Chapter Text
It was a quiet night on Qingjing Peak. Birds were snoring, the bamboo quietly rustled as the midnight breeze winded down and up their stalks, and only the sound of two people chattering filled the empty expanse of scholarly grace that fell like a blanket onto the peak’s buildings and disciples.
Shen Yuan sighed. He was thankful to the system, for once, because it made it slightly easier to not miss Luo Binghe. Every night, for at least an hour, the system would wake Shen Yuan and Xiang Fei up from their slumber, and before the peak founders knew it, two years had gone by in a flash.
To the martial brothers it had been about a month, and during the time they were awake they had managed to procure the Sun-Moon Dew Mushroom and planted it near Shen Yuan’s statue base. It was surrounded by the spiritual bamboo so it could be fed with his spiritual energy no matter where he was, only needing occasional manual intervention when it wanted a little more.
Shen Yuan had also managed to make peace with Tianlang Jun, a forgotten character mentioned once or twice as Luo Binghe’s father in a few pages, then forgotten entirely by Xiang Fei. They met him when Shen Yuan had to save Zhuzhi Lang from getting stepped on by Xiang Fei, and upon meeting the snake and feeding it his own spiritual energy so it could turn into the handsome young demon general, Shen Yuan took on the task of helping him grow his own mushrooms for Tianlang Jun within the Qingjing Peak soil with spiritual energy so it would grow better than if it had been fed with demonic energy.
And very painfully and awkwardly explaining to Tianlang Jun exactly what had happened to Su Xiyan, he took it… rather emptily. Shen Yuan supposed that Tianlang Jun, being a demon, didn’t understand the feelings he felt, but he knew that he felt them, like an odd numbing feeling, like when you misplace an item and you don’t realise it but you know it’s gone.
Thankfully, it wasn’t all too hard to gain Tianlang Jun’s trust and favour after he had managed to soak the news all in. All Xiang Fei had to do was deliver his couple hundred written novels from within his secret room in the library to Tianlang Jun, and once Tianlang Jun had merrily demanded more, Xiang Fei would write a new one, happy to finally have a super fan!
Xiang Fei would often write one new chapter in the hour he was permitted to be awake by the system, in which all ten thousand or so words could be made into their own scroll, which Zhuzhi Lang delivered for them on a nightly basis.
Thankfully, the two had also managed to cultivate enough points for the system to reveal the original plot line to them. Tianlang Jun, out of pure heartbreak and confusion as to why his beloved Su Xiyan and his child were separated, would try to unite the two realms, his intention being to force the human cultivation realm and demon realm to get along so the tragedy that had befallen his small family would never happen again. It was a bad action raised on good intentions.
Luo Binghe, of course, would stop him with the help of his future love interest. The system didn’t want to say who it was because apparently, “the love interest has not yet fallen for the protagonist,” which Shen Yuan had sneered at.
Who in the mother fucking hell wouldn’t fall in love with the protagonist???
He continued to pester the system to at least give him a clue before the system just slapped him with, “the future love interest is a man.”
Shen Yuan paused.
…A what?
Well, he supposed that could make sense, though he hadn’t heard that a man could’ve fallen into the wife role instead of the cannon fodder role, but he supposed he could make that work. No, but it must be a man on the peak—how else would Shen Yuan repeatedly get those long awaited messages and announcements that Luo Binghe had finally chosen just one person to be with forever!!!
As Shen Yuan was trying to think of a single man on the peak who wasn’t cannon fodder, Xiang Fei, being a lover of BL and anything that had to do with two boys slowly falling in love, cheered in joy! He practically pranced around the still thinking Shen Yuan, repeating, “LETS FUCKING GO!!!! NO HOMO DOES NOT RUN IN THESE GENES!”
Shen Yuan sighed. He did know that before writing Proud Immortal Demon Way, Xiang Fei had been writing quite decent BL stories that had a steady plot and satisfying ending. Some, Shen Yuan could even say, was the best shit he had ever read on that website for web novels. At least he had an expert with him to help with this new love interest thing.
Though Shen Yuan could barely recall Luo Binghe telling him about another disciple that he had met. Or maybe he wasn’t even from this sect, or maybe a demon from the abyss? If there was anyone with half a conscious mind in there, maybe. But he still couldn’t rack his brain to figure out who the hell this mystery guy was.
He could ignore that for now.
He felt his fingers were getting harder to move, closing into a fist, so he grabbed Xiang Fei from the collar to stop him from wandering off the edge of the peak as he rambled on gleefully again.
“It’s time to go.”
Xiang Fei groaned, already sauntering off to the library. Shen Yuan rolled his eyes. He suspected Xiang Fei was gonna take a trip to the Qingjing Peak storage units to steal some ink, but Shen Yuan really could care less whether he got caught or not.
