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Chapter Text

The first time when Shen Qingqiu have seen a ghost is upon his first day in the Qiu Manor.

Shen Qingqiu does not have the ability to see ghosts-or so he believes-because if he have always had that ability, he would have seen countless ghosts already just by living on the streets.

But Shen Qingqiu does not.

So when he was dragged in that Manor, he stares up at its structure, and he can only imagine how much food would he have been able to afford with all the money spent on making such an extravagant Manor.

Then he sees an open window on the higher floors of the manor, he stares for an increasing amount of time as he caught a glimpse of a form that indicates to be of a human's.

"Ah!"

Shen Qingqiu-Xiao Jiu at that time-was not able to stop himself from leering out a pained sound, as he was pushed on the ground harshly.

Oh.

He must be so deep in his thoughts that he was not able to hear their orders towards him.

Still.

Xiao Jiu looks up at that window once again, and sees a clearer form now.

A woman was staring at him blankly. She was dressed in simple white robes that seemed to also be her innermost robes. 

He stares at the woman questioningly. It was rude of him, considering this woman may be one of her masters now.

Or she could be a slave as well.

A man fists his hair tightly, and lifts him up with a harsh pull from his hair.

Xiao Jiu's face scrunches up and hisses in pain.

"Let go of me!"

"Tch. Then hurry up brat! Don't just stand there!"

"What a feisty child. Do you really desire to be beaten up?" That voice comes from Qiu Jianluo, the young master of the house. Xiao Jiu only glares defiantly at the young man in response.

He wished he have not seen it, but it seems like Qiu Jianluo was filled with amusement after gaining such action from him.

He was dragged towards a woodshed right after that, and was beaten black and blue till he was left alone by the young master and his servants.

His little frame was trembling from the onslaught of punches and whip slashes that he have unfortunately received right on his first day with the Qiu's.

Additionally, Xiao Jiu stares at the deeply bruised ankles. Qiu Jianluo made sure to create such marks on his ankles, now Xiao Jiu would be having a difficult time to walk around.

"Xiao Jiu?"

The little slave hears the faint sound of his brother's voice, and so Xiao Jiu immediately goes closer to the source of that voice.

"Qi-ge! What are you doing here?!" He whispers angrily at this idiotic brother of his.

If the Qiu's finds out, then Qi-ge would also be in trouble!

"I'm here to save Xiao Jiu."

"What saving? The one who needs saving here is you! Get out of here before any of them finds you!" He says almost frantically.

He hears a brief 'no', before Qi-ge tries to unlock the door of the woodshed.

"There's no use, I can't unlock it." Qi-ge says despairingly.

"I-It's fine. Qiu Jianluo has broken my legs so even if I did get out of here, I would still not be able to escape easily."

"I can carry Xiao Jiu."

"Well you can't even unlock the door, how would you even carry me?"

A moment of silence transcends the two, before Qi-ge speaks once again, this time with a hopeful tone in his voice.

"I will go back here, Xiao Jiu."

"What-"

"I will look for a Sect and cultivate so that once Qi-ge is powerful enough he can go rescue Xiao Jiu here."

"Do.. Don't be silly." He says, but Xiao Jiu feels a bit hope with the words of his brother.

"I promise you Xiao Jiu, Qi-ge will come back here to save you."

"O-okay but don't be reckless!"

"En."

"Wait." Xiao Jiu says when he feels his Qi-ge about to walk away from the woodshed. "Can I see your face?" for the last time?

On the little gap between the two wooden planks, Xiao Jiu sees his Qi-ge stare at him with his soft smile.

He then whispers to his brother, "Take care..."

If those words sounds like a farewell, Xiao Jiu has not taken much notice.

For he knows his Qi-ge will come back to save him.

Qi-ge would come back and they can became cultivators together.

But for now... Xiao Jiu has to survive the Qiu's.

I will be waiting for you, Qi-ge...

__________

Qiu Manor may be a place for demons like Qiu Jianluo, but Xiao Jiu has to admit that this wretched Manor has good tastes for flowers. 

Not that Xiao Jiu knows much about flowers, but they look so beautiful in his eyes that he feels unworthy just seeing them. 

The Qiu's own such a huge property that they have an entire flower garden farther from the rest. Why they have chosen to hide it was something that has made Xiao Jiu curious; but alas, he was only a servant so his first priority is to survive this hellhole. 

He kneels in front of Qiu Jianluo with his bruised knees, in his position, his head hangs low with lengthening hair covering his facial expression. It wouldn't do that Xiao Jiu was gritting his teeth just having to kneel in such a rottenly spoiled young master. 

"Hhm... Xiao Jiu seems to like flowers, right?" Qiu Jianluo rhetorically asks towards the group of servants that are also kowtowing towards him. Some are better in hiding their fears, but others-especially newer ones-cannot hide their fear with their trembling bodies. 

"Xiao Jiu," Qiu Jianluo addresses the slave before him with that sweet tone that suggests something more sinister behind it. 

"You will be tending the Flower Gardens from now on, I'm sure Xiao Jiu would be able to handle it." Xiao Jiu wants to spat at this man's feet, just for a little bit act of more defiance. This man loves to speak with him in such a loving tone but is even more fond of handling him with cruel hands and words. 

"Brother~" 

Suddenly the young master's frightening expression has drastically changed in an instant, in his place stands a kind and benevolent young master that rescues the unfortunate from the cruelties of other people. 

"Tang-er!" Qiu Jianluo smiles, which puts Xiao Jiu's countenance to disgust.

A young girl dressed fine robes that only expresses her status, struts to them and sees Xiao Jiu, whose someone that she have never seen until right now. 

"A'Luo who is that?" Xiao Jiu manages to stop himself from flinching when this young girl has suddenly pointed her index finger towards him.

"Ah, that's just Xiao Jiu. He's a new servant in here. Come, sit here Tang-er." Qiu Jianluo gestures to his lap, whilst Tang-er(?) only shook her head.

"No, A'Luo I want to go in the gardens! Why won't you let me go in there?!" She asks with an annoyingly high pitched voice that others would even discern as cute, and it seems that Qiu Jianluo is part of the latter.

"Tang-er." Qiu Jianluo starts with a soft reprimanding tone. "The Flower Gardens could be a dangerous place for Tang-er, what if there were insects or snakes in there? What if Tang-er gets in danger because of that? A'Luo would be really sad if something bad were to happen to his Tang-er..."

"Okay..." The young miss' face turns down casted at having her wishes turned down. "A'Luo will just buy you flowers. Ones that are prettier." The young miss then crosses her arms and turns her face away from Qiu Jianluo.

"No, I want a flower garden. Not just a flower."

"Then A'Luo will tell the servants to make a garden just for Tang-er."

The servants continue to stay in their kneeling position, ignoring the conversation that the two Qiu's have with each other; it seems that the young miss does not see anything amiss, as she continues to obliviously speak with Qiu Jianluo who's now resting his hand on her arm with a steady hold.

Xiao Jiu have seen enough to know what was going on with Qiu Jianluo, and he was filled with immense revulsion towards this man.

While this scene was occurring right in front of them, in the corner of Xiao Jiu's eyesight, he sees a vague form standing still on the background.

He briefly gives a glance at the Qiu's, and sees them both engrossed in their conversation, so he gives a swift look at further right corner behind the two Qiu's and sees a man of huge physique.

That corner was not filled with any lighting source, so Xiao Jiu's description of the man was very limited.

Though he could see that asides from a huge form, the man wields a blade on his right hand. There was something dripping from the very tip of his blade, was that... Was that blood?!

The voices of the two Qiu's blends in the background, only remaining as faint voices that one would never be able to distinguish the words being said. The aching pain from his knees turns into a numbing feeling and his still aching bruises from his first day in the manor have seemingly vanished when Xiao Jiu's whole attention was now focused on this mysterious man.

Did the Qiu's always have this servant before?

Admittedly, Xiao Jiu was one of the newer servants so he could not be blamed for not knowing that this kind of servant exists in this household, when most of the frame of the Male servants are way smaller than the man.

The man begins to walk closer towards them with a slight limp on his feet. Even with a huge body, it seems that the man is just dragging his entire weight with his feet.

The blood coming from his lade continues to drip down the floor; as the man walks closer, more blood comes out, creating a mess on the pristine floors of the manor.

A hint of light passes through the man, and Xiao Jiu sees a huge slit on the throat of this man. His eyes are empty, only two hollowed eye sockets could be seen along with a trail blood rolling to his sunken cheeks, coming from where his eyes should be.

"Xiao Jiu?"

He feels himself shaking slightly, as the man only walks closer. His footsteps are heavy in every limp.

STOMP

"Xiao Jiu?"

Who's calling him?

STOMP

The man's footsteps becomes deafening that Xiao Jiu has sprung up from his kneeling position and covers both of his ears.

His eyes stained towards the man, whilst standing on wobbly knees.

STOMP

STOMP

The man was now behind Qiu Jianluo, his smile then turns unbearably wide and shows Xiao Jiu his sharp yet bloodied teeth. 

Qiu Jianluo was not talking with the young miss (where is she?), instead he stares down at Xiao Jiu with an expression that can only be described as anger. 

What? 

Then the man behind Qiu Jianluo suddenly raises his blade. 

Why isn't he running? 

Xiao Jiu observes with distinct feelings of detachment and terror, as the man then swings down his blade right above Qiu Jianluo's head, as if to cut him into half. 

But Qiu Jianluo still stands there, completely unharmed with the other man's blade passing through Qiu Jianluo's entire body. 

He feels his eyes go wide as he gazes at them. 

"XIAO JIU!!!"

He blinks out of his stupor, as he feels a sharp pain on his stomach.

The servants have already long stood from their position, some are even already on their way to do their own work.

Whilst some male servants are left and one has punched Xiao Jiu through his stomach.

"Ack!"

He quickly covers his mouth with both hands, as he gives a brief glance towards Qiu Jianluo, and sees no man standing behind him.

He feels a rough hand grabbing his thin wrist, and he immediately starts to lash out at them.

"Let me go!" 

Suddenly, a dreadful scream erupts from a dark hallway, right near where Xiao Jiu once saw the man. 

"AAAAAHHHH!!!"

"Let me go!"

"HELP!!!"

Xiao feels his eyesight blur, as he was punched once again by the Male servants under Qiu Jianluo's order. Though, their faces could not contain their glee in hurting someone that was far weaker than them.

No one touches his face-for reasons he does not want to ever understand-hence, Xiao Jiu with minimal strength, turns his head sideways as he sees that man once again.

He was gazing at Xiao Jiu-or at least, that's what he thought since the man does not have any eyes in the first place-and seems to be contemplating something, despite that there's barely any changes on his now-blank expression.

Then two voices simultaneously spoke to him at once. 

"Only a week here and already so disobedient." That was Qiu Jianluo's voice. 

"ɔoɯǝ ʍᴉʇɥ ns..." A disembodied voice-voices, it sounds to be spoken by more than one person-speaks, its voice echoing across the entire room.

But no one seems to hear it.

Asides from Xiao Jiu.

His mind was disoriented when he felt someone grab him, and pulls his weakened body towards the dark hallway.

Wait- we're going there?!

He doesn't here any more voices, as his body was dragged across the floors of the manor. He now feels the pain that he was incapable of sensing awhile ago.

They soon passed an opened space, and now his body starts to experience itchiness and spikes of discomfort when sharp tiny rocks and a soiled ground replaces the pristine floors he was dragged onto a moment ago. 

He curses in his mind, as another stone creates a small slit on the bottom part of his uncovered leg. 

His line of sight sees the frame of the manor getting smaller, the sky is now turning darker. He then sees awfully familiar-looking trees and flowers along the way. 

He remembers this path, it was where the Flower Gardens are. 

"We're here." He only hears that gruffly voice from a make servant, before he was thrown right at a pond filled with blooming lotuses. 

"This is the Flower Gardens. You're now in charge of taking of the plants here. Good luck with that." The man says the last statement sarcastically, and was about to leave but sees a panicked visage of the-now drowning slave. 

He sputters as he feels water go inside his mouth, before he tries to feel the ground below him. Unfortunately, Xiao Jiu's feet does not touch any ground, instead he feels cold rigid hands below his feet. 

Its stiff fingers slowly crawl upwards till it stops at his ankles. 

Xiao Jiu panikingly waves his arms and legs around, when the hands suddenly grips tight on both of his ankles and pulls him downwards swiftly. 

No! 

He was about to fully sink on the pond, when the male servant's rough hands grabs both of his hands in a harsh grip not as quite different as the cold hands holding his ankles. 

Then those cold hands suddenly lets go of both his ankles; Xiao Jiu sighs in audible relief, as the male servant successfully pulls him up from the pond. 

Xiao Jiu coughs out water, whilst trying to steady his breath. 

"Tch. It would be bad if Young Master Jianluo finds out you died. It seems you're the new favorite, brat."

Those were his last words before Xiao Jiu was left on the ground beside the lotus pond. His entire body now drenched in water. 

"What is wrong with this place...?" 

He grumbles to himself, as he realizes that he not only has to deal with abusive masters and servants; now there seems to be some evil creatures who can definitely inflict more harm towards him. 

Though it's fitting that there are monsters in here living with the Qiu's. It suits them. 

He thinks with a wry smile on his face. 

He stands up and looks at the state of his ankles, once again deeply bruised when it was supposed to be healing already. 

Thankfully, Xiao Jiu could still walk around despite the damage done to his body. 

He then observes the flowers around him, and thinks that he was quite fortunate to be surrounded with these beautiful fauna till he remembers that there may be some creatures now staying with him as well. 

