the Conference, then what hope do the other peaks have if Bai Zhan's people are this weak?

"Not everyone is you or your sister. Sometimes just being pushed and pushed and pushed doesn't work for everyone. Sometimes a gentler hand is necessary to let them know not to give up. If you only ever tell them how pathetic they are, what's going to stop them from thinking that about themselves and from stopping altogether?"

Shen Qingqiu's words come to him and he sighs as he looks out at them all breathing so heavily. A few look like they want to just give up the ghost where they lay right now and it makes Liu Qingge sigh.

"You're getting better." He says and he watches how all of their heads practically swivel over to him so quickly that he'd be afraid of neck injuries and their eyes are wide and surprised. "You did well." He says and he sees the strangest response to his words – a few look like they might cry, and honestly Shen Qingqiu is much more suited for this 'gentle teaching' stuff.

He's spared from whatever theatrics his students were prepared to unleash on him when Yue Qingyuan steps onto the training platform. It's not often that Sect Leader comes down to Bai Zhan Peak himself, and Liu Qingge's first thought is that he's curious what could possibly be so important as to require an immediate audience.

His second thought is the realization of the answer. There's only one thing right now that could be it, and Liu Qingge remembers that today would have been Yue Qingyuan's and Shen Qingqiu's meeting which means that Yue Qingyuan must have come right over after he left Qing Jing Peak.

"Is he alright?" Slips out of his mouth instead of the 'is everything okay?' that he'd originally intended to say. He feels that the concern is justified however, Shen Qingqiu has his good days and he has his…really not good days. Yue Qingyuan just gives him a small tilt of his head that soothes a little bit of the worry that had started to build.

"Might we speak inside?" He asks and Liu Qingge nods once and turns, barking a few orders to his students who have gotten whatever that slip up was earlier back under control and they bow and take off immediately to go do it in a manner that strikes Liu Qingge as strangely lively for them after a training session before he pushes it out of his mind and guides the Sect Leader to his private quarters and invites him in. Yue Qingyuan waits patiently at the table as Liu Qingge makes some tea and puts it out in front of them.

"How was he?" Liu Qingge asks after the silence holds for too long.

"I'm hopeful." Yue Qingyuan says after a moment, a tiny smile coming onto his face and he sounds rather pleased and something inside of Liu Qingge relaxes, something he hadn't even realized was tense.

"Oh?"

"He spoke to me a bit about what is bothering him." Yue Qingyuan says, clearly wanting to give him something to work with and yet not being willing to disclose whatever it was that Shen Qingqiu spoke about. That's good, Liu Qingge would have thought less of Yue Qingyuan if he had broken Shen Qingqiu's confidence like that. "I think a breakthrough has finally started."

"Good." Liu Qingge says with a nod and Yue Qingyuan mimics it. "What brings you by then?"

"Shen Qingqiu has decided to leave Qing Jing Peak for a mission." Yue Qingyuan says. "He wants to get out of his current routine for a bit and perhaps chase away some of his melancholy with work and new surroundings."

"He shouldn't go alone." Liu Qingge says immediately. "If something were to happen with his meridians then he'd be helpless, and his students are practically useless in battle. They're not an acceptable fill in for protection of a compromised Peak Lord if something occurs."

"I agree." Yue Qingyuan says before getting a tiny, amused smile. "At least about the idea that for his first mission out after everything that he shouldn't have students as backup." His smile falls a little. "Shen Qingqiu has been far too close to a qi deviation ever since the Conference, and we all know how dangerous qi deviations are for most of us but they hit Shen Qingqiu…unusually harshly and in unpredictable ways." Liu Qingge can't help the small huff he gives to that sentence. That's one way to describe Shen Qingqiu's last deviation. "He might be feeling better, or at least better enough to try venturing out, but he is still severely emotionally compromised, and I worry that it could far too easily be turned into something dangerous for him if something manages to trigger him."

"I can give my mission over to someone else and go with Shen Qingqiu." Liu Qingge offers, figuring that it's pretty obvious what Yue Qingyuan is hinting at with his visit here today.

"Thank you." He says. "Although that won't be entirely necessary. You won't need to pass on the mission, the both of you can still handle it."

"It's just a beast slaying." Liu Qingge points out. "Hardly worth two Peak Lords being sent for it. I can assign a few disciples to it and Shen Qingqiu and I can take something a little more appropriate for the effort being sent out." Yue Qingyuan shakes his head and a thought crosses Liu Qingge's mind. "If you're worried that something will happen, don't. I will protect him. He will be safe."

"Of that, I never even had a passing doubt." Yue Qingyuan assures him immediately. "I know how close you and Qingqiu-shidi have gotten these last few years. He trusts you implicitly, and I know that you would not allow any harm to come to him while he was under your charge. There is no one else that I'd entrust him to over you."

That's high praise indeed, and Liu Qingge allows himself to feel it. Considering how protective over Shen Qingqiu that Yue Qingyuan has always been. The Sect Leader has always been known to favor the Qing Jing Peak Lord over everything else, something that used to grate on Liu Qingge but doesn't really anymore; maybe because now he understands the urge. Those two have always been close though, even when Shen Qingqiu could barely stand to be in the room with the other man for longer than five minutes and their bond has just gotten tighter since the qi deviation. If there were anyone that Shen Qingqiu would defer to even over his own wishes or desires, it would be Yue Qingyuan; and Yue Qingyuan has held that level of trust close to the chest and protected and nurtured it in his own ways. No one has missed how Yue Qingyuan practically glows anytime Shen Qingqiu turns to him with those easy smiles or goes to him for advice or follows Yue Qingyuan's orders without the slightest argument. So being trusted with all of that playing around in the background is a heady feeling as far as Liu Qingge is concerned.

"I will approve for Shang Qinghua to allot the two of you a larger set of funds than originally determined for this mission." Yue Qingyuan continues and it pulls Liu Qingge back into the conversation at hand.

"That's unnecessary." He says with a shake of his head. "It's a straight forward mission. We should barely need what we've already got."

"Yes, it could be a rather straight forward mission." Yue Qingyuan says calmly, grabbing his tea and taking a small sip while Liu Qingge looks at him suspiciously.

"Meaning?"

"Who knows what might arise when you get out there? There are a few rumors that have reached our ears that might as well be looked into if someone is already down there. It could only take a day or two as originally considered…or it could take potentially longer." Yue Qingyuan says and when he sees what must be the most unimpressed blank look on Liu Qingge's face he sighs. "I believe that the location you're going to has been gaining some popularity for it's more…vibrant entertainments."

"We wouldn't be there for entertainment purposes."

"Sometimes, partaking in the local life is necessary for the mission at hand." Yue Qingyuan says like he's trying to impart some grand knowledge upon him. It's not working though, because all Liu Qingge is hearing is that Yue Qingyuan wishes for him to be dishonorable and to misuse his and Shen Qingqiu's positions in order to slack off. If he ever caught one of his students doing that their whole body would be black and blue by the time he was finished with them. Yue Qingyuan seems to register this fact after a moment and sighs. "I think that it would do you both some good to be very thorough on this mission and to take as much time as you need…and perhaps not rush back."

"Is this supposed to be a mission or a vacation?"

"Which answer would you prefer?" Yue Qingyuan asks calmly and he puts down his tea cup on the table. "Qingqiu-shidi needs some time away from Qing Jing Peak. We both know this, and he's ready to branch out finally and do so; but this mission will have him back in his bamboo hut within the day. I think that any progress that he might have made could easily be hindered or undone by such an immediate return to old areas and routines." He sighs. "However, Qingqiu-shidi will not accept being sent on a trip down to clear his head. We both know that he'll refuse it if it's given to him that way. Now, I have no doubts that he'll catch on, but there is a better chance of him accepting it and playing along if you're there and if it's not entirely portrayed as a…vacation being given to make him feel better." There's a few moments of silence between them.

"I see." Liu Qingge says after a bit. "I suppose…that this once I can allow it."

"Many thanks."

--

"You know, I feel the need to point this out, but if you had just let me use a carriage like I had wanted to, then we wouldn't be having these problems." Shen Qingqiu can't help but be a little shit and point out with a tiny amused smile that he's barely able to get the fan up to in time so as to block it from his companions irritated gaze. Liu Qingge gives him a sideways glance and a perfectly arched eyebrow along with it. "Just saying."

"If you hadn't been so…flamboyant, then none of this would be happening." Liu Qingge retorts and Shen Qingqiu bites his lip to hide his chuckle.

"Flamboyant?" He says, pretending to sound slightly wronged. "Hardly Liu-shidi. Saying hello and being polite isn't being flamboyant by any definition of the word."

"You talked to everyone." Liu Qingge seems to feel the need to remind him and Shen Qingqiu nods.

"Of course I did. Sect Leader told us to research into the excess rumors coming out of here, how else were we to find out information if we didn't ask for it?"

"There's asking for information, and then there's what you did."

"That hurts me Liu-shidi. Please, tell this foolish shixiong what he should have done instead."

"You know what you did." Liu Qingge says instead of answering him. "And now because of it you have…fans." He looks over his shoulder towards where the small group of curious villagers have taken to trailing behind them at a distance.

"What makes you think they're following us because of me?" Shen Qingqiu asks, trying and failing to hide his growing amusement, especially when Liu Qingge gives him that unimpressed look again. "I think you're underselling the situation at hand. I mean, who wouldn't be in awe and want to chase after the beautiful war god of Bai Zhan Peak?" Liu Qingge does his whole 'I'm going to look anywhere else but you, because you're an embarrassment that I can't believe I know' thing that he does whenever Shen Qingqiu pokes at him for his reputation. "I'll bet that they'd be willing to sell their left arm to be able to see you in action." Liu Qingge lets out a disbelieving huff.

"If they're chasing after beauty, then they aren't following me." Liu Qingge mutters, barely loud enough for Shen Qingqiu to hear and Shen Qingqiu tuts at him, closing his fan to smack the other lightly on his arm with it.

"Who else then? Don't sell yourself short. I'm pretty sure that you're probably the most interesting thing that's happened to them all year." Shen Qingqiu pauses for a moment as a thought hits him. "Well…I mean apart from all the missing people; so more like the first good interesting thing that's happened to them in a while. All the more reason why they're curious, they've probably never actually seen a cultivator work firsthand, let alone one as famous as you."

"Qing Jing Peak is no less impressive than Bai Zhan." Liu Qingge states and Shen Qingqiu huffs out a small laugh.

"I suppose to an outsider that's true enough." He turns back to the road that they've been walking on for a while now. It hasn't actually been all that far of a walk from the main city in the area and Shen Qingqiu can see why a quick and decisive hand needed to be given here with any demonic beasts that decided to set up camp so closely to a human settlement.

The rumors that Shen Qingqiu got in town though are concerning, for reasons that he can't really explain to his companion.

"You're heading out?" Shang Qinghua asks and Shen Qingqiu nods.

"Yeah, Liu Qingge and I are heading down into town to deal with something that's eating people on the roads and to look into a few strange stories." He says and he notes that small hand twitch that Shang Qinghua does whenever he isn't saying whatever it is he's thinking about. "What is it? Is this a plot or something that I should know about?" There isn't a lot of information on this side of things in the original novel since it followed Luo Binghe's adventures in the Abyss before he returned.

"What? No…no I don't think so…" Shang Qinghua says and Shen Qingqiu goes to the door and closes it before returning to the others side.

"Airplane-Bro, what's going on? Is everything okay?" He asks and the other takes a moment before he does the strangest little unsure shrug. "What is it?"

"It's been a while since my King has contacted me." He replies and Shen Qingqiu nods with a small amount of understanding. "And I don't know…something is…off."

"Off?"

"Can't you feel it?" Shang Qinghua asks him and Shen Qingqiu shakes his head. "What about your System? Anything going on with it?"

"No?" Shen Qingqiu says. "Why? Is something going on with yours?"

"I don't know. Something is just…something's wrong. I can feel it in my bones, but I don't know what it is."

"I can stay." Shen Qingqiu offers and Shang Qinghua shakes his head.

"No, no you need a break from freaking out about Luo Binghe's return." He says before he takes a big, rather shaky breath. "Right now it's just a feeling. I've been having it for a while now and I'm probably just jumping at shadows because of it." Shen Qingqiu isn't sold on it.

"You're the author of this world…if something were seriously wrong, then would you feel it?" Shen Qingqiu asks and Shang Qinghua sighs.

"I feel a lot more than you do, and I'm more connected to it then you are; but I don't know. I've never experienced whatever this is before."

"Maybe it's because the world is expanding? Adding information that you didn't create?" Shen Qingqiu offers. "Maybe it's just the strain of the system having too much information being coded into it too quickly?"

"Doesn't that usually preface a system crash?"

"God I hope not." Shen Qingqiu shivers and Shang Qinghua shivers along with him. "Are you absolutely sure that you don't want me to stay?"

"No, maybe you're onto something with the expansion. Try and get as much information as you can and bring it back to me. Maybe it will trigger something, or maybe it'll be entirely new information and we'll know for sure. I'll keep trying to keep everything here afloat and wait for my King's word."

"Okay, I'll bring back everything I can." Shen Qingqiu says. "Just…keep me updated and…don't do anything stupid."

"We both know I can't promise that." Shang Qinghua says with a small chuckle and Shen Qingqiu finds himself matching it.

"The information puts this thing in this area. We should probably tell them to hang a little further back and prepare to see what it is that's been taking people off the roads." Shen Qingqiu says aloud and Liu Qingge nods as he clearly prepares to just go storming into the woods after whatever this thing is.

Lunatic. Shen Qingqiu can't help but think fondly as he motions for the people following them to stay a little further back with a motion of his fan and follows after him.

Chapter 6

Notes:

Thank you so much for the reviews! I love them! And don't worry, we'll be seeing Binghe here soon enough!

Chapter Warnings: None. Liu/Shen cuteness? Oblivious morons?

Chapter Text

"The scales on its underbelly are weaker than the ones on the rest of its body." Shen Qingqiu says in a calm and almost genial sort of tone while sitting comfortably on the broken, overturned tree trunk while fanning himself idly looking to the world at large like he's meditating. He can hear the awed, hushed whispers of the townspeople that Liu Qingge had ordered him to protect while the other took on the demonic creature in front of them and Shen Qingqiu figures that he can understand their amazement. It never did get boring watching Liu Qingge fight, be it creatures or poor poor students, and now is no different. "Perhaps dealing with the tail would be a significant boon, all things considered." Shen Qingqiu can't help but poke when he can tell that Liu Qingge had to do an undoubtedly rather impressive looking twisting flip to avoid having the razor-sharp barbs on the tail from taking him out.

"Shen Qingqiu!" Liu Qingge growls and Shen Qingqiu can't help the amused smile that crosses his face. Liu Qingge is the one who told him to sit back and he figures that's what he's doing, but he can't help but poke at the other and give useless and unwanted commentary in his best 'teacher bestowing knowledge on a student' voice which is clearly getting to the other.

Which basically just means that Shen Qingqiu is having a great time.

"Immortal Master Shen." One of the villagers ask and he makes a curious humming noise to let them know that he's listening. "Shouldn't…maybe you should help him?"

"Whatever for?" Shen Qingqiu asks, not opening his eyes as he continues to fan himself. "He's enjoying himself, why would I impose on that?"

"Enjoying himself?" Another voice mutters sounding like they think the two of them might be crazy. They wouldn't be wrong.

"Of course. He could have killed it in less than two minutes if he wished to." Shen Qingqiu informs them. "Honestly, at this point it's just playing with his food." He sighs motioning for them to back up once more and doesn't even bother to raise his voice as he speaks to the other Peak Lord. "Speaking of food, Liu-shidi is aware that its dinnertime, yes?"

"You just ate!" Liu Qingge's voice comes over the sounds of the battle.

"I do not recall this." Shen Qingqiu replies to that serenely.

"You had the noodles at the inn when we checked in."

"I didn't get to finish them."

"You bought melon seeds at that first stall."

"Melon seeds are not a meal made." Shen Qingqiu informs him. "They're like small appetite suppressors until you are able to find real sustenance." There's the sound of Liu Qingge landing a heavy blow on the creature and the ground shakes for a moment.

"You bought youtiao from that one merchant who wouldn't stop staring at you while you ate it."

"Ah yes, that was pretty good." Shen Qingqiu remembers with a small nod. "Went well with the tanghulu…and you're right, he did keep staring, it was very odd." Shen Qingqiu waits a few moments. "So…what were you thinking for dinner?"

"Don't care." Liu Qingge replies with a small huff, clearly giving up against Shen Qingqiu. "Whatever you want."

"Hmm…those noodles sound good."

"You just had those noodles."

"I didn't get to finish them. I feel like we had this conversation already." Shen Qingqiu opens his eyes and snaps his fan closed. "Oh! Maybe we can have dinner at that one restaurant that we passed on the main street. It looked rather lively and smelled good if I recall correctly."

"Fine. If that's what you want."

"Liu-shidi is so good to me." Shen Qingqiu says before he stands and fixes his sleeves. "Shall we go? You have to be bored by now?"

"True." Liu Qingge says and the villagers all stare in open mouthed amazement as the War God stops playing around with the beast that had terrorized them for so many days and takes it down with one powerful strike. The ground shakes one final time as the beast falls over dead and Shen Qingqiu approaches Liu Qingge where he landed and looks at it.

"Should we have it sent back to the Mountain?" He asks, checking it over as Liu Qingge shrugs and puts Cheng Luan away. "Mu Qingfang might find use for its poison glands. He always does appreciate it when we send him new substances to test on and make new antidotes and medicines from them."

"We don't need to send the whole thing back if only the glands are useful."

"I'm not going to cut them out and if you even try to, I'm going to hit you with my fan." Shen Qingqiu replies firmly. "We're not walking into town with you looking like a serial killer. They probably won't let us have a table if you do."

"Is all you think about is food?"

"Liu-shidi, you wound me. I'm a man of many layers. Like an onion." Shen Qingqiu says and Liu Qingge gives him an arched eyebrow. "Okay, I recognize in hindsight that I used a type of food to argue the point, but no one just eats an onion outright so I feel that I don't fully deserve that look." Liu Qingge huffs out an amused sounding sort of chuckle as he shakes his head. "Come come, lets get them to bring a wagon and load it up to transport and get out of here."

--

Maybe Yue Qingyuan was onto something, and all Shen Qingqiu needed was some time away from Qing Jing Peak and from the ghosts that haunted him at every corner. Liu Qingge had watched Shen Qingqiu slowly but surely relax the further they got away from the Mountain, almost as if he was finally able to breathe again from something that had been preventing it before. Or at least it seemed that way as Shen Qingqiu hadn't been this lively in far longer than Liu Qingge had the heart to recall.

Although, with Shen Qingqiu's newly returned liveliness they did have to put up with…how had Liu Qingge referred to them before? Oh yes, fans. It was always odd traveling with Shen Qingqiu even before the Immortal Conference during their joint missions. The man somehow managed to straddle the line of being completely untouchable and completely approachable all at the same time. Liu Qingge was used to people keeping their distance from him, somehow intimidated by him even when he wasn't doing anything worth being intimidated by. Shen Qingqiu though had a natural talent for putting people at ease and also making them feel like they were the only thing that he was focused on and by god the things they'd talk about just to keep that attention on themselves was almost impressive.

Somehow, because of it Shen Qingqiu had managed to get every single random 'tale' that was going down in this town and the border towns close by with barely any footwork. They all came to him. However, Liu Qingge did have to admit that there was something odd about so many strange happenings in so short of a span of time, not to mention in such a small area. It was entirely possible that there was some sort of rift or something nearby that was creating this, but Liu Qingge hadn't sensed anything of the sort no matter how far he let his awareness branch out.

"So, what did you think?" Shen Qingqiu asks him when they've retired to Shen Qingqiu's room for the night and Liu Qingge takes a sip of tea.

"Odd." He acknowledges and Shen Qingqiu reaches up to undo his hair crown before tugging it all apart with his fingers and reaching for a brush to brush it out properly and prepare for sleep. "If even a third of these 'rumors' are true then that's still far too many events happening in such a short period of time and in so small a location."

"Agreed." Shen Qingqiu nods. "Although it is possible that it's just one thing masquerading as several in order to throw off suspicion or preventing someone from realizing or recognizing a pattern."

"That'd be a poor mask for it. Still too noisy, and it'd draw more attention by so many strange events happening together."

"That might be true for people like us who know that it's odd, but for someone who only knows superstition and word-of-mouth stories? They might be likely to believe it or overlook it or just be in fear of it and keep their heads down." Shen Qingqiu says, putting down the comb and braiding his hair in a single braid before letting it fall over his shoulder and coming over to sit down across from him. Liu Qingge pours him a cup of tea and the other takes it with a small grateful nod. "Try as we might, too many real things are tied into too many superstitions that keep people from realizing the truth of the matter. Especially out in the border towns." Liu Qingge makes an agreeing sort of noise. Qingqiu is right after all, far too many times Liu Qingge's students or Liu Qingge himself have had to contend with people absolutely sure that a demon plaguing the area was really a god or a message from their ancestors or a righteous punishment for something that someone must have done wrong.

"Why attack here though?" Liu Qingge asks. "It's big, but still growing and likely to have odd events stand out."

"Maybe the influx of people has also brought an influx of demonic activity?" Shen Qingqiu offers with a small shrug. "Or it's entirely possible that most of these situations aren't demonic at all."

"What do you mean?"

"Missing people doesn't always mean demons, and in a city like this it might very well mean human interference hiding in plain sight."

"Slavers?" Liu Qingge hates people like that. Worse than any demon.

"Perhaps. Or just a really sick individual doing horrible things. Maybe both, maybe neither. We don't have enough information to go off of right now." Shen Qingqiu sighs. "I know that Sect Leader wanted us to just look into these rumors, but I'm not sure we should be away from Cang Qiong for too long. We were really only sent here to handle the extermination."

"Don't worry about that." Liu Qingge says. "Sect Leader will understand if we want to be a little more thorough."

"True." Shen Qingqiu replies and Liu Qingge is glad that he doesn't have to say out loud that this was the plan all along. To have Shen Qingqiu away from Qing Jing for as long as possible.

"How are you feeling?"

"You mean my spiritual energy?" Shen Qingqiu asks and Liu Qingge nods. "Solid. Doesn't feel like it's about to have any problems, but we both know how little that means." He smiles at Liu Qingge. "I suppose I'll have to rely on you in case something happens shidi."

"What else is new?" Liu Qingge huffs with a dramatic roll of his eyes and Shen Qingqiu's smile just grows into something a little more softly amused over the playful tone it had before.

"Well regardless, I think a few hours of footwork might be enough to determine which of the rumors are based in fact and which are just fanciful tales passed down from one person to the next." Shen Qingqiu says thoughtfully. "It would be good to know what we're going up against, and lay out the groundwork for a plan going forward." Shen Qingqiu looks at him and winks. "Not all of us can just 'go in there and beat it into submission' as some of us can."

"Well I'm right here right now." Liu Qingge points out.

"I suppose you've got me there." Shen Qingqiu says before he reaches out and puts a hand on Liu Qingge's forearm lightly. "…thank you, Liu-shidi. Truly…for all of it. Thank you."

"What's gotten into you?" Liu Qingge can't help but ask, to try and diffuse the strange heavy atmosphere that came over them. He didn't need Shen Qingqiu's thanks for looking out for him. They were friends, were they not? Shen Qingqiu lets out a soft chuckle and he shrugs lightly.

"Who knows, maybe it's just-" Shen Qingqiu cuts off suddenly with a hissing sound of pain as his eyes scrunch closed and he reaches up to grip his head.

"Shen Qingqiu?" Liu Qingge says, immediately getting up to come over to the other cultivator's side and he's not sure what to do when Shen Qingqiu falls sideways to the ground, his hands grabbing at the side of his head while he curls in on himself in clear agony. "Shen Qingqiu!"

Chapter 7

Notes:

Some of you guessed it!

Chapter Warnings: References to Character Death. Shen Qingqiu doesn't respond to it well.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

It hits with all the subtlety and warning of a freight train with a personal grudge against him. One moment he's having a nice conversation with Liu Qingge and just winding down for the night in preparation for their upcoming work, and the next his mind is trying to tear itself apart.

Danger! Danger! Danger! Unforeseen Complication To World Stability Detected! Danger! Danger! Danger! The System is blaring warnings and system popups and Shen Qingqiu feels like he's fighting to keep his sanity in check while trying to get a hold on whatever is happening. It's too much, too much useless data rushing by, too many warnings, too many alarms, too many pop ups; he feels like he's on the verge of a brain meltdown or crash.

Danger! Danger! Danger! Host Accounts Ejection Eminent! World Destabilized! Error! Error! Error! Immediate User Input Required! Protagonist Halo Unassigned! Danger! Danger! Danger!

Protagonist halo unassigned? What the hell did that even mean?

System! What's going on! Tell me what you need! What's happened?

Protagonist Life Signs Non-Existent. Protagonist Halo Unassigned. No Core Available For World. Immediate Hosts Ejection! World Unstable! Danger! Danger! Danger! User Input Required!

Wait – what?! What did it mean that there were no protagonist life signs? How…that wasn't…that wasn't possible, right? It couldn't be possible! Luo Binghe couldn't be…he couldn't be…. he just couldn't be… What about the storyline? How did this happen? There's no way that Shen Qingqiu fucked up the Abyss pathway, and certainly not to this extent! He'd made sure that Luo Binghe had actually been more prepared for the Abyss than his original counterpart. There shouldn't have been any problem that Luo Binghe came across that Shen Qingqiu hadn't already taught him all about it over their years as teacher and disciple. Every single beast that Shen Qingqiu could remember from the text he made sure that it would be randomly covered in a lesson, complete with weaknesses and strengths and how to properly utilize any extra parts that could be used for food or healing. Luo Binghe should have been fine! How was he…no, no he couldn't be. The System was wrong. It had to be wrong!

System what the hell!? What's this about the protagonist halo? What do you mean it's unassigned? It's assigned, it's Luo Binghe's! It should have made him invincible! What the fuck happened?!

Dual Protagonist Halos Engaged. Error! Error! Error! World Unstable! User UV002 Immediate Input Required.

What input! You're not making any sense! What the hell am I supposed to do about that?

Danger! Danger! Danger! World Destruction Eminent! Danger! Danger! Danger!

You ridiculous IT nightmare! What input? What do I do?

New Item Acquired: Protagonist Halo. Please Assign To Stabilize World. Danger! Danger! Danger! Unassigned Protagonist Halo. World Unstable. User Input Required. Danger! Danger! Danger!

How can I have the protagonist halo in my inventory? It's Luo Binghe's! It was supposed to keep him safe! What kind of faulty ass protection is that? How can it not be assigned? Give it back to Luo Binghe! Bring him back!

Error! Error! Error! User Doesn't Have The Necessary Requirements Available For Previous Protagonist Resurrection. Error! Error! Error!

Take all of my points! I don't care! Take whatever you want! I'll take any punishment! Bring him back!

Error! Error! Error! User Doesn't Have The Necessary Requirements Available For Previous Protagonist Resurrection. Error! Error! Error!

There are more numbers and streams of nonsense data rushing through his head and he wonders if he's dying under the weight of it all. It certainly feels like it.

…How could Luo Binghe be dead and Shen Qingqiu still be here? In what world did that make sense? Just how unfair did fate feel like being towards him that it would leave him standing when Luo Binghe no longer was?

System, if I assign the protagonist halo, what happens?

World Restabilized. New Core Created. Danger! Danger! Danger! Protagonist Halo Cannot Be Not In Effect. User UV002 Immediate Input Required. Task: Assign Protagonist Halo.

The halo, who can get it?

Unspecified. Unlimited. User UV002 Must Choose.

Anyone. He can give it to anyone and it will restabilize the world again. How is it that simple? How is any of this happening? Did he fail a mission that he didn't know about and this is one of the system's penalty scenarios? It's cruel, even for it if it is. Something inside of him though knows that it's not, this is real – as fickle as reality has been since the start of all of this, and now he must choose someone to replace Luo Binghe.

How does one even try to replace Luo Binge? It can't be done. How could anyone think that Shen Qingqiu is the appropriate one to do it? Who could he possibly ever hope to believe could replace the protagonist?

Wait, System! Why am I picking the new protagonist? Why isn't Airplane Shooting Towards The Sky making that choice? He's the author!

User UV001 Currently Offline. Unable To Receive Input. User UV002 Acknowledged. Please Delegate. Complete All Tasks Assigned. Danger! Danger! Danger!

Shang Qinghua was offline? What the hell did that mean? First Luo Binghe is dead and now Shang Qinghua is offline? That stupid author better not have gone and gotten himself hurt or something because Shen Qingqiu will…Shen Qingqiu will…

…he'll be worried. What does offline mean? How is any of this happening? He has to settle himself and remind himself that offline clearly doesn't mean dead because the heartless system seems to have no compunction with dropping that word on him. Shang Qinghua will be fine. Shen Qingqiu just has to handle this, then he can go figure out what the hell happened and tear whoever or whatever hurt Binghe to pieces and make sure that Airplane-Bro is fine – Mobei-Jun should have stepped in right? But didn't Shang Qinghua say that something was wrong on that front? Is this what Shang Qinghua has been feeling? The complete breakdown of the plot and the death of vital characters? God, Shen Qingqiu prays that Mobei-Jun is fine. They can't all lose someone important to them today, Shang Qinghua will never bounce back. Shen Qingqiu isn't even certain that he can knowing that his little lotus is gone forever. Wasn't he supposed to fix the plot? Make it smoother or better? How did any of this factor into that?

Wait, wait hold on a second. The System said 'dual protagonist halos engaged'. Dual. As in two protagonist halos. If Luo Binghe had one, then who the fuck had the other?

System, who has the other protagonist halo? The one not in inventory?

User Inquiry Processing - - - Answer: Luo Binghe.

What? But…Luo Binghe is dead?

Correct. Protagonist Deceased. User UV002 Please Assign Protagonist Halo. Danger! Danger! Danger!

How could Luo Binghe be dead and not be dead? That doesn't make any sense! I need to know before I proceed!

User Inquiry Processing - - - Answer: Dual Luo Binghe's Present In Reality. Original Text Luo Binghe's Signature Confirmed.

WHAT?!?!

Luo Binghe from the original text?! The Luo Binghe that turned him into a human stick and with whom Shen Qingqiu hasn't managed to hopefully soothe some of his rage towards outside characters? The one who killed Yue Qingyuan? Who killed Ming Fan? Who decimated all of the cultivation sects of the world? Who made a mockery of himself while disgracing Ning Ying Ying and Liu Mingyan and thousands of other women?

The one that Shen Qingqiu did everything in his power to try and prevent his Luo Binghe from becoming? He was here?!? How in the fuck did something like that happen?!

Wait- Hold up. The original Luo Binghe killed Shen Qingqiu's Luo Binghe? Shen Qingqiu will kill him. He doesn't even care, he'll take a page from his book and rip him limb from limb and beat him to death with them! Stallion Protagonist or no! Come at him!

Not that he's under any delusions that he'd win. With or without the protagonist halo assigned to him, which means that it'd be a waste to tie it to him. Luo Binghe will undoubtedly want to kill the new Shen Qingqiu which means that he can't tie this world to his lifeforce otherwise it's all going to fall apart anyways. Plus…he kind of doesn't want a 'hard to kill/unlikely to die easily' modifier attached to him when he finally crosses his worst nightmare. All things considered with where this story is apparently going to go.

Who could possibly be the new protagonist though? Who could stand up to Luo Binghe or even just try to with any hope of being successful? It can't be Yue Qingyuan, even if that seems like an obvious choice. Shen Qingqiu knows all about his problem with his sword which means that an all-out battle with Luo Binghe could destroy him or leave him with barely any lingering life left. Who's to say that Luo Binghe wouldn't just make it a battle of attrition? He knows Yue Qingyuan's weakness already which means that all he has to do is stay close enough to be a threat but far enough away that it wears Yue Qingyuan down. Plus, Yue Qingyuan has always felt more like a shield to Shen Qingqiu and they don't need a shield, they need a sword. Someone who can challenge Luo Binghe without fear head on and potentially win.

…He knows the answer to the problem immediately. It's obvious. Not just that, if this is original Luo Binghe then he knows nothing about the other. It's the only wild card that this world has that might work against him.

System! Activate Protagonist Halo Transfer!

Activating Protagonist Halo Transfer. Please Specify Recipient.

Recipient Liu Qingge!

User Choice Acknowledged! Thank You For Your Input! Please Continue Your Efforts! Activating New Primary Protagonist: Liu Qingge. Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations!

You're a menace.

New Points System Updating. System Update Required.

Wait what!? What do you mean new points system? Are you fucking kidding me? Are you trying to tell me that I'm going to have to do protagonist satisfaction for Liu Qingge now?

User Correct! New Primary Protagonist Acknowledged! Please Continue Your Efforts! System Update Incoming.

No! No fucking updates! I was supposed to help Luo Binghe! You can't just tie me in to Liu Qingge now! How is that fair!?

Primary Protagonist Halo Now In Effect. This System Thanks User.

Thanks me? Are you kidding me?! If you want to thank me then fuck the update and delete that other Luo Binghe!

System Cannot Grant Request. Protagonist Halo Characters Absolute.

Wait, if Liu Qingge kills Luo Binghe what happens to Luo Binghe's halo?

User Inquiry Processing - - - Answer: Protagonist Halo Cannot Be Not In Effect. Assignment of Halo Will Immediately Commence Or World Will Destabilize.

So what is this? The hot potato halo? Ridiculous!

Update Ready! The cheerful chime dings and if Shen Qingqiu could strange the system right now, he most definitely would. Thank You For Your Efforts! Points Awarded For 'Preventing Total Collapse' 150 B Points!

150 lousy points!? I just stopped the end of the world! That's worth at least 500! System? System we've talked about this!

He's prevented from any other retorts to the system when everything finally goes silent and with it, he falls unconscious. His final thought is how now that he's no longer hearing the blaring System warnings, he thinks he hears Liu Qingge shouting his name.

I'm so sorry Liu-shidi. I put you in his path, but there wasn't anyone else but you. I hope this gives you a fighting chance. God I hope this gives you a fighting chance…I can't lose anyone else.

--

It's been an extremely long and trying day, but thankfully things have finally started to quiet down once more at Qian Cao Peak. Mu Qingfang is more than ready for this day and its problems to be over and done with as he does another check of his patients' spiritual energy and clicks his tongue at the lack of response.

Today has been nothing if not confusing and chaotic. It all started with the incident at An Ding Peak with Shang Qinghua being beset upon by some strange kind of qi deviation that left him a thrashing, screaming ball of pain that had his disciples tripping over themselves in panic to come get Mu Qingfang and help him out. By the time they'd managed to get him there though, Shang Qinghua had been unresponsive, blood all over his face from where it'd leaked from his ears, eyes and nose.

They'd moved him immediately to Qian Cao Peak and Yue Qingyuan put a silencing order on everyone at An Ding Peak that had been privy to the event that had just occurred to the Peak Lord before Mu Qingfang was able to try and determine what on earth had just happened. He'd never seen anything like it before, and that was saying something. Not just that, for all he could tell there was nothing wrong with his fellow Peak Lord despite the obvious signs that something was wrong and his sudden coma that no amount of spiritual energy passed to him woke him from.

Mu Qingfang was in the process of admitting to the Sect Leader that perhaps this was a strange demonic attack that they'd never seen before when the doors got kicked open and Liu Qingge rushed into the room with Shen Qingqiu in his arms. It'd taken just one look to see the blood tracks from his eyes, ears and nose to know or to at least suspect that whatever had just happened to Shang Qinghua had somehow also affected Shen Qingqiu. A touch to Shen Qingqiu's meridians had shown a similar tale as Shang Qinghua and Mu Qingfang cringed inwardly at having to tell the other two Peak Lords that he had no answers for what had happened to either man.

"Could it be poison?" Yue Qingyuan asks, his calm tone betrayed by the way his hand is clenched at his side. "Shen Qingqiu had gone to visit Shang Qinghua before he left for his mission. Perhaps something they both came into contact with during that time has caused this?"

"I don't know, but we have to take it as a serious threat. Have all the areas that Shang Qinghua visited closed down for now until I can come and do a thorough search to see if something turns up." Mu Qingfang says. "It very well could be some kind of poison, or even perhaps a cursed object that they both came into contact with. It'd be a curse I've never seen before, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

Sending Liu Qingge away had been a lesson in patience and frustration that eventually had only succeeded due to Yue Qingyuan's direct order and Mu Qingfang's very determined recommendation. Normally, new levels reached in spiritual power was a good thing. Rare, but a very good thing in most cases. Liu Qingge's mysterious surplus of spiritual energy though had the potential to backlash horribly, especially with how he was fussing and worrying over Shen Qingqiu's state. It had been impressive to hear how fast the Bai Zhan Peak Lord must have pushed Cheng Luan to go in order to make the time he did to get Shen Qingqiu help. Knowing that though, and knowing how out of balance his emotions were right now had all but required Liu Qingge to go to the spirit caves in order to settle his energies before he had a qi deviation as well and put them down three Peak Lords instead of just two. Qi Qingqi wasn't sure what was happening, but she'd been tapped to go with Liu Qingge to be his backup in case something went wrong with his balancing.

"Any changes?" Yue Qingyuan's soft voice interrupts his thoughts and Mu Qingfang shakes his head.

"No, I'm sorry. I wish I had better news. They're still not responding to treatment, but their meridians show no signs of tampering or threat. I don't know what set it off or why they won't wake up. The best I can give you right now is that apart from their comas there's no signs of damaged sustained and their spiritual powers are steady. I'll admit that I'm worried that Shen Qingqiu might experience a Without A Cure flareup and if that happens then there's no saying what could transpire." There's no tell on Yue Qingyuan's face that any outsider would be able to read, but Mu Qingfang is no outsider and he recognizes that look in the Sect Leaders eyes. It's the same one that had him shirking his duties the last time Shen Qingqiu went into a coma after the fever and deviation and had him sitting at his side in a bedside vigil until the other awoke once more. "I'll keep working on it. If it happened, then there's a reason for it. I'll find it and I'll fix it."

"Thank you Mu-shidi." Yue Qingyuan replies.

"You should rest." He starts to say but Yue Qingyuan shakes his head.

"I'll remain here. Just in case Qingqiu-shidi's poison acts up and you need someone to aid with the spiritual power transfer while you work." Mu Qingfang wants to argue, but Sect Leader is right. They can't have someone who isn't a Peak Lord and who doesn't already know about Shen Qingqiu's condition try and stabilize him. Without knowing what they were going up against they could do more damage than good and Mu Qingfang will need to be free to do whatever it is that would be needed at the time which means he isn't able to be the one giving the spiritual energy and trying to cure it.

"Very well." He says with a sigh. "I'll put on some tea. I have a feeling that it's going to be a long night."

Notes:

Protagonist Halo Liu Qingge Activated! Had to give him a fighting chance/hope against Bingge afterall! :-D

Chapter 8

Notes:

Chapter Warnings: None

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

System Update Complete! Thank You For Your Continued Patronage!

'Get Bent' is probably the first thought that Shen Qingqiu should have had upon awakening into the world once more, but instead all he can do is gaze up at the canopy above him and lay in complete stillness for a few moments. Luo Binghe is dead. Is what crosses his mind instead and for a moment, he doesn't know what to do with himself other than just keep lying there and trying to breathe.