He got on top of his statue base and posed as the system dinged a quiet lullaby in his head as Shen Yuan went to sleep, hoping the protagonist could get wherever he needed to with his special love interest on his own.
The next time he woke up it was in the middle of the day, which was strange. The system never woke Shen Yuan up unless he had to feed the mushrooms a little more energy.
Suddenly, Shen Yuan felt a loud rumble shaking his bones. Shen Yuan couldn’t contact the system; all it said was, “Current event warning! Current event warning! Current event warning! Important things must be said 3 times! An original event of Proud Immortal Demon Way has currently unlocked itself and has come 3 years too early!!”
Shen Yuan looked confused. Event of PIDW? Oh gods—Luo Binghe!!
Shen Yuan ran and ran until he met Xiang Fei, who was searching through the bamboo forest for Shen Yuan. As Xiang Fei slammed into Shen Yuan’s chest, all he could do was look back and forth, stuttering and rambling, “c-cuc-cuc-cu-cucucucuc! Cucumber bro!!! I just saw Binghe!! My son is back and he’s tearing through the fucking peak like a mad man!!!”
Shen Yuan looked furious. Shen Yuan taught Luo Binghe better than this. He walked towards the courtyard of Qingjing Peak, where it seemed the screams were louder and more terrified.
All Shen Yuan could feel was anger and frustration. Didn’t he teach Luo Binghe to be better than this? He knew he said that he is not wrong and he wouldn’t judge, but he assumed that meant Luo Binghe would take the hint and not rage war against the peak and the mostly innocent children and masters inhabiting the place!
Shen Yuan finally reached the courtyard just in time to see Luo Binghe charge in with his sword, about to pierce Yue Qingyuan, who lay distraught on the ground holding tight a writhing Shen Qingqiu right in the chest.
Shen Yuan zipped through the destroyed peak. The polished floor tiles had been almost powdered to dust, the gardens were a mess with demonic beasts feasting on its spiritual energy, and disciples were broken on the ground, crying in pain.
Shen Yuan caught the blade of Xin Mo in between his fingers. He hadn’t seen this sword since he locked it away with his seal deep inside the abyss.
Shen Yuan smiled a calm smile at Yue Qingyuan. God, this was awkward. He knew how much he looked like Shen Qingqiu, and at this point the stares and gasps were getting embarrassing.
He turned to Luo Binghe. His robes had started swaying in a calming motion as he used his words like a sultry flute against Luo Binghe, almost like the snake charmer and the snake.
“Binghe, tell me, what is the meaning of this?”
Luo Binghe looked elated to see Shen Yuan had shown himself. “Sh-shizun!” He dropped Xin Mo and walked towards Shen Yuan, wanting to envelope him in a tight hug.
Shen Yuan stepped back, glaring.
Luo Binghe pouted, making grabby hands towards Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan only scowled even further, which in turn made Luo Binghe look even sadder.
“What the hell is the meaning of this!?!?!” Shen Yuan demanded.
Xiang Fei had managed to catch up and walked towards Shen Yuan, gazing at the scene before him. Realising this wasn’t the best time to talk, he zipped his mouth shut and started helping some of the fallen disciples and masters up.
Shen Yuan spoke up again. “Binghe! I have already asked you once! Don’t make me ask again!”
Luo Binghe nodded and looked almost hurt, like a new puppy being refused the chance to pee on the white carpet.
“Thi-this one wanted to show Shizun his new found power! I didn’t want Shizun to come so soon. I thought that if I had just a little time with shifu Shen, then maybe this one would feel just a little bit better when he gets the justice he deserves.”
Shen Yuan looked back at Shen Qingqiu’s still twitching body and saw that he had blood parasites coursing through his veins and tearing up his organs. He turned back to Luo Binghe and raised his brow.
Luo Binghe, knowing this look, closed his fists and stopped the parasites from raging war against Shen Qingqiu’s guts.
Luo Binghe tried to go in for another hug, but Shen Yuan kept him at a distance.
“SHIIIIZUN~” he whined. “I HAVE SO MUCH TO TELL YOU~”
Shen Yuan could no longer take this before he flicked Luo Binghe’s nose and turned to Yue Qingyuan, now holding the passed out Shen Qingqiu.
“How about we have a talk, Sect Leader Yue?” Shen Yuan said as he piped up with newly restrained vigor to rap his fan against Luo Binghe’s head.
Despite meaning it as a question, understanding that this shock of his precious Shen Jiu being beaten to a pulp despite no one having touched him must’ve hit Yue Qingyuan hard, Yue Qingyuan didn’t take it that way and treated it as a demand.
“O-oh, of course!” he said rather rapidly.
As he stood and carried Shen Qingqiu with him, Shen Yuan took Xiang Fei by the collar, then Luo Binghe by the robe.
