Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“So, are you telling me that there's no way for me to unlock the OOC function!?”

At that moment, Shen Qingqiu wanted the system to be there in person so he could grab it by the shoulders and shake it furiously for what it had just revealed to him.

[If you complete the mission: memory restoration. The OOC function can be permanently modified. Failure to do so will result in an immediate reduction in points.]

Out of character, ooc, he now has to act like the original Shen Qingqiu all the time.

“System, how am I supposed to know how to behave like the original characters when they aren't even mentioned in the novel?” It's not like evil runs in his blood. Oh, maybe it does.

[The system will help the user behave like their character so that they are not out of character. The system advises you to accept the memory restoration mission for a better experience!]

If he could, he would roll his eyes, until a system alarm went off, further enraging his already not-so-happy day.

He's not even with someone else!

[ooc is ooc]

Shen Qingqiu didn't feel like continuing the “discussion” between him and the system anymore, so he simply tapped accept on the blue screen in front of him, indifferent to what it might be.

[Mission accepted! Sweet dreams!]

... It wasn't that late anyway. He figured it would probably be for later.

“Shixiong, can you hear me?” Mu Qingfang was now more recurrent at his peak, this due to his previous qi deviation. It's not like it bothers him, or maybe it does, as it reminds him of when he had to be in hospital rooms with various doctors asking a thousand questions.

“System, how is Shen Qingqiu with Mu Qingfang?” He had to make sure no one suspected him.

[Shen Qingqiu's behavior towards Mu Qingfang is indifferent]

Yes, he can handle this.

Faced with Shen Qingqiu's lack of response, Mu Qingfang spoke again, “If you have another sudden deviation of qi, call your disciple to let me know. Your treatment is now complete, and you may leave your rest period.”

The only response he got from Shen Qingqiu was a “hmn,” which invited him to leave. He saw the look of concern on his face, which he did not avoid, narrowing his eyes and glaring at him. Mu Qingfang had no choice but to shake his head at his patient's lack of care, leaving without saying another word.

When Mu Qingfang left, Shen Qingqiu now had more time to think, for example, about Luo Binghe.

Luo Binghe looked... fine. Ignoring the fact that he was already beaten up when he transmigrated. At least he managed to give him that medicine without the blockage preventing him.

Yes, it would be fine, with or without the blockage, he could do it.

Shen Qingqiu went out to explore the peak after learning how to put on the tunics correctly, along with the fan he liked the most at first sight. It had a drawing of mountains on it, along with bamboo on the other side.

Shen Yuan, no—. Shen Qingqiu liked the sunsets of the peak; being locked in his apartment and having a view from above was nothing compared to this. The way the bamboo creaked as it moved and the sound of the leaves colliding was really relaxing. Feeling clean air and breathing normally was new to him at first, but he has no doubt that it was part of what made it the best. When he was in his apartment, he never went out except to go to medical checkups. The city doesn't have clean air; it's always polluted. Now, the smell of bamboo and the sound of children starting their classes makes him want to smile.

He no longer has pain when walking and knows that his body is now fit enough to run several li without feeling a little tired. Ignoring the fact that he should have a role in this life or the system would punish him.

That week he was resting, he had taken the opportunity to understand his role as the “master” of the peak. He has read almost every book he could find. He assumes that thanks in part to the little memory he has of the original goods, he is well positioned and knows what to do, which helps him because he didn't want to look useless when he was supposed to be the example.

Besides, after secretly helping Luo Binghe against Ming Fan and his group of thugs, he was able to finish testing his sword skills when he saw them leave. And it was too good. Or so he assumed, as he felt as if he were dancing when he let his body command the movements. Xiu Ya was a good weapon and synchronized with him naturally. Besides, he experimented with the leaves and saw that he was able to use more than a hundred as if he were playing with water.

As he watched his disciples run to class, he began to think about his new purpose. Luo Binghe is still a small, innocent, and pure white lotus that he would corrupt him even if he didn't want to. If he could, he would simply put a stop to it so that they would stop mistreating him immediately. But he can't, it would be too obvious.

At least they should leave him in one piece. He didn't want to lose his limbs and become a human rod.

As long as no one bothered him, he thought he would be fine. As long as he could change destiny and not suffer too much from the consequences, he would fulfill his duty in his new role.

Luo Binghe thought about his shizun's new behavior. It was obvious that something had changed. He doesn't know what he saw in him that made him feel sorry for him for the first time. He believes he has never used real medicine since joining the peak. Ning Yingying was the one who sometimes helped him, but she didn't provide him with real medicine. Not to mention the rest. He doesn't know the reason for their hatred towards him. Although this time the medicine was given to him by Shen Qingqiu and no one else. Apart from calling him by his name. Luo Binghe wishes his shizun would call him that again.

He believes he knows Shen Qingqiu better, perhaps even better than Ming Fan knows him, because in the end, Ming Fan holds Shen Qingqiu in very high esteem. But Luo Binghe can notice the subtle changes in Shen Qingqiu, when he can tell that he is going to hit him to prepare himself or just ignore it while others hit him. He thinks he can see those looks of contempt from afar that he throws at some of the teachers. Or how his behavior is different depending on whether it is a female disciple or a male disciple.

All in order to get some answer to the behavior they have had towards him since he reached the top. Since they threw hot tea on him as if he were just a street rat. Even though it had taken him days to reach the top just to be accepted into one of the peaks. Luo Binghe just wants approval that he is doing something right and that it wasn't luck that led him to join the sect.

That morning, he had gotten up early to chop wood, because one of the disciples threatened to tell Shizun that he was lazy and not doing his chores, since apparently he hadn't done them the day before. He had done them, but it didn't matter if it was a lie or not, no one would pay attention to him. He tried to finish quickly, as he wanted to try to join one of the classes, but he never had time for them. While carrying the wood to the shed, he saw Shen Qingqiu loitering in the trails of the mountain.

His Shizun seemed to be part of the nature of the peak, as his green and white robes blended in with the bamboo forest on the peak. It seemed as if he didn't touch the ground when he moved, as the wind made his robes flutter, moving him as if it were going to carry him away. His gait, combined with his upright posture, gave him an air of superiority over others.

Luo Binghe, being absent-minded, did not realize that Shen Qingqiu was looking at him over his fan. When he noticed, he had no choice but to turn his head away so that it would not be obvious that he was watching him. It was only when the sound of footsteps disappeared that he had the sanity necessary to finish his work.

He didn't want to be punished in record time.

When he arrived at class, he knew he was late from the barely concealed glances of his classmates. “Disciple Luo, you're late,” the class teacher had said at the time.

“This disciple apologizes, Shifu.” He had no choice but to sit in the empty seat in the corner of the room so that no one else would bother him.

Ning Yingying had greeted him from afar, and he had responded with a smile. Although he wanted to approach her for some company, he knew that if he did, Ming Fan would target him again.

That class wasn't very interesting to him. His calligraphy was poor, and anyone who saw it would laugh at him. He had improved in the few sessions he had attended, but he was still below average. Writing about his own life wasn't very pleasant either, as he had had few happy moments.

Although he believed that everything would be fine, since Ming Fan was far away and focused on his own scroll, the other two friends of the main disciple, Zhao Lan and Wen Li, were in their own world. Luo Binghe believed that it could be a relaxed day and not as dizzying as the rest.

It would have been relaxed if it weren't for the unexpected visit from the master of the peak a few minutes before the end of class. Shen Qingqiu had his fan in his hand as he slowly entered the classroom, looking over everyone's shoulders as if they were little more than insignificant flies. His refined appearance matched his cold personality. The sea-green robes he was wearing at the time matched his fan. As he had seen him in the morning, he believes it is his fault that he is now there.

“Master Shen, we are glad you wanted to participate in this class!” Master Yan, who was there at the time, was the one who spoke, although he was noticeably older than the lord of the peak, his rank was lower, and he could do nothing but try to put on a fake smile. Hoping that the lord of the peak would not notice and take it as an insult.

Shen Qingqiu did not respond to the welcome, all he did was look up from his fan to close it and look at his students. According to what he had read in “The Proud Immortal Demon Way,” he only recognized three main students, Ning Yingying, Ming Fan, and Luo Binghe; the rest were theoretically extras whose names he had to learn. Luo Binghe was at the back of the classroom, looking better than the last time he saw him. His bruises were no longer noticeable and were beginning to fade, revealing his youthful face.

Since the dream the night before, he didn't feel like going out, as he had woken up with persistent nausea. The cold of the streets and the persistent hunger in his body had stuck with him, as if reliving the moment. Feeling like he was being carried from one carriage to another until he was left lying in the streets was not the best feeling. It was only when he tried to clear his mind by leaving the house the next day that he felt more hopeful about continuing. In addition to seeing Luo Binghe, it reminded him that he had a purpose and a reason to go on.

His gaze remained fixed on the paper that was on the teacher's desk at that moment. “What are you supposed to be doing right now?” He opened the fan forcefully, causing most of them to shudder at the sound. He thought he had said it well, because the face of the person in front of him looked worse.

“We are looking at ways to express feelings on paper, Master Shen.”

“And this is supposed to be useful, right?”

“Well, Master Shen... There are times when things cannot be expressed in words, besides—”

“I didn't ask for your opinion,” he said as he fanned himself lazily. He slammed the fan shut and pointed it at the only female disciple in the classroom. “Ning Yingying, tell me what you've written.”

“Yes, Shizun!” Ning Yingying was the only one who wasn't afraid of Shen Qingqiu, that was obvious. She recited what she wrote with ease, which was really beautiful as she explained how good she felt to be at the peak and how welcoming it was to her.

Shen Qingqiu praised her for her effort and good grammar. Ming Fan was next to speak about his own family. Shen Qingqiu nodded. It was clear that he was looking for someone else until his gaze stopped on him.

“Disciple Luo, tell us about yourself.”

Hearing his name, Luo Binghe mentally prepared himself to be scolded for his disrespect that morning. It wasn't really that much, as the class insisted he write about it, he just captured the best moments of his life with his mother. For example, the day he first met her and his mother adopted him despite their limited resources... or when she gave him his jade necklace, which was no longer a secret because Zhao Lan made sure everyone knew about his precious object.

When he finished, he could feel the gaze of his classmates and his Shizun on him, forcing him to look down if he didn't want to cause any more trouble. He listened to the whispers of the others in the classroom as he waited for his Shizun's response. He didn't have much hope, as he would either be punished on the spot or sent out of class to run more errands.

And... he only heard an “hmn” in response.

Oh.

Oh.

Was Shizun not angry with him?

When Shen Qingqiu left after asking a few more questions to other students and receiving his approval or punishment for being too bold with their words, Luo Binghe was able to breathe normally. He had expected the worst, but nothing happened to him.

“A-Luo, let me go with you,” and it wasn't a question because no matter what he said, she would follow him.

Ning Yingying was usually quite pleasant, always supporting him even though she gets him into a lot of trouble. That day was no exception. Luo Binghe was being beaten by Ming Fan, Zhao Lan, and Wen Li because he apparently hadn't washed the sheets. It was supposed to be someone else's turn, not his, but he could do nothing but endure it. If he tried to defend himself, things could get worse.

It didn't take long for him to see Shen Qingqiu approaching slowly, looking at him over his fan as if he didn't care that it was him at that moment. Ning Yingying apparently went to look for him because she was behind him, grabbing his robe.

“Ming Fan, come with me.” Zhao Lan and Wen Li shuddered when they heard the elder's voice, quickly getting up from where they had beaten Luo Binghe. They seemed to whisper something to each other as they glared at him. “Disciple Lan and Disciple Li, I don't think you should be so far away from your classes, knowing how low your academic level is. Go back before I have to punish you myself.”

“We're sorry, Shizun.” “Yes, Shizun,” they said in unison as they ran back to the classrooms, clearly frightened by whatever punishment they might receive.

Seeing that there were no more threats, Ning Yingying ran over to him. “A-Luo, are you okay?” Luo Binghe didn't answer and simply leaned on her to help him up.

Shen Qingqiu just looked at him emotionlessly, turned around, and started walking back the way he came, while Ming Fan, like a lost duck, began to follow him. Luo Binghe wants to think that it's not what he's thinking and that he simply came to look for his main disciple. He wants to believe that and not the fact that if it weren't for his arrival, things would have gotten worse.

“Ning Yingying, have you spoken to Shizun these past few days?”

“No! Mu-Shishu said he needed rest. So I haven't visited him,” replied the girl as she let go of him. “Although I did look for him today to ask for your help,” Ning Yingying said as if it were unimportant. However, just knowing that made Luo Binghe even more confused.

He didn't press her for an answer, brushed the dirt off his robe, and checked that there weren't too many visible marks, as the only medicine he had was running out and he didn't want to waste it. The old bruises were no longer visible, and the new ones had just begun to form.

When Ning Yingying saw that he was comfortable with her, she grabbed his arm and began to pull him toward the kitchen. 

“Tell the other disciples about the mission. I don't want any delays. Everyone gather at the meeting point first thing tomorrow morning.” His voice was neutral as he spoke to Ming Fan. He was lucky that all the upcoming missions had already been written down, and that Yue Qingyuan hadn't bothered him anymore.

Shen Qingqiu thinks it's probably because he was forcibly kicked out of the bamboo house. He tells himself that it was because he was uncomfortable with the familiarity and smile he gave him. Anyway, the system never bothered him, so he assumes he did well without knowing it.

That wasn't what bothered him at the moment. “System, why won't you let me call Luo Binghe by his name! You let me do it the first time I saw him.”

[The system had not fully explained the ooc function; the system only wants you to have a pleasant experience]

“Shizun, is disciple Luo also going? Wouldn't it be better if disciple Wei went instead?”

“Are you saying that my decisions are not important, disciple Ming Fan?” His words were sharp, while his cold gaze made anyone shiver. Including Ming Fan, who barely stammered an apology.

“This disciple takes his leave,” he said as he grabbed the paper with the mission and hurriedly left the bamboo house.

Shen Qingqiu sighed as he closed the door. That boy was too naive. He was lucky that Ning Yingying asked him for help for Luo Binghe, and indirectly did so. Although he was going to look for Ming Fan for the mission anyway. He only accepted it because the system explained that he would gain the ability to keep his face expressionless in moments when he couldn't control his poker face.

Since he had gotten used to his body, he had been rummaging through the house for the original belongings. He was somewhat lucky because the system had helped him learn how to wear the robes correctly, comb his hair properly, and pretend that the crowns were not uncomfortable at all. Apart from the exaggerated number of fans he had on a shelf.

In his search, he began to arrange things to his liking and left other things as they were. What changed the most was the organization of the reports. He spent the whole afternoon doing that. As he continued to search for books, sorting through boxes and objects, he ended up grabbing something from under a pile of books.

The cover of the book he pulled out looked worn and used. But he felt a sense of possessiveness toward it. It was an inexplicable feeling... like when a dragon protects its most precious treasure.

That book was his. Only his.

Shen Qingqiu sat down on the cushion nearby to browse through the book, which appeared to be a cultivation manual. There were several things written in this book. The handwriting was...nice but not the best, what stood out most were the traces of melodies between the pages.

[Broken Promises: Find Shen Qingqiu's personal cultivation manual; mission successful. +125 B points!]

Oh, thank you, I suppose.

“System, how does the book help me?”

[The user will be able to cultivate more safely and will be less prone to qi deviation.]

Well, the book is useful after all.

That night, after getting ready for bed, Shen Qingqiu placed the book under his not-so-comfortable pillow. His mind told him that it was the safest place for no one to take it away.

Number Seven was the newest but at the same time the oldest of the rest. Nine didn't like the idea of more children around the street, when people noticed there were too many of them and will stop giving anything. Life on the streets was not kind to children like him.

And Seven gained Nine's trust too quickly. If Nine wanted something, Seven would try to get it. Even if it was something silly like a real meal. That day they had ventured into the busiest part of town to see if they could get something. Seven insisted on begging for something, but Nine didn't beg. (Mostly of time) If he need something, steal it.

For some reason, Seven agreed and followed Nine.

Running is fun when your adrenaline is pumping. When Seven had distracted the person, Nine took advantage of the situation and took the bag of money he was carrying. Seven ran alongside him as they were being chased. It was only because they ran into an alley and disappeared into the shadows that they weren't caught.

They had managed to buy some real food for the first time in many years. However, it didn't last long because the slave traders found them and took the bag of money before they could even keep a single coin.

Well, Seven wasn't that annoying. But Nine is a selfish boy and doesn't like to see Seven with others.

Two was one of the few girls who talked to them from time to time, mainly to Seven. Two was about the same age as Seven and always tried to flirt with him. Nine didn't like her, and whenever they fought, Seven would get involved. Two was going to be bought, it seemed for some, her age didn't matter, which is why Two wanted to spend some time alone with Seven. Nine couldn't take it anymore when she heard this and bit her arm so hard that it bled.

Two cried so much that they say she dried up, because on the third day after they bought her, Five and Eleven found her in naked and death in a corner of a brothel. No one talked about it, and Seven burned her body until it turned to ashes.

“Can I accompany Qi-ge this time?” For the first time, that nickname came out of his mouth. Seven looked at him with wide eyes until his face broke into a smile. Apparently, Nine was so proud that a simple nickname made him feel ashamed, his ears were red.

“Xiao-Jiu can do it. It doesn't bother me.”

From that day on, it became normal for them to call each other that way. Nine now liked Seven, and Nine was selfish and a bad boy. Nine didn't share what was his.

“Apparently ‘Xiao-Jiu’ is getting into fights again.” Nine, upon hearing another slave call him by the nickname that belonged only to Qi-ge, was enraged. He jumped up from his place to attack Eleven.

“Don't call me that!” Nine had shouted.

That time, the next morning, Eleven couldn't speak from the screams he had let out, along with a broken arm because of Nine.

Nine could have been punished for that, but Seven defended him, saying it was self-defense. Since Seven was the oldest at the time, they trusted his word and left Nine unharmed.

Seven had helped Eleven bandage his arm with a rag, and Nine was not happy about that.

“I understand why Xiao-Jiu got upset. This Qi-ge won't let anyone else call him that,” Seven had explained that night.

“Good, because if I hear anyone else, I'll kill them.”

Seven smiled awkwardly at the threat and simply tucked Nine into the blanket they had stolen together.

“Qi-ge won't leave Xiao-Jiu, I promise,” he said as he settled himself so that Nine could lean on him.

“Umm... Qi-ge promises?” He would have liked to hear the answer, but unfortunately, he had already fallen asleep.

At dawn, Shen Qingqiu wished he had a body to hold on to while he slept.

The mission was presented to him to unlock more things about the original goods, Shen Qingqiu cannot recall when it was mentioned, as it was one of the first events in the novel. He cannot remember more than two million words of content.

The only thing he did not like was the fact that he would have preferred to ride on the swords, although apparently that was unbecoming of a lord of the summit like him.

Inside the carriage, he limited himself to looking at the green landscapes, as the bamboo gave way to normal mountain trees. It was warm and pleasant weather, and the rays of sunshine that peeked through were enjoyable. Although he could see Luo Binghe walking in the distance with several backpacks on his back. Poor lotus, but he couldn't help directly.

“Shizun! Shizun!” The sound of a girl's voice brought him out of his thoughts. Pulling aside the curtain with his fan, he looked at Ning Yingying, who had a clear pout on her face.

“Shizun, they're bothering A-Luo. Shizun, let A-Luo ride with me.” If it were up to him, he would have said yes, but it is well known that there are rules to follow in this world. Besides, the system beeping at him all the time welcomed him not to do so.

“It is not appropriate for a lady to share a seat with a boy,” he refuted.

“Shizun, please do something!” Faced with Yingying's plea and her puppy dog eyes, he could no longer resist. With a tap on the carriage, it stopped.

“Yingying, get in with me and give your horse to disciple Luo.”

Luo Binghe couldn't have been more stunned when he heard this. Even more so when Ning Yingying came up to him, dismounting from her own horse to hand him the reins. “Shizun said it was okay,” she had convinced him. Ming Fan and the rest of the group of bullies were visibly annoyed because their source of entertainment had ended at that moment.

Ning Yingying was talking nonsense next to him, playing with the sleeve of his robe and eating the candy he had brought that day. No wonder, now that he saw her clearly, she reminded him a lot of his own sister.

“Shizun, would you let Ning Yingying braid your hair?” to the question, he almost answers yes immediately, but then he remembers that there is something at stake that could cost him his life.

“System, how am I supposed to act with her?”

[Shen Qingqiu acts affectionately towards Ning Yingying, Shen Qingqiu spoils her like family. He can be more relax with her]

He turned to look at her and gave her a small smile. He was glad that the system hadn't jumped in to annoy him with its silly sounds.

“If Ning Yingying wants to, she can.”

Ning Yingying, having received an affirmative answer, stood behind her Shizun and began to braid his hair, while he gave her little tips on how to do it.

“Ning-er asks Shizun to comb her hair too!” she said after making a simple braid in a strand of her hair. At the same time, she refused to move from where she was sitting if Shen Qingqiu did not agree.

“Okay, this teacher will braid your hair.”

Shen Qingqiu braided her hair in the same way he did his little sister's, two braids on the sides, with the difference that it was from the root. He left some of Ning Yingying's bangs so she could style them herself.

Inside the mansion were The old Lord Chen and his concubine Di-er, talking about the disappearances in the most disgusting way possible. Two of old Master Chen's beloved concubines had been killed by the Skinning Demon, and they were waiting for Shen Qingqiu as if he were their salvation. The remaining concubine was noticeably much younger than the lord of the mansion. They could easily have been father and daughter.

He managed to hide his grimace a little with his fan. Considering the plot, he could guess what was going on, but unfortunately, he couldn't end it all immediately.

He didn't waste any time with them, and anyway, the mission wasn't for him. He left the instructions to Ming Fan, having free time to retire to the private quarters. It's too boring to do nothing just because you're a minor character. He wanted to go out and explore the city, but the system prevented him from doing so, using the excuse that “Shen Qingqiu prefers calm” blah, blah, blah. His memories don't show him to be a calm person at all.

He knows he was a slave and lived with another. He knows there is a slave mark on his neck, and despite the years, when he combs his hair, he can still feel the scar there. It's not very noticeable, but it's there. It proves that everything he's starting to remember is true.

He had brought his cultivation manual with him. He had nothing better to do and didn't find many bestiaries that interested him. The first few pages were simple, which is why he mainly reread the last ones.

He would have stayed there reading if it weren't for the fact that someone opened the door suddenly without knocking.

“Shizun! Would you accompany this disciple to the village?” Ning Yingying was there, jumping up and down, waiting for an answer. Shen Qingqiu sighed and replied.

“You should learn to knock on the door, Yingying, and no, this teacher is busy.” It saddened him to see how the girl became discouraged and reluctantly accepted.

Now that he was alone again, he thought about sleeping. Until he remembered that every moment of sleep meant silent torture, so he chose to do nothing but meditate.

“A-Luo, A-Luo, come with me to town.” The girl kept insisting, and Luo Binghe had no choice but to agree and go with her. That day, he wanted to talk to his Shizun to ask him to give him some work to do, but unfortunately, Ming Fan was chosen before him.

Although Shuang Hu was not a large city, it was quite bustling, which was one of the reasons why the Chens had enough power there to be considered important, as old Master Chen was the richest man in the city. Wherever they walked, there were several food stalls and shops selling artifacts. Ning Yingying dragged him from stall to stall, showing him things she wanted to buy, only to immediately change her mind when she saw another stall.

They had stopped at one selling jewelry and accessories, and Luo Binghe didn't hesitate to stop there because of the fans on display. “Oh, look, A-Luo, I think Shizun would like this!” The girl pointed to one of the fans on the shelf, which had a design of a pair of flowers accompanied by swans.

“Yingying... How does Shizun treat you?” he asked as he walked away from the stall to chase after the girl who had wandered a little away from him.

“Well, Shizun is good and kind. He let me braid his hair in the carriage and he was the one who did my braids. They're pretty, aren't they?”

“Yes, I think so.” Luo Binghe wasn't paying much attention to her. He was focusing on the tingling of demonic energy nearby. Although his cultivation wasn't the best, he was able to differentiate one energy from another.

“Ning Yingying, stay close,” he said, reaching for her hand so she wouldn't run away. If only she were still beside him. 

“Also, Shizun. I found this on the corpse,” Ming Fan spoke calmly as he handed the talisman to Shen Qingqiu. The talisman was surrounded by demonic energy.

“Hm, what is your theory, Ming Fan?” he asked calmly as he let the talisman burn with a little qi. The mission was for his disciples to learn to be efficient, so he had to ask them questions for the same reason.

“This Ming Fan believes that the demon is closer than we think. This disciple—...”

“Shizun!” The door was thrown open, as a breathless Luo Binghe entered without regard for manners. “The demon has captured Ning Yingying!”

The sound of Shen Qingqiu's fan creaking could be heard clearly.

Chapter Text

“Beast, I can't believe you let your own Shijie go out knowing that the demon preys on women and children.” Luo Binghe didn't get angry or try to defend himself against the scathing words his Shizun was saying to him as they ran in the direction where he last saw Ning Yingying.

In the end, it was his fault. The skinning demon wouldn't have had the chance if he had asked. If he hadn't agreed to go despite knowing the danger outside. He shouldn't have trusted Ning Yingying, knowing how her behavior is.

