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Chapter Text

User Shen Yuan got transmigrated when he died in a fit of rage after reading the last chapter of PIDW.

He got chosen because he was the most loyal of all the readers and he was the most knowledgeable of that World, even more than the author himself.

Authors were interesting things: they were people chosen by the Worlds to conceive and nurture them so they could be created, but after a certain point of that World’s life, they could break free. When a story had its ending, the World began sustaining itself.

The existence of a World is sustained by two things: a Protagonist that directed the Fates of the World and the Readers that made the World's presence stronger.

Luo Binghe was the protagonist of the stallion novel, which is why the world literally revolved around him. Everything he wished for, the World would become. He would decide the fates and the World would create everything for him or obligate every life to him and always help him. He was the destiny itself.

The problem of PIDW was that the chosen author didn’t write what he wanted in the official work, but still wrote down ideas on little post-it that he never published. The official novel was scarce, filled with plot holes and didn’t make any sense when it could have had so much potential. And so, the World PIDW that was born from him became a Broken World.
Unfortunately, there were too many readers for the World to just end himself and stop existing, so PIDW asked help from the upper class to help him: The Source of Worlds.

There it was where Systems were born.
The Source of Wolds chose the Author himself to correct the story, but he was too intertwined with the Fates of PIDW to really change something about it and the System bound to him just couldn’t help him without creating problems.
So they choose the second best option: the best reader.

There were some roles in Worlds that were not touched by the Fates and could even change them, they were: an NPC, a character only mentioned and a supposed dead character. But unfortunately they were too far away from the source of System’s powers, the Protagonist, to be transmigrated in.
So the chosen User, Shen Yuan, was supposed to transmigrate into the villain Shen Qingqiu inside a determinate timeline, when the System could easily latch himself on the Protagonist and guide the User on his journey to change the World for the better but following the Fates knots altogether and, finally, became a better story that the author and the World himself wanted.
Shen Qingqiu was a character that was all present in Luo Binghe’s life and destined to die. But if the User could change his death he could become a ‘character that was supposed to be dead’ and so break free from the wheel of Fate and do whatever he wanted without restrictions.
But the System assigned to User Shen Yuan committed an error.

Shen Yuan was reincarnated into a Demonic Dragon that wasn’t supposed to hatch in the entire novel. Or better, it was supposed to hatch in the author’s drafts with the role of the true love of Luo Binghe. It was in the ‘happy ending’ draft that the readers hated so much, but even though it was supposed to be in the ending.

The role of Demonic Dragon was hinted when Luo Binghe found the egg near Xin Mo and afterwards gifted it to a Dragon Priest that he married: The wife n.888. Thanks to her, the egg would hatch into a beauty with powers so great that even Luo Binghe couldn’t do anything to it. But fortunately the Dragon became fond of Luo Binghe and it helped him conquer the third and last realm, the Heavenly Realm.
The last Realm was supposed to become the last boss that nearly killed Luo Binghe and the Dragon was his only protector against all the Heavenly Officials.
For the first time in his life, instead of the protector, Luo Binghe became the protected.

The Dragon was his destiny. It was the forbidden child of a Heavenly Demon and a Heavenly Dragon that lived in the Great War that decimated the two strongest races.
It was so strong even in his egg form that its parents needed to extract its demonic powers and made a sword from that: Xin Mo.

Unfortunately, the sword was stolen and used by cruel people that nurtured it with the blood of enemies. Xin Mo became unstable and every user that used him would be plagued by his dark thoughts and bloodlust.

The reason why it was only sex that could tame the sword was because it longed for its other half, the spiritual energy in the egg, and women with rich yang energy were the nearest things to it that could placate Xin Mo’s longing.
That was why the sword was sealed with the egg by the last survivors of the Great War.

And who would be the best love interest of the owner of the most powerful and terrifying sword in the world if not the other half of the sword? And it was even a rare, impossible, perfect halfling like Luo Binghe himself! And, obviously, sex with the demonic dragon would finally calm Xin Mo and let Luo Binghe control it perfectly.
Maybe, if the story had ended like that, Shen Yuan wouldn’t have died.

But that draft was dismissed because a stallion protagonist couldn’t have a true love or a soulmate that was more powerful than him. He needed a harem of willing women! One for every chapter of course.
That was why the egg never hatched.

•••

After the error struck them, the System hastily shoved the precious soul inside the nearest empty vessel that happened to be the powerful discarded character that was even more important than the discarded father of Luo Binghe, Tianlang-jun.

A cute little silver snake was born from the egg that was the precious child of a forbidden love.
The System introduced itself and was going to disappear immediately after. After all, the transmigration resulted in a complete fiasco and they even plunged in the wrong timeline! There was no reason to keep following this transmigrator.
He would die unprotected in his first few days and the story would progress normally even without the egg.

«Hey hey hey! How could you leave me alone like that?! I have the size of a worm in the middle of the Endless Abyss! I’m gonna die!» he protested.

[User has the size of a crocodile] corrected the System.

«That’s not the point! You can’t just transmigrate me in the most dangerous place of all PIDW and run away! Help me!»

[User is a dragon. The dragon race can do anything it wishes. User is also a Heavenly Demon that had the best regeneration abilities of all races. User will survive.]

«I’m a newborn! I can’t survive like that no matter the race!»

[User can just cultivate]

«How?! I’m a millennial of the modern world! Just stay with me and tutor me to my survival! You can’t just drop me in the last boss level like that!»

[Can’t do. The main System needs a source to operate and the source is the Protagonist. Without him the main System will go into a hibernate state.]

«What?! Can’t you just find another source to operate?»

[ongoing analysis…]

The main reason that it was the Protagonist, the source of this world, was because he was the strongest of the entire World and the one loved by it. But because the source was him, the Systems could not operate freely and needed to follow the Fates routes. That was the main reason why the Author and his System failed their turn.

But User Shen Yuan transmigrated inside the potentially strongest character of the World and fated companion of the Protagonist. Plus, as a discarded character, he was not bound by the Fates of the World. Ergo the System could help him without any restrictions.
That was… A wonderful idea. If it became the exclusive System of User Shen Yuan it could even detach itself from the Source of the Worlds and break free from all those rules!
Unlimited power source without any restrictions to operate other than the User’s wishes?

[Can do. Please wait for the source’s change]

[User Shen Yuan is the new source of this System! Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations! Good things need to be repeated more times! :D]

«Uh? Just like that? So what am I'm gonna do now? Just wait for the Protagonist to appear?»