…Hooray? Is that what he should be feeling? Wouldn't it make sense to feel that way? If Luo Binghe is dead then that means that he can't return to Qing Jing Peak. It means that he won't be the one to kill Yue Qingyuan, or turn Shen Qingqiu into a human stick for events that Shen Qingqiu didn't even do. It means that Shen Qingqiu doesn't have to see his little white lotus get blackened into a monster because of fate or whatever the hell is guiding them at this point. It means that he doesn't have to worry about having to meet those eyes again and see hate in them. No…it means that the last time they met each other's gazes Luo Binghe's eyes were filled with a horrible mix of disbelieving betrayal and desperate despair.

The ceiling gets a little blurry and Shen Qingqiu can feel the tears starting to run down the sides of his face. Why does it feel like Shen Qingqiu has taken a blow to the chest? Why does he feel like everything is wrong? Like a puzzle that was almost finished and then someone came and separated all of the pieces and told him to do it again and he just couldn't find the energy to do so?

Why the fuck is that other Luo Binghe here? What the fuck does he want? How dare he do this? What, did he just decide that he wanted a better fight after he'd conquered his world completely and decided 'you know what? Let's go off other versions of me'? What right did he have to come here and to fuck with anything? Was it even intentional? Or did that Luo Binghe come here by accident and saw the Luo Binghe of this reality as a threat to everything that he was going to go on and fuck up? Now a monster wearing Luo Binghe's face was going to come down on them and only Shen Qingqiu and Shang Qinghua would know that an imposter was standing before them at the end of it all.

Would that Luo Binghe choose to come after them? Or would he fuck back off to wherever he came from now that he'd destroyed the Luo Binghe of this world? There was no real way to know, not without knowing how he came to be here and for what reasons.

"Qingqiu-shidi." Yue Qingyuan's soft voice comes right next to him and he turns slightly to be able to see the other and Yue Qingyuan looks worried. It's that same small furrow in his brow that Shen Qingqiu has tried to keep from appearing because of him and it seems as though he's failed once again on that front. Yue Qingyuan seems to hesitate for a moment before he reaches over and gives a gentle sort of wipe to the tears that have fallen. "Qingqiu-shidi, are you alright? Are you in pain?"

"No." He forces out. "No, I'm fine." He looks around and he sees Shang Qinghua lying on a bed nearby and Mu Qingfang has started fussing about him. He's awake too it seems, must not be 'offline' anymore, whatever that meant. Shen Qingqiu will have to ask. He glances around the room and doesn't immediately see a certain face. "Liu-shidi?"

"He's in the spirit caves right now." Yue Qingyuan replies. "He brought you here for treatment a few days ago. Do you remember what happened?"

"A few days?" Shen Qingqiu asks, clearly pressing for a more solid number and Yue Qingyuan grants it.

"You've been unconscious for almost three days now." He says and Shen Qingqiu stares in surprise. "Do you remember what happened? Anything? Any hint that might explain what befell you and Shang Qinghua?"

"Shang Qinghua was hurt too? Is he alright?" Shen Qingqiu asks, figuring that he should play along with the 'I know no reason why Shang Qinghua and I would have matching System delegated fits. No sir'

"Mu-shidi is helping him now. It seems that whatever has held sway over the both of you has finally released it." Yue Qingyuan states and Shen Qingqiu lets out a soft sigh.

"That's good to hear." He takes a moment. "I don't remember much? I think we were preparing for bed and then there was this terrible pressure in my head. That's all I remember; I don't remember being brought here or anything else between then."

"Liu Qingge returned with you immediately when he could not stop the attack. Nothing else of note has occurred during that time." Yue Qingyuan says and Shen Qingqiu thinks 'good' for a brief moment. It at least means that Evil Luo Binghe hasn't arrived yet in any capacity because he doubts that no one would tell him at this point. He's probably trying to gain some kind of foothold in the demon realm if he's planning on sticking around for a while. Isn't this around the time that he saves Sha Hualing and she fully falls in love with him? Or shouldn't that have already happened by now? Maybe he'll build up some of his demon harem a bit before he comes storming out to break everyone else's toys.

"I'll have to thank him." He mumbles softly and he's silent for a bit before a thought comes to him. "Why is Liu-shidi in the spirit caves?"

"Liu Qingge experienced a breakthrough in his cultivation level. His surplus energy was too unstable though and he was made to go settle it in the caves before a backlash might overtake him." Oh, that must be a side-effect of the halo transfer. Liu Qingge was already OP on his own, Shen Qingqiu did wonder a bit what he would be like now. He has no doubts that it'll be impressive.

"Am I free to leave?" Shen Qingqiu asks and Yue Qingyuan looks uncertain.

"Perhaps wait for Mu-shidi to agree to it. We still don't know what happened after all, and the threat of a relapse is entirely possible without knowing the cause or the trigger." Yue Qingyuan says and Shen Qingqiu nods. He figures from their point of view that this must have been very confusing. Shen Qingqiu isn't even sure what a full System rewriting the world update would look like on the bodies of the two transmittigators trapped in the story.

He sits there and waits for the clean bill of health, or the semi-clean bill of health, that Mu Qingfang gives him before he bows and leaves the area much to Yue Qingyuan's and Mu Qingfang's obvious, but thankfully silent, disapproval. He falls in stride with Shang Qinghua when they finally get out of there and the two of them don't say a word until they make it to An Ding Peak and into Shang Qinghua's private office and the other man closes the door.

"Cucumber-Bro…I'm…" He cuts off, like he's not sure what to say and Shen Qingqiu feels like he understands that problem. He hasn't known what to think or say or do about this whole situation either.

"Have you heard from Mobei-Jun?" He asks and Shang Qinghua frowns and shakes his head, tugging a little bit on the bottoms of his sleeves in that nervous, my-mind's-a-thousand-miles-away sort of way that he does sometimes.

"No, but I didn't really have reason to fully panic until now." He states. "I don't even know what happened. The System just went haywire and that was it. I didn't know about the full updates or the reasons for the updates until I woke up."

"…Luo Binghe is dead."

"…yeah man…I saw."

"Liu Qingge is the new protagonist."

"Yeah, I saw that too. He'll be really good at it…always meant to do something more with his character."

"He was dead, how could you do something more?"

"Flashbacks mostly. More for Liu Mingyan feels than anything else."

"Why didn't you?"

"Didn't want to show too much favor to one of the wives mostly." Shang Qinghua admits. "The readers would have eaten me alive if I had, which means any wife side-story had to be done for the entire inner harem and by that point it was already in the double digits and I just didn't have the energy to do it. Plotted some of it, but never got around to actually writing it out."

"Oh…makes sense." Shen Qingqiu says and the two just stand there awkwardly for a moment. "The System said that you were 'offline', are you okay?"

"Ugh, it was the worst. There were too many notifications of broken storylines and I guess I just sorta crashed." Shang Qinghua admits. "What about you?" He hesitates. "Are you okay?"

"Luo Binghe is dead." Comes out past his lips for some reason and Shang Qinghua nods like somehow that sentence makes sense in some kind of fashion. "Luo Bingge is here."

"What?" Shang Qinghua says, looking at Shen Qingqiu's face for a moment before horror crosses his own. "Wait, what?"

"He killed Binghe…I don't know why."

"Hold up, I'm still on the 'Bingge is here' part!"

"Yup."

"Fuck…. shit…that's…. that's…. that's bad bro."

"You think I don't know that?" Shen Qingqiu asks with far too much calmness. "You think I don't know what happens next in my storyline with that asshole?"

"…he used to be your favorite character."

"He just killed my favorite character." Shen Qingqiu retorts. "I'm not feeling particularly fond of him right now." He doesn't know when he snapped out the fan but he's fanning himself slightly with it and he hopes it's hiding the small tremor in his hand. "We need a plan. The Sun and Moon Dew Flower isn't going to be ready in time."

"What kind of plan could we hope to make for Bingge?"

"One that hopefully doesn't get everyone else killed like they died in the original novel." Shen Qingqiu says as calmly as he can. "Liu Qingge has the protagonist halo now…maybe…maybe he can kill him."

"I don't know." Shang Qinghua admits slowly. "I mean, Liu Qingge was written to be the strongest human cultivator of like, all time bro…but that's not half heavenly demon."

"He won't stand idly by while Bingge attacks the Sect so we have no choice but to pull all of our resources and knowledge and help him win this fight."

"I have to contact my King." Shang Qinghua says. "Make sure that he knows what he's dealing with." He's got that nervous energy again and Shen Qingqiu nods.

"I'll cover for you."

"Thanks Bro." Shang Qinghua says with a grateful kind of look. "Just promise me that…promise me that you'll stick to Liu Qingge like glue?" His eyes hold a kind of serious worry in them and it's no longer directed at the concern over the Ice King's current status. "Don't…don't give him a chance to catch you alone."

"Liu Qingge can't be with me the whole time. I'll have to go back to Qing Jing Peak."

"That's the last place you should go."

"It wouldn't make any sense for me to be anywhere else." Shen Qingqiu points out. "And besides, I want to send Ming Fan and Ning Ying Ying away on a mission with some of the other juniors that he might recognize or take offense to."

"He's going to take offense to anyone wearing Qing Jing's colors. It was kind of a 'red flag waving in front of the bull' sort of thing for him after a while."

"I can still try." Shen Qingqiu says firmly. "I won't hide and leave them out in the open. What kind of Shizun would I be in that case?"

"A not dead one." Shang Qinghua mutters before he sees the stubborn set of Shen Qingqiu's jaw. "Fine, fine." He pauses for a moment. "I think we should tell the others about Luo Binghe."

"What would we say? What would the System even let us say? 'Oh, the novel version of this world's protagonist has just shown up and is plotting to psycho murder us all in our sleep, by the way how's the tea'?"

"I was thinking more we admit what happened at the Conference. Tell them about his half demon blood and that he isn't dead."

"What good is that gonna do?"

"At least it might let them know what kind of threat might be showing up at their doors."

"You just want me to admit to them that Luo Binghe is pissed at me and might come to rip all my limbs off."

"Duh, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong." Shang Qinghua points out and Shen Qingqiu pauses to think about it.

"Fine…I'll tell Liu Qingge and Yue Qingyuan. If they want to tell everyone else…then I won't stand in the way of it." Shen Qingqiu says and Shang Qinghua lets out a breath in a giant kind of whoosh like he'd been holding it in.

"Good, good."

"I'm going to head out to the spirit caves now to check in on Liu Qingge, if you're going to leave now would be the time."

"Thanks bro. I'll be back as soon as I can, and hopefully with some kind of information about what the fuck is going on."

"Won't that be nice?" Shen Qingqiu pauses. "…Be…Be careful okay? I don't want to find out that something happened to you out there."

"Hey bro, I'm a survivor. It's what I do. If I run across Bingge, I'll pull a page from your book and hug those thighs so tightly that they just might pop off. I'm good at making people realize that I might have just enough value to keep alive for the moment."

"If you're in the position to grab something tight enough to make it pop off, aim for the neck." Shen Qingqiu mutters darkly and Shang Qinghua pauses for a moment before he reaches out and tugs lightly on his sleeve.

"…are you going to be okay? I mean…I know how close you were…"

"…You shouldn't wait. If you get caught leaving, Mu-shidi might lock you back up in the medical wing and keep you there." Shen Qingqiu replies, not touching the real question with a ten-foot pole right now. Shang Qinghua gives him a final sort of searching look.

"You're going to tell Liu Qingge when you go meet him right?"

"That's apparently the plan now."

"Promise me."

"I promise." Shen Qingqiu says easily and Shang Qinghua holds up his pinky and it makes him huff out an amused sound before he reaches out and curls his around the others. "See, now I've got to do it."

"Okay, be careful Bro. Don't take candy from strangers, don't open the door to unexpected guests, don't take dark alley shortcuts – ow!" Shang Qinghua cuts off when Shen Qingqiu huffs and whacks him on the head with his fan. "I'm trying to remind you about all of the classic horror tropes bro! You know, like don't be the stupid person who has sex while getting chased!"

"Are you listening to yourself!" Shen Qingqiu snaps, hitting the other with his fan again. "Just who would this master sleep with while getting chased down by Bingge? Huh?"

"Oh, you know…there are people who wouldn't object…"

"Airplane-bro?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and run before I decide to kick your ass for speaking absolute nonsense. There's no one who wants to have sex with me. That's ridiculous and we're leaving it at that."

"Whatever you say bro." He shrinks in on himself when Shen Qingqiu holds back up the fan and he covers his head quickly as he rushes towards the door and out of his reach. "I'm going! I'm going!"

"Absolutely ridiculous!" Shen Qingqiu huffs when the other disappears through the door and he straightens his robes. He'll swing by the kitchens to bring Liu-shidi something to eat before he heads down to the spirit caves. It's the least he can do since the man undoubtedly exhausted himself rushing Shen Qingqiu back here.

He lets out a soft sigh, and heads out.

Notes:

SQQ - Nobody wants to sleep with me.

SQH - Are...Are you kidding me right now?

Chapter 9

Notes:

Chapter Warnings: None really. SQQ sees an opportunity to explain away some of his transmitigator weirdness and takes it by the horns. System is curiously lax about what he's allowed to say.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

One thing that has always been true about meditating or trying to cross a hurdle in one's cultivation level in the Lingxi Caves was that it was near impossible to accurately tell the passing of time. One could easily be within the Lingxi Caves for years and yet it had the potential to feel as though only mere hours had passed. Normally, such a thing doesn't bother Liu Qingge. He's never really been one to worry about the passing of time or how long something was taking to accomplish. Things take however long they're going to take and trying to rush them tended to backfire in horrible ways. He's always known that, and because of that he's never been one to rush anything be it cultivation or practice.

There's only one time in all of his years that he can say that he left before he was fully prepared to go, and that was back during the demoness saint attack on the Peaks. Back when Shen Qingqiu had sent a couple of students with the command to make an absolute mockery of themselves by banging on the walls and screaming his name at the top of their lungs like they were being mauled by wild beasts at that precise moment in time.

"It looks like making the decision to send someone to imitate Aunt Snow to slap the wall of Lingxi Cave and howl for you to come out was the correct choice." Shen Qingqiu had laughed softly when he'd said that despite the pain of Without A Cure eating through his spirit pathways and still to this day Liu Qingge has never fully remembered to inquire about Shen Qingqiu's aunt and why such a noisy and ridiculous thing would be associated with her.

Right now though, Liu Qingge is feeling the slow crawl of time like he never has before and it's driving him mad. It feels as though everything is moving at a snail's pace. He can hear each individual drop of water falling from the ceiling and it has become its own kind of external clock that seems to be mocking him. How much longer must he be here? How long before this bottleneck worked itself out?

Why has no one come to bring him any word about Shen Qingqiu's and Shang Qinghua's current status? Had they gotten worse? Had they woken up yet? Did they find out what had caused whatever horrible fit it had been that had overtaken them? Qi Qingqi has huffed in frustration a few times, being forced to come forward and help him settle the uneasy energy surging along his meridians each time the dripping water and lack of information starts to get to him with a firm reminder each time to pay attention and to maintain his focus.

He feels chastised each time, a sensation he hasn't felt since he was a disciple and yet it doesn't seem to stop his mind from wandering over and over again. He finally hears the soft rustle of robes approaching and he hears Qi Qingqi let out a small huff of relief.

"Finally. Absolutely ridiculous what's become of him. You handle this." She says to the newcomer and Liu Qingge's fists relax a little where they're clenched on his lap as he hears Shen Qingqiu let out a soft chuckle and thank Qi Qingqi for her time and that he'd take over from here. Liu Qingge keeps his eyes closed during the whole interaction, pretending to be in a much deeper level of meditation then he is as Shen Qingqiu finally approaches and he hears him lower himself nearby and the sound of a tray being put down on the ground.

"Liu-shidi, you're nowhere near as good of an actor as you think you are." Shen Qingqiu says and he sounds amused. "Come, I brought food." Liu Qingge opens his eyes to take in the other and it's good to see that he's apparently fine. His color has returned to normal and he seems healthy enough. He watches as Shen Qingqiu starts to serve out a bowl. "I grabbed it from An Ding Peak's kitchens, so you don't have to worry about the Qing Jing Peak flavor profile."

"What flavor?" Liu Qingge can't help but say as he reaches out and takes the bowl that Shen Qingqiu is offering to him and Shen Qingqiu chuckles.

"Fair enough." He says as he starts making his own bowl. "Although I feel like I should not bear the brunt of those choices because that menu has been around for ages and for some reason people get fussy when you try to tell them that maybe, just maybe, a little spice is a good thing. They act like you're committing blasphemy, so alas Qing Jing Peak is pigeonholed into plain boiled vegetables and whatnots." There's a moment where he looks down at the bowl in his hands. "I miss Binghe's cooking." He says softly, almost like he doesn't mean to. "Never fully realized how spoiled I was with it…"

"How could you not?" Liu Qingge retorts. "He carried around snacks for you at all times and was always plying you with them." He reminds the other and he sees the softest and saddest of smiles on the other's face.

"Yeah…He was good to me…far better than I was to him…I wish…" He trails off and seems to struggle to get himself back under control before he looks up at Liu Qingge. "What about you? Yue Qingyuan says that your spiritual energy went crazy, is everything alright?"

"I'll be fine."

"Your definition of 'fine' or my definition of 'fine'?" Shen Qingqiu asks with an arched eyebrow.

"Mu Qingfang's definition." He tells him and Shen Qingqiu nods, clearly pleased with that and the two of them eat in silence for a bit. "How are you?"

"Fine." Shen Qingqiu says and Liu Qingge can't help but repeat his earlier words.

"By yours or my definition?"

"I don't think I'd survive long enough to make it to your definition." Shen Qingqiu grins and Liu Qingge can't hep but smirk back in agreeance. "Mu-shidi isn't entirely sure what caused it, but both Shang Qinghua and I are back on our feet with no discernable injuries so I suppose we're taking that as a win and hoping that it doesn't happen again."

"So no one knows what set it off?"

"Mu-shidi had no concrete answers to give." Shen Qingqiu replies. "Hopefully it was a one-time thing though, I'd rather not have to experience something like that again." Liu Qingge agrees as he takes a few more bites. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For getting me back here so quickly." He says and Liu Qingge just shrugs. There's no reason to thank him for that. What else was he supposed to do? Leave him there to die? Take him to some healer who couldn't even hold a candle to Mu Qingfang? Continue to try and stabilize him himself despite the frustration that it didn't work in the slightest when he'd tried as it was happening?

"Liu-shidi…" Shen Qingqiu starts after a bit and he's not meeting Liu Qingge's gaze, holding the bowl tightly between his hands and seemingly fascinated with it. "There's…there's something I want to tell you." He shakes his head. "No, something you need to know. Something I shouldn't have kept silent about for so long but I didn't know how to…it was too hard to explain and I just…" He lets out a pained sort of sigh. "I'm a coward, we've both always known that. I suppose I've not changed all that much."

"You're not a coward." Liu Qingge feels the need to say and Shen Qingqiu looks up at him. "There are lots of ways to be strong and brave. No one is all of them at once. All of us stumble now and then." He gets a soft smile at those words.

"Look at you, when did you get so good with words?" He says playfully and Liu Qingge looks away with a roll of his eyes.

"Foolishness." Liu Qingge can't help but say and Shen Qingqiu chuckles. "This thing you want to tell me, what is it?" All amusement drains out of Shen Qingqiu once more.

"I need you to promise me something first." He says and Liu Qingge motions for him to continue. "I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone else." He looks at Shen Qingqiu and he sees that same desperate and fearful look in his eyes that he gets sometimes when he's wandering around the bamboo forests of Qing Jing Peak.

"…is it dangerous?"

"Probably the most dangerous thing that we'll ever have to face."

"Should the others be told?"

"…yeah. Yeah they should."

"But you're not going to?"

"I'm telling you, aren't I?" He gets a small, shaky smile. "And I think it's time to tell Yue Qingyuan, but outside of the two of you I don't want anyone else to know. Not yet." So Sect Leader and Liu Qingge, the two most powerful fighters of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect.

"…Very well. I give my word."

"Thank you." Shen Qingqiu let's out a shaky breath like he was afraid that Liu Qingge might say no. "…there are things that you don't know, things about Luo Binghe and the Immortal Conference and about what truly went down there." Luo Binghe again? Why does it always seem to come back to that child?

"Oh?"

"Luo Binghe did not die at the Conference." Shen Qingqiu says softly. "This master…this master pushed him into the Abyss…intentionally." That makes Liu Qingge stare at him in confused disbelief. Why would Shen Qingqiu do such a thing? He adored that disciple of his.

"Why?" He finds himself asking and Shen Qingqiu fidgets a bit.

"Why did I do it, or why did I lie about it?" He asks after a bit.

"Both."

"I lied because…I didn't want anyone to know the truth about Luo Binghe." Shen Qingqiu replies. "I wanted…I wanted him to be accepted when he returned for as long as possible. I didn't want…I didn't want his name slandered. There were a lot of things I didn't want…" He takes a deep breath. "During the attack on the Immortal Conference, Luo Binghe's demonic nature was triggered and his half-heavenly demon blood was revealed." That makes Liu Qingge tense. They had a demon in their midst? A half-heavenly demonic one? That boy? Ridiculous. He had always seemed too doting on his Shizun and too soft to really be dangerous.

No, that wasn't right. He could be dangerous. It just took the right trigger, and that trigger almost always had to do with his master.

"Half demon…did you know?" He thinks about how Shen Qingqiu was so close to his disciple and he wonders if the other was stupid enough to keep a secret like this.

"Yes." Shen Qingqiu admits and Liu Qingge wants to hit him upside the head.

"Idiot."

"I know, but he was just a child. I didn't…He wasn't evil. He couldn't help who his parents were and this master…this master trusted him."

"Then why push him down?" Liu Qingge asks. "If not to separate him from the human realm?"

"…do you believe in fate, Liu-shidi?" Shen Qingqiu asks and Liu Qingge shrugs. "It was Luo Binghe's fate to go down there, and it was my fate to do it…please don't ask me anymore on that subject. I cannot speak of it. I've undoubtedly already said too much." Liu Qingge looks at the other and something triggers in his mind. Something that for some reason he's never put together before but now seems as clear as day.

"…why do you always seem to know what's about to happen?" He asks and Shen Qingqiu glances up quickly.

"What?"

"There are times, where it seems like you knew what was about to happen before it did." Liu Qingge says, thinking it over. He remembers so many times how quickly Shen Qingqiu seemed to just read the area or the situation and knew where the danger was and how to handle it. He can think of the times Shen Qingqiu stopped anyone from falling prey to traps that no one saw coming or how he always seemed to know which way to go or what to do. "You always say you 'read it in a book somewhere' and I've never doubted. The libraries at Qing Jing Peak are impressive, but even with all the knowledge on demonic creatures and the like you still seem to have…an almost precognitive response to big events." He frowns. "You were on edge the entire time leading up to the conference." Liu Qingge had just attributed it to it being the first big event that Shen Qingqiu had gone to since the deviation and that his favorite -apparently demonic – student was participating. "…You weren't surprised when the demons arrived." He looks at Shen Qingqiu and Shen Qingqiu pauses for a moment, that far away kind of debating look in his eyes before he focuses on Liu Qingge and slowly shakes his head.

"No, I wasn't."

"Because you already knew it was going to happen."

"I knew something was going to happen. How it all went down surprised even me." Shen Qingqiu admits. "I did not expect certain opponents to be present, but…you are not incorrect. I was not surprised."

"Divining is a powerful ability." Liu Qingge states carefully. "Many would respect such a rare ability. Why have you never told us before?"

"It wasn't something that I could do until after my qi deviation…" Shen Qingqiu says carefully. "And there are many things that I can't say in regards to it. Not from lack of wanting to." Shen Qingqiu says. "Some things must happen. This master, despite all his attempts, cannot deny nor defy that."

"Like pushing Luo Binghe into the Abyss." He guesses and Shen Qingqiu looks away, a pained look on his face. "Do you think he's still alive?" That gets a pained sort of sound out of Shen Qingqiu's throat before he slowly shakes his head.

"Once, this master would have answered yes." He says shakily. "Now, this master can only answer no." It seems to take Shen Qingqiu a moment to collect himself. "There is an imposter who wears his face now. I believe he intends to bring harm upon Cang Qiong Mountain, and this master."

"You saw this?"

"I was…made aware of their presence, yes." Shen Qingqiu says carefully. "It is an unprecedented situation, and as such certain liberties are able to be taken that at most times cannot be done…but that does not change the threat this imposter poses. If Luo Binghe, the real Luo Binghe had returned to Qing Jing and demanded retribution for what this master did to him then I would not have contested his claim on my life." Liu Qingge's jaw clenches at that dangerous sentence. "But this imposter," He spits the word like it's the worst curse he knows and Liu Qingge has never heard such hatred come from Shen Qingqiu's lips before. "Has no such claim over this master's life and I do not intend to give it to him. Not with the life he has already taken that he had no right to."

"Is he a demon?"

"Uh, that…that is where things get complicated."

"It all seems simple to me." Liu Qingge states and Shen Qingqiu gives him a mildly confused yet curious look. "He wants to try and harm Cang Qiong. To harm you." He looks up into Shen Qingqiu's eyes. "He can try." There's a moment before Shen Qingqiu gives him a gentle and fond sort of gaze as he smiles.

"Oh Liu-shidi. You really are protagonist material." He says softly.

Notes:

LQG- So you're...psychic?

SQQ- [You've seen me do so many stupid things, and get caught in like every other wife plot - how on earth could you think I have any kind of precognitive ability?]...Yup. That's exactly it. 10/10. Good job.

Honestly I'm curious how the System hides SQQ's random arguments with it. He tends to do and say things right in front of others and yet they don't seem to respond to it. (Calling YQY an NPC, Arguing with the system during the demon attack. Arguing/asking questions during the Skinner thing) But because of the System and knowledge of the book I could see someone think that SQQ has seer-like qualities.

Chapter 10

Notes:

I do have to say, thank you so much for all of your reviews! Truly they are a huge boon with keeping up with this story so please keep them coming!

Chapter Notes: None

I do mention in this the whole battle with Binghe's dad and how Yue Qingyuan was there and how Shen Qingqiu doesn't know that. I can't fully remember if he did in the novel because the secret character was a surprise - or at least if I remember correctly it was, but even if it wasn't in this AU SQQ doesn't know anything about that so he's caught a little off guard about that information.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Truly, at this point he was at two minds as to the outcome of the 'plan' to tell Yue Qingyuan and Liu Qingge what Shang Qinghua and he could about the upcoming threat of Luo Bingge. One on hand, he was inordinately grateful that Liu Qingge and Yue Qingyuan had taken him for face value and had just accepted what information he could give them about the potential danger posed by the imposter demon. It was…humbling in a strange and painful sort of way, having to see how much they trusted him despite all of the times that he couldn't give them a clear answer to their questions or when he could tell that they knew that he was skirting around the truth, but for reasons that he couldn't share, the System's subtle warnings ever present in his mind.

Thankfully, such behavior is common for seers or any 'gazing into futures or fates' sort of individuals seeing as touching or gleaning any information about things yet to come could have dire consequences if improperly navigated. And of course, now Liu Qingge isn't the only one who thinks that he 'sees the future' or something along those lines; Yue Qingyuan has also jumped on that boat with him, and has even gone as far as to promise Shen Qingqiu to quietly and discretely procure learning items for him so that Shen Qingqiu can foster and grow this 'ability' of his without any outside pressure. It was a sweet offer, but honestly all Shen Qingqiu could think of after he'd said it was an image of himself sitting over a crystal ball, waving his hands over it before saying 'outlook hazy, try again later'.

On the other hand though, as much as he's grateful that they took him at his word and believed him fully about the upcoming threat…their sudden hypervigilance in regards to Shen Qingqiu's whereabouts is something that is already driving Shen Qingqiu a little up the walls. He had watched them across the small table after he'd finished explaining what he knew and what he could actually share and saw the moment that his life was going to take a turn with how they both looked at each other and shared some kind of meaningful 'gaze' that put them both on the same page about becoming Shen Qingqiu's bodyguards before the two of them laid out a 'schedule' much to Shen Qingqiu's surprise. Unfortunately, after being unburdened by any kind of restriction for so long, even this feels a little like he's being babysat, or like he's some damsel in distress being handed back and forth between his two protectors and unable to have a moment alone to just breathe. He doesn't say anything about it though because he won't lie and say that a small part of him isn't grateful that he doesn't have to worry too much about Luo Bingge catching him unawares and by himself. Liu Qingge possesses the protagonist halo now and Yue Qingyuan was always someone that Luo Bingge feared, so both of them might be enough to make him think twice before he makes any sudden moves against the alternate reality version of Shen Qingqiu.

"Would you like some tea?" Shen Qingqiu asks as he invites Yue Qingyuan into his home. "I'm not sure if we have anything to go with it right now, Ning Ying Ying's been left in charge of that and she's prone to be a little forgetful in maintaining the stores."

"Just tea is fine." Yue Qingyuan says with a small nod and Shen Qingqiu sets everything out and hands a cup to the other once it's finished. They sit in silence for a bit before Shen Qingqiu finds himself needing to break it. He has no doubts that Yue Qingyuan took the first 'watch' so that he can talk to him and lay out his displeasure with Shen Qingqiu regarding this whole mess without an outside audience.

"What are you thinking?"

"I suppose I'm curious as to the reason behind Qingqiu-shidi's sudden desire for sending Qing Jing Peak's disciples away on missions." He says calmly. "I'm curious if it was in response to the knowledge of a certain future assailant." Shen Qingqiu looks away for a moment before he nods.

"I had hoped to get as many off of the Peak as possible. I even had plans to attempt 'joint training' sessions with Bai Zhan Peak and send the little one's over there to train and hopefully keep them far away from the danger when it came."

"But you intended to remain behind?" Yue Qingyuan asks and there's something there under his genial expression and Shen Qingqiu feels like he's suddenly walking a tightwire.

"…the threat is a major concern, one that I have been struggling with for some time." Shen Qingqiu says slowly. "I did not wish to get anyone caught up in a revenge plot that didn't need to be caught up in it. I did it, it was by my hand that it would have come to pass, I didn't want anyone else to fall because of me."

"What about those of us who would have gladly accepted that burden with you?" He asks, putting down his tea cup far too gently and it's somehow worse than if he'd slammed it down. "What about those of us who would have been…very distraught to learn that something had befallen you?" He looks up and catches Shen Qingqiu's eyes. "Xiao Jiu, do you truly still feel as though you must do everything on your own? That there is no one here for you to rely on?"

"No!" Shen Qingqiu feels the need to say immediately. "It wasn't like that at all, I promise." Yue Qingyuan doesn't look assured or pacified by his words. "I swear, I just didn't want anyone else to get hurt because of my actions. You're my family, my friends; how could I bear the thought or the knowledge that I was the reason you were brought to ruin? That an action that I had taken would bring harm to any of you?" Shen Qingqiu shakes his head. "I never once thought that I could do this alone, I just…"

"You thought that you could fall alone, and not take any of us with you." Yue Qingyuan finishes for him and Shen Qingqiu nods after a bit. "If you had told us sooner, we might have been better prepared." Maybe, but that would have been taking steps against Shen Qingqiu's Binghe and Shang Qinghua had already wanted to come up with plans to take down or seal Luo Binghe before and it had never sat right with Shen Qingqiu. Luo Binghe was the wronged party here; didn't he have a right to get some sort of retribution for what Shen Qingqiu had done? That's the whole reason that they'd settled on the Sun and Moon Dew Flower, so that Binghe could have his retribution and the dead body of Shen Qingqiu and leave it all behind and Shen Qingqiu could fade into the background with no one else being any the wiser. "Even though you are your own, you are still the Peak Lord of Qing Jing Peak and as such it is my sole responsibility to protect and guard you. Just as much as it is for me to protect and guard the others."

"I didn't want to force your hand into a battle that you couldn't win."

"Do you truly fear Luo Binghe so much? Or do you think so little of your fellow Peak Lords?"

"He's half heavenly demon." Shen Qingqiu tries to make Yue Qingyuan understand. "The limits of what he's capable of are…. undefinable." Shen Qingqiu replies. "Honestly, I would have never thought that he could…that he could be killed. All the more reason to fear this imposter."

"It would not be the first heavenly demon that I have fought in order to protect the Peaks." Wait, what? Yue Qingyuan's fought another heavenly demon? Who? Why wasn't that in the novel? Airplane-Bro! Seriously! They were going to have to sit down and talk about this!

"I just didn't want to take the risk." Shen Qingqiu eventually settles with saying, pulling up his fan and hiding his confusion and concern behind it.

"I am willing to take it." Yue Qingyuan says softly. "Is that not my choice too?"

"I just wanted to protect you. All of you."

"…But you didn't Xiao Jiu. You left us vulnerable to an unknown enemy. One who you knew would storm the gates and we would have been caught unaware and unprepared." He shakes his head. "I do not know what futures you've seen, or what fates you hope to prevent…but I would hope that you pause the next time you decide to bear this burden all on your own. There are people on your side."

"I'm the one who messed up though." Shen Qingqiu tries to point out. "I'm the one who tossed him into the Abyss. No one else should pay the price for it but me. No one else should suffer and die for it." There's a heavy kind of silence after his little outburst and he can't help but think about the arrows that left no trace of Yue Qingyuan in the novel, about the ants that would strip Ming Fan's skin from his bones one bite at a time, about the pages of description of the destruction of the Peaks –

"I've seen that look in your eyes before." Yue Qingyuan says and it draws Shen Qingqiu's attention back to him. "I didn't understand it before…but I think I'm starting to."

"What look?" Shen Qingqiu can't help but ask and Yue Qingyuan tilts his head a little as he takes in Shen Qingqiu's face.

"The one where you look at us like you're looking at ghosts." There's a crack that sounds at Yue Qingyuan's words and Shen Qingqiu jumps a little when he realizes that he just snapped the spines of his fan. There's silence between the two of them for a moment before Shen Qingqiu closes the broken fan and almost gingerly puts it down on the table. "Did you see something that-"

"Do not ask me this." Shen Qingqiu cuts him off quickly. "I cannot answer." Yue Qingyuan's gaze softens a bit, but there's some pain there and Shen Qingqiu doesn't doubt that its there for him and not for Yue Qingyuan himself.

"I don't think I've ever realized how much of a curse such knowledge would be. To know potential fates, I think I understand a little how hard that all of this must be for you." Yue Qingyuan states and Shen Qingqiu has the sudden urge to laugh. He wants to laugh and pull at his hair and break something intentionally and scream and he can't do any of that. Yue Qingyuan has no clue how hard it has been for him. He has no understanding of what it has been like for years to know that you died and that you would never see your family again. That you didn't get to say goodbye and that you didn't even have a picture or an item to remember them by because this wasn't his world. To know that with each passing day you forgot what they sounded like or what they looked like and wondered if one day they'd just fade away into nothingness, if you even made it to that day. To know that body you've come to possess means that your fate is to be torn apart, body and soul, in sadistic ways that play over and over again in your head and that everything you went on to do was to prevent it. To have an unfeeling thing happily pushing you down roads you didn't want to go, telling you to 'look forward' to what was coming and offering out threats and punishments at every turn that kept you on edge and constantly feeling as though any step could be a misstep that it would react to. To know that no matter what you did, that you were still running head first for it because you couldn't stop the catalyst of it all. To know that so many could suffer and die and to know the ways by which it would happen. How could he ever hope to know the fear and the exhaustion that Shen Qingqiu – no Shen Yuan – has held in his heart for all these years? How does he explain that so much of what he did was for his own safety but in the end he was willing to sacrifice that and lay down on that wire in order to let all of them get to safety? To be willing to do that while knowing that they don't even know who he truly is. That they think him someone that he is not?

"…I'm tired." Is what he says, all the words clogging up in his throat and dying on his tongue, unable to ever be spoken aloud. "I wish to lay down." Yue Qingyuan doesn't say anything against him, just nods as Shen Qingqiu gets up and heads over to the bed. He doesn't even bother taking off the excess layers as he just lays down and tries to calm his mind.

He hopes that Shang Qinghua is having a better time navigating all of this than he is, because right now he doesn't feel like he has anything under control.

He wakes up in the morning, feeling far too stiff and sore for an immortal as he turns and pushes himself up. He must have been exhausted because at some point Liu Qingge and Yue Qingyuan changed shifts. He gives a small incline to Liu Qingge in greeting and heads off to go make himself more presentable than he's sure he is right now. He still feels too brittle and as he washes and puts on layer after layer of Shen Qingqiu's robes he feels a little more like he's put on some kind of invisible armor to hide behind once more. The last one might have had cracks, but hopefully this one will do better.

"Did I miss anything while I was sleeping?" Shen Qingqiu asks Liu Qingge when he finally joins him for breakfast.

"I've sent your head disciple to Bai Zhan Peak with the majority of Qing Jing's disciples to do the joint training thing you asked for. Sect Leader says you wanted to keep as many off the Peak as possible." Liu Qingge says and Shen Qingqiu has to hide the snort he wants to give. Of course Ming Fan would immediately listen to Liu Qingge without double checking with Shen Qingqiu. The boy practically had stars in his eyes anytime he saw the War God in the flesh…or spoke about him…or thought about him…or really just remembered that the man existed. "A rotation of Peak Lords will maintain the area in your absence."

"Thank you." He says and Liu Qingge nods.

"There's a mission that Sect Leader thinks we should take."

"A mission?" Shen Qingqiu repeats in a slightly surprised tone. "I would have guessed that we would remain nearby."

"Jinlan is experiencing a strange outbreak." Liu Qingge states. "They're asking for assistance." Jinlan? Does he remember anything happening in Jinlan?

"And Sect Leader is sending us?"

"Yes. He believed it best to separate the two things that this imposter might want. If you're here, then it's an easy mark. If you're away then he must choose. Sect Leader will be vigilant here, and I will remain at your side out there." That makes sense Shen Qingqiu supposes.

"Alright, I'll prepare for the trip. Hopefully, we won't run into too much trouble." Even as the words come out of his mouth, he wishes he could take them back.

Notes:

SQQ: Jinlan? Huh, don't remember anything happening in Jinlan in the novel so everything should be fine!

[In the distance there's thunder and lightning and dark clouds hanging over Jinlan]

And guess who finally shows up again next chapter!!! :-D

Chapter 11

Notes:

Luo Bingge and Shen Qingqiu meet!

Unfortunately this chapter got wwwaaaayyy too long and as such I decided to break it up into several chapters. So SQQ's POV holds over for a while before we shift away.

Chapter Warnings: Borrows a lot from the Jinlan arc which is probably unsurprising. Messes around with some stuff, but other than that tries to follow the progression of what went down there.

As always, unbeta'd so please forgive any random mistakes you might see. I think I caught most of them, but shit happens.

Chapter Text

Moments like these weren't as rare as Shen Qingqiu liked to pretend that they were, and even he had to acknowledge that sometimes – albeit internally if only to save face – he had just fucked up. Ever since Mu Qingfang, Liu Qingge and him had arrived at Jinlan, things had been strange to say the least. A plague that ate whole bodies? That left people unable to wander from the city's limits least it start to progress at a heightened rate? An entire city held captive by fear with their doors and windows closed tightly as they just waited around for death while various Sect members and monks ran around trying to find answers and a cure.

Mu-shidi's response in the basement had given Shen Qingqiu a little bit of hope, seeing as the healer at least had some sort of idea to start out with whereas Shen Qingqiu had nothing. There was no wife plot or ridiculous side plot that his mind could come up with that matched near anything that was happening here, and moments like that always set Shen Qingqiu on edge. He wished once more that Airplane-Bro were here so that he could figure out if this was an unused plot in his original outline that never got saw the light of day, and yet without Shang Qinghua here he just had to press on and hope that the knowledge that he had prior and the knowledge that he'd picked up since would help them here.