“Where were you two?” Shen Qingqiu asked suddenly, his voice was cold as he talked to him. The market was now deserted, unrecognizable compared to the hustle and bustle of hours ago.

It was lateand most of the stalls had closed at nightfall, leaving only empty structures and abandoned fabrics. The nearby houses had their windows covered with wooden planks, their doors sealed with talismans visible by the faint light they emitted.

If others had arrived at that hour, they would have said it looked like a ghost town, the fear of the locals could be felt in the air, and it's obvious because of how many dead bodies have been find. 

“We were there, Shizun.” He pointed to the empty stall a few steps away from them. Shen Qingqiu glanced at the place out of the corner of his eye, Luo Binghe was quite as he watched the expression of his Shizun. 

Suddenly, he looked in the opposite direction, running toward where they had come from. Luo Binghe was puzzled by his behavior but be didn't said anything about it, following his Shizun. He knew that his punishment would be evident for having endangered his Shizun's favorite disciple.

At that moment, Shen Qingqiu didn't care if he changed something in the plot. He knew exactly where they were and who was responsible for Ning Yingying's abduction. He would not let that demon lay a hand on his disciple.

It didn't take them long to reach the shed at Chen Mansion. From a distance, Shen Qingqiu could sense the demon's aura, It was thick and murky. Apparently, the demon didn't take long to show itself to his disciple. She was too trusting.

“Stay here,” hordered to Luo Binghe d in a serious voice as he drew Xiu Ya. 

Luo Binghe barely had time to react before his Shizun moved forward. The tone that he talked made it clear that this was not a suggestion and that if he interfered, things would only get worse for him.

It took him only seconds to locate the demon. Using his sword as a nail, he threw it with force. Xiu Ya cut through the air with a sharp whistle, shattering the door on impact and embedding itself in the opposite wall. In a fast movement, Shen Qingqiu cornered the demon against the wall and followed her inside.

He glanced sideways at Ning Yingying, who looked frightened and tense at that moment, tears were visible in her eyes, taked back by fear. He also noticed that part of her robe was missing. Looking at the demon in front of him, he saw that his hands were holding her disciple's first part of her robe. 

“How dare you!?” spat Di-er, now exposed. “If you had arrived a little later, I could have used her! My body has already begun to rot... and that girl was my best option.” As a beginner-level demon, its IQ was rock bottom, revealing the plan at the slightest opportunity.

“I don't have time for your nonsense.” Shen Qingqiu swung Xiu Ya and decapitated the demon with a single blow. The head hit the ground with a dry sound, rolling a few inches before coming to stop. The body, now deprived of demonic energy, began to rot rapidly, the flesh blackening and crumbling in a matter of seconds.

“Ning Yingying, are you hurt?” he asked calmly as he approached her to untie the ropes that bound her to the wooden post. She shook her head quickly.

“Ning-er is fine, Shizun,” she replied, wiping her face with her trembling hands as she got up from the ground. “Thank you, Shizun.”

Shen Qingqiu watched her for a few minutes before taking off one of his robes and placing it over the girl, who was visibly trembling with fear and the cold night winds. He wore about six robes a day anyway, so one less didn't affect him, and he had no intention of leaving his own disciple exposed like that.

As he left the place, he recognized the face of Luo Binghe, who was waiting for him outside as ordered. Ming Fan and the other disciples who were on the mission were also awakened by the noise he made, and now they were all standing in front of him in their nightgowns, looking rather unpresentable.

Shen Qingqiu did not stop to give unnecessary explanations. With a brief gesture, he allowed Ning Yingying to reunite with Luo Binghe. The boy immediately stepped forward, greeting her with an obvious mixture of relief and guilt.

“I'll talk to old Master Chen to explain the situation.” He opened his fan as he approached Ming Fan while continuing to speak, covering the lower half of his face. “Prepare the carriage and horses, we'll leave in an hour. There's nothing left to do here.”

“As you say, Shizun,” Ming Fan replied as he ordered the other disciples to dress appropriately and gather their belongings.

Luo Binghe stared at Shen Qingqiu's shadow as it faded away before turning to look at Ning Yingying, who had remained by his side. Her smile was as if she had not been held captive for at least a few hours while they searched for her.

“Let's go get our things,” Luo Binghe said as he walked toward the dormitories.

“Okay!” Ning Yingying replied as she followed him, skipping along.

Luo Binghe tried not to show his frustration when he heard others whispering about Shen Qingqiu's robe on top of Ning Yingying's as he packed their belongings, let alone think about the obvious punishments that would await him when he arrived at the peak.

“A-Luo... do you think Shizun will let me be with him in the carriage again?” Ning Yingying asked as they headed to the starting point, her voice clearly tired and sleep-deprived, which was normal since it was now past midnight and they were leaving early on Shen Qingqiu's orders.

“Yes, I think he will let you. I don't understand why you're asking,” he replied without much enthusiasm. She was the favorite for a reason, after all.

Luo Binghe lowered his gaze slightly, that uncomfortable feeling tightening his chest. That kind of consideration, that obvious treatment... was something he secretly desired for himself, although he would never admit it out loud.

Shen Qingqiu was already looking at them both, his new robes now moving in the wind as if they were one, his fan resting calmly in his hand. Shen Qingqiu looked first at Luo Binghe, then his attention turned to Ning Yingying.

“Yingying, get in the carriage and wait for me there,” he ordered. The girl responded affirmatively and, without reproach, headed for the carriage. Seeing her get in, his attention was fixed on the boy in front of him.

Luo Binghe looked at the ground as he heard footsteps approaching. Shen Qingqiu was standing in front of him, watching him with an expression that made his skin burn. It was a look Luo Binghe already recognize, it wasn't gonna end well for him. 

“Look at me.” Luo Binghe did so, now facing those dark eyes that looked at him with “disgust.” Luo Binghe swallowed hard, his throat dry, and with what little courage he had, he tried to speak.

“Shizun, this disciple...” He didn't finish speaking, as the blow came quickly and sharply against his cheek. Making his head been turned to a side because of the hit.  It wasn't as hard as others he had received in the past, but he still expected it; his body was already used to it. The impact did not come from a hand, but from Shen Qingqiu's fan, which left a stinging burning sensation on his skin.

“You're lucky Ning Yingying wasn't hurt, otherwise your punishment would be worse.” His words sounded like a reminder that he was being kind to him in one way or another.

The only problem was that Luo Binghe did not feel the hatred he had felt in the past with each blow, nor the resentment that used to grow in his chest after each blow. For some reason, he had not thought of a future where he would prove his will against Shen Qingqiu.

“System, was the blow really necessary?” Shen Qingqiu asked mentally, now that he was finally out of sight of most people. Except for the girl sleeping with her head on his lap. Ning Yingying had fallen asleep halfway through, and he had let her lie down so she wouldn't sleep poorly.

[Shen Qingqiu would have punished anyone who had harmed Ning Yingying, directly or indirectly, more severely.] 

Well, he understands overprotectiveness a little, but Ning Yingying isn't made of porcelain. Ning Yingying is very spoiled, and he can't say that he wants to spoil her too, as she reminds him too much of his meimei when she was younger. Spoiled girl... he has to make her stronger. Even if she ends up as Luo Binghe's wife, he doesn't want her to be just another member of the harem. He hopes she will be recognized as an effective and successful cultivator.

[Congratulations on completing the mission: Skinning Demon! The user is capable of expressing no emotion in their expressions.]

“...”

As it was late at night, Shen Qingqiu remained on guard at all times. The younger ones looked tired, and some were already about to fall asleep on their horses. Who told them not to know how to complete a mission quickly! Even Ming Fan was quick to discover that the demon was in the same mansion.

Shen Qingqiu looked at the landscape from the carriage window, admiring the views from there. Was that the Milky Way? He thought he could see more than a thousand lights from his vantage point. Stars he never thought he would see in his previous life.

As he got out of the carriage, Ning Yingying yawned widely beside him, covering her mouth with one hand without bothering to hide her tiredness. With the other, she kept pulling on the sleeves of Shen Qingqiu's robe, forcing him to slow down so as not to leave her behind or make her stumble as she followed him half asleep.

Ming Fan was already dismounting from his horse when Shen Qingqiu approached him. “Ming Fan, send the little beast to take the horses to the stable, the rest of you retire to your dormitories.”

“Yes, Shizun,” replied the little devotee, going in the opposite direction from Shen Qingqiu to carry out his master's order. Shen Qingqiu watched him leave for just a second before turning his attention to the girl who was still clinging to his sleeve. Without saying another word, he headed for the girls' dormitory. It was late, and Ning Yingying clearly needed to rest... and stop clinging to him at all times.

Upon arrival, he made sure she entered without any problems and was surrounded by other disciples. Only when he saw her disappear among them, safe and sleepy, did he allow himself to relax.

Now, with the girl in good hands, he calmly turned around, opened his fan slightly, and set out to find his little lotus.

Luo Binghe remained indifferent to the orders given to him and had taken the horses away without reproaching anyone. In the woodshed, with the dim light of the candle he had, he was reviewing his cultivation, he barely noticing anything when the demon was behind him. If he wanted to be a recognized cultivator and one who deserved Shen Qingqiu's praise, he had to work on his cultivation first.

It was only a few minutes after settling into his corner that he heard the door slam open and the person he least expected to see was there. Shen Qingqiu walked calmly, without any hurry, until he stopped a few meters away from him. His mere presence made the air thicker. In less than a second, Luo Binghe jumped up, smoothing his nightgown as best he could, trying to look presentable despite the hour.

“S-Shizun, this disciple has understood his mistakes.” Luo Binghe tried to hide the cultivation book with his arm so that it would not be taken away as punishment.

“Give me that.” With his fan in hand, Shen Qingqiu pointed at what Luo Binghe was hiding. The boy clung to his only possibly important object before mentally reprimanding himself and, with a trembling hand, gave it to his Shizun.

Shen Qingqiu snatched it quickly and began to flip through it rapidly, turning pages one after another. Luo Binghe didn't dare to raise his head. He only heard the dull sound of the book falling to the ground, a few steps away from him.

“Who gave you that book?” Shen Qingqiu's voice showed no anger or rage, and yet Luo Binghe couldn't help but shudder at the question. The reason was simple. His cultivation manual was personally given to him by Ming Fan, the head disciple of Qing Jing Summit, Shen Qingqiu's principal disciple. No matter what he said, his words would be taken as lies.

Besides, what did his Shizun see in a simple cultivation manual that made him act that way?

“Don't make me repeat myself.” The calmness had disappeared from his voice, and a slight hint of anger was evident in it. Luo Binghe had no way out. Believe it or not, he had to tell the truth.

“It was the disciple Ming Fan, Shizun.”

«System, did the previous Shen Qingqiu give Ming Fan the fake book on purpose, or did the original goods not know about it?»

[This information can be obtained for 15 B points!]

The screen in front of him displayed the options to buy or not to buy. Honestly, if he had remained ignorant of this, he would have simply assumed it was only the original goods' fault, but if the original never knew about this, couldn't he afford to punish Ming Fan and put an end to the mistreatment of Luo Binghe? He stared at the buy option for a while until the option was activated and the information was revealed to him.

Luo Binghe, for his part, expected some kind of punishment for “telling lies,” but that was not the case, as the silence became evident and the lack of response was also apparent, which is why Luo Binghe slowly raised his head to meet Shen Qingqiu's gaze.

However, when he raised his head completely, before he could even get a good look at his Shizun, something heavy hit his chest and fell to the ground. Luo Binghe, noticing what was at his feet, hurriedly bent down to pick up the object and noticed that it was another cultivation book.

Luo Binghe was speechless. His fingers closed carefully around the edges of the book as he looked at it, unable to understand why he was now being given a different one. He quickly looked up at the summit master, only to find that Shen Qingqiu had already turned his back on him.

“Ming Fan will receive his punishment for giving you a fake manual,” Shen Qingqiu said as he walked away, “And I don't need a disciple of the Qing Jing peak on the verge of death for using a defective book. Don't embarrass my peak... and take your cultivation seriously.”

Luo Binghe stood frozen in place in astonishment as he watched Shen Qingqiu's silhouette disappear into the night, leaving Luo Binghe alone again with a new book in his hands. Was Shen Qingqiu helping him improve? Was the other book fake? Well, the fact that Ming Fan gave it to him was reason to be suspicious, but he couldn't believe that his own Shizun would give him a new book.

With energy overflowing through his body and all traces of sleep completely gone, Luo Binghe settled back into his makeshift bed. He sat up carefully, holding the book in his hands, and stared at the cover for several seconds, as if afraid it would disappear if he blinked.

The flickering candlelight revealed a worn cover, marked by continuous use. It was not a new or carefully preserved book; on the contrary, the corners were softened by time, the spine slightly crooked, as if it had been opened and closed countless times.

When he opened it and looked at the pages, it was clear that the content was different from the book Ming Fan had given him. But what made the change most noticeable were the scribbles on the pages.

On some pages, there were brief notes written in advance, comments in the margins that seemed like warnings or corrections made with experience. On others, small verses of poetry were interspersed among the cultivation texts, written in carefree calligraphy. Further on, he even found fragments of melodies, curved lines, and notes drawn without any rigidity.

Luo Binghe leafed through the last few pages and found scribbles that looked a little more recent, as he could feel the lumps of ink when he ran his hand over them. They were small drawings of a flower called a bioluminescent bellflower. He had never seen them in person, but he knew what they were because the drawing was a clear example from the flora and fauna books he studied.

Could it be... that Shizun gave him his own cultivation manual? He could believe that it belonged to someone else, but its remarkable age made him doubt this greatly.

Luo Binghe couldn't believe his own thoughts; he couldn't even imagine Shen Qingqiu giving him something as important as a personal cultivation manual. He hugged the book tightly as he tucked it into his robes, thinking it was a piece of his Shizun.

Number Nine was fighting again, the reason being simple . Number Five wanted Seven to accompany him that day, and Nine wasn't going to let that happen. At least, that was one of the reasons; the rest was because he called Seven so familiarly, only Jiu could call Seven that way.

“Xiao-Jiu, relax,” said Qi-ge as he finished cleaning the wounds Five had left him. “It's okay if someone else calls me that.”

“No!” he shouted as he reluctantly separated himself from Seven. “Only I can call you that, and Qi-ge should only let me call him that.”

Seven smiled slightly and casually ruffled his stubborn companion's hair. Jiu frowned, slapped his hand away, crossed his arms, and puffed out his cheeks in an obvious pout.

“We should escape.” Three had been clinging to them like a limpet for a week, always following them around and saying stupid things. Although Jiu was constantly fighting with Three, Qi-ge would always intervene and stop the fight.

“Don't be an idiot,” hissed Nine, settling down on the blanket next to Seven. “If we try to leave the city, the marks on our necks will give away our location and they'll kill us.” Although the words sounded like insults, they were true. There was a reason why every slave was marked.

Three's muttered insult was loud enough for Nine to hear, but before he could finish provoking him, Seven put his hand on his shoulder and ended up speaking for him. “Xiao-Jiu is right, we can't take that risk.”

For once that night, Qi-ge defended him without hesitation. Satisfied, Nine allowed himself the luxury of using Seven's thin arms as a source of warmth, pressing himself against him without shame.

Seven and Nine were good at stealing... or begging. Sometimes they managed to get cold and hard food once a week, with luck even twice. The problem was that every time they tried to save coins, the adults who “kept” them in the city seemed to notice immediately.

They weren't allowed to hide their own money; everything they earned went into the adults' pockets.

Xiao-Jiu and Qi-ge's money ended up being turned into alcohol for people who would never care about them. If they complained, punishment was certain. If they insisted, death was not out of the question.

“If you keep hiding things, it will be your downfall, brat.” The man squeezed Jiu's hand harder and harder, just because he had two copper coins hidden under his sheet, he would be punished.

Qi-ge wasn't there that day, as he was working in a stable that offered him a few coins for the day. At that moment, only Nine was there, and mercy if  it came to him.

Despite feeling the grip getting worse and being a weak and malnourished child, the bones in his wrist couldn't take it anymore and a crack was heard.

“Try to hide things from us and your hand won't be the only thing that gets broken. Instead, we should have cut off your hand for this.” Nine didn't make a sound. Although his heart was racing and he was sweating cold, when they let him go, he didn't ask for even a little compassion. He turned around and ran to the other street.

That night, when Qi-ge returned, Xiao Jiu could only sob silently into Seven's chest. Seven asked no questions. He murmured a few words and rubbed his back in small circles until the sobbing stopped and they fell asleep.

Shen Qingqiu woke up with a start that morning, his heart racing and his breath uneven. He felt cold sweat all over his body.

Even before gathering his thoughts, he moved his left hand out of pure reflex. He bent it, closed his fingers, checked the strength and sensation over and over again, until he was sure everything was in place. Only then did he manage to exhale with something resembling calm.

“What the hell,” he thought to himself. Every night they got worse... some memories were acceptable, but... he thought he felt everything as if he had been there.

There were days when, while bathing, he would stay still longer than necessary. The water ran down his back as he wondered, not for the first time, when he would remember when those scars on his back were made.

They weren't obvious to the naked eye. The color barely differed from his skin tone, so faint that anyone could overlook them. But he knew they were there. He knew because if someone rested their hand on his back and slowly ran their fingers over it, they could feel them. Irregular lines. Old marks. That thought made him tense his shoulders and hug himself reflexively.

He didn't like the idea of someone touching him.

Luo Binghe had a special place at the peak, the only place where he could truly relax, where his mind stopped racing around other people's glances, implicit orders, and problems that never seemed to end. There, he could exist without being on alert all the time. At least... until Ning Yingying showed up to bother him and ask him to play with her.

He still didn't understand how she had found him.

The path he had stumbled upon by chance on one of those bad days in the past, when Ming Fan or Zhao Lan tormented him relentlessly, denying him even the peace of silence. Running away aimlessly had been his only option... and that was how he found it. Bamboo shoots surrounded the entire clearing, tall and dense, forming a natural barrier. The bushes grew tall enough to block the view beyond them; it was impossible to see what was hidden behind them unless one ventured in.

If one ventured a little further in, one could hear the constant murmur of a small waterfall on the right. The water fell gently, feeding a tranquil lake that lay a few meters away. The surface reflected the light serenely, giving off a tranquility that Luo Binghe could not explain. Not far away, he could find a large sleeping sky willow on the other side, its large branches, full of leaves, providing enough shade to keep one comfortable under it.

Since receiving the book, he used the minutes he had free between work and classes to go to his tree, lie down on the large rock that was perfectly located beneath it, and read in peace there. The book his Shizun gave him has helped him a lot, because after just a few weeks he already feels his Qi overflowing in his meridians and is able to perceive more things from afar.

Now that he had freed himself and escaped from Wen Li, he headed for the meadow. Ming Fan hadn't bothered him in recent days. Ever since Shen Qingqiu promised to punish him, he had noticed him looking more downcast. Apart from the slight marks on his hands, he hoped they hadn't gone too far with their punishment.

He walked calmly while leafing through a page of the book, touching the notes in it with his hands. He would not have stopped abruptly if he had not heard the sounds of a puquin nearby; hidden among the bamboo, Luo Binghe managed to see Shen Qingqiu under his tree, realizing that he was the one making the sound.

His long, slender fingers gently touched the strings, the sounds high-pitched until they suddenly dropped to a low pitch, as if in a harmonious back-and-forth. The music itself could convey nostalgia to anyone else who heard it, but Luo Binghe was only focused on his Shizun.

Shen Qingqiu remained oblivious to his presence, continuing at his own pace without fixing his gaze on anything else. The rays of light filtering through the trees illuminated the lord of the peak as if he were a forest nymph. Luo Binghe was so mesmerized by the sight before him that he didn't notice when the sound had stopped and Shen Qingqiu was looking at him with a slightly furrowed brow.

“How indecent,” Shen Qingqiu said, “staring at your elders from behind your back.” Although each word was spoken slowly, there was no anger in his voice that one would expect when being spied on. It sounded more like a dry observation than a real reproach.

“This disciple apologizes,” Luo Binghe said as he emerged from his hiding place. At that moment, he noticed how his Shizun's gaze briefly descended to the book he was holding in his arms, pausing for just a second before turning away with apparent disinterest.

“Don't interrupt me, brat.” His fingers returned to the strings, and as if nothing had happened, the melody resumed. The sounds flowed harmoniously once more, filling the clearing and leaving Luo Binghe silent and motionless, as if his presence had been accepted, reluctantly, he assumed.

Luo Binghe, noticing that his favorite spot was already taken, had no choice but to move to the edge of the waterfall to continue his meditation. There, the constant murmur of the falling water, mixed with the melody that still floated in the air, ended up being enough to quiet his mind and relax his body little by little.

[OOC, OOC; Shen Qingqiu would not allow Luo Binghe near his personal space]

“Not even close, stupid system! You can't deduct points from me for that.”

[-15 points B]

It wasn't as if he had intended to meet Luo Binghe that day. The night before, he had dreamed—or rather remembered—how his arm had been broken for trying to protect Qi-ge, and after enduring an endless string of reproaches, he simply didn't have the energy for more.

So, when he woke up, he remembered that one of the few ways he could release that pressure was to let it out, either by putting it down on paper or allowing it to flow through music. And without thinking too much about it, he clung to that outlet.

The place he had arrived at was not a conscious decision, but the result of muscle memory guiding him without thinking. It was beautiful, he had to admit. He had returned there many times for the calm it offered him, for the constant silence that seemed to envelop everything.

Under the natural shade of the weeping willow, he managed to clear his mind of any intrusive thoughts. There were no names, no expectations, no painful memories. For a few moments, he could allow himself to simply be “him.”

Come to think of it, if Luo Binghe remained calm by his side, it meant that the boy no longer saw him as a complete threat. He should get points for that.

[...]

“Shizun, A-Luo!” Ning Yingying's voice echoed through the branches as she ran toward them, dodging roots and leaves with contagious energy.

Shen Qingqiu curved his lips into a discreet, almost unconscious smile as he watched her approach. There was something genuinely comforting about her carefree enthusiasm.

Luo Binghe, for his part, immediately straightened his posture and forced his attention toward his Shijie, feigning complete interest in her... and not in Shen Qingqiu's fleeting smile.

Luo Binghe was clear about one thing: he was jealous of Ning Yingying, for she had earned all of his Shizun's affection effortlessly, unlike him.

Shen Qingqiu carefully set the guqin aside before Ning Yingying could throw herself at him without restraint. As soon as she had room, the girl practically threw herself on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and laughing softly as her fingers got lost in her shizun's loose hair.

“Shizun is always so calm here,” she said with a smile, playing with a dark strand of hair. “I like it when you're like this.” The girl sat down beside him, handing the comb in her hands to Shen Qingqiu.

“Yingying,” he scolded her in a calm voice, though he was already raising his hand to smooth her hair. “Lower your voice. How many times have I told you not to run like that? This isn't a playground.”

Even so, his fingers moved naturally, brushing back the girl's loose, uncombed hair. Apparently, Shen Qingqiu always took care of combing her hair in the mornings. That day he had forgotten, and yet she had come with him just for that.

“But Shizun was here alone...” she murmured, leaning closer to him. “And A-Luo too.”

“That's no excuse for making such a fuss,” he replied, though his tone was no cold nor warm. He adjusted the braid carefully so as not to pull it. “If you keep moving, it will get crooked.”

Ning Yingying instantly became still, obediently, smiling contentedly as she felt Shen Qingqiu's fingers working on her hair.

If Luo Binghe were another ignorant person, at that moment he would think of the rumors circulating in the sect, those malicious whispers accusing his Shizun of taking advantage of Yingying. But Luo Binghe had seen enough to know that it was all a vile rumor.

The way Shen Qingqiu treated her was not shady at all: he was like a strict father with a clearly spoiled daughter, someone who scolded her severely but cared for her with a patience he didn't offer to anyone else.

And that... that was what Luo Binghe envied.

“Shizun, aren't you going to braid A-Luo's hair?” the girl asked innocently, as soon as Shen Qingqiu let her go.

Thank you, Ning Yingying, Luo Binghe thought as he quickly stood up. Now your shidi will have to leave before he is forced to do so.

He was already taking a few steps away when he heard Shen Qingqiu's voice behind him, loud and clear.

“I don't think I need to braid your A-Luo's hair, Yingying.”

“...”

Luo Binghe felt his heart skip a beat. He needed to hear him say it again. A-Luo. At the same time, however, he could feel Shen Qingqiu's cold gaze piercing his back because he had frozen upon hearing those words.

That was enough for him to know that it would be better to leave.

Chapter Text

[Available Mission: LingXi Caves]

Shen Qingqiu stared at the screen without emotion early in the morning. The counter remained floating in front of him, showing the time he had to accept the mission: six months from that day. He was in no hurry, he snorted to himself and closed the system window.

From what he remembers, the Ling Xi Caves were the site of the death of Bai Zhan Peak's lord, Liu Qingge. If he follows the plot to the letter, in theory, he would end up killing him and be labeled a murderer. Does he really have to kill him? He barely knows anything about him... except for the disciples who come to his peak to bother his students. He's not a good teacher.

