When Shen Qingqiu saw who was on the other side of his door, he was very tempted to slam it in their face.

He resisted the urge for two reasons. First of all, he didn't think a slammed door would actually stop his newfound guest from continuing to bother him, and it might actually result in more bothering overall, so it wasn't worth it. And second of all… Well, to be honest, he was curious. Sue him! His guest could be annoying, yes, but he was absolutely never boring.

And so, instead of slamming his door, Shen Qingqiu stepped aside. "Hello, Tianlang-jun. What brings you to Qing Jing Peak?"

"See, Zhuzhi-lang, I told you he'd let us in," Tianlang-jun called to his nephew behind him. He beamed at Shen Qingqiu, looking far more innocent than Shen Qingqiu knew he was. "And how is my favorite son-in-law?"

"All the better for seeing you, Gonggong," Shen Qingqiu replied dryly, making Tianlang-jun laugh with delight. "Hello, Xizhi-lang."

Zhuzhi-lang bowed as he entered. "Greetings, Immortal Master Shen."

"And is my son here?" Tianlang-jun asked, making a show of looking around the bamboo house. "Unfilial thing. Do you know he never visits me?"

"Binghe is busy in the demon realm at the moment," Shen Qingqiu said. And you know full well why he doesn't visit you, he didn't add. "Did Tianlang-jun need him for something?"

"Actually, I'd hoped to talk to you, Peak Lord Shen," Tianlang-jun replied, crossing to sit on the edge of the bed. He crossed his legs insouciantly and grinned up at Shen Qingqiu. "You don't visit me either."

"Why would I have to, when you bless this humble son-in-law with your presence so frequently?" Shen Qingqiu countered. It was true; Tianlang-jun seemed to pop up all over the place, just happening to visit the same areas as Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe. Zhuzhi-lang always trailed behind him, wearing the same vaguely embarrassed expression at his uncle's antics. Tianlang-jun always refused to explain exactly what he was doing in all those out of the way places, but he made sure to make the most of their time together, regardless of what Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe thought of it.

It had been a while since the two of them had come to blows over it. Shen Qingqiu was proud of Luo Binghe for his restraint.

"Aw, I knew you enjoyed it," Tianlang-jun cooed. "Well, you'll be happy to know that all of my traveling has paid off. I've finally found what I've been searching for."

"And what exactly has Tianlang-jun been searching for?" Shen Qingqiu replied, sitting at the table and reaching for a cup of tea.

Tianlang-jun studied him, still sitting on the bed. Zhuzhi-lang hung back, only joining Shen Qingqiu around the table when he gestured that it was alright, because he had manners.

"What does Peak Lord Shen think I've been looking for?" Tianlang-jun asked as Shen Qingqiu poured two cups of tea. Zhuzhi-lang promptly handed his over to Tianlang-jun, so Shen Qingqiu poured a third for him, a bit irritated that his petty gesture had been so easily defused.

"There are a few rumors," Shen Qingqiu said mildly, taking a slow sip of his tea. "The most plausible one is that Tianlang-jun is searching for something to properly restore his body."

Tianlang-jun made a show of looking over his arms. "Does Peak Lord Shen not think I look handsome as I am?"

"I think the monks at Zhao Hua Monastery could only help you manage the rot, but not fully cure it. The Sun And Moon Dew Mushrooms are compatible with spiritual qi, after all, not demonic qi. A less… temperamental body would suit Tianlang-jun's needs better."

"Probably," Tianlang-jun agreed easily. "And I will look into that later. But that wasn't what I was looking for this time. Do you want to guess again?"

"I'd rather Tianlang-jun tell this busy peak lord precisely what he needs from him," Shen Qingqiu replied, his voice excruciatingly mild.

Tianlang-jun sighed. "You're more fun than my son, but that's a low bar. This is what I was looking for."

He pulled a small device out of his sleeve, studying it for a moment before passing it to Zhuzhi-lang to pass onto Shen Qingqiu. Shen Qingqiu set down his teacup and frowned down at the device. It looked almost like the inner workings of a clock, but the sort of clock Shen Qingqiu had used back before his transmigration. The gears didn't tick though; the device remained entirely still in his hands. There were little markings carved into each gear, but Shen Qingqiu couldn't decipher what they said without context.

"And what is this?"

"This," Tianlang-jun said, leaning forward, "is a treasure that used to be housed in the Holy Mausoleum, until it was stolen a few decades back. It only works with spiritual qi and is even more… What's the word you used? Temperamental with demonic qi than this body of mine. As such, I don't think anyone looked for it too much when it disappeared, which made my job of finding it much harder, I can say. It was a trial. Tell him, Zhuzhi-lang, it was a trial."

"It was a trial," Zhuzhi-lang repeated obediently.

"And what does it do?" Shen Qingqiu asked, turning the device around in his hands. It looked a bit familiar, and Tianlang-jun's description sounded familiar too, but he was still missing some crucial piece of information that would let him put it all together.

"Well," Tianlang-jun said slowly, "if the legends are true… It allows the user to go back in time."

Oh. Oh! Wife #257!

"You've heard of it," Tianlang-jun said, leaning back on the bed and watching Shen Qingqiu with an expression Shen Qingqiu couldn't quite parse. "I thought you might have."

"This master has," Shen Qingqiu agreed slowly. With the context in place, he was pretty sure he remembered everything Proud Immortal Demon Way had said about the device, although he'd need to go to the source to check. "The question is, what does Tianlang-jun want with it?"

"I want to change the past. What else?"

"And you need me to do it," Shen Qingqiu said, eyeing him. "Since the device won't work with demonic energy, you need someone with ample spiritual energy to use it."

"I do," Tianlang-jun agreed, looking much more serious than usual. "And yes, I hoped that Peak Lord Shen would be willing to help."

"That would depend on what you want to change," Shen Qingqiu said. "What is your goal, Tianlang-jun?"

"There is only one thing I want from you and that device," Tianlang-jun said. "I want you to save Su Xiyan."

The bamboo house went silent. Save Su Xiyan? Luo Binghe's mother? Shen Qingqiu's mind immediately started cycling through possibilities. Could it be done? The device had various parameters and requirements, but if he could work within them…

"Do you want me to beg?" Tianlang-jun asked. "I will." He slid off the bed and onto his knees, then he bowed forwards without a hint of shame, pressing his forehead to the ground. "Peak Lord Shen, this humble demon begs only one thing of you-"

"You don't have to do that!" Shen Qingqiu cried, flicking his fan open in front of his face in an attempt to hide his shock. "I was just trying to think of how to do it!"

Tianlang-jun looked up. "Then you'll help?"

"I… can't promise that it's possible," Shen Qingqiu said slowly, "but I'll look into it. And if I can… Yes, I will help you save Su Xiyan."

Tianlang-jun's face lit up immediately. He tried to get back up, then winced and stopped. "Oh, it's much easier to get down than it is to get back up. Zhuzhi-lang, would you- Thank you, dear nephew." Zhuzhi-lang hurried to his uncle's side and helped him back up onto his feet, where Tianlang-jun stretched slightly. "After we sort this out, my next order of business will definitely be sorting out a new body."

"As I said, I can't promise that it's possible to save Su Xiyan," Shen Qingqiu said. "The device works in certain ways, and it's said to be very inflexible. I will do some research and contact you when I know more."

"As long as you're willing to help, I'm sure we'll figure something out," Tianlang-jun said. "You're a very good son-in-law, did you know that?"

"This isn't just for you," Shen Qingqiu replied, setting down the device and rising to his feet.

"Oh, I'm sure. My son doesn't seem to like me very much, but perhaps he'd like his mother better. It's very good of Peak Lord Shen to give him the chance to meet her."

"I'll do my best," Shen Qingqiu promised. "Now, get off my peak."

Tianlang-jun laughed. "So coarse! Very well, Zhuzhi-lang and I will leave. Let me know when you've figured out all the details of how this thing works. I look forward to hearing from you."

"Thank you, Immortal Master Shen," Zhuzhi-lang said, bowing.

"Next time, just send Xizhi-lang. He's less annoying than you."

Tianlang-jun laughed again, and he and Zhuzhi-lang left the bamboo house. For a moment, Shen Qingqiu wondered if he should follow them until they left the mountain, to make sure they really did leave, but he decided against it. He had other things to do, and if they really wanted to irritate the other Peak Lords, the other Peak Lords could deal with it.

He had a Peak Lord of his own to irritate.


Shen Qingqiu threw open the doors to Shang Qinghua's office. "Shang-shidi."

Shang Qinghua shrieked, as usual, and cowered at his desk. "Whatever it was, I didn't do it!"

"For once," Shen Qingqiu said, sitting in the chair on the other side of the desk, "this isn't about something you did. I need to talk to you about Proud Immortal Demon Way."

"Oh!" Shang Qinghua set his brush down and put his papers away. "What do you need to talk about? Did you get caught in a wife plot again?"

"No, but I still haven't forgiven you for those. I need to discuss the details of Wife #257's story."

"Wife #257?" Shang Qinghua repeated. "Uh, that was… Jia Hua?"