Ugh. They probably assigned me here, because they're scared of the monsters in here- it's not like I know how to take care of plants!

__________

Night has soon descended, and as shichens past, the lights from the manor have soon turned off.

Xiao Jiu was stuck in the Flower Gardens, with only an abandoned shed (at least it was bigger than the woodshed he was locked on back when he was first brought here) as a place for sleeping.

Xiao Jiu sleeps on the cold dusty wooden floor of the shed, and hugs his body tightly to give warmth to himself, which was useless as cold still seeps from outside of the shed.

He feels sleep crawling in his tired eyes, yet he finds himself wide awake once again when he hears a melodious voice out of nowhere. 

"Hhmmm..."

It was a voice of a woman humming. A hauntingly beautiful tone that suddenly evokes emotions of sadness yet comfort on Xiao Jiu.

Don't tell me... Another monster? Spirit? Ghost?

The door on the shed opens slightly, and Xiao Jiu stares in shock at the woman who enters the shed.

It was that woman from the window!

"Hello."

Now that Xiao Jiu has a closer look at her, he notices that the woman has a ghastly pallor, making look more frail with her white robes. Though one cannot deny the beauty she must've hold, if she were to take care more of herself.

"It was you. You're that woman from the window."

He hears the woman let out a light laugh at his words. "Yes it was me." She then crouches in front of Xiao Jiu and looks at him with such caring eyes that the little slave has only seen from his Qi-ge.

He feels his next words caught up in his throat as he became the focus of one's fond gaze.

It was an unusual feeling, especially when Xiao Jiu can count the number of people fond of him with his five fingers.

He tries though. He narrows his eyes and looks up at the woman with a challenging glint in them. "Are you a ghost?" The woman only stares at him with a faint surprise before she just laughs it off again. 

This time, Xiao Jiu was caught by surprise that he quickly sits up from his lying position. "Why are you laughing?!" He really should not be yelling at the woman who have never done anything wrong to him, but he could not help it. 

Perhaps it was an embarrassing question to just suddenly ask a humming person if they were a ghost. 

Or if that person wears white. 

But Xiao Jiu has once lived on the streets, wearing clothes that are more used for funerals are not his problem when he only wants clothes for comfort. 

"Here," She raises her palm to Xiao Jiu. "Does this look like a ghost's hand to you?" She asks this when Xiao Jiu gives a slight touch on her palm and feels a tiny bit of warmth from her. 

Different from the cold hands on that lotus pond.

But what if there are also ghosts where you feel warm instead of cold? 

He defiantly crosses his arms, "I still don't believe you, but I'll let you go for now."

"Sure you don't." The woman stares down at him with amusement. 

"I really don't!" 

"Yes, I'm fully aware."

"Grr.."

She frowns for a moment, "Stop growling. It makes you look like a beast." The woman then raises her index fingers and tries to lift the corner of Xiao Jiu's lips to a smile. 

He swats her arms away, "Stop that!" 

She smiles at him faintly, "Maybe not exactly beast but more like a street cat. Try hissing instead." She adds jokingly. 

"I won't talk to you anymore."

She sighs, "Don't you want to ask me something?"

"Like what?" He raises his brow.

"Like, my name? Speaking of, what is your name? What should I call you?"

"I'm Xiao Jiu." He reluctantly says to the woman.

He expects the woman's treatment towards him would show a drastic turn, instead he only receives those smiles that he's increasingly becoming familiar with in a short span of time.

"I see... This one is called Shen Xinyi. You can call me jiejie, or you can call me a'niang instead." She suggests with the same joking tone. 

This woman sure is vastly different from all the residents in this Manor. 

Xiao Jiu frowns, "No. You look too..." Stupid. Kind. Like Qi-ge. "young to be my mother."

The woman-Shen Xinyi-only shook her head. "No, no, you're the one who looks too young. You look young enough to be my son. Don't underestimate this lady's age, I'm older than most people here." She harumphs at her last statement.

He perks up at that. Did he suddenly get lucky? Perhaps this lady is actually a cultivator? He has little to none information about cultivation, but surely retaining a young look was enough?

But...

"Then you must be a cultivator! But if you're one, then why do you look so weak instead?"

Is it the Qiu's again?

Do they have enough power to mistreat a cultivator?

Or was Shen Xinyi just a weak cultivator?

Shen Xinyi sighs, "That's what happens if you work for too long with those Qius."

Xiao Jiu turns downcasted, "Right. I hate them."

The woman gives him an amused look, "You only just stayed here for a week and you seem to show more hatred already compared to the rest of the servants here."

"I'll tell you what," Her voice tone then turns serious, which raises Xiao Jiu almost into alarm. "This one is also assigned to look after the gardens, so if Xiao Jiu needs any help, he can ask for help from this old woman." He stares at her and only sees an earnest look from Shen Xinyi.

"What about those ghosts..." He starts with a barely audible voice. "Are they even..." Real? He was sure his mind would come up of other creatures as monsters (like Qiu Jianluo) rather than those vague forms that immediately gives him suspense and terror.

"Don't worry about them, they won't hurt you." She was almost saying it flippantly, or was it?

But one of them tried to drown me.

"I think those ghosts just need some friends," Shen Xinyi shows an enigmatic smile towards Xiao Jiu, one that does not put him at ease but he won't push any further.

For now.

"Well it's too late at night now." Shen Xinyi stood up and walks to the door, then she turns to look back at him.

"Xiao Jiu should sleep now."

Shen Xinyi closes the door softly, before Xiao Jiu hears her humming that same haunting tune once again.

Yet this time he feels himself relaxed, and so he surrenders himself to sleep.

__________

Months have passed by and Xiao Jiu has come to cling on two people that he thinks as his only solace in this wretched household.

Qiu Haitang-the young miss of the household-has gain such weird interest in him, though spoiled she was kind enough to Xiao Jiu, and so he finds himself on friendly terms with her. 

Except the safety she brings to him is all for naught, while she could have some power over her servants, she uses it for the most futile things that Xiao Jiu has heard. Additionally, Qiu Haitang is naive towards the indecent attraction of her very brother and father. 

It makes Xiao Jiu want to protect her, but he also needs to protect himself. 

Then there's Shen Xinyi. She acts like the jiejies he has when he was still an unbought slave, only worrying for food with his Qi-ge.

But most of the time, Shen Xinyi acts like his mother. She always hum the same Haunting tune towards him, and at night whenever he sleeps at that shed in the gardens, he would frequently hear her hum till he sleep finds him.

He sometimes finds himself calling her as "a'niang", which then prompts Shen Xinyi to give him a smug expression that exasperates him. 

Speaking of the gardens, Xiao Jiu finds himself growing a sense of adoration towards the flora and fauna. Luckily, a'niang has taught him during her free time (which was, most of the day-- how much work does she even have?). 

Xiao Jiu has once asked her if she can teach him how to cultivate, but a'niang then reluctantly admits that she's not a cultivator. 

That left Xiao Jiu with more questions, but he foolishly ignores it for now. 

Moving on, Xiao Jiu waters the soil of where the peonies are planted deep; its wide petals are of vivid pink. He then goes through a couple of Black and Deep Red Roses and waters them throughly.

While tending for the plants, he hums Shen Xinyi's lullaby and finds himself deep in his thoughts once again, absentmindedly watering the plants- actions automatic, as if it was something that he has been used to doing.

"Grow well and became beaitiful. Because you all deserve the best! Not like those bastard Qiu's (the young miss wasn't bad tho), their personalities are so ugly that's why they all have ugly faces as well." Xiao Jiu huffs, and frowns deeply as he recalls those distasteful looks of the men in this wretched household.

"At least you all aren't bad," He continues briefly and then goes through another flower bed of other variety of flowers.

"I wonder where Qi-ge is right now. I hope he is fine and not doing something reckless. He always does that! He makes lots of stupid decisions, so I always have to save him from those! And he was also so kind that other slave kids would try to take advantage of it as well! It was stupid, he's stupid!"

His stare towards the plants are almost forlorn, as he worries for the state of his older brother.

"I didn't think it would be nice to talk with plants, but thanks." He briefly says before he realizes that he was thanking plants!

That short moment of speaking his thoughts out even to plants, has made Xiao Jiu fill with relief. That moment was brief yet therapeutic; it was like he was speaking to real people, ones that are willing to listen at you-

Wait...

People?

He gives a quick glance at the lotus pond in a distance, and does not see any human going up from that pond.

Not that he have ever felt nor seen any weird ghosts or monsters right after he met his a'niang.

"I think those ghosts just need some friends."

He recalls his a'niang saying that, back then he was skeptical of it. But what if it was true? What if they just needed some friends?

Would Xiao Jiu be a good friend to them?

But what about when Qi-ge returns? Then we have to leave the ghosts here as well...

He sighs audibly at his thoughts.

The ghosts would have to wait, if Xiao Jiu were to become their friend, then he has to survive the Qiu Manor.

Still, he gives a glance at all the flowers and even the trees that are farther from the flower beds.

__________

One time, while tending for the flowers, Qiu Haitang suddenly approaches him.

Xiao Jiu barely stops himself from showing a frantic expression when he sees the Young miss strutting around the Flower Gardens, when she was "strictly" forbidden to do so.

"The flowers are so beautiful! A'Jiu really knows how to take care of flowers!" She praises the young slave, who hides his bashful expression from hearing a compliment towards him.

"Young miss, you shouldn't be here. The Young master has forbidden her from going in the Gardens." Qiu Haitang waves her hand dismissively at his words. 

"A'Luo is always like that! He's just being protective of me. Also, A'Jiu, I've said before to not speak like that to me! You're my friend now, so don't speak formally to me." 

"Yes, young miss-I mean Haitang..." It wouldn't do any good for Xiao Jiu to argue with the young miss anyway. She can be quite stubborn when her wishes and requests were denied. 

Qiu Haitang hums only for her attention to turn on the roses that he was tending to. "Oh, what a nice rose! It looks bigger than the roses A'Luo bought for me, can I have this instead, A'Jiu?" 

She gestures her hands to the roses, and raises her hand to softly touch the petals. 

"Be careful-" 

"I know, I know. Don't worry A'Jiu, I know how to take care of plants as well."

Those aren't his only worries, if Qiu Haitang accidentally pricks her finger on the thorned stems, then he'll be done for. 

Or even his a'niang, since she have mentioned that she's also assigned to make care of the Flower Gardens. 

The roses in question are a variety of dark colored ones. Black and deep reds that contrasts to the lighter and vivid colors of the other flowers in the garden. The roses have wide petals, and- Qiu Haitang with careful movements, slowly unfurls the inner petals of one of the roses. 

"Haitang-" 

Before he could stop her, the inner petals then unfurls itself even more without Qiu Haitang's aid. 

A huge red colored eye stares at the two children. 

An eye was there at the center part of the roses Xiao Jiu has been tending for, not what everyone expects from flowers. 

Fuck. 

"I-it has an eye, Xiao Jiu... I'm not imagining this, right?" Qiu Haitang asks frantically to Xiao Jiu, who's still standing in shock at what he have seen.

"I- FLOWERS CAN'T DO THAT!" Qiu Haitang's soft voice turns hysterical, as she wails in fright. "IT'S A MONSTER!"

Xiao Jiu walks closer to the girl, to comfort her and take a closer look at the flower. When he lifts his hand to replicate Qiu Haitang's earlier actions towards the rose, the girl shows a panicked expression and pushes Xiao Jiu away.

"DON'T TOUCH THAT ROSE!"

"But Haitang-"

"A'Jiu! Let's go tell this to A'Luo, he will do something about this. A'Luo will get rid of those roses and A'Jiu can work far away from the gardens-"

Qiu Haitang forcibly grabs Xiao Jiu's thin wrist, and pulls him along with her as they run towards the mansion.

He clenches his fist as he continues to Qiu Haitang's rant. This wouldn't do. Even if Xiao Jiu did take care for some monstrous plant, he cannot just go away from the gardens!

His a'niang also works for the gardens, it wouldn't do if Qiu Jianluo would really listen to Qiu Haitang's demands and he'd have to go work inside the mansion once again!

"A'LUO! A'LUO!"

Soon they have entered the residence, and several servants turned their heads upon hearing the voices of the young miss.

"Tang-er, what can A'Luo do for you?" Qiu Jianluo coos at his younger sister, who subtly narrows his eyes towards Xiao Jiu who's behind Qiu Haitang.

"There's a monster rose in that garden where A'Jiu works! It's scary! Get rid of it, A'Luo... What if it hurts A'Jiu?" By the end, Qiu Haitang was already in tears as she recalls the events that took place awhile ago.

As she gives her own explanation, Xiao Jiu has noticed that Qiu Haitang's words are low key exaggerated. He was not sure if she was doing this on purpose for Qiu Jianluo to get rid of the roses faster, but Xiao Jiu only stays silent the entire ordeal.

He have noticed Qiu Jianluo's growing anger towards him, hence he wisely does not say anything.

"Don't worry, Tang-er. A'Luo will do something about it."

And he did eventually...

Qiu Haitang was brought to her room by the female servants, once the young miss was gone, male servants were told to drag Xiao Jiu closer to Qiu Jianluo.

Xiao Jiu was stripped of his upper garments, leaving his bare back for everyone to see. His wrists and ankles were tied tightly with thick ropes that makes his skin itch, it would undoubtedly leave another series of marks on his self.

He was put to a kneeling position, whilst Qiu Jianluo has bring forth his whip and circles around the tiny figure of Xiao Jiu.

10 lashes.