He had been entertaining himself with sending Yang Yixuan after Liu Qingge, the young man's tenacity creating its own kind of hilarity as he threw himself after the War God of Bai Zhan and Shen Qingqiu actually felt that the young man's potential and obvious temperament might actually clash well with Liu Qingge. He needed a head disciple after all, as they all kept reminding him, and why not consider the one foolish enough to stand guard at the gates and take on anyone and anything over and over again in an attempt to save them from whatever it was that plagued the city? At the very least he should be given the opportunity to join Bai Zhan as just a normal disciple.

But that was around when he made his mistake. When he left the house that Liu Qingge and Mu Qingfang were in and started to wander around without a care in the world in an attempt to glean more information. He'd run across that strange old woman and had chased her through the town – getting farther and farther away from the man that he was supposed to stay beside in order to not be caught without backup should a certain someone appear – and then he'd noticed that he'd been infected – why was this his lot in life? Seriously this hand was the bane to his sanity! - and he'd been surprised to run across Gongyi Xiao but had paid little to no mind to the thought that he was not the disciple in charge of the Huan Hua people present in the city…

"It's no trouble." An unwelcome voice said and Shen Qingqiu clenched his fan so hard that it cracked.

Lo and behold, speak of the devil and he'll appear.

Slowly turning to gaze upon the speaker of those words, Shen Qingqiu wasn't certain about the rush of emotions that warred inside of him, some strange mix of rage and fear. The man standing across from him, dressed in black robes had the face that Shen Qingqiu has seen in his nightmares for years and has singularly mourned since news of his versions passing, and once where Shen Qingqiu might have appreciated Shang Qinghua's tendency for making unfairly attractive men – Shen Qingqiu sees nothing but a snake hiding behind that handsome visage.

For a moment, there's no movement when those eyes land on him and Shen Qingqiu wars not just with his emotions but with the need to either flee back to Liu Qingge's side or to go over there and stab that bastard in the heart with Xiu Ya regardless of what audience they have.

"Shizun?" False Binghe says, his acting skills in true form with how soft and pleased it sounded and Shen Qingqiu almost wants to spit up blood. Who is your Shizun? Not him! And this one was not going to be falling for your lies anytime soon! Pretend to be kind all you want Bingge, this master knew better!

"What is going on here?" Shen Qingqiu forced past cold lips, inwardly grateful for this body's ability to maintain that level of unaffected immortal as he turned his question not to Bingge but to the other disciples' present. He was a little surprised at the atmosphere that existed in the area from the other people involved. They seemed to have some sort of bone to pick with Shen Qingqiu, if their disrespectful gazes and tones were anything to go by. How strange, and how strange that Bingge was with them. Had he already gone to settle into Huan Hua Palace? Was he already courting the little palace mistress for his stupid harem? Is this why Gongyi Xiao was no longer in control, having been pushed out of the fickle young girl's heart by the power of the protagonist halo two years earlier than originally intended?

There was a lot of hate thrown his way, navigated slightly by Gongyi Xiao and Shen Qingqiu made a mental note to himself to offer Cang Qiong Mountain as a potential second choice for when he was inevitably banished from Huan Hua Palace for being too much of a potential distraction for Luo Bingge's seductions. Putting his head up high and keeping his bearing around him tightly he walked over to the body of the old woman and summoned Xiu Ya to investigate further. Half of him felt that it was a mistake to do so, being so much closer to that wretch and actually having Xiu Ya in his hands was almost more of a temptation than he could withstand.

If he didn't already know that Luo Bingge's protagonist halo would protect him from any retaliation on Shen Qingqiu's part, he might have just done it to make himself feel better.

"It's a sower." He manages to say instead, trying to keep his attention on the secondary problem at hand and he almost wanted to smack his head into the wall when the other Huan Hua disciples informed him that Luo Bingge had already called it and were staring at the imposter like he was the second coming. It all made him want to vomit. "I see, in that case may I impose upon you all to borrow the body? Perhaps Mu Qingfang will be able to discover something. It would be good to find a way to prevent the epidemic as soon as possible."

"If Shizun wishes for it, this disciple will naturally provide." Luo Bingge replies and Shen Qingqiu has to bite back an immediate reply of 'I wish for you to go throw yourself in that ant pit that you threw Ming Fan into and let me watch'. Instead he just bites his tongue and makes a tactical retreat.

"Elder Shen, I'm so sorry." Gongyi Xiao says as he trails after him. "Master ordered that all information concerning Luo Binghe must be kept strictly confidential. Those who speak about it to outsiders would be expelled, so I couldn't tell you."

"How did he end up at Huan Hua Palace?"

"It was Qin-shimei who rescued Luo Binge who was seriously injured in Luo Chuan last year."

Last year? That means that the Luo Binghe that they think they have amongst them is an imposter to them too. And what was going on with this timeline? A whole year? That means that his Luo Binghe had to have been up and walking around for some time and yet had never reached out and tried to contact him.

Why would he? He thinks you tried to kill him remember? And he was right in the middle of making plans to pay you back for that a hundred-fold, remember?

"Come, let us return to Mu-shidi and inform him of what we've found." Shen Qingqiu says, inwardly thinking about how angry Liu Qingge is undoubtedly going to be when he shows back up.

He's not even close to the level of frustrated rage that Liu Qingge is throwing off when he returns. The man's jaw is tight and his eyes are dark and narrowed and he grabs Shen Qingqiu's arm for a moment like he wants to shake him but barely manages to refrain.

"You were supposed to stay by my side." He says, almost through clenched teeth and Shen Qingqiu nods and lowers his head a little in apology.

"I know, I'm sorry Liu-shidi. I allowed myself to be foolish and thoughtless and put myself at risk needlessly." He keeps his tone soft and Liu Qingge lets out a deep kind of sigh after a bit.

"Don't wander off again."

"Truly Liu-shidi, this one promises to obey and to cause no further concerns." Liu Qingge makes to move away and Shen Qingqiu reaches out for his arm before lowering his voice. "He's here."

"What?"

"He is with Huan Hua Palace. He's convinced them of his benevolence somehow and has turned them against us. Please…tread carefully." Shen Qingqiu says and Liu Qingge seems to look him over again.

"Did he do anything to you?"

"No, we had an audience and he seems determined to keep the game of pretending to be Luo Binghe going." Shen Qingqiu replies. "It kept this master out of his hands, but I'm not sure if we can rely on it to continue assuring peaceful relations between us." There's that clenching of Liu Qingge's jaw before he nods once and reaches out to guide Shen Qingqiu to come along with him, almost as if he's afraid that if he lets go of the other then Shen Qingqiu might just disappear. "Where are we going?"

"Mu Qingfang needs subjects." Liu Qingge states. "You're coming with me to go get them." For a brief moment he considers not mentioning the infection but he had promised to at least attempt to be a little more forthcoming with Liu Qingge, and Yue Qingyuan not that the man was here thank goodness for that, and so he cringes.

"Ah…if Mu-shidi needs a subject…then this foolish one might be able to aid with that." He says carefully and Liu Qingge stops entirely, and slowly – far too slowly! So scary Liu-shidi! – turns back to look at Shen Qingqiu who gives him his best 'I'm sorry, don't kill me' smile.

"You're infected?" Liu Qingge asks and Shen Qingqiu holds out his arm and lets the sleeve slide back to show the telltale rash.

"The sower that's being brought back to Mu-shidi by Huan Hua got me I think." Shen Qingqiu states. "All the more reason to figure out this whole affair quickly." There's a heavy pause between the two of them.

"You have the worst luck of anyone I have ever known." Liu Qingge ends up muttering with an almost tired sigh and Shen Qingqiu almost bursts out laughing. As it is, he's barely able to smother his brief chuckle with his hand as his fan is currently broken.

"Of that, Liu-shidi, you will hear no arguments from me." He says and Liu Qingge gives him a strangely amused and almost exasperatedly fond look before it's gone like quicksilver and he guides Shen Qingqiu back inside.

"I don't like it, but now we're on an even tighter time schedule. I'll move faster on my own. Stay next to Mu Qingfang, do not leave his side. See if he can slow it down. I'll return quickly." Liu Qingge orders and Shen Qingqiu nods before he's left with Mu-shidi and Liu Qingge takes one final look at him before he pulls out Cheng Luan and disappears out the door leaving Shen Qingqiu behind with a tutting Mu Qingfang who sees the rash and pulls him over to a seat to begin containing it.

"Honestly, I don't know why Sect Leader sent you along for this mission." Mu-shidi states, wrapping a bandage around the rash on Shen Qingqiu's arm. "He should have ordered you to stay on Qian Cao Peak to be monitored. You're still recovering and for all we know whatever it was could happen again."

"As you said, we don't know what caused it. It could be a one-time thing. We have shown no side-effects and it would not do to just lock us up for the foreseeable future with no hard reason as to why." Shen Qingqiu offers a small smile. "Besides, you're here. Where else could I be in better hands?"

"Your sweet-talking might work on Sect Leader and Liu Qingge, but not me." Mu-shidi says but the tiny smile he gives in return as he finishes wrapping up Shen Qingqiu's arm tells a different story.

"I promise you; I'm feeling much better now." Shen Qingqiu assures him before glancing at the arm. "Well…ignoring that."

"Is Shizun hurt?" The voice of evil asks behind him, and Shen Qingqiu's whole body tenses without his permission. Luo Bingge directly behind him? No thank you! "Is he alright? Is there anything this disciple can assist with?" Shen Qingqiu's impressed by Mu Qingfang's calm demeanor as he puts away his supplies. It doesn't even look like he's surprised at Shen Qingqiu's long thought dead disciple to be standing in front of him.

"Master Shen is fine, and we thank you for your concern young master Luo, but I remind you that you seem to have different alliances these days, and as such must accept that we prefer to keep things in house no matter how small they are." Mu Qingfang says and Shen Qingqiu wants to cheer him on. That's right! No information you don't deserve getting handed to you just because you're the protagonist! Doctor-Patient Confidentiality for the win! Take that!

"I assure you that I take Shizun's health very seriously, as I always have." Luo Bingge says and he sounds so earnest and Shen Qingqiu's fists tighten on his lap. Sure you have! You blackened protagonist! Cared enough to make sure that you didn't prematurely kill Shen Qingqiu when you tore him into a human stick!

"Since you have chosen Huan Hua Palace." Shen Qingqiu says without looking behind him. "You should not refer to this one as 'Shizun' anymore." He slowly stands and turns to be able to look at Luo Bingge – why did he have to get so tall! Ugh! – "This master does not recognize the disciple in front of him, and as such claims no such title between them." There's a slight frown momentarily on Luo Bingge's face, almost like he doesn't understand the situation in front of him. Probably because he's used to dealing with the Original Goods. That version of Shen Qingqiu had been all about reminding Luo Bingge of who his master had been, this one wants no such bond between them, fake or not.

This Shen Qingqiu was Luo Binghe's Shizun, and would remain so till the end of his days. He has never been, and will never be Luo Bingge's Shizun.

The confused look on the other's face fades away like ripples smoothing out over a pond and the 'uncertain white sheep' ploy returns in full force. Shen Qingqiu almost wants to clap.

"Regardless if Shizun says that he doesn't recognize this disciple, this disciple still recognizes Shizun." He gets a small smile, almost hopeful looking, and it makes Shen Qingqiu want to run for the hills in terror. "This one hopes that we will find the time to get reacquainted once again."

Nope! Not gonna happen! Abort! Retreat! Human Stick Alert! Flee!

And of course, because apparently now being the main protagonist of this world meant that Liu Qingge was absolutely right, Shen Qingqiu's luck takes a steep dive for the worst. There's a moment where he's staring down his disciple's killer and then the next the telltale wave of his spiritual energy fading out goes through him, making him sway a tiny bit in place before a deep, almost heart-stopping terror overtakes him as Luo Bingge's eyes track him.

"Shen-shixiong?" Mu Qingfang says, coming up alongside of him.

"Is Without A Cure acting up?" Luo Bingge asks, sounding so concerned and Shen Qingqiu almost wants to faint in horror. How does that blackened sheep know about Without A Cure? Who could have told him? Did he somehow get the information from Luo Binghe? No, no Shen Qingqiu refuses to believe that Luo Binghe would give out that information to anyone, no matter how much he hated his old master. Shen Qingqiu got it protecting Luo Binghe and Luo Binghe always repaid loyalty so he wouldn't have uttered a word. So how could he possibly know? Does he somehow recognize the signs even without touching Shen Qingqiu's internal energies? Is this that damn halo doing all the work for this devil protagonist? "Perhaps this disciple can help with that."

Chapter 12

Notes:

Chapter Notes: Part Two of SQQ's and LBH's introduction! And I know that in earlier chapters I used Binghe for Bingge, but I think I'm gonna fully commit to changing that and transitioning to Bingge being referred to as Bingge and Bingmei is referred to as Binghe.

Chapter Text

"Perhaps this disciple can help with that." Luo Bingge says with far too much fake sincerity to be healthy, and Shen Qingqiu's fingers twitch with the urge to punch him in that perfect face of his. 'Better yet,' he can't help but think, 'how about you go stick your head underwater and hold it there until the end of time? I think that sounds like a much better use of everyone's time!"

"Elder Mu?" A voice interrupts them and they all glance over to one of the Huan Hua disciples who have approached. "The first few subjects have been dropped off by Elder Liu. We're not sure what to do with them or where you would like us to keep them? They're all really…unhappy to be here, and they're making a lot of ruckus already." Mu Qingfang looks torn for a brief moment, having clearly caught onto the fact that something strange is going down between Shen Qingqiu and the person who seems to be his once favored disciple now returned from the dead.

"Mu-shidi should go." Shen Qingqiu says softly and Mu Qingfang glances at him. "This plague is the sole reason why we were sent here after all, and it must take priority over everything else." The other man still hesitates and his gaze goes to Shen Qingqiu's hurt hand – no doubts thinking about Without A Cure more than the sower rash – and then he gazes at Luo Bingge with a gaze like calm water and even Shen Qingqiu wonders what's going on in his mind. "They need you more than I, and I doubt that any of us will be causing any problems here." He directs that more to Luo Bingge, and the other man nods his assent easily. Far too easily, and it makes Shen Qingqiu trust it even less than he would have before but Mu-shidi gives him one long searching look, to which Shen Qingqiu makes sure to portray absolute assured serenity, before he sighs and nods and grabs his medical tools and follows after the student who spoke before. It's only after the student closes the door after them that Shen Qingqiu feels the hairs on the back of his neck rise and he moves to go find something to do that takes him out of this enclosed space with Luo Bingge, but Bingge moves slightly in such a subtle shift of repressed menace and blocks him, effectively trapping him in a conversation that's undoubtedly going to get so much worse now that there's no audience present to truly hear or see what he's really like and not the image that he's been playing at.

"Is Shizun leaving so soon?" Luo Bingge asks. "Shouldn't he rest?"

"Was it part of your plan for them to come get Mu-shidi?"

"I might have made comments that I wished to speak to you alone." Luo Bingge says. "What they do with that is their own." Of course, the manipulative protagonist at work. Getting others to gladly do his dirty work for him. Shen Qingqiu sorely wishes that he had another fan to hide behind after he broke his last one and he makes to leave the area once more but Bingge takes a full step this time, cutting off his path to the door. "Shizun should know, that this one does not speak falsely." Wouldn't that be a novel concept if it were true? "I have learned the cure for Without A Cure, and if Shizun only asked then this disciple would be more than willing to assist Shizun with it." Shen Qingqiu balks internally at that, once again thanking the original Shen Qingqiu for his impassive face. Truly it was a superpower.

And of course, Shen Qingqiu knew that Luo Bingge knew how to cure Without A Cure. It's the reason why Shen Qingqiu knows how to cure it thanks to that horrible chapter with the dying little sister who decided that her final wish was to papapa with the main character – because of course it was – and lo and behold! Papapa saves the world once again! Honestly, the number of subplots that were solved simply by throwing Luo Bingge's dick at it was both nauseating and mildly impressive. Why did he read this stupid story again?!

However, the implication of the sentence hits full force and Shen Qingqiu can't believe that the original protagonist just offered to…just offered to…dual cultivate with Shen Qingqiu! Preposterous! It wasn't like Bingge could have forgotten what the cure was or what it fully entailed right? Just how twisted was this guy? What, was he no longer satisfied with just ripping off Shen Qingqiu's limbs now he had to try to push Shen Qingqiu into something like that? Was it for amusement? To watch Shen Qingqiu agree to debase himself and then laugh about it before he ripped off a leg or two? Like Shen Qingqiu would ever agree to do something like that with Luo Bingge regardless of the man's proficiency in that area! Besides it wasn't like the knowledge he gained from all that papapa-ing with his wives was going to do much for him when confronted with a very male body! Ugh! What is he thinking? Is he truly so willing to throw himself at any set of legs, even going so far as to proposition his most hated teacher? Have some standards Bingge! Or at least understand that Shen Qingqiu has them!

It's only after that internal meltdown that clarity comes to him and soothes away some of the panic. Bingge is playing with him, that's the only rational answer. The man probably has no intention of sharing what the real cure is, let alone doing…it with Shen Qingqiu. He's probably planning to tell Shen Qingqiu about that stupid flower or some other ridiculous magical item that will supposedly cure him banking on the idea that he can dangle a cure like a carrot on a stick in front of Shen Qingqiu and pull Shen Qingqiu along like a fool on a leash without any true intention on Bingge's part to follow through with his promises. It wouldn't be the first time this blackened sheep did such a thing! How many times had Shen Qingqiu ranted at Airplane Shooting Towards The Sky for such a common trope repeated over and over again? That evil and cruel protagonist! Trying to pull such a cheap trick over on Shen Qingqiu! He spits on his ancestors!

"This one apologizes for any…inconvenience that you might have faced, learning such a thing." Ugh, even the words make him cringe internally, and he doesn't miss the slight amusement in Luo Bingge's eyes at them either, so double ugh. "But this master must decline."

"It would be no trouble." Luo Bingge says. "This disciple assures Shizun that he would be most thorough in his healing methods." Somehow, Luo Bingge manages to maintain the 'I'm innocent and just want to help' façade going throughout that whole sentence and Shen Qingqiu clenches his fists under his sleeves. 'Do not punch the protagonist, do not punch the protagonist…do not punch the protagonist when Liu-shidi isn't here'

"This master declines." He repeats. "Quite firmly." There's a pause before Luo Bingge's eyes take on a calculating gaze and Shen Qingqiu can't help but think 'ah, there he is, finally showing himself'.

"Perhaps Shizun shouldn't be so quick to slap away this disciple's offer." He says almost conversationally. "After all, who knows when Shizun might need his full power, only to have it slip out of his reach at that critical moment because he was too proud." Too proud? Shen Qingqiu will box his ears off! Good to know that they've reached the 'subtle threat giving' point of their conversation at last.

"I've told you not to call me Shizun." He says and there's something almost curiously calculating on Bingge's face as he searches Shen Qingqiu's. "And if we're speaking more truthfully to each other now, then this master is fully aware that should that time arise that his full ability would be outmatched regardless, so there's no need to be so thoroughly disgraced before it."

"Disgraced?" Luo Bingge repeats that word, almost like he's playing with it and the sentiment behind it. "What an odd choice of words. Now why would you say 'disgraced'?" There's a momentary stare down between them.

"This master has long since known the cure for Without A Cure." He says and Luo Bingge's eyebrows raise slightly in what appears to be amused surprise. "And this master is most uninterested in receiving any 'cure'."

"Long since known? Curious, then why didn't Shizun ask for the cure before?"

"Don't ask foolish questions." Shen Qingqiu snaps back and Luo Bingge seems to nod at that.

"Very well, then maybe Shizun will permit me to ask a different one. Does Shizun truly believe that he'd be disgraced by letting this one help him with the cure?" There's an almost playfulness to his tone and it makes Shen Qingqiu angry…and apparently a little bit stupid.

"This master knows that you disgrace everything you touch." There's silence between the two of them after Shen Qingqiu's almost calm retort and he barely refrains from flinching when Luo Bingge takes a step closer, coming in much too close for propriety's sake and everything in Shen Qingqiu wants to back up, but he refuses to lose ground so he just levels a cool gaze on the other.

"How strange that Shizun would say such hurtful words to his dear disciple. Especially when this one would be willing to work so diligently to ensure his…recovery." There's a faint smirk on his lips at that word, like he thinks he's so clever and Shen Qingqiu just wants to gag. "Perhaps Shizun will indulge this disciple one final time and answer something for me. It's a problem that I'm finding most vexing at the moment and I throw myself at the mercy of his guidance." What a laugh.

"This master has no guidance for you."

"An answer then." Luo Bingge says easily, ignoring what Shen Qingqiu is truly saying. "I'm curious as to Shizun's behaviors. I had expected to arrive and find him afraid, rightfully so considering what he did to this disciple, and yet while there is fear here there's something else which surprises me…" He looks Shen Qingqiu in the eyes and holds his gaze for a few moments before he smirks. "It's rage." He tilts his head. "I know that look, I've seen it thrown my direction more times than I could ever hope to recall. The look of someone pretending to bow their head to me while their every gaze betrays their true intentions." He steps closer and that step does force Shen Qingqiu to take one back least they be pressed chest to chest. "Now pray tell Shizun, please inform this one of what he could have ever possibly done to deserve such a look?" Shen Qingqiu just stares him down, not really bothering to hide his hatred anymore and strangely it almost seems to make Bingge even more entertained than before. "Yes, that's the one… So curious, considering the fact that you were the one who betrayed this one. And weren't you the one who pushed this one into the depths of hell without warning? Aren't you the one who said that there is good in demons and then turned a blind eye to it when confronted with the truth?" He reaches up and actually has the gall to twist one of his fingers around in a lock of Shen Qingqiu's hair. "Aren't you the one who turned all of your kindness towards this one into a mockery in the moment when it mattered most?"

"I am not your Shizun." Shen Qingqiu bites out, no longer willing to listen to him pretend to be Luo Binghe and throw Shen Qingqiu's failures in his face like he has some sort of right to as he reaches up and shoves Luo Bingge's arm away. "And you are not my disciple." A sudden move from Luo Bingge's arm makes Shen Qingqiu recoil instantly and he inwardly curses up a storm when he trips over the chair that he'd once been sitting on and almost falls over, but Luo Bingge is faster and grabs his upper arm before tugging him back up and against his chest, an amused smirk on his lips while Shen Qingqiu glares up at him.

"Careful Shizun." He all but purrs in a kind of false sweetness. "With your meridians blocked such a fall might hurt you." He looks Shen Qingqiu in the eye and holds it regardless of the icy look Shen Qingqiu is throwing his way. "Although you denied my offer of assistance, I promise you that I won't be petty." His other hand comes around and finds its way to Shen Qingqiu's waist and slides slightly to curve around his back and tug him in fully against the other man. "I give my word, all Shizun need do is ask for the cure. This disciple's door will always be open for him." He grins and it's somehow both terrifying and charming; how does he even do that? Damn you Airplane-Bro! "If Shizun truly knows what the cure is, then he also knows that only this one can help him with it. Don't worry, I won't make you beg for it…" His lips curl into something much more predatory and almost seductive. "Well, not when you ask. We'll save that for later."

"You think far too highly of yourself." Shen Qingqiu retorts and Luo Bingge has the audacity to chuckle.

"I'm curious as to how you found out, but I'm realizing that it doesn't really matter." His smile turns into something far too boyishly pleased. "I think I actually prefer it."

"It doesn't matter how this master found out."

"True." Luo Bingge agrees. "It's better this way though." He looks down at Shen Qingqiu, tilting his head a little. "After all, I could have played along. Pretended to be that little crybaby and gone along with upcoming events until I got exactly what I wanted…but this is better. No pretending, no games. Just you and me. What it always comes down to." He smiles and it's a smile that seems almost genuine and is far too bright. "I've realized that I prefer it like this. To know that Shizun looks at me and sees me, not him."

"You'll never be him. You'll never even come close."

"It doesn't really matter, he's dead." Luo Bingge says with a small shrug and Shen Qingqiu's heart clenches. "I see no reason to compete with a dead man and you've got no other options than the one standing in front of you."

"I'll kill you."

"Hmm, you'll try." The asshole sounds almost pleased about that. "But don't worry Shizun. Try all you like; this Lord won't hold it against you." Shen Qingqiu tries to push away but it's like pushing against a brick wall and he gives up the pointless effort relatively quickly.

"What do you want? Why are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious what I want?" Luo Bingge asks and he sounds genuinely curious. "I want what should have been mine. I want what I never got. You have no understanding of what I've done in order to get this chance."

"What's yours? Nothing here is yours. You don't belong here and you had no right to toy with things here and destroy them just because you could."

"That's where you're wrong Shizun." Luo Bingge says with that same boyish smile. "Everything here is mine now." Shen Qingqiu's fist clenches. "Don't you get it yet? Don't you understand? When everything starts to fall apart, as it always does; who else is going to step up and stop it from happening but me? Since he is gone, who else could possibly stop me?"

"Arrogance tends to lead fools to their own destruction." Shen Qingqiu tells him and that smile doesn't fall from the others lips.

"And striving for nothing, gains nothing in the end." He replies back easily. "Worry not though Shizun, you have nothing to fear. Remember, when things get hard in the future just call for me. I'll always come when you call." He leans in closer and Shen Qingqiu leans back as much as the hold on him allows. "I always come for what's mine." What? Who's his? Not Shen Qingqiu!

"I am not yours."

"…you've always been mine. In every world, in every life, it has been the two of us." Luo Bingge says with an almost soft quality to his voice now as he seems to gaze at Shen Qingqiu's face. "Don't you get it yet? Everything that you are, everything that you have ever been or will ever go on to be has always been mine." He gives him a tiny smile. "And I've finally learned that everything that I am, everything I've accomplished and become, everything I'll go on to be…has always been yours." What kind of lines were these? How could he say such things with a straight face? Does he not think that Shen Qingqiu doesn't know that he's probably used similar lines on hundreds of his wives? What is he even doing saying such things to Shen Qingqiu with such false sincerity? What game is he playing at here? Is he trying to throw him off balance? Confuse him as to Luo Bingge's true motives? Try and get him to believe that Luo Bingge's ultimate goal isn't to rip him apart with his own bare hands?

"And just how many times have you said that before?" Shen Qingqiu can't help but spit out and Luo Bingge just smiles.

"I've never said that before today." He tells him. "It would have been a lie to give those words to anyone but Shizun." What the hell is happening here? "I have never truly promised myself before today. Until now, everything I owned, I owned. They were all mine, I was never theirs, and they all knew that. I did not share…" He holds Shen Qingqiu's gaze for a few seconds of silence. "…but I'm willing to learn to share, if it's you." Damn! Now Shen Qingqiu can see how this blackened protagonist could have won himself that ridiculous harem with over the top statements like that! Not that his cheap words were going to work on Shen Qingqiu. Shen Qingqiu wasn't some half thought out female character with the IQ of an amoeba and a sole purpose to throw themselves at Luo Bingge's dick!

"You killed my disciple." Shen Qingqiu bites out. "I'll never forgive you for that."

"You will, in time." Luo Bingge says with a small shrug. "Eventually, you will. People always think that they'll hold onto that fire, but it burns out quickly without ample reasons to keep stoking it. You only have one disciple that I needed to remove in order to take his place, and I have no interest in touching any of your other students. So you'll move on eventually. It'll hurt less and less until one day, it doesn't hurt at all and then, one day you'll forget it ever did. And through it all, I'll be right here, just waiting it out." Shen Qingqiu is prevented from anything he might have said to that when the door to the area gets practically ripped off its hinges and a moment later Liu Qingge is standing in the doorway. "I guess we're out of time for now." Luo Bingge says as Liu Qingge's eyes land on them and on Shen Qingqiu's frankly embarrassing position and his face does that thing that it always does right before Liu Qingge throws himself into battle.

"Get. Your. Hands. Off. Of. Him." Liu Qingge bites out each word and there's a layer of threat that builds with each one that seems to make the atmosphere in the room heavier with the feeling of upcoming danger. Honestly, Shen Qingqiu doesn't even need the System to ring out it's customary chime for coolness points with an entrance like that.

"He tripped; I was just trying to help." Luo Bingge says, slowly stepping back and putting up his hands like he's just so harmless. "Until next time Shizun, and remember my offer about the cure." He has the audacity to wink at Shen Qingqiu before he moves to leave the room and the tension that plays out in the slow glance that both Liu Qingge and Luo Bingge share as he walks past the War God and out of the room is almost too much to handle. Thankfully, the two most powerful people in the world right now don't decide to throw down in the middle of all of this mess and Liu Qingge turns his attention to Shen Qingqiu once Luo Bingge has left the area.

Shen Qingqiu, whose sudden adrenaline rush that he hadn't even realized that he'd been running on, fades away and he sits down on the chair far too heavily for his normal level of grace and Liu Qingge is at his side in a split second, a careful touch to his arm.

"Are you alright?" He asks and he sounds so worried and Shen Qingqiu nods shakily even though he can tell that Liu Qingge doesn't fully buy it. It bodes bad things for any hope of being left unsupervised for the foreseeable future and honestly right now? Shen Qingqiu can't find it in himself to be annoyed with that.

Chapter 13

Notes:

Chapter Notes: Wrapping up Jinlan City Arc. I do borrow a lot of dialogue from the translation (bc novels), so you might notice some familiar sentences.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Going around Jinlan looking for either willing or unwilling subjects to throw at Mu Qingfang's feet so that he could look at them was not something that Liu Qingge would have preferred to be doing right now. Not with the information that the imposter Luo Binghe that has tormented Shen Qingqiu's visions has arrived in the city. Once, Liu Qingge had despaired that Shen Qingqiu's problems weren't something that he could go pick up a sword and go slay for him, now that he knows that he can though – it makes it all the harder to keep his focus on the task at hand and not just go scouring for this demonic doppelganger and gift his head to Shen Qingqiu so that he can finally put his nightmares to rest.

Thankfully, it's easy enough to find these potential test subjects just standing around. For the most part it seems as though anyone with any hint of the infection has been thrown out into the streets in an obvious attempt to stave off the infection and prevent more cases from accidental spreading amongst family members. A part of him feels pity for them, and for the people who must keep the doors locked and keep their loved ones outside knowing that they'll probably never get the chance to see them again, at least not alive.

He grabs his final grouping of infected townspeople and brings them back to the temporary clinic that Mu Qingfang has set up. He considers doing one more search around the city as the Huan Hua disciples wrangle the latest ones that he's brought since the more people that Mu Qingfang has brought to him adds to the number of people who might say yes to his tests, which means the more likely that Mu Qingfang is to find a cure quickly and the more likely he is to cure Shen Qingqiu before the infection gets worse.

He does have a brief moment of wondering why Yue Qingyuan thought it was a good idea to send Liu Qingge and Shen Qingqiu along with Mu Qingfang into the middle of an epidemic considering that the whole reason why they were shuttling Shen Qingqiu out of Cang Qiong was for his safety and so why did they think sending 'danger magnet Shen Qingqiu' into the middle of all of this was a rational plan? Thinking about it with the power of hindsight, of course that idiot was going to find a way to get infected and make Liu Qingge and Mu Qingfang worry. Did he truly have no self-preservation instincts? Why did he seem to have no concern about himself? How was it possible that he could always be aware and find a way to step into the path of incoming danger when it was for someone else, but when it came to himself suddenly it was like he had blinders on and he'd seemingly forget to move out of the way despite the danger rushing for him at full speed?

Liu Qingge lets out a frustrated sigh as he helps the students keep hold of the more vocally objecting ones, and in the background he could hear Mu Qingfang's calm voice trying to soothe the angry townspeople and attempting to get their understanding and compliance. Liu Qingge pauses for a moment as he takes in everyone outside of the building. He can see that teen that Shen Qingqiu keeps sending after him, and he sees that one disciple, Gongyi Xiao if he remembers Shen Qingqiu saying his name earlier correctly…but there are two distinct faces that he doesn't see which makes the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He immediately scours the area with his eyes and still no hint of either of those two men arise.

No, no he told him to stay close to Mu Qingfang. Surely Shen Qingqiu wouldn't be that much of a fool as to wander off again? He would leave Mu Qingfang if he thought that he was putting him in danger. He can't help but realize. Did Luo Binghe's doppelganger manage to steal him away with threats to the students and the other Peak Lord while Liu Qingge was away?

"Where is Shen Qingqiu?" He asks after he's practically rushed over to Mu Qingfang's side and the healer looks at him in a mildly surprised, yet curious sort of way.

"He wanted to sit down for a while." Mu Qingfang says, giving him that subtle glance that all of the Peak Lords know intimately now which means that Without A Cure has shown itself once again. "He stayed behind inside to do so." Mu Qingfang gives him a searching look. "I was uncertain whether or not I should leave him with Luo Binghe, considering the strange way that the two of them were behaving, but Qingqiu-shixiong assured me that all would be well." That's all that Liu Qingge needs to hear before he takes off for the basement where Shen Qingqiu better still be, or heaven help Jinlan because Liu Qingge will tear it apart to find wherever the imposter has taken him. He makes his way inside and the closed door to the basement doesn't bode good things, but before he can get to it his path is blocked by several Huan Hua disciples.

"Elder Liu." One of them starts to say. "If I could get your help with-" It doesn't take a genius to figure out that they're guarding the door and he fully remembers Shen Qingqiu's warnings that Huan Hua was no ally to them anymore having fallen to the demon's tricks.

"Move." He snaps out as he just pushes through them, unwilling to allow another second to pass with Shen Qingqiu behind that door with the demon because of the demon's partners in crime attempting to hold him up. He comes to the closed door and just rips it open, uncaring how it wobbles on it's hinges dangerously close to falling off as he steps into the room.

There, in the back corner is Shen Qingqiu, held tightly to and in obvious distress against the imposter – and Liu Qingge almost summons his sword to cut that demons head off regardless of the repercussions of such an act. How dare he.

"Get. Your. Hands. Off. Of. Him." The command is more of a warning than that creature deserves and Liu Qingge is truly starting to doubt that Yue Qingyuan will not cover for him completely if he is accused of outright murdering another Sect's disciple in cold blood, especially if Liu Qingge tells him what he saw when he walked in. The creature has the gall to be amused at the threat leveled at it by the War God of Bai Zhan, but he's smart enough to know not to push his luck because he lets go of Shen Qingqiu immediately with some false cover story before he moves to leave the room.

There's an obvious gauntlet that's thrown down between the two of them as he walks past Liu Qingge and Liu Qingge doesn't doubt that the creature understands his answering response of 'any place, any time' before the imposter vacates the area.

He's still feeling some of that fighting urge when he turns back to Shen Qingqiu, fully prepared to ask that foolish man what he could have possibly been thinking letting himself get backed into a corner – when Shen Qingqiu all but stumbles into a chair near him and his coloring is frightfully pale. Liu Qingge's frustration leaves him immediately as he rushes over, replaced with a heavy kind of worry.

"Are you alright?" He asks the other, making sure to keep his voice calm least he spook the obviously shaken Peak Lord any more than he clearly already is. "What did he do?"

"…he just wanted to make sure that we were on the same page I think." Shen Qingqiu says carefully, and in that way that lets Liu Qingge know that he's probably not telling him everything.

"What page?"

"Huh?"

"What page?" He repeats firmly and Shen Qingqiu gives him an almost lost look.

"To be completely honest with you Liu-shidi…I haven't the faintest idea. I thought I understood him…now I'm not so sure I understand the first thing about him." He says and that doesn't sound like it bodes good things. He returns to the rooms that night with Shen Qingqiu and the other man does give a small attempt at telling him that he should be out there helping to catch the sowers but he gives up far too easily which tells Liu Qingge that secretly he's grateful to not be alone in the room by himself with the imposter still running around out there somewhere.

By the next morning, it seems as though Liu Qingge's aid was unnecessary for the takedown because Huan Hua flocks and fawns over Luo Binghe's 'impressive skills' with containing them all. Liu Qingge almost wants to snort. They probably gave themselves up at the mere sight of their master, he's not impressed. He makes eye contact with Yue Qingyuan when he arrives with the other Sect's leaders and he gives a quick glance towards the imposter standing at the Old Palace Master's side and Yue Qingyuan's back goes a little straighter as he goes and stands on the other side of Shen Qingqiu.

That doesn't stop the demons plan though, and Liu Qingge grits his teeth as it all starts to unfold around them.

"Immortal Master Shen! All we did was listen to your instructions but we never agreed to be burned to death!" The baffled look on Shen Qingqiu's face lasts for about two seconds, before he quickly smooths it away and the murmuring of the large gathered crowd starts to pick up.

"The words that came out of this things mouth, shouldn't Immortal Master Shen explain them?" The Old Palace Master questions and Liu Qingge tries to figure out if he's a pawn of the demon or just an opportunist trying to bring shame on Cang Qiong however he can. He settles on the latter for now. Echoes of 'yes! Give us an explanation!' sounds around them and Qi Qingqi scoffs.

"Anyone with a brain can see that this thing isn't reconciled to dying alone and wants to bring down someone to share it's fate. It's simply trying to frame him. Demons are all the same, they have no moral integrity. How could people take the bait like this? Don't make me laugh, this is ridiculous."

"Why doesn't it falsely accuse others? It singled out Immortal Master Shen. It's worthwhile to think about that." The Old Palace Master says.

"Listing out one name over a dozen doesn't give any more weight to it's claim. Shen Qingqiu's name is well known amongst the demon clans. It makes perfect sense that it would know it and attempt to slander him." Liu Qingge throws out, crossing his arms.

"My junior apprentice brother is in charge of Qing Jing Peak. As a Peak Lord he has always been a good role model, a person of noble and unblemished moral character. You are too easily provoked by such nonsense." Yue Qingyuan says with his calm and unflappable tone and Liu Qingge inwardly nods at it.

"Really? That's quite different from what I heard." The Old Palace Master presses and Liu Qingge levels a bored look at him. This is why he hated Huan Hua and it's disgusting, opportunistic politicians.

"How about you get to the point? You're clearly using this mess for your own benefit so just do it already so we can be done with it." Liu Qingge says, already more than done with this situation.

"I agree." Qi Qingqi replies. "The Old Palace Master is far too quick to jump on unsubstantiated rumors and demon claims and is clearly playing to the crowd." There were some murmurs to that and the Old Palace Master's serene face seemed a little forced for a brief moment before it settled into something far too pleased. He had a trick up his sleeve, what was it?

"Shen Jiu...Are you Shen Jiu?" A woman's voice rang out and Liu Qingge let out a sigh as he waited for this to play out too. The woman stepped out and pulled out a sword, leveling it in Shen Qingqiu's direction. "I am asking you a question! Why do you not dare to look at me? I was saying it was no wonder – no wonder I searched for so many years and never saw you again. It turns out – turns out you had long reached a higher place in life and became this lofty Qing Jing Peak Lord. Ha ha, how impressive!"

"Qingqiu, this young lady and you…are you truly old acquaintances?" Yue Qingyuan asked Shen Qingqiu, but of course the performance pressed on before the Qing Jing Peak Lord could say anything.

"Old acquaintances? Not only were we acquaintances, we were childhood sweethearts! I'm his fiancée!" Well that was certainly not a route that Liu Qingge expected that to go. He did have to give that much to them, it was an…interesting way to proceed with this. The sob story that comes after that is something that Liu Qingge doesn't even bother hiding his eyerolls during.

"Sect Master Yue, when taking care of these affairs, being swayed by personal convictions is unacceptable. Otherwise, if word gets out that this grand magnificent Cang Qiong Mountain Sect covered up a person whose record is full of notorious stains, how can this be an outcome that will satisfy everyone?" The Old Palace Master said at the end of it all. "In my opinion, it would be best to have Shen Qingqiu relocated to Huan Hua Palace for the time being. Wait until we've ascertained the truth before we come to a decision, how about it?"