Shen Qingqiu glared at him. "She was Wife #243."

"Uh… Li Daiyu?"

"Wife #271."

"Gu Chun?"

"Wife #194!" Shen Qingqiu slammed his fan onto the desk. "You hack, you don't even remember your own characters?"

"There were a lot of wives!" Shang Qinghua whined. "How am I supposed to remember all of them by number? Just tell me what her name was!"

"Wife #257 was Lan Chenyan."

"Lan Chenyan… Oh! The one with the time travel plot!"

"About time."

"Lan Chenyan was a noblewoman and a cultivator," Shang Qinghua said, looking up at the ceiling as if it might remind him of the details of his own story. "But her fiancé had died, and she was looking for a device that would let her travel back in time to save him. She found Bing-ge instead, and then they found out that her fiancé was actually alive and had run away because he owed a lot of debts. She realized he wasn't worth it, and then she married Bing-ge instead-"

"And then there were seven solid chapters of papapa, yes," Shen Qingqiu dismissed. "The important part is this."

It would have been more dramatic if he slammed the device onto the desk, but Shen Qingqiu didn't want to risk damaging it, so he just placed it on top of Shang Qinghua's papers and waited for him to recognize it.

"Is this- It's the time travel device?"

"Does it have a name?" Shen Qingqiu asked. "There wasn't one in the book."

"Yeah, I never named it," Shang Qinghua replied, completely unashamed. "I wanted do call it something about Endless Yesterdays, but I couldn't figure out a good idea for the rest of the name. 'Device of Endless Yesterdays' didn't sound cool enough." He peered at the device, then back up at Shen Qingqiu. "How did you get it?"

"Tianlang-jun."

"Tian- What? How? When?"

"He just showed up on my peak with it. He wants me to-"

"Wait a second," Shang Qinghua interrupted, "he showed up on your peak? He got through the wards?"

"Yes, him and Zhuzhi-lang. He wants-"

"Are you-" Shang Qinghua let out a shrill noise. "A demon got through the wards, and you're not going to do anything about it? You're not going to tell anyone, or-"

"It was just Tianlang-jun and Zhuzhi-lang," Shen Qingqiu dismissed. "And seeing as Tianlang-jun is the last full-blooded heavenly demon, I don't think we really need to worry about other demons doing what he can do. He is annoying and ridiculous, but he's also incredibly powerful. He just likes to use that power to irritate me and my husband."

"Cucumber-bro, you do realize that a bunch of cultivators from our sect fought him at Mai Gu Ridge? And some of the sect was involved in his original sealing under Bai Lu Mountain? Like Yue Qingyuan? You don't want him going after Zhangmen-shixiong, do you?"

"He wouldn't," Shen Qingqiu dismissed. "Anyway, do you want to know what Tianlang-jun wants me to do with the device or not?"

"He wants you to use it?" Shang Qinghua asked. "But why would he- Oh, right, it only works with spiritual qi. Demonic qi gums it all up."

"Exactly," Shen Qingqiu agreed. "And Tianlang-jun wants me to use the device to save Su Xiyan."

Shang Qinghua looked at him blankly. "But you can't. You know that, right?"

"On the contrary, I think I can."

"You- Cucumber-bro. You can't. The device doesn't work."

Shen Qingqiu scowled. "Yes, it does. The lore in Proud Immortal Demon Way was clear. It can bring someone into the past."

"Well, yeah, but-" Shang Qinghua began to wring his hands. "It's a trick, sort of. Or a trap? I think I explained it in the book, but maybe it was just in my outline. If you go back to change something and you change it, then you go back to the future, but because the thing was changed, there was no reason for you to go back into the past, so you couldn't have gone back to change it, so it wasn't changed, but you didn't go back because it was changed, and then- It's a paradox, see? Anyone who tries to change something will just end up erasing themselves from reality."

Shen Qingqiu scoffed. "Yeah, if they're stupid about it."

"I- I literally just said that changing things creates a paradox by virtue of that thing being changed. How can you- It has nothing to do with being stupid, it's just how it works!"

"You'd think that," Shen Qingqiu said loftily, "because you're stupid. But if you're careful, you can avoid the paradox. You just need to make it so you change something, but nothing else is changed."

"But- The butterfly effect! If you change one thing, it changes other things! You can't change one thing and nothing else."

"You can if you're careful."

Shang Qinghua threw his hands up in the air. "How, then? Tell me how you're going to do it."

"It's simple," Shen Qingqiu said. "I'm going to save Su Xiyan, but no one's going to know."

"How is that simple?"

"Trust me, I've got it all figured out."

"Are you going to give me any more detail than that? Because that's not enough to get me to stop worrying."

"Ugh, why are you being so demanding about it?"

"You came into my office!" Shang Qinghua shrieked. "And also, asshole, you're my friend, and I don't want you to end up paradoxing yourself out of existence! And even if I stopped caring about that, because you're a jerk, how do you think Binghe is going to react to you paradoxing yourself out of existence? We will all be very, very FUCKED!"

"There's no need to yell," Shen Qingqiu replied. "If you calm down, I'll explain."

"I am going to strangle you," Shang Qinghua said, very calmly.

Shen Qingqiu chose to ignore that. "Su Xiyan," he stated, using the tone of voice he used with his youngest, slowest disciples, "escaped from Huan Hua Palace, got to the Luo River with the help of Wu Chen, gave birth to Luo Binghe, and then sent him down the river. After that, she was never seen again."

"Yeah, cause she died."

"Did she? Her body was never found."

"She-! She-" Suddenly, Shang Qinghua paused, his eyes going wide. "Oh. Oh! I get it! But you'd have to be super, super careful. If there are any signs, if anything goes wrong-"

"I think I can handle it," Shen Qingqiu dismissed. "First, though, I need you to tell me exactly what poison the Old Palace Master gave to Su Xiyan before he let her out of the Water Prison."

"What? Why?"

"So I can make sure the poison doesn't kill her, obviously. I'll ask Mu Qingfang how to cure it."

"If you go to Mu Qingfang and ask about how to cure a rare demonic poison, he's going to freak out and assume you got yourself poisoned. Again."

"He will not. Mu Qingfang is reasonable."

"Oh, bro, he totally will."

"He will not."

"I bet you, uh, two months of proper reports. Submitted on time."

"Meaning, if you win, I do my reports, and if I win, you do them?"

Shang Qinghua hesitated a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, sure. I'm going to win anyway."

"You may know your characters from how they were in the original book," Shen Qingqiu said loftily, "but I know Mu Qingfang now. He won't freak out. It's going to be fine."


Shen Qingqiu was never, ever, ever going to admit to Shang Qinghua that he'd won the bet.

"Mu-shidi, I'm fine. I'm not poisoned. You can check my meridians if you want, but they won't show you anything."

Mu Qingfang studied him closely, accepting the proffered wrist. "My apologies, Shen-shixiong, but you are not always known for being particularly careful with your health. And I fail to see any other reason why you would urgently need to know how to cure a very specific, very rare poison, especially given that you've asked me to keep it from your husband."

Okay, that bit might have been a miscalculation on Shen Qingqiu's part. The thing was, he didn't want to tell Luo Binghe about his plan to save Su Xiyan until he knew it was going to work. Luo Binghe had lost enough in his life - lost enough mothers specifically, even - and Shen Qingqiu didn't want to make him feel like he was losing Su Xiyan again. But he didn't know if Luo Binghe knew the name of the poison Su Xiyan had been dosed with, so he couldn't let Luo Binghe know that he himself was looking into it. Which meant, of course, that he had to ask Mu Qingfang while making it clear that Luo Binghe was not to know about it.

However, the last time Shen Qingqiu had asked Mu Qingfang to hide something from Luo Binghe, it had been a stab wound from a night hunt that Shen Qingqiu had gone on with some other sect members and without Luo Binghe, something that his sticky husband had fretted about for ages before finally agreeing to. He hadn't even been available for the night hunt, given that it had overlapped with a demon realm negotiation that the emperor really had to attend. That hadn't stopped him from panicking about having his husband - his very capable, very strong, Peak Lord husband! - fight something without him. Shen Qingqiu had known that Luo Binghe would never let Shen Qingqiu out of his sight again if he found out about the stab wound, and so he'd asked Mu Qingfang to keep it from him as he bandaged him up.

Luo Binghe had found out, of course, but not from Mu Qingfang. Mu Qingfang understood the value of doctor-patient confidentiality, something Shen Qingqiu greatly appreciated about him. But when you specifically invoked that doctor-patient confidentiality, especially given that you had a history of doing that while hiding injuries, it apparently made your doctor would think you were, once again, hiding an injury.

Shen Qingqiu had thought Mu Qingfang was reasonable!

It was only after Mu Qingfang had finished a very thorough check of Shen Qingqiu's meridians that he released Shen Qingqiu's wrist and bowed slightly. "This shidi apologizes to his shixiong for his incorrect assumptions."

"Now that we can both agree that I'm not poisoned, would you tell me how to cure the poison?" Shen Qingqiu asked.

Mu Qingfang still looked a bit suspicious, even though he'd already proven that Shen Qingqiu was! Not! Poisoned! "May I ask why Shen-shixiong is so interested in this particular poison?"