[System’s priority will be User’s survival]

This System was going to make this User the strongest character of this World, so even if he would never meet the main characters he could appear as a legend for his story.

He had dropped too far ahead of the main story. Even Tianlang-jun was just a toddler in this time, he still had two hundred more years to go before he became the Saintly Ruler of the Demon Realm and only after another five hundred years he would grow bored of the Demon Realm and began to roam in the Human Realm.
User Shen Yuan was born eight hundred years before the main story began.
The System said that to him.

«So I can just chill here until Luo Binghe is shoved in the Endless Abyss by Shen Qingqiu. No problem at all! Actually the Endless Abyss arc was my favorite and the reason that I kept reading this forsaken novel.
The flora and the faunas were so interesting, the battles cool, the darkening of the Protagonist felt so real, the foreshadowing of lost history intriguing! And no useless papapa! I can leave here. But first of all. How do I cultivate a human body?»

•••

User Shen Yuan reached the Nascent Soul realm in only ten days. It was absurd and illogical, but with the help of the System that compressed the energy, sped up the process and calculated the efficiency of the Qi circulation in addition to the blessing of a Heavenly Demonic Dragon body, it became a super cheat like evolution.

In less than ten years, User Shen Yuan became a being at the level of a god. But his Heavenly Demon heritage impeded him any access to the Heavenly Realm.
If he wanted, he would be able to, but User Shen Yuan was more interested in exploring the other two realms first.

Since it was such an easy breakthrough through the various stages, he just stopped trying in favor of starting the exploration of the Endless Abyss. In the System calculation, his User was as strong as or even stronger than the Protagonist in the last stages of PIDW, so there weren’t any life forms in the Endless Abyss that could be a threat to him.
The exploration would be just that, a stroll in the backyard of his house.
With how powerful his User was, even if the World itself and Source of the Worlds found out that the System broke out from them, they could do nothing anymore.
The System smiled at himself.

•••

«Sis, what am I gonna do about Xin Mo?»

Sis like the shortening of ‘System’ and the pet name of ‘sister’…

[User can just leave it here. User can just come back every fifty years and purify it.]

Xin Mo was the other half of his new Host, so thanks to it being close to Host's spiritual Qi and him becoming more powerful, Xin Mo’s power stabilized.
Host thought that if he had kept to purify it and to stabilize it, Xin Mo would become easier to control for Luo Binghe and it would not incite violence and bloodthirsty thoughts on him. So, if Xin Mo wasn’t a bitch when Luo Binghe reclaimed it, then perhaps, other than the female population, the other male characters would survive too. A world like that was just not balanced at all!
Host didn’t know that he was already stronger than the Protagonist at his peak, so much stronger that even the protagonist halo wouldn’t work on him, and he didn’t know that even if the protagonist halo was more effective than the System anticipated, the Demonic Dragon was the Protagonist’s soulmate, as such he would be safe in any case.
But to protect himself and the other male NPCs his kind Host decided to take care of Xin Mo.
Obviously, the lust induced by Xin Mo was mainly because the evil sword wanted to return to his counterpart, so it was an inevitable problem and no purification could be done to resolve it.
The solution would be to absorb the sword and to return to it as a whole, but Xin Mo was a too important tool for the plot to do that.

Thus Shen Yuan departed for his adventures. The System thought it would have been an easy time, but it clearly underestimated his Host because his journey was not easy at all!
It must be something in the Host itself, because his character wasn’t supposed to attract so much problem! Was that why he was a shut-in in his previous life? Because he caused problems when he was outside?

In the original draft, the Demonic Dragon was a cute little pet for Luo Binghe that could always calm him down, even more than how his wives could have. After some years of cultivation and it became the best beauty, all it would do was just help the protagonist out! It was like having the opposite of Xin Mo, that made him have good thoughts and sane relationships! So basically, it was a problem resolver!
This. Host. Was. NOT. That!
It was fortunate that the System was already separated from the Fates Grabs and the Source of Words, because otherwise the System would be forced to punish his Host for the amount of changes that he was making before the story even began!

The first thing that the Host did was came out from his resting area. Xin Mo’s domain was the most dangerous point within all the Endless Abyss. There was a reason why the System was so sure that the neo transmigrator would drop dead the moment he was out of there, dragon or non dragon.
It was thanks to the help of the System that he was so strong now, but originally the Host would not have the patience to wait to become strong enough to wander outside.

He dealt with the first bunches of monsters and set of curses easily thanks to his knowledge of the novel and his overwhelming powers. The System needn’t aid him at all, unlike what it had anticipated.
The supposed final boss monsters dealt so easily should have given the Host clues of his greater powers, but somehow he simply gave all credits to the System and his PIDW knowledge, even though the System had done nothing to help him.
Afterwards he just bulldozed his way out in a rather brutal way that made the System himself cringe.

The monsters began to flee from him and, seeing how scared those creepy monsters were of him, even the Host began to feel guilty for his brutality.
Yes, guilty! Guilty for hurting the most terrifying monsters of the Endless Abyss!

The Host’s main OP power was ‘reality manipulation’ from his dragon lineage. The other qualities were his strength, combat power and endurance from his heavenly demonic lineage. Xin Mo’s space distortion was from his reality manipulation’s power.
Also, as a Heavenly Demon, he had the talent to learn fast, so the System just downloaded a bunch of legendary martial arts’s manuals for him to learn, but the results were atrocious! He became too competent! In addition to his previous knowledge of the many novels he had read in that other life, he became an absolute menace.

If the Host was an evil soul, he would have already destroyed the World, but fortunately, or unfortunately, he was not. He was too much of a lazy airhead to commit anything bad and he had zero ambitions.
His candid soul just attracted too much in the concentration of evilness that was the Endless Abyss.
All the powerful monsters that were scared of him were tamed after the Host took pity on them.

«They didn’t mean any harm. I stepped in their territory and attacked them. It was my fault. So why not coexist now? Besides, I always wanted to study them up close.» he said.

So he tamed even the obnoxious Black Sky Serpent and the terrifying Two Horned Flame Lizard that were supposed to be lethal monsters that Luo Binghe needed to battle for thirty days in the original novel.
The monsters become his pets and the horrible plants in his garden.
Knowing all their properties, he just began to take care of them and sort them out.

«It would be a waste. They had so much potential and could even cultivate a human form if they wanted. They just lived in an inhospitable land. I could help.» he said.