Xiao Jiu was then ordered by Qiu Jianluo-with a malicious smile on his lips-to count every whip lashes done to his back.

1

A sound of a whip hitting flesh has surrounded throughout the enclosed room with only Qiu Jianluo and the male servants as audiences in Xiao Jiu's humiliation.

2

PTKK!!!

3

PTKK!!!

Xiao Jiu's mind was in disarray as he continues to count.

4

PTKK!!!

"Please! I have always been loyal to the Qiu's. I would never--"

5

A woman's anguish cry resonates with Xiao Jiu, as he lets out a scream.

"I SAID COUNT!"

"This lowly one obeys-!"

"This lowly one obeys-!"

"THEN COUNT!"

6

Xiao Jiu was sure of it, he hears the woman's voice beside him.

As he was whipped mercilessly by Qiu Jianluo, there beside him is a woman in the same kneeling position as him. She seems to be stuck in a nightmare, the same as what was occurring to him right now.

The woman was fully dressed compared to Xiao Jiu, but that does not change much the woman's increasing pain in being whipped.

7

"Qi!"

"Qi!" 

Ah... Where is he? Where is Qi-ge when Xiao Jiu desperately needs him?

Xiao Jiu wants to be held by Qi-ge and a'niang. But this time, he can only secretly feel better that those two would nor have to suffer the same horrible fate as him.

They are both too kind for Xiao Jiu, this is only an inch on what Xiao Jiu can do for them to not feel this kind of pain.

But not to worry, once Qi-ge comes back, Xiao Jiu and his a'niang can escape from this hellish Manor. 

8

PTKK!!! 

"Ba!" 

"Foolish boy..."

That... That was the woman's voice!

Her previously frightened tone has turned downright hostile.

He feels her crouch closer beside him, then he hears her whisper:

"No one escapes this Manor..."

The last words she have said before her presence vanishes. 

9

"J-jiu..."

Right.

His name, his 'birth' name.

One that gives him an identity nothing more than an object and a number, perhaps even lesser than that.

His a'niang would be so disappointed in him that he was letting himself drown in such negative thoughts, but Xiao Jiu could not help it.

He feels the intense pain that the whip lashes bring, some are harsher than the rest of the lashes that the skin has opened up to show his flesh. Blood drips down from the lashes, blisters starts appearing on his small back.

10

"Shi."

By the end of it, Xiao Jiu's entire form was shaking; accompanied by the painful whip lashes, Xiao Jiu finds himself having difficulties in stopping the traitorous tears to come out of his eyes. 

And it seems that he have ultimately failed to do so, once he hears the shuffling of multiple footsteps getting fainter as the male servants were dismissed by Qiu Jianluo, the young master himself stops in front of Xiao Jiu. 

Xiao Jiu bows his head, and only sees Qiu Jianluo's shoes, before the man crouches in front of him and using his knuckles, he chases away the little tears on Xiao Jiu's eyes with deceptively soft gestures. 

"Now, now, there's no need to cry." 

Qiu Jianluo says gently and with movements that left a choke of surprise from Xiao Jiu, Qiu Jianluo sits down on the floor and brings Xiao Jiu to his lap in a swift motion; one that is so quick that Xiao Jiu was only left to stare in surprise. 

Xiao Jiu feels himself shaking, as his bloodied back rests against Qiu Jianluo's front. The man's pristine dark purple robes were now mixed with Xiao Jiu's blood, one that Qiu Jianluo expertly ignores. 

"Did you know why I did this, xiao Jiu?"

Should he answer honestly or should he feign ignorance, one that Qiu Jianluo can easily detect? 

Or should he remain defiant, scream at Qiu Jianluo's face? 

"This... Lowly one has almost led miss Haitang to harm."

He hears the man hum in agreement, before Xiao Jiu feels rough yet gentle hands slowly putting salve on the whip lashes and blisters. 

An arm then wraps on his waist. 

What is he doing? 

Why is he doing this? 

"A'Luo is just worried. I do not want any harm to happen to Tang-er, after all. Xiao Jiu wants that as well, right?" Xiao Jiu only nods, almost absentmindedly. 

"Let me take a look at you," 

Before Xiao Jiu could word any protest, Qiu Jianluo turns him around and looks down at the little slave on his lap. 

"Xiao Jiu is quite beautiful." He states as he caresses his face, and softly runs his fingers through Xiao Jiu's hair. 

He continues, "Tang-er has taken a liking to you. Did you what she said to me before?" He gives a smile—more like a smirk—that Xiao Jiu is well familiar with. 

"She says she wants to marry you." 

Xiao Jiu felt his breath hitch at those words. He could barely utter some words to refute Qiu Jianluo's statement. 

"Now, wouldn't that be good? Both of you and Haitang will marry each other. Then I'd have both of you at the end." An amused chuckle emits from Qiu Jianluo. 

"ɐɔɔǝʇ ᴉʇ."

"sʇɐʎ ʍᴉʇɥ ns."

It's those voices once again. 

Qiu Jianluo frowns at seeing Xiao Jiu's absentminded expression. 

"Hmm. You seem to be in surprise, I've never expected that; but xiao Jiu have always been more interesting compared to the rest." 

He then stood up and carries Xiao Jiu, who tries to struggle against his hold. 

"Let me go!" 

"Being feisty now, aren't you? Xiao Jiu should try to relax more. A'Luo has something to show you."

Xiao Jiu could not understand this man. First, he was 'Young Master Jianlup' the next he was now 'A'Luo'. What is this man playing at?

Nonetheless, he stays still and curses under his breath; not quite bothering the hide his slight against Qiu Jianluo, who surprisingly does not do any harm against him (for now).

They have reached the Flower Gardens, where the male servants were tasked to take out the roses that Qiu Haitang was complaining about.

It was supposed to be only the roses, but it seems Qiu Jianluo has ordered these men to take out absolutely every flower on this place.

Xiao Jiu stares flabbergasted and struggles once again in Qiu Jianluo's hold, this time, the man lets him go and Xiao Jiu does not waste any time to run towards the male servants.

"STOP!"

It was futile, he knows this. Yet Xiao Jiu does not stop himself from lifting his fists to cause any sort of harm against these men.

With their bigger bodies, Xiao Jiu was nothing compared to them. Hence they have only pushed the little slave to the ground.

"Ack-!"

Xiao Jiu feels pain once again, when his deeply wounded back hits the ground. Pebbles and stones cuts deep through his exposed flesh.

Qiu Jianluo chides at him, and lifts Xiao Jiu up in a sitting position.

"I didn't bring you here to cause trouble. Just observe them."

One of the men confidently holds the thorned stem of one of the roses, and lifts it up from the ground.

What was supposed to be an easy task, turns a roundabout way when the stems' width grows thicker whilst the roses themselves have also turned bigger.

Slowly, huge beady eyes emerge from the center of the roses, causing the group of men to turn hysterical as if their souls were being sucked out- a much worse outcome compared to Qiu Haitang, but horrifying nonetheless.

One of the roses were successfully pulled out of the ground, however its roots only took hold of the soil it can touch before it planted itself. One man was grabbed by the thinner stems of a rose, it wrapped itself around the ankle before it threw the man towards the single eye on the center of the rose.

The eye stares unblinkingly at the man falling down at him, and instantly, it divides itself into half. The inner part of the eye turns out to be hundreds of small pointy teeth in a circling form.

"AAAAHHHH!!!"

The man falls down on the eye-turned-mouth and was immediately eaten alive by the plant.

Some of the roses opted to not eat the male servants, instead it threw them straight to the Lotus pond where each servant was instantly grabbed down by the creature the lurks down there.

Cold rigid hands would grab their ankles tightly and bring them forth to the abyss they were residing in. 

Beneath the vivid pink peonies, dozens of gray colored hands would do the same trick to the male servants, but this time, their bodies were dragged down to the soil instead. 

It was a one-sided massacre. Every male servant was now dead, and by monstrous plants nonetheless.

"What..." just happened?

"It would be difficult to get rid of this garden. It has always been here as far as I know." Qiu Jianluo says beside him.

It was... troubling that this man has caused such turmoil in Xiao Jiu's emotions moments ago, now he was here being witness by this event that only further proves the existence of non-human beings in this Manor.

Not that it was proven to be untrue, yet Xiao Jiu have once thought of it as a result of his anxious feelings of being confined in such a place. 

It seems to be not the case.

"Does xiao Jiu believe in ghosts?"

"Ghosts?"

He almost looks at Qiu Jianluo with a curious expression befitting of a child excited to know more. It is a difficult picture to paint that Xiao Jiu was not holding his most pleasant conversation with Qiu Jianluo.

"As xiao Jiu sees, there are spirits inside this Manor that have always bothered my family. They are vicious creatures that likes to prey on the ignorant servants of the house."

Xiao Jiu briefly remembers the man with the blade, a ghost that 'tried' to kill Qiu Jianluo.

"While A'Luo cannot see ghosts. I believe that they still live in this Manor, especially this garden. It has been abandoned for decades yet the flowers in here look more well cared for compared to the other gardens."

"Abandoned?" He hesitantly speaks. Qiu Jianluo raises his brow at him. "Yes, it has been abandoned for a long time now. Other servants have once been assigned to take care of this place, but they all have failed in their duties to do so."

Then...His a'niang...is she a ghost?

"Xiao Jiu..." Qiu Jianluo coos at him, Xiao Jiu was not able to stop himself from letting out a shaky breath when the man moves closer to him once again.

"Since you have been quite good for now, I'll let you stay with Tang-er for now." There was the familiar threatening voice that Xiao Jiu is acquainted with, but Qiu Jianluo still maintains to make it seem as gentle words of comfort towards a poor servant boy.

"So stay away from the gardens, if Xiao Jiu does not desire to die."

__________

"A'Jiu, you look so pretty!" Those words comes out from the mouth of a naive Qiu Haitang.

Naive to the lustful feelings of her own family.

Naive to the mistreatment that happens to Xiao Jiu and the rest of the servants.

Naive to the incident that happened in that garden.

And naive to the new attention that Xiao Jiu has gained from her dearly beloved brother.

Xiao Jiu has been staying in Qiu Haitang's bedroom since then. He was rarely called to do tasks, mostly menial tasks that only takes a short amount of time and does not require much muscle.

Qiu Jianluo has seriously portrayed the role of a kind and benevolent master to Xiao Jiu, since the man has taken to teaching him with reading, writing, calligraphy, and music.

Those Xiao Jiu could appreciate, but the intentions behind it still makes Xiao Jiu's hair stand.

"Hhhmmm..." He absentmindedly starts to sing his a'niang's lullaby, one that he has not seen for weeks already.

Where is she?

Qiu Haitang braids another strands of Xiao Jiu's hair, and sings praises at him; for his beauty and for the nice voice that he has.

"You should sing more!" 

"Thank you, Haitang." He smiles at her, who brightens at seeing his smile. 

"And you should smile more as well. Like- like those dolls." 

She gestures towards the two dolls she has on her bed. "You should smile more like those dolls, because A'Jiu looks prettier with a smile." 

An innocent statement that puts gives a twisted feeling on Xiao Jiu's stomach. 

Like those dolls. 

He was simply becoming one though, that's why smiling in front of Qiu Haitang is easier. 

To ease and hide his pain. 

The last time that Qiu Jianluo has physically harmed him is during those ten lashes he have received, the wounds still have not healed. 

But that does mean the abuses he have gone though has ended, other servants are still there lurking and just looking for the right time to catch him off guard. 

It's very likely that Qiu Jianluo knows, but he does nothing about it. 

"A'Jiu, wear this!" 

Qiu Haitang promptly shoves a dark red dress at him. It's sleeves are long and flowy, with a white colored sash and matching white Plum blossom emblems on the hems of the skirt and sleeves. 

Xiao Jiu almost sighs, it wasn't that he's against it, in fact he has gotten used to dressing Qiu Haitang's clothing that the young miss has taken to buying more feminine outfits for Xiao Jiu.

Qiu Haitang clasps his hands, "A'Jiu. You look so pretty in red! If it were our wedding garments, you would look even more beautiful."

Xiao Jiu tautly smiles at her, his rigid expression at the mention of 'wedding', goes unnoticed by the young miss of the family. 

"Ah, but that's for later. For now, I just want to hear A'Jiu's voice again! You sing so good, can A'Jiu sing to me once again?" She pleads to him. 

"Okay."

Now he was not able to spend his time in the gardens, Xiao Jiu has to find some ways to distract himself. Singing—partially a'niang's lullaby—has become the new habit he gained to distract himself. 

Xiao Jiu hums his a'niang's song to Qiu Haitang, who stares at him with stars in her eyes. 

It was nice. 

To be able to sing in front of someone that likes him. 

One day, when Xiao Jiu will see his a'niang once again, he hopes to be able to sing for her. 

And perhaps, know more about her. 

Not just from Qiu Jianluo's words. 

__________

Xiao Jiu was given a spare room as his sleeping quarters, it was a nice gift for a slave like him, yet it causes him trepidation at times since Qiu Jianluo was one of the only people that can enter his room whenever they want to.

It has been like that for nights, Xiao Jiu would hum himself to sleep and stopes the uncomfortable feeling that rises in his chest whenever he has to go back to his room.

It was a carefully well-built routine he have made for himself, till someone has entered his room.

Qiu Jianluo does go in his room as well, but the man does not bother to knock. However, this one was different; there were three knocks he heard, before it opens slowly as if not desiring to disturb him.

He closes his eyes tightly, pretending to be asleep; yet his uneven breathing was a major clue to his act. Even a long time has passed, Xiao Jiu was still struggling to maintain an unbothered persona, hence there would be instances of shakiness on his body.