"Academic reasons," Shen Qingqiu replied airily, hoping Mu Qingfang would accept it.

Mu Qingfang did not.

"Alright," Shen Qingqiu sighed, hoping that his back-up excuse would go over better. "This poison is something that Huan Hua Palace has been known to use on demons in the past, and given that it's one of the few poisons that heavenly demons can't easily flush out of their blood, I'd like to know how to cure it, just in case any of the old members of Huan Hua Palace who supported the Old Palace Master go after Binghe."

"And is that why you don't want him to know?" Mu Qingfang asked. "So he doesn't… overreact?"

That wasn't part of Shen Qingqiu's excuse, but it worked well. "Exactly. I haven't actually heard any whispers of a threat, I just want to be prepared. But Binghe will worry."

Perhaps it said something about Shen Qingqiu's personality that Mu Qingfang easily accepted "intense paranoia over something unlikely" as a reason for him to learn about rare poisons. "I don't know the cure offhand," Mu Qingfang admitted, "but I believe I know where I could find the answer. Would you like to join me in checking the Qian Cao library for the information, or would you prefer I send you a message when I've found it?"

Shen Qingqiu had never been in Qian Cao's library before, and he couldn't help the immediate hunger at the idea. He'd devoured a great deal of Qing Jing's library already, and while medicine had never been his favorite topic, he was sure the books would be interesting.

"Would you like to visit the library now, Shen-shixiong?" Mu Qingfang asked, some amusement on his face. Apparently, Shen Qingqiu's hunger had shown on his face.

"If Mu-shidi is available."

"Let me tell A-Yi that I'm heading to the library, then we can go." Mu Qingfang ducked off to find his head disciple, then he returned a few moments later and led Shen Qingqiu to a room he'd never entered.

"It's not as impressive as Qing Jing's library, but it should have the information we're looking for," he declared as Shen Qingqiu looked around eagerly. It was smaller than Qing Jing's library, yes, but it was still a large room stuffed full of books. He'd love to explore it properly someday, if he had the opportunity.

"This is the section on poisons," Mu Qingfang said, leading Shen Qingqiu to a rather large area of the library. "For a poison primarily used against demons, we should find the answer in one of… these books." Mu Qingfang pulled out four books and handed two to Shen Qingqiu. "If we don't find it in any of these, we can expand the search, but I believe these should do."

Shen Qingqiu carefully opened the first of his two books and began scanning its contents. It had a great deal of information about various poisons, some of which were of demonic origin and some of which were used against demons. There was significant overlap, of course; demons fought against each other about as much as humans. He kept flipping, looking for the specific poison used against Su Xiyan, then-

"Oh!"

"Did you find it?" Mu Qingfang asked, leaning over his shoulder.

"Are these-"

"Guides for dual cultivation," Mu Qingfang said, looking down at the very graphic pictures without batting an eye. Shen Qingqiu would call them pornographic, except they seemed very clinical and not particularly arousing. "It's a common cure to many poisons, as I know you know. Dual cultivation with a heavenly demon in particular can cure most things, but I believe the poison you mentioned is one of the few that is unaffected by it."

"But do you really need…" Shen Qingqiu tilted the book to the side, peering at the pictures.

"The guides can be helpful, especially for healers who are starting a rotation in the dual cultivation division."

"Dual cultivation division?"

"Did you not know? We have a few healers here on Qian Cao Peak who specialize in treating poisons that require dual cultivation to cure. Many healers do temporary rotations in the division before deciding if they want to remain there or not. It's not required, of course, but many healers do it."

"Did you?"

"I did three rotations, but I was the head disciple, so it didn't make sense for me to specialize in something niche." Mu Qingfang shrugged. "I've provided treatment a few times since, when the circumstances made it necessary, but I mostly refer cases to the official division."

Shen Qingqiu should have figured that Airplane's whack worldbuilding would have led to something like this, but a sex division in a hospital was still weird to him. "Is that… common?"

"A dual cultivation division? With larger clinics, yes. There are also clinics and brothels that work together, or occasionally brothels that double as clinics."

Sex hospitals?

"The reappearance of heavenly demons was noted with great interest by many dual cultivation divisions, given their ability to heal so many curses," Mu Qingfang added absently, flipping through his own book. "I believe a few even sent job offers to Tianlang-jun. I know for a fact that at least two clinics were waiting for Zhao Hua Monastery to finish dealing with his rot problem before asking him to join."

Shen Qingqiu choked on air. "My father-in-law was offered a job by a sex clinic?"

Mu Qingfang laughed, apparently finding Shen Qingqiu's distress very amusing. "I forget, sometimes, that these things sound strange to outsiders. Yes, dual cultivation can undoubtedly be very erotic, but it can also be used as a medical procedure. There's a vast difference." He flipped a page in his book. "Ah, I believe this is the poison you wanted to know about, Shen-shixiong."

Shen Qingqiu quickly boxed up any thoughts about Tianlang-jun working in a sex hospital to never, ever think about again, then he leaned over Mu Qingfang's shoulder to look at the page he had open. "Yes! Yes, that's it."

"The treatment… hm…" Mu Qingfang frowned down at the page.

"Is it difficult?" Shen Qingqiu asked worriedly.

"Not particularly," Mu Qingfang replied, which was a relief. "But a full recovery can take years. The initial antidote to stop the spread of the poison and remove it from the body works quickly enough, but the damage takes a great deal of time to reverse itself."

"Well, as long as it can be cured, that's good enough," Shen Qingqiu said, feeling a wash of relief. "Thank you, Mu-shidi. May I copy down what's written in the book for my own study?"

"Of course," Mu Qingfang agreed, picking up the book and bringing it to a desk in the middle of the room. "If that's all you need, shixiong, I ought to return to the clinic. Please return the book to its place when you're finished with it."

"I will be very careful with it," Shen Qingqiu agreed, offering Mu Qingfang a little bow. "I appreciate you humoring me in this."

"Qian Cao's library is at your disposal if you ever have more questions like this, shixiong," Mu Qingfang promised, "so long as you let me know if you ever need answers for something more urgent."

That was Mu Qingfang's polite way of using the library as a bribe to get Shen Qingqiu to be more open about future injuries. Shen Qingqiu hated that it would absolutely work.

"That sounds a fair deal. Thank you again. This shixiong is very grateful."

"This shidi is happy to help." Mu Qingfang ducked out of the library with one last smile. Shen Qingqiu sat down at the desk with the book, paper for copying, and a renewed sense of hope. If the antidote was simple, if he could cure Su Xiyan, then perhaps he really could save her. Perhaps the mad plan he'd started putting together could actually work.

Shen Qingqiu flicked his sleeves back, picked up the brush, and got to work.


"Peak Lord Shen." Wu Chen bowed deeply. "To what do we owe the honor?"

"Master Wu Chen." Shen Qingqiu bowed back. "This one has come for two reasons. First, on behalf of my father-in-law, to pass on his thanks for your treatment and request more of the salve for his joints."

Wu Chen smiled. "I'd been wondering when Tianlang-jun would once again grace us with his presence. I can fetch more of the salve when you leave. Please pass on to him that we will gladly make more when he runs out."

"Thank you." Shen Qingqiu bowed once more. "As for my other question… I wished to ask you about the help you gave Su Xiyan."

Wu Chen's face clouded immediately. "It is one of my greatest regrets that I did not do more for Benefactor Su. She was an innocent woman, mistreated by her own sect, and I ought to have insisted on giving her more aid."

"From what I've heard of Madam Su, she would not have taken insistence lightly," Shen Qingqiu replied. "By all accounts, she was a remarkably stubborn woman."

Wu Chen laughed. "She was. Shall we sit and have tea as we talk, Peak Lord Shen? There is a great deal that could be said about Benefactor Su."

Shen Qingqiu acquiesced, and Wu Chen led them into a lovely courtyard. "This was one of Tianlang-jun's favorite areas, when he was healing," Wu Chen admitted as he sent for tea. "We spoke of Benefactor Su only a few times, but it was clear that his love for her was deep."

"It is," Shen Qingqiu murmured in agreement, flicking open his fan. Only someone who was truly in love would spend so much time searching for a long-lost device that might, if all went well, be able to bring back the one they loved. Shen Qingqiu still remembered how unhesitatingly Tianlang-jun - the former Emperor of the Demon Realm, the last living full-blooded heavenly demon, one of the most powerful people in the world - had knelt before him and begged for Su Xiyan's life.

"Did you ever meet Benefactor Su?" Wu Chen asked.

"Unfortunately, no." Shen Qingqiu aimed to change that, but he hadn't yet. "But I've heard she was an incredible woman."

"She was very brave," Wu Chen agreed. "And… Although I did not ask, I believe she cared for Tianlang-jun as much as he cared for her."

Shen Qingqiu hoped so. As irritating as his father-in-law was - and Tianlang-jun was very, very irritating - he deserved to have his love returned. "From what you said about her experiences in the Water Prison, I believe she did."