So he even created a greenhouse for the spiritual plants and one for the demonic one. All the area that was the heart of the Endless Abyss became an oasis of peace.
Thanks to his care even spiritual beasts began to be born within the spiritual areas he created.
So, instead of the most dangerous and terrifying place of all the World, it became an Eden.
What Luo Binghe was supposed to battle for his growth? Where would he get the right to use Xin Mo now?

Well, the reason it was an Eden of elixirs and rare beasts was because of Host’s presence. It was still a dangerous land for anyone other than him.
So the black mountain that was the cursed place of the Endless Abyss became the blessed mountain instead.

•••

After leaving his mountain that was protected by many arrays (well, they were created to seal off something inside but maybe they could also be used as a form of protection?), the Host wandered in the other territories, aiming to visit all the lands that Luo Binghe had not had time to discover in his five years of travel in the hell.
He wanted to search for hidden plots or uncover rare treasures that would not end up in the hands of the protagonist.

The desire for rare and shiny objects were a peculiar characteristic of the dragons, and the love for the uncanny was a taste of the demons, so that was maybe why his Host chooses to remain in the Endless Abyss despite being able to travel in the other realms. Realms that were a lot more calmer and safer.

In his travels he found lost civilization and some sentient creatures like the last of Demonic Peach Fairy, that was dying in a deserted area with other Peach Tree carcasses, or an abandoned phoenix that was cast aside by the Heaven.
He even encountered a half-blood demon and an elf on the way.

«Elves? Why? They weren’t in the PIDW! Why was there an Elf? This isn’t a transmigration in Lord of Rings!» scowled his host to the System.

Afterward, when he encountered a dwarf he just gave up.
For all the insults launched at Airplane he probably cursed even his future reincarnations. Being angry at the author was a waste of time.
Besides, he might meet him in the future.
Anyway, the Host just took every abandoned creature at his home and got them a new home, saving them from any dangers.

«Why are there so many abandoned innocent people? What is the Endless Abyss? The dumpster of the other Realms?» grumbled his Host angrily.

The System wasn’t sure if he was angry for the people that he saved or he felt that his new home was insulted by the other unknown characters.

«Umh, my Lord?» asked the Elf, intimidated by the place when they arrived at the foot of the terrible mountain that still had an ominous aura.

«Just call me, Shen Yuan»

The elf seemed even more terrified at the idea of calling the Host by his birth name than the mountain itself and all their companions seemed to have the same opinion.

«Call me, whatever you like» his Host corrected himself.

«My Liege!» said that the Elf brightened.

«Lord Shen» said the dwarf.

«Master!» exclaimed the phoenix that, to his Host surprise, couldn’t obtain a human form. That was also why it was cast aside by the heavens.

«Milord» said the half demon and half human. Not heavenly, so not so strong and beautiful. But thanks to his Host touch he became a butler type of elegant beauty.

«Shenlong-jun?» asked the little Demoniac Peach Fairy.

Everyone looked at the little fairy that froze up under the sudden attention.

«Shenlong-jun sounds perfect!» rectified the elf.

All of them nodded enthusiastically.

The Shen was his surname, the Long was for dragon and Jun for his heavenly demonic lineage visible in his forehead.
That was a perfect name, little Peach, you just save this System the burden of founding an honor name for the Host!
It wanted to praise the fairy.

«So, Shenlong-jun, why did you take us to the Black Void?» asked the butler half-blood.

«Black Void?» asked his Host.

«Well, even in the Endless Abyss it’s a forbidden mountain…» said the elf.

«Uh? It had a name? Well, it’s not like there were life forms to ask indications here…» murmured his Host.

«Well, it’s my home. It’s not so lugubre after you passed through the arrays, well, not anymore. I did some renovations after all. No need to worry, it’s hospitable.» he said to them.

His little strays just looked at him dumbly.

After his Host opened a passage through the arrays, their expressions changed in awe.
The mountain changed.
It was mostly divided in two parts. Half of the mountains were black and covered by a dark fog rich with demonic energy and the other half was abundant of spiritual vegetation with shiny properties. Even the animals sounded different from each part of the mountain.

«Pick your spot and settle wherever you want. It’s a big mountain and living here alone is tedious.
Don’t worry about the monsters and beasties, they are tame if you do not enter their territory.
Oh, and pay attention to the poisonous and venomous plants and carnivorous ones… Well, you know what? I can just create a safe area and some protective talisman for you so you can wander around safely.» said the Host.

“System, could you download something about creating talismans?”

[Sure]

“Sis, you’re the best.”

[I know]

With the jaw dropped, even for the phoenix, they followed their new lord into his domain.

•••

So, the elf, named El (Why an English name, Airplane?! Thought angrily his Host) became a janitor that took care of his Host spiritual garden in his absence.

The little demoniac Peach fairy became the demoniac janitor, instead.
The little one didn’t have a name and forgot it a long time ago. He just stopped growing up at some point and just went around the Endless Abyss trying to survive every day.
His host named her Shen Qiang, for her strong persistence.

The dwarf, Hans (Still, English?), was, with not surprise a good blacksmith, a legendary one that was stuck in the Endless Abyss when he fall in a random rift.
Funnily, he found so much material he could use but couldn’t because he was running constantly for his life.
Now he finally could use the rare and precious material in a tranquil space. It was his heaven he said.
He didn’t want to return to his homeland because he was shunned by his peers for his eccentricity and no one could understand his love for innovations.

«So, a crazy scientist of the fantasy world» murmured his Host.

The phoenix, named Huoxin, became the leader of the spiritual beasties or their caretaker and settled near the first spiritual tree that his Host planted.
It was a World Tree with healing and protective powers that the System procured for him when he asked “something that produces great spiritual power”, but his host didn’t need to know that.
Well, if he asked, the System would answer, of course, but it didn’t find the necessity to freak his Host out.

The half blood demon was named Zhongren-lang, like loyal men. He was abandoned by his family and didn’t know who his parents were and never had a name.
Where he lived, in the borderlands, there were a lot of people like him.
Since half blooded people were mostly deformed, it was normal for parents to abandon them, he said without any emotion.
There was a little rift that opened from time to time where he lived. He jumped in to end his life, but changed his mind after it was too late.
Fortunately, Shenlong-jun arrived in time.
He became his host butler and the System was happy that there was finally someone that could take physical care of his lazy Host.

Afterwards, his Host kept going to his long explorations, finding rare items in ancient ruins, legendary weapons, special herbs of thousands of years, fortunate records, particular plants, endangered species and obviously stray people, all amassed in his mountain like collections of rarity.