He decided not to dwell on the matter and got out of bed to sit on the edge of it. He smoothed his nightgown as he got up to sit on the dressing table; in front of the bronze mirror, he looked for his wooden comb and began to brush his hair as he undid the braid he made every night.

It was simple, a process that calmed him in some way, no matter what memory he had, it cleared his mind of it and made him think better about it. That time, he barely knew it was a winter day, where his bones were shaking and no matter how much warmth Qi-ge shared with him, they could barely manage to be okay.

Ming Fan, as the main disciple, even with the punishment inflicted, only enters to fill the bathtub with water and heat it with a talisman before leaving quietly. When that happens, he should have already finished combing his hair and putting on an extra cape for modesty along with his hair tied in a half ponytail. He knows that if he doesn't, it would be strange and frowned upon. Although it was not very important to him, he did not like the system deducting points from him all the time for such a trifling matter.

He hoped he had not gone too far in disciplining Ming Fan for his audacity in thinking that he would not notice the fake manual he gave Luo Binghe, as if jeopardizing a disciple's cultivation and damaging his meridians was something to be mocked. He couldn't say he didn't feel a certain satisfaction at seeing the boy who idolized him like a god crumble with every word that came out of his mouth, or at noticing how the marks from the tea burn were imprinted on his hands as a visible consequence. It won't be permanent; he made sure of that. He still had to maintain his lead over the other peaks and, if possible, prevent Yue Qingyuan from finding any excuse to go to his peak.

Didn't he have anything more important to do than bother him all the time? He could hardly stand his presence. He thought he would see him as an older brother, but no; he decided to treat him like a small child who needed constant support from imaginary parents, with that fake smile and emotionless words. He doesn't like him, and he kicks him out as soon as the equivalent of an incense stick's worth of time has passed. Surprisingly, the System says nothing, so for him, all the better.

After bathing, he put on his six daily tunics. They were dark green, with bamboo embroidery on the edges, enhanced by the black and white mix of the inner tunics barely visible at the collar. He gathered his hair into a half ponytail and secured it with the guan in the proper manner, then grabbed the fan that matched his tunics, adorned with a tassel of a similar shade to emerald and a delicate mountain pattern on its surface.

Thus, he was ready to teach that day like any other. He opened the door of the bamboo house with the almost automatic hope of finding Ming Fan waiting outside with breakfast prepared in his hands.

“...”

Luo Binghe stood in front of Shen Qingqiu, holding a tray of still-steaming food in his arms and wearing a nervous smile on his face. Although the boy tried to appear calm, his discomfort was evident in the slight tremors that ran through his body when his Shizun's gaze fell upon him. Even so, he remained steadfast, not daring to speak first, but also not daring to leave.

“Beast,” Shen Qingqiu hissed, taking a step forward. Luo Binghe almost reflexively took a step back. “I wonder how much free time my disciple has to waste on unnecessary things instead of being in class.”

Luo Binghe did not respond immediately. The smile did not disappear; he lowered his head briefly before speaking again. “This disciple took the trouble to bring Shizun breakfast, as disciple Ming Fan is busy.”

It had been months since Shen Qingqiu's last mission in which he was physically present and since the manual was handed to him. After noticing something promising in him, his Shizun stopped punishing him for every little thing and adopted a much more neutral attitude towards Luo Binghe.

Now, punishments were usually several runs around the peak or forced inedia, which generally did not exceed two days. Whipping punishments were now only given when someone had really angered Shen Qingqiu or tarnished the reputation of the peak.

He has not had any more punishments of that kind, and currently he hardly ever has any punishments, but he knows perfectly well that it is still practiced. He cannot say the same for other disciples. Li Wei, one of the new arrivals that year, came from a wealthy family and was easily admitted because of that. The problem was that he was a pervert with girls. Especially Ning Yingying, as she was the only female disciple at the time.

Apparently, Ning Yingying kept quiet about it until he tried to touch her one night. She did not remain silent despite Li Wei's attempts and told Shen Qingqiu. Li Wei received fifty-six lashes in the main courtyard and ended up being expelled from the sect.

The matter was quickly closed and no one mentioned it again. Li Wei disappeared from the sect, and his name became a useful warning whenever anyone thought of laying hands on Shen Qingqiu's favorite disciple.

Ning Yingying continued with her routine as if nothing had happened, although now no one dared to overstep their bounds with her. It was surprising how effective a well-applied public punishment could be.

From that day on, most of them learned that the lashes would not only be for Luo Binghe.

Luo Binghe was mentally grateful that no matter what punishment he suffered or how many lashes he received from Shen Qingqiu before. It had never crossed his mind to expel him from the sect. What would he have done if that had happened?

“Since when is that your job? Or is my the little beast taking too much liberty now? Should I put you in your place, Luo Binghe?” Shen Qingqiu had at some point opened his fan, looking down at the boy beneath him.

Luo Binghe raised his head, smiled at his master's gaze, and spoke again. "This disciple understands, Shizun was kind enough to personally deliver his new cultivation manual, and in gratitude, this disciple cooked for his Shizun. This Luo Binghe will accept any punishment imposed by Shizun if it is not to his liking." Besides, if it weren't for his Shizun somehow finding the source of Luo Binghe's late cultivation, Ming Fan and his group would continue to harass him daily.

Shen Qingqiu looked at him over his fan for a while in silence, until he left the house and then came back in. This time he left the door open, welcoming Luo Binghe to come in. Upon entering, he took off his shoes at the entrance so that he would not be reprimanded for dirtying Shen Qingqiu's house.

Luo Binghe tried to hide his gaze as he entered and headed for the table where Shen Qingqiu was already waiting. He never imagined he would be able to set foot in his Shizun's bamboo house, let alone offer him the same food he had cooked since the birds began to sing. Shen Qingqiu barely gave him a glance of recognition when he saw him enter.

A steaming bowl of congee sat on the table, the rice cooked for hours until creamy, topped with strips of cooked chicken, fresh chopped ginger, green onions, and a few drops of sesame oil that would make anyone's mouth water. Next to it, a freshly opened bamboo basket gave off the soft, sweet smell of baozi. White bread rolls, fluffy and warm to the touch. Then there were the youtiao: long, golden, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Accompanied by hot doujiang. The soy milk is slightly sweet, which was something he added himself. Luo Binghe took special care with the food, especially since he hadn't cooked for anyone since his mother's death.

He served a cup of chamomile tea before leaving the room and standing outside his Shizun's door.

“What are you standing there for? Go away, you have nothing else to do here.”

“I would like to know if the food is satisfactory, Shizun.” After Luo Binghe spoke, with a dirty look and a mutter that the boy couldn't quite hear, Shen Qingqiu took a bite of the congee. From where he stood, Luo Binghe noticed the slight pink hue on his Shizun's pale cheeks and the subtle change in his expression, just before everything settled back under his usual mask of coldness.

“Get out, don't make me repeat myself.” Luo Binghe knew immediately that it was best not to test the patience of the lord of the peak, saying in advance that he would look for the dishes later so he could leave the house.

With the new manual, Luo Binghe's cultivation has skyrocketed, reaching the level of his Shixiongs with a speed he never imagined. However, the manual has also helped him understand his Shizun. Luo Binghe knows what kind of flowers he likes (he plans to give them to him as a gift), he knows his personal musical notes, and he knows a few poems that he repeats. Luo Binghe thinks about the fact that since he has gained Shen Qingqiu's attention, he can no longer stop thinking about his cold master, who has a warm heart perfectly hidden beneath all that coldness.

Besides, now he personally cooks for his Shizun whenever he can, and he loves to see him blush when he eats, especially at lunchtime. He can't help but look at his lips when they are smeared with the oil of the dishes...

In a few days, they would leave on a mission. Shen Qingqiu would be present only because there were lower-ranking disciples on this mission, and he didn't want any victims. Luo Binghe took care of the horses, and surprisingly, there were enough for everyone. Shizun preferred to go by carriage as he normally would. Luo Binghe now rode his white horse, which he nicknamed Lotus.

Ning Yingying followed him along with a more pleasant Ming Fan. In front of them were the new female disciples who were accepted a month ago in the annual recruitment, which Shizun decided to attend so that Ning Yingying would not be the only girl and could have more friends.

Both girls were twins, and by a stroke of luck, both stood out equally to be chosen. Xiao Li and Xiao Yu stood out from the moment they entered. Both are good at their cultivation, and Shen Qingqiu is proud of them. Apart from knowing that many say they have replaced Ning Yingying, Luo Binghe knows that this is completely impossible, because in the end, even he, with all his efforts, has not managed to gain all the affection that Ning Yingying has. Not yet, anyway.

They rode until the sky turned orange. Shen Qingqiu told Ming Fan to stop so as not to exhaust them on the first day, which is why they ended up at an inn to spend the night. Luo Binghe took care of booking the rooms while Ning Yingying stabled the horses and Ming Fan unpacked the luggage. The girls ran around the place until Shen Qingqiu stopped them from making more noise and sent them to their rooms.

Shen Qingqiu was lying on the bed in the inn, his nightclothes perfectly arranged and his braid to one side, as he finished filling out letters. Those letters had started arriving some time ago. The address was a brothel, and at first he thought it was something bad. Like the old him had gotten someone pregnant and now had to take care of the kid. How horrible!

That wasn't the case. The letters, carefully camouflaged to go unnoticed by anyone, spoke of longing and wishes for him to visit them again. The tone, the choice of words, everything was written in such a casual way that it never led him to suspect anything other than simple friendship. And although part of him was curious to check it out in person, as long as he had no clear memories of his exact reason for frequenting that place, Shen Qingqiu was content to reply that he had been busy, which was true, and use that as an excuse not to go.

The system sometimes bothered him with the mission because Liu Qingge had already entered seclusion, but if he still had four months left, he wouldn't go until the last notice. He had to take advantage of all that time to remain “friendly” with Luo Binghe.

His little beast was more open with him now. He was still somewhat disobedient, but he no longer punished him for it. Luo Binghe no longer feared him as much as before and, to his bewilderment, had started cooking for him. Cooking for him? He still found it hard to believe. Binghe's culinary skills were being wasted on an old master like him, instead of being displayed in front of Ning Yingying.

Luo Binghe..! that he had almost crippled a former disciple for daring to lay his hands on Ning Yingying, didn't mean he didn't have his permission to court her! That part seemed to be lost on him.

Shen Qingqiu blew out the candle he was holding and lay down on the bed. He didn't want to sleep. Well, he couldn't this time. For some reason, he found it difficult to do so in a public place and wanted to stay awake longer. But they were a day away from their destination, and he had to rest whether he wanted to or not.

He had barely fallen asleep when the moonlight filtered through the window and silently illuminated the room.

“I heard there's going to be a mid-autumn festival in a few days. Don't you want to go, Xiao-Jiu?” Qi-ge asked behind him, as he tied Nine's hair into a high ponytail with the ribbon they had found that day.

“That 's stupid. Why would we go if they won't even let us in?”

“We can hide,” Qi-ge replied, “Don't you think it would be a good idea?”

Faced with Qi-ge's unexpected insistence, Nine ended up agreeing. It was already night when they snuck in through a crack; the festival was crowded with people, and among so many bodies and lights, they went completely unnoticed. There were food and artifact stalls scattered everywhere, improvised games in some corners, and outdoor exhibitions lit by lanterns.

Nine was happy. Xiao Jiu smiled at everything he saw, despite his initial reluctance to go. Wandering aimlessly, they ended up watching a puppet show from the top of a tree. Nine lay down happily beside him as he played distractedly with the sleeve of his robe.

From there, the view was expansive. While Nine watched the show intently, Seven took out a moon cake and offered it to him. Seeing it, Nine smiled a little, looked at him, and asked if he wanted to share it. Seven shook his head and said he wasn't hungry. Nine then took a bite of the cake, satisfied, and thanked him with a soft murmur.

Sometimes new children arrived at the same time as they were bought. When they arrived, they were immediately given the name of the one who had been sold. This is one reason why, even though Qi-ge arrived after him, his name is Seven, since the former left a week before Qi-ge arrived.

Two was sold long ago and replaced long ago. Around that time, Twelve arrived.

Eight was sold to a noble family to work in the fields in the same city. Sometimes he sees him from afar, but they pretend they have never seen each other.

Five was sold to some officers. No one knows what they did to him, but they know from the body found a few days later that he couldn't take the pressure.

Nine has never seen One, at least not the one who was with him before the other replaced him. But they say that the first one died, crushed by a carriage because he was distracted.

Three and Four have been in hiding. They say they plan to escape. Nine scoffs at this.

Twelve is a girl who goes unnoticed. She keeps to herself and is the only reason Nine tolerates her. Qi-ge sometimes keeps her company for a while until Xiao-Jiu arrives and drags him away.

Although Shi-er is not annoying, he hears many children give her “nicknames,” if you can call them that, and Jiu does not understand why she does not defend herself.

Nine likes to get into trouble. Well, he doesn't like it, but he's always in it. Mainly with those children who want to invade his territory while Qi-ge is away. Nine doesn't like those children and always has to attack them with rocks from the ground or throw dirt in their eyes to keep them away.

Several of those kids cornered him after a week in which he had beaten them up. Most of the slaves already knew about his closeness to Qi-ge and teased him, saying that Qi-ge was his guard dog and that he couldn't do anything without him. Although it was illogical, since in the end he was the one who attacked, as Qi-ge always wanted to be kind to those children despite everything.

“Do you really think you scare us, kid number nine?” said one of the children as he grabbed him by the hair. “Without your little friend, you're nothing,” he added before brutally throwing him to the ground.

Nine dragged himself to his feet and growled at them in response. He had already bitten and hit several of them with stones, but they wouldn't give up. They were many against one, and they were beginning to overpower him, which hurt him more than the blows. They were cowards; none of them dared to face him one on one.

Even so, he continued to defend himself as best he could, using what little strength his body allowed him to hit, scratch, and bite. He moved with pure rage and obstinacy, hoping that at this rate, at least some of them would end up with a broken tooth or covered in bruises. He wasn't going to go down without leaving marks.

When Nine was lying on the ground, his nose bleeding and several of them kicking his already bruised body, he heard a voice from a distance.

“Get away!” The voice belonged to a girl, and to most of those present, it didn't seem like a real threat. Still, when they moved away from him to intimidate her, Nine took the opportunity to lean against the wall, breathing heavily.

“Bleh,” one of the boys sneered. “What are you going to do, little girl? Do you think we don't know what you do? Selling yourself to any man for a few measly coins. You deserve that nickname, whore.”

“Bastard, what I do is none of your business,” she replied, taking a step forward. At that moment, the light reflected what she was holding in her hands. Twelve hadn't come empty-handed: she had a sharp piece of glass. Seeing it, the boy took several steps back until he was against a wall, the blade pressing against his neck. The rest of the group, witnessing the scene, immediately ran away like the cowardly dogs they were.

“Hey, I'm leaving. Don't be like that. We were just playing,” stammered the boy, tripping over his own words. The response was a direct kick to the stomach. After that, he left without looking back.

Nine reluctantly got up, looking at Twelve who was watching him with a frown. He responded with a grimace; he didn't need anyone's help but Qi-ge's.

“Silly, stay still,” she said as she approached him.

“Why did you help me? Are you trying to make fun of me?” he asked, with obvious disdain.

“I didn't help you,” she lied. “Now sit down, unless you want Seven to realize what happened.” Faced with the threat, Nine forced himself down onto the muddy ground as Twelve knelt beside him. She cut a piece of her own clothing and used it to wipe the blood from his face and body, while Nine struggled to contain the urge to bite her for touching him.

“Why are you doing this?”

“It's none of your business,” she replied.

“Do you want Yue Qi's approval? Do you want to get closer to him?”

“Don't be stubborn, Shen Jiu, I don't care about him,” she said, and when she finished her task, she sat down beside him.

“Answer me,” Shen Jiu demanded. “Why are you helping me?”

The girl looked at him listlessly, then turned her face away before speaking. “I had a brother—”

Shen Jiu glared at her. “So what?” he interrupted, crossing his arms.

“Shut up,” she jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, and he responded with a hiss. “I had a brother in another city before they brought me here. He was your age, and his behavior was just like yours, stubborn and foolish.”

“I'm not stubborn or foolish!”

“You are,” she replied calmly. “I guess you two wouldn’t get along. I guess, because they sold him to work even though he couldn't support his own weight, and the next week they found him dead in a street.”

“Oh,” said Shen Jiu, looking away, uncomfortable with that unnecessary revelation. It wasn't until she touched his shoulder that he looked back at her.

“Your little friend is here.” Twelve stood up and offered Shen Jiu a hand to help him up, which he reluctantly accepted. “I don't care what you think of me, Number Nine, but even if you think selfishness will get you ahead, know that it won't.”

When Qi-ge arrived and saw Shi-er coming out of the same alley as Xiao-Jiu, he chose to say nothing, knowing that Shen Jiu did not like to show compassion for others.

From that afternoon on, Shen Jiu was no longer so neutral with Twelve. They didn't talk much, but they were no longer strangers. It was Qi-ge who talked to her the most, and although Nine was a little jealous, he didn't do anything about it. In the end, she made it clear that she didn't care much.

Sometimes they went out begging together so that the traffickers wouldn't force them to do it. This time, Shen Jiu stayed with the girl while Qi-ge looked for a way to get something to fill their stomachs.

“Why are we going to a brothel? You're not going to make me work like you, are you?” Shen Jiu spoke up when he saw the direction they were heading, and the girl looked at him with a frown.

"I'm not going to make you do the same thing I do, silly. Besides, I don't work in brothels. I haven't been bought yet." Shi-er was realistic. Although she did something similar to those girls, what they paid her was much less than what she could earn if she worked in a brothel, and at least in a brothel she wouldn't be begging for food.

Shen Jiu wasn't someone who understood that yet, and Shi-er knew it. She didn't want to bring more people into the shitty life she had. When they entered the place, one of the women seemed to recognize her and led her to an area with other girls. Shen Jiu wanted to leave that place urgently to meet up with Qi-ge.

The girl took out a few coins and placed them on the table. “Information,” she said simply. The women looked at each other until one spoke.

“Tomorrow, one of the Madrotas from another city will come to visit. If you want an opportunity, you will introduce yourself early tomorrow morning. Besides,” the woman pointed to the boy, “is he coming for that too?”

“No,” was all he replied as he grabbed Nine by the wrist and pulled him out of the place.

“What was that?” he asked when they were already at the meeting point with Seven. “Did you just go to get information?”

Shi-er, who was leaning against the wall, looked at him and sneered. "Prostitutes hear everything. Give them a few coins and they'll tell you what they've heard. Besides, I hope they buy me soon. If I'm going to spend my whole life selling my body, I hope it's worth something at least."

Shen Jiu frowned and glared at her at the revelation. “Two was sold to a brothel, and it wasn't long before we found her dead. Are you going to die too?”

She was silent for a few moments before speaking. “That will depend on me. What? Are you afraid that I'll die too?”

Seeing Nine's lack of response, Twelve looked at him and sighed to herself, “Don't be like me, Shen Jiu. Don't let anyone lay a hand on you.”

Nine didn't answer. Seeing Seven, he left with him without looking back.

Twelve was sold a few days later. The girl convinced the woman to buy her, and for the price they sold her for, the traffickers celebrated that night with more liquor. Shen Jiu stayed close to Qi-ge again for the next few days. He only hoped that they wouldn't be separated so soon.

“Where are we going, Shizun?” Luo Binghe asked that day, as they had already arrived at the village that had called them for help. Apparently, these were cases of senseless murders, and the fact was that no matter what the person had done, for some reason, they would wake up in the morning with no bones or organs left, only their skin intact.

It had already happened to several people, from the noblest to those who could not even dream of touching a gold coin. It was only when one of the sons of a wealthy family died in this way that they sent a letter to a sect asking for help.

They were already staying at an inn. The twins were with Ning Yingying looking for information, and Ming Fan was placing talismans around the area to search for any demonic activity. For his part, Luo Binghe remained close to his Shizun, although the elder accepted this reluctantly.

When Shen Qingqiu ended up entering a brothel, Luo Binghe felt... a little uncomfortable. He knew there were rumors in the sect that Shen Qingqiu frequented brothels before his Qi deviation, but he didn't expect Shizun to take him to one. Although the look he gave him from the edge of his fan meant it was better to keep quiet. He still didn't have the same affection for him as he did for Ning Yingying, and it was better for him to continue to show himself as the faithful disciple that he was.

“To what do we owe the pleasure of having you here, Immortal Master?” said one of the women when they were near the counter. The others looked at them with interest, as it was obvious from their clothes that they were not from around here and belonged to a sect.

“Information” and the clink of the bag of coins on the counter was all they needed to guide him away from the public to talk more normally.

“About the disappearances, right?” The woman who was present was middle-aged, although the powder on her face made her look slightly older. Luo Binghe said nothing about it and remained silent, letting Shizun do the questioning while he thought about what to do with the information.

With a hum of approval, the women began to tell what they knew. Mainly, they said among themselves that only those who had ventured into the forest after midnight would appear dead in their homes the next day, as if they had never left. It is said that those who go there encounter a beast or a demon that sucks them up and deposits them in their homes as a threat. Others say that it is more of a punishment, as it seems that the deceased had in common the fact that they frequented brothels and asked for the youngest girls. This is one of the reasons why there are not so many people there these days, for fear of being the next victim.

Shen Qingqiu thanked them and they left the place. When they met up with the others, they came to the conclusion that the demon was hiding in the forest and that they would go looking for it the following night.

“A-Luo, will you let me practice braiding with you? Shizun told me I have to learn on my own, but I still can't do it right,” said the girl who had sneaked into his room. Luo Binghe tried not to frown and smiled at her instead.

“No, we have to be ready for tomorrow, Ning Yingying. You'd better go to your room and sleep.”

Instead of taking the advice well, Ning Yingying pouted and left the room, slamming the door behind her. Luo Binghe tried to remain calm in the face of his friend's childish reaction and instead turned to look at the manual hidden under his pillow. He thought that with the manual, he would be able to understand his Shizun better and earn more praise. Even if it was silent praise.

Besides, he had to prove how far he had come the following night by capturing the demon. He had to become stronger and be recognized as he had always wanted.

Apart from doing it to honor his mother, and prove that everything she did had borne fruit.

The next day, Shen Qingqiu remained calm in the face of the system messages that repeatedly told him to join the other mission. Although he still had time, he knew that after this one, he would immediately have to go into seclusion to complete it. Besides, he would be able to unlock more functions of the original body.

And from the way he is doing it, he knows perfectly well that he is on the right track.

Chapter Text

Luo Binghe remained impassive as he looked at the body in front of him. Apparently, another person had died, just like in the previous cases. Honestly, Luo Binghe had seen dead bodies before; he knows death, and even if he wanted to feel some pity, he couldn't find it when faced with yet another victim. The girls, Li and Yu, on the other hand, ended up scared, having to leave the room with Ning Yingying.

His Shizun sent his main disciple and Luo Binghe to look for evidence directly on the corpse. The man, no more than twenty-five years old, was found dead in his own home and, like the other cases, was nothing more than an empty shell. It was disgusting to look at, something that would easily provoke revulsion in anyone. Even so, the body was handled with care to check for any marks or traces of demonic presence.

They would not touch the body directly. They limited themselves to poking it with a rod to move the skin and slightly change its position. Shen Qingqiu stood watching them both from his place. Luo Binghe thought it would not affect him, but the fan did not completely hide the slight mark of disgust that appeared at the corner of his Shizun's eyes.

After a while, Luo Binghe noticed what could still be considered the person's neck. There were no obvious signs of attack in that area, but there were two almost non-existent dots. Almost, because when the hair was slightly moved aside, they could be seen more clearly.

“Shizun,” Luo Binghe said, getting Shen Qingqiu's attention.

The elder approached and looked at the same spot, while Ming Fan joined them. Shen Qingqiu hummed in recognition of the mark before taking a couple of steps back. Luo Binghe noticed that he didn't seem surprised at all. Clearly, for his Shizun, this was nothing more than a test to measure how much they had studied about demons.

Luo Binghe had had time to study, and he knew that. Ming Fan no longer bothered him as he had before, and, albeit reluctantly, had even helped him improve.

“Shizun, it's a parasitic demon,” Luo Binghe said, moving away from the corpse as he pointed to the area of the mark. He looked up at his master, who had not spoken a word to him since they arrived at the site. “The demon hides in the forest, as it cannot bear direct light. The trees provide it with temporary shelter, and it hunts at night for the same reason,” he continued.

“And how do you know it's a parasitic demon, Beast?” asked Shen Qingqiu as he circled around him to stand on the other side of the room. “It's a well-founded theory... but what if it's not? What makes you think it is? Several kinds of demons essentially attack at night. There aren't many exceptions. And several can leave marks on their victims. What are you basing your conjectures on without even opening the body?”

Luo Binghe lowered his head slightly, standing still. Next to him, Ming Fan laughed quietly. He couldn't do much more than respond sincerely: either he let his emotions get the better of him, or he showed that he was capable of recognizing things as quickly as his Shizun. He thought it was a test. So be it.

"The demon has left enough evidence to identify it as one that feeds on spiritual energy. It is parasitic because, when it pierces the skin, it cuts easily. This is the result of the saliva that these demons use to attack without waking the human. Once they are unable to move, there is no way for them to call for help. Shizun, this disciple believes that it is a meticulous demon, but not conscious of what it does, it is mostly instinctive."