Wu Chen closed his eyes, looking momentarily very old. "We failed her. We all failed her. And Tianlang-jun as well. And we failed their child, in making him grow up without his parents."

Shen Qingqiu's heart panged at the thought. "We did," he agreed quietly. "But you helped her, Master Wu Chen. You were the only one who did."

A young disciple hurried out with a tray for tea, bowed, and ducked back inside. Wu Chen poured the tea slowly, handing Shen Qingqiu a cup and taking one for himself before answering.

"As I said, it is one of my greatest regrets that I did not do more. Benefactor Su deserved more than she was given."

"You told her the truth," Shen Qingqiu said, looking down at his tea. "I'm certain she appreciated that."

"Ah, but what a harsh truth to have to tell."

Shen Qingqiu had never met Su Xiyan, but he knew that Luo Binghe was said to look a great deal like her. He imagined a female Luo Binghe, bloodied and weary, being told what she had lost. He knew exactly how Luo Binghe's face would crumble in pain at the words. He wondered if his mother had done the same.

"Master Wu Chen helped her to the Luo River, did he not?"

Wu Chen nodded. "This one helped her evade capture at the hands of the Huan Hua Palace disciples, then brought her to the Luo River. She must have remained nearby, for her child to have been placed in the river at birth."

"But Master Wu Chen did not see the birth of Luo Binghe, did he?"

"No," Wu Chen agreed. "This one left well before the birth."

"And how long after the sealing of Tianlang-jun did you meet her?"

Wu Chen frowned. "Several days. Perhaps a week."

Shen Qingqiu nodded slowly. He'd already visited the area of the Luo River where Luo Binghe had washed up, and as near as he could tell, Luo Binghe had been born about a month after Tianlang-jun had been sealed. Su Xiyan must have hidden somewhere in the river's upper reaches for the weeks between her arrival and Luo Binghe's birth.

Shen Qingqiu would have to time his arrival carefully, but he was pretty sure he knew exactly what moment he should go back to.

"Peak Lord Shen," Wu Chen said, his voice gentle, "are you gathering this information for your husband?"

Shen Qingqiu hesitated, then figured that was as good an excuse as any. "Indeed. I don't believe Binghe is quite ready to talk about his mother yet, but I wish to know all I can about her, so I will be ready once he is."

Wu Chen nodded slowly. "If Benefactor Luo should like to hear about his mother, I have more stories I could tell. I met her multiple times. If he should wish to hear them from me, I will tell them."

"I'll make sure he knows," Shen Qingqiu promised.

"And… make sure he knows that I am sorry," Wu Chen added. "I should have done more for him."

"Binghe doesn't blame you for anything, Master Wu Chen. In fact, he is grateful for the assistance you've shown both his parents."

Okay, saying Luo Binghe was grateful that Wu Chen had helped Tianlang-jun was maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but once he and Tianlang-jun got over their issues and started getting along, he probably would be grateful! Shen Qingqiu was just getting a little ahead of himself.

"This one is glad to have been able to help," Wu Chen replied. "And, should Benefactor Su be aware of what is happening here, even after she has passed on, I hope she can rest easily in knowing that her son and her lover are both safe and well cared for."

Shen Qingqiu felt a sudden thickness in his throat. He was going to bring Su Xiyan back, there was no reason to worry about what she thought from the beyond, but…

"I hope so too," he told Wu Chen, and he meant it.


"Immortal Master Shen."

Shen Qingqiu jumped. "Xizhi-lang! I wasn't expecting you."

Luo Binghe stuck his head out of the kitchen and made a face. "There's not enough food for him," he declared. "And there's definitely not enough if he's brought my father along with him."

"Junshang sent me ahead, as you requested, Immortal Master Shen," Zhuzhi-lang said, bowing. "He wished to know if you had any-"

"I can guess what Tianlang-jun wants," Shen Qingqiu interrupted quickly. He could see Luo Binghe narrow his eyes and was certain that he sounded suspicious, but he still hadn't actually told Luo Binghe about the chance to save Su Xiyan. He would! He just wanted to be entirely certain it would work before he brought it up.

He was, as of now, about ninety percent sure it would work. He thought that was pretty good, honestly. It was higher than any of his previous plans, and those had mostly worked. Sort of. Anyway, even Shang Qinghua was coming around, so that was good! If the penalty for failure wasn't paradoxing himself out of existence, Shen Qingqiu was pretty sure Shang Qinghua would be entirely on his side, but the stakes were high.

He was absolutely not going to tell Luo Binghe how high the stakes were.

"What does my father want with you?" Luo Binghe asked Shen Qingqiu, giving him a look.

"Probably to be annoying, as usual," Shen Qingqiu replied airily. "Xizhi-lang, he's right outside, isn't he?"

Zhuzhi-lang looked incredibly embarrassed. "Junshang said he would wait outside until you invited him in."

"So there's an uninvited demon lord hanging around my peak," Shen Qingqiu sighed. "Binghe, wait here, I'll deal with him."

"This one can help remove Tianlang-jun from Qing Jing Peak," Luo Binghe offered, looking far too excited at the prospect.

"This master can handle it," Shen Qingqiu replied, waving his fan in Luo Binghe's general direction. "And we wouldn't want the food to burn."

Luo Binghe looked deeply wounded. "This disciple would never let that happen."

Shen Qingqiu gave into his impulse to cross the room and kiss Luo Binghe's cheek. "I'll be right back. Don't worry."

Luo Binghe scowled. "Tianlang-jun does not deserve your attention. Shizun should ignore him."

Shen Qingqiu whacked Luo Binghe lightly on the head with his fan. "This master will handle it."

Luo Binghe was still pouting at him when Shen Qingqiu left the house, but at least he didn't seem to be going into full-on waterworks. Tianlang-jun was indeed waiting outside the house, draped across the bench. Luckily, there were no disciples in view, so Shen Qingqiu could only hope Tianlang-jun and Zhuzhi-lang had gotten there unseen.

"Ah, Peak Lord Shen! I knew my nephew would be able to coax you outside." Tianlang-jun sat up properly and beamed at him. "Have you had any progress with the device?"

"I believe I've found a way to make it work," Shen Qingqiu replied, "but…" He shot a look at the door and lowered his voice. "Binghe…"

"You haven't told my son yet?" Tianlang-jun gasped theatrically. At least he kept his voice down. "For shame, Peak Lord Shen. How could you keep secrets from your husband?"

"I wasn't going to mention it until I knew it would work," Shen Qingqiu replied. "But I believe I'm as certain as I can be. And by the way…" He pulled the jar of salve from Wu Chen out of his sleeve and tossed it lightly to Tianlang-jun. "Master Wu Chen sends his regards."

Tianlang-jun looked delighted. "Ah, he is a wonderful man. Refused to read Regret of Chunshan with me, but otherwise a perfect companion." He passed the salve to Zhuzhi-lang, who tucked it away obediently. "So, if you're as certain as you can be, does that mean you can do it? You can save Su Xiyan?"

Before Shen Qingqiu could answer, the door banged open. "Dinner is ready," Luo Binghe said, looking decidedly unhappy. He pointed at Tianlang-jun and Zhuzhi-lang. "You two don't get anything to eat, but you will explain."

"How unfilial," Tianlang-jun sighed, making no move to get up. "Not even a bite for your poor father?"

Luo Binghe's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Explain."

"Let's all get inside," Shen Qingqiu said quickly, ushering Tianlang-jun and Zhuzhi-lang inside. "And Binghe-"

"Shizun was hiding things from me," Luo Binghe whined, immediately going from patricidal demon emperor to petulant child as he turned. "Shizun was conspiring with Tianlang-jun behind this one's back."

"Don't be absurd," Shen Qingqiu dismissed. "There was no conspiring. In fact, this master has been preparing a surprise for you."

"Saving my mother?" Luo Binghe asked, sounding a little dubious.

"Let's discuss over dinner. Come on, Binghe, this master is hungry."

Luo Binghe immediately hurried him into the bamboo house and to the table, where he set a bowl of food in front of Shen Qingqiu immediately. "Shizun can eat first, then he can explain."

"Ah, it smells delicious," Tianlang-jun said, sitting down on the bed. Luo Binghe glared at him, but he didn't move. Shen Qingqiu didn't bother to tell him to get off; Tianlang-jun probably wouldn't do it anyway, and Shen Qingqiu was pretty sure it was easier for his joints to get up and down off of the bed than the floor. "I'm not sure where you inherited your cooking skills from. I can't cook, and Xiyan had many talents, but cooking was not one of them."

"You're going to try and save my mother," Luo Binghe said, apparently not willing to be distracted or to wait. "How?"

"Tianlang-jun found a… device," Shen Qingqiu said slowly. "It should allow someone to go back in time."

Luo Binghe's eyes narrowed. "And why does he need your help for that, Shizun?"

"The device only works with spiritual energy," Tianlang-jun said, leaning back slightly on the bed. "I can't use it, and you probably shouldn't risk it either. It gets fussy about demonic energy. But luckily, we happen to have a peak lord!"

"I have a peak lord," Luo Binghe whined. "Shizun, does he need to be involved in this?"

"It was his idea," Shen Qingqiu replied.