Xiao Jiu's body was turned sideways, hence the person was behind his back. This figure suddenly pounces from behind, cold (and familiar) hands rests on his arm.

"A'Jiu."

Xiao Jiu's eyes open widely, and quickly turns around from the source of the voice.

There in front of him is Shen Xinyi, his a'niang.

"A'niang..."

His a'niang smiles at him and suddenly engulfs him in a hug.

From above his head, he hears her say lowly: "I'm so sorry I left A'Jiu without explaining anything. A'niang has been very busy."

Xiao Jiu hugs her back, "When will a'niang tell me that she's a ghost?" He tries to test her. Shen Xinyi only chuckles in response.

"I see I cannot forever hide this from A'Jiu. To tell A'Jiu the truth, I have been living in this household since the childhood of Master Qiu. This family is extremely cruel to its servants, and daily occurrences of killing have slowly become the norm." He stares up aghast at her.

"I have been stuck in this Manor, feeling miserable along with the rest of the ghosts of the old Qiu servants. That is, till I saw Xiao Jiu. You have become the child that I never had. Xiao Jiu has given me more reason to hope, even after death."

"Then what about the other ghosts? Why do they look like they want to hurt me?"

"I've also been like that. Hostile spirits are quite difficult to deal with, lest you give them the vengeance or peace they have been looking for."

Shen Xinyi rubs his back comfortingly, "A'Jiu does not need to worry anymore. While the rest of the ghosts here are mostly hostile, they can be be quite docile when it comes to your a'niang. No harm will come to you, because I will be protecting you now."

His a'niang protecting him?

Xiao Jiu have once let himself fall into delusions of having a mother, and now he has one.

It still hurts.

Someone has shown him an inkling of what a mother's love is, even if that someone has been dead for a long time.

They have showed him the love he have once yearned for, and it hurts.

Receiving demeaning remarks and cruel treatment to his body have always been something that Xiao Jiu fought against for, but he has been used to it for years already.

When someone shows him kindness not asking much for return, it is what hurts him.

He feels warm tears come out of his eyes, unlike before, he does nothing to stop himself from crying. Hence, Xiao Jiu cries there right in front of his a'niang, without restraint.

Shen Xinyi shows a frantic expression upon seeing his reaction- he would have snorted in amusement, if his chest wasn't aching frok the onslaught of emotions that rushed over him.

His a'niang does not say "don't cry", she only cradles him on her gentle hold and hums to him once again. He purses his mouth then to stop himself from letting out a choked voice from crying, instead he buries his head to his a'niang's chest and cries silently as he listens to her sing.

Half a shichen has passed, and comforting silence surrounds them. 

Then Shen Xinyi speaks, "You know, since A'Jiu has always been like a son to me, what kind of mother would I be to let her child walk around with a number as a name?"

He looks up to his a'niang, curious.

"How about Shen Jiu (㺵)? Jiu for black jade?"

"Do you like it?"

Or course. Anything was better than being called as a number, a 'name' that was generously given to him by the slavers. One that defines him as a slave, even lesser than dirt.

"I like it."

Xiao Jiu was no more. He was now called as Shen Jiu, and he would always then live by that name.

__________

His a'niang's presence may have been a huge blessing to his wretched life, but in the same old-fashioned way of a rat trying to reach high for the clouds like a Phoenix- Shen Jiu has fallen once again.

The Qiu Manor has been burnt down.

Weeks ago, a man by the name "Wu Yanzi" has seen Shen Jiu and once told him of his potential in cultivating.

Excited by that prospect alone, Shen Jiu has instantly told his a'niang about his encounter with the rogue cultivator.

In the midst of his explanation, Shen Jiu's usually sharp eye has not noticed the tense expression of his mother once he mentions the name of the rogue cultivator.

From there, everything just seemed against Shen Jiu.

He had his first right with his a'niang.

He understands her worries, after all, the cultivation world must be a dangerous place- one that the Qiu's cannot easily trample with.

But doesn't she see?

Once Shen Jiu joins Wu Yanzi, he would have better chances in meeting Qi-ge (who knows where he is now? Shen Jiu is worried, surely his brother has not done anything reckless enough to harm himself?) and when that happens, he and Qi-ge would become cultivators and go back in the Qiu's to get a'niang.

The three of them could live somewhere far away from people who desire to hurt them.

"Foolish boy." 

The words of that ghost beside him, when he was being whipped by Qiu Jianluo. 

It gets worse.

Qiu Jianluo's weird infatuation towards him, turns a darker turn as Shen Jiu gets older.

His sharp facial features has become even more attractive with Qiu Jianluo and Qiu Haitang's constant pampering to make him the doll that they must be imagining him inside their heads.

The Qiu Manor was burned to the ground when Shen Jiu loses control and experiences a severe Qi deviation, his very first Qi deviation. He have resolved enough courage (and stupidity) to ask Qiu Jianluo to let him cultivate (though he have been doing it for awhile now, secretly).

Of course the man rejects him. Why would he agree anyway?

In the midst of the burning Manor, Shen Jiu crumbles down and stares at his bloodied hands; the knife he have used to stab Qiu Jianluo was now left forgotten.

He then looks back in front of burning Manor, "A'niang?" He mutters shakingly as he faintly hears anguished screams inside of that Manor.

He wasn't sure if those were voices of the dead or the dying.

The Qiu Manor has served as his Diyu just the same as his a'niang's. But it was the closest he can describe to home, because he met his a'niang here.

Now it was gone.

__________

Melodious laughter rings in the air, as Shen Jiu continues to play a guqin. 

The courtesans have become his sisters and Madame Cheng as his grandmother; he was not as naive to think that his so-called martial family would accept him, and he was proven right from the countless rumors and treatment towards him. 

When his done with his duties as the head disciple, he finds some time to spend teaching the brothel workers about reading and writing. 

Those were the main two he was teaching them, but he sometimes demonstrates them how to further improve their skills in playing musical instruments. 

Shiliu-mei was the young girl who's age is two years younger than Shen Jiu. This was her first night as a brothel worker, and was only there to play instruments instead of entertaining the clients with her body. 

She strums the strings of the guqin almost harshly, none of these clients would notice, but Shen Jiu was nothing but a perfectionist. He have immediately spent his time teaching Shiliu-mei onplaying the guqin. 

"Jiu-er is so good at playing the guqin, jiejie is jealous." Wu-jie shifts closer beside Shen Jiu and observes him play, mesmerized. Another woman—Ba-jie— agrees, "True, true. Jiu'er you can just stay here forever. You can teach us more how to read and write, then we will take care of Jiu'er in return. You don't have to go back in that Sect." 

Ba-jie's face scrunches up at remembering the countless stories that Shen Jiu has for them whenever he recalls the events that happens to him at Cang Qiong. 

Wu-jie and Shiliu-mei vehemently agrees. 

Shen Jiu could only give a terse smile. 

Cang Qiong definitely has a nice view, but that view gets rotten when the people inside it have such vile personalities-- not that Shen Jiu could not say the same for himself, but those people are much worse. 

Asides from that, a stupid promise is still a promise. Even if that person has abandoned him, Shen Jiu would not do the same, because he was far better than that. 

He would show them he's far better than they thought he is.

. 

. 

. 

. 

Cultivation has its merits, and despite the ruined meridians, Shen Jiu still has seen progress in cleansing his body. 

He would not be able to do anything inside of his body, but his cultivation level was already enough to heal the scars that have not completely faded with time. 

Untreated broken bones have slowly healed along with the scars, but what Shen Jiu cannot remove from the marks on his skin are two characters: Jiu 九 and Qiu 秋. 

The first one, his slave brand and 'name', was on his nape-- it was a struggle to hide lest he would put robes with high collars or apply ridiculous amount of powder over it. 

The second one, Qiu, was on his lower back. It was easier to hide and rarely ever seen, but Shen Jiu would never allow that mark to continue being with him for eternity.

The scars have long faded and his skin was now smooth and soft, one that would expect from a lazy and pampered young master they accused him to be. 

But it was far from flawless. 

Not yet. 

It still has those two marks that would forever remind him of his days as a slave. 

Scars could fade with cultivation, but the same cannot be said by these. 

Shen Jiu grabs a dagger—small enough that no one has seen him wield it—and walks closer towards the golden mirror that Yue Qi—Yue Qingyuan—have graciously given him. 

It would be difficult to do this by himself, but...

He can't let anyone else see this. 

He uses that dagger to first peel off the skin with the character Qiu '秋'. It was located on the right side of his lower back, just up from his behind. He turns around slightly, just enough to be able to look and see the blurred sight of the mark reflected on the mirror. 

It was a slow and agonizing process, but heck, Shen Jiu would not stop just because of some little pain.

Little droplets of blood have spilled on the floor, though most of it have been soaked by his lower garments that are now reddening in color due to the blood.

The peeled off skin was left on the floor rather carelessly, as he observes himself, now with his second slave brand as gone. 

His cut was shallow enough that only his skin was peeled off and no flesh was included in the process.

He did put some bandage and ointment on it, and hissed at the stinging pain right after.

Not wasting much time, Shen Jiu immediately proceeded for his nape. One that would require an arduous process, when only Shen Jiu would be performing this alone.

He furrowed his brows, as he thinks on how would he proceed from this. He cannot turn his head at the mirror unlike the first one, and the nape is a very crucial part of his body.

Should he really ask for help?

In a second, the door of his bamboo hut was opened by none other than his own shizun.

His shizun, the Qing Jing Peak Lord, was a strict man living on draconian principles in teaching his disciples-- but he was much worse with Shen Jiu.

"Disciple Shen," He says curtly.

"Shizun." In a moment of haste, Shen Jiu drops the dagger to a tabletop beside the mirror and salutes towards the Qing Jing Peak Lord.

The man only dismisses his salute with a wave of his hand, and looks down at the bloodied garments of Shen Jiu then at the floor that is now stained with dried blood.

Shen Jiu's hair was tied up in a bun, and the man could also see clearly the exposed nape of Shen Jiu which shows his first slave brand. 

"Does disciple Shen need some assistance from this master?" 

"This disciple does not want to bother shizun."

"And yet you have caused such mess enough to bother me."

Shen Jiu wants to say, he have done this in the privacy of his very own hut to not disturb anyone and especially his shizun. 

But that would not help at the moment. 

He hears the almost quiet footsteps of the man, and Shen Jiu gradually looks up as his shizun briefly touches the character Jiu '九' on his nape. 

He shudders as he feels a sense of discomfort from the touch alone. 

The man then picks up the dagger he have used to skin himself, and hovers over Shen Jiu. 

"Well? Should not disciple Shen feel grateful that this master would be helping him?" 

Shen Jiu later appears with a bandaged neck. His shizun have indeed helped him in taking out his slave brand, but he was oh so cruel to help him take it away only to give him a new one in return. 

Shen Jiu became Shen Qingqiu.

__________

Years to the future, Shen Qingqiu was a name that is infamous for countless rumors. 

Shen Qingqiu, the Xiu Ya Sword, is the current Qing Jing Peak Lord's of the Qing generation of Cang Qiong Sect. 

He was said to be a lazy and spoiled young master who cultivated far too late. He was pampered, or else why would he look down on everyone as if they're filths? Why else would he not be always dressed in such pristine robes and exquisite fans? 

He was lecherous scum who visits brothels for his sickening desires that honorable and righteous cultivators are against in committing so. 

He abuses his disciples! He have once tried to kill his own honorable martial brother, the Bai Zhan Peak Lord and War God Liu Qingge! 

He has perverse desires for his female disciples, especially his youngest one, Ning Yingying. 

Truly, he was nothing but scum! 

He was dirtier than dirt, and more devious than demons that cultivators would rather fight off a horde of demons than to breathe the same air as this wicked man. 

And so, Shen Qingqiu's life was nothing but a tragedy after tragedy. 

In the midst of these rumors made by enemies he have made along the way, he continues to hum his a'niang's song in the privacy of his bamboo hut, in the serenity of the bamboo forest of Qing Jing Peak, and the safety of the arms of the brothel workers. 

It has been so long, and a'niang's was the last ghost he have seen. 

The rest along the way in his missions are nothing more than spirits who would rather not show their true forms and instead take a liking to possessing the bodies of harmless individuals. 

While far from harmless, Shen Qingqiu would not expect the same thing to happen on him. 

While experiencing another wave of Qi deviation, Shen Qingqiu was ejected out of his own body. 

. 

. 

. 

And Shen Yuan opens his eyes. 

Chapter Text

<<𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘐𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘋𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘞𝘢𝘺>> is a stallion novel that starts with the story of the protagonist, Luo Binghe.

It was... Adéquate.

WRONG

It was bad. It was worse than bad.

It's as if every corner of the novel, there is some kind of plot hole going to form out of nowhere.

It was filled with Airplane's dogshit storytelling, where a continuous cycle keeps going on and on.

It was fine (an overstatement for Shen Yuan's part) for the beginning chapters of the story. It's the cliche troupe of protagonist going from the weakest to the strongest. 

Right after Luo Binghe becomes the Emperor of the Three Realms, this was where PIDW took a deep dive to the deepest parts of the Endless Abyss and the most heat-inducing part of Diyu. 

An endless repeat of the same cycle started from then on; Luo Binghe goes around the realms and finds some one-in-a-thousand treasure or some kind of dying clan out there (they die obviously, except for the women who'd later become part of his harem), and then goes back to his palace with a woman or two in tow. 

Almost every solution to the problem is solved with papapa! It was outrageous! 