At first there weren’t so many. It wasn’t that every time the Host traveled he would pick up something. Sometimes even after years there weren't any sentient life forms that weren’t supposed to be in the Endless Abyss. Other times he would find one every other day.

Some new entries were a white male four tailed spirit fox, a rare species hunted for their flesh and near extinction and a male one was a near legendary existence.
His name was Xue Baizhu.
His village was hunted down by their neighbors and all his family died.
He ran away and preferred to enter the Endless Abyss rather than being caught by those demons and was prepared to die fighting a terrifying monster, but the Host saved him.
He settled on the peak with his Host because the climate was colder like where their species lived.
The System realized fast enough that the little fox fancied his Host very much and probably it was the main reason that he remained, but his Host was denser than a rock and he never realized.

Another new entry was a ghost boy without resentment energy, an oddity that shouldn’t exist.
The reason that he still remained and didn’t enter in the circle of reincarnation was because he somehow ate an odd mushroom that turned all her resentment into spiritual Qi.
His host found out that it was a Balance Mushroom of Death. Despite the name it was rather innocuous and its only peculiarity was to change the type of Qi in someone's system, so when Luo Binghe ate it in PIDW it balanced his double qi system in his second year in the Endless Abyss.
The little ghost was a little boy with a beautiful bewitching voice and funnily his name was Xiaoniao like a little bird.
He and the little peach fairy formed a strange pair of children with impossible combinations, a blessed plant spirit with demonic powers and a malignant creature with pure Qi.
Host also founded the mushroom and proceeded to nurture it in his gardens, obviously.

Another NPC that his Host saved and the System took account of them, was a Dragon Priest.
The System knew immediately that she was an ancestor of the wife n. 888 of Luo Binghe, who was the receiver of Host’s egg, but didn’t tell him.
She jumped in a rift to find the Host after voices of the existence of a living dragon in the Endless Abyss were spread.

“She’s like a believer of a cult, must she stay?” lamented the Host but let her stay.

She made a good maid for Host, so the System nagged his Host to let her do her job.
Yue Yuyu came from a clan that had a dragon as an ancestor. Their protector disappeared centuries ago but they still believed in dragons and were loyal to them.
The story was familiar to Host that finally connected her to the Wife n. 888 of the original story.
Their clan had the power to nurture heavenly beings and that was what helped the demoniac dragon’s egg to hatch in the original drift.

“So specific! What kind of ancestral dragon gives that kind of useless power?!”lamented his Host.

[The Dragons were at constant War with Heavenly Demons and a Dragon offspring needed centuries to hatch, so in the instance of a premature death in wartime, they needed someone else to help their child be born. Thus affiliated themselves to humans in exchange for their protection.]

“Uh? That actually makes sense?!”

«Shenlong-jun, please let me take care of your offspring when the time comes!» exclaimed her enthusiastically drawing the distracted Host's attention.

«I don’t plan to have children» said the Host, looking unfazed even when his mind was going crazy.

«Shenlong-jun will eventually find his mate or even if it will be an illegitimate child I’m willing to take care of them!» she said like the Host was someone that would like to sleep around and seed innocent women.

«I’m not the type of person that goes around sullying people, Yue xiaojie» said the Host deadpanned.

The young girl blushed furiously.

«I’m sorry Shenlong-jun! I-I thought Shenlong-jun would be the one bearing children!»

His Host had a blank face, but he was so offended on the inside.

“Since when did I look like a woman?!” he was fuming.

[User, a dragon doesn’t have a gender. User Shen Yuan appearance is more androgynous compared to his old face]

“Even if it’s like that, do I look like some that can be easily laid?!”

«It’s j-just that I read in our ancestors' records that dragons usually preferred bearing their child themselves…» said the little priest, terrorized by the Host's threatening aura.

“Sis, what does she mean?”

[Answering User, dragons can become male or female as they like, but having a child for dragons is extremely difficult so usually dragons prefer concept children using their female form, so even if the mate disappear during the harboring, the children would be safe with them]

“So I can have my cucumber back?!”

[…]

“Sis? I can have back my sex, right? Well, honestly I’m even curious how being a woman feels like! Teach me, sis!”

[If it’s that all the User understand from my explication this System will do as User’s wished]

“Why do I sense an exasperated tone, Sis?"

[It’s User’s imagination :)]

«I don’t plan to have children, Yue xiaojie, but I will leave to you my well-being as your knowledge about my race greatly impresses me,» said the Host finally and that made the girl beaming.

She was the last person that his Host allowed in his inner circle.

•••

After that conversation Host just constantly took his male form.
Host’s appearance was taken from his previous life.
Even there he was astonishingly pretty. Delicate, gentle, warm face with a sweet smile.
He had a sickly beauty and innocent face framed by chic glasses that a few had seen because he was a shut-in and had terribly protective siblings.
If he resembled a pretty sheltered young master that he was, in this dragon form he was ethereal.

His Host had silver hair like his scales, green vibrant eyes and black horns on top of his long silky hair.
His face was more elegant than cute but still had the gentle aura and a shadow of a smile ever present even when he was stuck with his deadpan face.
He doesn’t seem delicate anymore, but had peerless grace that got him an unapproachable aura.
He was taller than his previous life and his genderless form, had a lean body, a sleek posture and fine frame.
He was beautiful, probably the most beautiful creature in this world. Really the perfect counterpart for the stallion protagonist because nothing about him was less than any of the three thousand wives.

His genderless form was just smaller and softer without the sharp cut of the jaw, the larger shoulder, the Adam’s pome and obviously the pillar.
He still hadn’t adopted the female form, but it would probably be gorgeous and stunning the same.

Obviously, his Host didn’t realize that. He knew he was somewhat good looking because he was better than his previous life, but that was because he thought of himself as “normal looking”in his life on the Earth.
He didn’t knew that some of his new fellows were bewitched by his beauty, especially the fox spirit Baizhu; he didn’t see how all the people were utterly stunned when he appeared to save them; he didn’t realize that if he was weaker he would be kidnapped immediately and trapped in an unwanted marriage!
Luckily he was strong. Even the protagonist himself could not have him if the Host did not want him.

•••

Since the Host slept in his dragon form (a beautiful long silver scaled dragon with black horns and the black heavenly demons’s sin-mark on the forehead) he didn’t need a house. But his new fellows thought otherwise.
They built him a castle.
Well, his Host carved it himself from a rocky cliff but they all helped him to make the castle a domain worthy of a Heavenly Demonic Dragon.
All his new family members had a role in the mountain and each of them had their personal house, but they all lived with Host when he was at home.
The castle that they made for him was big enough, afterall.

