Today's the day, Xue Yang thought as he clambered up from the rough, straw bed, pulled on his boots and stepped out to start the day. It had already been six months since Xiao Xingchen had picked him up from the ditch and saved his life; his wounds were healed, he'd had a lot of fun tricking Xiao Xingchen, but now watching him kill innocent villagers was starting to get a bit boring. He'd been here long enough, it was time to tear his world apart once and for all.
Not over breakfast though. No point leaving on an empty stomach.
"I spoke to Li-furen from the next village yesterday when I went down to the market. She said they've been having a bit of trouble with a pesky yao. I thought I'd head over there after breakfast and see if I can help. Would you like to accompany me, Xiao You?" Xiao Xingchen asked as he collected their dirty dishes and carried them to the kitchen for cleaning.
Xue Yang eyed him from his seat at the table. Even washing dishes Xiao Xingchen's movements were smooth, careful and deliberate - an irritating picture of perfection. Xue Yang squinted and willed him to drop the bowl.
Xiao Xingchen placed it safely on the side.
"Sure," Xue Yang replied abruptly. It would be good to get Xiao Xingchen alone; not that he cared if he had to kill Little Blind too - in fact, he might come back to do her in afterwards anyway - but it would be best to have Xiao Xingchen to himself, no distractions from his long-awaited revenge.
Xiao Xingchen turned his head to the side; Xue Yang thought he glimpsed a hint of a smile before Xiao Xingchen gave a short nod and turned back to the dishes.
"Okay. Good!"
They set out in the late morning. The sun was high overhead, not that Xue Yang could see it beyond the thick blanket of clouds, but the heat was heavy and oppressive. He wiped his brow and tugged at the collar of his robes, baring the sticky skin of his chest a little more to the light, cooling breeze. Before long they had left Yi City behind them and were trudging along the dusty, stone-strewn path between fields of tall, dry grasses, tangled and wild. A lonely bird warbled its searching song, but there was no other sound beyond the scuff of their feet and the swish of their robes. They were alone. Was now the time? Though Xue Yang hadn't fully thought through how he wanted to do this…
So caught up in his thoughts was he that he didn't notice the snake slither out of the grass until Xiao Xingchen suddenly cried out. He jerked around, his hand automatically reaching for his sleeve where Jiangzai was hidden away, but before he could grab it, Xiao Xingchen half collapsed against him, his fingers scrabbling unsuccessfully for purchase on Xue Yang's robes as he fell to the ground, clutching at his leg.
"Something- Something bit me!" Xiao Xingchen gasped.
Xue Yang looked around sharply, not keen to join Xiao Xingchen in writhing on the ground. There, only a metre or so away, the snake was already disappearing back into the grass.
"It's a snake," he said, his voice short, but he forced some empathy into his tone as he squatted next to Xiao Xingchen. "It's gone now, Daozhang. Where did it bite you?"
"My leg," Xiao Xingchen replied through gritted teeth. His body was rigid and tense, curled up tight as he gripped his calf. "Did you see it? The snake. What did it look like?"
"I dunno, it just looked like a snake!"
"What size was it? What colour, did it have a pattern? Xiao You, I need to know what it was!" Xiao Xingchen's voice grew louder in his panic.
"I dunno, it was pretty small! A boring colour, yellowy-brown - I hardly noticed it on the path before it was gone."
"That's all?"
Xue Yang thought for a second, then shrugged. "It had a pattern… Pinkish…"
"Triangle shaped? Diamond?"
"Nah - actually it looked more like heart-shaped - though that's ridiculous, huh?" Xue Yang sniggered, but his laughter tapered off when he took in Xiao Xingchen's stricken expression. "Daozhang?"
"Heart-shaped? Are you absolutely sure, Xiao You?" Xiao Xingchen asked, and Xue Yang's stomach twisted at the urgency in his tone.
"Yeah," he replied, serious now. He studied Xiao Xingchen's face carefully. His skin was blotchy, grey-white in some places, flushed red in others. Beads of perspiration dotted his forehead, trickling down his frown lines to soak into his blindfold. His jaw was tight, lips pressed thin. "Daozhang… Are you okay? Do you know what kind of snake it was? I've never seen one like that before."
Xiao Xingchen's voice was stilted and unnaturally high-pitched when he answered. "I've… not seen one before either. I have heard of them though. I need… need to get the venom out…!"