"Said enough?" Liu Qingge sneered at him, arms still crossed and his entire body language clearly mocking.

"This sort of accusation cannot be supported by mere words." Yue Qingyuan agreed and the Old Palace Master sighed.

"It truly is a sad day if Cang Qiong refuses to uphold righteousness." He said and Liu Qingge has had enough.

"Silence." He snapped. "You dare throw out such accusations without proof? Taking rumors and random words as fact? What right do you have to demand Shen Qingqiu be handed over to you with evidence such as this?"

"These are troubling claims." The man tries but is immediately cut off. Liu Qingge is more than finished letting this man have a podium to spread lies with.

"These are false claims, conveniently stacked and played in front of such a large audience." Liu Qingge retorts. "Research into them if you must. We will too, and we'll be sure to give a credible account when it's finished." The insult is clear against the Old Palace Master's methods. "As it stands, you have no case and no authority to press this claim. Shen Qingqiu will return to Cang Qiong Mountain and anyone who has a problem with that can go through me."

"Shen Qingqiu-" The Palace Master starts but Yue Qingyuan cuts in.

"Peak Lord Liu speaks truthfully." He says firmly. "Any concerns as to the actions of a Peak Lord is a concern that will be handled by Cang Qiong Mountain. With no evidence to speak of other than unsubstantiated claims from unreliable sources or unvetted ones, Huan Hua Palace has no authority to demand anything of Cang Qiong; much less demand the imprisonment of a Peak Lord." Yue Qingyuan levels an almost cold look on the other man. "Huan Hua Palace oversteps its authority with this farce, and Cang Qiong will not bow to it."

Notes:

Hahah! Bet I had you thinking he was going to the Water Prison! Not today! Protagonist Liu Qingge's halo to the rescue! If he decides that Shen Qingqiu isn't going - then he's not going!

Chapter 14

Notes:

Chapter Warnings: None.

Chapter Notes: Honestly, Qiu Haitang bothers me in the novel. Her role in the whole thing and her history with Shen Jiu always struck me as suspect. He was a slave, horribly abused in her household that somehow she supposedly stayed entirely blind to (I call bull). What emotions could he have truly had for her that were not manipulated? She held all the power, and he was a child stuck with his back up against the wall. No, the whole thing irks me. I call bullshit on all of it. More so than the whole issue with Ning Ying Ying even though I've got so many issues with THAT too. I know that I haven't read the extras (past Bingge v Bingmei and one other now) so there might be deeper clarification that I just don't know about, but I don't trust it.

EDIT: Just read the extra, and I was right. F the Qiu's.

Seriously, Justice For Shen Jiu!!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Now wasn't this just plain entertaining?

It's not the first time that Luo Bingge has been present at, or part of, a farcical trial for his old Shizun, but it is certainly the first time that the whole thing actually falls apart and is washed away long before it has any chance of touching him. In his world, the trial against Shen Qingqiu had been swamped in emotional 'testimonies' that really held no water, and yet Shen Qingqiu had made plenty of enemies that had wanted to see the cold immortal brought down into the mud and so he'd fallen regardless. It is strange to see a lot of things happening behind the scenes that he hadn't known had gone down in the past. The timelines are all kinds of confused in this world, with the Old Palace Master pushing to discredit Luo Bingge's old Shizun so that Luo Bingge will fully pledge himself to Huan Hua with no other ties that might pull him away. Never let it be said that the old man didn't recognize power, although now Luo Bingge was going to have to kill him just for the knowledge of the hand he had in Luo Bingge's mother's death. Something that he'd not known about in his world but had been made aware of in the mirror one. Back in his timeline though, he'd used the Old Palace Master's desperate grab for his loyalty as a payment sort of thing. If the Old Palace Master gave him Shen Qingqiu on a silver platter than Luo Bingge would pledge to him. In this one just like in the mirror world, that crybaby had still held to his precious Shizun and had refused to acknowledge any other teacher outside of Shen Qingqiu, which had incensed the Old Palace Master into going after Shen Qingqiu on his own in order to secure Luo Binghe's loyalty. Some sort of misguided attempt to bring Shen Qingqiu down and dirty him beyond anything Luo Binghe would be willing to be associated with.

Joke was on the old man, the only one who was allowed to dirty Shizun was Luo Bingge. Anyone else who tried would learn the folly of it soon enough.

Honestly though, he is a little sad that the whole 'arrest Shen Qingqiu' farce failed. He had been looking forward to seeing Shizun back in such familiar settings. It would have been worth it to see him in a different light. That other Shen Qingqiu of the mirror world had been distressed in the Water Prison from the memories Bingge took from him; wearing barely anything, wrapped in immortal binding cables, dripping wet and so, so helpless. Hmm…He's not ashamed to say he had been itching to see it for himself, but somehow Shen Qingqiu managed to avoid that fate and wasn't that just so interesting? It was one thing for him to be able to effect things between Luo Bingge and himself, but this was an entirely outside third party and yet somehow, he'd managed to avoid it. Luo Bingge would have to keep that in mind for later.

Now he almost wishes that he hadn't killed his cousin after he'd sent the sowers to Jinlan. Maybe he should have let that little snake run around for a while longer, and keep causing chaos before he took him off the playing field. Luo Bingge sighs and lets his back rest up against the wall of the Old Palace Master's office, his arms crossed and letting his head hang as he mostly ignores what's happening around him. Nah, it's a good thing he killed that snake. He'd rather not have to cross daddy dearest and without his only ally there was no hope for him to acquire a body in time before his failed him entirely. A threat that was toothless now wasn't one that he needed to worry about anymore. Let the rot take him, Luo Bingge had bigger things to worry about. Like wooing a particularly stubborn Shizun.

Qiu Haitang is livid, stomping around the Old Palace Master's office while Luo Bingge watches it all unfold from his perch.

Qiu Haitang, the only person whose obsession with Shizun almost rivaled his own. Even back in his original world, Luo Bingge had always known that of all of his wives, that Qiu Haitang was the one with the fakest smile and the most likely to poison him while wearing it. He'd appreciated her for it. Sure, she played demure when she needed to, but there was a calculating edge to her that none of his other wives could even hope to hold a candle to. Funny that it was Shizun who made her that way. Who made her a monster in that way, just like he made one of Luo Bingge.

"You promised me Shen Jiu." Qiu Haitang demands of the Old Palace Master and truly this is interesting information. He'd always been curious about how almost miraculously Qiu Haitang had materialized from the mists, and how she'd become the driving force to Shizun's downfall. He'd never known that there had been any sort of deal between her and Huan Hua Palace, but it makes sense in hindsight. She was always good at pawning her big beautiful tears to the masses in order to make everyone rush to condemn the man who would dare be the supposed cause of such a look on such a pretty girl's face. "I want what you promised me."

Luo Bingge promised her Shen Jiu too once upon a time, but just like the Palace Master he never kept his part of the bargain. Shizun was his to punish, and there had always been something off about Qiu Haitang and Shen Qingqiu's relationship that he'd never fully managed to put his finger on and he hadn't appreciated it. That feeling of being outside of a conversation that the other two were having that he was never clued in on.

Qiu Haitang had once claimed that her and Shen Jiu had been in love. Even Shizun had laughed at that when Bingge had inquired about it. "Do I strike you as someone who has ever loved anyone or anything?" He'd chuckled even as the knife dug in. Bingge had believed him when he'd mocked him with that, but it took him too long to learn that his Shizun was a dirty little liar even in that because he did love, and he'd broken when Bingge had destroyed Yue Qingyuan. But even back then, no matter how much Bingge had pushed, he'd never shared what connection he had with Qiu Haitang and she'd always been surprisingly tight lipped about it too. No matter how many times he'd tried to walk through either of their dreamscapes, he'd never learned anything due to how tightly they'd both held onto the memories. He wonders a little if he'd have the same problem reading Qiu Haitang's memories now.

"As much as it pains me to admit, Sect Leader Yue is well within his rights to refuse the imprisonment of a Peak Lord without concrete evidence." The Old Palace Master says to her.

"Can't we strip his title? He's a slave. He's my slave. My rightful property and I want it returned to me." She demands.

"Can you prove it?" Luo Bingge asks and she looks at him. "That he was your slave, do you have solid proof?" If she says yes, he'll have to kill her, if only to make Shizun happy. He'd rather not have the other drawn into another pointless trial with the sole intention to slander him. He doesn't think Shizun would appreciate that.

"He knows who his master is." She replies arrogantly and Luo Bingge almost laughs. Of all the things he'll give Shen Qingqiu he'll give him this most of all: that man bowed his head to no man, no monster, and no master. Luo Bingge would know. If he had, he might have survived. He would have lost Luo Bingge's respect, but he would have lived.

"Without any proof, all he has to do is say he doesn't know you. No one will take your word over that of the Xiu Ya Sword." Luo Bingge points out and Qiu Haitang huffs out a frustrated growl. "Not to mention, even if you somehow managed to get them to believe it, his reputation will protect him and will backfire on you."

"What reputation? That of a liar and a murderer?" She spits and Luo Bingge shrugs.

"That of a Peak Lord and of a famed cultivator with many allies." Luo Bingge replies. "It would be easy to turn it around that he escaped from such a horrible life and made something so great of himself."

"He murdered my family to do it." She snarls and Luo Bingge just shrugs. He's not going to argue that, it's the one thing that Shen Qingqiu had admitted to even outside of torture. Bingge figures that some part of that story must be true, even if he doubts most of Qiu Haitang's retellings. "There has to be something."

"You could go to Cang Qiong and demand restitution." The Old Palace Master says. "But Sect Leader Yue will refuse you and no one will disagree with him." He puts his hands lightly on the desk in front of him. "The sower disturbance was the best time to attempt such a thing, and now with it gone Shen Qingqiu is safely protected behind his sect walls." Luo Bingge doubts that they'll let the Xiu Ya Sword leave for a while after the whole fuss kicked up in Jinlan, which does make it much harder for anyone – him included – to get near Shen Qingqiu.

"I want what you promised me." Qiu Haitang repeats firmly and the Old Palace Master sighs.

"It will take time, certain bribes here and there for specific testimonies and a few properly retold events should be enough to at least cast doubt. With enough doubt, we can push a second claim for Shen Qingqiu to be handed over to Huan Hua Palace." The Old Palace Master replies.

"And how long is that going to take?"

"Good things come to those who wait for them." He reminds her and she huffs.

"I've waited long enough."

"And it seems you'll have to wait just a little bit more." He lets out a tired sigh. "That's enough for today Miss Qiu. I must speak with Young Master Luo." She looks like she might argue, before she turns on her heel and storms out. Bingge waits for the door to close behind her before he approaches the desk. "That one will be more trouble than she's worth in the end." The Palace Master says with a small shake of his head. "Useful for now though, useful for now."

"What concern do you have with Shen Qingqiu?" Luo Bingge asks and the Old Palace Master shakes his head.

"I have no care about Immortal Master Shen."

"Then why go after him?"

"Concerned about your old Shizun?"

"More curious than anything." Luo Bingge replies and the Old Palace Master hums and looks down at the papers in front of him.

"Qing Jing Peak is the second most influential and powerful peak at Cang Qiong Mountain Sect. Sect Leader Yue is untouchable, I have never found a weakness for him save for one."

"Shen Qingqiu." Luo Bingge guesses and the Old Palace Master nods. "So, this is about Sect Leader Yue? Or about Cang Qiong?"

"Huan Hua Palace has gone as far as it can, and yet its authority and prestige pales in comparison to Cang Qiong. As long as Cang Qiong exists, we will never have the unchallenged authority that we deserve." The Old Palace Master sighs. "To be honest, I think I respect Shen Qingqiu, if not for his own reputation then for the way he is able to manipulate those more powerful than him. Far too many people are willing to put everything on the line for just a single piece of Shen Qingqiu; why would I not want to collect the whole thing in order to have power over them too?"

"You made a deal with Qiu Haitang for Shen Qingqiu." Luo Bingge says and the man nods. "Yet this one also demands a claim on Shen Qingqiu, so the question becomes – do you have any real intention to follow through on your promises to either of us?"

"Qiu Haitang is a singular problem, with no longstanding usefulness to her." The Palace Master waves it off. "You my dear boy, are so much more than that."

"So if you got a hold of Shen Qingqiu, would you let me have the biggest piece?" He can't help but poke and the man smiles at him.

"I'd let you have any piece you wanted." He assures and the smile that Luo Bingge gives him will undoubtedly be the same smile that he wears when he finally rips this man apart.

Notes:

Do we actually have names for the Old Palace Master and the Young Palace Mistress? In my mind that's the only name/title I remember for them. Does anyone know?

Chapter 15

Notes:

Chapter Warnings: Qi Qingqi – who is an absolute Queen and a troll.

Chapter Notes: We're gonna say that over the course of being in Shen Qingqiu's body and having access to Shang Qinghua that Shen Yuan has learned all about Shen Jiu's history and he knows all about 'Qi-ge and Xiao Jiu' plus he knows about Yue Qingyuan's sword problem and about the Qiu Estate.

Also just a reminder: In this AU, people who know Shen Qingqiu isn't Shen Jiu (or STRONGLY suspect it) include: Shang Qinghua (obviously), Liu Qingge, Mu Qingfang and Luo Bingge (And Luo Bingmei did as well). Most of the other Peak Lords didn't really interact with Shen Jiu so Shen Yuan doesn't really register on their radars past the initial shift over. Yue Qingyuan believes that's still Shen Jiu in there just altered from the deviation.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

It's been four days since their return from Jinlan. Four days of silence, four days of waiting, four days of dread. He's done his best to pretend that he's got everything in hand as he guides his students and talks with the assigned Peak Lords who come visit – aka bodyguard – him, but he's jumping at shadows now that he's seen Bingge face to face. He can't even manage to convince himself to fall asleep, least he run into the Master of Dreams if he does. If he runs afoul Bingge in his dreams then the other could keep him trapped in them, unable to wake or be released until he allowed it.

Not just that, but the ever-present lingering threat that is Huan Hua Palace has him on edge as well. It's too early in the story for Qiu Haitang to be here and it's far too early in the story for the breakdown of Shen Qingqiu's reputation to happen; but alas, it's happening. He keeps trying to tell himself that he doesn't have to worry. He's not done anything that can be mistaken as untold attention towards Ning Ying Ying or any of the other female disciples like Shen Jiu had mistakenly been accused of, he's not permitted anymore bullying within the Sect although there could be a few that might speak up of how it was once upon a time, he didn't mess up the attempt to save Liu Qingge like Shen Jiu had which means there's no large black stain on his record, and he hasn't ostracized himself from any of the other Peak Lords or various Sects and allies that they've visited and made over the years since he took over this form. Some of them would have to speak up in favor of his good character, right?

Yue Qingyuan has assured him multiple times these last few days that there's no real recourse that the Old Palace Master has right now that will allow him to demand anything from them, but that even if he were to try that all of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect will protect and go to bat for Shen Qingqiu. As much as Shen Qingqiu wants to feel comforted by that, he can't help but feel worse.

"This shidi apologizes for all the trouble he's caused." Shen Qingqiu says softly when they're alone back at Qing Jing Peak after the entire mess that was Jinlan. Yue Qingyuan's gaze immediately snaps up to him.

"None of this is your fault." He's quick to assure him yet Shen Qingqiu doesn't feel assured. "Huan Hua Palace has been trying to discredit Cang Qiong Mountain Sect for years; you know this. The Old Palace Master is just trying to create a fake opportunity to the best of his abilities. It's not the first storm that Huan Hua has attempted to bring down on us and it won't be the last, but Xiao Jiu, it has nothing to do with you."

"He wouldn't have had the opportunity to do so without this master's mistakes paving the way for him."

"You are not at fault for what went down at Jinlan."

"Luo Binghe-"

"Haven't I already told you once that you are not responsible for the actions that someone else takes?" Yue Qingyuan cuts him off gently before he can even voice it. "He's not even the one that you believe you transgressed against, correct? Then how can you bare any responsibility for what he does? His obsession with you and what he does because of it is not a reflection on you."

"And Qiu Haitang?" Shen Qingqiu mutters quietly but Yue Qingyuan's lips purse at the woman's name. "You and I both know that she doesn't speak falsely."

"The Qiu family were monsters." Yue Qingyuan says and his voice is far too incensed and far too passionate in that declaration. Shen Qingqiu can't remember having ever heard such a tone fall from the other's lips before. "I will not allow one of them to harm you ever again. Not while I still draw breath."

"Don't say things like that!" Shen Qingqiu scolds him. "Don't even think it! You're the leader of Cang Qiong, you can't allow yourself to be brought down so easily because of this one." Shen Qingqiu shakes his head. "You know that this can only get worse. Even if we could ignore the threat that is Luo Binghe's doppelganger, we both know that Qiu Haitang is not going to let this go and with a backer like the Old Palace Master? The damage that she could do is monumental."

"I won't let this go either." Yue Qingyuan replies. "None of us will. Do you truly believe that I would be able to stop Liu Qingge from storming the gates of Huan Hua Palace if they took you? Or Qi Qingqi from declaring a rescue mission as a 'training exercise' and tearing the place apart with her girls? Even Shang Qinghua, wherever he is, would return posthaste if he learned that you were in need of assistance; and between us, I truly fear whatever plan Mu Qingfang would come up with but I have no doubts that it would work terrifyingly well. What about those disciples of yours? Do you really think that they'd just sit back and let that insult go?"

"Would you even try to stop them?"

"I would be leading them. Proudly." He says and Shen Qingqiu starts to say something to that, but Yue Qingyuan shakes his head. "Xiao Jiu I left you to those monsters once, never again. I left you behind when I should have done everything to take you with me." Yue Qingyuan's eyes are suspiciously wet for how calm his face looks. "My greatest regret is that you had to endure that while I…" He shakes his head. "While I failed in my promise to come back and save you. Please don't ask me to leave you behind again. I wouldn't be able to do it even if you asked, so please…don't ask."

He needs Shang Qinghua to come back already. He desperately needs to know what's going on in the demon realm and he desperately needs to know that this isn't some horrible scrapped plot that's going to bring down Cang Qiong because of him. Airplane-Bro shouldn't have been gone this long, he's never this careless about the time that he spends away from An Ding Peak. Did he find Mobei-Jun? Was Mobei-Jun alright? Were either of them still alive? He catches himself checking the System over and over again, inquiring about UV001 and he keeps getting back that Shang Qinghua is alive and that only mildly settles him. What the hell is Shang Qinghua doing over there? He knows that Bingge is walking around and is out for Shen Qingqiu! Shen Qingqiu needs him here! He needs to know what the author knows. He needs a second opinion about how Bingge is going to come at them. Of the two of them, the only one better equipped to understand Bingge's motivations and methodologies is going to be the man who wrote him, and Shen Qingqiu sorely needs that insight.

Bingge's declaration of…whatever the hell that was – love? Devotion? Obsession? Has thrown Shen Qingqiu off balance. Why is he behaving so…well OOC? Shouldn't he hate Shen Qingqiu more than anything? This is the man who tortured Shen Jiu for decades, who took pleasure in ripping off his limbs and tearing out his tongue and his eye. Why is he being like this? In the book, he could barely wait to lay his hands on his old teacher and 'repay him a hundred-fold' for their previous time together, so why hasn't he come at Shen Qingqiu in the same way? It's not like he knows that Shen Qingqiu isn't Shen Jiu, which means that he doesn't know that Shen Qingqiu didn't bully and torture the young Binghe throughout the years…although he did betray him and throw him down into the Abyss, but still! None of this was making sense! Why take Binghe's place? Just so he can redo his greatest hits? What does it have to do with him 'getting what he never got'? What could there have possibly been that Luo Bingge didn't get in his world? He got everything! He owned it all! Everything was thrown at him and gifted to him. He was an emperor for goodness sake! What on earth could he possibly get here that he couldn't get back in his world? And what did it have to do with Shen Qingqiu? Surely it's not just to flirt up his old teacher, right? That would be ridiculous. It feels like there's a piece of information missing and Shen Qingqiu desperately wants to figure it out before it's too late and someone pays the price for Shen Qingqiu's lack of knowledge.

"Is he truly that terrifying to you?" Liu Qingge asks him. "He's just a demon."

"He's a half-heavenly demon. That's not entirely the same thing as 'just a demon'." Shen Qingqiu reminds him and Liu Qingge looks unimpressed.

"Everything can die." He says and Shen Qingqiu can't help but be both soothed and amused by how simple the whole thing breaks down in Liu Qingge's mind.

"Well, considering that not all of us are amazing martial gods that walk amongst the undeserving masses…yes, I suppose he is that terrifying. What hope would I have of winning against him?" Shen Qingqiu says as he fans himself, trying to appear unaffected by the very real concern laid out in his words. Liu Qingge seems to take a moment, observing Shen Qingqiu before he lets out a frustrated huff.

"Idiot." He says. "You don't need to be a martial god. I'm here." He says it like the statement is so obvious and something inside of Shen Qingqiu eases at his assuredness.

"Thank you Liu-shidi." He tells him with a soft smile. "I don't think I'd be half as composed or calm if you weren't here." He tells him and he finds that he means it and Liu Qingge catches and holds his gaze.

"You don't have to fear him. When he comes, call for me. I'll take care of it." Liu Qingge says and Shen Qingqiu gets a small smile that he hides a little behind his fan and ignores the System's chimes of Protagonist Coolness Points.

He can't help but think that Luo Bingge isn't going to fully come at them in a frontal assault kind of way, even if he doesn't tell anyone that. He didn't know Liu Qingge, but had heard rumors of his martial power and prowess back in his world and he'd obviously feared Yue Qingyuan by how he tricked him instead of actively battling him. The protagonist halo being added to Liu Qingge also added another layer of protection and power to the War God, and truly what extra power did Yue Qingyuan need? Other than the fact that he had to be sparing with it – thinking of that, when Airplane-Bro returned, Shen Qingqiu was going to put less concern and care into the Sun and Moon Dew Flower and more into pestering that author about ways to help Yue Qingyuan and his problem with his sword. How he hadn't done that yet baffles him, but it's something that he wants to manage before anything happens to him. If only to protect Yue Qingyuan and Cang Qiong just in case. Even if he dies and gets reborn, he wants to make sure that Bingge can't turn this world into the insult that was his own. Shen Qingqiu won't allow it.

"So what exactly happened between you and your little barnacle?" Qi Qingqi asks and Shen Qingqiu chokes on his tea.

"My barnacle?"

"You know, your disciple. The one you doted on far too much and who used to look at you like you hung the stars in the night sky?" She says and Shen Qingqiu just stares at her. "The one who always stuck to your side? You know, like a barnacle."

"What? That's…that's ridiculous!" Shen Qingqiu sputters.

"I thought he died." She presses on, calmly sipping her tea like she hasn't just tried to do Bingge's job for him by making Shen Qingqiu choke to death. "And don't bother lying to me. You're not the worst at it, but you're not the best either. This protection tradeoff that's happening isn't because of Jinlan and Huan Hua Palace. Something is going on that you, Sect Leader and Liu Qingge know about and I want to know what it is. So spill."

"There's really nothing to-" She levels a challenging look at him. "…he went into the Abyss." He caves like a wet behind the ears, first-year disciple. "I…I pushed him in."

"Why?" She asks, no rage or indignation, just curiosity. "You adored him. Hell, half of us expected to start getting wedding invitations when he came of age. There might have been bets about when it would be."

"What?" Shen Qingqiu says, that same sputtering horror in his tone. "There were bets on what? Me and…and Binghe? No! There was nothing! He was chasing after Liu Mingyan!" Qi Qingqi snorts into her cup.

"Mingyan? Surely, you're joking? Liu Mingyan is far too much like her brother used to be. If it's not something that she can stab with a sword, then she's not interested in it."

"Used to be? Last time I checked, Liu-shidi was still very much that way." Shen Qingqiu points out and Qi Qingqi just stares at him from over her cup for a few moments.

"Uh huh…Of course he is." She pulls out a piece of paper and writes something down.

"What's that?"

"Oh nothing, just a new betting pool that I'm making."

"…should I be afraid to ask what this one is about?"

"You'll find out, someday." She says, putting it away. "Now, tell me about Luo Binghe."

"He's dead." Shen Qingqiu replies and she frowns.

"Liu Qingge killed him already?"

"What? No? Why would you think that?"

"Because of the looks passing between him and Luo Binghe during the whole 'let's just throw out random crap accusations' thing?" She says. "It looked like they were about to take off each other's heads at any second."

"I didn't notice."

"…Yeah…Yeah you were kind of in the middle of it. I can see how you wouldn't have seen it." She sounds like she's laughing at something and he's not really seeing what's so funny.

"That isn't Luo Binghe, not really. It's a demonic doppelganger that possesses all of his abilities. He killed Binghe and took his place. We're not entirely sure what he wants."

"You." She says easily and he blinks. "Like I said, you were kind of in the middle of it. I saw the looks being thrown." She takes a sip of her tea. "But problem solved. Just let Liu Qingge deal with it. He's clearly itching to do it already so he can win the prize."

"What do you mean?" He asks and she stares at him with that particular look of 'are all men this stupid or just you?'…which sadly is a look he gets often from her.

"…Wow. You don't have a clue, do you?"

"What?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

"You're not a very good liar." Shen Qingqiu states, reusing her own words and she smirks.

"I'm still better than you." She says and he takes a moment before he flicks out his fan, lets his eyes close and starts to fan himself calmly.

"Fair enough."

It all comes to a head on the fourth day though. He's still waiting for one of the other Peak Lord's to arrive at Qing Jing Peak when one of Yue Qingyuan's disciples come running up to him in the middle of him overseeing training for the Peak. Shen Qingqiu arches an eyebrow when the student stops in front of him, breathing heavily and doing a barely passible bow.

"Speak." He says.

"Sect Leader has requested that you come to Qiong Ding Peak as soon as possible." The disciple says and Shen Qingqiu frowns.

"Has something happened?" He asks and the student nods. "What is it?"

"Demons are attacking." The student says and Shen Qingqiu freezes. "The Sect Leader has gone to hold up the barrier while Master Liu has gone to contain the invasion." Invasion? Is Bingge seriously attacking them head on like he did in the book? Why would he do that? It doesn't make any sense. Could Shen Qingqiu have been wrong in his initial thought process of Bingge's methods? No, no it just doesn't feel right. Even if he has Xin Mo at this point in time, this is too forward and almost too short-sighted.

Which means either he's lost his patience, which is highly unlikely considering how many plots required it in the book, or he's lost his marbles, which to be fair…has he had them in a while? Or, and much more likely, it's a distraction and a trap. Liu Qingge would have to go defend the Peak's during a frontal assault, and Yue Qingyuan would be forced to put up the barriers on the Peak's and maintain it to prevent any further insurgents from entering.

He wouldn't be able to stop anyone who had already gotten in though. Nor would the initial barrier keep out disciples of the Peak's. And as much as Shen Qingqiu doesn't like it, Luo Bingge is a disciple of Qing Jing Peak, which is how he brought down the barrier's the last time by destroying the Lingxi Caves and causing a massive backlash that demolished Qiong Ding Peak and temporarily took Yue Qingyuan out of the fight.

"Everyone, return to your dorms and put up the protection seals" Shen Qingqiu calls out to the students standing around. "Any students that you come across on your way back, inform them of the threat and my order as well." He turns to the disciple. "Come with me."

"…shouldn't we be going to Qiong Ding?" They ask when Shen Qingqiu starts making his way back to the bamboo house.

"I want to put up the protection seals on Qing Jing Peak before I go anywhere." He informs them. "Keep up." He doesn't really have the time to spend dragging a disciple along with him, not to mention that being with him is probably the most dangerous place to be right now but he's not about to leave a defenseless kid out in the cold. He enters the bamboo house and makes an immediate beeline to his guqin, flicking out his sleeves as he lowers himself down quickly. It's dangerous and unwise to use this much spiritual power so soon after a Without A Cure flareup, but he can't put his own health above that of Qing Jing Peaks students.

He closes his eyes and lets the spell echo from the plucked chords, feeling the drain on his inner energies as he does so. It doesn't take very long to put up the barrier and he's finishing the last few notes when he hears it.

"Shizun's playing was always beautiful to watch." The voice is wrong, and Shen Qingqiu is impressed that he doesn't falter on the last note; but it's a near miss as he slowly opens his eyes and looks up at the Qiong Ding Peak disciple who has sat down at the table and is resting his cheek on his fist with a sly grin as he watches him.

"…Bingge."

Notes:

Why is it that every time Shen Qingqiu and Luo Bingge cross paths the chapters get REALLY BLOODY LONG?!? So once again guys, SQQ's POV is split between several chapters. *sighs*

Chapter 16

Notes:

:-) Hope you're all having a great day and being safe!

Chapter Text

There's a momentary pause that comes after Shen Qingqiu's realization, and Luo Bingge looks mildly surprised for a second before he winks and the illusion slips away from him, revealing Luo Bingge in all of his demonic emperor splendor, complete with the demonic mark on his brow and far, far too much chest out on display.

"Shizun." He greets in return before he motions for him to continue. "Don't stop on my account." Shen Qingqiu just puts his hands on the strings to silence their echoes and Luo Bingge gives him the most put-upon pout that has no business looking so pathetic on that face considering just who that man is.

"This master didn't expect to see you again so soon." Shen Qingqiu says after a few moments of silence.

"But you were waiting for me, weren't you?" Luo Bingge asks with a pleased smirk, the pout a thing of the past. "It would be rude of me to make you wait too long; don't you agree Shizun?"

"Your 'Shizun' is not here." Shen Qingqiu reminds him firmly and Luo Bingge just hums in acknowledgement. "This master must admit that he is surprised that you would do something so…loud."

"Demons get bored when there's no fighting to be had." Luo Bingge says with a shrug. "If you don't let them trample something every now and then, then they get ideas, or what passes for ideas in their stupid little brains. You should have seen how many of them leapt at the chance to come lay siege to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect. I didn't even have to try that hard. Apparently, some demons are still annoyed by the defeat that they suffered at your hand under Sha Hualing."

"Is she here?"

"Sha Hualing?" Luo Bingge asks for clarification and Shen Qingqiu does a small nod. "No, she's decided to play hard to get. I guess her delicate little maiden's heart was broken when I killed the other." Sometimes – sometimes Shen Qingqiu just wants to stab Luo Bingge in the eye with a chopstick for how easily and almost off-handedly he throws out how he murdered Binghe. "She's ran off to hide in the Northern Desert with Mobei-Jun and that twitchy little human of his. No doubt cooking up some kind of rebellion." So Mobei-Jun is alive? And he met back up with Shang Qinghua? That's great news. Luo Bingge smirks, clearly reading the interest that Shen Qingqiu has on the subject even as he tries to maintain the neutral air about him. "I don't think they like their new ruler all that much. I think they preferred the weaker one. Makes sense, I suppose, but it's all in the past now and they'll fall in line eventually." He looks at Shen Qingqiu. "I know that you're fond of that other Peak Lord, Shang Qinghua, right? Hmm, I suppose that I can be lenient with him, I can even be magnanimous enough to be sparing with Mobei-Jun when he inevitably makes his move. Will that make you happy?"

"It would please this master to know that they will be fine." Shen Qingqiu replies calmly and Luo Bingge grins that ridiculous happy puppy grin.

"Consider it done then." He assures him. "This Lord will forgive them for their poor judgement when the time comes." He motions to the other side of the table. "Come, join me Shizun. I thought that we might share a meal." He pulls out a qiankun bag and starts to pull out a feast from it. "I had intended to take you somewhere else for this, but this location suits us just fine. I doubt we'll have as much time as I would have liked, but no matter. A first of many."

"Is it poisoned?" Shen Qingqiu can't help but ask as he gets up and comes over, his mind running through the hundreds of poisons and drugs that Luo Bingge used against his enemies and wives alike throughout the tale. Each one makes him more and more concerned than the last.

"Like I would ever let you off that easily, even if I did want to hurt you." Luo Bingge retorts, amusement curling through his voice. "You apparently know me better than that Shizun."

"Let me rephrase then." Shen Qingqiu says. "Does it have any mind altering or body altering substances in it, like say for instance, your blood?"

"Hmm, the desserts do." He admits easily. "And the tea has something to help you relax. I can practically hear your heartbeat from here." Hell no is Shen Qingqiu touching anything on that spread. He doesn't believe that it's only those two things for a second! "I'll admit, I feel unprepared. I don't actually know what kinds of foods you like or what flavor profile you prefer. All of my sources pretty much tell me that you have no understandable discernment, buying something from any food stall that catches your fancy, but that you have been known to gravitate towards sweets and strong aromas." His sources? What sources? Who has been watching Shen Qingqiu for that? "Which is new, considering that the last time I cooked for a Shen Qingqiu everything that he preferred tended to be on the milder side." Bringing up the guy you turned into a human stick? Not exactly the best dinner conversation!

"You made dinner for him?"

"Hmm, many times." Luo Bingge admits. "Before he was fully stripped of his titles, we had several fun dinners together when I was still head disciple at Huan Hua Palace and diplomacy required it. It was always interesting to hear what new insults he could come up with without seeming as though he was insulting me at all. His tongue always was particularly sharp, one of the few things I regretted taking at one point. Couldn't give it back though, he wouldn't have appreciated the backwards move, and it would have lost all of the ground I had won at that point. Plus, I was the one who made his meals when he was in my care for all those years. Didn't want to risk anyone else giving my Shizun anything less than the best." Yeah, these all sounded like great memories that they should totally talk about right now…how long should it take for Liu Qingge to kill all those demons again?

"This master is not hungry." Shen Qingqiu says even though he has to admit that it all looks and smells divine. Of course it does, this is after all the protagonist's third golden finger outside of the halo and Xin Mo, his godly cooking skills that have won him so much favor.

"Come on Shizun. I went through all this trouble to make it all and to set up this date." Luo Bingge pouts. "You like my cooking, remember?"

"I liked Luo Binghe's cooking." Shen Qingqiu retorts. "I can't speak for yours."

"Try some and you'll be able to." Luo Bingge replies easily and Shen Qingqiu still doesn't move. "Is it about the blood? Truly Shizun, you won't even taste it. It won't affect the flavor of anything here."

"This master would rather avoid consuming even a drop of your blood."

"It's non-negotiable." Luo Bingge says with a shrug. "You're getting it whether you want it or not, so why not make it easy on yourself and try to enjoy it?" Well that sentence structure was strangely creepy for reasons that Shen Qingqiu absolutely refuses to think about.

"I decline." He says firmly and Luo Bingge huffs out a small laugh.

"I suppose I'm not surprised that that's something that hasn't changed about you. Always far too stubborn for your own good." He looks at Shen Qingqiu with an amused smile. "Always having to make things harder for yourself when you could just give in. Why is that Shizun?"

"Why do you believe that you have the right to force something on unwilling parties?" Shen Qingqiu asks instead of answering him and he takes out his fan and tries to act like he's not internally trying to calculate the amount of time it'll take before Liu Qingge manages to beat back the invasion and come. He has to know that it's a diversion. He has to know when he doesn't see Luo Bingge on the battlefield that he's come for Shen Qingqiu.

"How else is this Lord supposed to protect you?" Luo Bingge asks and Shen Qingqiu gives him a small 'who do you think you're fooling' glance that makes the other grin even as he holds up his hands in appeasement. "Honest Shizun! You've made so many enemies! How do you expect this Lord to rest easy if he doesn't know for certain that nothing was befalling you?" He gives him a strange sort of glance-over. "After all, I'm rather fond of this form and would rather keep it in fine health. That seedling that you're incubating was a step down in the looks department if we're being honest." Shen Qingqiu's whole body freezes. What? What?! How the hell does he know anything about the Sun and Moon Dew Flower? How is that even possible? More than that, how could he know anything about the final form it would create?

"Where are you from?" Shen Qingqiu finally asks and Luo Bingge smirks as he reaches out to pour them both tea.

"I could ask the same of you." He says and he offers the cup to him and Shen Qingqiu takes it before putting it down on the table quite firmly, getting that pout again for a brief second. "You're him, and you're not him. I find myself curious about it." He leans forward and steeples his fingers together before resting his chin on them. "You know things that you shouldn't know, not just about that crybaby's death, but 'Bingge', I've not heard anyone call me that since I came to this world." Shen Qingqiu pauses at that and then inwardly smacks his forehead. Stupid Mistake! "Where did you come from? You're not a common event. I had to search through hundreds of worlds to find another you."

"Another me? Shouldn't I be present in all of them?" Hundreds of worlds? So Bingge did come here intentionally and the reason he picked this one was because of Shen Yuan? Crap!

"That scum was present in all of them. You have only been in two." He holds up two fingers with a grin. "The other you was…well let's just say that he was out of reach, whereas you are not so much."

"What do you want from me?"

"Right now? To enjoy dinner with me." He replies. "Later, well let's feel that out as it comes." Shen Qingqiu has no intention of touching anything on this table, and thankfully it seems as though Bingge is more than willing to talk and maybe Shen Qingqiu can stall for time that way.

"The other me you mentioned, how did you meet him if he wasn't in your world?"

"Xin Mo had a backlash." Bingge says easily. "I'm not sure what caused it, but it took me to a mirror world where I met another me, and another you." He takes one of the dumplings off of the plate and holds it up, shrugging when Shen Qingqiu doesn't take it and just pops it into his mouth. "At first, I thought he was Shen Qingqiu, but I know that bastard better than anyone and he was not him. Just like you're not him either."

"That doesn't explain why you're here."

"Doesn't it?" Bingge asks curiously and seeing something on Shen Qingqiu's face he sighs. "Hmm, okay how to explain it better then. Let's see…do you know what I wanted most as I grew up?" He doesn't wait for an answer. "I just wanted a hint of kindness. For a certain someone to not make my life a living hell. To have that someone think that I was worth basic dignity before I forced him to realize it. I don't think that's much to ask for, do you?" He takes another bite. "After I went to that mirror world though, I realized that I had been desperate for scraps when there was so much more to be had, and I wanted all of it. I wanted that side room, I wanted these talks with a Shizun who cared and who thought that I was worthwhile. I wanted to try the softness instead of the war I've always known, so I came here so that I could find it."

"Then it was a useless trip." Shen Qingqiu says and Luo Bingge gives him a curious look.

"How so? You're here, I've found you. He's gone, there's nothing in the way for us now."

"It won't work. What you want, you won't get. You want what he had, but just coming here won't give it to you. He lived his life with this, he learned different lessons, he was an entirely different person whereas you're coming into the game late with all your own habits. You can't just step into his life and expect to become him. We will only ever be strangers with familiar faces who will never become whatever those two were that fascinated you so."

"It could happen if you let it happen." Bingge tells him. "People learn and grow all the time, and everyone starts out as strangers at some point. Why not us?"

"Because you want something from me that I do not intend to give you, and without it all of this falls apart."

"I'm still Luo Binghe. I'm still the one you want. He and I aren't so different in the end, you'll see."

"To say 'not so different' is to imply difference." Shen Qingqiu states. "I don't want 'another' Luo Binghe, I want mine back. I want the one who sat there and ate dinner with me for years. Who grew up in that spare room. Who I taught and looked after while he looked after me and who I was waiting for to come back."

"You act like you're so upset he's gone, but you were waiting for him to kill you." Bingge says curiously. "Why be upset that that's not going to happen anymore? If he wanted your demise then isn't it better to go with me? I don't want to hurt you anymore. All of those feelings that you had for him; wouldn't it just be easier to transfer them to me? I'd appreciate them better. I know what it is to not have them."