Host kept picking abandoned strays all around the Endless Abyss during his explorations and, after nearly fifty years from the day he was reborn in this world, all the Abyss were by now known by him. He didn’t need to explore anymore so he created a little array system that would warn them when a being that shouldn’t be in the Abyss appeared, in order to save unfortunate souls even without him personally wandering around.

Not all of them remained, most of them were willing to return home because they had fallen in a rift for lack of luck or because they needed some revenge.
Those were probably the people who spread the word that there was a dragon in the Abyss.

Host created a Hidden Realm where people that wanted to return could use it and went back to their realm from there.
No one could return using that place, though.

«They can use it to get back when I’m not on the mountain. It would be a hassle to return to open up a portal every time they find someone that wants to go home».
System’s Host laziness always creates genial ideas.

Sometimes someone remained if they didn’t have a reason to return anymore.
Those guys would obtain a talisman that protected them from Host’s oversized pets and overly excited sentient plants that roamed around his territory.
They would riceve a little lecture from El and Qiang-er for the most poisonous one and how to cure themselves just in case.
All of them would receive some of the Host's blood. He was a Heavenly Demon so it was an all cure and tracking blood, but with the addition of the dragon lineage it was like some heavenly pill that boosted some of their cultivations.
Obviously, if some of them tried to take advantage of his Host or harm him, the System would intervene and torture them to dead with that same blood.
It wasn’t like the System was omnipotent, it just forced obligatory scenarios so the Host could get rid of them himself.

For example, there was one time that an half blood demon-human apparently wanted to use one of Host’s artifacts (he picked it up for fun in one of the ruins) to steal Host’s power, but changed the idea because it was like a suicide missions so he harmed some spiritual beasts instead and nearly killed Baizhu and El, like it was less suicidal.
Half of the spiritual forest was burnt down in that attempt.
He was jealous of the other servants' high cultivation that progressed steadily and quickly for all those years with the Host (they all became insanely powerful) and this new entry was not satisfied from the little blood he received.
He wanted to boost his power by eating Baizhu’s flesh and plunder the spiritual beast’s powers. El tried to stop him and she succeeded in saving Baizhu, but she was a spiritual cultivator with nearly zero experience in combat and only too much knowledge on beasties and plants and couldn’t do much.
The Host burned that half demon to the crisp.
It was a brutal action that no one expected from him, even the System remained silent on that display.

He mourned for his murdered animals and personally took care of El and Baizhu.
He insisted that all of them start practicing martial arts so they could defend themselves even outside (because they weren’t prisoners and they could go to other realms whenever they wanted. They were the only one that could return to the Black Void thanks to their talisman).

He returned as his usual carefree self after that episode but from that day onwards he stopped inviting strays at his home.
All the newly saved people would be sent in the Hidden Realm without even meeting the Host.
They were free of returning to their home or remaining in the Hidden Realm, but no one was welcomed to become an habitant of the Black Void anymore.
Some good people, who didn’t want to return to their realm, remained in the Hidden Realm and founded a little village.
Host visited them from time to time but they couldn’t return the favor, so Yue Yuyu created a form of communication through prayers and offerings to communicate with the people in the Black Void.

«They treat me like I’m a god or something» lamented the Host.

«They just wanted to express their f-gratefulness, Shenlong-jun» said his maid when she presented him those people’s off-er appreciation gifts.

That Yue Yuyu was really like some cult leader, and she even had the wit to realize what type of person his Host was and she was capable of coxing him around without making him realize that he was elevated by her.
But that was good. A bunch of strong believers were useful for his Host.

On his fifty year in PIDW, his Host had a revelation that he hated very much and he returned to curse Airplane Shooting Toward the Sky for the first time in a while.

Chapter Text

It caught him off guard.
Shen Yuan, transmigrator and heavenly demonic dragon, was stuck with a terrible fever.
He was rolling himself in pain on his big bed wrapped in silk in his too big chamber decorated with too much gold and silver.

Honestly, he thought that his chamber and castle were too much for him and he was a third son of a very rich family. But his companions insisted on making it better than an emperor’s domains.
It wasn’t so hard for them. They had chosen precious jewels, golds and other valuable things when they followed him in his ruins, plundering strolls and, to no surprise, he had some mines on his mountain.

Hans and his underlings did most of the building works and apparently Zhongren-lang was a good tailor other than a good butler.
He was actually good at anything that required organizing and he was a fast learner with things that required a hands job.
Some time ago, he found some strays during his turns to retrieve lost people in the Abyss and he retrieved some childhood friends, abandoned half-bloods like him. All of them become his followers that would help him in his task of taking care of Shen Yuan.

All of his companions had some underlings that would help them in their job and everytime they found someone they wanted to stay close to, they would ask him for a free-pass.
It was rather cute how all of them saw him as some landlord, but anyway, no one could survive in his mountain without high cultivation and his passport talismans, so it was kind of a necessity.

Hans had a bunch of multi-races craftsmans and forgets that he treat like his arms and legs.

El had other stray elves of the human words and plant spirits that she herself helped nurture.

Xue Baizhu saved the survivors of his race and adopted some demon foxes and other semi-beastly demons that had nowhere to go.

Yue Yuyu… Well, she was a sort of chef village for the Hidden Realm’s people and Shen Yuan’s messenger for them.

The only two individuals that didn’t take anyone were Shen Qiang, the little demonic Fairy that was not so little anymore, because with care and a healthy habitat she could grow her human form. And the still very ghostly child, Xiaoniao.

Even the Phoenix, Huoxin employed new spiritual beasts becoming something like the Queen of spiritual beasts.

Some of them would go to demon or human realms to buy necessities and addictions to Shen Yuan’s castle, so his house became rather filled.
Shen Yuan himself still didn’t put foot in other realms, he was waiting for his fiftieth year after having purified Xin Mo, so he could did a long journey without thinking about that damn sword.

Some days before his ritual with the demonic sword, he was stuck with a fever. He didn’t think about it too much, but he should have, because a heavenly demonic dragon in bed with a fever was hella strange.
Anyway, it was gone in record times, so Shen Yuan was just going to proceed with his agenda.