He scrambled into a sitting position, shoved his boot off and yanked his clothing out of the way, feeling for the site of the wound with trembling fingers. His flesh was already swollen and angry. Xue Yang could see the puncture holes; they were surprisingly broad and deep - the snake must have had wicked fangs. He wrinkled his nose.
"Looks nasty, Daozhang!" he said, remembering to drip concern into his voice just in time.
Xiao Xingchen's breath was coming faster. He squeezed around the edge of the wound and pinched his fingers together, trying to draw the venom out but to no avail. Then, he tried lifting his leg, bending his head down to meet it, apparently in an attempt to suck the venom out, but the angle was wrong and he couldn't quite reach. It was all quite comical to Xue Yang, who had to clap a hand over his mouth to stop himself laughing out loud at Xiao Xingchen's miserable flailing. With each passing minute, the inflammation was spreading further along his leg.
At last, Xiao Xingchen gave up and sagged back, gasping, "Xiao You, I can't-! I can't get it out! Please, can you-? If it doesn't get out, I'll-" He was panting heavily, scrabbling at the robes at his neck as though they were suffocating him. "Oh, it's- it's burning- it's burning me!"
"What happens if you don't get the venom out, Daozhang?" Xue Yang asked curiously. He didn't make a move towards Xiao Xingchen.
Despite everything, Xiao Xingchen suddenly seemed to grow bashful. "It'll make me…" he started, and then cut off, finishing instead with, "In the end, it'll kill me!"
Xue Yang raised his eyebrow. Huh. Xiao Xingchen was dying. Well, he had planned for him to die today! Although this method was unexpected. He tilted his head, but before he could consider the matter further, Xiao Xingchen burst out, "Xiao You, please, help me!"
Xue Yang jerked, and he squatted down at Xiao Xingchen's side before he even realised what he was doing. "What do you want me to do, Daozhang? I don't know how to heal snake bites."
"S-suck it out," Xiao Xingchen replied in a small, apologetic voice, "...please."
Xue Yang looked down at Xiao Xingchen's leg. Suck the venom out. What a lot of effort to go to for someone he was going to kill later anyway.
"Xiao You!" Xiao Xingchen begged, screaming.
Xue Yang bent down.
Xiao Xingchen's flesh was hot against his lips. He covered the wound with his mouth and sucked hard; an image flashed in his mind of what other part of Xiao Xingchen's body he might rather be sucking, but the thought fled when a tiny drop of venom oozed out, instantly burning his tongue. He sat back quickly and spat it out.
"Hardly anything's coming out, Daozhang," he said. "It's already spreading too far through your body." For some reason, he was suddenly irritated by that fact. It was one thing to watch Xiao Xingchen writhing in agony and toy with the option of letting him die that way; it was another to have no control over it and have his revenge forcibly snatched away before his eyes.
Xiao Xingchen gave a loud, pitiful moan. Xue Yang let his eyes wander up towards his face, but he paused halfway, his brain stalling. He stared in surprise and confusion at Xiao Xingchen's crotch. His robes were tenting as though… as though he was aroused?!
Xiao Xingchen was dying from a snake bite and he had a hard-on?!
"All that sucking feel good, huh, Daozhang?" Xue Yang said unthinkingly with a snide laugh.
Xiao Xingchen looked mortified. He hitched his leg up with a hiss to hide the bulge in his crotch. "The snake… the venom of the heart-backed viper has a particular effect," he explained, unable to hold back another moan. "Xiao You… you should… you should go."
Xue Yang's head snapped up. "Go?!"
"I think there might be a way for me to get rid of the venom. But you… you don't want to see…"
Xue Yang's eyes glittered with interest. "How, Daozhang? Why won't I want to see?"
Xiao Xingchen's mouth hung open. He seemed too embarrassed to explain. "Just- trust me, Xiao You. You don't want to see, and I don't want you to see. Please - if there's any chance for me to live, I need to do this now! Go, please, quickly!"
"No, Daozhang, I'm not leaving you!" Xue Yang insisted. If these were Xiao Xingchen's final moments, there was no way he was missing them. And if he survived… Xue Yang needed to be close to finish the job.
"Xiao You-"
"I'm not leaving you, Daozhang, so just get on with what you have to do!"
Xiao Xingchen grimaced as he squirmed on the ground. "Xiao You, the snake has those heart-shaped markings for a reason. A warning. What its venom will do if it bites you."