Actually, scratch that...

Every problem in PIDW is solved with papapa. 

At least the ones concerning the blackened protagonist. 

This novel, with its atrocious plot and shitty and very much exaggerated depiction of sex has caught Shen Yuan to a tight grip on his neck.

Even on the last moments of his life, the last thing he have ever done before that embarrassing cause of his death is to send another scathing comment to Airplane's recent PIDW chapter.

To Shen Yuan's further embarrassment he died because of those expired foods on his refrigerator.

But he does not have the luxury to contemplate even more about that, when he finds himself in some space of total void.

Then a robotic voice, one that Shen Yuan could compare to the AI voice in Google Translate, suddenly speaks:

【Activation Code：「𝚂𝚝𝚞𝚙𝚒𝚍 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛, 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚙𝚒𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕」. Automatically triggering system.】

???

Well, Shen Yuan was not as obsessed as others to think of the meaning of life nor ask existensial questions such as: Why do I exist? What is life after death? What is in the afterlife? Does afterlife even exist?

But he have never expected afterlife to be ruled over by AI?

Where's the Diyu? He's not going to hell for reading PIDW, right? Where's Meng Po? He might need to drink that soup just to forget the entire plot of PIDW. 

"Who is this?" 

【Welcome to the system. User Shen Yuan has activated the system through the words "Stupid author, stupid novel". User now has the will to achieve what you have stated: to transform the stupid writing in your accordance and will.】

【Role Activation: Binding Your Role. User 002 Shen Yuan is now Luo Binghe's Master】

What-

【Cang Qiong Mountain Sect's Qing Jing Peak Lord, the 'Xiu Ya' sword-- Shen Qingqiu, the scum villain of PIDW】

Wait-

【We wish you luck on your journey.】

As if struck by some enchantment, Shen Yuan was not able to ask anymore from the strange entity. He was almost close to asking if he has gone batshit crazy, but before he could try, a man's voice asks him lightly. 

"... Qingqiu-shidi? Qingqiu-shidi, can you hear me?" 

Shen Yuan's eyes widened suddenly became alert, before he could decipher his surroundings, he jumps up from what seems like a bed and lets out a curse. 

"FUCK!" 

"Qingqiu-shidi?!" A man's panicked voice says frantically. 

"Ow," 

Shen Yuan holds the side of his head from the sudden influx of pain. He then stares up to see an unfamiliar man wearing his hair in a xuan duan hairstyle with his clothes more befitting of ancient China. 

He realizes then that his clothes, while simpler in comparison to the man and only consists of plain white, is not the garments you'd normally wear in the 21st century. 

Shen Yuan sees a translucent blue screen float in front of the man. 

【Yue Qingyuan, Cang Qiong Mountain Sect's Qiong Ding Peak Lord, the Sect Leader and Wielder of Xuan Su Sword.】

Oh.

Oh shit.

IT WASN'T MY IMAGINATION!!!!

He have truly, TRULY, transmigrated in PIDW of all novels!!!

He must've shown a panicked expression on his face, because Yue Qingyuan just ended up looking more distraught as time pass. 

"Shidi-- tell this shixiong, are you alright?!" Gone was the rather odd mix of serenity and worry that the man exudes a minute ago, instead Shen Yuan was greeted with the sight of a panicked Yue Qingyuan.

He truly wants to say, I'm not alright! Not alright!

He died and transmigrated to his most hated novel, alright? What is there to be alright about?

"Yue Qingyuan...?" Shen Yuan stares at the novel character in front of him, and makes a stupefied expression that makes Shen Yuan suddenly feel chills on his back. 

"Shidi...?" This... The man only asks with the same confused tone as Shen Yuan's. Although it could be Shen Yuan's imagination, but it almost felt like the man was waiting to be scolded at.

Ah!

Now that Shen Yuan has... Calmed down a little bit, he vaguely remembers the slight mentions in PIDW about the notorious interactions between the scum villain and the Sect Leader.

This is it, right?

Yue Qingyuan was probably expecting that he would yell at him, right?

Shen Yuan smiles knowingly. 

Yue Qingyuan: ????

Don't worry Sect leader! Shen Qingqiu won't be here to yell at you anymore.

Oh shit.

Yeah, that just reminded him that he's now Shen Qingqiu.

Shen Yuan-Qingqiu?-outwardly shivers when the room's temperature suddenly becomes colder, although looking at the Sect leader, Yue Qingyuan does not seem to be affected by it.

Just looking at the man did not calm down completely as Shen Yuan would've liked. Yue Qingyuan was a character who later on died in PIDW after being am used with thousands of arrows in his pursuit to save Shen Qingqiu from Luo Binghe's clutches. 

But looking at him, of course that still has not happened yet... 

Which has given Shen Yuan a thought for this unfortunate character: Don't die too miserably. 

Wait-- FUCK THAT! 

He's now Shen Qingqiu, which would mean that he has the most miserable death among all of the characters in the novel! 

He definitely does not have any plans of becoming a human stick any time. 

Which has then given Shen Yuan a new goal: Don't make a big mistake! 

Let's hug the protagonist's thighs from now on √

Provide Luo Binghe a gentle and earnest shizun, friends that would protect and treasure him, and greet him warmly (as he deserves!)√

Yes, that's a good plan. 

As he was already satisfied with his plans, Shen Yuan suddenly feels a strong pounding on his head. A sound of ringing has filled his ears, making him deaf from the sounds outside. 

The sounds then became akin to blaring sounds of alarms from police cars, making Shen Yuan clutch his head in pain as he grits his teeth. 

This caught the attention of Yue Qingyuan who then asks him worriedly, "Qingqiu-shidi, does your head still hurt?" 

He didn't say anything as he was bombarded by notifications from this system. 

【OOC Warning: User Shen Yuan's plan is very dangerous and a violation against the rules, do not ever attempt. Refusal to do otherwise would result to enacting a punishment protocol.】

Ah, what the fuck? 

【User Shen Yuan cannot attempt to make any decisions that is against the character of 'Shen Qingqiu' unless the restrictions are lifted】

Shen Yuan was perfectly aware what the system means, though he was only left to ponder 'why', when the system can transmigrate him to Shen Qingqiu but still cares for OOC.

【If User Shen Yuan continues to violate the rules, his points would then slowly be deducted. If his points reaches 0, then he has to go back in his original world.】

Ah... Haahahhahaha

That would just mean that if Shen Yuan fails then he'll be ejected out of Shen Qingqiu's body and returned to his world-- then face the ultimate face of DEATH. 

Nevermind. 

NOT!

"Where is Luo Binghe?" 

His tone was lazy and careless, but Shen Yuan was already clinging for his dear life in knowing the answer.

"Qingqiu-shidi, please don't be upset..."

Aaaahhhhhhhh what is it Sect leader, say it! Say it! 

"I know that Qingqiu-shidi does not like him, but that child has not done much wrong. There is no need for Qingqiu-shidi to punish him again."

Well fuck. 

"Uuhhh-" Shen Yuan starts rather eloquently, till he hears the faint sounds of blaring sirens from the system.

Shen Yuan clears his throat, "Say it straightforwardly. Where is he?" 

The man before him was silent, the. Yue Qingyuan says: "After hitting him, don't you always shut him in the woodshed?" 

Double fuck. 

Shen Yuan only stares blankly at Yue Qingyuan in response.

__________

Shen Qingqiu did not know what completely happened, but after experiencing a Qi deviation, he was suddenly pulled away from his body. 

It was like a huge gust of air sucking him out of his hiding place, well... In this case, his body. 

At first, Shen Qingqiu was certain that Yue Qingyuan would notice that the body beside was already vacant of any life nor soul. 

But Yue Qingyuan doesn't. 

figures. 

Shen Qingqiu wants to scream at the man, to yell at him but he can't. 

Not only was he now a ghost, but also because of Shen Qingqiu's keen eyesight, he caught his own body still breathing. 

Then Shen Qingqiu sees his own body's eyes open, and he was left standing there in shock at seeing this odd phenomena. 

Or rather... An occurrence that almost struck home. 

Shen Qingqiu never have imagined himself being possessed by someone else, but he guess he never has to, when he's already seeing it with his own eyes. 

He watches impassively as Yue Qingyuan goes out of his bamboo hut, leaving Shen Qingqiu and the fake inside his room. 

As far as he could tell, the soul who now occupies his body, cannot see him at all. 

It leaves Shen Qingqiu irritated, the room's temperature then drops lower as if you were lying naked on the tundras of the Northern parts of the Demon Realm. 

Of course, as a ghost, Shen Qingqiu does not take much notice of the change except for the fake lying on his bed. 

He goes closer towards the fake, and lifts up his left hand above his body's head. 

In slow movements, Shen Qingqiu brings down his hand to touch his own head, only for his hand to pass through his body. 

Shen Qingqiu stares at his hand, his expression aghast. 

What? 

The person beside him, shivers as if something just happened beyond their understanding. 

Though it only took a few seconds, before the fake regains his composure and puts on a thoughtful expression as he stood up and walked around Shen Qingqiu's bamboo hut. 

Left with no other choice, Shen Qingqiu follows the fake and observes his actions warily. 

He was left more than disappointed when his hand passed through his own body, but with his experiences before, he knows that he can do something that would strengthen him whilst the fake walks around with his body. 

And when the time comes... Shen Qingqiu will take back his own body. 

Shen Qingqiu takes his attention away from the fake for awhile, and in graceful movements that befits his position, Shen Qingqiu roams around his room with a goal.

He tries to hold his own fan or any object in his disposal. 

All of them passed through his invisible and almost non-existent touch. 

Then the fake starts to move in hurried motions, though he does nothing in relevance to work.

Rather, he walks around Shen Qingqiu's hut and without any observers around, the fake starts to speak nonsensical words outwardly. 

"I really want to take a look at Luo Binghe right now..." It was only a murmur, a cultivator would have a hard time hearing it, but Shen Qingqiu at the moment was not cultivator, rather a ghost.

Right.

That fake's expression would've been amusing, if he wasn't using Shen Qingqiu's face at the moment. But after hearing Yue Qingyuan's response to his question, this caused Shen Qingqiu to wonder...

Perhaps the fake is a dead relative of that little beast?

Shen Qingqiu watches a few moments, and sees the scrunched up expression of his face.

"Ming Fan!"

In a short notice, Shen Qingqiu's head disciple shows up and salutes towards the fake.

"Bring Binghe here,"

Oh no, that wouldn't do.

A brief look towards his head disciple, Shen Qingqiu sees confusion in his eyes though he tried to mask it with his usual obedience towards his master.

Shen Qingqiu have never once called his newest disciple by his name. Preferring to call the brat as "little beast", it was something that was no secret around the peak. 

Ming Fan hearing 'him' say the beast's name must've been the cause of his confusion. 

Well, whatever are the fake's plans may be, Shen Qingqiu plans to sabotage them.

__________

In a matter of short time, Shen Qingqiu reaches the woodshed where Luo Binghe stays.

It's no problem to the Qing Jing Peak Lord to go inside the shed, when his body can just pass through the walls.

There, he sees the little beast huddled up in a small corner of the shed. 

His wounds were left untreated, some are small bruises which definitely did not come from Shen Qingqiu's hands. 

This wouldn't do. 

Is this beast planning to die? Not even attempting to go out of the shed and look for any herbal plants on Qing Jing's forest? Or go down their peak and cross the rainbow bridge towards Qian Cao Peak? 

This little beast would never survive the world of cultivation with this kind of attitude. 

"Beast," Though it was almost a futile attempt, Shen Qingqiu tries to speak with the same venomous voice he spouts towards his youngest disciple. 

Perhaps it would depend on his luck if Luo Binghe would actually hear him. 

"Shi-shizun?" 

A small hesitant voice speaks up in response to Shen Qingqiu's call. 

It seems it wasn't completely hopeless.

Luo Binghe looks around the shed, till he sees the ghastly pale skin of Shen Qingqiu. His white robes and untied hair does not bring much comfort, creating an imagery of some fragile yet frightening ghost.

Though he was... In a way.

"SHIZUN?!"

Shen Qingqiu clicks his tongue and furrows his eyebrows. He can celebrate later on, for now he has plans to make.

"This master does not have enough time for some chit-chat. Beast, come here."

Luo Binghe stands up hurriedly and brushes his clothes off of any dust, before going towards Shen Qingqiu and salutes him.

In the process of bowing, Luo Binghe grimaces slightly, but managed to cover up his pain right away.

Not that it went unnoticed by Shen Qingqiu, who almost hums approvingly of it, if not only Luo Binghe was a disciple that he felt some envy and hatred upon.

"Open the door."

"Eh?" Luo Binghe looks up at stares at Shen Qingqiu, questioningly. The Peak Lord only shows a frustrated expression and gestures at the door.

"Open it."

It wouldn't do good for Shen Qingqiu to just pass by the door, alright? He doesn't need the little beast suddenly fainting from shock, when Shen Qingqiu still has plans for him.

Frantically, Luo Binghe opens the door widely and steps back behind Shen Qingqiu.

The Peak Lord does not say anything and only speeds up his movements towards Qian Cao with Luo Binghe in tow.

He sees the figure of Ming Fan on the distance going closer to the woodshed, and applauds himself for getting out the beast before the fake could even meet him.

Of course, Shen Qingqiu was not doing this out of the goodness of his heart.

The fake doesn't seem to even detest Luo Binghe anyway.

"Where are we going, shizun?"

"To Qian Cao Peak." He answers shortly.

He guides the boy towards the rainbow bridge connecting to Qian Cao Peak, and gives a brief look behind him. 