"You are not him. I don't know you at all and I don't owe you anything. Not my time, not my care, not my attention and certainly not whatever affection I felt for him." Shen Qingqiu snaps and Luo Bingge holds up his hands with a look like 'I didn't mean to make you mad' and it just sets Shen Qingqiu off. "There is nothing here for you. I refuse to play this game with you. I will never be yours." There's a few moments where the atmosphere in the room becomes too heavy to be natural before Bingge's eyes glow softly and a smile slowly spreads across his face.

"Still choosing to do everything the hard way." He mock laments with an amused sigh. "Whatever am I to do with you Shizun?"

Even though he sees the attack coming, he's still not fast enough to avoid it. Luo Bingge launches at him and he throws himself back in an attempt to get away as he summons Xiu Ya only to have Bingge grab his wrist in an unbreakable grip and topple the two of them onto the floor. His other hand comes up and grabs Shen Qingqiu at the throat and he pushes him down firmly as he smirks from where he's crouched above him. It's in that moment that Shen Qingqiu finds himself sorely grateful for all the lessons that Liu Qingge has been relentless in giving him because even though he's nowhere near Luo Bingge's power levels, he is able to still shift their weight and throw Luo Bingge to the side and get him off of him.

Bingge's laughter is almost joyful as Shen Qingqiu tries to crawl away only to get tugged back and the two of them start grappling some more. They knock over the table and there's the sounds of breaking plates in the background that Shen Qingqiu can't spend anytime focusing on as he tries everything in his repertoire to get away. Regardless of it all though, eventually Bingge pins him down, smirking down at him.

"Get off." Shen Qingqiu orders and he chuckles.

"Shizun, did you really think you'd win? I've had rougher foreplay with Sha Hualing and Liu Mingyan. What hope did you have?" He flexes his grip on Shen Qingqiu's wrists where he has them pushed down. "I have to admit Shizun, I didn't expect you to be so wild. I thought for sure it'd be candles and flower petals and soft promises of forever. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I always did enjoy those types of encounters less." Inwardly Shen Qingqiu is cursing out his lower power levels. If he had more strength, he'd use Xiu Ya to more of an effect, as it stands though he's running far too close to empty and he needs to save it for whatever hope he might have later. "Why the glare Shizun? You clearly know all about me, you know that I never leave a partner unsatisfied." He purrs that last word, leaning down to fully press his whole body along Shen Qingqiu's and clearly enjoying Shen Qingqiu's obvious displeasure at the whole turn of events.

"In your mind, how does this get you what you want?" Shen Qingqiu forces himself to ask calmly. "Threatening behaviors, assault on the other person; I'm curious how you see this working out in any sort of beneficial way for you."

"Threatening behavior?" Bingge repeats. "Shizun come now." He clicks his tongue as though chiding a small child. "This isn't me threatening, this is me playing. If I wanted to threaten you." He leans down so that he can whisper in Shen Qingqiu's ear. "You would know." It sounds like a threat when he says it, but Shen Qingqiu has no doubts that he's still just 'playing'.

"I already told you I wasn't going to play any games with you." He tells him. "Go find someone else to play with."

"What if I don't want anyone else?" Bingge asks, leaning back slightly so that Shen Qingqiu can see his face again and he's pouting once more. "What if I've had everyone else and I still want something more?" He looks at him, but it's strange, it's almost as if he's not really looking at Shen Qingqiu but off into the far distance. "I always want more, need more and it's never enough, but he…he was fine." His voice is almost baffled, like he's seeing a problem that he doesn't understand. "Why was he happy with so little while I had everything and still couldn't be? Why did he get you and I didn't? Why was he so special? What was wrong with me? Why…what's wrong with me?" There's something that looks like legitimate despair on Bingge's face before Bingge lets go of his wrists and drops his head onto Shen Qingqiu's chest and Shen Qingqiu doesn't know what to do.

What is he supposed to say to a question like that? Sorry, but your drama was written out by a writer with a desperate need for food and a roof over his head, who was going through his own inadequacies and problems and he ended up creating you to fill a void in millions of bored readers who responded better to your rage and your pain than your happiness? How is he supposed to say that he doesn't know why he came here, or that supposedly he's done it before in another world? That somewhere out there there's another him dealing with all this crap too? It's absurd and way beyond this foolish reader's ability to comprehend or give answers for.

It takes a moment before he realizes that the other is crying into his chest. It throws him and he doesn't know what to do. What is he even supposed to do? This is the Stallion Protagonist! The man who got everything after suffering horribly. The man who sold his soul to a sword that demanded endless papapa! How is Shen Qingqiu supposed to help him sort out these sorts of questions?

He sighs softly and slowly reaches over and puts a hand on the back of Bingge's head in an offer of comfort to the man who is having a breakdown and clearly needs it. His hair is just as soft as he remembers Binghe's being and he runs his fingers through it gently.

"This master has no answers for you." He says as kindly as he can. "I would give them if I could. What's happened…has happened. There's no changing that. We are who we are and we've gone through what we've gone through…for what it's worth this master is sorry that he could not spare you from that. Nothing was wrong with you; I promise you that. None of it was your fault." Bingge seems to take a moment after Shen Qingqiu stops smoothing out his hair before he leans up and looks at him with an amused look.

"Huh, so the tears really do work. I guess he was actually onto something there."

Chapter 17

Notes:

Chapter Warnings: Non-consensual kissing. Bingge being kinda creepy in his inner thoughts.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Yue Qingyuan is a blind fool. It's not a new realization for Bingge, however it has never been more obvious then right now. For the man who held such claim over Shen Jiu's heart, for the man who followed him like a sad shadow for decades, for the man who threw all rationality to the wind and fell right into Luo Bingge's hands and gave the demon emperor everything he needed to finally break the uncrackable Shen Jiu – the man is a blind, stupid fool. There was no way that anyone who had had the unfortunate pleasure of knowing Shen Jiu would ever be able to be convinced to believe that the man beneath him could be him.

Although, Luo Bingge does suppose that some lenience should be granted, after all who outside of Luo Bingge could truly claim to know Shen Jiu?

He watches the interplay of emotions cross those familiar features, and they do so in such a way as to almost make them seem foreign, and it's a pleasure to observe. The way that he freezes at Luo Bingge's reveal of his ploy, the way his eyes go wide and confused for a few moments before the reality of the situation and the joke that's just been played on him that he fell for so easily catches up to him, and then Luo Bingge watches with a relish as that brow furrows and those eyes narrow and those lips purse tightly and so much disbelieving rage crosses that face like an open book. It entertains Bingge immensely.

Shen Jiu would hate this Shen Qingqiu for this most of all. He would have hated him for being so obvious and so clear in his weak spots. That stubborn teacher of his would have ripped off his own limbs and thrown them at Luo Bingge's feet himself over the disgrace of showing Luo Bingge or the world at large so much of himself. Even in the darkest moments between them, even after the most creative of pastimes that Luo Bingge had designed and shared with his old Shizun, the most that he had ever gotten out of the man had been tiny glimpses of what might have passed for human emotion on that disgustingly beautiful face; and he never got it twice. No matter how hard he pulled or how deeply he tore into him looking for just a hint of it once again.

And yet here it all is, just right out in the open laid bare so easily. It's almost obscene. Shen Jiu would be rolling in his grave. Bingge loves it.

"You!" Shen Qingqiu snarls, rage and embarrassment clear in his tone as he rekindles his earlier assault on the man above him for the audacity of Bingge to play the 'Pity Me Shizun' card and Luo Bingge just laughs as he lets the hits land in his own kind of apology for ruffling the man's feathers.

"I'm sorry Shizun!" He says under the barrage of hits. "This Lord knows he was wrong!" No wonder that Luo Binghe didn't see him coming, how could he if this soft thing was what he weathered growing up? Half of Luo Bingge is surprised that the crybaby even managed to survive down in the Abyss, let alone grab Xin Mo.

Apparently, Shen Qingqiu doesn't take his apology for face value, and Luo Bingge figures that's probably because he's laughing even as he's 'enduring the punishment', but he gives him a little bit to cool down, just like back when he would upset one of his wives and had to let them vent or they'd be fussy for days, before he shifts and catches those hands once more and leans down to kiss that frowning mouth. Shen Qingqiu's whole body goes rigid underneath him at that move for a few moments, like somehow this whole thing is unable to be fathomed by him. Hasn't Bingge been clear in his pursuit? If not, or if Shizun somehow still had misgivings about Bingge's intentions, he figures they should be cleared up by now. As funny as it is, it's the temporary rigidity that makes this Shizun remind Bingge the most of the original Shen Jiu and he just pushes closer to elicit more of those entertaining responses.

He never fucked Shen Jiu, and now he's almost disappointed in his younger self's lack of vision; but he's rather looking forward to breaking this one down with his own two hands. He's already had Shen Qingqiu's pain, he figures it's only natural to get his pleasure too. His Shen Jiu didn't deserve pleasure, probably wouldn't have even known what to do with it; but this soft thing wouldn't outlast pain and honestly Luo Bingge doesn't feel like he deserves such harsh treatment. Why would he think so when Shen Qingqiu caved so easily and tried to make Luo Bingge feel better even in the midst of all of this? Why would he want to truly harm the man who clearly had a weak spot already in his heart for Bingge no matter how much he claimed he didn't? Or who knows, maybe he'd be that way with anyone, either way it just meant that there was an easy opening for Bingge to exploit in his pursuit.

It doesn't take long for Shen Qingqiu to come back to the situation at hand, coming to life underneath him once more and trying to throw him off unsuccessfully.

"Go ahead and bite me if you want." Luo Bingge whispers against his lips when it seems as though the man might do it. "I don't mind if that's how you want to receive this Lord's blessing." The jerk he gets in response to that makes him chuckle once more as he shifts to get a solid grip in Shen Qingqiu's hair with his other hand and tugs him in closer. He's rather enjoying himself when he hears the shift of robes behind him – how did he not sense someone approaching? - and then a smack lands on the center of his back that confuses him for a brief moment in how pathetic it was. Seriously what was the point of that? Did one of Shizun's students manage to somehow slide in under Bingge's defenses and then that was the best they had?

And then it's like every demonic and spiritual pathway in his body lights up in fire.

--

It's a full-on invasion and it comes upon them without any warning. The giant force of demons that come storming up the mountain from the strange tear down into the demon world at the base of Qian Cao was not something that they could have expected or prepared for. It's nothing like the attack on Cang Qiong all those years ago under the lead of that young demon saint, this is several battalion strength groups laying siege and pillaging as much as they can as fast as they can, destroying anything in their path.

Liu Qingge wants to spit at them when he first arrives, when Mu Qingfang sends out the call for aid and Bai Zhan and Xian Shu immediately respond. Of course these cowards would attack Qian Cao Peak first, the peak of healers, not a fighter around before the calvary arrives. The imposter demon must be more powerful than Liu Qingge originally considered if he's not only able to open such a tear but to command such a large force of demons to storm through it. Liu Qingge will make him pay for this, for each disciple that they come across, hurt and bleeding in the dirt – he will pay it all back. Yang Yixuan stays at his side, the stubborn new head disciple of Bai Zhan Peak showing no quarter to these marauders and Liu Qingge is forced to admit once again that perhaps Shen Qingqiu was right about the boy's potential and temperament.

"Take command of the others. Help get the wounded to the main hall. Protect them." Liu Qingge tells him once he's felled the small group of demons attacking a pair of Qian Cao disciples and Yang Yixuan nods, dropping down and motioning for a few other Bai Zhan disciples to help him as they grab the injured party and take off to do what their master instructed. Liu Qingge launches himself back into the fight, slicing down demons as he goes. It's still taking too long. Everything about all of this has been taking too long. Too long for them to be made aware of the attack. Too long for backup to arrive. Too long for the main barrier to activate. Too long for the individual peaks barriers to go up afterwards, and far too long for Liu Qingge to realize that he cannot see the imposter anywhere on the battlefield.

He can't help the brief glance he gives to Qing Jing Peak and the barrier has gone up which means that Shen Qingqiu must have been the one to activate it. The imposter might be able to mimic Luo Binghe, but he wouldn't have taken the oaths that let him into the barriers which means that Shen Qingqiu should be safe for now…something in his gut tells him that he still needs to hurry. Nothing about any of this is what it seems.

"Brother." Liu Mingyan greets, falling to his side as they slice through the next grouping of demons together. "Why are they so disorganized?" She asks when the whole group seems to break, each one running in different directions from the two cultivators. "Where are their generals?"

"They didn't come with them." Liu Qingge growls.

"Why attack without proper preparation? What's the point?"

"This is the point." Liu Qingge says. "This isn't an invasion, it's a distraction." He slices down another. "They're intentionally spreading themselves out to draw out the amount of time that it will take us to contain them."

"What are they after?" Liu Mingyan asks, felling her own demon and Liu Qingge bites the inside of his cheek.

"Shen Qingqiu." He answers and inwardly he's cursing out every single one of these demons with every insult he's ever heard thrown at him over the years. Their goal was obvious, to take up as much of Liu Qingge's time as physically possible and it's working. The cowards. Attacking healers and children. Even if Liu Qingge wanted to head to Qing Jing Peak to go protect Shen Qingqiu he couldn't. Not with the threat still present here. Even if he could find a way to justify it to himself to leave someone else in charge, which he couldn't, Shen Qingqiu would never forgive him for putting his life above that of Cang Qiong's disciples, as it should be.

Honestly, Liu Qingge has never actually been one to just hate demons for just the sake of hating demons despite what people believe of him. He's always hated them for things like this. For how base and vile and disgustingly without honor they've always been. Even this imposter who Shen Qingqiu claims holds so much power has still chosen to use a petty trick like this, throwing hundreds of his own people away like useless trash instead of openly challenging them.

"Do you think he made it to Sect Leader?" Qi Qingqi asks when they temporarily meet up to tear through a particularly large group trying to get into one of the student dorms.

"No, I don't." Liu Qingge admits and she frowns.

"He'll be fine. He's stubborn."

"He better be." Liu Qingge says before he leaps off to go after the next group he can see and it takes far too long to get everything under control.

"So far there's only wounded. Nothing life threatening." Mu Qingfang says when Liu Qingge destroys the final force trying to lay siege to the main hall where the other Peak Lord is keeping them back from the wounded. "Go. We've got it here." He says and Liu Qingge nods once before he leaps onto Cheng Luan and races to Qing Jing Peak hoping that he's not too late.

He storms into the bamboo house where Shen Qingqiu keeps his guqin, knowing that he would have had to come here to put up the barrier, and he freezes.

The place is trashed. Obvious signs of a major struggle. Strange dishes are strewn about the room on broken plates after clearly being thrown from the broken table. Someone put up a desperate fight here and Liu Qingge's heart feels like it stops beating in his chest when he sees a glint out of the corner of his eye and he looks and sees what's lying on the floor:

Xiu Ya.

Notes:

I want to say - THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE AMAZING REVIEWS!! I love them and they help so much in keeping the momentum for this story going! I adore reading everyone's thoughts! Unfortunately, due to time constraints I'm not going to be able to respond to reviews anymore but please know that I am reading each and every single one of them and love them all!

Chapter 18

Notes:

Chapter Warnings: non-consensual kissing.

Chapter Text

If anyone had told him last week that the original Luo Bingge was going to show up, and that he was going to decide that sticking his tongue down Shen Qingqiu's throat was where it was at – he would have probably stabbed them with Xiu Ya just to keep that bad mojo from existing in the world any longer. Unfortunately, that seems to be how his horrible luck in this ridiculous world opts to go because that's exactly the situation that Shen Qingqiu has found himself in.

Luo Bingge is continuing on with the role he's decided to inhabit as the absolute tool of tools, no the grandmaster of douchebags everywhere, and has apparently decided that that horrid movie trope where 'asshole guy forces a kiss on the girl he just pissed off to shut her up and keeps kissing her no matter how she struggles until she stops fighting back and succumbs to his charms and isn't angry anymore' is a thing that works in real life – which news flash: it isn't. It doesn't matter if he's trying to give a good showing - not that Shen Qingqiu would know what a bad showing would feel like but that's neither here nor there - and Shen Qingqiu feels like he's trying to show him just how he convinced 3000 women to say 'you know what? Fuck self-respect, I'm gonna fuck me some demon emperor'. Mortifyingly enough, somehow whatever he's doing seems to be ticking a whole bunch of boxes that until now Shen Qingqiu didn't even realize could be ticked and if he makes a rather pathetic sound at the shivers that Bingge somehow manages to make go down his spine, well that's something he's going to take to the grave with him. He'll deny everything until his dying breath…which might be soon if Bingge doesn't decide to let him breathe anytime soon.

Abruptly though, Bingge pulls back, his jaw clenched tightly in what looks to be pain as his whole body seizes above him. Shen Qingqiu doesn't even get a chance to wonder what's just happened before he hears it.

"Sixty seconds Bro! Sixty seconds!" Truly, he has never heard a more beautiful sound than Shang Qinghua's voice right now and he feels the other transmitigator grab his wrist before tugging him harshly to slide him out from under Bingge while simultaneously gingerly pushing at Bingge's shoulder to move him off of him. "We gotta go!" Like he has to tell him twice. Shen Qingqiu has wanted to be out of here since this whole thing started, he's sure as hell not going to dilly dally now.

"Shang Qinghua!" Bingge growls through clenched teeth, even as he reaches out and grabs a fistful of Shen Qingqiu's robes in an attempt to keep him here and Airplane-Bro makes a rather pathetic and terrified sound deep in the back of his throat at the rage that his creation is throwing at him for ruining his 'fun' before he gets a good grip on Shen Qingqiu's arm and pulls out another talisman, tossing it out and letting the portal open.

"Come on!" Shang Qinghua says and Shen Qingqiu tugs his robe harshly and Bingge makes another grab for him when it slips out of his hand but he's unable to get ahold of him again before Shang Qinghua yeets them both into the portal which closes immediately behind them.

Normally, Shen Qingqiu would have to say that he's not the biggest fan of portals. They tend to disorient the user and they always make his stomach upset afterwards, but he's got no complaints whatsoever even as him and Shang Qinghua go tumbling out over new rocky terrain that digs stones into his body where they roll for a few moments until coming to a stop. Shen Qingqiu barely has a chance to catch his breath before Shang Qinghua is already on his feet and pulling at him to stand.

"Run!" He says, gripping around Shen Qingqiu's wrist as he turns and takes off, tugging the other along with him.

"Where are we?" Shen Qingqiu asks when he's finally able to.

"Not far enough." Shang Qinghua replies. "That spirit burning talisman won't keep him down for long. Sixty seconds max and then he's going to be able to track where the portal opened up with Xin Mo. We need to be as far away as possible!"

"If we're just running on foot that's not going to happen. He'll catch up with us! Sixty seconds isn't enough time."

"We just have to get far enough away to use the next one, it'll take him a while to track the portals and if we're able to create enough of a gap of time then he'll lose the trail and we can meet up at the rendezvous point."

"How many portals is that going to take?"

"I don't know!" Shang Qinghua admits, panic in his voice. "It's not like the guy just gives up!"

"Yeah, about that – what the fuck is wrong with your protagonist?!" Shen Qingqiu snaps, almost wanting to reach for his fan on his belt just so that he can whack this ridiculous author. "Why is he being so OOC?"

"I don't know Bro!" Shang Qinghua says desperately. "I don't understand what's going on anymore than you do! I thought that I was rushing against the clock to get there in time to stop him from ripping off your legs, not trying to get between them!"

"Never ever say that sentence out loud again!" Shen Qingqiu snarls.

"What the fuck Bro?"

"I don't know!"

"No, seriously, what the fuck?"

"I don't know!" Shen Qingqiu repeats, his own tone rising slightly to match the one being used by the other. "He says he came here looking for me."

"What he decided he wanted to act out some hot student-teacher play and his teacher was already, I don't know, dead?"

"What have I said about saying creepy shit!" Shen Qingqiu says, almost losing his footing on some sliding gravel but Shang Qinghua just grabs his arm and they keep pushing on. "And I don't mean Shen Qingqiu, I mean me." He almost knocks them both over when he runs into Shang Qinghua's back when the author stops moving before turning to look at him, horror on his face.

"Wait, he knows?"

"He knows enough. I'm not sure what all he knows, but he knows I'm not Shen Jiu."

"How does he know that!?"

"He said he met another version of us that existed in another world and he decided 'yup, I want one for myself' and bam! Here he is!"

"What the fuck even is our lives?" Shang Qinghua asks in a rather tight and high-pitched panicked voice and Shen Qingqiu spins him around and pushes to get him moving again. Although he does have to say that he's never heard a more accurate response to the clusterfuck that is their existence in this world. The Scum Villain and the Canon Fodder, both trying to keep their heads above water when everything is designed to pull them down.

"How much further?"

"Not much." Shang Qinghua says quickly. "He can track the portal's but distance between them is going to slow him down and Xin Mo has limits."

"Are you sure about that? Because apparently it's up and making portals between realities!"

"I'm sorry, are you the one who created the sword?" Shang Qinghua says and Shen Qingqiu holds up his hands in appeasement.

"We both know I would have put more limits on the damn thing! Why exactly did you need to give him so many golden fingers if you were going to make him unhinged as all fuck?"

"He wasn't ever supposed to become my problem!"

"Well now he is!" Shen Qingqiu wants to run his hand through his hair. "Speaking of problems, what the hell was up with Jinlan?"

"Jinlan?"

"Sowers attacked the city. Qiu Haitang was there and she tried to get them to arrest me!"

"What?" Shang Qinghua says with the proper amount of confused surprise. "Bro, that's way too early for that."

"That's exactly what I was thinking!"

"Maybe my son is trying to push the timeframe up sooner?" Shang Qinghua guesses as they come to a stop and he pulls out the next talisman, reaching out and taking Shen Qingqiu's arm.

"Instead of running around playing 'magical portals' why don't we just go back to Cang Qiong?"

"Because these are pre-created. They're backup plans that I'm burning through to save your ass…literally!"

"And I thank you for that." Shen Qingqiu says with as much genuine thanks as he can, slightly winded and the portal opens right as there's the sound of something dropping to the ground behind them.

"Go! Go! Go!" Shang Qinghua says pulling them both through and the whole thing starts all over again.

He comes across Yue Qingyuan on his way off of Qing Jing Peak, and he can see the worry etched in the Sect Leader's face and shown in his rushed movements before he catches a glimpse of Liu Qingge. He goes to ask the question that he doesn't really need to ask, but his eyes go to the sword that Liu Qingge is holding in his hand and all of the color seems to leave his face.

"Qingqiu-shidi?"

"Gone." Liu Qingge says and it's calm. He doesn't usually do calm. Calm isn't what he's known for. "His house was destroyed. Will you send in a request to An Ding Peak to get someone over here to fix it before we get back?" He feels like Shen Qingqiu will appreciate not having to come back and see the evidence of whatever happened in that room still scattered around.

"Where are you going?"

"Huan Hua Palace." Liu Qingge says. "Someone there will know where that creature is. We find him, we find Shen Qingqiu." He looks at Yue Qingyuan. "Are you going to stand in my way Sect Leader?"

"Qingqiu-shidi's safety is our first and only concern." Yue Qingyuan says after a short pause. "Cang Qiong was just attacked and one of our Peak Lords is missing…I will approve any and all methods by which to bring him home." Liu Qingge nods once, before he shifts and walks past the Sect Leader towards the bottom of the Peak.

There's only one thought in his mind: he failed again. He promised Shen Qingqiu that he didn't have to fear the imposter when he came and yet where was Liu Qingge when he needed him? He promised himself that he'd be there when Shen Qingqiu needed help and just like so many times before, he was too late to stop Shen Qingqiu from getting hurt at the hands of demons….if that demon has hurt him, if he's touched him then Liu Qingge doesn't know what he'll do, but even he fears the calm inside his veins right now at the threat of it.

He's about to pull out his sword once he makes it out of the barrier and he's stopped by a familiar figure that he hasn't seen in years and all of his spiritual power starts to leak from his body in clear threat as he starts taking sure steps towards her. Sha Hualing, the demon saint. Was she so foolish as to hang around after the demons second defeat? She should have run like she did last time, but he wants answers and she's as good a place to start as any.

"Woah, woah, woah." She says, holding up her hands. "I was told to tell you 'not to kill the messenger'."

"Who told you that?"

"Who do you think?" She asks, rolling her eyes. "Shang Qinghua." That…makes him stop. Shang Qinghua? Why would Shang Qinghua send a demon with a message? Why would he have anything to do with a demon?

"Liar." He says and she pulls out a note and holds it out. It's a strange ploy but he comes over and takes it from her. All it says is 'I've got him' and it's got Shang Qinghua's seal on it, backed by his spiritual energies signature. He wrote the note, there's no doubting that, but was it under duress? Had the imposter kidnapped two Peak Lords and they were unaware? Shang Qinghua had a habit of disappearing for days in order to do shipping and trade routes, but he had ample amulets and protection seals that were supposed to be triggered if he ever needed aid. Was it possible that the imposter took him first and that's how he got past the barriers? Now he was trying to lay a trap for Liu Qingge? Or was he trying to make Liu Qingge turn around and go back to Bai Zhan Peak thinking that Shen Qingqiu was safe with Shang Qinghua?

The imposters a fool. There's no one in the world who would think those two together wouldn't need help or protection.

"Not going to kill me then?" She asks and he glances up at her.

"Where are they?"

"I know where they're supposed to be." She says, flipping some hair over her shoulder. "I'm not sure if they're there yet, but I was told to come get you."

"Who told you to bring me?" He asks and she gives him a look like he's being particularly dense before she points at the note. "Shang Qinghua?"

"He said to bring the War God." She rolls her eyes at the title. "Said that it could only be you. I don't know why, and I don't know why they agreed, but here I am. So, are you coming or not?"

"You want me to trust a demon? After what's just happened?"

"I want you to listen to that note and do what I say." She says back, looking bored. "Look, we don't need you but Shang Qinghua was persistent and Mobei-Jun listened to him as he usually does, and so now you, and only you, have permission to come to the Northern Desert." Mobei-Jun listens to Shang Qinghua? What connection does the An Ding Peak Lord have with someone like Mobei-Jun? Not just that, she said 'they', that implied more than just one person listening to Shang Qinghua if this whole situation is truthful. So who was this other person? The imposter? She huffs and crosses her arms. "Why are we even still here? Best case in your mind is that we have both Shen Qingqiu and Shang Qinghua captured and waiting for rescue, and I'm taking you right there. Worst case, we only have Shang Qinghua. Either way, shouldn't you be all about getting your people back?"

"I will cut you down-"

"Yeah, yeah, got it. Let's go, the longer we're here the more chances we have of catching his attention."

"Whose?" Liu Qingge asks and he sees something dark and violent cross those petite features.

"Luo Binghe." The way she spits the name is actually the thing that makes him follow her. He doesn't exactly have any leads past Huan Hua, but perhaps even if this turns out to be nothing more than a poorly laid out trap, he might be able to find out more about where someone like this imposter comes from and where he would go in the demon realm with the Qing Jing Peak Lord he's kidnapped. Also, he can't ignore the threat that the An Ding Peak Lord has been taken captive by demons either.

Clenching his jaw, he motions for her to go and steps through the portal.

Chapter 19

Notes:

Chapter Warnings: None

Hope you all had a great week! Enjoy the next chapter and thank you for your amazing reviews!!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

He's not entirely sure what he was expecting when he steps out on the other side of the portal. Maybe an army? A battalion ready to try and take him down and capture him? Some sort of trap to spring in that singular moment of disorientation before he can fully take in everything around him and process it all properly and quickly enough to prevent any attacks on his person? What he isn't expecting, is a giant marble room that's freezing and empty.

Truly the temperature is the first thing he's forced to acknowledge, as the sudden drop is a shock to the system since just moments ago, he'd been surrounded by the warm spring air at the base of Cang Qiong Mountain. Now he feels like he's walked into one of those ice storage rooms. Sha Hualing seems to give no indication that the temperature is a concern to her, her bare feet padding across the undoubtedly frozen stone and her lack of layers showing no hinderance to her as she just starts walking and he follows behind her since he has little else to do with himself right now. If she's truly taking him to Shang Qinghua, either imprisoned or with Shen Qingqiu, then he has no reason not to silently obey and trail after her.

They leave the room with the portal arrays etched into the floor and set out into long, large hallways. This place is beautiful, he'll give it that. He's not usually one for decorative flourishes or the like, Huan Hua's obsession with gold inlay on everything tends to make him fight back rolling his eyes every five seconds, but he can give some credence where it's due. He hadn't realized that he had never really taken the time to consider what a demon kings palace would look like on the other side, but he acknowledges that some part of him must have taken some of those fanciful stories of demon culture as written by humans who had never actually seen it to heart. He does his best as they walk to realign his viewpoint to work with the information that he's being presented with and not the information that he'd once assumed.

Sha Hualing is a bright sore in the muted colors around her. Like a walking wound in her blood red clothing, each step of hers echoing in the massive halls with the soft sound of bells. He wonders about her constitution a little bit as they walk. He realizes that he doesn't really know much about her or about what clan she must hail from or anything about why she'd be here amongst a different demon lord instead of amongst her own court. He has to acknowledge that he doesn't know anything about demons other than how hard he has to hit them to make them stay down. Shen Qingqiu would be shaking his head at him right now if he ever heard him admit that out loud.

This whole setup doesn't speak of mindless brutes though, like the majority of demons that pass into human lands that cultivators get called to deal with. He still doesn't think that it answers why the An Ding Peak Lord would have contacts amongst the demons here, especially not the Mobei-Jun. The demon who attacked at the Immortal Alliance Conference.

There had been whispers that it had been sabotaged, but no evidence as to who could have done it. Now with a potential connection to Shang Qinghua who was present, Liu Qingge isn't certain if those rumors don't have some bearing in fact now. At the very least, Shang Qinghua has a lot to explain if he's not a prisoner here.

"Where are they?" Liu Qingge asks once he's followed her in silence for longer than he cares to through the cold marble hallways and she just curls her finger over her shoulder in a 'follow me' beckoning motion without so much as a word. There are demons scattered randomly throughout the hallways, most of them on the outskirts of his vision and all of them staying off to the side out of Sha Hualing's way. He can see how their eyes all track to the demoness in the garish reds, but how their gazes shift and linger on the human cultivator following behind her. He can see the questions in their eyes, the way that a few lean towards each other and whisper and some part of him wonders what they're saying. He figures that it wouldn't be any different if the situations were reversed. If Liu Qingge were the one walking someone like Sha Hualing through Cang Qiong Mountain Sect. The students would undoubtedly be gossiping if they saw some demon following a Peak Lord through the area like nothing was wrong with that picture.

His musings are halted when Sha Hualing finally turns, taking them down a different set of hallways and down some stairs before pushing open a pair of doors and walking in. He follows diligently, more than prepared for the next potential trap location, his stance seemingly lax but he's ready to do battle at a moment's notice. Enclosed spaces, especially ones at a lower level than ground level, aren't his favorite locations to fight in since he always has to make sure that falling debris doesn't become a deadlier foe than the opponent he's fighting. Won't stop him though from leveling this place to the ground if he has to.

The room is smaller than he expected, still grand, bigger than any of the Peak Lord's rooms but it's clearly a kind of guest suite or something along those lines.

"Brought him." Sha Hualing says, hoping up a few steps and walking past the demon standing in the middle of the room and heading out of sight to the bedroom area half hidden behind him. Mobei-Jun, the king of the Northern Desert. The one who laid siege on the Immortal Conference that supposedly had taken Luo Binghe's life and left Shen Qingqiu a mere shell of the man he'd been for far too long.

"Where are they?" Liu Qingge says the question once more to the demon, figuring that he's not the sort for diplomacy or pointless politicking. If they wanted a Peak Lord who would kiss ass, they sure as hell picked the wrong one.

"They have not yet arrived." Mobei-Jun says. "It is not a concern yet."

"Why am I here?" Liu Qingge figures he can get right to the point.

"For the battle." Mobei-Jun replies and Liu Qingge can think of worse things to be summoned for, even if it is weird that demons have reached out to him for it. He's not even sure why they have, when has he or Cang Qiong ever thrown in their lot with one demon ruler over another? Is this why they've taken Shang Qinghua and Shen Qingqiu? To try and force Bai Zhan's Peak Lord to do their bidding? "Against the false king."

"False king?" Liu Qingge easily puts two and two together. "The Imposter Luo Binghe." Mobei-Jun just nods slightly. Interesting, maybe they do have a common enemy. If this imposter is truly so powerful, then perhaps the other demon lords would want to see him destroyed before he could become a threat to them. Considering that he's just attacked Cang Qiong...maybe they'd be willing to give him up to Liu Qingge easily. "Do you know where he is?"

"Probably chasing that little mouse all around creation." Sha Hualing says, coming back into view. "He wants to see you." She crosses her arms in a clear 'I disagreed with this' sort of motion, but Liu Qingge is curious enough to want to know who is in the bed behind the screen. It's obvious after all that Mobei-Jun is here as a guard, which means whoever is there is someone of authority and power above even that of the king of this land. He steps around the area and is able to finally come into view of the bed where a familiar individual sits.

"Hello Liu-shishu."

"You?!"

--

The final portal opens and the two Peak Lords come stumbling out in a mess of exhausted limbs and dirty robes. Thankfully there's no one in the immediate area to see them look so disheveled and Shen Qingqiu takes a moment to let himself rest against the cold floor and catch his breath. Shang Qinghua is laying out on the ground flat on his back, looking like he has no intention of getting up anytime soon.

"Are we here? Is this it?" Shen Qingqiu asks, looking around and Shang Qinghua nods.

"Yeah, this is one of my king's private residences. It should keep us off Bingge's radar for a little while at the very least." Shang Qinghua says and Shen Qingqiu frowns.

"Wouldn't Bingge know that this place exists? Wouldn't he know all of Mobei-Jun's strongholds?" He asks and Shang Qinghua gives him a grin.

"Nope! This one is recent. You really think I'd let my king make such a foolish mistake?" Well he's got a point there. There have to be differences between the worlds after all.

"He might still know about it." Shen Qingqiu warns as he starts to smooth out his robes and his hair. "He knew about Without A Cure, and he knew about the Sun and Moon Dew Flower."

"What?" Shang Qinghua sits up. "Seriously Bro?"

"Yeah, that's how I felt about it. So who knows what he knows." Shen Qingqiu warns and Shang Qinghua gets that thoughtful look that he usually tries to hide and keep anyone from ever seeing on his face.

"You said he met another you and Binghe?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe that's how he knows. Maybe he knows things related to you two."

"I'm still curious how he knows anything. Those aren't exactly things we'd talk about."

"Whose to say that we're at the same point in the story." Shang Qinghua points out. "Maybe it's like pulling a book off of the shelf and opening to a random page. He was already post-canon, but we're smack dab in middle canon. Maybe, those two were post-canon too?"

"I can hope, since I think that means that I didn't get turned into a human stick by my disciple."

"Hey, it's the best I've got."

"Considering that it's not the weirdest part of all of this, I'll accept it. Seems as good of an answer as anything else." He pushes himself to his feet and holds out a hand for Shang Qinghua, helping tug the other up even as he shifts his weight from his bad ankle. He doubts that he's going to have a hard time getting ice here to put on it until it heals.

"Come on Bro. This way." He starts leading Shen Qingqiu out and towards some final destination.

"We have to send word to Cang Qiong." Shen Qingqiu tells him as they walk. "If anyone sees my house they're going to think that Bingge got me."

"He almost did."

"I know, but that's not the point. The point is he didn't, and they need to know that as soon as possible." Shen Qingqiu retorts and Shang Qinghua waves a hand to say 'don't worry about it'.

"I already sent a message." He says. "By this point it should have already made it there." He frowns slightly. "It's going to cause me some issues, but right now we've got a much bigger one to deal with."

"What have you been doing this whole time?" Shen Qingqiu finally gets the chance to ask. "I mean, you disappeared for a lot longer than I expected. I started to…" He cuts off and Shang Qinghua flashes him a happy smile.

"Ah Bro! Were you worried about me?" He asks and Shen Qingqiu finally loses that war with himself and pulls out his fan to smack the other lightly.

"Who was worried?"

"It's okay, you can admit it…My Number One Fan."

"For having cheated death so recently, I'm surprised that you've chosen to court it again so soon." Shen Qingqiu says threateningly and Shang Qinghua immediately holds up his hands.

"Alright I take it back!" He says quickly and they press on before Shang Qinghua continues. "But first I had to come find my king. Then we got contacted by Sha Hualing who needed our help with a certain…plan." Shen Qingqiu gives him a strange look but doesn't press. "I'd actually forgotten all about that plot point!" Shang Qinghua laughs softly. "But it worked! And then we had to start making plans for how to bring down Bingge."

"Any progress on that front?"

"Not really." Shang Qinghua sighs. "I mean, my sons still got the halo, right? And Xin Mo. Plus his blood!" He looks more and more distraught as he adds them all up. "Right now, we're just in the gather allies part of it all. Then we'll pull together our strengths and hopefully send him packing to his own world." He pauses. "Or you know, maybe something more permanent if it's possible. I know that a lot of people want a more permanent solution."

"We're going to have to be careful if we do." Shen Qingqiu says and Shang Qinghua looks at him curiously. "When Binghe's halo was unassigned the world almost destroyed itself. We'll have to decide on who to give a secondary halo to if we actually manage to pull off killing the bastard."

"Somehow…I don't think finding someone to fit the bill is going to be all that hard to do…" Shang Qinghua says carefully as they go down the stairs and he opens the doors to a private room.

Of all the things he's thinking he might see when they enter, Liu Qingge standing in the middle of the room inside a demon fortress is not one of them.

"Liu-shidi?" Shen Qingqiu finds himself calling out in surprise, and the other man's head turns immediately at the sound of his voice. He seems to take Shen Qingqiu in, standing next to Shang Qinghua, both of them in slightly torn robes covered in dirt and his jaw seems to tighten at the rather sorry state of the two Peak Lords standing near the door as he approaches with quick and sure steps.

"Are you hurt?" He asks, reaching out immediately with soft touches to his arms to make sure that there's no damage before tilting his chin up and verifying that there's no head wounds or injuries that he needs to worry about.

"I'm alright shidi." Shen Qingqiu tells him softly, allowing the checks with no fuss. "I promise. My ankle is a little jarred from a fall, but nothing serious." He gives the Bai Zhan War God a small smirk. "You would have been proud, I didn't go down without a fight." He watches as some of the worry eases off of the other man's face and he really didn't mean to be the cause for such concern to mar the other one's features. "I guess you were right about not taking it easy on me."

"I knew I would be." He says and he sounds so assured of it that it startles a soft chuckle out of Shen Qingqiu and just like that, all of the panic and adrenaline that he'd been running on slowly fades away and he feels like he's finally able to take a breath. Off to the side, Shang Qinghua makes a strange sort of snorting noise that he immediately smothers behind his hand and Shen Qingqiu just ignores him. Who knows what's going through that foolish author's head now. Liu Qingge seems to take a few moments before he's satisfied with Shen Qingqiu's current health and he drops his hand and presses Xiu Ya into his hands.

"What? How did you?" Shen Qingqiu starts before he thinks about the struggle with Bingge and how he must have picked up Xiu Ya from the damaged bamboo house. He takes a moment before he sends Xiu Ya back into its holding place and looks back up at the other. "Thank you, I was feeling rather vulnerable without it."

"Maybe now is a good time to discuss what happens next?" Shang Qinghua's voice cuts in and they look over at him. "I mean, reunions! Reunions are good, but there's still a certain problem that's out there that we should probably, you know…discuss?" He's stumbling again under the heavy gaze of Liu Qingge and Shen Qingqiu figures that he'll have to get in front of this before Liu Qingge throttles Shang Qinghua for his double agent status.