"You said it will kill you."
"It will. But before it does, it… burns you, from the inside. But not like fire. It's…" Xiao Xingchen hesitated.
"What?!" Xue Yang exploded, out of patience.
"Desire," Xiao Xingchen choked.
There was a pause. "What?" Xue Yang repeated, quieter this time.
"That's why my body is reacting like… this," Xiao Xingchen explained, his voice laced with desperation as he gestured towards his crotch. "But if I can… I just thought maybe if I… Well, to get the venom out, maybe I should…"
"Should what?" Xue Yang huffed, not comprehending.
"Touch myself!" Xiao Xingchen gasped, turning his face away in embarrassment. "I need to get the venom out!"
Xue Yang stared at him in shock. He would never have guessed that Xiao Xingchen was going to say that!
"Please, Xiao You, please - go!" Xiao Xingchen begged again, and Xue Yang finally unlocked his limbs.
"Alright, Daozhang, I'll go. Not too far - but enough. Do what you gotta do, yeah?" he said, his voice sounding strangely shaky.
He went a short way down the path, then walked on the spot, first loudly and then gradually quieting his steps so that Xiao Xingchen would think he was far away. He didn't take his eyes off Xiao Xingchen for a single moment, his breath for some reason caught in his throat as he watched and waited.
When Xiao Xingchen was sure he had gone, he wasted no time, but yanked his robes open and shoved his trousers down, revealing his long, swollen, hard cock. He grabbed it and began to urgently jerk himself, moaning as his palm rolled over the head. Xue Yang's eyes widened and he stared, unblinking, his own body heating up as he watched the muscles in Xiao Xingchen's flat stomach twitch and tremble with each pump of his hand.
It soon became apparent, however, that no matter how aroused Xiao Xingchen was, he couldn't get himself off. He writhed on the ground, moaning in pleasure and then groaning in pain, his hand moving arrhythmically on his cock. He wouldn't come like that, and the longer he took, the more the venom would spread and he would never get it all out.
What should he do? Xue Yang wondered. It would be easy to stand here and watch, let events unfold. He couldn't deny he was enjoying himself. Xiao Xingchen might be a self-righteous arsehole, but half-naked, legs spread, skin flushed and cock swollen, he sure was damned sexy. Xue Yang palmed his crotch, unsurprised to find himself equally as hard. He could pull himself out of his robes and fist his cock until he came and Xiao Xingchen expired… That would be fun, but not entirely satisfying. Xiao Xingchen would never know who he was, how he had tricked him. He had fantasised so much about that moment of revelation, he didn't want Xiao Xingchen to die without knowing.
He could walk over and just tell him now, then. But that also seemed a bit disappointing - an anti-climax. The snake had done his work for him, and he didn't like that. He had always enjoyed driving the knife home himself.
The only other option then… Save Xiao Xingchen's life now, so he could take it the way he wanted later.
He squeezed his cock through his robes. Fine, then. Option three.
The small stones crunched under his boots as he walked back to Xiao Xingchen.
"Looks like you need a hand," he remarked, stopping a couple of feet away. Xiao Xingchen jerked in shock and hurriedly tried to cover himself up.
"Xiao You! What are you-?"
Xue Yang tsked and knelt down next to him, pulling his robes open once more. "Don't be shy, Daozhang. I'll help you."
"Xiao You, you don't need- I don't want you to have to do something you don't want to-" Xiao Xingchen protested, but Xue Yang ignored him and spat into his hand, wrapping it around Xiao Xingchen's cock and starting a firm, rhythmic pump. Xiao Xingchen moaned, his head slumping back on the ground.
His cock was burning hot in Xue Yang's hand. He couldn't take his eyes off it - the fat vein throbbing along the underside, the fleshy head, the slit already leaking dew drops of pre-cum to help moisten his grip. Xiao Xingchen gasped and gave another lascivious moan and Xue Yang tore his gaze away from his cock to rove over his body, greedily eyeing his flushed, heaving chest, his pink lips parted in a perfect 'O', his fingers scrabbling desperately on the dusty path. Now and then his forehead creased as a flash of pain overrode the pleasure, but Xue Yang could tell he was getting close. He let go of Xiao Xingchen's cock for a brief moment, delightedly amused when he moaned at the loss, and shifted to kneel between his legs. Taking hold of his member once more, Xue Yang then spat onto the fingers of his spare hand and pushed the tip of one past the tight ring of muscle into Xiao Xingchen's ass. Xiao Xingchen squeaked, his head shooting up and his muscles clenching around Xue Yang's finger at the intrusion.