Luo Binghe fumbles his fingers and stares with an unsure yet slightly wary look towards Shen Qingqiu. 

The little beast looks like he wants to say something, but is scared of the consequences of doing so. 

"Speak. What is in that head of yours?" 

"Why is... Shizun doing this?" It was only a whisper, but audible enough for Shen Qingqiu. 

Because the fake wants to see you, and I intend to not let that happen as much as possible. 

"Does the little beast think so lowly of this master that he doubts his actions?" 

"No! This disciple would never!" Luo Binghe waves his hands around in panic at angering Shen Qingqiu, whilst the latter looks in surprise at seeing him speak loudly. 

"This disciple begs for forgiveness!" 

In the middle of the rainbow bridge, Luo Binghe bows down to Shen Qingqiu-who's only visible to him-and pleads for forgiveness. 

"What the-- What do you think you are doing? Are you trying to shame this master? Get up!" 

"Yes shizun!" 

Nearby disciples minding their business, bear witness to the bizzare scene in front of them. 

A Qing Jing Peak disciple-judging by the light greens of his clothes-with an unkempt appearance, suddenly bows down in the middle of the rainbow bridge and pleads to... The air?

Shen Qingqiu sighs and wishes he still has his fan at the moment, he wouldn't ever wish for the little beast to see his every expression.

As if nothing has ever happened, they continued their way to Qian Cao Peak.

Luo Binghe was then given medicinal salves for some of his lighter injuries and bruises and a bitter concoction to aid in his pain, whilst he was advised to take a rest for awhile on the beds of Qian Cao's clinic.

He was immensely grateful for his shizun who decided to stay and watch over him as he rest, but Luo Binghe also feels embarrassed that his shizun has to see him on this state.

"Shizun... Shizun can go back to Qing Jing, while this disciple rests."

He says this to Shen Qingqiu, who's sitting up on the beside Luo Binghe's. The Qing Jing Peak Lord then raises a brow and coldly says, "Are you trying to order around this master, little beast?"

"This disciple would never!"

"Hmph. See that you won't."

Truthfully, Shen Qingqiu could just go back to his peak. But he has no desire to go back when that fake is still occupying his body; who knows what kind of appalling actions that fake has committed by now?

I need to find a way to get back to my body...

He thinks of this, as he overlooks Luo Binghe who was by now sleeping peacefully.

He would let him sleep for now.

The little beast would be no use if he limps all the way while doing Shen Qingqiu's orders.

__________

"Shizun!"

Shen Yuan was so close to greeting death for the second time. He feels like the wait for Luo Binghe to reach the bamboo hut, was the longest minute of his life.

And of course it would be!

He's going to meet the protagonist, but sadly when he hears someone knock hurriedly on his door, he was close to being in tears to finally see Luo Binghe.

Yet instead, before he could dance on his mind, the door opens widely without his intervention, and a female voice befitting a young girl was what greets him.

Is that supposed to be Luo Binghe? He didn't turn into a girl, right?!

Around Chapter 1000+, Luo Binghe meets a pretty man who turns out to be a beautiful woman. This wife 495 encounters a plant that whose seeds could be used to change someone's appearance and gender. Later, after knowing it was a woman all along, Luo Binghe and wife 495 papapa all their way.

The whole PIDW forum at that time was in chaos when a bunch of fujoshis started to read PIDW just for that one chapter. They were fooled, they say. It was a bl bait! 

Now, what if that plant actually exists in Cang Qiong and Luo Binghe encountered that plant?!

Shen Yuan wouldn't put it pass the scum villain to cultivate that specific plant on Qing Jing, what if he intends to use it on male disciples to turn them into meimeis instead??!!

【Host is panicking for nonsense scenarios.】

How is that 'nonsense'?! 

He feels like the system would roll its eyes at him, if it ever has one in the first place. 

The familiar blue screen then floats in front of the female disciple before Shen Yuan, who's looking up at him with a worried expression. 

?! 

What did he do now?! 

【Ning Yingying. Shen Qingqiu's youngest female disciple.】

Holy shit-- it's the childhood sweetheart of Luo Binghe-- WAIT NO! 

What if someone had seen her get inside the bamboo hut?! They would accuse him of preying on the female disciples! 

Shen Yuan was filled with complex feelings when faced with Ning Yingying. 

That is because, the original goods has perverse designs towards his youngest female disciple Ning Yingying. 

While he may look fair on the outside, one who treats Ning Yingying with pure and selfless love, but the original goods is actually a lecher. 

He is a scum and a hypocrite that has dirty thoughts towards his female disciples that are just lovely and well-behaved. 

But, Ning Yingying who was frequently given more attention by Shen Qingqiu, was obviously the main recipient of the original good's lecherous desires. 

【Sigh】

【Host should focus on the character in front of him. Shen Qingqiu always listens to what Ning Yingying has to say. Failure in doing so would have 5 points deduction.】

"Yes...?" 

He was prolonging his question due to thinking on how to address the disciple that was the main victim of Shen Qingqiu's pervertedness. 

【Shen Qingqiu calls Ning Yingying with a nickname. Ying-er.】

Of course he would.

Shen Yuan curses the original goods in his mind.

One of the most nefarious accusations against Shen Qingqiu is him preying on his female disciples, and especially Ning Yingying whose often close beside Shen Qingqiu.

This is another level of depravity, he surely won't be calling Ning Yingying by any kind of nickname anytime soon. 

But...

Can't he just call Ning Yingying with another name, something that is more formal?

He doesn't want the protagonist to go back at him and cutting off his tongue for calling one of his wives affectionately nor chopping off his arms for even daring to touch Ning Yingying!

"... Disciple Ning."

"Shizun! A'Luo is missing!"

Oh... Some canon fodder disciple is-

WAIT... A'LUO?!

Ning Yingying's nickname for Luo Binghe!

"LUO BINGHE?!?!"

At that moment, the famed cold and aloof Qing Jing Peak Lord, shrieked right in front of Ning Yingying who jumped in surprise after seeing the distressed composure of her  shizun. 

【OOC warning. Another violation, and 5 points will be deducted.】

Shen Yuan curses in his mind.

He just transmigrated and he feels like everything is going down the drain...

What did she mean that the Luo Binghe is missing?! But that never happened on the novel before!

The protagonist is missing!

I am going to die of heart attack now... 

What should he do--

Before he could finish his thoughts, another knock was heard on the entrance door of the bamboo hut.

Shen Yuan frantically puts back a blank expression to his face, lifting his chin up and haughtingly walks towards the door and opens it.

There they see Ming Fan quickly doing a salute towards Shen Yuan and briefly greets Ning Yingying, before focusing his attention back to Shen Yuan.

"Shizun. This disciple has learnt that the beast is on Qian Cao Peak at the moment."

Shen Yuan sighed in relief internally. 

The protagonist is not actually missing. 

It looks like Shen Yuan still has some chances as well. 

"A'Luo is no beast!" Yells Ning Yingying.

Before Ming Fan replies coarcingly, Shen Yuan speaks:

"Hhmm... Thank you for informing me, Ming Fan. But in the future, it's best that disciple Ming calls Luo Binghe by his name lest he wants to be punished."

There. He did good, right?

Not receiving any OOC warning from the system, he was actually surprised. 

At once, he was gifted by Minh Fan's confused stare and Ning Yingying's happy expression.

Meanwhile, Shen Yuan was busy raging in his mind.

He really wants to visit Luo Binghe right now, and it would be a good opportunity too!

Show the protagonist that his shizun right here could be gentle and kind as he wishes for good recovery towards Luo Binghe (because why else would the protagonist go there unless he was injured? Though as much as he remembered, Luo Binghe never went there in the novel...).

But the system would likely interfere with Shen Yuan, saying it's OOC once again.

Well... Now worries! He can still be kind towards Luo Binghe while not acting OOC!

In the midst of his self-talk, the disciples with him began to speak with each other. 

"Ming-shixiong is A'Luo alright?"

"Shimei does not need to worry. That bea- er, Luo-shidi must be resting to.. Recuperate."

Ning Yingying clicks her tongue and makes a sour expression, one that surprised Shen Yuan because... 

This meimei was stated to be the embodiment of sweetness and innocence, alright??? 

Even with all the harem drama, she retained that kind of innocence that gives the readers the urge to protect her from the dangers of the world. 

"Ming-shixiong should not have tasked A'Luo with chores then!" 

Ah the chores... Said chores are chopping wood, doing the laundry, running around the peak as some kind of errand boy. 

Shen Yuan is out for blood when he have read these parts of the novel where Luo Binghe's blasted shixiongs would order around the poor protagonist. 

And serves them right for ending up with gruesome deaths. 

Though... Shen Yuan is now part of the novel, and especially he is now Shen Qingqiu, he has to avoid those deaths from happening. 

Don't worry Binghe! This gege will do his best to protect and cherish you from now on! 

That means once Shen Yuan gets to talk with Luo Binghe, he would put a stop on all those chores and have the other disciples do it instead. 

__________

"Get up."

Those were the first words that Luo Binghe hears before he opens his eyes and sees the beautiful visage of his cold shizun. 

Shen Qingqiu stares down at him, and Luo Binghe only continues to gaze up dazingly, not yet fully awake at the moment. 

"You are already fully healed. It's time for you to go on your disciple duties, no?" 

"Shi-shizun!" Luo Binghe hurriedly sits up when he realizes that shizun looking at him was no dream but actually reality. 

"Is that the only word that you can say?" 

Luo Binghe looks down on his lap and clasps his hands, his face full of shame. 

He hears his shizun sigh. 

"Follow me," 

Exiting Qian Cao Peak, Shen Qingqiu leads Luo Binghe towards Qing Jing Peak. Upon seeing the endless sight of the towering bamboos of Qing Jing, Luo Binghe stares up at his shizun in wonder. 

They stopped at the training area of Qing Jing, still empty of any disciples due to their other classes. 

"Let this master see your progress."

On the farther side, there are wooden training swords that can be found for the disciples to use at; mostly used by disciples that haven't obtained their rightful swords in Wan Jian Peak.

Luo Binghe holds a wooden sword and begins to make a starting stance right in front of Shen Qingqiu.

His eyes take a determined gleam as he continues to form the different stances that he have seen in his manual.

Cang Qiong is unique in a way that each peak has its own signature movements and style. Qing Jing is a home for scholars and spiritual cuktivators, whilst they aren't expected by lots to be on the frontlines of the battlefield, a cultivator is still a cultivator.

Qing Jing's style is full of elegant and grace, something that all the disciples have always admired their shizun for whenever Shen Qingqiu would grace them a rare opportunity to wield Xiu Ya nor dance with his handmade fans.

But as Shen Qingqiu continues to observe Luo Binghe, he only sees clumsy movements that are trying to imitate a graceful stance.

The boy was better for Bai Zhan by this point... But what is he even doing?!

None of those stances are remotely similar to the basic stances that Shen Qingqiu requires all new disciples to learn before studying the moderate and advanced movements that are more fit for Qing Jing's style.

In fact, at this moment, Luo Binghe looks like he's only making up stances that he deems as 'graceful'.

None of those are accompanied with an inch of elegance, it's just full garbage that puts a bitter taste on Shen Qingqiu.

He was far from the friendly and kind master, in fact he was looked down upon by his martial siblings for his strict and severe teaching towards his disciples.

As if they are any better!

In the first place, Shen Qingqiu knows very well that he wasn't fit to become a teacher, but he'd rather be found dead first before his Qing Jing goes around with this kind of shameful act!

"Stop."

Luo Binghe immediately ceases to move upon hearing his shizun's order. He was now full of sweat after continously doing the stances, and to no avail, fails to perform exactly what he wants.

"Is the little beast so busy that he have forgotten to perform the most basic out of all movements? Have you even learnt anything for your classes, or were you too lazy to attend one at all?"

"Answering shizun... This disciple was tasked by his shixiongs to do the chores daily around Qing Jing, hence this disciple cannot always attend the classes on time..." He says this while bowing slightly towards Shen Qingqiu.

The Qing Jing Peak Lord was familiar with this. Though it irks him that some of his spoiled disciples get away from their tasks by putting all of it on the newest disciple, but it wasn't new.

He was hoping at some point that the little beast would snap and fight back, after all he grew up in the streets right?

Luo Binghe continues to speak, he was speaking more calmly now, compared to how he spoke when he was first willingly approached by Shen Qingqiu. "This disciple also continually practices the stances in his manual."

"Your manual?"

In hurried motions, Luo Binghe goes back to his woodshed and gets his manual.

Upon returning, Luo Binghe gives it to Shen Qingqiu who was contemplating of trying to get it or not.

He was still a ghost... A ghost that can't do anything, asides from ordering his most hated disciple around.

"Just... Just open it." He grits out instead.

In the end, Shen Qingqiu squashes his remaining pride down and tells himself to get used with Luo Binghe's help.

Thankfully the little beast was too naive to actually notice his strange actions.

Indeed... Luo Binghe only looks at him with eagerness to prove himself, such as opening the manual and showing all the contents of it to Shen Qingqiu.

Shen Qingqiu feels his eye twitch and his mouth down turned, whilst trying to keep up a poised expression.

Once again, Shen Qingqiu laments that he has no fan with his side to hide his expressions.

Truly, because... What the fuck is this?!

With his acerbic tongue that is the mix of an Immortal scholar and a street raised brat, Shen Qingqiu could (and would, eventually) eviscerate Ming Fan to pieces with his words. 

Is Ming Fan thinking that he now has the power to do whatever he wants just because he's the head disciple? Is he testing his own shizun's power?!