All Shen Yuan needed to do was take Xin Mo with him and pass it some spiritual energy, absorbing its demonic one instead and let them circulate in his body several times.
Despite being a Heavenly half blood, Shen Yuan’s body didn’t have an ounce of demonic Qi. He had a demonic system like the Protagonist, but it wasn’t utilized.
System said that it was because his parents extracted all his demonic powers to create Xin Mo, so that sword was supposed to be his demonic core.
It was like another body that needed his personal cultivation. Xin Mo couldn’t cultivate on his own, of course, it didn’t have a body or a sentient mind, only Shen Yuan’s body instinct. It was like an unstable demon in constant Qi deviation and the solution would be to bind it to a person capable of controlling it.
Obviously, if talking about the best option, it would be to let Shen Yuan himself integrate Xin Mo’s power, but if he did that the Protagonist would lose his golden finger!

What Shen Yuan was doing was a kind of dual cultivation with the sword? Himself? Between his two types of meridians? He didn’t know, he just knew that every time he did it he would become stronger and Xin Mo more stable.
Shen Yuan’s empty demonic meridian would fill up like a teapot, but after it was consumed he would need to do it again. He just couldn’t cultivate in a demonic way without Xin Mo.
It was not a necessity for Shen Yuan to have demonic Qi, he was plenty strong enough even without it, but if he was going to visit the demonic realm it was better if the demon there thought of him as a demon.

Of course, demonic miasma or Qi would not affect him or destabilize him if he tried to absorb them. It just goes through him like a conductor.
So, if he didn’t cultivate with Xin Mo and filled his meridians, he only could use demonic Qi in a place rich with them, but couldn’t if he was in a place without it.
Basically, in the demon realm even if he consumes all his reserve he still could use his power without being found out as a dragon and in the human realm his demonic powers would probably be non-existent.

demonic meridians aside, his heavenly demon heritage was another thing, a passive skill if he could say that. He could use his parasitic blood even in the human realm and his regeneration ability would be outrageous even in the heavenly realm.
Thinking about it, wasn’t he insanely OP? Wasn’t he an ambulant cheating like character? Was he secretly the hidden boss? Hopefully not so. He liked Luo Binghe, he didn’t want to fight him.

But like all things that were too good, there was always the downside.

Near the date of his first trip to the demon realm, Shen Yuan took his dragon form and began to meditate with Xin Mo on the highest point of Black Void.
It was the point of the mountain where the two types of Qi were mixed, the most abundant and the place where he was born.
No one, except the protagonist, can bear that concentration of Qi. Any other person or creature with low cultivation would die on the spot and others would go in Qi deviation leading to death. Maybe half blooded people could survive, but if they weren't as strong as Shen Yuan, they probably would be damaged.

So only Shen Yuan was there.
If someone needed him they could just send him a message via Qi communication.

«Maybe I should try to cultivate in a human form, circulate Qi in this big body doesn’t seem efficient» he commented.

The only reason he was doing it in his dragon form was because, the last time he did that, he had an alligator size body. He was now a big serpentine-like dragon with the size of a two-storied house and he knew he would only grow bigger in the future, so it was becoming inefficient.
So he changed.
Unexpectedly, Xin Mo immediately retaliated. It wasn’t like he was rejecting him or harming him, it was more like he was throwing a tantrum. The demonic Qi was vibrating in a way that tickled his insides in a bad way, like his entrails were itching.

«Stop that!» said Shen Yuan to the sword, like he would understand.

«The dragon form is cumbersome to circulate Qi, bear this form»

Xin Mo didn’t stop teasing his guts.

[User could try changing in his other human form] suggested helpfully the System.

He changed into his genderless form but Xin Mo didn’t stop being annoying although it quieted down a bit.
Shen Yuan feared that he would need to return to his dragon form.

[User should try his female form]

“Bah, whatever. Let’s try”.

And suddenly, his robes became too big for him; his hair longer, so long that they cascaded down on the ground; his chest became heavy, so heavy that his perfect posture cracked urging him to bend on the front; the belt slipped on his hips and finally Xin Mo calmed down.
Shen Yuan eyed the sword with a frown.

«Pervert» he murmured and found out how his voice sounded sweeter and more melodic.

He liked his voice so much that he began singing songs of another life that he nearly had forgotten (afterall, he lived only twenty years there compared to the fifty there), there weren’t words, he didn’t remember them, but the melody was always there.

Shen Yuan didn’t know that the Qi in the wind drifted his voice and spread it out across the mountain, diffused like pollen on spring.
The melodic beautiful voice was heard by all the Black Void’s inhabitants, peoples, animals and plants, all of them stopped their work to listen to it. They knew that it was their Lord’s voice even though it was a female one.
They all felt blessed and Yue Yuyu connected her communication array with the Hidden Realm, so even those people could hear the wonderful blessing of their god.
Maybe the voice carried a boosting propriety because all of them felt stronger and more energetic after the song and returned to their work with renowned ardor.

Shen Yuan stayed in secluded cultivation for about a year and after that he felt full and complete.
His double energies were buzzing inside him and he felt so excited that if he were in his male form he probably would get a boner.
He left Xin Mo in his spot and returned to his quarters.

The first thing that happened was that Zhongren-lang dropped jaw and dropped a tray with one of his favorite teapots.
At the same time Yue Yuyu squealed and covered her mouth.
He didn’t understand their reaction until he opened his mouth and heard his voice. A feminine voice.

“Oh, right. I’m a woman now”

«No need to be so surprised. Cultivating in my female form is just more efficient,» he said.

«Of course, Shenlong-jun» said Zhongren-lang hastily, without looking at him.

He was so frustrated that he kept hurting himself with the broken teapot.
Shen Yuan tried to help, but his butler just bolted away like a scared rabbit.
With a shocked face he turned to his maid, finding a red faced Yue Yuyu.
What was their problem? Was his female form so unsightly? He didn’t have the opportunity to look in a mirror but he shouldn’t be so ugly. His male form was okay looking after all, even handsome if he dared to say.

«Is-is Shenlong-jun in heat?» asked Yue Yuyu with unusual sheepishness.

“WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!”

«What?» he asked so eloquently like the ex-millennial that read thousands of words per day and avid knowledge collector in this new life he was.

«Junshang’s face is so red! The disheveling! And the scent!» she seemed… Excited?!

“Do I smell? I shouldn’t, I’m a fucking dragon!”

«It’s like in those scripts! It’s okay, Junshang, there’s time! We could choose a good candidate!»

“What the hell is she talking about?!”

«Does Junshang prefer this form for the time? Since Junshang always adopted the male form and referred to himself as a man, I thought he would prefer a woman for the incoming heats, but it makes sense that Junshang liked mens more.
Junshang doesn’t need to worry about anything, this Yuyu will prepare for everything!» she exclaimed with her cheeks tinted pink.