"And I know Su Xiyan the best out of all of us, so I'm going to be involved," Tianlang-jun said, because god forbid he admit how much he loved her. Shen Qingqiu didn't know why Tianlang-jun couldn't just be honest and sincere with his own son, but it hadn't happened yet.

"So," Shen Qingqiu said, "it's best if we all work together. I think I actually will need Tianlang-jun's help with convincing Su Xiyan to trust me."

"Can I go back with you?" Tianlang-jun asked, eyes wide.

"I don't think so, but I'll need you to give me a message to make Su Xiyan trust me. If I go to her as a random cultivator when she's been on the run from the cultivation world, she might run."

"Hmm. Could Zhuzhi-lang go back with you?"

"It's not a question of how irritating I find you," Shen Qingqiu replied, although he would readily admit that he'd prefer to spend time with Zhuzhi-lang than Tianlang-jun. "I'm fairly certain that the device will only work for one person, and I'm not sure if having demonic qi involved at all will ruin it. And we also need to be careful not to change anything."

Tianlang-jun leaned back with poorly-affected nonchalance. "Isn't the whole point of this endeavor to change things? I'm fairly certain that's what I asked for."

"We can't change anything except for Su Xiyan's death, and I'll need to be careful how I change that." Shen Qingqiu carefully folded his hands in his lap. "I won't be able to change the past so she raised Luo Binghe. I'll have to hide her away. With how the device works, we won't be able to see her until I get back. You won't be aware that anything has changed. But, if it works, she should live."

"You need to be careful," Luo Binghe said, frowning. "What happens if you're not?"

"Then I won't be able to save Su Xiyan," Shen Qingqiu replied. It wasn't a lie! He wouldn't be able to save her if he wasn't careful. He'd also paradox himself out of existence, but Luo Binghe didn't need to know that. "Don't worry about me, Binghe. I'll be fine. I just need to be careful in order to save your mother."

Okay, maybe telling Luo Binghe that he didn't have to worry was a bit of an exaggeration, but it would probably be fine!

"What do you need from me?" Tianlang-jun asked, uncharacteristically serious. "If you can truly get Su Xiyan back, then I will do whatever you need."

"We need you to go," Luo Binghe grumbled under his breath.

Shen Qingqiu patted him gently on the arm, half a comfort and half an admonishment. "I need Su Xiyan to trust me, and I need her to do it quickly. I can tell her that I'm there to help, but I think she'll be more likely to believe me if I tell her that you sent me."

Tianlang-jun pursed his lips. "So you need to know something that'll let her know that you really know me. Alright. I assume you're not going to tell her that you're from the future?"

"I don't think so. I'll figure that out as I go."

"Hmm. Zhuzhi-lang, any ideas?"

"You're the one who was in love with her," Luo Binghe retorted. "You should come up with the idea."

"You're probably right," Tianlang-jun sighed. "Peak Lord Shen, ask her how many silvers my face is worth. Ask her if she still thinks it's worth a gold ingot."

"Is this some sort of inside joke between you?" Luo Binghe asked, looking interested in spite of himself.

"Well, that is what Peak Lord Shen asked for, isn't it? This should work."

"Thank you, Tianlang-jun. If all goes as planned, my trip to the past should only last a few moments for you. When I get back, we can go and join Su Xiyan."

"And she'll be alright?" Tianlang-jun asked, his gaze fixed on Shen Qingqiu. "She was poisoned. She won't be…"

"I asked Mu Qingfang how to cure the poison," Shen Qingqiu told him. "She'll be fine."

He hoped.

"When can we do it?" Tianlang-jun asked.

"Is it safe?" Luo Binghe asked, eyeing Shen Qingqiu very intently. "Shizun, will you be in any danger?"

"I'll be fine," Shen Qingqiu dismissed. "Tianlang-jun, we can do it soon. Shang Qinghua will help me as well."

Tianlang-jun's eyes narrowed. "And we can trust him?"

"He's Mobei-jun's consort," Shen Qingqiu replied.

Tianlang-jun didn't look particularly reassured. "And we can trust him?"

"I've already spoken to him about it," Shen Qingqiu admitted. "He has some knowledge of the device. He won't betray us."

"Shang Qinghua is reliable," Luo Binghe said, although he didn't sound too pleased to say it.

Tianlang-jun looked between them, then sighed. "Well, if you both say so, I suppose I'll have to believe you." He shot Zhuzhi-lang a look, and Shen Qingqiu wondered if Shang Qinghua was about to find himself followed by a great deal of little snakes. If Tianlang-jun wanted his nephew to spy on Shang Qinghua to make sure he was trustworthy, that was fine; Shang Qinghua was an idiot, but he wouldn't betray them.

"Will it be safe for Su Xiyan when she returns?" Luo Binghe asked, speaking his mother's name as if they had no real connection. Shen Qingqiu wondered if he'd feel the same after he met her, or if he'd discover the sort of filial affection he still hadn't uncovered for Tianlang-jun.

"I'll ensure that she's safe," Tianlang-jun said in a too-mild voice. "Zhuzhi-lang and I will protect her."

"I don't think she'll be in too much danger," Shen Qingqiu added, not wanting Tianlang-jun to get too many ideas. He still held a grudge against many in the cultivation world, and for admittedly good reason, but Shen Qingqiu didn't want to make it worse. "I'm safe enough, aren't I? And I'm also the consort to a demon emperor."

Luo Binghe's expression softened immediately, and he leaned against Shen Qingqiu's side. "Yes, I keep my Empress safe."

"Who are you calling Empress?!" Shen Qingqiu smacked Luo Binghe on the head with his fan.

"With all due respect, Peak Lord Shen, you have the backing of the Cang Qiong Sect behind you," Tianlang-jun said. "Su Xiyan will not have a sect to protect her."

"She will have three heavenly demons and a peak lord," Shen Qingqiu countered.

"We can keep her safe, Junshang," Zhuzhi-lang agreed quietly.

Tianlang-jun pursed his lips, but he didn't argue further. Shen Qingqiu did understand; he was always somewhat reluctant to leave Luo Binghe's safety to others as well, even when he knew that Luo Binghe could take care of himself and his companions like Mobei-jun were loyal and strong. Hopefully, Tianlang-jun would trust them more to protect Su Xiyan when Shen Qingqiu went back in time to save her. It was, he thought, a fairly sizable act of devotion.

"And going back won't… change anything?" Luo Binghe asked. "I'll still grow up with my adoptive mother and end up in the Qing Jing Sect?"

"Yes," Shen Qingqiu promised. "Like I said, I can't change things too drastically. I'll have to hide her away. For all of us, the past will be like it always was."

"And when can you go back?" Tianlang-jun asked. "Do you need to do any more preparation?"

"I need to check a few last things with Shang Qinghua, but it shouldn't take long. Perhaps…" Shen Qingqiu ran over his mental list. "Two days?"

"Two days, then," Tianlang-jun agreed. "And then, you'll save Su Xiyan."

"Don't tell Shizun what to do," Luo Binghe snapped.

"It's alright," Shen Qingqiu assured him quickly. "And yes, in two days, if all goes according to plan, I'll be able to save Su Xiyan."

Now, he'd just need to make sure everything went according to plan.


"Bro, are you, like, absolutely, absolutely sure you're ready?"

Shen Qingqiu shot Shang Qinghua an irritated look. "Have I not said it enough times?"

"But like, extra absolutely?"

"Yes, Airplane."

"Look, I just don't want you to paradox yourself out of existence! I think that's fair!"

"Hush!" Shen Qingqiu hissed. "What if Binghe heard you?"

"First of all, he's nowhere near here," Shang Qinghua said, unimpressed. "Second of all, I really am not sure I feel comfortable with not telling him about the risks."

"You only think he's nowhere near here. He might be nearby. You know how clingy he is, he hates letting me out of his sight for three seconds."

"Because you're self-sacrificial and reckless. Case in point, this plan."

"I am not reckless!" Self-sacrificial was more difficult to argue, given that Shen Qingqiu had technically sacrificed himself for Luo Binghe twice. But he wasn't reckless, he just had bad luck. And the bad luck was partially because of the setting and the wife plots, so it was all Airplane's fault, really. Everything was, if you went back far enough.

"You are risking paradoxing yourself out of existence-"

"Shh!"

"-For a woman you've never met, who's been dead for decades."

"For the mother of my husband, as requested by my father-in-law. I'm being a good, filial husband."

"You've never been filial to Tianlang-jun in your life. And that's fair, honestly, but you can't pull the filial card now when we both know you really just want to do this to see if you can."

"It's more to prove you wrong, actually."

"How much of your life is fueled by spite?"

"Oh, at least a good seventy-five percent."

"Do I want to know how much is fueled by spite against me specifically?"

"No, you do not."

Shang Qinghua pouted. Shen Qingqiu ignored him with practiced ease.

"Alright. Let's do this."

"Bro-"

"I'm going to do it with or without you, Airplane. Honestly, I'd planned to do it without you. You were the one who wanted to get involved."

"Fine, whatever! Ungrateful son of a-"

"What was that?"