"You said there was the start of a plan?" Shen Qingqiu states. "This master is more than ready to hear it."

"Well, mostly the plan's just kinda you know…throwing a lot of really good fighters at him and hoping for the best." Shang Qinghua states and Shen Qingqiu arches an eyebrow.

"Simple and to the point." He glances past Liu Qingge to a figure he hasn't seen and truly doesn't have good feelings for despite Shang Qinghua's loyalty and obvious crush for the man. "Am I to understand that the Mobei-Jun is prepared to go to battle against the potential future king?"

"The false king is no master of this one." Mobei-Jun says firmly and Shen Qingqiu nods. Well that's good at least. The original novel had always had Mobei-Jun as a solid ally for Binghe, maybe he was truly upset by his death and was unwilling to submit to his killer.

"This master doesn't mean to cause concern, but has it been considered that just Mobei-Jun and Liu-shidi might not be enough to contain the false king in a face to face battle?"

"It won't be just them." Sha Hualing says, coming out from behind the screen and huffing.

"Saint." Shen Qingqiu greets and she just gives him an amused smirk.

"Immortal Master." She returns the greeting.

"We've got more than just them." Shang Qinghua says. "We've also laid out several…aids in where the fights gonna take place."

"Where it's going to take place?" Shen Qingqiu repeats. "You've already picked out a location? How do you know that he'll come?" The moment Shang Qinghua gives him 'the look' he understands his role in this whole debacle. "I'm the bait."

"What?" Liu Qingge snaps, looking at Shang Qinghua. "That was never mentioned."

"How else are we going to know he'll come?" Shang Qinghua asks, cowering again and his voice turning so piteous. "He wants him, he'll storm right on in."

"No." Liu Qingge says firmly. "We will not dangle him before that demon. I will not agree to this." Shang Qinghua goes to say something to that but Liu Qingge has clearly had enough. "We're leaving." He reaches out and grabs Shang Qinghua's arm before he takes Shen Qingqiu's hand and starts to pull them towards the doors. "I'm taking you back to Cang Qiong right now."

"Uh, wouldn't it be best if Shen Qingqiu said hello to everyone here first?" Shang Qinghua says far too loudly and with far too much emphasis on his name as he stumbles along. Liu Qingge sends a glare in his direction which lets Shen Qingqiu know that something else is going on here.

"No." He snaps before he moves to pull them along once again and Shang Qinghua looks like he's going to protest or possibly call for aid from Mobei-Jun which would be a stupid thing to do so far as Shen Qingqiu is concerned, and Shen Qingqiu is about to ask why they need to leave so quickly – and then he hears it.

"Shizun?" His whole body locks in place and Liu Qingge turns and gives him a strange look that Shen Qingqiu can't even begin to read right now, but all of it seems secondary to the need to turn around and look at who just said that. His breath catches in his throat when he sees him, standing near the screen at the back of the room with Sha Hualing at his side.

Luo Binghe.

Notes:

Had you going thinking the BingQiu was Bingge didn't I? :-D

Chapter 20

Notes:

Finally! Bingmei returns! I've been waiting for this to drop for a while! (Namely 50k words later...how did this story get so out of hand?)

This chapter is split into two parts because it was too long. So on to Bingmei's story!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

He's never really determined if describing his time in the Abyss as 'hell' is ironic or just extremely lazy. He's a student of Qing Jing Peak after all, he should be better with words but goodness knows that it wasn't his strongest suit when he was there. Naturally the Abyss was hellish. That was rather the point of it, the place where even demons didn't want to be trapped, filled with inhospitable landscapes and a constant barrage of endless feral creatures seeking to devour anyone foolish enough to get caught close enough. Sometimes Luo Binghe wonders if it was worse for him because of his newly awoken other half. His demonic veins battled with his spiritual veins constantly, making him a shining beacon stumbling through that nightmare trying to settle it and stay alive at the same time.

Sha Hualing has asked him about the deep Abyss where he fell once. She wanted to know what it was like, and he'd given her some simple answer that trended along that constant state of feeling like prey and being half out of his mind with pain and exhaustion. He never told her the truth. He never told her what had been the worst part of all of it. It hadn't been the creatures, or his constantly breaking and reforming body – it had been the memories. Every waking moment, every time he so much as breathed, he would be accosted by so many memories.

Memories of a bamboo house and a side room that belonged to him, and a soft smile shared over a table where they shared every meal together for years. Where they laughed together and planned out everything together. Memories of soft music being played while Luo Binghe worked nearby in silence. He loved listening to his Shizun play, there were so many who would pay handsomely to watch the beautiful Xiu Ya Sword play and he'd done it for Binghe at his request so many times. Memories of inside jokes that they would share, private little looks that said so much in a language that only they knew when they'd be out on missions and someone was being ridiculously unreasonable. Memories of how those eyes would look at him when he'd return from solo mission, lighting up like everything had just righted in the world once more now that Binghe had come back home.

A constant, unceasing reel of memories of his first love. Of his greatest betrayer.

Memories of a sword in his chest. Of a hand pushing him over the edge. Memories of his Shizun taking his words back, of calling all others acceptable, but not Binghe. Not a heavenly demon. Memories of his pleas falling on deaf ears and a glimpse onto the face of the Shizun of old who once called him a little beast and spited him with every fiber of his being. It had shaken him to the core to see that coldness thrown at him once more. It had ripped his whole world apart to have that tone taken with him once again. He'd forgotten it. Forgotten how it could cut deeper than any blade.

Shizun has always been a mystery to Binghe. He's never fully been a person that Binghe can say he has ever completely understood no matter how much he wishes he did. So many secrets behind his Shizun's eyes, so many things he kept close to the chest no matter how close they got. Little glimpses of secrets or concerns that he never told anyone, although a small part of Binghe always found a vicious kind of satisfaction in the knowledge that he didn't share them with anyone else like Yue Qingyuan or Liu Qingge. That these secrets that he chose to keep from Binghe he chose to keep from everyone, but Binghe has always tried to show that he's strong enough to prove to Shizun that he could be trusted to help bear whatever those burdens were, and each time Shizun turns from him with that little tell on his face Binghe promises to get stronger and try again. He had been prepared to do that forever – and then the Immortal Conference had happened.

In the end, it's the constant replay of the memories that makes him realize that he understands his Shizun even less than he originally thought. At first there'd been pain and confusion. Then it'd been replaced by a feeling of having been betrayed and the rage that helped him put one foot in front of the other even when he had no more strength to do so. Then…then the discrepancies start to build and they start to drive him mad, more than anything down there ever could.

It's all with that look. The look that had been so cold right before he plunged Xiu Ya into his chest. It's all there in the memories, the way that his hand shakes – Shizun's hand never shook – and it's in the way that he looks away from Binghe – Shizun always looks people in the eye, he's always looked Binghe in the eye, why did he turn away now? Why couldn't he bare to look at him now? – the way that he seemed to be rushed. Binghe had assumed originally that he'd been desperate to be done with the demon in front of him, but looking back he can see different markers. He doesn't see hate; he sees desperation and regret. It's in the way that he turns from him like he can't let Binghe see his eyes, can't let him see the truth. It's in the way that he pushes Binghe down but the last thing Binghe saw wasn't rage like he'd originally assumed, it's a look of horrified despair as he seemed to reach out for Binghe as though he could undo the push and catch him once more.

Binghe is forced to acknowledge that he doesn't understand his Shizun at all, but he intends to ask him about it.

It takes time before Binghe is also forced to come to terms with the idea that the fault might not be entirely on Shizun's part. After all, how did all of this look to Shizun? Luo Binghe had lied, had deceived him and kept secrets from him for years. Smiled at him while he slept in the room next to his and fought beside him and had been his most trusted person and then in that moment of chaos, he'd been caught red-handed in the biggest lie he could have ever been caught in. Looking back at it he can see how he shamed Shizun. How he shamed his teachings even as he tried not to. How he shamed Qing Jing Peak and everyone who ever believed that they knew who Luo Binghe truly was. Even if Shizun had let him talk, had let him try and plead his case…what else could he have said but 'I'm sorry'? And by then, wasn't it already too late to say those words? He'd had ample time in the past to come clean, was it really all that surprising that Shizun hadn't afforded him anymore once it'd all already come out into the open?

Maybe some of Shizun's reactions weren't so unfathomable? Maybe it had been tied into a moment of feeling betrayed on Shizun's part that led them down that path that Shizun immediately regretted even as he set out on it?

Once, pre-Sha Hualing's company, Binghe had kneeled over yet another carcass that Shizun's teachings had prepared him for and he couldn't help but wonder how he would have ever made it this far without Shizun's knowledge. There wasn't a beast he went up against that he didn't know everything about and it was as though Shizun was somehow still with him, like a part of him was still protecting him, still caring for him even though they're entire worlds apart. When he gets out of the Abyss and joins up with Sha Hualing, he starts to remember all of Shizun's teachings about what could and couldn't be used. He thanks Shizun silently over each meal that he makes for the two of them.

He makes a promise to himself that he'll get back, and he'll kneel at Shizun's feet and beg for forgiveness for all the times he could have told the truth and he didn't. He always wanted Shizun's secrets, but hadn't realized that he'd had his own he needed to share too.

Xin Mo is a nightmare in his hand that claws its way into his brain and feeds on all of his fears and half-formed desires. It helps him cut a path through the demon world, making allies of those he would have never once thought could be. Mobei-Jun is a calm force of nature so opposite to Sha Hualing's explosive one and the two of them quickly become his left and right hands as he builds his kingdom in the name of a bastardized bloodline that so many spite him for while grudgingly praising his strength in the same breath.

He has his first experience with breaking someone's heart after he defeats Sha Hualing's father and she comes to his rooms that night looking for more than he can give her. He tries to be as kind as he can, but he knows already that there's only one in his heart and everything he does is to get back to him. Sha Hualing doesn't understand, or worse believes that he'll come around eventually with enough time separated from this 'person' and in constant close contact with her. She's not the only to try when he creates his first palace, but she is the only one that he feels apologetic over.

The demons who try to seduce him start to think he's broken, as he takes none of their offerings into his bed and they blame his human blood for the weakness of his heart. There's only once that someone's desperate enough to send in a succubus to wait in his rooms in the hopes that he'll fall to the temptation. That succubus who takes one look at him and then foolishly decides to take on the face of his heart's desire – and he feels sick killing someone wearing that precious face but he can't risk someone realizing his weakness before he's strong enough and established enough to protect him from all who would wish him harm just for being Luo Binghe's obsession.

It's not until he settles a good chunk of the underworld under him that he ventures back into the human world, and he realizes with great sadness that he can't go to Shizun yet. He's basically nothing more than a demon lord now, how could he ever hope to stand before an immortal master? He needs more, he needs to prove that he can follow both paths. That he can be a righteous cultivator and that whatever fears or concerns that Shizun might have had were unnecessary. That's what leads him to Huan Hua Palace. He promises to show Shizun that his teachings weren't for nothing. That Luo Binghe held onto them tightly, that he still lived his life by them. That he wasn't some mindless demon, that he could be good. He would prove it, and then he would prove that he was worth being trusted again.

Huan Hua Palace is a darker and stranger place than Luo Binghe ever expected it to be. There's something very wrong here, something that oozes from the walls and the darkness that puts him on edge even as he gives fake smiles and honeyed words of praise. Xin Mo starts to become harder to control as his patience and resolve is tested over and over again amongst those liars and scum who hide behind their authority and titles pretending to be so above it all when he's seen their true selves and knows that they're darker than any demon has ever dreamed of being. Sometimes, when the Little Palace Mistress bats her eyes at him coquettishly and he pretends to respond shyly he has to remind himself not to reach out and take a handful of her hair and snap her neck right then and there as a payment for all the terror that she has wrought to those under her. She's everything he hates, and he has to remind himself that it's all for Shizun as he bites his tongue and smiles as sweetly as he possibly can.

Nothing is worse than the Old Palace Master though. Luo Binghe has gotten used to every kind of look under the sun being thrown at him from all of the demons who tried to worm their way into his favor or his bed. He more than recognizes the desire in the old man's eyes even as he talks about Luo Binghe's mother and how much they look alike.

Binghe will kill him. That's a foregone conclusion. He'll feed him his own entrails and let him fester in his beloved prison until he becomes nothing but rot that even the rats won't lower themselves to consume. Then, Luo Binghe will purge that sort of evil from Huan Hua Palace when he takes over before he makes peace with Cang Qiong Mountain Sect. Only then, will he have made it to a level where he can approach Shizun as an equal.

In his dreams, he knows that he hopes for something more than just an equal. Shizun has never taken any lovers, Binghe would know, despite the multitude of potential suitors practically nipping at his heels. Binghe has never really concerned himself with the idea that Shizun would ever take any of them as a cultivation partner…well, not entirely true. He could see one person weaseling themselves in on that level – Liu Qingge. That just pushes him to move faster so that he can get everything that needs to get done done before Liu-shishu has the proper time to woo Shizun away during Luo Binghe's absence. Shizun has always had a weakness for the 'pretty' Bai Zhan Peak Lord.

Shang Qinghua is helpful on that note at least, and wasn't that a surprise to learn that Shizun's dear friend is a spy for Mobei-Jun? The man comes back with a steady supply of information on Shizun's wellbeing and connections at Luo Binghe's demand though, so Luo Binghe allows his presence. The man is sneaky, and potentially mentally unwell, but he's strangely loyal to Mobei-Jun and he knows so many things that keep him useful and therefore worth more alive.

It had all been going according to the plan, it had all been on track - and then Xin Mo cuts through his chest from behind.

Notes:

Me: How to get into Luo Binghe's head and portray his character? What's going on in his internal thoughts?

Binghe: Shizun. Shizun. Shizun.

Me: ...You know what, I'm not even sure why I'm surprised.

Chapter 21

Notes:

Part Two of Bingmei's POV! Catching us all back up to the story timeline at hand! Enjoy!

Chapter Text

Shock is his first reaction. He hadn't sensed anyone coming, hadn't known that an enemy had been so close. Confusion and surprise are the next reactions as he registers just what sword that is as it tugs itself back out of his body and he spits up blood before he stares in baffled confusion at the face that he sees walk out from behind him.

It's…him?

"Pathetic." The other him mutters. "So much potential, wasted." The wound created by Xin Mo doesn't heal and the blood drips over his fingers as he clutches at the wound. He can't breathe properly anymore before a hand grabs his hair and tugs his head up, keeping him from falling further than his knees – and when did he fall onto them? He didn't realize he did, didn't remember going down – "What he sees in you, I will never know."

"Wh…hat…" His tongue is heavy in his mouth. He's not entirely sure what he's trying to ask. What's happening? What are you talking about?

"So weak." The other him's tone is almost friendly, almost conversational, as though Luo Binghe isn't suffocating on the blood filling his lungs under his hand. "I'll never understand why you got him and I didn't. What idiot would throw such a treasure at someone like you and not to someone like me?" What is this person even talking about? It's hard to focus. "Don't worry though, you can die knowing that I'm going to take very good care of Shizun in your place." Shizun? Shizun! His hand comes up and grips the other's wrist where he's holding Binghe's hair in a bloody hold that cracks some of the other's bones. He can feel them give under the pressure he's exerting.

"D-don't y…ou…d…dare…to-ouch…h…h…him." He feels his blood rise to his call and he growls out the words past the pain. The other laughs and it sounds so joyous but his eyes are cold. This man…this man has no soul and he's threatening Luo Binghe's heart.

"That would ruin all the fun now, wouldn't it?" He says, lowering himself slightly to be closer to eye level, not even bothering to try and get Binghe's grip off of his broken wrist. "I came all this way to touch Shizun." He purrs with a cruel smirk and that feels closer to this creature's true nature. "Why would I stop now? Because a weak little crybaby told me not to?" Blackness is creeping up at the edges of his vision and he can't succumb, not now, not that he knows what the cost of him giving up is. He won't allow this man to hurt Shizun! "Don't fret." He clicks his tongue and he speaks as though he's pretending to soothe Binghe. "You never stood a chance and your Shizun was always going to be taken from you by me…and I'm going to enjoy taking him, very very much." Xin Mo runs through his stomach and the noise he makes is just as much rage as it is pain. "Looks like I win again, just like I always do."

He drops him to the ground when there's a horrified shout –that's Sha Hualing's voice, she needs to run! She needs to tell Mobei-Jun and warn Shizun! – like an afterthought. He's not sure how much time passes, or what happens between it all before he feels someone grab him and turn him over, calling out his name over and over again from somewhere that sounds so far away. Sha Hualing's panicked face is all he can see as things start to fade away.

"…s…save….h…him…" He gurgles out that final command before everything goes black. He thinks that's the end of it, he feels like it should be even as he rages at it and begs gods who have never once cared about him for mercy. He needs to go back; he needs to survive – he needs to make sure Shizun's okay. He has to live; he can't let that man hurt Shizun…he has to live…

And then he's in agony. Then he's breathing through damaged lungs and everything feels like someone has stuck burning hot coals and broken glass under his skin and is twisting his bones around before he opens his eyes and screams.

Sha Hualing explains it to him later, a lot of words that slip past him but he understands the basics of it all. She tells him that she couldn't lose him, couldn't leave him like that without trying everything that she could and that she'd heard of a way. That if someone were fast enough and clever enough and if there was enough energy still left in the body to allow it, then someone might be able to be dragged back before they fully crossed that invisible threshold that took them out of reach. Between her, Mobei-Jun and Shang Qinghua they were able to drag him back with no one being any the wiser.

"You have to tell Shizun, that thing isn't me." It's the first complete sentence that he's able to say and he grabs onto Shang Qinghua's arm with the strength of a kitten but the man just shakes his head.

"Shen Qingqiu already knows that's not you." He assures him. "He's…he's aware that he killed you. He's taking him as a very serious threat." He wants to ask how Shizun responded to that, the news that he was dead but he doesn't. It's a close thing though.

Shang Qinghua promises him that Shen Qingqiu has told Yue Qingyuan and Liu Qingge the truth about what's happening, that they'll protect him and it's the only thing that keeps Luo Binghe in his sickbed. Otherwise he would have tried to crawl his way to Qing Jing Peak regardless of anything. Shang Qinghua thinks the doppelganger wants to hurt Shizun, wants to kill him. Luo Binghe doesn't clear him of that misconception. He knows very well what that other him wants, even if his words hadn't been clear the look in his eye when he spoke of Shizun would have told Binghe all he needed to know and he won't let that asshole get what he wants.

Binghe is weak though. His body's pathways horribly damaged in death and through the method by which they resurrected him. They're rebuilding themselves slowly but surely. Shang Qinghua tells him that anyone else other than a heavenly demon wouldn't have survived the ritual even if it had pulled them back. That what's just happened is a miracle and Binghe wonders if it's his luck that made the gods listen or if it was Shizun's. It's clear though that Binghe's determination to come back has confused Shang Qinghua, as the man mutters something about halos and things not making sense.

They start to make plans though. This doppelganger has stepped into his shoes and no one is any wiser. It's kept the demon realm from falling apart in a vacuum that would have been created by his death, but Binghe's more concerned to learn that the other has gone to Huan Hua and is undoubtedly planning to run across Shizun, using Binghe's own plan. It makes Binghe see red and he wants nothing more than to rip that creature apart.

"We should reach out to Liu Qingge, your majesty." Shang Qinghua says quietly when they're planning their next steps. "We should try to get him on our side. He's…This servant thinks he'd have a good chance at standing up to the other you."

"A human cultivator against a heavenly demon?" Sha Hualing huffs. "Preposterous."

"Liu Qingge is not…he's not your average human cultivator." Shang Qinghua says carefully. "This one believes that he'd be a good asset to have on your side."

"Liu-shishu hates demons." Luo Binghe reminds him.

"He'd hate someone threatening Cang Qiong and a certain Peak Lord friend of his more." Shang Qinghua replies in that same deferential tone. "I…Your majesty, this servant truly recommends considering it. We need the War God." Liu Qingge is impressive, of that Luo Binghe will not deny. He's never actually seen the man truly let go. Every single creature that they've gone up against has never been a real threat or challenge to Liu-shishu, and whole armies will turn and flee at the mere threat of the War God's presence on the battlefield. During his time at Cang Qiong, Luo Binghe hadn't been able to overpower Liu-shishu in any of their sparring sessions, even when he'd pushed harder than he should have; and he cares for Shizun. Shang Qinghua is right that he might consider working together with Binghe in order to protect him.

"Mobei-Jun?" He asks, turning to the demon king and he does a small, almost imperceptible shrug.

"If Shang Qinghua believes he'll join us." He says, throwing in his vote with his spy. Sha Hualing grows irritated and Luo Binghe wonders if she's remembering how she fled the moment he came onto the scene all that time ago.

"I say we don't need him." She says and Luo Binghe shakes his head.

"Liu Qingge is impressive and powerful, by any standard given. If he'll fight beside us, it would only benefit us." He looks at Shang Qinghua. "If you can assure his cooperation, then this Lord welcomes it. Gladly."

Word of a planned assault on Cang Qiong Mountain Sect pushes up all of their plans, even though Luo Binghe can barely sit up in bed for longer than a minute or so. They're not ready to reveal their hand, but Luo Binghe doesn't doubt that Shizun's time is up. If Binghe doesn't protect him now, he'll lose him to the other. He's sure of it. There's no more time. It rankles him though, to be confined in this bed as the others leave to go play their parts. He wants to be out there; he wants to be back on his feet and be the untraceable weapon that the other demon wearing his face won't see coming. He wants to run Xin Mo through his chest and let him know that all of this happened because he dared to covet what was rightfully Luo Binghe's.

Naturally, Liu Qingge is not pleased to see him when he arrives. For a moment he clearly thinks that it's the other one, but thankfully he's able to be convinced almost immediately if only because of Luo Binghe's weakness right now. The two of them discuss the 'Imposter' as those at Cang Qiong has taken to calling the other. Luo Binghe notices Xiu Ya attached to Liu Qingge's hip and he almost has a qi deviation for a brief moment trying to figure out all the reasons why Shizun's sword would be with Liu-shishu. Liu Qingge, ever contrary, refuses to give him any answer as to why he has Xiu Ya. Thankfully though, he agrees to a temporary sort of truce between the group in the room against the usurper of Luo Binghe's life.

"Will Cang Qiong Mountain Sect stand behind you?" Luo Binghe asks. "Can we count on the other Peak Lord's help?"

"The Imposter just attacked Qian Cao Peak and Qing Jing Peak's Peak Lord. None of the other Sects would outright oppose a truce to destroy a similar enemy." Liu Qingge says, his arms crossed over his chest. "And even if they don't openly, they will lend their strength to protect Shen Qingqiu." That's good news. Yue Qingyuan is not one to underestimate, and it would be good to have him and the others on their side. It will also be a good first step for peaceful negotiations between the two realms afterwards once the threat is dealt with. Maybe, it'll work out in Luo Binghe's favor, if he's able to gather goodwill despite his heritage. The other Luo Binghe has possibly just destroyed his chances at Huan Hua after all.

Liu Qingge is a good first step. The man once seemed to hate demons with a single-minded focus, but maybe that was just Luo Binghe's fears coloring his interpretation of him. At the very least, if he had, it seems as though he's lightened a bit in that. It's clear he doesn't fully trust them, but he doesn't fear them and he's willing to hear them out. That's more than most would give.

"May I ask a question Liu-shishu." Luo Binghe asks and Liu Qingge doesn't tell him no. "You just…followed Sha Hualing through a portal to the demon world? Without any guarantee about where she was taking you or how you were going to get back? Weren't you worried that it could be a trap?"

"Naturally." Liu Qingge replies, leaning back against the wall casually.

"But you still did it?"

"If anything attacked, I'd handle it." He says with absolute confidence. Like he's saying the sky is blue. "It's not my first trip to the demon realm. If it was a lie, I would have just left."

"Not even concerned that you might have lost?" Luo Binghe asks and he gets a neutral look sent his way and he chuckles and then has to clutch his chest and stomach against the pain. "Of course not." Luo Binghe gives him a grin. "You haven't changed." Liu Qingge looks at him in silence for a few moments.

"You have." He says.

"Bad change?" Luo Binghe can't help but ask, tilting his head as he looks at the other.

"Not sure yet." Is the answer Liu Qingge gives with a small shrug.

"How did you know?" He finds himself asking, and Liu Qingge makes a kind of questioning hum. "That he wasn't me."

"Shen Qingqiu knew." Liu Qingge replies. "He warned us."

"How did he know?"

"Ask him"

Liu Qingge doesn't want Shizun involved in the plan to take out the imposter, and something in Binghe thinks that it's not really the fight that he's trying to keep Shizun from but Luo Binghe himself, and he almost succeeds. Luo Binghe wakes up some time later and he hears a voice that he's only heard in his dreams echo in the area and he almost does something foolish like crying. He's here, he's so close. The other him didn't get him.

He hears Liu Qingge prepare to leave before Luo Binghe can see Shizun again and he has no doubts that the man will return after he's squirreled Shizun away somewhere and that forces Binghe to grind his teeth and rise out of the bed, pulling himself along those few steps through sheer willpower and Sha Hualing rushes to his side to help support him before he's able to see him.

"Shizun." He calls out and his voice is far too weak, and he's almost afraid that the other man won't hear it; but then he sees how he stops – he sees how he turns, disbelief clear on his face but there's something else there too…hope. He wants Luo Binghe to be standing here. He wants it to be real. Binghe holds his gaze and even with his torn robes and the slight disarray that his hair is in, he's the most beautiful thing that Luo Binghe has ever seen.

"Binghe?" Shizun calls out, so soft and uncertain and the first honest smile that he's had since he fell into the Abyss all those years ago spreads across his face.

"Shizun." He says happily…and then he falls over.

Chapter 22

Notes:

Hope you're all having a great week! Since we're getting into finals and holidays, updates are going to be spreading out a bit in order to deal with the requirements of the end of the semester and just RL stuff.

But enjoy! Until next time!

Chapter Warnings: SQQ is a blind fool.

Chapter Notes: So...at this point I'm much closer to calling the end pairing and I feel a little more confident about where it's all going even as I keep making it up as I go. So an endgoal pairing might be revealed here in the next chapter or two!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

It's not possible. He knows that it's not possible and yet…and yet.

Despite the improbability or impossibility of the situation, standing there is a face that he thought he'd never see again. Luo Binghe, his little white lotus, alive. But the System! The System told him that he was dead? Practically turned his brain to mush with all those alerts and alarms before forcing him to deal with the unassigned Protagonist Halo. The halo that was unassigned because Luo Binghe was dead. The System would have to know that shit, right? It knew everything that happened in this whole fucking sham of a world. So how the hell did it fuck up something like this? How could it tell him that he was dead and yet here he stands before Shen Qingqiu now?

How is he alive? If he did die, how is he back? The System said that Shen Qingqiu didn't have the necessary requirements for a protagonist resurrection and then had been strangely unhelpful later when Shen Qingqiu had asked what those requirements were. Is this why? Because Luo Binghe had already returned to the world of the living? Fucking System! That seemed like vital knowledge that it should have shared with him, Luo Binghe no longer being the protagonist or no!

"Binghe?" He hears himself asking and his voice sounds like this tiny, fragile little thing that seems to plead with the ghost standing in front of him. 'Are you real? Are you really here?' It asks, along with a soft request of 'Please…please let this be real. Please be real.'. The smile that spreads across his disciple's face throws him back to all of the good days before the System's interference. He knows that smile, he knows it better than the back of his own hand.

"Shizun." Luo Binghe calls back and its in that same tone that he used to use whenever they'd been parted and had met back up. The one that always seemed to playfully ask 'Did you miss me?' and it makes Shen Qingqiu want to choke back tears. He doesn't care how this has happened. He honestly doesn't give a flying fuck how it's possible. He'll take it, he'll take it and he'll never ask questions.

And then, Luo Binghe drops like a puppet with its strings cut and Shen Qingqiu's heart freezes in his chest.

His breath catches in concerned terror deep in his chest and he's moving before he even registers that he told his feet to go. Between one second and the next he's already kneeling down in front of his old student and in the process of reaching out for him to check him over when Sha Hualing's angry snarl catches his attention with a 'danger alert!' sort of recoil in his brain as he manages to jerk himself back just in time as she pulls a dagger from nowhere and thrusts it at Shen Qingqiu in a clear move to make him back off and to protect the fallen Binghe from him.

They're probably lovers by now. It'd be correct for the timeline he thinks. If Mobei-Jun is already here and protecting Binghe like this then he's already conquered Sha Hualing's father, right? Just how big is his kingdom now? How much has he gotten under his belt before Bingge came and started kicking over all his sandcastles? Regardless of it all, Shen Qingqiu figures that he can understand her urge to protect her lover or mate or husband or whatever he is to her now, from the man who threw him away so heartlessly all those years ago.

It's strange how fast the next few things happen. One moment he's leaning forward and reaching out for Binghe to check on him before Sha Hualing lashes out and he jerks back – and then her wrist is caught by Binghe and Cheng Luan's tip is resting against her neck as Liu Qingge tugs him back slightly, just far enough to have been completely out of her reach. Despite it all, Shen Qingqiu is drawn in by the look on Luo Binghe's face. His eyes glow a soft red and they're cold in a way that makes ice go down Shen Qingqiu's spine.

That's right. This isn't Shen Qingqiu's little white lotus anymore. This is post-Abyss blackened demon lord Luo Binghe. How could he have forgotten that? It was the smile; he hadn't expected Luo Binghe to turn it into a weapon against him, and he'd been drawn in like a moth to the flame. He'd forgotten just how good of an actor Luo Binghe would be at this point in time and it hurts.

"Don't ever do that again." Luo Binghe tells Sha Hualing in a dangerous tone that makes the hair on the back of Shen Qingqiu's neck rise, but he can't help but want to scold Binghe a little bit for it. 'That's not how you treat one of your wives! Rude!' However, Sha Hualing doesn't seem to take it personally, instead she only looks mildly aggrieved before she shoots a look at Shen Qingqiu like she doesn't appreciate his presence before Binghe lets go of her wrist and she twirls the dagger back into its hidden sheath and backs away so that Liu Qingge's blade is no longer pressing into the soft skin of her throat. Luo Binghe turns his attention back to Shen Qingqiu and it's almost impressive how all of that threat fades away and leaves someone who looks so harmless and sweet. The wolf in sheep's clothing, how apt of a description. "Shizun." He says and he sounds apologetic for a moment before he glances around and then looks back at him and tilts his head in a playact of bashfulness. "Not exactly the way I had hoped to portray myself when we met again."

Ah, and just how did you want to portray yourself Binghe? As a Huan Hua Palace disciple? Standing next to the Old Place Master before you brought me down for what I did and didn't do? Or as a demon lord coming to get your pound of flesh for all of the injustices of the Abyss? As my executioner? My worst nightmare made flesh? If Bingge hadn't clearly torn apart your plans…just how would our story have continued?

"That happens again, our truce is over." Liu Qingge warns as he puts away Cheng Luan and Binghe nods immediately and with a look of such sincere seriousness.

"It won't." He assures Liu Qingge even as his eyes don't leave Shen Qingqiu's face. Shen Qingqiu makes sure that there's nothing there for him to see or use, no tell that will give him away. Nothing that will let him know just how fragile the ground that Shen Qingqiu is on right now. He hadn't been ready to see Luo Binghe again, and now that he is he doesn't know how to respond.

Shen Qingqiu drops his hands slowly into his lap and he notes how there's something that flashes over Luo Binghe's face that looks almost like disappointment. Probably because Shen Qingqiu won't make the mistake of reaching out so foolishly again. This is after all the man who will go on to rip his arms off, maybe Shen Qingqiu shouldn't make it so easy for him by just holding them out and offering them up to him.

It must irritate him, to have to be forced to interact with his scum teacher so that he can destroy the other him before he fully takes over his life and renders him obsolete. I'm sorry…I'll do my best to not impose too much.

"This master admits that he's surprised to see Luo Binghe here." Shen Qingqiu says with so much calm indifference that even he's impressed with himself since he knows just how chaotic his internal thoughts are right now. After all, how is he supposed to handle having two Binghe's present? Both with their own desires to ruin him in their own twisted way?

Sha Hualing returns with an annoyed huff as she leans down and helps pull Luo Binghe back to his feet and drags him back to the bed that he was undoubtedly in before he stepped out. Liu Qingge holds out his hand and Shen Qingqiu takes it with a tiny, grateful nod and lets him pull him back to his feet.

"Is everything…" He trails off, uncertain how to continue that sentence as his gaze catches Binghe's chest when the loose black robe that he's wearing falls open a bit to reveal a massive amount of bandages wrapped across his entire chest and abdomen. God, what did he do to you? Luo Binghe notices his gaze and immediately tugs his robe closed again, obviously cutting off Shen Qingqiu's view of his weakness, not that Shen Qingqiu blames him. He figures that he'd hide all weakness from the man who threw him into hell too.

"Shizun shouldn't worry. This disciple is on the mend." He smiles at Shen Qingqiu. "I'll be back on my feet before you know it." Even for the subtle threat that that sentence probably is, Shen Qingqiu can't help but relax a little at the assurance.

"That's good, this master is…" He tries to think of a word that won't seem like a pitiful lie. "…pleased to hear that." The slight hesitation doesn't go unnoticed by anyone and Shen Qingqiu wants to hide behind his fan, but that would just condemn him even more. He can feel his fingers twitch with the urge though and he can tell that Luo Binghe notices it. Those eyes glance back up at him and it's so disorienting to not be able to read a thing on Binghe's face. He used to be so open, it was easy to tell how he was feeling, now there's no connection between them left anymore. The disciple that he pushed into the Abyss isn't here anymore, and Shen Qingqiu isn't certain that he wants to survive figuring out who the man in front of him now is. "Maybe we should discuss the plan." He manages to get his mouth to say and he's proud that he doesn't stumble over any of those words.

Small steps. That's all he can do at this point. Very, very small steps.

--

Watching this whole drama unfold was almost exhausting, and he wasn't even one of the starring players in it. Granted that's a common existence for him. He's not exactly 'main character' material, never has been and probably never will be, not even in his own created world and he's not really sure that that says about him but he's pretty sure that his old therapist would say 'not good' while scribbling something down on the notepad in front of him.

He watches with varying levels of exasperation and amusement as the group tries to go over the 'Plan' before having it immediately get thrown out…which is then followed by the next twenty-seven incarnations of it getting thrown out too. Each one picked apart by either Liu Qingge or Luo Binghe for some issue or another that they just won't accept…mostly in regards to the varying requirements on Shen Qingqiu's role in said plan. Sha Hualing is standing off to Luo Binghe's side, throwing out new ideas that are almost always shot down as she keeps glaring at Shen Qingqiu who keeps trying to interject his own opinions into the 'plan' that are promptly refused by the other two as being far too dangerous and unnecessary and everyone is back to square one.

To be fair to his sons…Cucumber-Bro's plans are way too risky to allow them to be plan A, B or C. Maybe X, Y or Z but certainly not the frontline runner. The only person who likes his ideas are Sha Hualing and Shang Qinghua is pretty certain that she's trying to not to subtly get Shen Qingqiu killed by the doppelganger in some way, so nothing she agrees with can be fully trusted.

How the hell does Cucumber-Bro not know? It was one thing for him to be caught unaware by his original creation's…preferences for him, goodness knows that Shang Qinghua had been caught off guard by them too when he rushed into the bamboo house to see his son attempting to ply Cucumber-Bro's favor in the tried and true method of a stallion protagonist with 3000 beauties under his belt – was he though? Was he really all that surprised? – but to be blind to Liu Qingge's and Luo Binghe's rivalry for his attention? It's painfully obvious what's really going on here with how Liu Qingge keeps checking on Cucumber-Bro and how without fail Luo Binghe's eyes will narrow at how Cucumber-Bro will turn his attention fully to the War God to assure him and how he'll stubbornly and sometimes even petulantly drag his old teacher's attention back to him much to Liu Qingge's clear annoyance.

It'd be hilarious if it weren't so exhausting and dragging everything out needlessly.

The more that Shang Qinghua takes in this Luo Binghe's reactions to Shen Qingqiu being back in his sphere again, the more he feels that he remembers how to understand his original creation. Honestly, his determination to come here to find Shen Qingqiu again kinda made sense? He had written for him to be too intertwined around Shen Jiu after all, unable to pull away. The only villain that Luo Binghe had lost to on every battlefront even as he tore him apart. Even his one victory couldn't have been considered his as it was Yue Qingyuan who had ripped Shen Jiu apart. Death hadn't even granted him freedom from Shen Qingqiu, since he'd written that Bingge had been haunted by the memory of his old teacher for the rest of his days. A wound that could never heal. Something that just festered under the surface day after day with no hope of soothing it. The audience had loved it, and had eaten it up even as they spit on Shen Qingqiu.

So why wouldn't Bingge go storming across other worlds to find more flavors of the Shen Qingqiu buffet? He'd never gotten the closure that he needed from the man, and he'd never have a moment of peace no matter what he did or what wife's arms he fell into. Is it really all that surprising that he's trying to find it now not by torturing Shen Qingqiu but by trying to find solace in his arms? He doesn't really know how to do anything else; it's always been one side of the spectrum or the other for him: kill or fuck. He's already killed Shen Qingqiu, it didn't work; so now to the other plan.

Shang Qinghua doesn't dare admit to Cucumber-Bro that this was actually a side story that he'd penned up once, but didn't ever get around to adding because it had just never properly come together. That he'd written a short where Bingge accidentally fell across to an alternate reality wherein he had the chance to face off against his old Shizun again.

But come on! Of course he'd come up with something like that! The fans had started demanding another 'big villain' and none of the passing offerings had ever managed to outshine the original scum villain Shen Qingqiu! How was he supposed to make readers believe that Luo Bingge, fully realized demon emperor, would ever hate or be molded by anyone as much as he had by his old teacher?

Living through it though he can definitely say that he's not a fan. To be fair though, that's been a common state of reality ever since he came here. He can admit though…it's gotten better since Cucumber-Bro got here. It's…easier somehow? Or it feels more real now? It's hard to explain, but he feels more invested in what's happening around him in more than just an immediate 'this affects me' sort of way. He's been here so long, feeling like he's one foot in the world and one foot somewhere else and everyone else has always felt that too and kept their distance, but now things were different. Everything's been shaken up by his #1 Anti-Fan turned confident and best friend. Having him here, having someone else to soundboard off of and rant to and who understands has made all the difference. It's made this world…real. Now, ever since he came, people have told Shang Qinghua how he's different. More engaged, more a part of everything going on around him. Even his king has admitted once that Shang Qinghua is more present these days and Shang Qinghua thinks that's a compliment, or at least a positive observation…at least he hopes so. He has interacted more with the other Peak Lords and his disciples more than he ever did prior to Cucumber-Bro's arrival and he…likes it? At first he'd been terrified of the strange changes, now he…now he wouldn't give them back for anything.

And that means that Bingge has to go. He has to take down his original creation. The son that he poured his heart and soul into so as to protect people who have…finally become real to him, and to protect his best friend.

He'll deal with the Liu Qingge vs Luo Binghe problem later…or actually, he can't help but send his glance down to Cucumber-Bro's fan and his head already has phantom pains, maybe he'll let that figure itself out without him. If Cucumber-Bro wants to keep ignoring how he's getting tagged in every female lead plot…well that's his prerogative.

Notes:

Hey, gonna have to ask: please no more comments on future pairing choice. It will be what it will be.