The information came from the bestiary they had studied in class two lessons ago, before the mission. It clarified that, although it might not seem so, this type of demon was common in remote villages.

His master's silence was evident. He seemed reluctant to prove that Luo Binghe's words were correct. Instead of flattering him, Shen Qingqiu approached the body and carefully observed the pointed spot, then turned around and left the room without saying anything.

“Don't believe anything just because you got lucky,” Ming Fan teased him when Shizun left and left the two of them alone.

“At least Shizun knows that what I said is true,” Luo Binghe replied calmly. “Shixiong, you haven't come to a conclusion in all this time. Don't you think Shizun would be more proud of me and disappointed of you when he sees that his main disciple couldn't find the answer? Or is it that Shizun no longer feels the same appreciation for you?”

He didn't say it cruelly... or maybe he did. Shen Qingqiu hadn't gotten angry with Ming Fan despite having the answer right in front of him, but he hadn't praised him either. Instead, he was more severe with him. In comparison, Luo Binghe still had more opportunities to win his Shizun's favor.

“Tsk, shut up. You'll see, he'll change his mind about you,” Ming Fan grumbled, turning his back on him.

Apparently, he had touched a sore spot. Luo Binghe sneered mentally.

“As you say, Shixiong.” Luo Binghe turned to leave the room silently.

As he closed the door, Luo Binghe bumped into one of the twins in front of him. The girl looked at him and smiled. "Shizun is waiting for you with Ning Yingying. They are in the main hall. I'll call Ming Fan Shixiong; go before you keep him waiting too long, Luo Shixiong." Xiao Li was kind to him, which Luo Binghe liked, although her twin was a little more reluctant to socialize, he liked knowing that he had some friends he could trust.

“Thanks for telling me.” Luo Binghe stepped aside to let the girl pass. Had Shizun already regained his attention? No, they were also going to look for Ming Fan. Luo Binghe had to stop imagining things. Wouldn't it feel good to receive some praise or recognition from his Shizun? He knew he had to keep trying. He won't give up.

In the main hall, Shen Qingqiu stood beside Ning Yingying. She was chatting happily with Shizun. Noticing Luo Binghe's presence, Ning Yingying gave him a brief smile before falling silent.

Shen Qingqiu did not turn around immediately. The fan rested closed in his hand, and his expression was the same as always, impassive and difficult to read. For a few seconds, he said nothing, long enough for Luo Binghe to think that he had only called him over to make him wait.

“What you said in the room is correct.” Luo Binghe was surprised by the words, looking at him intently from where he stood. Shen Qingqiu remained unmoved from his place, not looking directly at him as he congratulated him. That counts, doesn't it?

“However,” Shen Qingqiu continued, “relying solely on what you have read should not become a habit of yours. Demons do not always behave as explained in books. We will never know their true character until we see them.” And although Shen Qingqiu wasn't reproaching him... was he advising him? Shen Qingqiu turned to look him in the eyes, and Luo Binghe immediately lowered his head slightly in a sign of respect. Ning Yingying, for her part, gave him a thumbs up to show her silent support. The girl had supported him ever since he confessed the truth to her one day.

Now, Ning Yingying knows that he wants to earn his Shizun's appreciation, and although she is not the quiet type, she promised not to tell anyone and that she would support him. Apparently, for Ning Yingying, her Shizun just needs to soften up a little with him, and Luo Binghe will see how everything will change... Besides, she also tries to help him by mentioning his name from time to time. Luo Binghe can't help but sweat a little at the grimaces.

“That demon clearly knows of our presence,” continued Shen Qingqiu, who didn't know what was going on between his disciples. “Tonight you will go looking for him, you will join together as a whole group to search for him. I will not help you, you must learn how to control yourselves in a dangerous situation from a young age.”

“As you say, Shizun,” Luo Binghe said.

“Ning Yingying, tell Ming Fan and the twins to meet me in the room. You all look for whatever you think is necessary to capture the demon.”

“Yes, Shizun!” said the girl.

Shen Qingqiu nodded once, ending the conversation, and left without adding anything else. Ning Yingying watched him walk away, and when he was out of sight, she let out a short sigh.

“Shizun is strict,” she murmured as she approached Luo Binghe, “but I think he trusts you more than he seems to.”

“Do you think so?” he asked as they walked away from the place to prepare the talismans. “It doesn't seem like he trusts me very much, rather. I think he always ends up disliking whatever I do.”

"Don't be so pessimistic! Look at Ming Shixiong, Shizun hasn't spoken to him in almost the entire day, apart from giving him orders. It seems like Shixiong deflates with every day he is ignored."

“He deserves it...” he muttered as he suppressed a slight smile.

“Ah, did you say something, A-Luo?”

“Nothing, let's go tell Shixiong and the twins.”

Damn protagonist aura! It didn't take more than two sticks of incense for him to know everything. Let this old master be one for a while! It makes him a little jealous... Bleh! How stupid. Shen Qingqiu fanned himself a little as he ventured deep into the forest. It was already night when they left, and the forest itself was vast, so they ended up going deep into it. They were quite far from the village where they had been a few hours earlier. Xiao Li and Xiao Yu were following Ning Yingying, Ming Fan was at her side with Luo Binghe, and the atmosphere was somewhat tense, as no one knew exactly where the demon was. Oh well, maybe he did, because a few minutes ago, the system had given him the ability to purchase a scenario push to advance the mission.

That's beside the point, though it does help him to some extent, the mission isn't just for him. It's to gauge the abilities of his students and for the twins to get used to it. The twins left the room because of the corpse, but he won't do it again. In the world of cultivation, seeing dead bodies is something that should be considered slightly normal. Besides, death is not as uncommon as one might expect.

The crunch of leaves underfoot and the whisper of the wind in the trees were all that could be heard as they walked through the place. From that point on, they couldn't really feel much of the demonic aura, but Shen Qingqiu knew they would soon reach the spot where the hidden demon was. He simply gave them brief clues as the children insisted on looking everywhere to find the thing.

Although they still stayed close to him, he believed he had made it clear that he would not help them unless it was an emergency. He could see from above the fan how Luo Binghe was searching for any demonic presence, as was Ming Fan. Sometimes they would wander off a little, but they would return within a few minutes. None of the children had found anything yet.

“Shizun, I heard something!” said Xiao Yu, who was holding her sister's hand and pulling her to where she pointed. He has to make them able to work separately, Shen Qingqiu thought.

“What did you hear, Xiao Yu?” He approached where they were, and the older children were already gathering to see as well. Even the twins beat Luo Binghe to it.

“I think I heard the demon, Shizun.” The girl looked at him with some fear, thinking that her assumption was wrong, but Shen Qingqiu hummed in understanding.

“Where did you hear it?”

“To the north, Shizun, I think I heard it going that way. I'm sure it was the demon.”

“And how do you know it was the demon, Xiao Yu? It could have been a rodent.”

The girl looked him in the eyes, let go of her sister's hand, and spoke with confidence. “I felt its demonic aura, Shizun. I'm sure!” And the way the twin said it couldn't help but soften his heart and make him respond with a slight smile.

“Well, this teacher agrees with what you said.” He raised his head and looked at his ‘best’ disciples. “You guys, move. Ning Yingying, stay by my side.” I don't want you to mysteriously disappear from the plot, girl. Although he only thought it.

When he saw Ming Fan gather with them, he found it strange that one of his troops was missing; a few minutes passed, and when he saw that he wasn't coming back, he asked the boy in front of him.

“...Ming Fan. Where is Luo Binghe?” Of all the people he imagined disappearing, did it have to be the protagonist? System, what's going on!?

“Shizun, that beast went in the direction Yu shimei mentioned. This Ming Fan advised him not to go without Shizun's permission, but he disobeyed!” Shen Qingqiu suppressed the urge to frown and run a hand over his face because of his beloved impulsive disciple and chose to remain calm and impassive at what he was told.

“Don't stray from me, let's go find him.” No one refuted this, and they began to follow him like lost ducklings behind him.

For his part, Luo Binghe ran north, because he had felt it, but he assumed it was just his mind playing tricks on him due to his need to make Shizun proud. He would be able to prove his bravery and his skills to Shen Qingqiu and earn his praise! How could he not take advantage of this moment? Was he going to let this opportunity pass him by? No way. Luo Binghe smiled as he ran, and even more so when he felt the demonic aura. He was close, and if he managed to complete his mission, he would be close to becoming worthy of Shizun's praise.

Ming Fan had entertained him with his excuses; it was clear that his Shixiong only wanted to steal the limelight. He had to show that he was capable of doing things even though he was just a child. He had to learn to prove that he was worthy of being seen as someone who could be trusted.

The deeper he went, the less he heard the sounds of the forest. He stopped hearing the crickets and the sound of the river flowing nearby. It was there, somewhere in the meadow, that the demon was hiding.

Luo Binghe frowned slightly and took several talismans from the folds of his robe. With precise movements, he began to trace the characters on the paper, remembering what he had read and learned. The demons who avoided the sun was for a clear reason: light harmed them, and any excess brightness was unbearable for their skin.

That was why, when he threw the talisman on the ground, it immediately began to burn. The flames burst forth violently, illuminating the surroundings. The orange and yellow tones mixed with the blues and blacks of the night, lighting up the place in a matter of seconds. Thanks to the light from the talisman, Luo Binghe was able to make out the silhouette of the demon projected against it.

The creature reacted immediately. It seemed to be one of those wild demons ruled more by instinct than by actual consciousness. Finding itself exposed, it let out a sharp, shrill scream that made Luo Binghe's skin crawl, clumsily backing away as it desperately tried to get away from the source of light. Luo Binghe could see that even without direct contact, the demon's somewhat transparent skin was beginning to deteriorate. He seized the moment to try to attack with the talismans he had, while the demon tried to defend itself. And well, he was improving, because this time he managed to stick some talismans to the demon's skin.

The demon attacked from time to time, striking wherever it could and succeeding. Luo Binghe knew he wasn't going to let himself be defeated, dodging attacks that could result in fatal injuries.

“Luo Binghe!” Hearing Shen Qingqiu's clear and angry voice, the boy lost his concentration and was struck and thrown into a tree.

Shen Qingqiu's eye twitched when he saw what was happening. He needed to put a stop to that child! He looked at the creature that had attacked Luo Binghe a few moments ago... It was ugly. Yes, quite ugly. He hoped he wouldn't encounter one again.

“Shizun, will A-Luo be okay!?” Ning Yingying, who despite everything remained by his side, was holding his robe sleeve very tightly while shaking his arm.

“Go see him if you're worried.” He wasn't playing around like his lamb thought. Why did Luo Binghe decide to chase the demon alone when he's just a child? He doesn't even have a sword. Did he think that talismans could solve everything? Don't get too cocky just because you have that halo, protagonist!.

Ning Yingying immediately separated from him and went to see where Luo Binghe was. Ming Fan remained serious throughout, determined to protect the girls since he knew that his Shizun would finish off the demon.

Why is it always him who kills the demon? It's supposed to be his students... work and more work. He doesn't think he likes teaching at all.

As he drew Xiu Ya with the intention of killing the demon, Shen Qingqiu turned to face it head-on. It was then that he saw Luo Binghe running towards the creature with something firmly in his hands, while Ning Yingying chased after the boy, clearly trying to stop him.

Fixing his gaze on what Luo Binghe was carrying, Shen Qingqiu couldn't help but shudder. He recognized the object instantly, and upon doing so, his attention immediately shifted to the demon who was clumsily trying to flee. It was then that he noticed several explosive talismans attached to the demon's body, placed in no apparent order but sufficient to ensure the outcome.

These talismans required manual activation with another talisman, which was precisely what Luo Binghe was holding in his hands.

“Don't do it—!”

BANG!

“...”

Before he could even finish his sentence, everyone was covered in thick, disgusting slime from head to toe. Yes, the reason Shen Qingqiu wanted to stop Luo Binghe was because it was not recommended to kill that kind of demon in that way. Supposedly, most people should know that fact, but someone either forgot or fell asleep during the explanation.

Putting too much qi into a talisman like Luo Binghe did was what caused the explosion... Shen Qingqiu ran his hands over his face to... remove some of the slime that was on his face, although it didn't really help much...

“This. Is. Disgusting.” He said, breaking the awkward silence.

The demon in front of him was nothing more than... a very disgusting mass. Luo Binghe was left in shock, Ning Yingying didn't look very well. When he turned around, the girls were clearly about to cry, and Ming Fan, even with his face dirty, looked disgusted.

He suppressed a sigh of disappointment and said, “Let's find a place to clean ourselves up. This is poisonous, and I don't think kids like you all can stand contact with it for more than half an hour.”

He turned to where Luo Binghe was still standing. “You, when we arrive at the inn, I will share your punishment for being reckless and disobeying orders from your superiors.”

The boy just nodded.

“Ming Fan, how far are we from the village?”

Ming Fan took a few steps closer, trying to clean his arms and make himself look more presentable. “Shizun, we'll probably get there at dawn on foot.”

Hearing this, Luo Binghe also approached, bowing in front of his Shizun before speaking. “Shizun, I think I heard a river nearby. If, as Shizun says, the viscosity is toxic to us, even if it's just to soak ourselves, we'll be fine.”

“I'll stay with the twins, Shizun!” Ning Yingying said in an attempt to keep the anger from falling solely on Luo Binghe.

Seeing his three disciples like this, Shen Qingqiu could only agree with Luo Binghe's suggestion, because yes, if they didn't find a way to remove the toxin, they could end up with rashes that would take months to heal. Besides, despite his cultivation, his skin was already starting to itch, and he didn't want to imagine how they must be feeling.

“Hurry up and show us the place.”

Luo Binghe remained silent when they began their march, and well, his plan ended up going horribly wrong. Even Ning Yingying advised him to keep quiet and not make things worse. Pointing to the river, Shen Qingqiu divided them into groups of girls and boys. Ning Yingying would stay with the twins in the shallow part, and Ming Fan would go with him to the deep part behind the rock. He made it quite clear that if he received a complaint from the female disciples, he would show them no mercy.

Although neither of them had any intention of doing anything. Ming Fan looked at him with a frown the whole time they were cleaning themselves. He did nothing to defend himself, as he no longer believed he could have any hope, as he had initially assumed... He ended up scrubbing his skin and head until there was nothing sticky left, and then he went out to put on the robe he had scrubbed earlier. It was still damp, but his qiankun bags were left at the inn, and it was either that or nothing.

When he came out completely, he stared at the green tunics that were on top of a rock. Had Shizun forgotten to bring them? He knew that Shen Qingqiu was carrying a qiankun bag, but he didn't expect his master to forget the spare robes. “I'd better take them to him,” Luo Binghe thought as he picked them up and went to where Shizun would be.

It was only a few meters to the meadow surrounded by trees, and from where he stood, he could see the water of the pond. He just had to get there and leave the clothes nearby... yes, that's all.

His Shizun had his back to him, his upper body half exposed, his skin damp from the water, and his hair pulled back in such a way that his neck was visible... Luo Binghe couldn't take his eyes off what he was seeing. It was more than he ever thought he would see. He swallowed hard and moved forward slowly to avoid making any noise. He managed to get a little closer, close enough to get a better look. His Shizun's shoulders were broad and firm, yet his waist was marked with an elegance that made Luo Binghe's hands burn with the simple desire to touch them. His skin was pale and shiny like a pearl, slightly colored in some places with a pinker tone. He would keep that mental image forever. And he would remain silent, an unwanted spectator, if it weren't for the feeling of something cutting his cheek.

Running a hand over it and regaining his senses, he realized that some sharp leaves with spiritual energy, like the ones he saw when Ming Fan and his group where taking his necklace off, the same leaves were pointing at his neck. Oh, Luo Binghe thought; he looked ahead to see his Shizun who toward him, now submerged with only his head above water, looking at him with an expression of clear disgust. Luo Binghe remembered all those months when he wasn't punished, and now because of what he had done with the demon and his lack of morals at that time, he knew that no matter what, he was in trouble.

“Shizun, this disciple apologizes for not warning you of your arrival. Shizun left your robes near the river, and this Luo Binghe decided to bring them to you.”

Fro his point of view, he could see the face go from anger to disbelief for a moment before Shen Qingqiu spoke. “Leave the clothes on the rock next to you and get out of here.”

Luo Binghe nodded and did as he was told. When the threat of the blades moved away from his neck, he was able to breathe a little easier and withdrew without making any more noise. When he rejoined the rest, they were all wearing their “clean” clothes again and were drier. Ning Yingying approached him when she saw him.

“A-Luo, where were you?” the girl asked, looking at him and seeing the cut on his cheek.

“...Don’t mind, come on. Let's light a fire to warm ourselves up.” That was his response. Although somewhat impatient due to the lack of response, Ning Yingying agreed. Ming Fan helped them as he had a little more experience, and they ended up waiting around the fire for Shen Qingqiu.

When they saw him after a few minutes, Luo Binghe noticed that his gaze immediately turned to him. Trying to suppress his urge to apologize, he accepted the gaze silently, and as they arrived, they marched to the village. Both girls were already falling asleep halfway there. That's why he offered to carry one, and Shen Qingqiu carried the other when Ning Yingying asked him for the favor.

They arrived at the village after a few hours of walking, and everyone was tired, including him. Except for his Shizun, who didn't seem to show any signs of exhaustion despite everything. His Shizun sent them all to rest so they could leave the next day. No one complained, and they went to their rooms.

Luo Binghe put Xiao Yu to bed and saw Shen Qingqiu put Xiao Li to bed before leaving quietly. When Luo Binghe came out, he saw Shen Qingqiu waiting for him outside the room.

“Shizun, this disciple will accept any punishment imposed,” Luo Binghe said as he knelt down.

There were a few minutes of silence until Luo Binghe heard his master's voice again. “You will rewrite the entire section on night demons in the bestiary, write an essay from memory, and run twenty laps on the hilltop for this.”

“As you say, Shizun.” Just that? Luo Binghe had expected at least a few lashes or something worse.

The next day, after breakfast at the house of the person who had called them to serve, they set off for the sect. This time there would be no long breaks, despite it being a two-day journey on horseback. When they made their first stop, Luo Binghe glanced sideways at the edging on display at the stall on one side. They had about three hours to rest before setting off again, and he wasn't doing that. Instead, he was looking for ways to spend the few coins given to him by the daughters of the owner of the house that had offered him breakfast. He didn't know what those girls saw in him, but they said he deserved it.

He could also see some hairpins not far from there, one of which caught his attention because it had a small emerald embedded in it. It would cost at least a few silver coins... Would giving Shizun gifts win his attention? Or would he at least talk to him more regularly? He would have to save for the future. Besides, he doesn't think giving him food as compensation for what he did will be enough. After all, he's been doing it since he first offered it to him. 

Flowers... Shizun likes a certain type of flower. If he gives them to him, will he keep them? Or will he throw them away and step on them? Will he tell him he doesn't accept things from beasts like him? Or will he smile and tell him they're pretty? Shizun's smile is cute, Luo Binghe likes it. He wants to make Shizun smile, even if it's a cruel smile... Is he foolish for thinking that way?

After a few minutes, he decided to return to the inn. They were about to leave, and he knew there was a chance they would leave him behind if he didn't hurry. Everyone was feeling much better than they had a day ago because of what he had done, and that made him feel good. He had expected them to turn against him, but instead, they helped him in some ways, and the punishment imposed was not as severe as he had expected.

They arrived at the sect at dusk the other day. They stopped at an inn the night before to rest. As they dismounted their horses and went to leave them in the stable, he could see the sect leader standing in front of the bamboo house from afar. Luo Binghe, out of curiosity, decided to stay and watch from among the bamboo, which gave him some protection from being discovered.

As his Shizun approached, he opened his fan and covered half of his face. Apparently, Zhangmen-shibo still decided to talk to him. From where he stood, he couldn't see what they were saying, but most people knew that the sect leader favored Shen Qingqiu. The problem was that whenever he saw him enter the house out of the corner of his eye, he didn't even come out in time to have tea. And this time was no exception. From the bamboo, he could see that whatever Shizun replied, the sect leader's upright posture changed to slumped shoulders, and when Shizun left him alone and entered the house, closing the door behind him, the sect leader turned around, mounted his sword, and left.

Luo Binghe would like to understand what kind of relationship the two of them have and why the sect leader is so insistent on Shen Qingqiu, but he is not one to meddle in someone else's life, let alone his master's.

After leaving the horses in the stable, he went and asked for the book from the library so he could start with what his master had told him.

Although he would have preferred to finish it more quickly, by nightfall Luo Binghe had fallen asleep on top of the paper.

Chapter Text

Snow adorned the city streets, covering every side with its color, calling winter to stay.

For many, it was just another winter season marking the restart of the annual cycle of seasons. They wore warm fur coats, from the simplest to the most luxurious. Vendors moved around and changed their products. The children of nobles and peasants played in the snow all the time, enjoying it as something good, something fun. Everything would be fine. For them, everything is fine.

On cold nights, they wrapped themselves in thick blankets, with a fireplace providing warmth and light to illuminate their homes. Firewood provided family warmth, warm sheets, and shared body heat.

People walked the streets, ignoring those dying around them. A few blocks away were those for whom winter was just another torture and test of survival. But who cares about their miserable lives? The adults, the young people, or the children who only know how to beg between stalls, steal from passersby, and hide so they won't get caught.

Those who were simply born into these conditions and have been rejected by society without even the opportunity to protest. No one pays attention to them when winter storms hit hard, no one talks in the streets about deaths from hypothermia, the phobia and fear that exists in the alleys of not knowing if they will be next.

Where beggar children and slaves make a temporary truce just to survive, huddling together to get some warmth at night. The fact is that this is the only time when traffickers slightly help them, so as not to lose merchandise. Where they threw poor quality, slightly thick fabrics at them to withstand the cold.

The way Qi-ge tried to protect Xiao-Jiu from the icy winds. Covering him with his body and sheets, in a mutual embrace with little hope of not being the next to die. Qi-ge, regardless of whether his fingers were already blue and his nose red, mentally promising himself that he would not let either of them die.

Getting food was more complicated, because when begging, when placing the bowl for people to throw coins into, they had to make more noise to get attention, on the cold ground where they sat on the same thin blanket they used at night, where Xiao-Jiu cried and feigned misfortune to get something to fill their stomachs that were never completely full.

But in the end, it was all routine.

A pigsty routine that repeats itself every year, that will repeat itself every year and has repeated itself in past years. A cycle they don't know how to end, where the same thing will happen in the years to come, until they are bought, die, or simply become part of the traffickers. Since most ended up that way, most traffickers are the same, children who were slaves and sought an escape.

Xiao-Jiu would be concerned that Qi-ge would end up like one of them, as he is favored only because he is the oldest of them all, where they use him to run errands or be the one to buy alcohol for those men. Over time, because of the trust they have in him, they have allowed him to keep a few coins in his possession.

But Xiao-Jiu is not worried. Qi-ge is too good to end up as a trafficker. He will probably end up begging on the streets as an adult until he dies.

Cold food, dry, hard bread. Children dying after a storm. Fights between children over territory or between slaves over a crumb are normal. It's nothing out of the ordinary. Not for them, people of the street, rats and filthy in the eyes of most.

For Xiao-Jiu, there is no real empathy for others besides Qi-ge. He seeks to survive in the world he has been left in, not to help others and stay behind to be eaten alive. Only, Qi-ge is not one to understand that.

“We should help them, Xiao-Jiu. I don't think they'll make it through the night,” suggested Qi-ge. From where they stood, they could see some children belonging to other traffickers shivering in the cold night. But they weren't doing well either. Why help them if they won't get anything in return? They're not even part of the same slave brand. Doesn't he understand yet that the strong are the ones who win in this life?

“Do you think we can share, Qi-ge? We're lucky to have anything at all. Don't be foolish and stop trying to be a hero.” In a life of winning or losing, it is those who rise among the weak who become strong and succeed. If you were born weak, you must correct yourself or you will die. If you were born strong, between fight and fight, you will get what you want.

“I'm sorry, Xiao-Jiu,” replied the boy. He settled back down and turned his back on that street.

The anguish of winter subsides when the first flowers emerge from the snow. For children, it means that the season of fun in the cold is over. For those marginalized on the streets, it means that they have survived once again.

The trees produce leaves again, giving way to flowers and then fruit. The animals that were hibernating return. It is around this time that Xiao-Jiu and Qi-ge can climb trees and eat their fruit without restriction. At least until they get caught.

Xiao-Jiu, being more agile, was the one who climbed among the branches and picked the fruit; the peaches fell from above for Qi-ge to catch and place on the ground. When they climbed down from the tree, they had enough to last them a week or two without having to beg, at least until they rot.

Qi-ge bent down and picked one up, cleaning it with his clothes before handing it to Xiao-Jiu. “Here, this is for you, Xiao-Jiu.” With that, he handed him the fruit, which Xiao-Jiu accepted and murmured a thank you before taking a bite.

Xiao-Jiu looked like a fragile, miserable, hungry child when it came to begging. He cried as if his arms had been broken and begged for food like no other. Qi-ge at his side was the one who put on a dead dog face so that people would take pity on them.