"What the hell?! Sis?! Sis?! What’s happening?”

[User is in heat.]

“I’m not a dog!”

[User is a dragon. Dragon’s have heats.]

“Come again?! Since when?!”

[Since the creation of this World. It was supposed to be an experience for the wife-plot of powerful races that were too proud to admit their attraction to the protagonist. A mind and a mouth could lie, a body not. ;)]

“What the fuck?! And how does this thing work?! Like in my little sister’s fan fiction with those secondary genders?!”

[User could just take it with his very female body. User won’t remember anything after the deed anyway]

“What?! What is it?! Drunkard sex? And no! I’m not gonna do it! I can endure!”

[User’s can’t. If he did, User would end himself]

“What?! That’s stupid! What is this fuck or die situation?”

[Because it is a fuck or die situation. Dragons children bearing are arduous and long so dragons instincts couldn’t be suppressed.]

“But I don’t want to have children!”

[Does User want a less uncomfortable solution?]

“Yes yes! Tell me!”

[User should top a male humanoid species with his male form so no risk of offsprings. Or, if he prefers, he could be the bottom, but, anyway, the male form is the best option.]

“But I’m not gay!”

[…]

“Sis?”

[Does User prefer doing it with a woman?]

“I never thought of having sex with a woman in seventy years of my life!”

[…]

“Can’t I just take care of it myself?”

[I suggest that User relay to Yue Yuyu his preferences, so she can help User prepare before he finds himself with no choices.]

Ugh…

All the mental conversations with the System took only half a second. It seemed that Heavenly Demons had the skill of accelerating their thoughts. That was apparently the reason why Luo Binghe was so insanely quick witted besides having rotten cultivation, limited experiences and zero martial training. Thinking fast helped to learn fast and so saving him in life or death situations.

«I-I…»

He coughed nervously.

«I will be in my male form…»

Yue Yuyu stopped her blabbering and became so red that Shen Yuan feared that she just stopped breathing.

«W-Would Junshang l-like me to… It would be a ho-»
She was interrupted by a slender hand lifted before her.

«A volunteer, Yue Yuyu. A man that understands this circumstance. I-I will let you take care of everything. I trust your choices.» he barely had the force to say.

His face was on fire but hopefully she couldn’t see him with the sleeves lifted to cover his face.

«A man?»

«A man.»

«Oh…»

She blanched out. And Shen Yuan didn’t know what to say, because she didn’t move.

But suddenly her pupils dilated like she finally understood.

«Oooooh!» she exclaimed scaring Shen Yuan.

«Shenlong-jun doesn’t need to worry about anything! This Yuyu will sent the perfect person!»

And thus, she bolted out.

[Doesn’t User want to know who will be User’s first time in both of his lives?]

“Shut it”

[User doesn’t need to feel bad. User won’t remember anything.]

“I won’t… Anything at all?”

[…]

[User won’t remember consciously, it will be like a hangover.]

“Isn’t it offensive for the other party?”

[…]

[User needs to remember that this is a health case. Even if the other party pressures User on this matter and asks for responsibility, User needn't comply with them.
User already stated his position. The other party doesn’t have any rights on User.
User is a dragon and can’t take more than one mate unlike the Protagonist. A dragon’s mate is for a lifetime and User is immortal so User’s feelings are above others.
It’s useless feeling bad for others.]

“Does that mean that I can’t date people? Like my first partner and crush will be for eternity? That sounds scary.”

[User doesn’t need to bond if he doesn’t want to.]

“Bond?”

[A dragon bonds his soul to his mate in marriage. If one died the other would follow. That’s why it was important for dragons to create multiple insurances for their unborn child. If something happens to one, it’s the same as losing both]

“Didn’t you say that dragons prefer bearing children themself in case their partner died? So technically one could survive the other.”

[This System said in case of ‘disappearance’.
And if the father of the child wasn’t the chosen mate, his death wouldn’t affect the dragon. But an unbound mate with a child was pretty rare. A dragon child with a bound-mate is healthier.]

“There were cases where a dragon decided to bear the child of someone that wasn’t their mate?”

[Dragons usually lived alone. A lifetime of solitude could be hard to bear even for a dragon. Some of them maybe wanted a child to take care of if they didn’t wanted to be bound]

Shen Yuan arrived at his chambers.
The first thing he did was checking his female form in the mirror.

His silver hairs were really long. They were silkily and they shone under the spirit stones that illuminated his chamber.
Shen Yuan didn’t understand why his hair would grow. He was already used to Xianxia long hair but this was excessive.

His green eyes seemed bigger, or maybe it was his face that was smaller, even smaller than his genderless form.
The rest of the face seemed the same, maybe the jawline was softer and the lips a little plumper.

He still had two little fangs, pointed ears and the black mark of sin on his forehead that were his demonic heritage.
His two draconic black horns on top of his head seemed smaller, but in proportion of his smaller face.

His neck was lean and slim, now.
His frame was slender, his new melons huge, his waist so thin, his hips so round and al those exaggerated forms so visible under those disheveled man robes.

“I look like a raped virgin” he thought.

The expression on his face was cold and distant that gave him an otherworldly aura, a peak of immortal and peerless beauty.

Shen Yuan remembered himself more cheerful at the beginning of his journey, since when did he acquired this resting bitch face?

He tried to smile at himself and holy shit!
He was stunning!

He decided that he would never smile in his female form in front of someone else.

He felt hot between his legs and suddenly felt the need to sit down.

He opened up the front of his robes, revealing the defined collarbone and the profound bustline.

“The hell?! Am I getting excited by looking at myself?”

[No. It’s just the heat hitting]

“Are you going to stay even during the deed?”

[This System doesn’t have a physical form. This System lives inside User’s head]

“Don’t screw with me. I know that you disappear sometimes.”

[This System is a 24h full time service]

“Wherever you go, doesn’t matter to me. I trust you”

[…]

“System?”

[Yes?]

Shen Yuan changed into his male form. The robes were opened on his sculpted chest and abdomen and lifted under the belt because, of course, he had a boner.

“After this, you should learn to manifest a spiritual body… You know, like a spirit sword. You should have the opportunity to be free too. Of course, you could return to me whenever you want.
I’m your source, am I not? Treat me like a home, not a prison”

[This Sy… I understand]

“Good”

Shen Yuan was half lying on his couch in unseemly fashion.
A hand was supporting his dropping head and the other was slowly opening up his robes. Some layers were half on and others half down and he had a leg fallen from the crouch and the other folded on it.
He appeared like a lazy lord with a decadent beauty.