Chapter 23

Notes:

Happy holiday's to anyone celebrating! Had some extra time today so got this typed up! Looking forward to everyone's reactions!

Chapter Warnings: There is a potentially concerning event. I'd consider it not too graphic but check end notes if you're worried that it might make you uncomfortable.

Chapter Notes: Bingge is insane. There, I said it.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

He's sitting in his usual spot these days at the Palace Mistress's side like the favored pet and he ignores the banquet happening in front of him as he twirls the wine in his cup, lost in thought. This world was…strange. Infinitely so.

Naturally he'd acknowledged the changes that were guaranteed to be present. Shen Qingqiu's alternate self has upset a lot of the balance that Luo Bingge has come to know so intimately in his own world, he'd been prepared for that; but ever since he got here there have been alterations that he'd not been prepared for. He'd expected things to continue down the path of that other mirror world Shen Qingqiu's memories and yet…somehow the man had been aware that his pathetic crybaby disciple had been killed. More than that, he knew who Bingge was. That was…strange. Information that he shouldn't have had the opportunity to know, and yet he'd wielded it with someone who had known it for a long time, there were no surprises to him regarding it.

Is this why the mirror world Shizun had been so on edge during Binghe's return from the Abyss? Had he somehow thought that his disciple was or would become Bingge? It would explain a lot of his behavior in his own memories. The fear, the constant need to run away, the determination that each touch would bring pain. Had he known? Had he somehow had a glimpse into a world that might have been if he'd been any less 'loving'? It would explain his reaction to Bingge, how he'd so easily accepted his existence and his cruelty.

He takes a sip of his drink and lets his gaze wander the hall, taking in all of the faces with a passing sort of interest.

What else has changed? What was the catalyst for it? How was he supposed to know how to win the game if there was some unknown rule or third party plotting against him? Someone was helping Shizun, that much was obvious from Jinlan. Everything had been meticulously set up to repeat that mirror world's memories and yet almost immediately the script had gone off the predestined path.

Was it Liu Qingge? No, the War God had been a staple in the mirror world's life and he'd been present at the event in Jinlan, and yet Shen Qingqiu had still fallen to the Old Palace Master's schemes. As entertaining and as pretty as he was, Liu Qingge wasn't a threat. Five years of daily battles to retrieve a corpse that had all failed assured him of that.

Was it Yue Qingyuan once again then? The man was different here, subtly so but in such a glaring sort of way. There was an obvious lack of strain or guilt when he'd stood beside Shen Qingqiu and how easily he'd once again been prepared to lay himself out as Shen Qingqiu's champion at the mere thought of someone trying to take him. No, no he'd been present too and he'd still held back. Yue Qingyuan's biggest flaw wasn't cured here, his need to restrain and to wait to the last minute which always made it to where he'd react too late by the time he did. All that power, useless in the hands of someone too afraid to use it.

No, both of them could easily be tied back to Shizun's oddness. They knew about the threat of Bingge because Shen Qingqiu had clearly told them. The subtle changes all tracked in that case. Liu Qingge's determination to not leave his side to go catch sowers because of what he saw at the temp clinic. That made the sower's call for Shizun worthless since Shizun had still born the marks of infection since the two of them had never crossed in the alley and he'd never been fed his blood. Their determination to not allow the Palace Master to take Shen Qingqiu in fear of what Bingge would do to him tracked too. Not to mention, because Shen Qingqiu knew that he wasn't his Binghe, he'd not thrown himself up to the wolves to be taken.

It was almost sad in a passing sort of way to consider Jinlan and the differences between that scum teacher of his and this version. Liu Qingge's continued life and obvious devotion, Yue Qingyuan's ease of manner around him, the other Peak Lord's quick and vehement defense of Shizun; things that this new one had that his had not. That scum of his had been hated by his own peers even as he toiled daily to keep their robes and hands clean. His actions in the dark had allowed them to keep their heads held high and sneer down at him, his cold manner usually leaving them thinking the worst of him. To be fair to them, their version of 'thinking the worst' usually didn't even begin to scratch the surface of the depths that his Shizun was willing to go to. If they'd really understood the dangerous snake they had in their midst they would have known to appreciate it better. That had been fine though, that was what that scum liked. It was what he knew, what he understood, that kind of hatred hidden by forced acceptance.

How pathetically broken, that Shizun of his.

It had been the reason why Bingge had killed all of the remaining Peak Lord's in his world. They'd pretended to be so surprised by Shen Qingqiu's darkness, but the truth was that they'd profited from it and had allowed it just as much as Yue Qingyuan had, and actively permitted it because it had benefitted them. His Shizun had done so much for them and yet they'd turned from him at the slightest change of the wind. Shen Jiu had expected it, had expected nothing less; but it had sat wrong inside Bingge's chest and had left Bingge to go and get retribution for him for it. The only thing that Bingge hated almost as much as he did his old Shizun were fickle allies who knew no loyalty. Be it to him or even to his worst enemy, he'd show them no mercy. He had shown them no mercy. He thinks that Shen Jiu had appreciated it, even if he never said it out loud. He'd cried out so beautifully for Bingge during their session that day though, and Bingge had treasured that slight concession from his old teacher. Both of them knew that he'd weathered worse with nary a whimper.

"Luo Binghe?" The Old Palace Master's call of his name makes him sit up and fall fully into the mask that he's been wearing here.

"Yes?"

"Did you hear me dear boy?" The man inquires and Bingge dips his head in a kind of apologetic embarrassed sort of way.

"I'm sorry, this one's mind was…elsewhere." He says, sounding so contrite and the man waves him off.

"No, of course. A lot has happened these last few days." He says. "I was merely wondering if you'd seen Qiu Haitang? It's not like her to be late for things like this." Luo Bingge sits up slightly, almost as if curious.

"Miss Qiu? No, I haven't seen her since yesterday." Not a lie. "She seemed a little out of sorts. Did you want me to go stop by her rooms and inquire if she wishes to join us?"

"No, that's not a job for someone like you." The Old Palace Master says before looking around. "Gongyi Xiao! Go fetch Miss Qiu from her rooms." The old head disciple bows dutifully before leaving and Bingge has to hold in the amused look. He knows that no one is going to find Qiu Haitang anywhere anymore.

They'd met up in the hallways, Bingge still on edge from the bamboo house and Shizun's flight just when things were starting to get good. Xin Mo called out for blood – and then he saw her and he smiled. It'd been far too easy to lure her in, far too easy to spread her out on his bed in order to take the edge off.

"You know, you were never one of my favorites." Bingge said almost conversationally as they were nearing the end, his hand sliding onto her throat and pushing down. He watched with a kind of passing amusement as the look in her eyes shifted rapidly from pleasure to panic. "Now that I think about it, I only kept you around because of him. Because you held a part of him that I didn't, and no part of Shizun was allowed to escape me." She starts tugging at his wrist and her thrashing feels so good. "So many people here have a piece of him now, and yet he won't even deign to give this Lord even one tiny little one. Why is that? Is it because of what I did? Do you think he'll forgive me if I say I'm sorry?" Her qi lashes out at him and he just ignores it. It feels like a fly beating against a dragon. "Maybe I should cry a little again. He liked that." He looks down at her, at how her struggles are getting more and more sluggish. "No, that won't be enough will it? I think if I want a piece, I'll have to take it, just like always." He tries to catch her gaze. "You don't think that makes me the bad guy, do you? I mean, how else would I get brought in from the cold otherwise?"

Gongyi Xiao returns quickly, and bows before the Old Palace Master and the Palace Mistress.

"Miss Qiu was not in her rooms. None of the servants had any clue as to where she was either, but her things were gone." Gongyi Xiao says and the Old Palace Master leans back in his chair and runs his fingers over his beard in contemplation.

"Do you think she got impatient and went to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect to declare her grievance against Shen Qingqiu?" Luo Bingge asks and he only receives a thoughtful hum.

"Perhaps. She was rather determined to get what she desired as quickly as possible." The Old Palace Master replies before he shakes his head, clearly already writing the woman off. "Her usefulness was minimal at best, and she'll return when she does not get what she's after. Come, let us enjoy the night." Luo Bingge nods, pretending to have an uncertain and unsure look about him when he does that he 'wipes away' when he 'notices' that he's being observed. The Old Palace Master seems to be taken in by it, not that it really matters, and the Palace Mistress struggles to catch his gaze and smiles at him when she manages. He gives her a bashful smile and dips his head away from her and he knows that he's firmly hooked her on his line.

Perhaps it was time to do away with the Old Palace Master to take over Huan Hua Palace and temporarily take the Palace Mistress as his bed warmer until Shizun could come fill his destined role as Luo Bingge's lover. Xin Mo had been rather upset at the minor dry spell after all, and it wouldn't do to lose the control that he'd worked hard to gain over the years. He glances back up at the Palace Mistress through his bangs, and she blushes.

Yes, that seemed like a good way to proceed.

--

"This whole affair gets more and more complicated." Yue Qingyuan says, thinking over the information that the three of them have brought to him. "And an alliance with Mobei-Jun of the Northern Desert will come back to haunt us if Huan Hua Palace were to learn of it…" He looks at Shang Qinghua who cringes in slightly on himself. "Or if they were to learn of any other ties with the demon world." Shen Qingqiu thinks that Airplane-Bro should be thanking his lucky stars that the Sect Leader has taken the news of his past history with the demon king so well.

Granted, Shang Qinghua hasn't really done anything outright against Cang Qiong Mountain Sect, the Immortal Alliance debacle notwithstanding.

"Mobei-Jun is a reasonable sort." Shen Qingqiu speaks up, drawing the attention back to him. You're welcome Airplane-Bro. "And with the threat that the Imposter Binghe poses, and his past moves against Cang Qiong, none would fully speak out against us for it."

"Out loud, no." Yue Qingyuan says. "In secret, and in back rooms, yes they would." He sighs. "Cang Qiong has always been seen as lax towards the 'demonic threat' and I fear that this will not win us any favors from the other righteous sects." He shakes his head. "Regardless, I do not disagree that it is our best path forward. And perhaps, with this, future relations might become a little more positive." Shen Qingqiu doesn't know how to tell him 'If you think Binghe becoming demon emperor is going to make him lenient towards Cang Qiong, you've got another thing coming for you' so he opts to say nothing for now.

"Luo Binghe is assured of his ability to meet his doppelganger head on on the battlefield once he has fully recovered." Shen Qingqiu presses on. "Between him, Mobei-Jun, and Sha Hualing combined with the other Peak Lord's…I believe we may have a chance for ending this whole problem quickly."

"You were very sure Luo Binghe was dead once." Yue Qingyuan says and Shen Qingqiu nods.

"He was right." Liu Qingge speaks up for him. "The demons resurrected him. Shen Qingqiu's vision was true." Shen Qingqiu gives him a small 'thank you for coming to my defense so quickly' smile before he nods to Yue Qingyuan.

"Liu-shidi is correct. This master knew of his death, but not of his rebirth. There are things that still escape this master's ability to know." He pauses. "There is one thing that I am concerned about. The Imposter possesses the ability to walk in dreams and if he were to turn this ability against one of us, he might learn of our plans before they could come to fruition. If he learns about Binghe before Binghe is ready to face him again…"

"The entire plan could fall apart." Yue Qingyuan nods. "Very well, I'll have Mu-shidi make several batches of non-dreaming tea. We are all to consume it daily until this entire problem has cleared itself." He gets easy nods from the other three in the room.

"There is one other thing, that this one has been tasked with bringing up." Shang Qinghua says and they look at him. "Luo Binghe has requested to be moved to Cang Qiong Mountain."

"What?" Liu Qingge snaps and Shen Qingqiu wants to mimic it. Seriously Airplane-Bro?! Why would you ask for him to be closer to the person that he wants to kill after this whole debacle is done?

"He worries that with my intervention on Shen Qingqiu's behalf that the Imposter might seek out my ki- Mobei-Jun and stumble across his existence before he was ready. He believed that moving to Cang Qiong might be the best hiding place for him in the interim." Shang Qinghua says and Yue Qingyuan gets a thoughtful look.

"He cannot stay at Qing Jing Peak, that much is certain." He says and Liu Qingge huffs.

"He'll stay at Bai Zhan Peak. No one goes to my house. We'll put him there." He says. "I won't be using it."

"Where will you be staying?" Shen Qingqiu asks and he gets a look.

"Qing Jing Peak." He replies like it's obvious and Shen Qingqiu pauses for a moment before he realizes that it probably is the best way to keep certain demon lords out of his house a second time.

"I'll have Ming Fan prepare a guest room." He says, feeling the need to hide behind his fan for some reason so he does. There's a knock at the door and Yue Qingyuan calls them in only to have a disciple come over with a piece of paper that he passes to the Sect Leader before leaving. Yue Qingyuan looks at it, nothing passing through that calm demeanor of his before he closes it.

"Something important?" Liu Qingge asks and Yue Qingyuan nods as he puts the paper down on the table.

"The Old Palace Master has temporarily left Huan Hua Palace for unknown reasons." He says before he looks up at them. "He has left Luo Binghe in charge."

Shang Qinghua and Shen Qingqiu can't help but share a look.

Notes:

Chapter Warning: Bingge kills Haitang during sex in a flashback

Chapter 24

Notes:

Hello you all! Hope you're having a good day!

Chapter Notes: Nothing.

Chapter Text

At this exact moment in time, Shen Qingqiu is having a hard time determining if he's currently hiding behind his fan out of the need to obscure his amusement, or his mortification. It's one thing to know that Liu Qingge is going to be practically moving in for the foreseeable future until they deal with Bingge, but it's apparently an entirely different thing to have Ming Fan know.

Ming Fan, that silly head disciple of his who has taken it upon himself to give Liu Qingge a tour of the bamboo house as though Liu Qingge hasn't been here hundreds of times before over the years. Ming Fan, who keeps trying to hide his stumbling words and who keeps getting distracted by Liu-shidi and who keeps offering for Liu-shidi to remember to call for him if he needs anything, promising to be available to the War God at all times. Ming Fan, who is just being so painfully obvious about his hero worship of the War God of Bai Zhan Peak that Shen Qingqiu eventually comes to the determination that he's undoubtedly hiding in a kind of second-hand embarrassment.

Liu Qingge for the most part seems to be taking it all in stride, even going so far as to play along with it. He keeps walking around, following Ming Fan's 'tour' and asking questions about the rotations at Qing Jing Peak and about the students who should have access to Shen Qingqiu's schedule – even going so far as to demand a copy of said schedule and Shen Qingqiu will admit to being a little impressed with how Ming Fan just pulls it out and offers it over, although Shen Qingqiu notes how he didn't ask his actual teacher for permission to do so before he did it – and asking about who is in charge of deliveries from the various peaks and what their usual behaviors are like.

Honestly, a small part of Shen Qingqiu is impressed by Ming Fan a bit with how easily he's able to answer those questions to Liu Qingge's satisfaction, goodness knows that Shen Qingqiu doesn't know the answers to that as seen by Bingge's ability to wear a random face and completely pull the wool over his eyes, and Shen Qingqiu thinks he might actually see the moment that his student's soul leaves his body when Liu Qingge nods once and tells him that his information was acceptable.

"I think you've just made his entire year." Shen Qingqiu can't help but chuckle softly once Ming Fan finally scurries out of the bamboo house and Liu Qingge just hums before sitting down at the table.

"He pays attention." He says. "He's obsessive and paranoid. Good traits, they'll serve him well."

"I'm not sure if I'd go so far as to call those good traits." Shen Qingqiu replies, coming over and sitting down across from him. There is a strange oddness in sitting down at this table and in the completely repaired room. There isn't one thing that Shen Qingqiu could pick out as being different from before, even the table's legs have the same etchings in them and the tea sets are the same patterns and it makes him wonder just how much attention An Ding pays to the details. It's almost…scary in a way. If he hadn't been present for the fight, if he hadn't known…then he would never be able to know that anything had happened in this room. "Sounds like they'd be exhausting traits."

"They're useful habits." Liu Qingge says in response to that. "My own Shizun said it about me once."

"That you were obsessive and paranoid?" Shen Qingqiu asks, surprised. Those aren't two traits that he would give if asked to describe Liu Qingge, although it is interesting to hear him say it. Liu Qingge has never once spoken about his own teacher before or about his time as a disciple at Bai Zhan Peak before he became the Peak Lord and Shen Qingqiu has never dared to ask even though he's been curious about it. After all, Liu Qingge had known and interacted with the original Shen Qingqiu back then and Shen Qingqiu doesn't want to slip up again and show that he doesn't know information that he's supposed to know and then get dragged back to Mu Qingfang for another six-hour long possession check. "That's not how I'd describe you."

"Hmm." Liu Qingge agrees. "They're good traits for a new warrior to have." He says. "Eventually, you learn your strengths and you learn how to react and respond properly with minimal preparation and it becomes less noticeable." Huh, Shen Qingqiu guesses that he can see how that might be true. Now that he thinks about it, he has noticed that whenever they go out on a night hunt or mission that Liu Qingge has a habit of doing a walk around of the inn or campsite that they choose before he settles in.

"I never noticed." Shen Qingqiu says. "Now that I think about it though, I can see hints of it."

"It's better for people to think that you're not paying attention." Liu Qingge tells him. "It's better if they think you just run in there and start swinging. They underestimate you, and that can determine the victor."

"If you want to give Ming Fan a heart attack, then be sure to tell him that you compared him to you and found similarities." Shen Qingqiu huffs lightly, already imagining how Ming Fan would probably have an Error 404 moment and just blank out if he got such a comment from Liu-shidi. Liu Qingge takes a moment and looks out of the window as though something is on his mind.

"You have good students." He says, and Shen Qingqiu nods. He knows that. There were some iffy times at the beginning, but slowly they've all started to come into themselves. Even the ones who had been originally created to just be canon fodder and have an IQ of like 10. "They know that something's going on, and are taking steps to prevent it."

"It'd be hard for them not to." Shen Qingqiu replies. "Considering that An Ding had to come repair everything despite the main attack happening down by Mu-shidi." Liu Qingge glances around at the area as if looking for any indications of the fight between Shen Qingqiu and Luo Bingge. It reminds Shen Qingqiu about the fact that Liu Qingge must have seen it before someone sent for An Ding to come fix it all, probably Yue Qingyuan. He wonders a bit, what went through Liu Qingge's mind when he entered and saw it like that. It makes him feel guilty, knowing that he's been such a source of chaos lately, that he's become such a burden to his sect siblings.

Damn Bingge.

"They keep going out of their way to make rounds around here." Liu Qingge continues their conversation after seemingly being satisfied with not being able to find any indication of the past attack.

"They tend to make rounds around here normally." Shen Qingqiu says with a small shake of his head. "I usually allow them to come ask questions if they're having difficulties, so it's normal for random students to be in the area. It takes them a time or two to get up the courage to actually come ask, but eventually they always manage." Honestly he still finds it a little funny, that even after all this time they still hesitate to come ask him anything. He'll be sitting and doing work or just lazing around and he'll see them start to come, and then backtrack, and then try again, and then lose their nerve before they finally manage to come over and ask what they needed to ask from him. He always wonders if he's really that scary to them, or if it's just lingering fears of the original slipping through.

"It's more than that." Liu Qingge tells him with a shake of his head and Shen Qingqiu tilts his head a little.

"More?" He gets a nod. "More how?"

"They…like you." Liu Qingge says with the strangest of looks on his face, as though he's not sure what to do with an idea like that.

"I try to make sure that they know that I'm here for them. That they can come to me with anything." Shen Qingqiu says and Liu Qingge huffs.

"It's more." He repeats once more as though understanding that Shen Qingqiu isn't picking up what he's trying to get across to him. "They'd take him on for you, if he came back."

"At this point, I think any student would immediately throw hands at him for what he did down at Qian Cao Peak." Shen Qingqiu points out. "I mean, I'm almost surprised that I haven't heard any whispers of Bai Zhan disciples plotting to go track him down and give him a piece of their mind."

"Bai Zhan disciples fight because they're expected to." Liu Qingge says with a small shake of his head. "They fight because they've been trained to. They've been trained to not be afraid of the fight or the pain." He takes a moment, that look coming across his face again. "Your students would do it despite having none of that…They'd do it even though they're scared, because they want to look out for you. It's…different."

"You sound almost…" Shen Qingqiu tries to find a good word for the strange sort of look on Liu Qingge's face. "I'm not sure if I should say impressed or…jealous?"

"Hmm. I am." He agrees easily and Shen Qingqiu's eyes widen in surprise. "You inspire loyalty, I can't do that. People don't…like me for me. They like what I can do for them. They follow me because they know we'll most likely win. My students wouldn't make rounds on their own if I were in a compromised situation. It wouldn't even cross their minds to put me before them if it weren't expected of them." He shrugs. "I supposed I am, impressed and jealous of that." Shen Qingqiu takes a moment, lets that sit between them before he huffs out a laugh that makes Liu Qingge look at him.

"Forgive me shidi, but I think in this case this master can say with absolute certainty that you are a blind fool." He tells him, amusement and a slight amount of exasperated fondness for this moron in his tone. "Your students would look the scariest and worst enemy they could ever face right in the eye and stand firm if they thought they could be of help to you. And what is this about not being inspiring? Look at Ming Fan. He's not even Bai Zhan and yet he's tried to mimic you so much. Why do you think he'd do that if not inspired by something worth imitating?" Liu Qingge has a strange look on his face once more at Shen Qingqiu's words. "And people don't like you for you? What are you trying to say about this master?" Liu Qingge seems to hold his gaze, almost as though looking for something. "Surely you know?" The look he gets at that statement is even more strange and harder to interpret. "And I think you're rather inspirational. Goodness knows that I've done things that I never would have been brave enough to try on my own if…if you weren't there. You shouldn't be so quick to undersell what you bring to others, or what you help bring out in them."

"Shen Qingqiu…" Liu Qingge says and Shen Qingqiu gives him a smile, small but genuine. It's always strange to smile, without hiding it behind a fan. Most people don't expect it from him and he always has a small fear that the System is going to decide that even without the OOC restrictions that it's just going too far and take points from him. Liu Qingge looks surprised and maybe a little caught off guard by the gesture.

"This master will go make some tea." He says, pushing himself to his feet. "Binghe should be arriving later, right?" It's absolutely fascinating to watch Liu Qingge's face return to his usual frowning scowl when Shen Qingqiu mentions Luo Binghe.

"Tonight. It'll be easier to get him past the students without being seen."

"Yeah, all of the Peaks are like a kicked hornet's nest right now." Shen Qingqiu says with a small nod. "Very well. Are you sure you're alright letting him stay at your place?"

"I'll have a new one built." Liu Qingge snaps, almost sullenly and Shen Qingqiu has to hide the surprised snort behind his fan quickly.

"That seems a little extreme Liu-shidi." He chides, amused and Liu Qingge just crosses his arms with a huff. "Alright, alright. I'll go get the tea. You can sit there and contemplate your poor house's future demise for no particular reason." Another huff answers him and he just shakes his head and goes to make the tea.

Liu Qingge and Luo Binghe have always been ridiculously extra anytime they've interacted with each other. He doesn't even know why he's surprised.

Chapter 25

Notes:

Did I work all day to get all three of my SVSSS stories an update? Yes, yes I did and I regret nothing. :-D I'd considered waiting to post them separately, or spread them out, but then I thought...Nah. And so here we are! Hope you're all staying safe and enjoy!

Chapter Notes: None really. Luo Binghe acknowledges a worthy rival and gets some much needed answers.

Chapter Text

It's been a while since Luo Binghe has been back here, and it's strange how much his time away in the Abyss hasn't dulled the memories of it. The only time that Luo Binghe had ever been allowed to actually step inside of Liu Qingge's house had been whenever Shizun's Without A Cure poison would act up without warning outside of its usual timeframes which would force Shizun and Binghe to go seek out the War God up on his own Peak and would often lead to them having to wait around for him in his house until one of his students were able to track him down and send him over.

Shizun had gotten a kind of standing invitation of sorts to just let himself in whenever he came by, and had often done so. Not that it would have been hard to get in without permission, since Liu-shishu didn't lock the doors, Binghe wasn't even certain the doors could lock, and even if they did it wasn't like he had anything in this place that would be worth stealing and worth pissing the War God off over.

Liu Qingge's house has always been a thing of curiosity for Luo Binghe, and over time he determined that it was a pretty good indicator of the man himself. It's spartan, rather plain and used to have just one old tea set that Shizun broke a long time ago. Apparently, the tea set had been left over in the house from when the last Peak Lord lived there and Liu Qingge had never seen a reason to replace it with one of his own since it was in good enough working order even though most of it was chipped. Shizun had gifted him with a fancy new one that he used all the time now after one of the cups decided to kick the bucket in his hands and crack right down the middle leaving Shizun feeling so guilty over the thought that he'd wrecked some important treasure.

"It's just a cup." Liu Qingge says with a careless shrug and Shen Qingqiu looked over the two broken halves of the cup in his hands fretfully.

"This master apologizes profusely Liu-shidi." Shen Qingqiu says softly. "This was your teachers…it's irreplaceable."

"People are irreplaceable. A cup is just a cup."

Luo Binghe remembers that day rather vividly as he thought he was about to die in order to take on the War God who was clearly going to go berserk that such a treasure was broken by Shizun and would undoubtedly attempt to hurt him, which meant that Binghe would willingly give his life to buy Shizun time to get away. Instead, Liu Qingge hadn't cared a bit about the cup, taking it out of Shizun's hands and tossing it into the trash without so much as a hint of hesitation.

That had been the day that Binghe remembers determining that for all of his faults, Liu-shishu wasn't half bad as a person. Sure, he needed to keep his eyes from lingering on Luo Binghe's Shizun whenever Shizun wasn't looking, but outside of that he wasn't half bad.

Seeing them now though, Luo Binghe knows that he's got his work cut out for him. Shizun has always been fond of Liu Qingge but after seeing how they interacted at Mobei-Jun's palace…he can tell that Shizun is slowly turning towards Liu Qingge and away from Luo Binghe. The problem is that he doesn't know how to fix it, and learning that he was going to be hidden away at Bai Zhan Peak while Liu-shishu stayed at Qing Jing? While he stayed inside the bamboo house with Shizun?

He's a worthy adversary to be sure. One that Luo Binghe is realizing he never gave enough credit to.

There's a soft knock on the outside of the door before Sect Leader Yue lets himself in, and Luo Binghe sizes him up for a moment, trying to figure out why he's come before he inclines his head to him respectfully. He's not surprised when Sect Leader returns it, the man has always been cordial to a fault, and apparently even learning that Luo Binghe has become a demon king hasn't dampened that habit.

"Lord Luo, I hope that you do not mind the intrusion. I had hoped to have a moment to speak to you in private." Yue Qingyuan says and Luo Binghe nods before following him over to Liu-shishu's small table and sitting down. The wounds on his torso pull and burn as he lowers himself down in the smoothest motion he can manage, but thankfully he doesn't feel the telltale sensation of them ripping open so he considers it a win. Yue Qingyuan might be willing to playact civility with a demon, but that doesn't mean that he's truly civil and Luo Binghe doesn't want to show just how injured he is to the man. Knowing it in theory is one thing, seeing it with your own eyes is another and with Sha Hualing and Mobei-Jun sent away to maintain peaceful relations with Cang Qiong, if Yue Qingyuan decides to strike him down there will be little that Binghe can do to stop him.

"How might this Lord help you, Sect Leader?" Luo Binghe asks and Yue Qingyuan just looks at him in silence for a bit.

"This imposter Luo Binghe, what do you know of him?"

"Not much." Luo Binghe admits. "He attacked me at the palace before stepping into my place. I was fortunate that there was someone present who was able to assist me after the attack."

"Shen Qingqiu says that you are of the heavenly demon bloodline." Yue Qingyuan says and Luo Binghe nods. "It is strange that a mere mimic demon was able to overpower you so."

"He's not a mimic demon." Luo Binghe says with a shake of his head. "I know that you guys think that it's just some mimic who took my power and my form for himself, but that's not the case. He's not pretending to be 'Luo Binghe', he is Luo Binghe. Somehow."

"May I ask for clarification?"

"I don't have much to give. Only what I know, and I know that he's me." Luo Binghe answers honestly.

"What has led you to this conclusion?"

"My blood and his are the same." Luo Binghe says. "It's what allowed him to sneak up on me in the first place. That's not possible, even between family members. Whoever he is, he is Luo Binghe, he is just not me."

"Do you know why he is interacting with Huan Hua Palace?"

"I have a pretty good idea."

"He has become the current leader." Yue Qingyuan says and Luo Binghe looks at him in surprise. He has? Binghe is out of the loop and he doesn't like it. How has that bastard managed that already? What the hell did he fuck up to make it happen? Luo Binghe had plans. There were reasons why he was going to do it the way he was. Damn it all! "Does that come as such a surprise to you?"

"Not entirely."

"Was that your intention? To take over Huan Hua Palace for yourself?"

"Even if it were, Sect Leader can rest assured knowing that I would have been a more benevolent leader than any of them even on my worst day." Binghe tells him and there's a brief moment of what looks like an agreement on the others face before it smooths away.

"This other Luo Binghe has caused quite a few problems for Cang Qiong Mountain Sect," Yue Qingyuan says, "especially for a certain Qing Jing Peak Lord. Do you have any insight into this?"

"Insight as in what? Please be clear Sect Leader." Luo Binghe says back and Yue Qingyuan tilts his head a little in acknowledgment.

"Do you know why he has set his sights on Shen Qingqiu? From the chaos in Jinlan, unleashing sowers into the city to draw him out and then to attempt to defame him and get him arrested, to this attack on Qian Cao Peak. These are rather bold actions." Luo Binghe takes a moment to consider the question and how he wants to answer it.

"He wants him." Luo Binghe says eventually. "He wants to possess him, to have him." To take him as he once mocked Luo Binghe. "He doesn't want to kill him, or at least I don't believe he does; but I can't guarantee that he won't hurt him to get what he wants, and he certainly won't hesitate to hurt anyone else, as he's already shown."

"I see, and what, may I ask, is Lord Luo's intentions towards his old master?" Yue Qingyuan asks and even though Binghe was expecting it, he's still almost a little impressed that Yue Qingyuan had the guts to come out and ask.

"I have no interest in hurting Shizun." He answers honestly. "This Lord will do his best to protect him from this usurper, of that you have my word."

"…Shen-shidi has mentioned what happened between the two of you at the Immortal Alliance Conference." Yue Qingyuan presses on and Binghe can't help how he tenses at that. Shizun talked about that? He talked to Sect Leader about it? What did he say? Did he explain why he did it?

"Oh?" Luo Binghe says instead of all the questions that want to burst from his lips, trying to play it cool. He's pretty sure that he's failing.

"He confessed that he was the one who pushed you down into the Abyss, and that he feared your inevitable return would bring with it your rage at his actions." Yue Qingyuan is watching him carefully, like a hawk might watch prey and Luo Binghe doesn't know fully what to say to that. Yes? He'd been angry once. No? He had no intention of hurting Shizun or Cang Qiong. He just wanted answers. He needed them. Had gone crazy without them. Had dragged himself back from the void to get them.

"Is there a question in there for me Sect Leader?"

"I suppose I'm curious as to what your intentions are after this imposter is handled. Should we be expecting a breakdown of our alliance?"

"Shizun did push this Lord into the Abyss with no explanation." Luo Binghe says. "He will have to answer for that, but I will not act out against Cang Qiong Mountain Sect or any of it's people. I just want to know why; I deserve that much." Yue Qingyuan seems to consider his words.

"So you seek an answer, not retribution?"

"What happened was between Shizun and I. There's no one else to seek retribution against, and I have already expressed that I do not want to hurt Shizun." Does Shizun think that Luo Binghe wants to hurt him? Is that why he was being so twitchy, or what was twitchy for him, back at Mobei-Jun's palace? Is that why he stuck so close to Liu-shishu? Because he feared Luo Binghe? No! No that was wrong! Luo Binghe didn't want Shizun to be scared of him, he just wanted an answer and then he wanted to try and find a way back to how they had been if it were possible!

"I might be able to answer some of that for you, or at least I believe I can point you in the right direction." Yue Qingyuan says and Binghe looks at him curiously. "Shen Qingqiu has given me permission to disclose this information as I see fit, to what parties I see fit to have it. I feel that you are not wrong, and that some of it should be explained to you, but I would require your word that what we are about to discuss does not leave this room. Shen Qingqiu has requested that this knowledge not become public, are we in agreeance for that?" Luo Binghe inches a little closer with a small nod. He doesn't even care why Shizun would tell Sect Leader, if Sect Leader knows then Binghe wants to know! "Are you aware that Shen Qingqiu has the ability to divine fates and see potential destined pathways?"

What? No…no, Binghe didn't know that. He tries to think about it, and suddenly a whole bunch of things make sense. He remembers that time when Sha Hualing attacked and Shizun had said everything that was happening before Ming Fan or anyone else was able to inform him of it. Like he'd known already what was going down. He'd been so sure, so confident of everything. There were other times, times when he had information he shouldn't have had, or when things just seemed to fall into his lap and Binghe had always assumed it was luck but what if it wasn't? And what if all those pensive looks had been in regards to something else? If this was the big secret?

He can't help but think of the night before they all left for the Immortal Alliance Conference. He remembers how tense Shizun was. How strange he had been, asking Binghe questions about getting stronger…and if Binghe would be willing to go through hell to do so…

Shizun had known! Shizun had asked him what he wanted and he'd said to let it happen! He remembers how Shizun had seemed like Binghe answered some tough question for him before he seemed to settle something inside of himself and had started acting normal again – he'd known!

"I didn't…but I can see it, now that you've said it." Binghe says, feeling shaken to his core. Shizun pushed him down because Binghe had told him to. He hadn't wanted to, that much was obvious; but he'd done it and despite how horrible it was…Binghe can't deny that before the usurper came there were none stronger than him. The Abyss had forged him into a powerful weapon long before he'd found Xin Mo.

That's how Shizun had known! All of the beasts that he'd crossed, the sheer absurdity that Shizun had managed to prepare him for each and every single one of them. He'd prepared Binghe, he'd gone out of his way to make sure that Binghe wouldn't be down there without the only thing he could give him – knowledge.

…He hadn't abandoned Binghe to his fate, he'd merely given him the push he needed to go.

"Shen Qingqiu has expressed a dissatisfaction with the fates of some of those around him. Perhaps, the answer as to why he pushed you down was because you were fated to go." Yue Qingyuan says. "I only tell you this because I do not wish to see him hurt, and this whole affair has already hurt him very deeply." Shizun was hurt by pushing Binghe down? The idea makes him unbelievably sad rather than pleased like he would have once thought he would have responded to such information. "After your…let's call it your departure, Shen Qingqiu became rather distant and fearful. He believed that you would return and attempt to harm many here because of his actions that day."

"Never." Binghe says, and everything in him means it and Yue Qingyuan nods.

"I believe that it's possible that he was not incorrect. I believe it's entirely possible that he did see a version of you return and bring destruction to the Peaks. After all, didn't this imposter attack Qian Cao Peak once already?"

"You think he saw him, and he thought he was me so he was scared of me coming back."

"I do not know the limits or the parameters of Shen Qingqiu's abilities, but considering everything that has taken place it seems like a rational thought process." Yue Qingyuan gives him a look. "Please understand that I told you this in the hopes that any future…actions from certain parties towards the other might take this information into account."

Chapter 26

Notes:

Hello everyone! Hope you're having a great day!

Chapter Notes: No warnings.

On a separate note, somehow I keep trying to get this story to remember that Bingge is present and a threat and that the plot needs to figure itself out and move along, and yet it just decides to spend several chapters milling about in character pasts/ interpersonal relationships and potential romance building.

...I have no control over this story anymore. I'm not sure I ever did. Only thing I will say, at this point I can firmly call the Liushen endgame, but I am still struggling with determining if it'll be just Liushen or if it'll be Bingliushen. Either way, I know Qingge and Qingqiu end up together in this story so I figured I'd share that little nugget of information.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

As weird as it is, in the end Shen Qingqiu comes to the realization that it's not actually all that bad to have Liu Qingge living in the bamboo house with him. As a roommate goes, he's a rather good one even if he is a little obsessive with 'maintaining the security' of the Peak and with Shen Qingqiu not 'deviating from the schedule', but all in all not the worst. He's not entirely up to the par of Shen Qingqiu's last roommate, but to be fair to Liu-shidi it'd be rather impossible to compare the two. Liu Qingge focused on security and was almost an island to himself, Luo Binghe had focused on food and had always been rather sticky if Shen Qingqiu remembers correctly.

Food vs security though…sadly Shen Qingqiu knows which one he puts higher on the totem pole. Even with Bingge breathing down his neck…he knows which one he puts higher.

Liu Qingge's stance on food has never failed to amuse Shen Qingqiu, even as it horrifies him in equal measure. Liu Qingge's belief is that if it's edible, then it's good enough for him. Once, on their first mission together away from Cang Qiong, Shen Qingqiu had joked that Liu Qingge would eat dried leather if someone gave it to him, but then he'd seen the state of Liu Qingge's rations and he'd never made that joke again because he knew the truth. Ever since, he's always made sure to bring either extra 'proper' rations or enough money to make sure that they both had enough decent food to eat because that was just sad.

Around them, classes at Qing Jing pick back up as though nothing major has happened. It's nice to have a day or so of falling back into old routines and burying his head in the sand as to the storm coming their way. Liu Qingge's presence is a balm to the students and to Shen Qingqiu himself, even if Shen Qingqiu has noted that there are some who have taken the attack on their Shizun personally. He's gotten a few requests for more talisman making equipment as well as for a few manuals on higher level cultivation techniques than Shen Qingqiu feels comfortable giving out. He gets it, he does. Someone just walked into their home and basically kicked over the coffee machine like a douche. They're feeling on edge about it all and showing signs of hypervigilance in the aftermath. Shen Qingqiu has made a point to pull any student who makes those requests aside for a bit to try and help them sort out what they're feeling, therapy might not be a thing that exists in this world even if it sorely needed it, but Shen Qingqiu can try his best to help in any way that he can.

He was surprised to find out that a few of the braver students actually gathered up the courage to ask for some battle pointers from Liu Qingge, and that Liu-shidi just nodded and took them out to the training grounds before giving them a brief demonstration. Shen Qingqiu can't help but be amused at the knowledge that Liu Qingge is undoubtedly going to have a few new starry-eyed fans get added to his ever-growing fan club. The one that he's pretty sure exists, and that he may or may not be a hundred percent sure Ming Fan is captain of.

Through it all though, it only takes four days for Shen Qingqiu to break. He's been wondering rather non-stop about how Luo Binghe is faring up at Bai Zhan Peak all by himself. Sure, Shang Qinghua checks in on him every few hours since he's the one who has been assigned to the demon lord since no one will blink twice at an An Ding member walking around…even if Shen Qingqiu has sent him with various items to bring his disciple several times since the first day.

"You should take him this." Shen Qingqiu says, pulling out the book from Luo Binghe's little personal library. He remembers how much Luo Binghe had liked the previous one and had been so excited to get his hands on the next. "He never got to finish it."

"Bro. Bro. He's fine. At this point he's got too much stuff to do. You can't keep sending things to him. People are going to start wondering what the hell I'm doing taking all this stuff to Bai Zhan."

"I haven't sent that much. You're overreacting." Shen Qingqiu says, snapping open his fan and hiding a little behind it because…yeah, Shang Qinghua is probably onto something here. Shang Qinghua gives him the patented 'who do you think you're fooling?' look and he just pulls the fan up higher.

"Okay bro, what's going on with you? Spill."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you trying to make him feel good things about you by sending him a whole bunch of stuff, because seriously bro it's unnecessary."