By nightfall, they had collected a few copper coins and one silver coin. Qi-ge hid the silver coin, promising that it was for both of them. Qi-ge always gave him gifts! So for Xiao-Jiu, it was no big deal; he had the best company compared to other children.

As they were gathering the things they had managed to obtain that day, they began to hear people stirring in the place, moving between the stalls and getting out of the way. Out of caution, Qi-ge grabbed Xiao-Jiu and moved them to the side of an alley so they wouldn't be affected.

“What do you think is going on, Qi-ge?” asked Xiao-Jiu, who couldn't see from where he was standing. He could hear footsteps, the sound of horses clattering, and even the sound of people talking.

“They're cultivators, Xiao-Jiu.” Hearing that, Xiao-Jiu moved closer and tried to see what was happening in the streets. Qi-ge gave him some space, and he was able to see shiny golden robes in the streets, cultivators.

He had heard that some demons had infiltrated the city, which must be why there were now cultivators when they rarely came. Besides, they are too pompous, drawing too much attention with all that ceremony of having arrived, and it is obvious that they have a superiority complex. He doesn't like it.

“Hmn, let's go, we have nothing to do with them.”

Qi-ge glanced at him and nodded. They moved away from those cultivators and into the darkness of the alleys.

The cultivators stayed for almost a month. From where they were, they could see them loitering in the streets as usual, entering caves or brothels, and then loudly mocking the work of those women in streets. Some looked at them without hiding their disgust. Others, more mature, gave them a few coins before leaving. Cultivators were not very common in that city, as the city itself was close to an important sect, which was one of the reasons why demons did not enter the city.

Now, with all those hunters there just because of a few cases of demons in the city, it was really annoying. Apart from the fact that they are annoying and dishonest.

“Don't try to fight them, Xiao-Jiu,” Qi-ge advised him when he saw him really irritated by their presence. They were a short distance away, and some younger cultivators were bothering other slaves.

“They're fools, I hate cultivators!” Xiao-Jiu growled.

It was during the last week that he saw two cultivators from that sect who were different from the others. An old man walked through the streets as if he were an emperor, surrounded by gold everywhere that anyone, like Xiao-Jiu, would want to steal to sell and make a living. Gold chains, gold bracelets. That cultivator, as he later learned by eavesdropping on the traffickers one night, was the supposed sect leader of the Huan Hua Palace.

'Apparently, his supposed disciples are so bad that they can't even do their job together,' he thought as he walked away from the old man and the other person. The girl following him looked more serene and did not express her feelings on her face. She was dressed more simply and was clearly the only one who stood out in that place.

“Let's go, Xiao-Jiu,” insisted Qi-ge, because while the ninth child was looking at the girl, the other man had noticed Xiao-Jiu.

Xiao-Jiu looked at him and nodded, going to their place to sleep as they did every night.

“Are all cultivators like that, Qi-ge?” asked the boy as they lay down at night.

“...I don't think so, there should be some who aren't like that. Why do you ask, Xiao-Jiu?” Nine didn't finish answering, because when Qi-ge looked, the boy was already asleep.

Xiao-Jiu was alone that day. The traffickers took Qi-ge away so that the boy could do “work” — although that wasn't true, they just wanted him to do the dirty work and take the blame. Being a child, Qi-ge didn't refuse and had to leave Xiao-Jiu alone and fend for himself.

Xiao-Jiu had been through this before. The only difference about being alone was having to be careful of the other street children and making sure they didn't steal anything. Once, they tried to steal their blanket, and Xiao-Jiu ended up biting one of the children and leaving him with several bruises. Let them look for their own stuff!

It wasn't long before he saw that young woman again, this time alone. Hadn't they already finished catching that demon? They really are bad at their job. Xiao-Jiu mocked her mentally. “Cultivators are fools,” he said as he wiped imaginary dirt from his robe.

What Xiao-Jiu didn't count on was the fact that cultivators have very keen hearing, and when he looked up again, he came face to face with the young woman. Xiao-Jiu recoiled in shock at the sight of the girl staring at him. The cultivator didn't seem angry; she appeared serene and calm in front of the child.

“Did you say that cultivators are stupid, boy?”

Xiao-Jiu frowned and glared at her, although in the girl's eyes it was nothing more than a pouty face. “Yes, cultivators are stupid!” said Xiao-Jiu. “They always think they're better than everyone else and treat them like trash.” Just because the other children didn't like him didn't mean he was going to sit idly by all the time, although if the cultivator wanted to attack him and simply silence him for being disrespectful, she could.

The girl hummed in acknowledgment, grabbed his wrist with a somewhat abrupt movement, and Xiao-Jiu felt something cold enter him. He felt exposed, wanting to bite the hand that grabbed him. But just as he was thinking about how to attack her, she let go.

“Why don't you make a difference?” she suggested. “If you complain so much about how cultivators treat you, become one and improve that.”

“No, you're stupid. I don't like you. I don't want to be a cultivator.” Although, to tell the truth, Xiao-Jiu was only talking to get the woman out of his way, since she wasn't there to give him anything, and if she was just going to lecture him, it would be better if she left.

The girl didn't seem bothered by the curt tone in which the boy spoke to her. Instead, she took something out from the folds of her robe, bent down, and dropped it into the bowl. “I'm not one to force a child.” She got up and, with a calm look, left without saying goodbye. It wasn't until Xiao-Jiu saw her disappear into the streets that he relaxed and looked at what the woman had left behind.

It was a small gold nugget.

Without thinking twice, Xiao-Jiu picked it up and tucked it into his robes. Who knew cultivators had so much money! thought the boy. He and Qi-ge would be able to eat and have fun without having to beg for months!

He finished gathering his things at sunset to meet Qi-ge at the tree by the river.

Qi-ge arrived at dusk, and when Xiao-Jiu saw him, he ran straight to him with a very unusual big smile on his face, which made Qi-ge look at him strangely.

“Xiao-Jiu, did something happen?” asked the boy, while the other boy simply jumped around him excitedly. He was happy that his friend was happy, but he still didn't understand Xiao-Jiu's sudden excitement. It might be the only time he ever saw him act that way.

“Look, Qi-ge, look!” said the boy, taking out the gold nugget and handing it to Qi-ge.

Qi-ge was speechless, and Xiao-Jiu chuckled. “A cultivator gave it to me. I don't like her, but she made up for it with this. Qi-ge, let's go exchange it so we can celebrate!”

The next day, both children went to exchange the gold nugget for coins to make it easier to use. But of course, they were just simple slaves, and although the blacksmith didn't ask them where they got it, they didn't receive the real price of the gold nugget and were only given ten silver coins. They weren't going to complain; they simply couldn't. Xiao-Jiu was already bitter and grumbling, while Qi-ge told him that it would still be enough for a few months if they rationed it well.

Xiao-Jiu walked along the riverbank with Qi-ge by his side. The days had grown longer and hotter. Normally at this time of year, both children would spend their days in the shallow parts of the river.

“Come on, Qi-ge,” insisted Xiao-Jiu as he waded waist-deep into the water. Qi-ge smiled at him and joined him in the river.

They played, splashing water at each other and getting soaked from head to toe. Xiao-Jiu also chased away the children who wanted to get too close to them. After a while, they got out and leaned against a tree to dry off. From a distance, they could see a group of children under the age of fifteen apparently approaching the place where they were. Xiao-Jiu knew they were coming to take their spot, as there was usually a fight over it.

“Xiao-Jiu, we'd better leave this side to them,” Qi-ge advised when he saw that the boys had their eyes on them.

“No!” the boy replied. “Let them go somewhere else, it's not our problem!”

Xiao-Jiu wasn't going to give up the spot that he and Qi-ge always used to some stubborn youngsters. Qi-ge apologized reluctantly and stayed under the tree as they watched them approach.

The three approached and stopped a few steps away from them. The oldest one spoke up: “Look who we have here, the only kids who are always looking for a fight. Oh, better yet. You,” he said, pointing at Xiao-Jiu. The other two behind the oldest one laughed together.

“We don't want to pick a fight. You'd better turn around and go back where you came from,” said Qi-ge as he stood up. He was the only one among them who wasn't looking to fight anyone. Qi-ge was always like that, and Xiao-Jiu no longer did anything to change that about Qi-ge.

“Oh, please, kid number seven, stop defending the brat behind you.

“He's always acting like a guard dog, what a fool,” muttered another, not very quietly, to provoke Xiao-Jiu.

“Stupid kid, he can't do anything without his friend,” the other one sneered.

Qi-ge was just being defensive, trying to calm both boys down, while Xiao-Jiu was already looking for a way to attack them.

“Shut up! You're all idiots, that's why no one buys you!” Xiao-Jiu yelled at them, which made them look uncomfortable and angry, so he continued. “You're so big that you're probably only good for doing mule work. You'll die in the fields and be thrown away like animals. That's what you are!”

The oldest of the group was furious at the boy's comment, quickly bending down to grab a rock and throw it. Xiao-Jiu managed to dodge it by pure reflex. Faced with this, he did not stand idly by. He grabbed the first thing he found to launch himself into the attack.

Xiao-Jiu lunged at the boy, punching him in the face. The other boy grabbed him by the hair and threw him to the side. Having the boy's weight on top of him while he attacked made Xiao-Jiu react, hitting him in the head to grab a handful of sand and throw it in his eyes.

“Aghh,” the boy growled. Now blind, he tried to hit back in self-defense and avoid being attacked, which Xiao-Jiu took advantage of to pull him to the shore. The boy rubbed his eyes with his arm and staggered in pain. Xiao-Jiu simply had to push him with all his strength until he fell into the river.

He won't die because there isn't much current to carry him away, but if he doesn't react, he may end up drowning.

“Qi-ge!” the boy shouted as he watched his friend being kicked by the others.

Xiao-Jiu threw a rock at one of the boys, hitting him in the chest. Having gotten the boy's attention, Xiao-Jiu ran towards him to hit him. The boy, acting in self-defense, ended up punching him in the stomach.

What Xiao-Jiu didn't count on was that the boy who was near Qi-ge was threatening him with a knife. Qi-ge, for his part, was signaling him to stop so that neither of them would end up hurt.

The one who had thrown himself into the water had already recovered, and with a large rock in his hand, he was preparing to attack. At that moment, Xiao-Jiu didn't know how to attack all three at once. That's why, in a moment of desperation, he remembered that strange conversation he had had with that girl months ago and looked up at the treetops where the leaves were moving in the wind.

Qi-ge saw how the leaves began to shake rapidly. Standing up, he noticed Xiao-Jiu, who had a worried expression on his face. Looking at his hands, he saw that he was making strange movements with his fingers. It wasn't until the boys started screaming that he realized something was wrong.

Looking in the direction of the boys, he saw them backing away. The one who had been attacked the most by Xiao-Jiu now had a bruised face and a bleeding nose. When he noticed the leaves flying towards them, he understood why they were afraid of him.

“You're a witch!” one shouted.

“Come on, let's not fight him!” said another, who was already preparing to run in another direction.

When the children left, Qi-ge ran to Xiao-Jiu, who looked tired and had pale skin.

“Qi-ge?” asked the boy before collapsing on top of him.

Xiao-Jiu woke up with a severe headache. As he blinked, he realized that someone was hugging him. Not knowing who it was, he pushed him away.

“Xiao-Jiu, you're awake,” said a familiar voice, sounding relieved.

“Qi-ge? What happened?” asked the boy as he regained consciousness.

Qi-ge didn't answer right away, which worried Xiao-Jiu. He insisted several times until Qi-ge finally spoke.

“Xiao-Jiu... you...” Qi-ge seemed uncomfortable, or rather, Qi-ge didn't even want to think about what would happen if those children started talking about what they saw. He knows that most of them may have the gift to cultivate and become cultivators, but if Xiao-Jiu was discovered, it simply meant that they would try to sell him faster and for more money.

“Do you remember what happened?”

The boy nodded, yes, he remembered that strange feeling in his body and even more so when he thought about how to use it against the children. Only after that did he feel a deep exhaustion that was possibly what caused him to faint.

“Don't use it again, Xiao-Jiu, not in front of other children or the slavers.”

“Okay, I won't, Qi-ge.” He reluctantly agreed. He didn't delve into the reason, but he could tell that Qi-ge was strangely worried, and that was all he needed to believe that it was something bad.

When Qi-ge wasn't around, Xiao-Jiu put what he had learned into practice. He no longer fainted like the first time. Now, every time he did it, he simply had a headache or fever.

Controlling the leaves on the trees had become more of a game for him. He had managed to learn how to use that power he had learned to form a sharper shape, as if it were a razor. He tried it once in secret with one of the slaves who slept in the same alley, and was surprised to see that he could already consciously control the direction he wanted it to go.

As the days passed, he managed to control more than ten, then twenty, and his maximum, unless he fainted, was twenty-five sharp leaves.

He also liked to show Qi-ge what he had learned, but Qi-ge became strange and thoughtful when he saw the leaves surrounding his body.

The trees turned orange and the leaves fell, the winds grew colder, and people began to wear extra layers of clothing.

Xiao-Jiu would turn thirteen that year, unaware that Qi-ge had secretly managed to hide some extra coins from the traffickers so he could buy Xiao-Jiu a birthday present.

No street child knows when their birthday is, but it is known that Shen Jiu is a number nine, so since meeting Qi-ge, Xiao-Jiu has celebrated his birthday at the Chongyang Festival.

Meanwhile, Qi-ge, who is already fifteen, celebrates his birthday at the Qixi Festival.

For most children, it's just another festival to have fun, but for Xiao-Jiu and Qi-ge, it's a full-fledged festival to celebrate Xiao-Jiu's new age.

Like all beggar children, if anyone else sees them shopping at the festival, other children who know nothing but to meddle in other people's lives will tell the traffickers, and they will be punished.

That's why Xiao-Jiu and Qi-ge remain hidden when buying food.

The good thing about having a whole festival to themselves was that many people were putting on outdoor demonstrations. Xiao-Jiu would climb on Qi-ge's back so he could see better and tell Qi-ge what he saw, but Qi-ge didn't mention that Xiao-Jiu kept complaining about how silly he was.

They could also go from stall to stall, eating sweets that Qi-ge bought him as gifts and playing with things they grabbed when no one was looking.

Besides, since they were street children, most people preferred to ignore them. For them, touching people on the street was synonymous with shame and the possibility of getting sick from them.

Being ignored by most people helped them blend in with the crowd, climb onto the rooftops, and watch the fireworks without anyone bothering them.

If Xiao-Jiu smiled, Qi-ge smiled with him.

“Do you want to be a cultivator?” Qi-ge asked in surprise that day. At first, Xiao-Jiu always made fun of cultivators and said how silly they were, always complaining about them, and now he tells him he wants to be one. Qi-ge doesn't know if it's because he knows how to control his Qi and has a good foundation for cultivation.

“Yes! We could be cultivators together, Qi-ge! While I protect the fools who don't know how to protect themselves, you can be the one who takes care of them. You're always like that, even with other children.” Although he muttered the last part in a lower tone, as if he didn't like to accept that reality.

“Okay, Xiao-Jiu. I promise I'll find a way to remove our marks and become cultivators together,” Qi-ge replied with a smile.

Both children were walking through the streets of the city. They saw several food stalls where they took the opportunity to steal some sweet skewers and eat them.

“Qi-ge.”

“Hm, what's wrong, Xiao-Jiu?”

“Nothing.”

Qi-ge chuckled but didn't comment on it.

It wasn't long before they began to hear many people running around, many of them shouting. Xiao-Jiu and Qi-ge heard the commotion. “What's that?” asked Xiao-Jiu.

“I think it's a carriage. Let's get out of the way, Xiao-Jiu,” said the boy as he pulled him away.

As they said that, they saw a carriage with two horses passing by. Apparently, the owners of the carriage didn't care that they were destroying some shops by passing through a place that was not suitable for such large carriages. The horses trotted quickly, and the person in charge ignored everyone else.

“Xiao-Jiu, stay here!” Qi-ge said suddenly. Xiao-Jiu turned to ask why, and Qi-ge had moved away from his side. Worried, he looked for him and saw Qi-ge running toward some children who were halfway between the horses.

“Qi-ge!” Xiao-Jiu shouted when he saw that Qi-ge's stupid idea was to help those children. Running in his direction, he saw that the horses were just a few steps away from where the three of them were. Qi-ge had already moved the children out of the way, but he was stuck in the middle.

Xiao-Jiu didn't think much about his actions. He controlled some leaves with his Qi and threw them at the horses. The animals reared up from the cut they caused and writhed on the spot. Qi-ge was almost crushed, and if it weren't for him, he didn't think he could have borne to see him dead.

“WHY DID YOU DO THAT!” Xiao-Jiu yelled at Qi-ge as he shook him furiously.

“I'm sorry, Xiao-Jiu, I'm sorry,” was all Qi-ge could say when he saw him like that.

What he didn't count on was that the person inside the carriage came out and inspected what had happened to the horses. That's when he found the leaves that still contained Qi on the ground.

The two children continued to fight, while the young man approached them. Qi-ge was petrified when he saw him and could barely stammer something.

Xiao-Jiu realized it too late, as the boy had already pulled him by the hair and made him lift his head.

“Let's see, which one of you did this?” The person was clearly angry, mocking them both by pretending to be fine.

“Let go of me!” Xiao-Jiu said as he tried to break free from the other's grip. “It was me, and if you keep bothering us, I'll kill you!”

Oh, bad idea.

Apparently, the boy was from the Qiu family, a powerful family in that city, and the boy was the heir to the Qiu family. They bought Xiao-Jiu.

Xiao-Jiu knows that they didn't buy him just because he angered Master Qiu. The amount they paid was too much just for knowing a trick or two, too much for a slave boy who constantly fought and angered one of the Qius.

Shen Jiu was lying on the floor of the Qiu mansion. That week, he had not only been humiliated but also mistreated multiple times. The number of blows he had received easily exceeded the total number he had received during his entire life as a slave before being bought.

He did not know where Qi-ge was or what had happened to him, as he had not been able to say goodbye to him.

Suddenly, the door opened and Qiu Jianluo appeared. Shen Jiu remained tense, but he was also terrified of anything that man might do to him. When Qiu Jianluo saw that Shen Jiu didn't say anything or move when he entered, he became angry and grabbed him by the hair to make him look at him.

“Have you forgotten to greet your master, huh?” said the heir to the Qius, running a finger down his cheek, which made Shen Jiu shudder. This before Qiu Jianluo hit him hard, causing his nose to bleed.

“I didn't know it was you, young master,” Shen Jiu replied in a low voice.

“You didn't know? You didn't know, and you have the nerve to provoke me. Is that right?” Qiu Jianluo hit him, causing his head to hit the ground. The blow was sharp and could be heard throughout the room. Qiu Jianluo didn't stop and, seeing him on the ground, began to kick him. Shen Jiu knew that Qiu Jianluo was doing everything he could to provoke him into begging, he could see it in his twisted smile every time he hit him.

“You stupid idiot, try to do something and you'll pay the consequences. You are now a member of this house whether you like it or not, and I can do whatever I want with you.” He taunted him again as he kicked him in the stomach.

A young girl's voice could be heard from the door. “Gege, are you in there?” When Qiu Jianluo heard the voice, his expression immediately changed. Pointing at Shen Jiu, he threatened him.

“Say anything and I'll kill you. Now, clean yourself up!” With that, he walked out the door. Shen Jiu could hear the conversation but paid no attention to it. Instead, he set about cleaning his face with the first thing he found, repeatedly, until he could no longer feel any blood. He knelt down again when he saw someone coming in.

A young girl was there. Qiu Haitang ran to him as if she had seen her favorite doll. She smiled and spoke to him. "You're Xiao-Jiu, right? I heard that my gege bought another slave."

Qiu Jianluo smiled behind his sister, approaching to grab Shen Jiu by the back of his neck and forcing him to look at his sister. Qiu Haitang, innocent, thought it was simply a common way of treating people. “He's stubborn and doesn't talk much,” he replied to his sister.

“Oh, come on, Xiao-Jiu, talk to me. I didn't know you were shy.” Hearing that, although Shen Jiu's expression was not expressive, he felt disgusted by the nickname. He involuntarily turned his head away.

The girl, unaware of the boy's thoughts, smiled and ran to her brother. Qiu Jianluo let go of Shen Jiu and joined her sister. “I really like him, gege: he's funny! Now I understand why you bought him even though you hate bringing outsiders in!”

“Hmn, I think I like him too,” said the boy, causing Shen Jiu to shudder involuntarily.

Later that day, Shen Jiu was sitting against the wall of the room with his knees tucked up to his chest, tears falling silently. He hated that place, Xiao-Jiu hated it, but he knew it didn't matter. He would never leave there.

It was only when he heard two soft knocks on the door that he noticed it. “Xiao-Jiu, are you there?” asked a familiar voice.

Shen Jiu immediately got up and, although clumsy, pressed herself against the door. “Qi-ge?”

“Be quiet, Xiao-Jiu; I snuck into the mansion.” Shortly after, he heard someone forcing the door open.

“Don't waste your time on that, it won't do any good. There are locks from the inside out.”

“Oh, I'm sorry. Xiao-Jiu, are you okay? Did they do anything to you?”

Hearing the question, Shen Jiu became enraged and shouted at him. "Are you stupid or just pretending to be? What do you think happened to me this week, huh? They beat me in a thousand ways and... and my legs are broken!"

“I'm sorry, Xiao Jiu, it's my fault. It's all my fault.” Qi-ge's voice was noticeably trembling.

"Of course it's your fault! Why did you want to save those kids? Why did you take the risk? What did it matter if the horses trampled him? It was your fault for thinking you were a hero, Qi-ge! If I hadn't gone to help you, they wouldn't have bought me! I wouldn't have provoked Qiu's anger, and they wouldn't have beaten me like a dog!"

“I'm sorry, Xiao-Jiu, it's all my fault,” the boy kept repeating.

“Get out! I don't care about you! Get out before they find you!” At that moment, Qi-ge heard a hit on the door from the other side.

"Xiao-Jiu, I promise I'll get you out. I... heard that they're going to open the entrance to the sects. I'll join one and get you out. Xiao-Jiu, I promise I'll find you. I'll find a way to get you out, I'll save up and buy your freedom."

Hearing this, Shen Jiu immediately stood up, leaning against the door for support. “Are you leaving?”

“Yes... I came to say goodbye.”

“You'll become a cultivator...” Shen Jiu murmured. “If I weren't here, I could go with you...”

“Stop being impulsive, Qi-ge,” he replied, ignoring her feelings. “You ruined it once, don't do it again. I... Ypu have to promise you'll look for me!”

“I promise, I'll look for you, Xiao-Jiu.”

At that, there was silence. Shen Jiu leaned against the door and asked, “Are you still there, Qi-ge?”

“Yes, I haven't left yet.”

“Qi-ge... don't be a fool and come back for Xiao-Jiu...”

“I will, I'll come back for you, Xiao-Jiu.”

[Mission: Linxi Caves; time limit: 1 month!]

Chapter Text

The constant beeping of the system in his ear when he wakes up has become normal for him; every morning since the counter was set to one month, it has been like this. Shen Qingqiu wishes he could throw his fan at it to make it shut up. However, that didn't work, because he tried it once and all it did was mess up his desk.

He knows he has to start the mission, and he also needs to unlock upgrades that he can't get unless he does that mission. Besides, he doesn't want to have his points reduced.

After getting ready with his robes and hairstyle, along with his matching fan, he set out to review the work his disciples had done, only to see the immense number of pages that were Luo Binghe's punishment in front of him. He's not going to review it; it would be a waste of time, especially knowing that, as the protagonist, everything would probably be fine.

At noon, when everything was finished, he set out to take a walk around the peak. As he walked, he could see that most people were going to the cafeteria. He managed to spot Luo Binghe in the distance, who apparently also saw him but hid himself next to Ning Yingying.

“Silly boy,” Shen Qingqiu muttered. Luo Binghe is still the protagonist after all, no matter what happens to him, he will be fine. Besides, they don't bother him anymore, there's no need to pay too much attention to that. And if they do bother him, let Ning Yingying be the one to speak up, he's not going to do anything else.

He would have to write a letter to Yue Qingyuan. He didn't want to do it; he would prefer not to even interact with him, but he was still the sect leader, and that meant he had to do it.

He sat down to write a simple letter when he arrived at his bamboo house. He didn't want to waste too much ink on something like this. The only thing he specified was that he wanted to see him at the hour of the ox.

Shen Qingqiu gave the letter to Ming Fang to deliver his main disciple instead of him. When he was done, he went to the meadow among the bamboo to meditate, only to find Luo Binghe lying there with three girls by his side. The twins were playing with flowers, and Ning Yingying was placing a flower crown on Luo Binghe's head.

“So he's already started collecting girls for his harem?” thought Shen Qingqiu as he regretted accepting the twins if they were going to end up with Luo Binghe. They deserve better. That also means he will have to pay attention to the twins so that they will excel. He may be dead by then, but everyone will know that it was he who taught his disciples. Or maybe not, and they would pretend it was their own talent.

“Shizun!” Ning Yingying shouted when she saw him, getting up to approach where her Shizun was standing. Shen Qingqiu unfolded his fan to cover half of his face, stepping completely out from between the bamboo. Luo Binghe also stood up suddenly when he noticed him, while the twins just turned to see where Shen Qingqiu was so they could go to him.