"You heard me!"

Shen Qingqiu decided, for the sake of actually using the device and saving Su Xiyan in a timely fashion, he'd save that argument for later. "Okay, I'm going to activate the device."

"And you know exactly where and when? And you won't fuck anything up?"

"Airplane, of the two of us, which one is the fuck-up?"

"I mean, arguably-"

"You. You are. Now shut up and let me work."

Shang Qinghua muttered something to himself about having created the world they were in (which wasn't something to be proud of) and also having created Luo Binghe (which was, but Shen Qingqiu had improved on the original model), but he stepped back and let Shen Qingqiu pick up the device. It required a good amount of spiritual power, which was luckily something he had in spades as a peak lord, and it also required total concentration. Shen Qingqiu closed his eyes, focused on the exact moment he wanted to return to, and started to feed qi into the device.

"It's glowing," Shang Qinghua said after a moment. "I think that means it's working."

"You think?" Shen Qingqiu cut off the flow of qi. "You created it!"

"Yeah, but it wasn't ever supposed to work! Anyway, keep doing what you were doing and you'll probably be good."

"Dumbfuck author, dumbfuck novel."

"Hey!"

Shen Qingqiu went back to feeding qi into the device, now with even less faith in Shang Qinghua than he'd had before. The glow grew brighter and brighter, getting so bright that Shen Qingqiu could hardly see his surroundings. That most likely meant it was about to work, he assumed, so he focused as hard as he could on the exact time and place he wanted to go to, and he pushed one last burst of qi into the device.

When the light dimmed, he was standing on the banks of the River Luo. The only other person in sight was a woman who was lying a few feet away, apparently in the midst of giving birth.

Ah. Shen Qingqiu was a little early.

He probably shouldn't help. He knew he shouldn't help. This was something that could change something, and-

He couldn't not help.

"Excuse me, madam-"

There was a sword pointed at his throat before he could blink. Su Xiyan was panting and clearly in pain, but her hand was steady.

"Do not come any closer."

"I'm here to help," Shen Qingqiu said, holding his hands up. "Tianlang-jun sent me."

Su Xiyan's sword didn't wobble, but Shen Qingqiu was pretty sure that was only because she refused to let it. "Tianlang-jun is dead."

"He's not," Shen Qingqiu replied. "He told me to ask you how many pieces of silver his face is worth. He wants to know if you still think it's worth a gold ingot."

Su Xiyan stared at him for a moment, eyes narrowed, then she lowered the sword.

"If you touch my baby, I'll kill you, messenger from my husband or not."

"You're married?" It was absolutely the wrong thing to focus on, but Shen Qingqiu couldn't help it. Tianlang-jun had never mentioned doing his bows with Su Xiyan!

"Didn't you say he sent you?"

"He called you the woman he loved," Shen Qingqiu replied. "He never said you were married."

"Does it matter?"

"I… guess not." Shen Qingqiu would ask Tianlang-jun about it later, though! "Are you sure you don't want me to help you with the baby?"

"Just stay back and make sure no one comes close."

Shen Qingqiu obediently took a step back and watched. Behind him, he could hear Su Xiyan panting, and then, finally, a tiny wail cut through the air.

"My little one," Su Xiyan whispered. "My baby boy."

"He's beautiful," Shen Qingqiu said quietly.

Su Xiyan looked up at him. "Can you take him?"

"I'm… afraid not."

"Then I'll have to do what I originally planned." Su Xiyan picked up a basket and wrapped the baby in the blankets inside. "I hope you make it, little one."

"He will," Shen Qingqiu said quietly.

"Hmm." Su Xiyan let go of the basket and let it drift down the river. Shen Qingqiu breathed a sigh of relief. Luo Binghe had been born, and he was floating down the river, just like he was supposed to. Nothing had changed!

Then he noticed Su Xiyan was staring at him, looking decidedly suspicious. "What is your connection to my husband?"

"He's… a friend?"

Su Xiyan only looked more suspicious. "And why are you here with me instead of with him, wherever he is?"

"I-" Would she believe he'd come from the future to save him? No, probably not; he should keep things simple. "I'm here to help you. Tianlang-jun asked me to help you."

Su Xiyan scoffed. "There's no helping me. I know the poison is running its course. It won't be long until it overtakes me completely."

"There's a cure."

Su Xiyan only hesitated for an instant. "And what's the catch?"

"It's not quick," Shen Qingqiu admitted. "I'll need to put you to sleep for it to work, and you'll sleep for years. I can't do anything to change that. But I can hide you away somewhere safe, and I can come back for you when you're healed. And I can bring Tianlang-jun, and Zhuzhi-lang, and your son."

Su Xiyan studied Shen Qingqiu for a long moment. "And why should I trust you?"

"Do you have another choice?" Shen Qingqiu asked, trying to keep his voice gentle. "You know the poison is killing you. You took on its effects to save your son, didn't you? If you want to survive to meet him, you need to let me cure you."

There was something calculating in Su Xiyan's gaze. Luo Binghe had his father's eyes, but he and his mother looked the same when they were trying to figure someone out.

"If I let you cure me, I'll survive to meet my son?"

"I promise you will."

Su Xiyan took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Then do it."

Shen Qingqiu held out a hand. "Come with me."

He'd done a lot of research about this area near the base of the Luo River, and he'd done some investigating of his own. There were empty caves, places where he could easily hide Su Xiyan and protect her. He'd also done research into protective arrays, particularly unnoticeable ones. He'd tested them with Shang Qinghua and Luo Binghe until he could make them perfectly. He would cure Su Xiyan with the cure Mu Qingfang had taught him, put her to sleep, and protect her with an array. When he went back to his present, he could go back and wake her up. Unless something went awfully wrong, it would all turn out fine. Luo Binghe would have his mother back. Tianlang-jun would have his wife.

And then he could lord this over Shang Qinghua forever.

They were nearly to the cave when Su Xiyan's legs gave out. She was shaking, Shen Qingqiu realized, and when she opened her mouth, he saw her teeth were red from the blood she kept swallowing down.

"I- I can't-"

"We're nearly there," Shen Qingqiu said, reaching for her arm. "Can I- This one could carry you."

"No need to get all formal now. Do it."

Carefully, Shen Qingqiu gathered Su Xiyan up in his arms. She felt lighter than he thought she should have, and he could feel her shaking even more when she was pressed against him. She would ruin his robes, most likely, between the bloodstains from childbirth and the blood that she choked up through clenched teeth, but that was fine. He just had to save her before she died.

"We're nearly there," he repeated mindlessly. "I'll administer the cure and put you to sleep to let it work. My shidi taught me the cure. And once I've administered it-"

"Do you ever stop talking?" Su Xiyan bit out.

Shen Qingqiu froze. "I- Your husband would want to talk in a situation like this, so I thought you might too."

"I'm busy enough trying to breathe. We don't need to chat."

"We're here anyway," Shen Qingqiu said. The cave was large and empty, and he knew it appeared untouched in his present. No one would bother Su Xiyan there, not with his protection arrays. He laid her down gently on the ground, then he pulled out the blanket and pillow from his qiankun pouch.

"That's not necessary." Su Xiyan turned her head to the side and spat out a mouthful of blood. "Just cure me."

Shen Qingqiu obediently pulled out the information on the cure. "Alright. I'll need you to drink this potion, and then I'll give you some spiritual energy and put you to sleep."

Su Xiyan took the vial and opened it. She sniffed it suspiciously, peered over Shen Qingqiu's shoulder at the paper copy he'd made of the information about the cure, and then finally gulped the potion down.

"Good," Shen Qingqiu said. "That'll nullify the poison, and then to repair the damage-"

"You know too much."

Shen Qingqiu froze. "I- What?"

"You know too much," Su Xiyan repeated. "You couldn't have gotten all your information from my husband. How did you know what poison my master gave me? How did you know that I absorbed it into myself to protect my son? How did you know exactly where to hide me?"

Okay, in retrospect, that all did look a little sketchy. Shen Qingqiu hadn't expected Su Xiyan to pick up on it, though! She was poisoned and dying! Was it too much to expect her to be a little out of it?

"I- I really came here to help."

"And where did you come from?"

"It's…" Would Su Xiyan think he was crazy if he told the truth? Probably. Did he have another option? Not really. "It's not so much where as it is when. I'm from the future."

Su Xiyan stared at him. Her breathing was a bit smoother, Shen Qingqiu noted with relief; the potion seemed to be working to nullify the poison. It would take her a long time to get better, but at least she wouldn't get worse.

"You're from the future."

"Tianlang-jun did really send me," Shen Qingqiu added. "In my time, he's been freed from the mountain, and he recently found a device that can let people go back in time. The only thing he wanted to do with it was save you."

"And how do you know my husband?"

…This bit might be a little more awkward. "Through Zhuzhi-lang?"

"Why did you phrase that like a question?"

"I mean, I did meet him through Zhuzhi-lang! I helped him one time, and then he wanted to help me back all the time, except-"

"You're stalling," Su Xiyan said sharply. "How do you know my husband?"

Well, he might as well go for it. "I'm married to your son."