"This master recommends the little beast to find Hallmaster Zhu and ask for a new manual... Unfortunately, Ming Fan has given you the wrong manual. This master will speak to his head disciple later on regarding this matter."

Luo Binghe stares in surprise at his words, and in a minute or two, he instantly looks at Shen Qingqiu with star-filled eyes.

His wary expression before have turned a 180° and instead became another disciple that shamelessly looks at their shizun with open admiration.

Now... How would he punish Ming Fan? 

"This master also prefers if the little beast hands that manual over to Hallmaster Zhu, and report this incident to Hallmaster Yu."

The former oversees with the physical training of the disciples, and was entrusted as well with the power to look over the manuals of the students. While the latter was one of Shen Qingqiu's more strict hallmasters and was infamous around the peak for his punishments that is way beyond harsher than Shen Qingqiu's. 

"Also," Shen Qingqiu's lips unconsciously turns up slightly at his sudden thought. 

Meanwhile, Luo Binghe almost fell down to his knees at seeing a rare expression from his shizun. This one is the closest he could ever get as a smile from Shen Qingqiu! 

"This master likes to see the little beast visit this one's house later on. He likes to receive some flowers as well." 

At this, Luo Binghe's eyes shine so bright that even Shen Qingqiu-a ghost-feels like closing his eyes to protect his eyesight. 

"This disciple understands..." 

Even a naive fool like the little beast should know what he meant about it. 

During his disciple days, Shen Qingqiu cultivated flowers around the peak as his only source of comfort and enjoyment on such a toxic environment. 

Nowadays, Shen Qingqiu has a garden he have made for himself. One that is on the deeper parts of his bamboo forest. But he still entrusted some of his female disciples to take care of the plants he have cultivated around the peak. 

... and most of those... are flowers meant for the dead.

__________

Knock knock 

This is around the third time that someone has knocked over his door, though instead of the panicky knocks from Ning Yingying, this one was quite gentle. 

"Come in," 

Shen Yuan says these while sitting languidly with a fan on his hand, whilst his other hand holds a book that contains words Shen Yuan cannot comprehend. 

The door opens slowly and there in full glory--he describes this as it is, due to the light from outside illuminating the figure of a Qing Jing Peak disciple who's holding delicately a bouquet of flowers- 

??? 

System, who's this? 

The boy is a youthful beauty, surely a cannon fodder would not have this kind of appearance??? Who is this? 

【Luo Binghe. The Protagonist.】

ACK--

HOW COULD I FORGET?!

Looking back at the boy before him, Shen Yuan now can witness in person why Luo Binghe is befitting as the protagonist.

Sure, the original goods have also retained a youthful beauty as an Immortal-ah, but compared to Luo Binghe, others are surely lacking!

A tender and little handsome beauty, Luo Binghe's eyes themselves are as bright as the stars!

A firm and humble look, a sign of his noble character. 

A tall stature that would rather break than bend against all the vicious attacks of people who desires to harm him.

Truly, he is worthy of his title as the protagonist.

Though accompanied with this thought is an ache on Shen Yuan's heart. Even just a single look at Luo Binghe, he already feels heartbreak for all the suffering that he has gone through.

Shen Yuan just wants to reach out to him and comfort him with gentle words, telling him to stay strong and not be afraid.

The words he have first wanted to say to the protagonist was held on the tip of his tongue, it feels like he cannot formulate any kind of statement right now due to personally seeing Luo Binghe.

But-no one could really blame him-the protagonist is just too magnificent! If that damn system could only not interfere with the OOC function, then Shen Yuan would've been fanboying right now.

"This disciple greets shizun," Luo Binghe kneels carefully in order to not mess up the flowers he's been carrying.

"No need."

Shen Yuan briefly says, he can't have Luo Binghe bowing right now to him. What if Luo Binghe would someday decide to break his kneecaps for having to bow down towards Shen Qingqiu?

At this, Luo Binghe quickly stands up straight and brings the bouquet of flowers closer to Shen Yuan.

"For shizun," A bashful expression overtakes Luo Binghe's face, whilst Shen Yuan was panickingly conversing with the system because... Was this even meant to happen??? Was this the cause of his transmigration?

He was only supposed to give some medicine to Luo Binghe!

Though the protagonist seemed just fresh out of the shower... Not even a sight of bruises, unless it was throughly covered by his clothes.

But this... Luo Binghe has given him flowers! 

Even if he was mistreated in this peak, he was still that white lotus that is just too kind. 

【Black Roses, White Chrysanthemums】

【Flowers that are used as offerings to the dead and signifying 'goodbyes'】

'...' 

Is this a threat? 

Shen Yuan regrets his previous thoughts. 

Maybe Luo Binghe is already harboring malovolent thoughts against Shen Qingqiu and was carefully planning his demise this early? 

Of course, unknown to Shen Yuan, Shen Qingqiu have purposely planted those kind of flowers on the vicinity of every Qing Jing disciple. 

Back in his travels with Wu Yanzi, there were frequent times that they would both stay for awhile in a certain town. 

Enough time that Shen Qingqiu has put to good use by cultivating these plants meant for funerals. 

Unfortunately, the lowest of the low were never given proper burials, this still stands as the truth in his eyes when thinking of the "fact" that his Qi-ge died along the way. 

Hence, Shen Qingqiu would bury corpses he'd find along the way (even including the ones he have killed under Wu Yanzi's orders), and would bring out these specific flowers to out on their graves. 

Those flowers no longer had their uses when he was already a Peak Lord, but he never tried to take its roots off the ground. The plants he have cultivated in his peak would continue to nourish until the end of its time. 

Now that it has come to this, Shen Qingqiu did not expect that these flowers could still be out to good use. 

While the fake received the flowers from the little beast, Shen Qingqiu has opted to stay out of sight, it would be much appreciated though if the little beast would be able to point out the fake from the original. 

Shen Qingqiu sneers as he observes the dumbfounded expression on his face. Not even a week and the fake has already made too-many ridiculous expressions with Shen Qingqiu's own face. 

If his enemies see this, they would vomiting blood right now. 

Meanwhile, Shen Yuan was left speechless and momentarily forgets his role that he mutters out a: "Thank you...?" 

【-5 points; Remaining points: 95】

Of course, it was those words that made Luo Binghe smile so brightly that light has started emit from his very own person. 

His eyes shine endlessly to the point that you'd see the stars dancing on his dark eyes. 

"Anything for shizun!" Luo Binghe can only think of it inside his mind, lest his shizun would suddenly feel annoyed towards Luo Binghe once again.

With that thought, the light coming from Luo Binghe just seemed to intensify even more. So much that you can already see the heavens behind him. 

Shen Yuan instinctively covers his face with his fan, the other one now holding the bouquet. 

So bright...! 

Alas, it was also that moment that Shen Qingqiu decided to come out of his hiding spot and let himself stand closer behind the fake. 

His hands are crossed to his chest, and looks down at Luo Binghe with disapproval. 

That attitude is just unbefitting of a future scholar, especially coming from Qing Jing Peak! 

Oh, but it cannot be helped. Newer disciples are prone to start as starry eyed students that would dare to give a glance at him. 

Meanwhile, said disciple has already gone back to earth after reaching the heavens once he have heard his own shizun thanking him. 

But now it seems like he was threading through the deepest parts of the ocean. 

How could he not? 

He's seeing two shizuns right now! 

What is happening? 

This would later on become one of the most memorable moments in Luo Binghe's life that he would always look back to. 

__________

"How the fuck am I supposed to do this???" 

After receiving those flowers from Luo Binghe, the protagonist stared into space for a moment before abruptly leaving the hut with a hurried excuse of going to his classes. 

Then out of nowhere, a man called Hallmaster Yin barges in (literally) his bamboo hut whilst carrying a bunch of papers and scrolls. 

"Now that Shen-shixiong is fully healed, please look over these. It was already long overdue." The man grumbled as if he cannot bear to speak a word or two with 'Shen Qingqiu'. 

"... though you deserved that Qi deviation after still visiting the brothels." Hallmaster Yin whispers. 

And that was all he said before he left the bamboo hut without not slamming the door shut. 

Hallmaster Yin gave him dozens of stacked papers that contains all the written poems, essays, and calligraphy exercises of Qing Jing disciples. 

Too bad, because Shen Yuan doesn't get any of these! 

He laments his fate, before someone knocks in again and enters the bamboo hut without his permission. 

Is this a normal thing here?! 

This time another Hallmaster gives him the reports and analysis of senior disciples who have gone through missions and just recently returned to the Sect. 

Why does he even have to do this?

The protagonist could be out there somewhere in the peak, and Shen Yuan is here not doing anything to avoid his future as a human stick!

With those thoughts filling his mind, Shen Yuan ungracefully slumps on the chair with his only witness is the system.

Of course, it was also that moment that the system decided to give some "motivation" through the miserable transmigrator.

【Keep up the good work host! Doing Peak Lord duties are one of Shen Qingqiu's responsibilities, and host is living up to his character】

The system says this, while said transmigrator has now rested his head on the table, and ignores the non-human voice of the system.

While Shen Yuan bemoans his fate, Shen Qingqiu was out there witnessing something that could've given him a chance to see Luo Binghe again.

__________

Just because Luo Binghe was now being personally trained by Shen Qingqiu (it wasn't enough to call it that way; his shizun only corrected his mistakes and gave him advices for about a shichen and went on his way).

It doesn't mean that he has become miraculously stronger.

Or that should've been the case if it was anyone else.

Right now, due to his shizun's "change of heart", Luo Binghe has become significantly more powerful in just days.

He has been training endlessly to the point that his shizun has to berate him with his vicious words that stabs you right through your heart, just to make sure that Luo Binghe would attend his other classes.

Speaking about his shizun, Luo Binghe was still not able to figure it out on how he saw two shizuns when he visited him on his bamboo hut.

When he asked this to his shizun, he looked down at Luo Binghe with that scathing gaze that should've frightened him to death.

Instead, it just made Luo Binghe more determined to get his answers from his shizun. His shizun's stare just seemed to ask him a question, "Did the little beast hit his head somewhere that he could not comprehend what is obvious from the very start?" 

Smiling sheepishly, Luo Binghe saluted towards his shizun: "Forgive this impudent disciple shizun, but this disciple just wants to know the beast at heart when it comes to his shizun."-- he was whacked by his shizun with his bare hand, or at least he tried to.

Now, let it not be said that Luo Binghe is stupid.

His shizun may believe so and compare him lots of times to Bai Zhan's barbaric disciples ones who frequently think with their muscles and leave their critical thinking behind on Qing Jing.

And Luo Binghe is pretty sure that one's does not pass through someone's head as if the other is just an air.

Well... Maybe Luo Binghe after all is quite stupid?

How could he not realize that his shizun accompanying him here and not residing in his bamboo hut to do those endless stack of paperworks-- is not suspicious?

Of course, his shizun must've been a ghost! He has never seen one before and only heard those in stories, but perhaps his shizun's sickly pallor should've been an indicator of him being one.

Then who is that one in shizun's house?

He asks this question to his shizun, who stares at the bamboo hut in a distance. A faraway look could be seen on his eyes.

"A fake."

Luo Binghe never dared to ask his shizun anything about the fake, after that.

Now, some time later, Luo Binghe was left by his own in the bamboo forest and continued to train his movements.

A vast improvement from before, since Luo Binghe has quickly mastered the basic stances and was now studying a manual that suits him best yet retaining Qing Jing's elegant style.

Shizun has stated that Luo Binghe's style would be more overbearing, his force is more oppressive compared to everyone else on Qing Jing, but shizun has imorovised some movements that is an odd mix of Bai Zhan and Qing Jing's style.

(as a ghost, Shen Qingqiu has no problem to go inside the brute's peak, but it has been awhile and he still cannot touch anything else. Hence, he gives a risky task for the little beast to retrieve a manual of Bai Zhan Peak. He doesn't know how Luo Binghe did it, but it was less than half a shi hen before the little beast came sauntering towards Shen Qingqiu's spot, obviously feeling proud.)

Luo Binghe continues to train and meditate (all those in a short amount of time), when he hears Ning-shijie's carefree voice across the bamboo stalks.

"A'Luo!"

If he was any other male disciple (read: Ming Fan), perhaps he would feel besotted just hearing Ning-shijie's voice that would be deem as melodious and still retaining that childish innocence that others no longer have.

But, Luo Binghe is no other male disciple, and only gives a respectful greeting towards Ning Yingying.

"That was amazing, A'Luo!"

Feeling embarrassed by the praise, Luo Binghe stammers.

"It was nothing, Ning-shijie... This shidi wouldn't have been able to do this without shizun's guidance."

Ning Yingying smiles in agreement, "Of course! Shizun is the best, you know A'Luo, shizun even got angry at Ming-shixiong for caliing you a beast!"

"Is that so...?"

"Yes!"

Ning Yingying remains oblivious to the incoming turbulent thoughts of Luo Binghe, who was sure that the 'shizun' Ning-shijie is referring to is the fake one.

Because the shizun who was teaching Luo Binghe these days is still harsh with him, albeit more lenient compared to before, but still retaining a disciplinarian attitude towards him.

Shizun still calls him a "little beast", a nickname alone that was heard by Ming Fan hence he followed shizun as well.

Even if shizun was harsh with him since the very start, he still healed Luo Binghe from his wounds and injuries (it was a Qian Cao disciple who did that), gave him a new manual (it was a Hallmaster who did that) and thought him the right forms and movements (...)!

Luo Binghe would always choose his shizun! 