Ning Yingying had gotten close enough to him that he only had to raise his hand slightly to pat her on the head. “I see you've shown your friends the place, Yingying,” Shen Qingqiu said.

“Yes, Shizun. We were making flower crowns since we finished class early,” replied Xiao Li, who had one already assembled in her hands, which she shyly offered to Shen Qingqiu. He knew that accepting such a gift could result in a reduction in points, but both twins gave him sad puppy dog eyes that made it difficult not to accept.

“Don't think I'll let you do this again,” he warned as he bent down slightly to let them place the wreath on his head, although it ended up a little crooked because of the guan he was wearing.

“A-Luo, where are you going?” Xiao Yu suddenly asked. Luo Binghe was apparently trying to sneak away so that Shen Qingqiu wouldn't notice his presence, but it didn't work out well because everyone noticed his escape.

Luo Binghe stood firmly, smiled at the girls and Shen Qingqiu, and while the girls thought it was normal, Shen Qingqiu knew that it was just part of Luo Binghe's manipulative mask. Could the original goods also distinguish that? He wondered mentally.

“Ah, I think I'd better get ready for my next classes. Besides, I think... I left the oven on!” Luo Binghe used this cheap excuse and, without Shen Qingqiu's permission, ended up leaving the place.

Ning Yingying grabbed his sleeve before he could speak. “A-Luo has been acting strange since this morning, Shizun.”

“Hmn.”

“Shizun, you can't be so hard on A-Luo... I think—” Ning Yingying didn't finish speaking because one look from Shen Qingqiu was enough to know that it was better not to comment on the matter. “Ying-er is sorry, Shizun.”

Shen Qingqiu looked at her for a moment before tapping her twice with his fan on the sleeve of his robe, causing Ning Yingying to let go. “Do something more productive than just playing with flowers.” As quickly as he had arrived, Shen Qingqiu left the zone.

“Should we tell him that he still has flowers in his hair?” asked Xiao Yu.

“I don't think so...” replied her sister.

Shen Qingqiu was sitting at his desk with a teapot ready for the meeting when he heard a knock on the door. He slowly got up to open the door, where Yue Qingyuan was standing. “At least he didn't come in without permission,” he thought, as he hated it when Yue Qingyuan dared to visit him unannounced. “Zhangmen-shixiong,” he said in what he considered a normal tone, making room for Yue Qingyuan to enter.

“Qingqiu-shidi,” Yue Qingyuan greeted him, “To what do I owe the honor of this reunion?” he asked with a smile that made Shen Qingqiu narrow his eyes. Calming his inner thoughts a little, he simply motioned for him to follow him into the room in silence. Shen Qingqiu waited for him to sit down before pouring some tea into the cups to talk.

Yue Qingyuan looked at him expectantly, with that smile he couldn't stand to see. He unfolded his fan to cover a grimace on his face. “I want to seclude myself in the Lingxi Caves,” he said bluntly. Even so, if Yue Qingyuan didn't let him, he would go on his own. Either that or unwanted point elimination.

Yue Qingyuan remained silent for a while as his little finger tapped the table repeatedly. Shen Qingqiu had noticed this once a few months ago and knew it meant he was stressed.

“I don't think that's a good idea, Shen-shidi. Mu Qingfang said you should continue to rest—”

“I don't care what Mu Qingfang thinks, enough time has passed.” Shen Qingqiu narrowed his eyes above his fan. “I want to seclude myself in the Lingxi Caves,” Shen Qingqiu repeated harshly.

“Xiao-Jiu—” Shen Qingqiu's fan slammed shut, hitting the table hard, causing the cups to move and spilling some of their contents onto the table. Yue Qingyuan shut his mouth and looked away before looking back at Shen Qingqiu.

“That's not my name!” he protested.

Yue Qingyuan looked at the mess on the table and sighed, responding with a smile that Shen Qingqiu felt was forced.

“You have my permission to retire, Shen-shidi,” he said, getting up from the table to go to the door, glancing sideways at Shen Qingqiu, who was looking at him with a frown and narrowed eyes, before leaving without even burning a stick of incense. When the door closed, Shen Qingqiu let out a sigh he had been holding back and got up. His head always hurt after talking to Yue Qingyuan. How could Shen Jiu live like this?

He would have to call Ming Fang to clean the table. He brushed the hair away from his face only to feel something else on his head. Removing the object, he realized it was the flower crown Xiao Li had given him. “So that's why you were smiling, huh?” he muttered as he took it off.

Stupid Qi-ge.

He left the crown on the shelf, smoothed his robe, and headed for the door.

Luo Binghe was standing in front of the bamboo house, a flower pot in his hand. He had heard everything that had happened, as they had not kept their voices very low, nor had they placed any talismans of silence. He was unable to slip away before the door opened and the sect leader came out.

Zhangmen-shibo only glanced at him and what he was carrying in his hand, greeting him with a nod, which Luo Binghe responded to silently. Yue Qingyuan left on his sheathed sword. “It'll be better another time,” Luo Binghe thought, as he didn't like the idea of Shen Qingqiu's anger falling on him.

His Shizun still hadn't grown very fond of him over the months, and he didn't want to make things worse overnight. (Although there have already been several occasions when he has unintentionally made things worse and set everything back.) As he was about to turn around, he heard the door open again.

Shen Qingqiu came out of the house with a hand on his forehead. When he noticed Luo Binghe, his face immediately changed to the cold mask that Luo Binghe believes he can now recognize more often.

“What is a beast doing near my house?” Shen Qingqiu's voice was heard. “Do you have too much free time, or do you need me to put you to work as a mule again?” His Shizun slammed the door shut, walking slowly toward Luo Binghe.

“This disciple apologizes, I just wanted to give Shizun something,” Luo Binghe replied. He felt somewhat uncomfortable as he felt Shen Qingqiu's gaze on him as his Shizun approached.

The fan hit his head with a somewhat rough touch, and he raised his head to look at Shen Qingqiu. His Shizun was looking at him with a frown, waving the fan slightly twice before covering half his face. From the movement, Luo Binghe could deduce that he wasn't that angry.

“I think I've made it clear that I don't want you around me, bastard.”

Shizun always says that, saying he doesn't want him around, but he still eats what he cooks, looking for him with his eyes while pretending not to, hiding behind his fan. Luo Binghe recognizes that his Shizun uses scathing words as a shield. He just wonders why.

“Shizun, this disciple may be more useful to you than you expect.”

“Are you defying my words?”

“No, Shizun.” Shen Qingqiu looked at him with narrowed eyes before turning toward the door of the bamboo house.

"If you say you're so useful, then move and clean the table in my room. And throw away that flowerpot you're holding before I do it." When Shen Qingqiu was already inside the house, Luo Binghe entered behind him. His Shizun's room was the same as the few times he had entered it, except that he noticed how messy the table was from the spilled tea. He imagined that was the crash he had heard.

Shizun was somewhere else in his home or possibly out. He didn't think so; most likely, he was watching him to find some way to scold him. Luo Binghe placed the pot containing the bioluminescent bellflower on the shelf where he noticed the wreath of flowers the twins had given him. Shizun looked good with it on; he would like to braid flowers into his Shizun's hair.

He went to the back to look for a wooden bucket and a rag to come back and start cleaning the table, putting away the cups and teapot that he would wash later. After a while, when he was finished, he noticed him Shizun returning from wherever he had been. He looked at him with a frown before looking away, waving his fan, which Luo Binghe knew meant it was best to leave. Clasping his hands in front of his head, he said goodbye without speaking and went to his bedroom, which was nothing more than the shed.

When Luo Binghe brought him breakfast the next day, he noticed that the flowerpot was slightly moved but not knocked over as Shen Qingqiu had promised to do.

The Ling Xi caves were like a maze. After going round and round several times upon entering, he finally found a pleasant place to stay. Or rather, he ended up instinctively staying in that place, and as he looked around, he didn't quite like what he saw because, even though it was strangely beautiful and quiet, with rocks of different colors that looked like a place to have fun, and a pond a few steps away that reflected the dim light coming in, something else stood out.

It looked like a murder scene, the walls were covered with sword marks and dried blood. Accustomed to seeing blood, Shen Qingqiu stayed where he was, not particularly eager to look for another place. Sitting on a bed of rocks, he began to cultivate himself more than he had already done in his free time.

Time passed differently inside the Ling Xi caves. While it felt like only a few minutes to him, it was possible that months had passed outside. He informed Ming Fang of his departure, making it clear that he would suffer the consequences if anything went wrong in his absence. He liked to have fun watching his face.

After a while, he began to hear several blows that shook the cave. He already knew what was happening, but he found it quite annoying that it happened when he was already feeling better. He didn't even feel a big change in his cultivation. With his damaged meridians, it would have been easier for him to ignore it and continue with his business, but even so, he knew that even the original goods sought the cause of the annoying noise.

Getting up, Shen Qingqiu smoothed his robe before beginning his search.

The caves were huge, and it was obvious that Shen Qingqiu would not be the only one confined to the caves. Having been in his own world while cultivating and trying to forget what he remembered about the Qiu Mansion, he may have overlooked what he was supposed to be doing there.

Liu Qingge had already entered the qi deviation.

He followed the sound as he ventured into the cave, and as the sound grew louder with each step, he assumed he was close. When he finally reached another cave, he noticed the cause of his initial concern. Liu Qingge was a few steps away from him, stabbing a rock with his sword. The qi deviation caused his sword to attack any surface uncontrollably, who knows when this started.

Liu Qingge, sensing another person in his space, unconsciously made his sword attack Shen Qingqiu, who moved away when he noticed. He knew perfectly well that if he tried to regulate Liu Qingge's spiritual energy all at once, it would only cause him to die from the energy shock, and he might also be injured.

Liu Qingge had at some point recovered his sword, dedicating himself to attacking Shen Qingqiu, who continued to evade him. It would be his first time seeing Liu Qingge in person, and he should have expected him to look like this, like a damn Greek god. His sister was Liu Mingyang, the most acclaimed beauty in the novel, and their shared genetics were noticeable from afar. But he had a pretty face for nothing, since he was the brute who didn't control his foolish disciples who harassed his own, and besides, having him with a murderous aura against him was no fun either.

He still doesn't know the relationship between the Original Goods and Liu Qingge, and he didn't grow very fond of him in the original novel because he only appeared once. For Shen Yuan Qingqiu, he would be neutral towards him, to a certain extent. He doesn't like his disciples being bothered.

Shen Qingqiu moved to counterattack, using his fan to deflect the attack that came in his direction, although it ended up with his fan with a hole in the center. He was lucky that it wasn't one of his favorite collection.

Liu Qingge's sword was embedded in a rock, unable to pull it out. Shen Qingqiu took advantage of the moment to summon Xiu Ya. Relying on the fact that Liu Qingge was still fighting to pull the sword out of the rock, Shen Qingqiu was caught off guard and attacked by Liu Qingge, ending up with a cut on his chest.

“One more for the collection,” he thought bitterly, ignoring his own pain, raising his sword to block Liu Qingge's, clashing swords and causing a flash of light from the clash of metal. He began to transmit extra spiritual energy to his sword to weaken Liu Qingge. As Lord Bai Zhan was already injured and weakened by the deviation of qi, Shen Qingqiu managed to make him stagger and drop his sword, which fell several steps away from them with a metallic clang.

“Stop moving and help once and for all!” he shouted, even though he knew he couldn't hear him.

Liu Qingge ended up kneeling down suddenly in pain, clutching his head as if he had a sharp headache while coughing up blood.

Shen Qingqiu seized the moment to position himself behind Liu Qingge, bending down and placing his palm on his back to slowly transmit spiritual energy.

When he noticed that Liu Qingge's breathing was improving and his skin was regaining color as the minutes passed, he let go. Ignoring the system notification, he laid him down on a rock.

At least he managed to prevent him from ending up in his original tragedy where he killed him, apart from the fact that Liu Qingge's death was one of the many incidents that started the decline of his reputation and where rumors would begin to circulate more frequently.

Liu Qingge began coughing up blood as he regained consciousness. Noticing his condition, Shen Qingqiu couldn't help but frown.

Liu Qingge noticed Shen Qingqiu sitting in front of him, his eyes narrowed. He didn't look like someone who had just helped him. Liu Qingge tried to summon his sword to attack or prevent Shen Qingqiu from doing anything to him, which ended in another burst of coughing up blood.

“Ugh, stop being an idiot and don't move! Aren't you supposed to be the lord of Bai Zhan Peak? How can you let yourself look so miserable?” Shen Qingqiu yelled at him, throwing a rag he happened to find at Liu Qingge's face.

Liu Qingge looked at him with a frown as he began to remember things. “I'd rather have died than be saved by you,” he muttered, and Shen Qingqiu couldn't help but laugh bitterly at the comment.

“Watch your words, Shidi.” Shen Qingqiu stood up and wiped his robe clean. “Seek medical attention. Don't be so cocky that Bai Zhan's brute might show up dead.”

Liu Qingge, despite the comment, said nothing about it, mostly because his gaze was fixed on Shen Qingqiu's exposed cut, which was bleeding profusely, staining his green robes.

“You're hurt.” He couldn't remember exactly what had happened, but had Shen Qingqiu really saved him?

“Mind your own business,” hissed Shen Qingqiu, adjusting his robe to cover the cut. Turning around, Shen Qingqiu headed back to the cave where he had been hours earlier to continue his seclusion. Sitting down on the rock again, he tried to direct his energy to the wound, but only managed to heal it a little. After what he thought was enough time, he left the cave.

First, he glanced at the cave where Liu Qingge had been, only to find it empty. Either he had left or simply changed caves.

Upon exiting, he noticed that everything was on fire. The Ling Xi caves were isolated from the outside world, which was why he had not heard the screams or seen the fire and smoke present in the area.

As he thought while looking around, another point in the novel had begun: the demonic invasion was happening.

When they saw him, several disciples from other peaks and from his own peak approached him as if they had just seen salvation. No, rather, they did so because he was the only lord of the summit available who was capable of helping in the situation. Ming Fang was apparently nearby, immediately running towards Shen Qingqiu. Having run and moments before tried to appease the chaos as the senior disciple, his voice was agitated as he spoke. “Shizun, it's good that you came out of seclusion! The demons have invaded our sect and hurt my martial brothers. Shizun, you have to show that we will not be defeated!”

Shen Qingqiu remained indifferent to Ming Fang's words, unfolding his fan to hide the slight grimace of pain from the cut that still hadn't completely healed.

“Calm down, I see no need for alarm. Where is Zhangmen-shixiong?” Some grimaced when they heard the lord of the summit call them exaggerated when several were injured, but they responded nonetheless.

“Zhangmen-shibo has left the mountain on important business,” replied one of the disciples of Wan Jian. “If not, how else would they have been able to attack and invade the sect?”

Shen Qingqiu wanted to roll his eyes at the comment. Yue Qingyuan had told him about this meeting between sect leaders quite some time ago, and now it turned out to be exactly that meeting.

“Liu Qingge?” He should have come out of seclusion before him, so why isn't he there?

“Liu-shishu came out of seclusion one day and went to Qian Cao Peak, but then went back into seclusion.” Shen Qingqiu hummed in acknowledgment.

“They have also broken the rainbow bridges connecting to the other twelve peaks, placing strange barriers that have prevented us from calling for outside help,” Ming Fang said, pushing his way through the crowd to stand close to his Shizun.

Shen Qingqiu certainly knew what was going on. From what he remembered, the demons where there because Sha Hualing just got the title of Saint Demon, he was glad he hadn't forgotten it, as his mind was pure fog at that point. His original memories sometimes become blurred.

“I believe you have been taught not to be cowards in this sect. When the demons come, what you must do is fight and rid the place of the pests. Move, or I will leave you to your fate.” Closing his fan, he shook it, causing the disciples, disheartened by his comments, to begin to follow him like ducklings without a mother.

Due to the plot, coincidentally, all the disciples from the peaks, or the vast majority of them, were in Qiong Ding. Noticing Shen Qingqiu leading a small group of disciples, they did not hesitate to follow him as well.

Shen Qingqiu glanced sideways at the group, finding Luo Binghe already joined the crowd, looking slightly taller than the last time he saw him, brighter than before, and with all his wounds completely healed, showing his youthful aura. Luo Binghe calmed the younger and more fearful disciples around him with words.

Knowing that the protagonist was with him, he headed for the main square where most of the demons were gathered.

In front of the main building of Qiong Ding Mountain, several demons were present for a single demon who differed from the rest.

Sha Hualing, compared to the rest of the demons, came from a race of pure-blooded demons. However, what set her apart the most was the skimpy clothing she wore, as if it were a hot day. She was surrounded by gold jewelry from head to toe. How could she stand to be dressed like that? He assumed it was a demon custom.

Since Sha Hualing was one of Luo Binghe's main partners in the harem, Shen Qingqiu couldn't help but glance sideways at Luo Binghe. At the same time, their eyes met, Shen Qingqiu narrowed his eyes and feigned little interest. Luo Binghe ignored the expression as he focused mainly on the slight, barely noticeable bloodstain that showed through his Shizun's robe.

Ming Fang stood in front of the crowd that was already beginning to gather, shouting at the demons before most even thought to do so. “Arrogant demons, trying to invade our sect when no one was around, now you are reluctant to act in the presence of an immortal. Cowards!”

Some demons, angered by the child's insult, rushed toward him to attack. As Ming Fang was standing next to Shen Qingqiu, his Shizun stepped in and intercepted the demons, using his spiritual energy to lift them up and throw them at Sha Hualing's feet.

Sha Hualing, realizing that her plans had backfired, had to take unexpected measures. "This Saint apologizes for the lack of education. Our people have not climbed this mountain to cause harm. We have simply heard of the prestigious Cang Qiong sect and wanted to come and compete against you and measure our abilities properly.

The proposal sounded reasonable if it weren't for the fact that it was a demon who said it. Apart from daring to enter the sect, which was already a violation of authority, her act of cutting off communication with the other peaks was not a sign of kindness.

“How ‘kind’ of you,” Shen Qingqiu waved his fan in Sha Hualing's direction. “If that were the case, I don't see the need to seek what you call training in the absence of the sect leader or any other summit lord, harming several of our disciples in our absence.”

Sha Hualing bit her lip, thinking of some way to cajole those who opposed her words. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and spoke in a melodious voice. “This must be the renowned Sword Xiu Ya, Lord Shen.” Sha Hualing smiled mischievously, placing one hand on her hip and the other on her chest. "Ling-er is young and unable to manage her subordinates completely. We apologize if we have made a bad impression. We promise to leave once we have accomplished our goal."

If Shen Qingqiu immediately refused to listen to her, it could cause a commotion, and the demons were close enough to the disciples to attack them in revenge. Sha Hualing may maintain a false composure, but the same cannot be said for the rest. For years, humans and demons have maintained a balance that could be broken at any moment. If he didn't do something, the demons would take advantage of this. The best way to handle the problem was to let them continue their game and then attack them later.

“Set your terms.”

Sha Hualing curved her lips into a smile. "A duel between our three best. If we win, the Cang Qiong Sect plaque will be the trophy." The Cang Qiong Sect plaque is as old as the day the sect was founded and named. Apart from the name, the dignity, prestige, and authority of the mountain would be permanently tarnished. For Shen Qingqiu, losing the plaque would be like lowering themselves to mere dogs in the world of cultivation.

Although the system screen stuck to his face like a mite, repeating over and over that this part cannot be evaded, it's not as if it left him much choice but to accept the fight.

Many disciples were frustrated or mocked when they heard Shen Qingqiu accept the demons' suggestion, and the image of the lord of the summit was not the best, with the elders believing that he had been beguiled by the demon's behavior. Shen Qingqiu deliberately ignored the sounds and stepped forward.

The first duel was against the elder demon Dubi. This demon, as his name suggested, had only one arm. “How unoriginal,” Shen Yuan Qingqiu thought some day in the past. “You only have one arm,” he said mockingly, although his expression was unchanging. "Even defeating him in such a way would be seen as unfair and humiliating to the elder.

Sha Hualing laughed. "Ling-er has a solution. How about we amputate one of your arms? Then it wouldn't be unfair, and there would be no advantage!"

Protests were audible upon hearing the demon's suggestion. Shen Qingqiu smiled and closed his fan, placing his arms behind his back and saying, “Why not better—I won't use either hand?” To many, what Shen Qingqiu said was arrogant. Luo Binghe was also shocked when he heard it. How could anyone fight without arms?

Sha Hualing thought Shen Qingqiu had fallen into her trap, smiling gracefully. He was letting her win easily. Why not take advantage of it?

“Since Senior Shen is ready, let's begin!”

The Major Demon rushed toward Shen Qingqiu, trying to take advantage of the opportunity that had been forced upon him. He mocked Shen Qingqiu's stupidity in giving up the use of both hands and was confident in himself. The disciples who were witnessing everything noticed how Shen Qingqiu dodged the attack with a footwork maneuver. Luo Binghe was the only one who noticed how, even with his hands behind his back, his fingers made a symbol at the same time.

The leaves of the trees around them began to tremble, as if someone were shaking them. A slight qi was felt in the air, and at the same time, a moderate amount of leaves began to fall from each tree, surrounding the body of the lord of the peak as if it were a tornado. After one turn, each leaf became sharp as a razor despite its small size. For Shen Qingqiu, gathering the necessary qi for each leaf was not much of a problem; after all, it was something he had been doing since an early age. However, he still had to control himself because his spiritual energy had been drained by Liu Qingge, and he did not want to suddenly faint from lack of it.

Hundreds of leaves swirled in the air, moving alongside Shen Qingqiu. The demon Dubi ignored the leaves, thinking that since they were just simple leaves, he had nothing to fear when attacking. With a single movement, Shen Qingqiu sent the sharp leaves toward the demon, causing several cuts and lifting him into the air before he fell back down. He targeted the demon's weak points to delay its attack.

Luo Binghe couldn't help but rejoice silently as he watched his master's skills and knew that this was not his full potential. The others around him were left speechless with shock; no master at the top had such skills. Many thought that using stronger things was better, but those simple blades had been able to immobilize a demon in a matter of minutes.

With the blades at the demon's neck, coupled with the threat of clear decapitation, despite the public humiliation, the demon had to retreat and rejoin the rest of the demons. Sha Hualing's smile at seeing him lose was obviously fake.

“I see that Master Shen won this time, we can't let only one person participate in the three duels.” Sha Hualing walked forward. “I will be the representative for the second duel.”

Shen Qingqiu looked at the scene in front of him, it was obvious that Sha Hualing didn't think he would use his power to fight her. And although he didn't care much, it was better to follow her lead.

“You have heard what she said. Who will take on this heavy burden?” After speaking, a disciple from the Xian Shu summit stepped forward from the crowd. Liu Mingyang volunteered to fight Sha Hualing. Nodding his head in approval, Shen Qingqiu watched as the two began to fight, although it looked more like a dance than a fight.

After several sticks of incense, Liu Mingyang ended up losing. Looking dejected by the defeat, she approached Shen Qingqiu. “This disciple has lost. I ask that Shen-shibo punish this disciple for failing on behalf of the sect.”

"No one else came forward to accept the mission. You were the only one who accepted the responsibility of fighting a higher-level demon. Don't feel bad about your defeat and learn from it."

Liu Mingyang nodded. Sha Hualing, knowing she had won a round, laughed delicately. “This last round will decide the winner. I wonder who Senior Shen will send,” Sha Hualing smiled. “I hope he chooses carefully.”

Shen Qingqiu clearly knew who to choose.

Chapter Text

After Sha Hualing spoke, Shen Qingqiu fixed his gaze on Luo Binghe. The boy hadn’t noticed this, since, like the rest of the disciples, he was staring at the demon that had emerged from the crowd.

The demon was enormous—three meters tall, at a glance. Clearly, absolutely no one wanted to go and face that massive beast.

But Shen Qingqiu didn’t care about others’ opinions, much less whether they were afraid; it wasn’t as if he were going to choose them.

“Who will be the brave warrior to take on the third trial?” Sha Hualing’s voice was loud enough for everyone to hear, melodious and insincere as always.

“Out of my great mercy toward you mortals, I will warn you of the danger posed by the spikes on Major Sky Hammer Tianchu’s armor: they are coated with a poison that is extremely toxic to humans, though ineffective against demons. If it enters the human body, there is no cure whatsoever.”

Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes discreetly upon hearing the name; the author of the novel really didn’t bother to come up with a good name or acceptable subplots, but in other aspects, it was miserable.

Although Shen Qingqiu said nothing, a disciple from another peak did not remain silent regarding Sha Hualing’s comment.

“Damn demons, liars, and dishonorable creatures! How can you say it’s acceptable to use poison in the middle of a fight!”

Shen Qingqiu paid no attention to the argument the two were having; after all, it wasn’t physical. Besides, it’s not as if either of them was going to fight that demon, who was already poised in the ring and eager to fight humans who lacked the ability to kill him— without taking in consider him.

Glancing briefly to his side, he noticed Luo Binghe with a furrowed brow and clenched fists. “Luo Binghe, come here.” Immediately, the boy’s expression shifted so quickly from worried to relieved that he was grateful. Though he couldn’t say it out loud.