Su Xiyan's gaze went laser-focused immediately. "He survives? He's healthy?"

"He is," Shen Qingqiu promised. "He's the emperor of the Demon Realm. He's a powerful cultivator, and he's brave, and he's the best husband I could ever have asked for."

"Someone saves him from the river?"

"He's found by a woman who raises him and loves him. Then he goes to Cang Qiong Sect and learns how to be a cultivator."

"And how did he meet you?"

Shen Qingqiu hesitated for half a second. With what Su Xiyan had experienced at the hands of her shizun, he couldn't expect her to be pleased at the relationship her son had with his. He didn't want to lie, though, so he admitted, "I'm the Qing Jing Peak Lord. Luo Binghe - that is, your son - studied on my peak."

"Luo Binghe?" Su Xiyan repeated.

"Named for the icy river where he was found."

"Luo Binghe," Su Xiyan whispered reverentially. "My son Binghe."

"He's a son to be proud of."

"And you love him?"

"I do."

"He's happy?"

"He is."

"And…" For the first time, Su Xiyan looked vulnerable. "I'll truly meet him?"

"You will. He's looking forward to meeting you."

Slowly, Su Xiyan held out her arm. "You said the next step was to give me qi, yes?"

Shen Qingqiu took Su Xiyan's wrist and began to pass over qi as gently as he could. "I'll set up protection arrays to keep you safe. You'll sleep until I come back for you, and when you wake, you'll be healed."

"How far in the future will that be?"

Shen Qingqiu felt a pang of guilt. "Nearly thirty years. I'm sorry."

"Thirty years." Su Xiyan closed her eyes. "I never thought I'd be able to see my son at thirty."

"You will."

Su Xiyan opened her eyes, and Shen Qingqiu could see a flicker of humor in them. In that moment, he knew why Tianlang-jun had fallen in love with her.

"Well, I suppose I'll see you in thirty years, then."

"For you, it'll only be a minute," Shen Qingqiu replied, putting a hand on Su Xiyan's forehead and gently putting her to sleep.

Carefully, he lifted her head and set it on the pillow, then he took the blanket and gently tucked it around her. Once she was as comfortable as she could be, he checked her condition - healing steadily, if slowly - and began to set up the array. Arrays weren't his specialty, but he'd researched enough for this one to know it inside and out.

When he was finished, Su Xiyan was secure, and the protective arrays were thick and undetectable. Even Shen Qingqiu couldn't feel them, and they were made with his own qi. No one would know Su Xiyan was there, not until Shen Qingqiu went back to his own time to wake her up.

Assuming, of course, that he was able to get back to his own time.

He took the device out of his sleeve and studied it carefully. "This is going to work," he told it in a quiet voice, "because I did everything right, and I'm going to prove it to Airplane-bro. This is going to work, and I'm going to go home." He took a deep breath. "This is going to work, and I'm not going to leave Binghe alone."

He fed his qi into the device, focusing on the moment he'd left, and when the glowing light dimmed, he was back in his bamboo house, swaying and trembling but there.

"Holy shit!" Shang Qinghua yelped. "You- Did you do it?"

"I did it," Shen Qingqiu replied. His vision was beginning to grow spotty, he noticed, but he had just expended a frankly ridiculous amount of qi.

"Holy shit," Shang Qinghua breathed. "You were actually right. You made it work, and you didn't paradox yourself out of existence!"

"Of course I was right, I told you I could do it," Shen Qingqiu dismissed. The spots in his vision were getting a bit concerning. "Bitch," he added, just to get in the last word, and then the world went dark.


"Shizhi, I understand your concern, but I promise you, Shen-shixiong is simply exhausted. He'll be fine."

Mu Qingfang sounded a bit harried, Shen Qingqiu thought; he figured he should probably wake up and rescue him. It took a moment, but he managed to slowly open his eyes.

"Shizun!" Luo Binghe pounced on him immediately, clinging to Shen Qingqiu like a limpet.

"Yes, this husband is alright," Shen Qingqiu assured him distractedly, patting him on the back. "Thank you for your assistance, Mu-shidi, but this shixiong is fine now."

"I'm not certain what you were doing to expend that much qi, and I'm not certain I want to know, but you need to relax," Mu Qingfang told him sternly. "Nothing strenuous. Do you hear me, Luo-shizhi? Don't allow your shizun to use any more of his qi than necessary until he's back to normal."

"This disciple will make sure of it," Luo Binghe promised, still not letting go of Shen Qingqiu. "Thanking Mu-shishu."

Mu Qingfang sighed, muttered something to himself about impossible shixiongs that Shen Qingqiu wasn't going to comment on, and left the bamboo house with a bow. Luo Binghe finally deigned to loosen his grip on Shen Qingqiu, although he only did it enough to be able to look him in the eye.

"Shizun needs to be more careful!"

"This shizun apologizes," Shen Qingqiu told Luo Binghe, patting his head. "The situation required more qi than anticipated."

"And the situation…" Luo Binghe shifted slightly. "Was Shizun's mission successful?"

"Yes, I'd like to know that too," a new voice added, and Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe both looked up to see Tianlang-jun leaning in the doorway, Zhuzhi-lang hovering nervously behind him.

"You were supposed to wait in the other room where Mu-shishu couldn't see you," Luo Binghe accused, scowling.

"Yes," Tianlang-jun agreed, "but he's gone now, and I'm curious. How did it go, Peak Lord Shen?"

Shen Qingqiu pushed himself up into a sitting position. Luo Binghe quickly helped him, letting him prop himself up on his chest instead of the pillows.

"The true test will be checking on Su Xiyan, but… She should be alive."

Tianlang-jun nodded, although he still looked tense. Shen Qingqiu didn't blame him. If he were in his situation, he wouldn't believe his beloved was alive again until he saw them with his own eyes, and even then, it would take a while.

Hopefully, Tianlang-jun and Su Xiyan would have all the time they needed.

"And when will we be able to check on her?"

"Shizun is supposed to rest," Luo Binghe snapped immediately.

"This master will be fine," Shen Qingqiu said, patting Luo Binghe's arm. "I can ride on Zheng Yang with you, or Xizhi-lang can carry us. Or we could have Mobei-jun teleport us." He looked around. "Speaking of Mobei-jun, where is Shang Qinghua?"

"He was the one who went to find Mu-shishu," Luo Binghe reported. "He must have stayed away after that."

Shen Qingqiu sighed. "Did Binghe threaten him again?"

"He did," Tianlang-jun said. "Impressively, too. Enough to make a father proud."

Luo Binghe gave Tianlang-jun a dirty look that meant Shang Qinghua wasn't going to be the only one receiving threats if Tianlang-jun didn't shut up. "I'll talk to him later, then," Shen Qingqiu sighed. "Binghe, can you call Mobei-jun?"

Luo Binghe hesitated. "Will Shizun need to use more qi to wake Su Xiyan?"

"Hardly any," Shen Qingqiu dismissed. He'd have to use a bit to dispel the protective arrays, and then he'd have to use a bit more to wake Su Xiyan, but hardly anything. And he was a Peak Lord, after all! He could handle it.

Luo Binghe didn't look entirely convinced. Shen Qingqiu looked over at Tianlang-jun and Zhuzhi-lang, then he grabbed his fan from beside his bed and flicked it open to hide his face as he leaned over to whisper in Luo Binghe's ear.

"This master know Binghe is worried, but your parents have waited long enough. And after we return… Binghe may take care of this husband however he pleases."

Luo Binghe's eyes lit up. "Truly?"

Ah, Shen Qingqiu's face was too thin for this! He lifted his fan higher, making sure he was entirely blocked from Tianlang-jun and Zhuzhi-lang's sight, then he kissed Luo Binghe's cheek in a lightning-fast movement.

"Truly."

"Shizun will only use as much qi as necessary," Luo Binghe bargained, "and he will let this Binghe pass qi over to him if he needs it. And he will tell this Binghe if he needs it."

Luo Binghe drove a hard bargain, as expected of the protagonist. Shen Qingqiu sighed. "This husband agrees."

Looking both smug and delighted, Luo Binghe pulled the talisman to contact Mobei-jun out of his sleeve. Shen Qingqiu lowered his fan slowly, though he still kept it over the lower half of his face.

"Very rude of you to hide through all that, Peak Lord Shen," Tianlang-jun scolded. "I'm sure whatever you two were saying would have been wonderful material for the book club."

If Shen Qingqiu thought too long about the fact that Tianlang-jun was in a book club that read shitty RPF porn of him and his husband, he would run screaming down the side of the mountain. He ignored Tianlang-jun instead, focusing on Luo Binghe.

"Mobei-jun is coming," he reported, and a moment later, the bamboo house went cold. Zhuzhi-lang shivered, and Tianlang-jun frowned, pulling his nephew closer. Shen Qingqiu hadn't even thought about the fact that snakes were sensitive to the cold; he hoped the portal wouldn't be too hard for Zhuzhi-lang.

"Junshang." Mobei-jun bowed to Luo Binghe, then, after a moment's hesitation, offered Tianlang-jun a slightly shallower bow.