Then Luo Binghe remembers the flowers and was filled with heavy disappointment that the flowers he meant for his shizun were given to the fake one.

Ning Yingying, of course, has noticed the mood dropping and asks in a concerned tone: "A'Luo, what's wrong?"

Although Luo Binghe was more disappointed, his expression is befitting more for feeling angry... Angry to the point that Luo Binghe makes a scowling face, a rare feat that would go down in history if Ning Yingying was one to write notes about her shidi's every action.

"I want to give shizun flowers."

Ning Yingying-who was shocked by the ("least expected") response-blinks several times at Luo Binghe.

"Flowers?"

Just as he was about to respond, someone interjects. 

"What is this talk about flowers?"

Both Luo Binghe and Ning Yingying turned towards the source of the voice, and admittedly not a bit surpised when Ming Fan goes closer at them with relaxed pacing as if he has all the time in the world.

At his back are around four of their shixiong that Ning Yingying has secretly dubbed as Ming-shixiong's lackeys. 

"Shizun would be disappointed if he were to see both of you alone deep in the woods. Who knows what kind of unspeakable sfuff you'll do with each other?" A nasally voice of a male disciple says.

He opens his mouth to speak once more, but was stopped by Ming Fan who was glaring at him. The disciple cowers in fear upon receiving Ming Fan's that's become strikingly similar with their shizun's. 

"Ming-shixiong... Ning-shijie and this shidi are not doing anything that is against the Sect rules. This shidi is just training for himself." Luo Binghe intervenes.

Ning Yingying nods, "That's right! A'Luo is working so hard to train, so that shizun would be proud of him!"

Ning-shijie... I never said that. 

Though she was not wrong. 

"Oh? Then what about the flowers?" Ming Fan interrogates with a suspicious look on his eyes, still not fully convinced. 

Sometimes, the head disciple could be well entrusted with responsibilities that sure are hard to carry, but Ming Fan always gets sidetracked when it comes to Ning Yingying.

Luo Binghe does not want to take part on an incoming brawl with his shixiong, after all, he has to train to get stronger and impress shizun but as well as he just healed recently, he can't get another set of wounds from this.

At Ming Fan's words of "flower", Ning Yingying's eyes brightened. "That's because A'Luo wants to give shizun flowers."

"I see..." Ming Fan furrows his eyebrows, his entire look expressing huge disapproval for any Luo- Binghe-related-act.

Then Ming Fan smugly says, "But this shixiong suggests to not disturb shizun any further. Shizun is—as of the moment—is busy with his Peak Lord duties. So shidi should focus first on chopping the wood and gathering water instead--"

"Didn't your hear just what I said, Ming-shixiong? A'Luo is busy training right now. Besides, if you hurt and order A'Luo around again, I would tell shizun that you... That all of you are bullying him!"

Ning Yingying points her finger accusingly at Ming Fan and the other male disciples behind him. 

At once a panicked call of "Sh-shimei!" came from all the disciples in front of her. 

A panicked Ming Fan frets around Ning Yingying and attempts to speak to her in a placating tone.

Ning Yingying ignores this, and harrumphs at Ming Fan, before crossing her arms and looking away from her shixiong.

The other male disciples stood around with stiff postures, confused and unsure on what to do without their Ming-shixiong's orders.

Meanwhile, Luo Binghe sees this as a perfect opportunity to get away, so in slow motions, he retreats himself further from the rest.

Ming Fan then quickly took out a pure green jade pendant and presented it to Ning Yingying, "Shimei! Look, this shixiong visited his relatives and was given this beautiful jade pendant. I'm giving this to Shimei..."

Ning Yingying gives Ming Fan and his lackeys a critical eye, one that unconsciously made them shiver in fight.

It seems like not only their Ming-shixiong has been granted with their shizun's glare, their youngest Shimei as well has gained shizun's eye! 

Ning Yingying takes the pendant out of Ming Fan's grasp and lifts it up against the gap of a leafy canopy for the pendant to shine  against the sunlight.

"How is it, do you like it or not?" This time, Ming Fan asks with a calmer tone, now that Ning Yingying seems to have stopped ignoring him.

Ning Yingying doesn't respond at first.

Luo Binghe—who still has not completely made an exit in this situation—feels himself sweatdropped as he feels a bad feeling in his gut.

Hurrying his footsteps backwards, not caring if he ever steps on a stone that could trip him-- he sees Ning Yingying only giving a moment of looking at the pendant before throwing it.

Ming Fan stiffened as Ning Yingying wrinkles her nose and says, "What beautiful thing, the color is ugly to death and not as good as the one A'Luo has."

Shit.

Luo Binghe dearly loves his shijie, but he wishes Ning Yingying could've stayed more vigilant with her words!

At once, the attention turns to Luo Binghe.

Ming Fan grits his teeth as he looks at Luo Binghe (who wishes that he have just ran away instead).

"Luo-shidi has a jade pendant?" 

He didn't get to reply, before Ning Yingying hastily answered: "Of course he has one. He always wears it around his neck. It’s his treasure, he doesn’t even let me look at it."

Luo Binghe has a stiff look on his face that one might depict as calm, but he was anything but calm as of the moment. 

He unconsciously clutches on his jade Guanyin hidden beneath his clothes. Whilst upon hearing Ning Yingying's words, Ming Fan's face turns red in anger and jealousy. 

Due to Ning Yingying's words, Ming Fan snaps at Luo Binghe: "Luo-shidi sure is generous that would not let Ning-shimei take a look at that jade pendant of yours. If this goes on, you won’t even give a hand to your own fellow disciples when we’re facing against a strong enemy!" 

It seems that the consequences of her words catches up to her, as Ning Yingying waves her hands around and tries to appease her raging shixiong. "It's fine! It's fine! He doesn't have to show me if he doesn't want to."

Without any word, Ming Fan only hooks his leg below Luo Binghe's who was caught off guard to react on time, while another male disciple pushes him on the ground. 

The other disciples restrains him, forbidding Luo Binghe from making any movement. 

His wooden sword falls on the ground. 

Ming Fan sees the string of a jade guanyin around Luo Binghe's neck and retrieves it from him. 

He raises it up and gives it a look, before bursting into laughter. 

"Why are you laughing?" A curious Ning Yingying asks. 

Ming Fan throws the jade guanyin onto Ning Yingying's hands and gives a gleeful response: "I thought it was some kind of precious treasure for him to protect it so fiercely. Ning-shimei, guess what? It's Northwest goods." 

"Northwest goods? Fake?" 

Luo Binghe clenched his fists slowly. Fake as it may be, that jade guanyin is a gift from his mother. 

He stood up and gazes at his shixiongs, a deep current surges on the depths of his eyes. 

Whether he was aware or not of how eerie his eyes are, the other male disciples took a step back upon feeling a twisted feeling on their guts. 

Their tight grip against Luo Binghe lessens. 

Ming Fan takes the jade guanyin from Ning Yingying and twirls it on his fingers: "If you just want it back then I’ll give it. Don’t know from what kind of street vendor this kind of cheap thing was bought; if it’s given to Ning-shimei, I’m afraid it’ll dirty her hands." 

Now, if it was in another world, Luo Binghe would be baited by Ming Fan's taunts to attack him recklessly. 

Luo Binghe with his faulted manual could only fight his shixiongs with unrestrained movements that have no technique at all, resulting in him just getting beaten up eventually. 

But that was that world.

In this world, Luo Binghe was taught by his shizun personally (it was only through advices and demonstrations, albeit these actions were done reluctantly and perhaps... Desperation? Whatever it is, Luo Binghe was not aware of Shen Qingqiu's plans in the first place). 

Though his shizun has not taught him how to speak like Shen Qingqiu, Luo Binghe has been observing with better success compared to the time he was berated and punished each time his shizun sees him. 

Luo Binghe rests his expression and takes a deep breath, he gives a smile towards his shixiongs that could be deemed as 'charming' by ladies but 'dangerous' for men. 

"Has shixiong never learnt his lesson?" 

"What?" Ming Fan speaks mutters with a dumbfounded look, surprised by the unexpected response. 

Luo Binghe's smile only widens at this, his eyes still harboring rage at what transpired in regards to his jade guanyin. 

"This shidi heard that Yu-shishu gave a severe punishment to Ming-shixiong for attempting to kill his shidi with a fake manual." 

At those words, Ming Fan blanches. 

Right, of course Luo Binghe willingly followed his shizun's orders, especially when his shizun is doing this for the benefit of Luo Binghe. 

When Luo Binghe reported the events since the start when he received his manual from Ming Fan, Luo Binghe realized that a person's expression could change multiple times in seconds. 

Shizun was harsh with his punishments, but Luo Binghe has heard of Hallmaster Yu being even more harsh compared to the already cold and strict Qing Jing Peak Lord. 

He doesn't know the exact details of every punishment, but his words gave him the desired results on Ming Fan's expression, hence it must be bad. 

Being strung up for four hours by his shizun's command is already painful for Luo Binghe, what must be the punishment for Ming Fan though?

"Punishment? What punishment! Ming-shixiong disappeared for days, because he was called to create an analytical essay on the various causes and effects of Qi deviation!" 

A male disciples interjects before delivering a hasty punch on Luo Binghe's face, which the latter narrowly avoids. 

"Yes! Qing Jing specializes with tactics and scholarly research, for Ming-shixiong to be called for that must mean shizun is planning to promote Ming-shixiong as the succeeding disciple!" Another one says. 

At once, Luo Binghe's other shixiongs express their suspicions on him tarnishing Ming Fan's reputation with gossips, but the eldest male disciple in question, shakes so slightly. 

Ming Fan lowers his head, his free hand clenched tightly. 

Luo Binghe could only shake his head in disappointment. When he first came to Qing Jing, these shixiongs seemed imposing at first but now they're just proving that they're hiding their stupidity behind their luxury. 

Shizun would be so disappointed. 

Not only to him for engaging in a useless fight, but also to his shixiongs. 

"Faulty manual?"

Luo Binghe perks up at hearing the voice, he have forgotten that Ning-shijie was still here with them, only observing them with unnerving eyes that does not suit her innocent look.

Ning Yingying looks at Ming Fan with disapproval, "What does A'Luo mean by that, shixiong?"

Ming Fan gives a stiff smile, his previous arrogant attitude now gone.

"Ning-shimei... You should not believe every word-"

"Ming-shixiong should worry more about his actions than trying to cover it up with lies."

"You!" Ming Fan grits out. 

"Shixiong would only continue to bring shame on Qing Jing Peak with his actions. What would shizun say if he learns about this?" 

"Don't talk bad about shixiong!" 

"A'Luo!" 

A swift punch was about to hit Luo Binghe's stomach but he immediately shrugs off the remaining hands trying—yet failing—to restrain him without any effort, and twists the arm of the offending hand trying to punch him. 

"Ahhh!!!" 

A pained yell erupts from this male disciple, antonished by the unexpected show of strength by the supposed "weakest" shidi. 

"Shixiong!" The others instantly went to that disciple who lies on the ground, cradling his arm that he feels to be broken. 

"What did you do?!" An enraged Ming Fan yells upon seeing the state of one of his shidis.

Luo Binghe ignores his question and walks with fast paced steps towards Ming Fan then grabs his jade guanyin harshly.

Clutching the jade guanyin to his chest, Luo Binghe glares at Ming Fan will all anger he could muster. 

"And this one is mine."

Ming Fan shudders. 

Luo Binghe looks at the ground where his wooden sword is, and only makes a haste in grabbing it before walking away from them. 

"A'Luo! A'Luo!" 

Ning Yingying follows after Luo Binghe, a regretful expression on her face. 

Now on another part of the forest—hopefully enough distance away from his shixiongs—he hears Ning Yingying's cry. 

"Ning-shijie..."

"A'Luo, I'm sorry." Ning Yingying says earnestly. 

"It's... Fine." 

It truly was. If he had been the person of before, would he be able to fight back and protect himself from a full brawl? No, he wouldn't. 

Though this event has not ended up with him being on the receiving end of punches and kicks, it still gave better results compared to his previous mishaps with his shixiongs. 

Truly, even with all that trouble, he was blessed.

Luo Binghe now calm downs slowly and looks down on his jade guanyin with a bittersweet smile.

He looks up to Ning Yingying, "Does Ning-shijie still want to help me give flowers to shizun?"

Ning Yingying perks up and gives a joyful smile, her previous down expression now gone.

"Of course!"

Filled with giddiness, the two went to look for flowers around Qing Jing's bamboo forest.

Ning Yingying was a distance away from Luo Binghe, her back turned towards him as she also looks on the ground and search for pretty flowers. 

While Luo Binghe kneels on both knees and picks up a wildflower, he hears a familiar cold yet pleasant voice say:

"That was an amusing scene you made right there, beast."

Luo Binghe's eyes brightens with golden stars in them, giving a small smile upon seeing his shizun there standing in between the bamboo stalks.

"Wipe that smile off your face."

Luo Binghe abruptly gives a more respectful expression on his face and whispers where only him and Shen Qingqiu could hear his whisper: 

"Shizun was there?" His tone was almost hopeful, maybe his shizun would be proud of how he handled those things instead of going for a reckless move?

"Of course. Where else would I go?"

Anywhere in this Sect, Shen Qingqiu could go to. But he can only be seen by one person, and that is Luo Binghe.

"Is shizun proud of this disciple?" He dares to ask with a low voice.

"Hmph." He was granted with a vexed  expression, one that Shen Qingqiu still managed to look graceful.

"Perhaps."

Luo Binghe smiles widely.

That was already enough as a praise.