"No it's not…" Shen Qingqiu takes a moment to think about how to say it. "You know what I was like back then…So I know what it's like to be trapped in a room all by yourself for days because you're too sick to go outside or because you hurt yourself and have to stay in." He shrugs. "Having nothing to do when you're trapped like that? It's maddening." Shang Qinghua gets an understanding look. "It's not like the internet exists here, or television. What else is he supposed to do at Liu-shidi's place all by himself?"

"…Fine, I'll take the book." Shang Qinghua relents. "Anything else you want to send?"

"Well now that you mention it." He starts and Shang Qinghua just drops his head with a resigned sigh.

Shen Qingqiu is in the kitchen when Liu Qingge finds him later making a few dishes. He's no Luo Binghe, but he has learned a thing or two over the years. He's certainly not going to be dying of expired food anytime soon, so that's progress. Liu Qingge pauses when he lays his eyes on him, before he crosses his arms and leans against the doorframe as he takes him in with a slightly curious glance. Shen Qingqiu figures that it's warranted. He must look absolutely strange right now with his hair twisted up behind him, food health and safety was important after all since no one wanted to eat Shen Qingqiu's hair, while he was wearing one of Luo Binghe's old aprons to try and protect his robes from any spillage, a thing to which Shen Qingqiu was still wondering how Luo Binghe kept his aprons so clean while he cooked because Shen Qingqiu hasn't managed it once and if it's one of those stupid 'protagonist halo' things he very well might revolt.

"Liu-shidi." Shen Qingqiu says after Liu Qingge just stands there in silence for a few minutes watching him and it makes him a little self-conscious.

"What are you doing?" Liu Qingge asks and Shen Qingqiu does a small shrug. It's nothing impressive after all. He's only ever managed to figure out how to make one or two dishes well after Binghe's…well after.

"This master just thought that Binghe would appreciate something a little more substantial then what Shang Qinghua is probably bringing him." He says, transferring the congee to a better dish and placing it in stasis to keep it hot before turning his attention to the rest and prepping it to take. "He's still healing after all, and I thought he might like something familiar." He gives Liu Qingge a smallish smile, the barest hint of one that has started to come easier to him around the other man. "Kind of like when you're sick and you just want soup. A pick-me-up." Liu Qingge tilts his head a little.

"Is that a common thing for you?" He asks.

"Is what a common thing?"

"Bringing food." He clarifies. "Is that why you bring me soup sometimes?"

"We both know that when you're injured you don't go to the cafeteria." Shen Qingqiu points out with a small nod. "Even my cooking has to be better than the nothing that you'd get otherwise."

"You made it yourself?" Liu Qingge asks surprised and Shen Qingqiu gives him a look.

"What do you mean 'you made it yourself'? Who else did you think was doing it?" Shen Qingqiu asks him. "You always get back too late to try and order food from the cafeteria, so where else did you think I was getting it from in the middle of the night?"

"I thought you had that disciple of yours make it."

"If Binghe had made it you would have wept tears of joy, not that coughing and hacking thing that you did that first time." Shen Qingqiu points out and Liu Qingge looks a little embarrassed at the memory.

"It was very…interesting."

"I appreciate your attempts to protect my feelings, but this master has long since known that cooking is not one of his skillsets." He pauses. "Plus I seem to recall you asking me why I was trying to poison you."

"…I didn't know you had made it yourself." Liu Qingge mutters and Shen Qingqiu gets it. He doesn't know how to try and explain that he wanted to make chicken noodle soup, or a variant of it, but that he had gotten a little heavy handed with the spices before determining that it never had enough salt. Leave this silly gremlin alone! He grew up on condensed soups that he always forgot to add water to! That leaves a mixed impression of what things are supposed to taste like!

"You did not offend, I promise." Shen Qingqiu is sure to tell him. "…Binghe used to make this all the time. It was his favorite thing to make, I think it reminded him of someone important to him." Shen Qingqiu says, motioning to the congee. "I used to watch him make it sometimes. He was always so focused, so determined to have everything be perfect." He sighs and looks around the kitchen. Sometimes he would come here after everything and swear that he still saw the image of Binghe milling about. Glimpses of memories of things that would never come to pass again. "One night I found myself in here, and I tried my hand at it for myself." He chuckles lightly. "It was terrible and absolutely not edible in any way, and it may or may not be buried out back under several talismans to keep it from coming to life and terrorizing us all-" That gets Liu Qingge to snort in amusement. "But you know…eventually, after a lot of tries, I mostly figured it out." There's silence for a bit as he finishes up.

"…You missed him that much?"

"What kind of question is that?" Shen Qingqiu asks. "Who wouldn't miss someone who had been with them at their side for years?"

"Did you try to change it?" Liu Qingge asks and Shen Qingqiu's hand tightens on the ladle. Shen Qingqiu wishes that he could say he did, but it would be a lie. He hadn't tried to prevent it, instead he'd tried to prepare Binghe for it, but he'd never actually tried to stop it. He'd considered it once or twice, but had never actually made any discernable actions towards it. Didn't feel like he could, not with his own fate tied in so tightly to it. Now he wonders if it would have been better for everyone if he'd just allowed the System to take his life and had chosen to spare his little white lotus all of this pain.

"Some fates, Liu-shidi, can be changed." He says and he thinks of Liu Qingge's fate in the original novel. To only have a few lines written about him seemed like such an insult now. He had deserved so much more than to only ever be mentioned as motivation for other characters. First to destroy Shen Qingqiu and then later to give Liu Mingyan pity points for papapa. Now that he thinks about it, it was creepy how much she'd think about her dead brother and then have to be 'comforted' by papapa'ing with the protagonist while still thinking about him. Shen Qingqiu turns and takes in Liu Qingge, resting against the doorframe. He's thankful that he was able to save him that day, and not because it lowered the revenge rating against Shen Qingqiu but because Liu Qingge deserved to have the chance to be more than what Airplane-Bro gave him. "And for that, this master will be forever grateful." The gaze he's giving to Liu Qingge must say something that he's not intending it to because Liu Qingge gets a thoughtful frown. "But others are written in stone." Or more like webpages that evil System's pull from and force others to enact.

"Other fates?" Liu Qingge questions. "Whose?" Shen Qingqiu just gives him a look. "Mine?" He doesn't nod, he clearly doesn't need to. Maybe this is the power of the protagonist halo coming into effect once more, letting the protagonist put things together with the smallest amounts of information. "When?"

"Does it matter?"

"It does to me." Liu Qingge says. "When did you change my fate?" Was he allowed to say this? To answer it even in a slightly misunderstood sort of way? The System had yet to scold him for this whole 'destiny seer' thing and had even allowed him to get away with more than he'd previously been allowed due to it now being 'in character' for Shen Qingqiu and the world itself.

"…Qi deviations are dangerous things." He says carefully, waiting for the System to appear at any second. "More so when one is alone, with no one expected to come to their aid."

"…The Lingxi Caves." Liu Qingge says, clarity in his eyes. "Mu Qingfang…said it was a miracle I survived."

"Hmm, and we should all be grateful for that." He says with a small incline of his head and he finishes putting the rest in stasis before he turns to him. "Did you wish to join me?"

"To go see him?" He nods at the question. "Did you want me to?" Did he? A part of him wants to say yes, because who knows what kind of mood Luo Binghe will be in and is it really wise even without him having the protection of the protagonist halo to just waltz in there all by himself? Another part of him says no, because what is Luo Binghe going to do while in the middle of Cang Qiong while still severely injured? Liu Qingge seems to read the answer in his face because he sighs. "If you need me, call. I'll be listening."

"Thank you Liu-shidi."

Notes:

Hey guys, please remember, as asked in a past chapter, please do not comment or vote or critique on the final pairing choice. It just stresses me out a bit. Thank you

Chapter 27

Notes:

Had some free time and got this all typed up! Hope you're all enjoying the season!

Chapter Notes: Nothin. Zip. Zada.

Please stop voting on pairings.

Chapter Text

He's starting to wonder if he should be concerned with this new development happening to him. Ever since Luo Binghe came to Liu-shishu's house he's been visited once by Yue Qingyuan and then repeatedly by Shang Qinghua. The first visit was illuminating and enlightening, the second person's visits are what's starting to unsettle him. Seeing Shang Qinghua these last four days has started to have a strange kind of effect on him. He feels like a trained dog, one whose ears perk up and whose tail starts wagging whenever the An Ding Peak Lord arrives to visit.

He's not sure how he should take that. Being excited about Shang Qinghua arriving out of all things is just…too weird.

He knows in theory why it's happening, and that it has nothing to do with the An Ding Peak Lord and everything to do with the gifts that he brings with him from a certain Qing Jing Peak Lord. Liu-shishu's house is starting to look actually lived in with the number of things that Luo Binghe has taken to storing up on the previously empty bookshelves and he's made a mental note to have Sha Hualing and Shang Qinghua ensure that every single one of Shizun's gifts get taken back to the palace and put in his personal wing when he finally leaves this place. Not one single book or scroll is to be left behind for Liu Qingge's pleasure.

Being trapped in Liu-shishu's house all by himself has certainly allowed for him to circulate his qi and push his self-healing to work faster and yet for some reason Luo Binghe feels like something is deeply wrong with him. That perhaps the wound that Xin Mo made had lingering effects in other areas of his qi. He just doesn't…feel right. Something is off and no matter how much he meditates or circulates his energies, he can't seem to find it. He can only hope that whatever it is goes away when he's fully healed. He can't risk being underpowered or damaged in some way when he goes up against the usurper.

Naturally, thinking about the usurper leads him to think about Shizun, and the information that Yue Qingyuan gave him. He's been going over it for several days now, and half of him curses himself for being so blind. How could he have not noticed? How could he have not seen the signs? Especially after he'd met people like Madam Meiyin and had seen her ability to touch the fate strings of those around her. How had he never put two and two together before Yue Qingyuan of all people had to spell it out for him?

Shizun can see fates, or somehow knows things about people's destined paths. He himself played a role in Luo Binghe's fate by pushing him down into the Abyss, but not before he did everything in his power to make sure that Luo Binghe would survive. Had he thought back then that Luo Binghe would come back one day and everything would be fine or had he always known that this other Luo Binghe was going to come by and destroy everything he loved? If he had seen the other Luo Binghe all that time ago before the Immortal Alliance Conference then why did he treat Binghe so well? Why didn't he destroy him or damage his cultivation or do something to prevent Luo Binghe from ever having the chance to come back and have the strength to terrorize them all?

Did Shizun think that Luo Binghe getting stronger was worth the price that Shizun would have to pay in retrospect? Did Shizun barter his own health and his own future for Binghe's? Or is there still a part of the story that Binghe does not know? He'd believe it, as scary as that is. He'd believe that Shizun chose to be the one to fall for Luo Binghe to rise – after all had he not sacrificed himself dozens of times, even damaging his own cultivation just to protect Luo Binghe?

Why was Shizun so good to him? Back then and now? He had no reason to be, and every reason not to be. Why did he keep picking Luo Binghe? Why did he keep choosing Luo Binghe's life over his?

Now he was surrounded by echoes of that old care, through books and small games that Luo Binghe liked to play to pass the time on missions and he wants to rip his hair out or go over to Qing Jing Peak regardless of the consequences to the big 'plan' and beg Shizun to just talk to him for five minutes and explain. To please stop hiding from him like he was this other Luo Binghe. To have him speak to him like they used to and to have him know that there is nowhere safer for him then at Luo Binghe's side. Just like before, Luo Binghe would lay everything down at Shizun's feet if he merely asked for it. Sometimes, the lengths and limits that Luo Binghe is willing to go for Shizun registers deep in his brain as something that should worry him, but it doesn't. All that time ago Luo Binghe started this entire path to be able to protect Shizun. What use was learning the demonic way from Meng Mo and what use was pulling Xin Mo and what use was there to his blood and lineage if he couldn't do the one thing that he'd sworn to do?

There's a soft knock at the door and it makes Luo Binghe snap out of his internal thoughts and stare at it uncertainly. Shang Qinghua doesn't knock like that. He knocks like he's trying to both get your attention and not at the same time. A rapid sort of knocking before he just lets himself in with so many apologies. Honestly, it's a little exhausting to watch. He can't imagine what it would be like to live like that. With that constant state of nervous energy and obvious anxiety. Shizun would say that Shang Qinghua needs a vacation and Luo Binghe finds himself agreeing with him ever since the man has become a rather permanent staple in his entourage ever since the usurper's arrival.

Is it Yue Qingyuan again? No, he just let himself in.

It can't be Liu Qingge. That man has never met a door that he didn't want to kick down over acting like a normal, rational human being and he certainly wouldn't knock on the door of his own house.

Is it a disciple? All of his disciples should know that he's at - internally Luo Binghe's jaw clenches – Qing Jing Peak guarding the Peak Lord there, and therefore wouldn't be found at his own house. Hell, most of the time you couldn't find him here anyways.

"Binghe? May this master come in?" Shizun's voice comes through the door, so soft and unsure and Luo Binghe almost trips with how fast he stumbles to his feet and rushes to the door to open it before Shizun can have even the slightest thought that Luo Binghe would not allow him in. Shen Qingqiu's eyes widen a little in…in alarm when Luo Binghe practically rips the door open and everything inside Binghe wilts at how he sees Shizun's grip on the tray he's brought tightens and how he instinctively takes a small step back. He didn't mean to startle him! He didn't mean to make him afraid! How is he already messing this all up!

"Shizun, forgive this foolish disciple." Binghe says, softening his voice as much as he can and offering up the apology in it. "He was merely too excited at the prospect of a visitor." Shen Qingqiu's whole face is closed off to him now and it hurts because Luo Binghe did that. Shizun's fear of him led to this chasm between them. A chasm so much deeper than the Endless Abyss itself and Luo Binghe doesn't know what to do to cross it. "Will Shizun please come in? It would not be wise for anyone to see us out here like this." He stands to the side and he's hopeful that Shizun will still choose to come in, having clearly already come all this way to do so. He hopes that his stupid over-eagerness hasn't screwed this up.

Thankfully, Shizun nods lightly before he enters the area and Luo Binghe closes the door as quickly and as gently as he can before someone like say Liu Qingge decides to interrupt them.

"This master was uncertain if Luo Binghe was getting proper meals brought to him." Shizun says as he goes over to the table and puts down the tray. "Shang Qinghua hasn't been very forthcoming with what food he has been able to bring and Binghe is still recovering and needs the sustenance even if he is a heavenly demon."

…Oh no.

…did Shizun bring…the soup?

Luo Binghe can't help but gaze at the stasis container that might hold his greatest enemy yet. The foe that would never be beaten and that would always win and break down any fool unfortunate enough to go up against it…Shizun's Soup. Honestly Huan Hua Palace should pay Shizun for the recipe. It would break down any damned soul down in the Water Prison much faster than any torture would. His throat dries up instantly in rebellion and his eyes are already wanting to water in past sympathy for his tastebuds.

"This Lord thanks Shizun for his concern." Luo Binghe manages to force out, his smile slightly strained as he sits down once more at the table. He'll eat it, of course he'll eat it. This is Shizun's way of saying that he's concerned and wanting to take care of someone else when they're miserable…it's not really his fault that it kind of…only…makes…it…worse? But this is a good step forward! This means that Shizun still cares! He came all this way, all by himself to bring the…well to bring Luo Binghe something he made himself.

Suddenly, Luo Binghe has an irrational concern. What has Shizun been eating since Luo Binghe fell into the Abyss? He hasn't been trying to survive on his own cooking, right? Or on the dishes that Qing Jing Peak make because Shizun only ever picks at it and never actually eats it. Has Ming Fan and Ning Ying Ying been taking care of Shizun in Luo Binghe's absence? They have to know that he can be forgetful and fussy. Has he been taking his medicine on time? No…no he has to be fine on that account because any of the other Peak Lords would get on him for that one.

"This master knows that he and Binghe need a moment to…" He trails off for a moment. "Discuss things."

"Agreed." Luo Binghe says with a nod. "This disciple must admit to having a lot of questions for Shizun that he hopes Shizun can answer for him."

"…this master will do his best." Shen Qingqiu says, laying out the tea set and he goes to make the tea but Luo Binghe gently reaches out and lightly moves his hands away from it, the brief touch feeling like a spark between them before Shen Qingqiu retracts his hands.

"Please let me Shizun. It has been a long time since this disciple has made tea for you." Luo Binghe says and Shen Qingqiu does a rather sharp nod, his hands wringing for a moment on his lap before he seems to get that discomfort under control and reaches for the stasis container.

"There are things that this master cannot say. I hope that Binghe can be…understanding in this." He says 'understanding' but Binghe hears 'forgiving'. Either way, Binghe will be both. It's Shizun, of course he was always going to be both. How does he make Shizun understand that? When has that never been true? Does he truly think that Luo Binghe cares for him so little that that would change even after the Abyss? Hasn't he known that all he had to do was explain? And even if he couldn't all he had to do was say sorry even if he didn't mean it? Binghe would forgive him even with just empty words, but he's never been afraid of that because Shizun has never given anyone empty words. Confusing ones, dual meaning ones, but never false and empty.

"Of course, Shizun."

"I hope that Binghe doesn't mind that this master has chosen not to bring him soup today." Shizun says and Luo Binghe perks up at that.

"Oh?"

"Yes, 'oh'." Shizun says with the smallest of amused huffs that warms Luo Binghe's heart. This! This is much more like it! This is much closer to how they were and where Binghe wants to get back to. "Binghe is already grievously injured and I did not think that my latest attempts on that front would be wise. Even for someone of his constitution." He looks up at Binghe and there's a small twinkle of amusement in his eyes even as it's faint. Almost nostalgic and sad, but still there. "I'll have to save it for next time."

"This disciple would eat anything Shizun made for him." Luo Binghe promises and Shen Qingqiu does that huff again.

"Perhaps that's not always wise. Appreciated, but not wise." Shen Qingqiu says so softly, almost outside of Luo Binghe's hearing as he tugs open the stasis pod and pulls out the container. When he opens it, Luo Binghe's heart stops in his chest. "This master thought that Binghe would appreciate something a little closer to what Binghe liked to bring this master when he was feeling down." Shen Qingqiu says, not looking up as he spoons out the congee into the bowl and puts it down in front of him. Luo Binghe's hands are shaking slightly as he picks it up and looks at it. It looks right, it smells right, it…when did Shizun learn to make this?

Did he…when could he have…the only one who could have taught him was Binghe himself and he knows he never did. He looks up at Shizun who seems slightly unsure again as he's returned his hands to his lap once more and is fiddling lightly with the fan in-between them. Did Shizun…did Shizun watch Binghe make it? Did he take the time to register how Binghe liked to do it? When? Binghe never noticed…

He takes a small bite and it's not perfect but it's so close that his eyes water and Shizun makes a slightly concerned noise.

"Is it wrong? This master apologizes, he-" Shen Qingqiu starts to say and Luo Binghe shakes his head even as the tears fall and he smiles up at Shen Qingqiu.

"No Shizun, it's perfect. Thank you."

Chapter 28

Notes:

Hey everyone! Hope you're having a great week!

Chapter Notes: No warnings. I wasn't sure about this chapter but eventually decided to go with it. Shang Qinghua needs some love.

Chapter Text

This is it. It's finally come due. These are his final moments. His true final moments. R.I.P. Shang Qinghua.

Yue Qingyuan doesn't look up from where he's placed himself at Shang Qinghua's head disciple's desk after he casually let himself into Shang Qinghua's office and he's making notes or something on a paper that he took out. Is that Shang Qinghua's death order? Is he seriously filling that out in front of Shang Qinghua!? What!? He does not remember writing his son to be so heartless!

…Actually, he does remember a little just how far Yue Qingyuan can and will go to protect his own if pushed. That little street kid in him that he's tried to hide that always tried to be 'Xiao Jiu's' white knight but was more than willing to do what needed to be done to keep them all safe. It was just better leashed now after the incident at the sword caves, now that he's learned the cost and the folly of rushing in and not thinking things through.

But how is this fair! Shang Qinghua has done so well before all of this! He's hidden his split loyalties for years! He's never once slipped up and failed to perform the duties of his role, and do they know just how impressive that was?! For all the crap that An Ding students and he by proxy get about just being soft little pencil-pushing grunts did any of the other Peaks understand that they wouldn't even be able to function a single day without all the work An Ding does?! Just who else knows where to get all those special plants that Qian Cao need for their remedies and always makes sure that there is never a shortage at any point in time? Just who else handles all of the new sword requests and structural damage reports from Bai Zhan Peak? Or even all of the instruments and supplies necessary for Qing Jing Peak? Shouldn't that buy him a little leniency? Or at least a head start?

Maybe…maybe he can make it to Qing Jing Peak really fast. What are the chances that he can make it there and throw himself behind Cucumber-Bro before Yue Qingyuan offed him? Cucumber-Bro would most certainly protect him, and Yue Qingyuan definitely wouldn't kill him in front of Shen Qingqiu. Plus, Liu Qingge is on the Peak right now trying to get into Cucumber-Bro's bed so that probably means that he'd step in to prevent Yue Qingyuan from killing him in Cucumber-Bro's living room and upsetting Cucumber-Bro.

That's…that's probably his best plan! Cucumber-Bro would totally take on Yue Qingyuan for him! Since he can't call for his king right now. He doesn't want to cause any problems that they can't afford with Bingge breathing down their necks, and Luo Binghe basically gave an order to play nice with Cang Qiong in his own attempt to get into Cucumber-Bro's bed and that means that his king might not even raise a hand to protect him. He'd probably thank Yue Qingyuan for dealing with Shang Qinghua if Shang Qinghua is being realistic.

He doesn't realize that he's been semi-staring at the Sect Leader in a state of absolute panic deep inside his own horrified internal world until he manages to come back from it with his intention to flee to Qing Jing Peak when he notices that Yue Qingyuan has looked up from his signing of Shang Qinghua's death order and has a slight furrow on his brow as he looks at Shang Qinghua.

"Shang-shidi, is everything alright?" He asks, in that calm and measured tone of his. It makes Shang Qinghua's palms start to sweat. This is the only cultivator more powerful than Liu Qingge was before the protagonist halo got transferred. This was the only cultivator that could have taken on Luo Bingge, even at the height of Bingge's power, and Shang Qinghua thinks that he's going to outrun him?

"Did you need something from this one Zhangmen-shixiong?" Shang Qinghua forces out.

"No?" Yue Qingyuan says, and there's a slight look of confusion on his face.

"Oh…oh that's good…that's…very good. Good to hear I mean…" He mentally tallies the distance between An Ding and Qing Jing regardless of the futility of such an action. "Is there…if there is nothing this master can do for Zhangmen-shixiong…is there a reason that Zhangmen-shixiong is here?" He immediately backtracks. "Not that you can't be here! You're more than welcome! I just mean, I wasn't expecting you and-"

"Shang-shidi it's alright." Yue Qingyuan says in that soothing voice – damn he really made him the calming big brother archetype to the max! – and Shang Qinghua's mouth snaps shut. Yue Qingyuan slowly puts down his writing brush. "I can see that my arrival has caused some confusion and some distress. That was not my intention, I assure you."

"What did you intend?" Shang Qinghua foolishly asks.

"Do you not remember what we discussed in the meeting?" He asks and Shang Qinghua tries to think about when he would have agreed to his death or even somehow missed everyone else agreeing to it. He gets a big blank nothing. "About the protection detail to be set up until the end of this whole Luo Binghe double?"

"That's why Liu Qingge is up at Qing Jing Peak." Shang Qinghua says slowly. "And why Luo Binghe is at Bai Zhan Peak."

"And why I am here, and why Qi Qingqi will be my relief when it comes time." Wait…none of this is making sense. Yue Qingyuan gives him a kind of searching look. "Did you think we were only speaking of Qingqiu-shidi's safety at the meeting?"

"…yes?"

"I see, this is my mistake then. Please allow me to rectify it." Yue Qingyuan says with a soft sigh. "This other Luo Binghe is aware of your position with this Mobei-Jun, correct?" Shang Qinghua nods even as he cringes at the casual throw out of his dual loyalties. "And you were the one who prevented him from his chosen pathway of capturing Shen Qingqiu, were you not?" He nods again, a little slower. "Then is it not understandable that we were concerned that a move might be made against you in the future in retaliation for these things?" Wait…What?

"You're here to…to protect me?" This…this is not computing, even as Yue Qingyuan, arguably the most powerful character that Shang Qinghua ever wrote, nods like it makes perfect sense. How does that make sense?! He's not like Cucumber-Bro, he's not a forefront character that anyone outside of Cucumber-Bro concerns themselves with unless they want or need something and they make him go get it for them.

"Of course. Even the slightest chance that another one of us might be threatened by this imposter must be handled as though it were an absolute fact and then properly prepared for." Yue Qingyuan says. "Liu-shidi is currently with Qingqiu-shidi and I am here with you. If I must step away, then Qi Qingqi will be my stand in." They've made a rounds schedule…for him?

"I doubt he's going to concern himself with the likes of someone like me." Shang Qinghua tells him. "You don't have to waste your time."

"I wish to be here; it is not a waste of my time." Yue Qingyuan replies. "You're one of us." Barely, Shang Qinghua thinks to himself and it takes a second to realize that he's said it out loud by the frown that spreads across Yue Qingyuan's face.

"I mean…I'm…I'm a spy." He blurts out. "I'm nobody and you don't even like me." Why is he saying all of this? He takes back his earlier fear. Please kill him now Yue Qingyuan. He'll gladly put his head on the desk for him to take.

"I find that I barely know you, this is true." Yue Qingyuan says after Shang Qinghua's horrible, terrible word vomit. "I find that changing lately; but I have never disliked you, even before, and as far as I am aware neither do the others." He continues. "I myself thought you quiet and rather reserved, but I felt as though we had that in common and I did not realize that you might take that as a sign that you were disliked."

"What?" He says intelligently. "But...but…" None of this is making sense in Shang Qinghua's world view. He knows how the world works, how it's worked ever since he came here. People find him odd and off-putting and weird. Sure, he's been interacting a little more with each of them but there was usually one common denominator in all of those situations. "You only talk to me because of Shen Qingqiu." Wait, is all of this about Cucumber-Bro? Fuck, sometimes it feels as though Cucumber-Bro is the new protagonist with all of these people who seem to fuss and fawn over him. Was he going to be starting his own harem now!? Shang Qinghua already knows three candidates more than willing to offer.

"You usually only stay around to speak with the rest of us when Qingqiu-shidi is present." Yue Qingyuan seems to correct him gently. "You seem to open up the most around him, it makes it easier to communicate with you I will not deny, but if I wanted to speak with Qingqiu-shidi then I would. I would not hide behind someone else. I speak to you because I wish to. No other reason." Shang Qinghua feels like he needs to sit down.

"I…I've lied to you." He mutters and Yue Qingyuan makes a thoughtful kind of humming sound.

"It is well within the rights of anyone to cultivate alliances and relationships with whoever they see fit. I've not seen evidence of your association with Mobei-Jun threatening the Peaks. Outside of the Immortal Alliance Conference that is." That…fair. That's fair. Kinda unintentional and quickly got out of hand and kind of required for the plot…but fair.

"He's a demon." Shang Qinghua feels the need to point out.

"It appears as though there are quite a few of those around here these days." Yue Qingyuan says with a small smile. "Particularly a rather dangerous heavenly one. Which considering Cang Qiong's history with the one that I must assume is Luo Binghe's father, as well as this new secondary Luo Binghe, you would think if we were going to be concerned that we would be concerned about Shen Qingqiu's relationship with Luo Binghe and Luo Binghe's general presence here at Cang Qiong." Yue Qingyuan sighs. "Cang Qiong is a little more lenient on the lines between human and demon, and I hope that once this entire event is finished that it turns out in our favor and promotes goodwill between both sides. As long as Shang-shidi can promise me that his loyalty to An Ding will never be called into question through his actions for the Mobei-Jun, I see no reason to have concern."

"…You'd believe me if I said it?"

"I've known you for many years, and I trust your judgement. You have never shown yourself to be of unsound judgement before." He smiles softly. "Your methods are obscure and a little odd sometimes, but always effective. If you said it, of course I would believe you." There's a moment before the world seems to go a little blurry.

Who's crying!? Not him! He's just…he's just got dry eyes and they needed immediate moisture. A lot of it! To prevent eye damage!

He turns away quickly and wipes away the dry eye problem while clearing his throat. When…when did they even notice him? He'd figured that he was just kind of in the shadow of Cucumber-Bro. That third-wheel friend that no one else really liked but put up with because they liked the other friend better. That's not what Yue Qingyuan is saying here though and it…it's hard to compute. It's sort of rewriting his entire understanding of himself and his place here. He both likes it and doesn't.

"Oh." He forces out. "I wouldn't. I promise." And he means it. He so means it right now.

"Then this master will stand behind you, as I am sure the rest of our sect brothers and sisters will." Yue Qingyuan assures him and Shang Qinghua mentally apologizes to the world that Luo Bingge came from and the Yue Qingyuan there. He hopes that he reincarnates as a fucking prince and gets all the Shen Jiu love and never has another day of pain in his life while he similarly wishes nothing but good things to happen to this Yue Qingyuan. He can't promise him Shen Jiu love though because…

…well because.

"Thank you." He manages to say and Yue Qingyuan gives him a small smile before he goes back to work on whatever it is he was working on before, and Shang Qinghua slowly goes over to his own desk and starts working on his own paperwork. It wouldn't do to let him fall behind after all.

He glances up at Yue Qingyuan once more and feels a strange feeling deep in his chest. That feeling remains and gets even stranger when Yue Qingyuan gets swapped out later for Qi Qingqi.

Chapter 29

Notes:

Happy Holidays! To anyone celebrating one this time of year I wish you the best one possible! Please stay safe out there you all!

Chapter Notes: None.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

In the immediate aftermath of the congee tears, Shen Qingqiu finds himself in the unfortunate position of not knowing what to do. Honestly, he had thought out dozens upon dozens of things to say or do once he'd gotten here. He had considered so many conversation paths and what information he might give that might soothe Luo Binghe's rage or sway his temper into maybe letting bygones be bygones. Now that he's here though, now that he's sitting in front of him…all of those thoughts seem to dry up on his tongue.

There's an awkward, heavy silence between the old master and disciple pair, one that envelops the two of them and leaves them both feeling the strain of it. It's like they can both see that the other is brimming with questions, but yet no words are put out into the space between them. There are no doubts that both of them are fully aware that there is something fragile here and now, between them; something that might break and never repair if they don't do it right and neither of them are brave enough to be the first one to take a step out on all of that thin ice in fear of falling through.

Eventually, the silence gets so heavy and oppressive that Luo Binghe starts to shift around in his spot, small little aborted movements while he keeps scraping the last dregs of congee from his bowl with tiny clinking noises coming from where the spoon drags along the side as though he can't bear to leave even one drop behind or, much more likely considering the atmosphere that they've found themselves in, he's afraid of no longer having something to do and distract himself with so he's doing his darndest to keep it going as long as physically possible. Shen Qingqiu doesn't bother to call him out on it, even as the noise of the scraping spoon becomes irritating and he just twists his fan in his lap round and round in his own attempts to calm his frazzled nerves and to attempt to appear unaffected and no doubt failing miserably.

What are they supposed to say to one another? Even in this moment where there could be no better setup for confessions or truths between them, silence still reigns. Shen Qingqiu tries to remember all of those conversation paths he'd prepared and none of them come to the forefront now that he's actually faced with Luo Binghe and he knows why. All of them seem fake now, false platitudes and excuses for his cruel actions. What is he supposed to say to explain what happened that day? What is it that Luo Binghe needs to hear and can Shen Qingqiu even say it if he figures it out?

Finally, Shen Qingqiu comes to the determination that the one who is the party in the wrong should be the one to start them out on the path and so he takes a deep breath and prepares to either fix what can be fixed, or break everything beyond repair. He doubts there's a middle ground even if he'd probably give his right arm for it willingly.

"This master is pleased to see Binghe healing so quickly." He says softly, and he can't look up at Binghe even if he should give the respect of meeting his gaze. "…This master thought that we would not meet again in this lifetime after the other came…I am pleased to find that is not the case." There, that was a good start, right? That had to be a good start.

"Did Shizun always know that this disciple would return from the Abyss even when he pushed him in?" Luo Binghe asks and Shen Qingqiu can't help the flinch that he gives at that question and how almost casually Binghe hits him with it. He takes a moment before he gives a small nod. "Was Shizun…looking forward to this disciples return?"

No, don't ask me that Binghe. You don't understand what you're asking. I know the things that you planned for me, how is it possible to look forward to any of that? Would you look forward to being turned into a human stick? For being paraded around like that in front of whole nations to show everyone what happens when they become your enemy? To instill fear in others so that they think 'don't anger Luo Binghe least you become a Shen Qingqiu'?

"This master knew that Binghe was strong enough to survive whatever the Abyss would throw at him. So his return was inevitable insofar as this master was concerned, but it pleased me to know that you would not remain in the Abyss forever." Was that neutral enough? Was it too much? Too little?

"Shizun didn't answer my question." Luo Binghe says softly. "Did Shizun look forward to this disciple's return?" He doesn't answer, he can't answer. His tongue is too heavy and he has the slight remembrance of the paragraphs that detailed how Shen Qingqiu's tongue was ripped out of his mouth by Luo Binghe's own hands. "I see." Shen Qingqiu risks looking up and he sees that Luo Binghe is not looking at him, instead he's gazing down at the bowl in his hands with a complicated expression on his face and a deep furrow in his brow. He looks…upset. Great, Shen Qingqiu is messing this up. He's not trying to! Honest! "Shizun, if this disciple asked a question, would Shizun promise to answer it truthfully?"

"If it can be answered, then this master gives that promise." Shen Qingqiu offers up after a pause for consideration and Luo Binghe nods.

"Did Shizun believe that this disciple would return with the intent to cause him harm or bring harm to Cang Qiong in any way?" Luo Binghe asks and Shen Qingqiu's head snaps up to look at him and now Luo Binghe is staring at him like he's searching for an answer that he doesn't think Shen Qingqiu is going to give him. "Did you think I was him?"

This was a bad idea. This whole thing was a bad idea. He shouldn't have come – Ming Fan eaten alive – He shouldn't have tried to 'clear the air'. There's no way for the air to be cleared because Luo Binghe is Luo Bingge, just separated by a little bit of time – Yue Qingyuan leaving nothing but a scrap of clothing and a broken sword – Their roles are set. Their destiny literally written out and just waiting to be fulfilled. -Shen Qingqiu turned into a human stick, tortured and left to rot in a pot for all time – Should he call for Liu Qingge? Should he just get up and leave? Will Luo Binghe allow him to leave? – Ning Ying Ying, Liu Mingyan and so many others paraded around and left to the mercy of violent sadists wearing wedding veils that Luo Binghe would bring in day after day without so much as a passing care to the women he claimed to love – Liu-shidi said he was listening if Shen Qingqiu called for help but surely Luo Binghe wouldn't tip his hand like that and make an enemy of powerful people while he still needed their aid. – Qing Jing Peak burning, Cang Qiong Mountain Sect destroyed all because of its affiliation with Shen Qingqiu –

…and that's another fan broken. The snap of its spines bringing Shen Qingqiu out of the internal spiral that his thoughts were taking him down, and he looks at it before calmly putting it inside of his robes with a mental note to pull a new one out of his growing collection as soon as possible. When he looks up at Luo Binghe, he's not sure what he expects to see but seeing the tears back and the way his disciples face looks absolutely devastated wasn't it.

"…this master would have understood the reason, and would not have contested it if Binghe were willing to place his ire fully on the party that wronged him and no other."

"Shizun." The way Binghe says his title is like Shen Qingqiu has gutted him and god he wishes he hadn't just broken his fan because he desperately needs it right now. "Shizun this one was angry, but this one would never hurt Shizun." Shen Qingqiu jerks a little and looks up at him.

"What?" Slips out past his lips and Luo Binghe scoots closer like he needs Shen Qingqiu to listen to him, like there's a desperation in what he's about to say and he needs to know that Shen Qingqiu is paying full attention.

"This disciple was confused and hurt, but this disciple understands that Shizun had his own troubles. This one just wanted answers because Shizun's actions didn't make any sense; but even in the darkest of moments this disciple never dreamed of harming Shizun. I swear." Those tears are running down Luo Binghe's face and he looks rather desperate and pitiful and kind of intense all at once. "When that usurper threatened Shizun, this disciple's only concern was for Shizun and not himself. This one could never hurt Shizun, it would be unforgivable."

"What?" Shen Qingqiu stutters out once more, so much the image of poised and unflappable immortal. Truly he should probably be getting points taken away right now but Luo Binghe isn't the protagonist anymore and therefore coolness points and satisfaction points and all of that didn't matter anymore.

"This one knows about Shizun's abilities now." Luo Binghe presses on and Shen Qingqiu gives him a confused look before he realizes that Yue Qingyuan must have told Binghe in an attempt to get in front of any ire the demon king might have against his shidi and he wants to bash his head up against the table. "But this disciple is stupid Shizun. This disciple begs Shizun's forgiveness for being so blind. Shizun had his own troubles and restrictions and still acted out in this disciple's best interest." What? When did Shen Qingqiu do that? Shen Qingqiu pauses and he thinks that he could let that stand between them…but something feels sour in his stomach at it.

"Luo Binghe…please do not put this master on a pedestal. There had to have been other ways, if this master had just looked; but instead, I was selfish and you paid the price for it." He shakes his head. "The Abyss might have been avoided, if this monster in front of you had placed your life on equal grounds with his own." Monster…that is what he is isn't it? Who else takes a child and manipulates them for years before pulling the rug out from underneath them with no warning and throwing them into hell? What else but a monster could do all of that knowing that's where their story was leading? For a few short extra years, Shen Qingqiu had paid for it with the lives of everyone else in this world.

What else than a monster could have been so selfish to have done that?

"Equal to his own?" Luo Binghe frowns even deeper. "Shizun, was your life threatened if you did not throw this disciple into the Abyss?" The red System warning pops up and Shen Qingqiu sighs. He was wondering when it was going to appear.

"This master promised not to lie." He says softly. "This master cannot answer your question." He looks up and sees Luo Binghe's jaw clench and rage is in his eyes and he can only think 'there, now we've cleared the air and you understand. This selfish beast in front of you deserves your hate'. "But this master is sorry…I am so sorry for what you had to go through and for everything that I did to you. I understand if it changes your earlier beliefs." He presses on. "I know that I have no right to ask anything of you, but if…if this could be settled between just you and I, this master would be most grateful."

"Shizun no." Luo Binghe replies. "There is nothing to settle between us. If Shizun feels as though he has wronged this disciple, then this disciple offers up his full forgiveness."

"You shouldn't forgive me, Binghe."

"It's already done." Luo Binghe says gently. "This lord forgave Shizun a long time ago, and I would have never wished for Shizun to believe otherwise." He looks down at his hands. "All this one wanted to do was return to Shizun's side, but I was afraid that I would not be welcome." His own voice turns soft and almost scared, like he's voicing something deeply personal and traumatic to him. "I was afraid that Shizun would hate me, because of what I did."

"What you did?"

"I lied to Shizun. I studied the demonic arts without his knowledge. I hid my true heritage when I learned about it. I dishonored Shizun's teachings." His voice wobbles and Shen Qingqiu sighs and shakes his head before he reaches out on an old instinct and pats the top of Binghe's head.

"What foolishness have you filled your head with?" He asks softly as Binghe freezes underneath his hand. "This master could never hate his Binghe, no matter what he did or how he came back to him one day."

Notes:

Oh! And I got a new tumblr for this account if anyone wants to pop over.

muzu-writes.

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