"No need," Tianlang-jun dismissed, waving him off. "I know your loyalty is to my son. A man as beautiful as you can't be expected to be too intelligent."

"Mobei-jun," Shen Qingqiu said quickly, hoping to nip that argument in the bud, "we require transportation to the mouth of the Luo River."

Mobei-jun's eyes flickered to Luo Binghe, then he bowed to Shen Qingqiu and opened a portal. Shen Qingqiu stood as fluidly as he could, aided by Luo Binghe at his side, and stepped through.

The caves by the Luo River looked almost as the same as they had thirty years ago. "I'll call for you when we need transportation back," Luo Binghe told Mobei-jun, who bowed again and disappeared through another portal.

"Well," Tianlang-jun said, trying to wrap his outer robe around his protesting nephew, "where is Su Xiyan, Peak Lord Shen?"

"Follow me."

Shen Qingqiu led his little group through to the cave where he'd hidden Su Xiyan, only stopping when he reached the edge of the array. Luo Binghe placed a hand on the small of his back, and Shen Qingqiu could feel the way he began monitoring his qi. It was fine, really, but Shen Qingqiu didn't shrug his husband off as he started unraveling the array. It hardly took any qi at all; setting up the array had taken a lot of energy, but undoing it was easier. The good thing was, it seemed completely untouched. It had been standing for nearly thirty years, but it felt the same as it had when Shen Qingqiu had set it up.

"Alright," he said when it was down, leading the group into the cave. "Su Xiyan is through here. I'll check her pulse, then I'll wake her up. She should be fully healed by now."

Luo Binghe remained at Shen Qingqiu's side, his hand not moving from Shen Qingqiu's back, but Tianlang-jun seemed to hesitate a bit before entering the cave. Zhuzhi-lang, now draped in his uncle's outer robe, remained close to Tianlang-jun's side.

Shen Qingqiu really, really hoped everything went smoothly. He wasn't sure how Tianlang-jun would cope if it didn't.

The cave was just as he'd left it, and lying on the ground was Su Xiyan, looking similarly untouched. Shen Qingqiu knelt by her side and checked her pulse, which was slow but steady, and searched for any signs of the poison or its effects in her body. There was nothing; she was perfectly healthy.

"I'll wake her now," he announced. "She may be a little confused at first, but she should be fine."

Tianlang-jun nodded sharply, his eyes fixed on Su Xiyan. Shen Qingqiu sent a pulse of qi through her meridians, then he stood and took a step back, letting her wake.

It didn't take long; Su Xiyan's face scrunched up slightly, then her eyes blinked open. Shen Qingqiu heard Tianlang-jun make a noise like he'd been punched. Su Xiyan must have heard it too, because her eyes sought him.

"My love?"

"Xiyan." Tianlang-jun fell to his knees next to Su Xiyan artlessly, grabbing one of her hands and gathering it between both of his. "Xiyan, my Xiyan-"

"Oh, my husband." Su Xiyan ran a hand over Tianlang-jun's hair, cupping his cheek in her palm. "I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Tianlang-jun replied, turning his face into her hand. "My Xiyan, my Xiyan, I missed you so much."

"I thought I'd lost you," Su Xiyan whispered.

Tianlang-jun pressed a kiss to her palm, then her wrist, then he began kissing further and further along her arm. Shen Qingqiu wondered when he was going to remember that he wasn't alone, then he wondered if he'd actually forgotten or if he just didn't care. Given the look on Zhuzhi-lang's face, this wasn't the first time Tianlang-jun and Su Xiyan had gotten caught up with an audience.

"Madam Su," Zhuzhi-lang said quickly, when Tianlang-jun's lips reached Su Xiyan's neck. "This subordinate is glad to see you well again."

"Zhuzhi-lang," Su Xiyan said with warmth in her voice. She patted the back of Tianlang-jun's head, and Tianlang-jun dropped onto her chest, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "Have you taken care of your uncle while I was gone? You know he's useless on his own."

Zhuzhi-lang blushed. "I- Junshang-"

"He's been very good," Tianlang-jun said, not moving away from Su Xiyan at all, "but I think he's missed following us to plays. He's definitely missed following us to brothels."

"Junshang!" Zhuzhi-lang cried, looking mortified.

"You went to brothels together?" Shen Qingqiu blurted out, then wished he'd kept quiet.

"Of course we did. There used to be a brothel near where Zhuzhi-lang and I were staying that had the most incredible pipa player."

Su Xiyan looked over at Shen Qingqiu. "You kept your word. Thank you."

"Of course."

Su Xiyan's gaze slid past Shen Qingqiu, and her eyes went wide. It was obvious, of course, who Luo Binghe was; he looked just like Su Xiyan, except with Tianlang-jun's eyes. There could be no doubt as to whose son he was.

"Luo Binghe?"

Shen Qingqiu felt his husband's hand press harder into his back and leaned against him slightly. "Yes," he answered for him, "this is Binghe."

"My son," Su Xiyan whispered. She sat up with some help from Zhuzhi-lang; Tianlang-jun moved with her like he was permanently attached. "You're so tall. You were such a small baby, but you're so tall now."

"Mother," Luo Binghe said, the word formal and awkward in his mouth.

"My boy." Su Xiyan stared at him for a moment longer, then her mouth curved into a rueful smile. "I know we don't really know each other, but I'd like to."

"I had a mother," Luo Binghe blurted out. "I-"

"Your husband told me that you were found by a woman who raised you and loved you," Su Xiyan said. "My sweet boy, I'm so glad you had her. But do you think you and I can have some sort of relationship too?"

Luo Binghe didn't respond immediately, pressing closer to Shen Qingqiu. "Perhaps," he finally allowed. "We… can try."

Shen Qingqiu kissed Luo Binghe's cheek, then turned to Su Xiyan. "Madam Su, shall we get out of this cave?"

"You should be calling her Popo, shouldn't you?" Tianlang-jun asked, looking away from Su Xiyan for a moment to shoot Shen Qingqiu a teasing look.

"Shut up, Gonggong," Shen Qingqiu said pleasantly, making Tianlang-jun laugh. "Madam Su?"

"And where will I go?" Su Xiyan asked. "I don't suppose I can go back to Huan Hua Palace."

"You could," Tianlang-jun said. "Our son took it over. But I'd rather you come home with me."

"To the Demon Realm?"

"That's where Zhuzhi-lang and I are currently living, but I have a house in the Human Realm as well," Tianlang-jun said, which was news to Shen Qingqiu. "Whichever you would prefer. As long as we're together, I don't care where we are."

Su Xiyan ran a hand through Tianlang-jun's hair. "I've always wanted to see the Demon Realm."

"Should we call for Mobei-jun?" Shen Qingqiu asked.

"Zhuzhi-lang will take us," Tianlang-jun replied. "Zhuzhi-lang, help us up."

Zhuzhi-lang obediently pulled Tianlang-jun to his feet, then helped Su Xiyan as well. Tianlang-jun held her gently, like she was made of the finest jade and could shatter at any moment.

"Will we see you two soon?" Su Xiyan asked, looking over at Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe. "I'd like to."

"Madam Su is welcome on Qing Jing Peak whenever she wishes to visit," Shen Qingqiu said.

"You are also welcome to visit Huan Hua Palace, if you wish," Luo Binghe said. After a moment, he added, "And… the Emperor's palace."

"We can start small, my son," Su Xiyan offered. "Would it be alright if I came for tea in a few days?"

Luo Binghe shot Tianlang-jun a look, and for a moment, Shen Qingqiu thought he was going to insist that Tianlang-jun not come along. That would be a problem, he assumed, because he doubted Tianlang-jun would let Su Xiyan out of his sight any time soon. Perhaps Luo Binghe understood that too, because he didn't make any demands; he just nodded stiffly.

Su Xiyan took a step towards Luo Binghe and twitched like she wanted to reach out to him, but she didn't. Shen Qingqiu hoped he could help the two of them get closer, and he also hoped the System didn't try to get involved in the process.

"Thank you, Peak Lord Shen," Tianlang-jun said, his voice a little too fervent to pass for his usual nonchalance. "I suppose I owe you a debt now."

"There are no debts between family," Shen Qingqiu said, and he surprised himself to realize he meant it.

Tianlang-jun's lips twitched into a smile that looked surprisingly sincere for him, then he gently began to lead Su Xiyan towards the cave entrance. Shen Qingqiu looked back at Luo Binghe, wondering if he'd want to follow them out or if he needed a few moments to himself. Luo Binghe's gaze was fixed on his parents, and after a moment, he started after them.

The sun was warm and bright as they stepped out of the cave. Su Xiyan squinted, raising a hand against it. Tianlang-jun raised his arm, shading Su Xiyan's face with his sleeve.

"I didn't think I would see the sun again," Su Xiyan whispered, just loud enough for Shen Qingqiu to hear.

"My love," Tianlang-jun whispered back, kissing her gently on the cheek.

Luo Binghe's hand slipped into Shen Qingqiu's, and Shen Qingqiu gave it a tight squeeze.

They weren't quite a family, not yet. They didn't know each other well enough for that.

Luckily, they had all the time in the world.