"Relax, Daozhang," Xue Yang soothed. "This'll help get the venom out faster."
He kept jerking Xiao Xingchen's cock as he searched for the spot inside him that would double his pleasure and grinned when he apparently found it and Xiao Xingchen's hips bucked, his cock twitching. Xiao Xingchen trembled violently under the onslaught of sensation. Nonsense words spilled from his lips, mingling with pathetic sobs and cries, but he didn't try to stop Xue Yang and Xue Yang didn't relent, but kept pumping his cock and stroking him inside until a minute later Xiao Xingchen gave a loud cry, his muscles tensing as he spilled over Xue Yang's fist onto his stomach.
"Ah, ah, argh…!" he panted, suddenly wiping at his belly with his robes, and Xue Yang understood as he snatched his burning hand back - there had been venom in Xiao Xingchen's cum.
"Is it all out?" he asked roughly.
Xiao Xingchen didn't answer straight away, too busy coming down from his orgasm high and cleaning himself up. After a minute, he had recovered enough to say in a calmer voice, "I don't know. It… feels better than it did, I think it helped. I don't know if it's all out though." He continued to wipe himself down, his hands shaking, but it soon became clear that some of the venom was still coursing through him as his breathing once more grew laboured and his cock stood to attention, red and straining. "Oh no…" he whimpered as the heat began to build up inside him all over again.
Xue Yang's face twitched. He shook out his wrist and grabbed Xiao Xingchen's cock again.
"Don't worry, Daozhang - another load and it'll be out," he attempted to reassure him, but he wasn't sure if Xiao Xingchen had even heard him as he groaned and writhed on the ground.
Seeing Xiao Xingchen like this… hearing the wanton sounds tumbling uncontrollably from his lips… It was making Xue Yang impossibly hard and somewhat uncomfortable trapped inside his trousers. He slipped his finger back inside Xiao Xingchen, cursing when he cried out as he stroked over his pleasure spot, and considered taking his finger out and shoving his cock inside him instead. But before he could act, Xiao Xingchen's cries grew louder and he began to thrash wildly, bucking and twisting his hips, kicking out his legs and swinging his arms. Xue Yang had to duck and swerve to avoid being hit and in the process, lost his grip on his cock, his finger slipping free from his ass. Without the pleasurable stimulation, Xiao Xingchen was overcome by the painful venom and his cries turned to screams.
"Daozhang! Daozhang!" Xue Yang shouted over him, slapping Xiao Xingchen's face to snap him out of it, without success. Xiao Xingchen was pummelling him, nearly knocking him aside. He lurched back, out of reach, and quickly reassessed the situation.
They had got some of the venom out but not all of it, and what was left was overpowering Xiao Xingchen and was sure to kill him if they didn't get every last drop out. Making Xiao Xingchen come had been an effective way to draw out the venom, but now he was thrashing too much for Xue Yang to get close to jerk him off again. He would need to pin him down… But how could he hold him down and jerk him off at the same time?
Making a decision, Xue Yang quickly stripped off his clothes, finally freeing his aching cock, and strode towards Xiao Xingchen.
"Daozhang, hold still a moment, will you," he said as he stepped over him, straddling him and dropping down into his lap. He grabbed Xiao Xingchen's wrists and pinned them next to his head, squeezing his hips with his thighs to still his rocking. Still Xiao Xingchen struggled, tossing his head. "Daozhang, let me help you," Xue Yang breathed, his face hovering above Xiao Xingchen's, close enough to hear him whimper his name in a desperate, broken voice.
Xiao Xingchen sagged slightly, though his body remained tense; still, when Xue Yang released one of his wrists so that he could reach down and align Xiao Xingchen's cock with his hole, Xiao Xingchen's arm twitched but otherwise lay passively on the ground, even as he panted raggedly. "That's right, Daozhang," Xue Yang murmured, and he sank slowly down onto his cock. It was dry and a bit painful without anything to lubricate the way, but Xiao Xingchen cried out loudly and wantonly in his ear as he disappeared inside him and that sound alone made Xue Yang's cock throb and leak.