Xiang Fei was better with words than Shen Yuan was. Shen Yuan knew that, and he needed to calm down the rapidly increasing stress of Yue Qingyuan just in case something goes wrong.
All five of them then walked to the tea house.
When they sat, Shen Yuan and Xiang Fei positioned themselves off to one side of the table, sipping tea as calmly as they could, meanwhile arguing with their own systems inside their minds.
Luo Binghe had his back completely turned to Yue Qingyuan, trying to speak to Shen Yuan. Yue Qingyuan sat at the head of the low table, and Liu Qingge had managed to sneak inside, sitting beside Luo Binghe, already almost drawing out his sword just in case.
Xiang Fei slammed his tea cup onto the table, causing the porcelain cup to crack and tea to spill, a habit he had grown used to doing. Due to his looks being not very strict or demanding of attention, everyone looked at him except Shen Yuan, who loved letting Shang Qinghua do the work for him.
“I apologise, everyone, but I’d like the attention of the room,” he cheerfully pressed. “But regarding me and my martial brother’s identities, I am Sect Founder Xiang Fei, and this one next to me is Sect Founder Shen Yuan. If you’d like proof of our status, please raise your hands.”
The sect leader and war god both raised their hands.
Shen Yuan smiled and just summoned his sword, Wan Jie, Ten Thousand Tribulations, and Xiang Fei transformed his famous calligraphy brush into Sui Ming, Shatter Reputation. Two of the three that created and raised Qingjing Peak from pebbles to mountains.
“Enough proof?” Xiang Fei challenged.
No one spoke, except Luo Binghe, who threw away Xin Mo once more to cradle Wan Jie.
Shen Yuan had to hold back another scowl but smiled anyway.
“What the fuck are you fucking doing with your legendary sword!?!!!??!?!” Shen Yuan had to fight the urge to yell.
Xiang Fei had managed to calm the two immortal masters down enough to fully convince them about their origins and why they were still alive instead of ascending to godhood.
Meanwhile, Shen Yuan had quietly dragged Luo Binghe outside to talk to him privately, meanwhile Luo Binghe was looking quite happy with himself!!! He finally got his precious master all to himself!
As they reached a silent spot near the tea house that had no servants, masters, or disciples that could possibly hear, Luo Binghe bent down his head and looked up at Shen Yuan.
Shen Yuan tilted his own. “What?”
Luo Binghe pouted for what felt like the hundredth time just that second. “This one wanted a pat from Shizun.”
Shen Yuan scoffed indignantly with an almost offended chuckle. “Does little Binghe think that he deserves a reward so grand?”
Luo Binghe, to Shen Yuan’s amusement, nodded with passion flaring in his eyes. This little brat did think he deserved such a prize!?!?
Shen Yuan now knew he had to teach this ungrateful brat a lesson!
“Binghe! You mustn't go around hurting people like that!” Shen Yuan scolded.
“But Shizun! You said you wouldn’t care!!”
“I know I said I wouldn't care! But hurting a needless amount of other people is something I do not agree with!” he retorted, making sure to reinforce it with a hit on the head with his fan.
Shen Yuan sighed, decided to go on a kinder approach. “Look, Binghe, you hurt a lot of people today. You hurt innocents and bystanders. Some people who were just here to deliver items for the sect were heavily injured today.”
He paused, trying to think of his next words. “This master understands that you have been hurt. You were scorned, and you deserve retribution, but inflicting it on others will not bring peace into your mind, especially with Xin Mo feeding off the pain and hurt of others. He will only try to influence you to give up more for the sake of your sanity.”
Luo Binghe nodded, trying to understand. “But-but they still hurt me! They ignored me, hey hey! They turned a blind eye! When I was hurting! When I was left alone! They refused me!” he defended.
Shen Yuan nodded. “This master understands Binghe’s intentions, but still, what about their situations? Do you think mere disciples or lower peak lords could’ve refused the will of the Qingjing Peak?”
Luo Binghe shook his head.
Shen Yuan smiled and finally gave Luo Binghe the pat he had been waiting 2 years for and watched as the boy’s eyes lit up in jubilance.
Shen Yuan rolled his eyes and reverted his attention to the window that peered into the tea house. It seemed Xiang Fei was satisfied, which meant the meeting was over. Shen Yuan relaxed at the fact that this ordeal was over.
Suddenly, he felt an arm wrap around his waist as he was lifted off the ground, then onto a flying sword. Luo Binghe started to fly away.
Shen Yuan, still not willing to let go of his martial brother, shot another glare Luo Binghe’s way, and Luo Binghe instantly flew back and hooked Xiang Fei’s robe collar onto the hilt of Xin Mo as they flew.
Shen Yuan already knew where they were going. They were going to the Huan Hua Palace Sect.