The other disciples of Qing Jing Peak who were behind Shen Qingqiu were puzzled by the choice, for of all those present—who at the very least looked strong enough to withstand a few blows—their Shizun had decided to choose the one no one noticed. To the other outer disciples, it didn’t seem like a big deal, since, not knowing how Shen Qingqiu taught his disciples, they might end up thinking that the disciple he chose was strong. Though they were mistaken in that thought.

Ming Fang was the first to react, though a little fearful, and spoke up. “Shizun… I don’t think it’s the best choice to send this little—  to Luo-shidi to the front.”

“Really?” Shen Qingqiu said. “So, are you going to go in his place?” Upon hearing his master’s words, Ming Fang shook his head several times, preferring to take a step back and keep his opinions to himself.

“Shixiong might be right… he might tarnish the summit and make us lose face,” Wen Li mentioned in a low voice.

Shen Qingqiu hummed upon hearing this; he knew that rather than bring dishonor to the sect, it would be better for him to give him another Qi deviation and die. He chose Luo Binghe for a reason; with his protagonist aura, he didn’t think anything would happen to him. But it wouldn’t hurt to give his little lamb some support.

“Death won’t be the worst punishment he could face.” He didn’t say it that loudly, of course not, but it was loud enough for Luo Binghe to hear.

Ning Yingying suddenly clung to Luo Binghe’s arm like a leech, repeating over and over that she didn’t want him to go, just as the twins insisted to Shen Qingqiu that he shouldn’t send Luo Binghe into the thick of the fight.

Shen Qingqiu looked at both of them with narrowed eyes. “I said, Luo Binghe will represent us. Whether he likes it or not. Yingying, let go of him, and the two of you, stop insisting.” Seeing that their Shizun’s words showed no sign of changing, Ning Yingying and the twins grew frustrated. Ning Yingying let go of Luo Binghe and whispered something in his ear before leaving with the twins. None of the three wanted to witness the boy’s tragic end.

Once released, Luo Binghe approached his master at a slow pace, speaking sincerely, “Shizun, this disciple will accept being the sect’s representative and promise not to tarnish the name. “This Luo Binghe has no spirit weapon—are you sure, Shizun?” Luo Binghe really hadn’t expected to be chosen, but his Shizun must have chosen him for a reason, right?

His Shizun clicked his tongue slightly, tucked the fan into his belt, and swiftly summoned his spirit weapon, which he hurled at Luo Binghe’s chest as if it were nothing. Luo Binghe was perplexed. His master’s spirit weapon! How could he entrust it to someone like him?

“Are you just going to stand there dumbfounded like a mule, or are you going to move?” Hearing his Shizun’s words, Luo Binghe thanked him repeatedly and ran toward the center.

When the demon saw him, he couldn't help but laugh, for he didn't believe that someone as small and scrawny as Luo Binghe could stand up to him. Luo Binghe didn’t lose heart; he drew the sword, which synchronized with him and accepted him as its wielder. Even though he wanted to shout with excitement (since his master’s sword, a spiritual blade, could have rejected contact with him) it had accepted him as its user! He didn’t do it.

When the demon and the boy began to fight, many thought Luo Binghe would be one of those cultivators who, despite their physique, were remarkably strong, merely hiding it behind a facade of weakness—but that wasn’t the case. That boy (Luo Binghe) really had no strength at all; the demon didn’t even have to move, as Luo Binghe would attack and immediately fall to the ground, over and over again.

“Was he really the best choice?” someone muttered.

“I don’t think it’s worth continuing if he’s just going to get crushed,” someone else commented.

Shen Qingqiu said nothing on the matter; pulling out his fan, he covered half his face and feigned indifference. Luo Binghe ended up getting knocked down a few meters from his Shizun, who, seeing Luo Binghe looking more gaunt than he’d ever seen him before, couldn’t help but show his displeasure. “I’ve been lenient with you. Stop making a fool of yourself."

His Shizun was right. All those months, the cultivation book, the time he could now use to improve—he had improved, he had done it. His Shizun had chosen him to win, had called him to the center to fight that demon. He must win for his Shizun! He promised himself he would improve to prove he was strong and better, that he deserved his Shizun’s approval. Luo Binghe has no intention of losing! Everyone is watching; everyone (or at least the vast majority) trusts him.

The demons watching him laughed at him, urging him to accept defeat, which would never come. Well, Luo Binghe had studied those books for a reason. He kept attacking again and again; even if they knocked him down or threw him, he wouldn’t give in to defeat. Luo Binghe began to move in greater sync with the weapon he carried; Xiu Ya began to move more easily, his steps grew more agile, and his speed began to increase.

He noticed that the demon was mainly defending the areas with the fewest spikes. Luo Binghe realized this when he began to truly focus on his opponent; upon understanding this, he started attacking more carefully, using his limited spiritual energy to launch various attacks. And even though no one believed it, he was succeeding! Luo Binghe attacked with greater ferocity, using the size difference to his advantage, striking wherever he could, until the demon finally cornered him; unaware that it was a trap. Using energy in his palm, he sent the demon flying, causing it to crash into the wall on the other side.

A fourteen-year-old boy managed to defeat the demon that had appeared so strong.

Luo Binghe emerged from the center of the square with a big smile; several disciples surrounded him and began to congratulate him, just as the girls ran to hug him upon seeing that he wasn’t dead.

“A-Luo! You’re still in one piece! I thought I’d only find an arm! We were worried!” Ning Yingying said, shaking his body several times. The girls nodded in unison, but they were mainly focused on one thing.

“Is that Shizun’s sword?” Xiao Li asked. Ning Yingying nearly fainted upon hearing Xiao Li’s remark.

“You used his sword! He never even let me touch it!” she shouted, staring at it from a distance. “See, if you can get close to him… eh, A-Luo?” Ning Yingying murmured more quietly.

“I still can’t believe it,” Luo Binghe remarked.

Shen Qingqiu, for his part, was speaking in a passive-aggressive tone to Sha Hualing. For some reason, she didn’t want to leave now that she’d been defeated, and Shen Qingqiu was already itching to start killing the demons to see if a threat would help them remember they were intruders. “I’m quite impressed by your disciple’s talent,” she said. To which Shen Qingqiu did not respond. “We’ll take that as our cue to leave.” Despite this, Sha Hualing launched into a tirade against the demon for losing. Shen Qingqiu paid it no mind, heading toward where the disciples were gathered. Upon seeing him, they scattered slightly until only those from Qing Jing Peak remained near him.

Luo Binghe immediately turned around, smiling so broadly it would blind anyone. “This disciple is grateful for the help offered.” Holding the sword with both hands, he returned it to its original owner. Shen Qingqiu pulled a cloth from his robe and carefully wrapped it around the sword, wiping away the dirt and dust clinging to it; he would have to clean it more thoroughly later. Upon returning to its owner, Xiu Ya shifted to a brighter hue with greenish undertones at the tip.

Shen Qingqiu put Xiu Ya away again.

“Good,” was the only comment Shen Qingqiu made, and despite the brevity of the remark, Luo Binghe smiled as if he’d been praised. Luo Binghe hadn’t been paying attention to his surroundings, and due to his distraction, the boy didn’t notice the threat behind him.

Shen Qingqiu had been watching the demon’s every action, movement, and expression. He knew that the vast majority of demons were beings with malicious hearts. He had noticed the flash of light in Elder Sky Hammer’s eyes from the very moment he was defeated.

The demon, Elder Sky Hammer, lunged forward, drawing his weapon in a single swift motion. Due to the demon’s massive size, he quickly closed the distance between himself and Luo Binghe, who had his back turned.

Luo Binghe’s wounds were still fresh, and his movements were sluggish from exhaustion in the fight. It was quite easy to land a critical blow on the boy.

Shen Qingqiu, in a movement as swift as a flash of light, appeared in Elder Sky Hammer’s path. Using his fan, he struck the demon’s neck. Elder Sky Hammer collapsed in seconds, his entire body immediately falling unconscious. Shen Qingqiu grabbed him with his hand and proceeded to hurl him into the horde of demons, where he crashed to the ground.

Shen Qingqiu smiled, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. The disciples from other peaks wouldn’t have thought the Lord of the Summit was so angry, had it not been for the reaction of Qing Jing’s disciples, who immediately backed away upon seeing their master’s expression.

“My disciples under my tutelage are not ones that you demons can use as a mockery (though you already did so with Luo Binghe… but he is another case). Accept your defeat as you should and do not display your shame or tarnish your meager honor in this manner.”

Faced with the cold, cutting words of the Lord of Qing Jing Peak, the demons were left speechless. Shen Qingqiu turned his gaze toward Luo Binghe, ignoring the whispers that began to rise behind him.

Luo Binghe noticed how his master glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, focusing solely on him. Barely noticing the demon now lying on the ground, who had wanted to attack him by surprise.

Luo Binghe acknowledges that his Shizun isn’t that, that cold and cruel… aside from being a man of few words, calling him by nicknames… which they’re starting to like. Hitting him with his fan. But! He doesn’t leave him cut up with the whip he hasn’t seen in months! Still, his Shizun stood in front of him, saving him from being killed.

Unless Shizun doesn’t like the idea that someone like him wants to kill him, and the change he’s undergone all these months is just a charade…

Luo Binghe knows that his Shizun doesn’t hate him as much anymore! And he’s happy with that, besides, it’s not like he treats him much differently from the others…

Shen Qingqiu glanced at him sideways. “Pay attention to your surroundings, you foolish beast.”

Luo Binghe nodded several times. “Thank you very much, Shizun, for your help.”

Luo Binghe’s words were soft and melodious, as if he were a scolded little white lamb; he was cute… and sometimes he wondered why he treated him so badly without realizing it… Shen Qingqiu ignored his inner thoughts and turned his gaze to Sha Hualing.

“Miss Sha, discipline must be enforced among your subordinates. If they cannot bear defeat, what reason do I have to hold you in high regard?”

Sha Hualing,judging by the expression on her face clearly had no idea about the subsequent events or Elder Sky Hammer’s attack. She was about to utter a few words of a proper apology when something no one had anticipated happened.

Elder Sky Hammer, who had been lying motionless on the ground, surprisingly stood up and began running toward Luo Binghe with his arms outstretched, as if he wanted to give him a deadly hug with the spikes on his armor.

Shen Qingqiu was aware of Luo Binghe’s protagonist aura, but he couldn’t let him be impaled by the armor in front of everyone! What if his mark were to be broken?

Acting almost unconsciously, Shen Qingqiu summoned Xiu Ya with a seal, lunging forward while pushing Luo Binghe behind him.

Xiu Ya moved with agility, despite the speed of the attack. He went straight for the exposed neck; with his free hand channeling his spiritual energy, several leaves turned into blades. Because of their thinness, they slipped through the gaps in the armor, cutting from the inside.

The demon, mowed down by vengeance, did nothing but keep trying to move forward, the blades slicing through every part, tearing flesh and bone. Meanwhile, Shen Qingqiu made sure it wouldn’t get any further.

In an instant, the demon’s head began rolling across the ground, along with the armor, falling with a thunderous metallic clang onto the pool of blood that gushed out of every hole.

The only part of the demon left intact was its head.

Everyone fell silent; it had taken only three minutes.

Three minutes in which Shen Qingqiu turned a three-meter-tall demon into nothing but liquid.

Luo Binghe watched it all in a state of shock. At some point, he ended up falling to the ground; every movement and action performed by his Shizun left him speechless.

The whir of a sword filled the air; the blade decapitated all the demons in front, nearly causing Sha Hualing to meet the same fate.

After a brief moment of silence, Qiong Ding Peak roared with joy.

“Lui-Shishu!”

“Lui-Shishu has come out of seclusion!”

“We're saved!”

Shen Qingqiu frowned upon noticing this; Liu Qingge was showing up now that he had taken care of everything. What a god of brutes!

Liu Qingge ended up driving the demons off the mountain; Sha Hualing, realizing she was at a disadvantage, took the opportunity to flee the scene.

Shen Qingqiu clicked his tongue. “I see that seeing your appearance was more important than helping your Shixiong at a crucial moment.”

“You…” Liu Qingge, despite the reproach, didn’t say a word to defend his delay. “You treated those demons with too much hospitality, Shen Qingqiu!”

“Stop being so reckless for once and think about the consequences! I don’t teach wild animals to attack without thinking like others do!”

If I had attacked immediately, the demons would have injured the lower-ranking disciples! Idiot! Can’t Liu Qingge understand that?

“Stop yelling at me! I only helped to make up for what happened in the Lin Xi Caves!”

"I don’t need any compensation!

“ Shizun…” said Luo Binghe, approaching where his Shizun was fighting.

“Shut up!” Luo Binghe stepped back.

Shen Qingqiu hadn’t taken into account that almost all his spiritual energy had been drained, from giving Liu Qingge a large portion of what he’d gained from his Qi deviation, the first round of the fight against the demons, and having to save the little beast from dying…  the cut. Shit.

He had pushed his body to its limit.

Liu Qingge looked as if he was about to say something to Shen Qingqiu, but he shut his mouth when he saw the sect scholar start coughing up blood and suddenly fall to his knees.

“Shizun!” Luo Binghe rushed forward, trying to use his own body to cushion the fall, noticing how, as he coughed up blood with such force, his green robes parted and the wound he had seen became evident.

“Don’t touch me…” his Shizun murmured, moments before collapsing unconscious into his arms, and though a tiny part of Luo Binghe was happy to have him there, the rest of his mind knew this was no time to think such a thing.

“I’ll go find Mu-Shishu!” Ming Fang shouted, cutting off in the opposite direction. The other disciples of Qing Jing Peak formed a wall, keeping any onlookers from other Peaks at bay.

Liu Qingge knelt down beside Luo Binghe; the boy carefully laid his Shizun on the ground, mentally scolding himself for leaving him there without placing something under his head. He stood up and took his place in the small formation.

Liu Qingge began to channel spiritual energy, placing his palm on Shen Qingqiu’s forehead.

“It was my fault,” Luo Binghe murmured.

“It wasn’t—not entirely…” Ning Yingying replied.

Shen Jiu was crouched in a corner of the Qiu mansion, after Qiu Jianluo had beaten him. A month had already passed since Qi-ge’s promise, and that was the only thing keeping him from whimpering or uttering a single word when Qiu Jianluo arrived.

The first day after they bought him, they had simply thrown him into the room just as they found him, covered in dirt and grime. They never let him out, and his food was nothing more than the scraps the dog of Jianluo threw his way.

It didn’t take long for Qiu Jianluo to see the state he was in, and since Shen Jiu was a prized possession for Qiu Haitang, he wouldn’t allow him to remain that way. “My little mei can’t get her hands dirty with you,” he had said at the time.

They had dragged him to the other side of the mansion; as he was being pulled, he could see and make a brief mental map of everything. It was better to be cautious. They took him before some guards standing in front of a strange door; upon receiving the order to wash him, they grabbed Shen Jiu and scrubbed him so vigorously they nearly stripped a layer of skin off him. When they were done, they dragged him back to the study where he was being held captive.

Shen Jiu was shivering from the cold; his skin stung, and he hated having his hair wet. Qiu Jianluo looked him up and down. His gaze annoyed Shen Jiu, but knowing his position, it was easier for him to keep a straight face.

“Can you write?” asked Qiu Jianluo.

“A few characters,” Shen Jiu replied in a low voice almost immediately.

Upon hearing his answer, Qiu Jianluo moved around the studio, pulling out a sheet of paper and slamming it down on the desk. He placed a brush and some ink beside it.

“Try writing them.”

Shen Jiu reluctantly picked up a jade brush, moving his wrist several times until he was sure he was doing it correctly, dipped it in the ink, and put it to the paper. He thought for a long time about what to write until he wrote the character for “seven” and, next to it, the one for “nine.” They didn’t look perfect, and he wasn’t sure if he’d written them correctly, but seeing no reaction from Qiu Jianluo, he assumed he’d done it right.

“Where did you learn that?” asked Qiu Jianluo.

“I saw someone writing,” replied Shen Jiu.

In reality, Shen Jiu had no idea how to write; he simply copied the patterns he remembered seeing once from one of the slave traders when they were counting them. Qi-ge was the one who really knew more about that… though it wasn’t as if he’d ever paid attention when Qi-ge tried to teach him. But he’d managed to fool Qiu Jianluo, who was left speechless.

“You have a certain talent. If you put your mind to studying, you could go far, little Jiu.” Qiu Jianluo had mimicked the tone of his family’s former tutor, praising the boy. To Shen Jiu, the tone and manner of speaking were nothing more than a terrible mask of deception; it conveyed no joy whatsoever and didn’t sound genuine.

At that time, Shen Jiu had learned that Qiu Jianluo was sixteen, three years older than Shen Jiu. Qiu’s parents had died in an accident, and he was the one who, at eighteen, would inherit everything.

Qiu Haitang was Qiu Jianluo’s beloved and cherished sister; she was the darling of the Qiu family. Qiu Jianluo was the perfect older brother to her, and he had hoped his sister would never marry, but now that he had bought Shen Jiu, his plans had taken a turn.

His little Mei really liked Shen Jiu; if the brat received a proper upbringing, Qiu Jianluo could turn him into just another brother-in-law. It was an excellent idea, since he’d gain the benefit of his sister always staying by his side, and he could continue to have fun with Shen Jiu. As long as he didn’t cause any trouble and remained obedient and honest with him.

“Xiao-Jiu, look, this dress would look pretty on you. Plus, we can play tea party together! Don’t you think that’s a good idea?” Qiu Haitang spoke as she pulled several of her clothes out of her closet, tossing each one on the floor as if they were worthless. Shen Jiu picked up the clothes and placed them on a nearby chair, arranging them carefully so they wouldn’t get wrinkled.

Shen Jiu hadn't answered the girl's question, and she didn't really care much about it either. She had probably already forgotten about it. “Xiao-Jiu, come here. You have to look your best for our tea date!” She already knew that Shen Jiu would be her new fiance; ever since she found out, the girl had been happier than usual. “My brother’s clothes wouldn’t fit you. I don’t think he’d let you wear them anyway, so mine will do.”

The girl had grabbed him and told him to go get dressed. Since Shen Jiu was malnourished, the clothes fit him well, much to his chagrin. When Qiu Haitang saw him, she beamed with joy, grabbing him to put on “makeup” and then style his hair. No matter how ridiculous he looked, he didn’t say a word about it, playing along with the girl.

After a while, Qiu Haitang had grown bored of the tea party. It was already late, and Qiu Haitang hadn’t come to bother them. That puzzled Shen Jiu. “Xiao-Jiu, will you stay with me tonight?” the girl asked.

“Yes…”

After a while, he was crushed by her weight beside him. It didn’t bother him, though he preferred to sleep alone. But still, if he found himself next to the little girl from the Qiu mansion, he wouldn’t mind.

His so-called lessons with Qiu Jianluo continued periodically. When the heir to the house wasn’t around, Shen Jiu usually played with Qiu Haitang. At those times, she would take him by the arm and show him around the mansion; moments like these helped him get his bearings in case he ever needed to.

Qiu Haitang led him toward the kitchen; on the way, she had come across that door again, only this time, since it was daytime, there were no guards there. Her curiosity got the better of her. “What’s in there?” Shen Jiu asked.

The girl turned and looked at the door before stepping forward, taking Shen Jiu with her. “My brother says it’s for employees who misbehave. Although I’ve never seen anyone in there, they always treat me well. Why would my brother want a place like that?”

Shen Jiu nodded as he listened, turning his gaze forward. Upon reaching the kitchen, some maids approached Qiu Haitang, asking what the young lady was doing there and if she needed anything, blatantly ignoring Shen Jiu. Though he preferred that to them taking notice of anything he might do in that place.

“We’ll use the kitchen for a while while Ge is away,” the girl replied. The maids looked at each other, responding that if she needed help with anything, she shouldn’t hesitate to ask. When they walked away, Qiu Haitang asked Shen Jiu, “Do you know how to cook?”

“No,” Shen Jiu replied.

Despite his answer, she didn’t get upset; she told him they would make some buns and a sweet treat for Qiu Jianluo. Reluctantly, Shen Jiu ended up agreeing.

It all ended in a disaster, since the girl didn’t know how to use an oven properly either; she was messy and left flour scattered all over a cabinet. Shen Jiu was trying to figure out how to fix everything before they were discovered, but it was obvious that it was no use. Qiu Jianluo had stormed into the room, and instead of looking at his sister, he looked at Shen Jiu.

“Gege!” Qiu Haitang threw herself at Qiu Jianluo, who welcomed her with a hug. “Look, I made you a dessert!”

Qiu Jianluo smiled at her. “Thank you, my Tang-er, but I need to talk to Xiao-Jiu.”

“Why?” the girl asked innocently.

“I’ll tell you tomorrow.”

Shen Jiu didn't say a word; he just let himself be dragged into the study.

Qiu Jianluo insulted him several times; the days when he hadn't hit him came to an end there.

“Who told you that a filthy dog like you could touch anything without my permission? I see you’re getting pretty bold when I’m not around. It’s not like you’re improving, not even in your studies, huh, my little Jiu?” Qiu Jianluo laughed.

“Haitang said—”

“Don’t drag my sister into this, you filthy rat!” After yelling at him, Qiu Jianluo slapped him, causing Shen Jiu to bite his tongue to keep from making a sound.

Qiu Jianluo didn’t stop there; he hit him several times until he ended up on the floor, kicking him repeatedly in the stomach.

“Let’s see how long you can last without saying a word.” He grabbed Shen Jiu by the neck and slammed him against the wall. Shen Jiu growled and gasped, trying to break free from the grip.

Qiu Jianluo smiled; Shen Jiu spat out the blood that had pooled in his mouth.

“You’ll take that back.”

Soon after, Shen Jiu found himself on the floor, in a corner of the room. His arms were wrapped around his legs as he tried not to think about anything. The only thing he was certain of was that he couldn’t trust Qiu Haitang; it would only lead to more beatings and other forms of punishment.

When Shen Qingqiu woke up, he felt slightly dizzy; he felt terrible and would have preferred to keep sleeping. He knew he was in Qing Jing, as the white curtains above his head, combined with the silence, meant he was in his quiet, peaceful residence.

Taking a deep breath, he prepared to get up when he noticed the door opening and someone entering his room.

Ming Fang was carrying a tray in both hands. Seeing that Shen Qingqiu was awake, he set the tray down on the table and began to shout. “Shizun is finally awake!”

Another person could be glimpsed standing in the doorway; Luo Binghe looked as if he wanted to enter but didn’t.

After calming down, Ming Fang grabbed a few sheets from the bed that were in a corner; turning around, he noticed Luo Binghe was still in the same spot. “What are you doing standing there? Can’t you see Shizun needs some peace, and all you’re doing is causing a visual disturbance?” he scolded Luo Binghe. Turning to his master, he said, “I don’t know what’s wrong with that kid; he’s been standing there the whole time like a stick. Shizun, if you want him to leave, you just have to tell me.”

Shen Qingqiu shook his head. “If he has something to say, let him speak.”

“I-I’m going to find Mu-shishu, Zhangmen-shibo, and Liu-shishu,” Ming Fang said. “They told me to let them know as soon as you woke up.” As soon as he finished speaking, he hurried out.

Ah, so Yue Qingyuan had already arrived, huh? Who knows how long he’d been asleep for him to have returned. He understood that Mu Qingfang had to come; after all, he’s from the Qian Cao Peak, and it made sense since that peak specializes in everything related to meditation and the art of healing.

Luo Binghe let Ming Fang pass, and even though Ming Fang had left, he remained in the same spot.

“If you have something to say, come in before I regret my words.”

Upon hearing his Shizun, Luo Binghe entered the room, stopping a few steps from the bed, and fell to his knees. Luo Binghe looked up at the stern expression on his Shizun’s face.

“Shizun, please forgive this disciple for his stupidity and ignorance up until now,” Luo Binghe said. “Honestly, at first this disciple thought Shizun didn’t care about him, but after the third round and the events that followed, I’ve come to understand everything Shizun has done for me.”

From the moment he entered and stood before the door, Luo Binghe had thought it all through,the fact that without Shizun striking him so many times until he no longer felt the pain, he could not have achieved this; that without his Shizun’s medicine, without the cultivation manual, he would not be who he is today.

“From this day forward, this disciple promises to serve Shizun with all his heart.”

Luo Binghe noticed how his Shizun was silent for a few minutes before a soft “pff” was heard. His Shizun laughed, and the smile he showed was not one of happiness.

“Do it for you? That I was taking you into consideration? What got into you, huh? I see that shed needs some pest control; who knows if this will bring you to your senses, little beast? Or who knows maybe you won't think more at that point” Luo Binghe was perplexed, and no words came out of his mouth. “If you’re going to be so obedient, get out of my sight and think about what you said.”

“S-Shizun, allow me…” Luo Binghe fell silent and stood up from where he had been kneeling. “If you’d like… I made you some congee.” Shen Qingqiu looked at him, and his cruel smile faded.

“Get out.”

He did. He stood up and left the room as he watched Liu-shishu, Zhangmen-shibo, and Liu-shishu enter.

Ning Yingying had been going back and forth to talk to him while he stood there doing nothing; at that moment, she ran upstairs and noticed Luo Binghe standing outside.

“A-Luo? What happened? Has Shizun woken up yet? Did you talk to him?”