It took Xue Yang a moment to get used to the feeling of Xiao Xingchen inside him, but he soon began to roll his hips, lifting himself up and dropping back down, spurred on by Xiao Xingchen's desperate cries and twitching limbs. Xiao Xingchen was fighting hard to control himself, but he was soon bucking and writhing once more and it took all of Xue Yang's efforts to keep him pinned in place so he could keep riding him. Despite that, Xue Yang couldn't help his own rough grunts and moans as Xiao Xingchen's cock filled him up and rubbed against his own pleasure spot. He had never imagined having sex with the upright daoshi before, but this was proving quite fun - despite the venom - or maybe even thanks to it.
The muscles in Xiao Xingchen's navel began to tense up, his breath catching, a tiny whine starting in his throat. Xue Yang realised he was on the edge and squeezed around him.
"Xiao You-!" Xiao Xingchen gasped, the words barely discernible. "Gonna… come… Off… Get off…"
He grabbed at Xue Yang's hips, dragging him off his cock just in time as he spilled, and Xue Yang remembered belatedly that he wouldn't have wanted Xiao Xingchen to come inside him, not when the tiniest hint of venom had burned his tongue and hand so badly. Xiao Xingchen gasped and frantically wiped his cum off the sensitive skin of his thighs and crotch. Xue Yang watched blearily from the side, not even thinking to offer to help as he jerked his own cock furiously. He came hard, painting Xiao Xingchen's chest white and laughing at the startled look of shock on his face.
"What, Daozhang? I helped you, am I not allowed to help myself too?" he teased mockingly. Xiao Xingchen's cheeks pinkened.
"I am very grateful for your help, my friend," Xiao Xingchen murmured breathlessly as he wiped his chest clean too. "I would rather you found some pleasure in it for yourself than had to solely endure it in misery."
Xue Yang grinned. His eyes dropped to Xiao Xingchen's crotch, where his cock sat deflated. "Did it work? Is the venom all out now?"
Xiao Xingchen paused his movements, frowning in concentration. "I think so. I cannot feel it moving in me anymore… I feel… cool again." He shivered slightly as though to illustrate the point and began to tug his robes around him. "Oh. Xiao You - my leg. Can you see? Does it look… bad?"
Xue Yang checked his leg and shook his head. "There's still a bit of red around the bite itself, but it looks normal. The swelling has gone." He touched it. "You're not burning anymore."
Xiao Xingchen nodded and sighed in relief, giving him a small smile. "I think then… I hope anyway… that we got it all out." He paused and ducked his head. "Thank you, Xiao You. And… my sincerest apologies. For putting you through that. Putting you in a position where you needed to do…that…to save my life."
Xue Yang looked at him silently as he slipped his robes back on. Xiao Xingchen had half-heartedly pulled his robes back across himself, but he was still sitting there half-naked, exhausted, pathetic. Debauched. It was a good look on him, he thought with a smirk. Better than when he was all prim and perfect. Imagine if the rest of the cultivation world could see their great hero like this!
How much of it was the venom's work and how much of it was down to their fucking, he suddenly wondered. Could he get Xiao Xingchen to look like this again?
Might be worth some experimentation. Would definitely be fun to try!
"Don't worry about it, Daozhang," he said as he gave Xiao Xingchen a hand up and helped him back into his robes. "You saved my life, I saved yours. We're equal now, right?"
Xiao Xingchen gave a small, wry smile and nodded. "Of course."
"Good. Besides, it was hardly a hardship for me, getting to touch you," Xue Yang said, watching Xiao Xingchen closely for his reaction and pleased to see him blush harder, the smile still on his face, no hint of disgust. "I wouldn't be averse to doing it again sometime. Without the venom, of course!" he added, and laughed when Xiao Xingchen went beet red and spluttered. "Only if you want to too, of course."
Xiao Xingchen's mouth opened and closed and a hint of doubt suddenly hit Xue Yang, making his smirk falter. But then Xiao Xingchen finally got his voice working. "I… I would… also… be open to that. Without the venom."
Xue Yang grinned. "Okay! Good."
His final revenge would have to wait, then. That was a pity, but he was good at being patient. He'd waited a long time for the Chang clan, he could wait for Xiao Xingchen - especially with such a sweet offering to enjoy while he waited.
And so, Xue Yang decided, Xiao Xingchen wouldn't die that day after all. He would die! And soon!
Just… not quite yet.