“Yes… I… Shizun says he doesn’t care about me and never did.”

“Don’t believe him! I know that’s not true!” the girl retorted. “I’m going to talk to him!”

“You can't, Liu-shishu, Mu-shishu, and Yue-Shibo are inside… I want to be alone right now, Ning Yingying.”

The girl watched as Luo Binghe walked down the stairs; she had never seen him so dejected. What exactly did Shizun say to him?

Chapter Text

“It was a depletion of spiritual energy, which nearly resulted in a deviation of Qi.” Shen Qingqiu remained silent as he listened to Mu Qingfang's words. Given everything that had happened to him, he assumed that was what had caused him to faint.

Mu Qingfang brought with him various medicines and medicinal herbs, which were scattered on the small table a few feet from the bed where Shen Qingqiu lay.

Shen Qingqiu knew that regardless of whether he objected or not, Mu Qingfang would come to examine him; Ming Fang had informed him of this beforehand. He just didn’t understand why Yue Qingyuan and Liu Qingge needed to be there as well.

“Take the medicines daily for a week, and your spiritual energy should return to normal. Don’t overexert yourself, Shen-shixiong.” Shen Qingqiu hummed in agreement.

“Mu-shidi, will the same thing happen to Shen-shidi again?” Yue Qingyuan, who was sitting on the edge of Shen Qingqiu’s bed, asked with concern. Although it wasn’t very obvious to anyone other than Shen Qingqiu, he was the only one who managed to hear the slight change in the sect leader’s voice.

“No, thanks to Liu-shixiong, everything should remain in order.” Shen Qingqiu was surprised to hear Mu Qingfang say that Liu Qingge had helped him. Isn’t that a bit OOC? What’s with that behavior? Although many things could be considered OOC at this point, he didn’t pay it much mind.

“If everything is in order, I invite you to leave my house.” Although his voice sounded somewhat hoarse from not having had anything to drink, the order was clear. Shen Qingqiu found it suffocating to have so many people in the same space, especially unwanted ones.

“You’re even being as aggressive as always even with the help given,” Liu Qingge remarked hastily, sitting in a chair as if he weren’t going to move from there.

“It’s not like you would be different, Liu-Shidi.”

“Isn’t it enough for you to—” Mu Qingfang interrupted Liu Qingge with a cough.

“If Shen-shidi is feeling better, I think he can rest easy now. Whatever you need,Qian Cao peal doors are always open.” After speaking, Mu Qingfang took his leave and departed in silence. Liu Qingge frowned, as if suppressing the urge to say something before changing the subject.

“That disciple of yours has an excellent foundation for cultivation,” Liu Qingge said. “However, many with his ability are invited to the sects every year, so in the end, those who end up excelling are one in ten thousand.”

Shen Qingqiu looked at him with narrowed eyes.

“I see, you were in on it all along and decided to act at the last minute…,” he sneered, and before Liu Qingge could respond, he said, “You’ll see that the disciple you keep talking about will be successful; I don’t raise brutes. Besides, why else would I have chosen him?”

He remembered that passage, the one where Liu Qingge had set his sights on Luo Binghe, and Shen Qingqiu he, to thwart him, ended up choosing the boy. Yes… he thought he’d read it in the novel.

Liu Qingge pursed his lips and looked away.

Yue Qingyuan had gotten up a few minutes earlier to find a teapot in which to brew the medicine. He offered the cup to Shen Qingqiu, who accepted it after a pause, solely because of his current condition.

“I’m glad to hear that Shen-shidi’s condition is improving. I’d like to be kept informed of any developments.” His words were soft and calm, showing obvious concern for Shen Qingqiu. Before retreating silently with a desolate expression. Hah, what was wrong with him? Shen Qingqiu wondered to himself.

Liu Qingge followed him shortly after, since with no one else to start a conversation, the atmosphere felt rather gloomy and uncomfortable.

Shen Qingqiu, realizing he was finally free of all those people, stood up. Leaving the bitter tea on the table, he set off for the kitchen at a leisurely pace. Just as Luo Binghe had said hours earlier, a pot was sitting on the shelf to cool. He didn’t recall giving that boy permission to use his kitchen, but it wasn’t as if he had used it anyway. Luo Binghe had dusted everything off and brought it back to life.

The congee was served in a ceramic bowl, with a few mint leaves scattered on top. It was prepared simply, just enough so that Shen Qingqiu wouldn’t have to strain his body too much at that moment.

He picked up the plate and grabbed a spoon, leaning back against the ledge as he took a bite. To Shen Qingqiu’s palate, Luo Binghe’s cooking was the best thing he could be offered, a magnificent explosion of flavors from something so simple. And no matter how many times he ate what Luo Binghe made, his reaction was always the same.

Shen Qingqiu… doesn’t understand why his reaction was so… spontaneous, natural. The way he laughed, his voice so dry and bitter toward Luo Binghe.

It made him want to vomit just remembering it.

He knows he has to control his behavior, but he didn’t think it would go this far. The memories and flashbacks didn’t exactly help either; they brought it all back so vividly that he got chills just thinking about it.

Luo Binghe, Luo Binghe. Don’t cut this master’s legs off just because you’ve knelt before him. This master promises to find a way to be better to you so you won’t hate him so much.

Shen Qingqiu left the empty plate in the kitchen and headed to his bed, pulling out a novel he’d gotten by taking it from one of his students, and began reading it; it was terrible and awful. Though, as always, he ended up getting interested in it. It was carefully hidden inside a copy of the Daode Jing.

He spent some time like that, trying not to think too much about what was happening around him, until he heard quick but small footsteps running toward where he was. A small head peeked through the door, looking in the direction where Shen Qingqiu was lying. Ning Yingying, noticing that her Shizun was awake, stepped inside.

“Shizun! Are you feeling better now? This disciple was so worried!” Ning Yingying had been waiting outside for a long time; upon seeing the other lords of the peaks finally leave, she dared to enter.

Shen Qingqiu smiled slightly when he saw her. “Yes, you mustn’t worry, Ying-er.”

Ning Yingying smiled broadly, stepped into the room, and walked over to sit on the bed beside Shen Qingqiu. Looking off to the side vaguely, she asked, “Shizun… why are you like this with A-luo?” Her voice was soft and somewhat hesitant, as if she feared that what she said would lead to a scolding. “Do you hate him?”

Shen Qingqiu fell silent upon hearing her. He closed the book he was holding and set it aside, turning toward her and speaking in a calm, serene voice. “I don’t hate him; hate is too strong a word for something like that. Why are you asking me about that boy?”

She had remained silent until she finally replied, “A-Luo is very kind; I don’t like how Shizun treats him.” The girl tried not to look him in the eye.

“I know why I do things, Ning Yingying,” Shen Qingqiu replied.

No, he knows full well that what he’s doing will turn him into a walking corpse. But… wasn’t it his entire childhood that made him stronger? He’d have to come up with another way to make him stronger… but how could he do that without the hardships of youth? In the novel, it was always mentioned that he was so powerful because of his past. And it’s not like he knew any other way, or at least, the novel gives no indication of that. (Or perhaps he simply doesn’t know how to find strength in weakness.) …Though a being without feelings isn’t a very pleasant thought.

Snapping out of his thoughts, he looked around. Warm lights shone through the paper windows; he didn’t know what time he’d woken up or what time it actually was, though the lights and the sounds of the animals were enough to tell him it was already late.

“Ning Yingying, go rest. This master is fine, and there’s no reason to worry.”

“Shizun, let me stay tonight! I’m worried about your health; it’s been a long time since I’ve stayed with you!” Ning Yingying protested, looking at him with a pout.

Shen Qingqiu looked at her and shook his head. “Excuses, Ning Yingying. You’re a grown-up now and should sleep in the disciples’ dormitory. You’re not five years old.”

Thankfully, the system was at his service most of the time. It managed to give him a brief explanation of why Ning Yingying was staying with him. In short, she had been taken in by Shen Qingqiu from a brothel when she was four; because of her age, she had frequent nightmares (Shen Jiu had them) and wouldn’t let the disciples sleep. Shen Qingqiu took her in, and in the girl’s eyes, Shen Qingqiu is her father figure.

Ning Yingying reluctantly agreed; although she was with the twins, she also liked spending time with her A-die. It’s a shame she had to do it so that her Shizun would pay Luo Binghe some attention in a positive way.

She said goodbye to her Shizun and left the house in silence without looking back, lost in her thoughts about her Shizun’s words as she walked along the path. Her Shizun said he knew what he was doing, so he’s probably putting pressure on A-Luo to improve, right? He trusted his Shizun quite a bit, so he would trust his words and not get too involved in their disputes… though he didn’t seem very sure. As she went down the stairs, she came across the cabin where Luo Binghe was forced to sleep with the light on. Out of curiosity, she approached and peeked through a small window.

“A-Luo?!” Ning Yingying hurried to climb through the window; Luo Binghe had his head stuck in a bucket of water. Surprisingly, upon hearing Ning Yingying’s footsteps, he pulled his head out and looked at the girl in a state of confusion.

“What’s going on?” Luo Binghe asked.

“Don’t kill yourself! What’s wrong with you?” Ning Yingying’s eyes filled with tears as she approached Luo Binghe, pulling him away from the bucket. “Why are you doing this? I told you I’d talk to Shizun!” She spoke frantically, as if she’d witnessed a crime.

When Luo Binghe noticed her, he couldn’t help but laugh. “What are you talking about? I… I’m not going to kill myself. I have to prove to Shizun that I’m worthy of his approval by working even harder! I was just training. I can’t afford to be idle.” Luo Binghe really didn’t understand what had caused Ning Yingying’s reaction, much less why she thought he was going to kill himself. How could he give up his life without even being able to tell his Shizun the truth?

“Idiot,” Ning Yingying muttered. Luo Binghe frowned when he heard her insult him. “What kind of silly training is that?”

"The cultivation manual says we must be able to control our five senses. When in the water, we can’t rely on our sense of smell, so we depend on our hearing and sight regardless of the situation.” Although the manual did explain the five senses, it was the note his Shizun had left as a young man; where he wrote about what his master’s former Shizun had put him through, that helped him develop this ability further. For that reason, he had looked for the wooden bucket of water and plunged his head in. He managed to sense Ning Yingying, but he would have to try doing it while fully submerged in water.

“I don't remember reading that,” the girl muttered.

“My manual is special,” Luo Binghe said with pride.

Ning Yingying gave him a dirty look but didn't say anything about it. Instead, she brought up something she thought Luo Binghe would find more interesting. “Shizun told me he does what he does for your own good. Or at least that's what I understood.”

“Did he really say that?” The girl nodded. Luo Binghe didn’t say anything about it. During the demonic invasion, he realized in part that it was because of the beatings he’d endured, the pain had passed, and it didn’t affect him when they threw him into the air. Even though they weren’t beating him anymore, his Shizun’s cold attitude remained the same. Is he doing this so he don’t end up accepting everything too quickly, or simply to make himself seem unapproachable to others? He didn’t understand it, and he no longer felt as bad as he used to. Ning Yingying’s words also cheered him up so much that he hadn’t even realized he was smiling.

“I’m leaving before curfew. Don’t keep doing… whatever it is you were supposed to be doing, A-Luo.” Luo Binghe nodded and let the girl leave. Sleep was already starting to get to him, and after talking to her, he felt even sleepier.

After emptying the bucket and tidying up his space, Luo Binghe lay down on the wooden floor, blew out the candle, and fell into a deep sleep.

Shen Qingqiu had managed to fall asleep shortly after Ning Yingying left. Although he didn’t like sleeping due to the system, the girl’s presence relaxed him enough that he didn’t have much on his mind. He thought it was going to be another nightmare, like the ones he’d had before. But that wasn’t the case. Currently, Shen Qingqiu found himself in the middle of a chaotic void stretching out to the infinite horizon.

Of all the questions swirling in his mind… of all the things that could happen, why had he been brought to this place?! It had been a while since he’d bothered the system, because the only missions he had were to follow a plot that didn’t exist at the moment. He didn’t like to yell, but with the system it was a different story; he was screaming from the depths of his lungs in his mind, “Damn system! Are you online?!”

[The system provides 24-hour service]

“Where am I supposed to be? Or rather, why am I here?!”

[This is a world within a realm of dreams; the answer to the second question is (redacted)]

He clearly knew he was in the realm of dreams; after straining his mind to remember, he immediately knew where he was. “What do you mean the reason he’s there is classified?!”

It took him several breaths to calm down enough so he wouldn’t look like a madman. He really hoped the reason he was there wasn’t what he thought, but after mentally denying it several times, he realized the world wasn’t going to let him rest. In a few seconds, he could see a very familiar figure.

Luo Binghe ran toward him, coming to a stop right in front of him in that vast expanse of space. He looked lost, and upon seeing Shen Qingqiu appear in his field of vision, he immediately approached him, regardless of the consequences.

“Shizun!” Luo Binghe had been trapped in that world ever since he’d fallen asleep; upon seeing Shen Qingqiu, he couldn’t help but feel happy despite everything. He began calling out to him several times.

As soon as Shen Qingqiu set his eyes on him, Luo Binghe fell silent. His Shizun waved his hands a few times, and a fan appeared from the mist. Impressed, Luo Binghe opened his eyes wide. “Shizun?”

Shen Qingqiu covered the lower half of his face. “I heard you already; there’s no need to call me so many times, little beast.”

“As you say, Shizun,” Luo Binghe replied. “How did Shizun end up in this place? Does Master know where we are?”

Shen Qingqiu answered his questions impassively. “This is a world within a dream realm.”

“If that’s the case, why am I here?” Luo Binghe asked again.

Shen Qingqiu muttered something to himself before answering, “Anyone who has been brought to this place can be considered an anomaly, yet your presence is normal,” said Shen Qingqiu. “After all, this is your dream realm.”

“Mine?” Luo Binghe, upon hearing his shizun’s words, was disoriented; taking a step back, he looked once more at the desolate place. “My dream world… does it really look like this?” Luo Binghe really didn’t have much experience with that world. He might have read about it in one or two texts a while back, but all he knew was that it represented the person… How could his be so basic?

Shen Qingqiu gave him a light tap on the head with his fan, catching his attention. “This isn’t an ordinary dream world; someone has manipulated it without your knowledge. The waves of spiritual energy within this dream are strong and unstable. Although this master has for some reason been brought… along with you.” His Shizun made a slight grimace, barely noticeable in the wrinkles that formed around his eyes.

“This foolish disciple regrets having involved Shizun,” Luo Binghe said sheepishly. He had already caused his Shizun enough trouble, let alone dragging him into another one. “Why would someone try to manipulate my dream world? Who would be capable of that?”

Shen Qingqiu replied as if he had anticipated the question. “It’s easy to tell if you paid more attention to your surroundings; the edge of the entire dream world is charged with demonic energy. It’s obvious that the only ones capable of such an act must be demons.”

Luo Binghe wasn’t surprised; demons were vile creatures. He’d noticed that many times before, and knowing that one had tried to torment him made him hate the race even more. “Demons really are detestable.”

“That's not always the case… though the intentions might be the opposite.” Luo Binghe didn't understand his master's words, and Shen Qingqiu didn't care whether he did or not. In truth, Shen Qingqiu didn't want to get involved in this mess he was already forced into; it was Sha Hualing who had manipulated Luo Binghe's dream world. Although she might have had some malicious intentions, deep down her motivation was quite obvious. Naturally, as a supposed future member of the harem, she wanted to win Luo Binghe’s favor. Demons are known for giving those they like a hard time, since for them, if the object of their affection fails those tests, it means they’re useless and don’t deserve a chance. If they die, they’re simply forgotten. Now that Shen Qingqiu remembered more of that part of the plot, he wondered even more why he was there.

“This realm of dreams is different from the rest,” Shen Qingqiu explained. “This realm of dreams has been meticulously constructed; we have to find the core of the illusion to get out of here. And you, little beast, as the one responsible for this, you’ll be the one who has to find it, unless you want to be trapped with no way out.”

“Will Shizun be trapped too?” Luo Binghe asked cautiously.

Shen Qingqiu glanced at him over his shoulder. “You’ll be trapped too.”

Luo Binghe didn’t mind staying with his Shizun forever in a place like this… but he knew his Shizun wouldn’t like it. “…This is all this disciple’s fault.”

“It is. Now let’s find a way to get out of here once and for all.”

Although Shen Qingqiu’s face was impassive and serene as always, inside he was still locked in a battle with the system.

[System Alert: You are currently about to enter a subplot. Please, user, help Luo Binghe defeat Meng Mo’s illusion. Otherwise, a deduction of one thousand points will be made.]

And even though he rarely used the system, things just kept getting worse. A point deduction he didn’t even have, did he really have to do it? Was that even fair!? Ning Yingying was supposed to be in his place instead of him. In the original plot, Ning Yingying was brought into Luo Binghe’s dream world because she was the person he trusted most; that moment was meant to introduce romantic tension for the protagonist. What kind of bug was that? What kind of butterfly effect was this?

“Is Shizun okay?” Luo Binghe asked after a moment, noticing the faint hint of frustration in his Shizun’s expression.

Shen Qingqiu involuntarily tugged at the sleeve of Luo Binghe robe's to pull him closer. “Demons use the pain of the human heart to attack. You must be on guard and vigilant… Don’t let yourself get frustrated so quickly, and don’t be foolish enough to succumb to whatever the demon wants.”

Luo Binghe nodded, while inwardly crying with happiness at the fact that his Shizun was holding his arm. (He hasn’t even touched him.)

“This disciple promises he won’t let Shizun be attacked in this place,” his Shizun looked at him with an indescribable expression.

The two began walking across the scene before them. It was quite chaotic, as if different art styles were mixed together. To Shen Qingqiu, the people he saw in the foreground seemed to be drawn by da Vinci, while the background looked like Picasso’s work. It was strangely intense.

After walking for a long time, a city emerged from the fog. They stopped walking. Luo Binghe looked at his Shizun, waiting for his signal. Shen Qingqiu looked at the city sign. “Let’s go.” As they continued walking forward, Luo Binghe untangled his headscarf. Now he understood why the place felt familiar to him. This was the city where Luo Binghe had spent his childhood as an orphan.

The illusion was terrifyingly realistic. Almost indistinguishable from reality. The city streets, the market stalls, the residences, the shopfronts. Everything was realistic enough to make your hair stand on end. Lit by the light of the lamps, people came and went; from a distance, it looked bustling and lively. Once Shen Qingqiu got closer, he had to do his best to appear indifferent.

The so-called people, who moved as if they were truly alive, were faceless.

It was as if he were in a blurry mass; their features were indistinct, and none of them made a sound. They didn’t really look quite alive; they simply repeated the action of walking from one place to another, and the city was shrouded in a deathly silence.

Luo Binghe had never seen anything like this in his life. “Shizun,” he said worriedly. “What are those things?”

“It is a city created from a nightmare. In the realm of dreams, one can only create inanimate objects like buildings and trees, but not real people. At most, they are speechless monsters. There is only one demon capable of creating something that resembles reality in such a way.”

“A person?”

“Meng Mo.” The name rang a bell for Luo Binghe; at least one of the classes he’d attended had taught him not to ask unnecessary questions. Meng Mo is a famous and brilliant elder among demons. Hundreds of years ago, his physical body was destroyed by divine punishment, but his spiritual energy remained completely unharmed. Since then, he has become a parasite in the dreams of others, subsisting by absorbing spiritual energy and vitality.

Luo Binghe asked no questions, but his eyes involuntarily darted toward the crowd, and he froze for a split second. Noticing the movement, Shen Qingqiu asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Faces!” Luo Binghe blurted out. “Shizun, a moment ago I saw a person with facial structure!”

“Let’s follow them.”

Shen Qingqiu began to follow Luo Binghe to where he claimed to have seen that person, and they ended up in an alley. Luo Binghe was puzzled, and Shen Qingqiu froze beside him.

Inside the alley was a boy, lying on a straw bed, counting some coins on the ground with a tense look on his face. He didn’t notice their presence; it was as if he couldn’t hear a thing. The boy, who Luo Binghe estimated to be over fourteen years old, looked distressed. His dark eyes betrayed his worry. Luo Binghe didn’t know who he was.

“Shizun?” Luo Binghe spoke, turning to ask what they should do or what that was, only to notice that he wasn’t there….or rather, he didn’t look the same. Lowering his gaze almost immediately, Luo Binghe, instead of seeing his Shizun, found himself looking at a kid… who looked exactly like his Shizun. Technically, that boy with dark green eyes, dirty robes, and a somewhat disheveled appearance was his Shizun. Luo Binghe said nothing.

He didn’t think his Shizun would like knowing that Luo Binghe was seeing him in such a state right then. Was this a dream capable of that? Was it the boy in the alley that caused his Shizun to take on this form?

His Shizun, in the form of a boy, turned around and began walking in another direction. “Move.”

“Yes, Shizun.”

They walked until they came upon a few figures; in total, there were five people with distinct features. They appeared to be five young men; the four taller figures surrounded a single one on the ground in a circle, insulting him and shouting at him incessantly: “Little half-breed” and “Bastard.” They didn’t notice the two people behind them.

“It doesn’t look like they see us,” Luo Binghe said. He looked down; his Shizun seemed unfazed by his condition… or at least he was in a trance where he wasn’t aware of what was happening.

“Meng Mo can’t create people out of nightmares, but he wasn’t the one who created these individuals… Little beast, pay attention to their faces.”

Luo Binghe slowly focused his gaze on them. Though his expression didn’t change much, a cold drop slid down his forehead.

“They aren’t illusions created by Meng Mo,” said Shen Qingqiu. “They are real projections from your memory. All Meng Mo does is awaken bad memories to torment your conscience.”

By that point, Luo Binghe wasn’t hearing his Shizun’s words clearly; they were like an echo in the back of his mind. The only thing he was focused on was the scene in front of him. Those four children had cornered the little boy in an alley, he didn’t look to be more than five years old; pushing, kicking, and beating him. The boy covered his head with his hands, curling up on the ground; with so many blows, anyone would think they were driving the child to the brink of death. The children insulted him and humiliated him for being a street urchin.

Luo Binghe’s head was spinning; he felt as if it were splitting in two, for what he was witnessing, that small, fragile child on the ground was a younger version of Luo Binghe himself. And even though none of those supposed memories were supposed to affect him, the eyes of the illusion rested upon him.

“It's an illusion,” Shen Qingqiu repeated. Luo Binghe trembled with rage, unable to do anything. In the blink of an eye, the scene in the alley seemed to shift to another. Now they were in a small room that looked as if it were falling apart; it contained only a bed, a small table with an oil lamp on it, and a small bench.

A woman lay on the bed. Luo Binghe watched silently as the entire scene played out before his eyes. How his kind and benevolent mother always tried to find ways not to be a burden to her son. Where a ten-year-old Luo Binghe offered to go get a bowl of food for his sick mother.

It was just a bowl of congee! Which no one was going to eat! Why wouldn’t they let him get it!?

Luo Binghe burned with rage. As he tried to approach, Shen Qingqiu’s small hand stopped him, and despite its size, it held him back with the same strength. “Don’t fall into the demon’s trap!” he shouted at Luo Binghe.

The scene shifted to a young Luo Binghe begging the chef for a bowl of congee, then jumped to moments after he had joined the Qing Jing Summit, where several of his Shixiong mistreated and attacked him in unison, causing him to lose the jade necklace, his only memento of his mother. The bad memories piled up one after another: the taunts, his suffering, the little help he ever received, the only way to survive it all was to overcome the pain in his heart. However, Luo Binghe wasn’t in his right mind at that moment.

His knuckles cracked as his hand clenched into a fist. Trembling with rage, Luo Binghe was ready to attack the illusion before him.

“Luo Binghe! If you attack the illusion, you’ll be the one harmed!” Shen Qingqiu shouted, realizing how dangerous the situation was becoming.

Luo Binghe attacked head-on, disregarding the gravity of his actions. He didn’t notice that the small Shen Qingqiu had stepped in front of him. With the attack, the entire illusion vanished, returning to the vast empty space.

Luo Binghe’s mind cleared immediately; his gaze went blank, and he was left speechless. His Shizun ,or rather, his little Shizun, was lying there staring at the dark sky. Luo Binghe’s face flushed with embarrassment; he couldn’t believe what he’d just done. Rolling to one side, Luo Binghe tried to help his Shizun up, speaking hastily without thinking. “Why didn’t you hit me back!?”

Shen Qingqiu looked at him with a frown and swatted away the hand that was trying to help him. Standing up on his own, he brushed off his clothes and looked him in the face. “Stupid boy, I was supposed to do that so you wouldn’t hurt yourself. What logic would there be if I hit you back too?”

Luo Binghe felt like crying. “But Shizun is the one who’s injured!” It hadn’t been that long since the demonic invasion, and his Shizun had already fainted because of him. Now he’d gone and attacked him himself? Just put a noose around his neck right now!

Shen Qingqiu looked him in the face, smiling just to annoy him, and said, “How can your cultivation compare to mine? Even a street urchin could do better than you.”

His Shizun’s words contradicted themselves, since in the end he’d ended up knocking him down by accident. But hearing him speak like that put him in a better mood. His Shizun didn’t hold a grudge against him… and once again, he’d tried to help him.