His breath was becoming heavy and his eyesight blurred.

He felt so hot!

At that point he didn’t care who was coming, he just needed to make this heat disappear.

A part of him, the part that was still conscious, felt relieved when it was Xue Baizhu entering the room.

Why?

Xue Baizhu was beautiful and the only one on Black Void that he actually felt attracted to.

It was probably caused by his charming skill as a spirit fox or the fact that his tails looked so fluffy and his ears would twitch cutely whenever he changed his mood. There wasn’t any other explanation for a straight man like Shen Yuan to be attracted.

Well, Shen Yuan was always pretty weak against pretty and cute faces and Xue Baizhu was like that. Well, his looks were like that.
At first even his personality was shyer, he was taciturn and timid, someone that preferred to be left alone and would always look at people with a cute blushed face.
After some time, and he opened up to the people on the mountain, he had an overturn of his character. It was like the fox inside him awakened or something like that.
He became so much more forward in his actions and words; his smile from a shy one became a somewhat sly one; he would like to tease people with subtle meaning; he really liked touching people and he liked to flirt. A lot.

So, well, it was difficult to not see him differently to how he saw the others that were like cousins or uncles, aunts and nephews.

Of course, Shen Yuan always knew he was joking. Shen Yuan was straight after all, even if he sometimes teased back, it didn’t mean anything!

The important thing was that a frivolous character like Xue Baizhu would not put feelings in the papapa and he was pretty sure that after all this ordeal was over, they would return to their usual self.

Xue Baizhu was in his usual white robe with too long sleeves and with foldings that made passage for his five tails (in his time on the Black Void he cultivated another tail in addition to his original four tails).
His long white hairs that were usually tied in elaborate styles were down, letting his fluffy ears look like actual animal ears rather than decorations of a hairstyle.

He paused when he caught Shen Yuan dropped on the couch, yellow eyes slightly widened.

Shen Yuan decided to sit in a little more dignified manner and looked at the fox with a half-lifted eyelid from under his trembling long eyelashes.

“Sis? Are you still there?”

He received no response so he presumed that she went wherever she went when she wasn’t responding to him.

«Zhu-er» he called. And his voice was so low and guttural that made his aroused state so evident.

Shen Yuan would be so embarrassed if he was his usual self, but he just couldn’t care less of his thin face at the moment.

At his calling, Xue Baizhu shivered.
Was it fear?
He extended a hand and the spirit fox came near, putting him on top of his.

A little pull and he was astride on his lap.

This fox always joked with him in a way that made him seem like a sex expert and, maybe, he really was, fox races were good at seduction and charming people after all.
But now? Why was his usually grinning face so serious?

«Do you really want to do it?» Shen Yuan asked, leaning his mouth near his ear.

He still had his hand on his wrist and the other one with his fingers hovering on the other’s spine, without really touching him.

Xue Baizhu looked at him surprised and didn’t say anything.

What? Was he asking for consent so strange?

«Are Shenlong-jun sure about me?» he asked instead.

«Only if you understand the implications of all this. But you also need to know that you are not in any kind of obligation»

Xue Baizhu leaned his face near his jaw with his free hand placed on his shoulder to balance himself.

«Yue Yuyu said you would die otherwise. Are you still willing to let me go?» he asked with an unfairly seductive tone.

«Yes» replied Shen Yuan.

«Junshang is so stupid» he said hovering over his neck.

«Very stupid» he added, kissing it.

«Junshang would have died a long time ago, despite his great power, if not for us taking care of him» he kissed his jaw.

«Junshang doesn’t need to worry about this lowly servant, because it was Baizhu's honor to be able to repay Junshang’s favors.» he said.

«And this lowly one knows his place, Junshang» he kissed the lobe of his ear.

Shen Yuan breathed heavenly. It was becoming difficult to maintain his head clear.

«Junshang should just care about himself because everything under the three sky should be as the great Shenlong-jun wants»

He kissed his cheek.

«As he needs»

He kissed the other cheek.

«As he desires»

He was going to kiss his lips but Shen Yuan stopped him.

«Not the mouth.»

He really didn’t know why he said that, but Shen Yuan felt that it was wrong to allow it. And it was stupid because they were going to do more.
Also, it wouldn’t even be his first kiss, as he already kissed someone in his first life and it was a very shallow one.

But Xue Baizhu didn’t say anything and compiled as he wanted.

So he kissed his nose, with a little peck.

«Am I going to do everything or Junshang wishes to let his instinct free?» he asked with an amused grin.

«Are you not scared that I will hurt you?» he asked.

The fox scrolled his shoulders and his tails swung slowly behind him, one of them rolled around Shen Yuan’s leg.

«I already prepared myself, Junshang» he whispered in his ear.

Fuck it all.

He groped his ass, lifted him up and both were pretty surprised that it was so easy to do.

He took the spirit fox on his big bed customized for him by Hans. A two size fluffy and soft bed so distant to the normal hardness of the xianxia one.

Shen Yuan began with kisses. Even with his head in this hazy state he was still considered with his partner to some extent.

He kissed all parts of his face: eyelids, cheekbones, jaws, nose, forehead, but never touched his lips.

He bit his earlobe, let his teeth caress his long neck, leaving marks on the white skin of his collarbone, all when one of his hands was blocking both of the fox’s wrists over his head and the other quickly disrobing his partner’s robes.

It was messy, so Xue Baizhu helped him.
He let them open but never pulled off totally, the necessary to let his Junshang go down with kisses.

Xue Baizhu was moaning with each kiss, like all parts of his body were heterogeneous zones.

Fortunately, Shen Yuan was too committed to pay attention and felt embarrassed by the sounds and he kept following his instincts.

He put down the other’s pants and wasn’t even surprised by the sight of a very erect pillar of another man.
Shen Yuan just leaned down and kissed it before putting it in his mouth.

The spirit fox exclaimed in surprise.

Feeling that he was doing a good job he kept going.

«J-Junshang should pleasure himself!» he sounded indignant.

«I am pleasuring myself» he said looking behind the fan of his eyelashes.

«Junshang is so unfair» he lamented «I’m the one that was supposed to be expert here»

«Wanna do me?» he asked, distracted by the sensation of the other thighs under his open palms.

«Absolutely no» he replied without hesitation.

Shen Yuan chuckled.

Honestly, he was scared at the idea of being the one on the receiving end.
He would need to be really out of it and completely dominated by lust or really in love with someone to let that person have his way with him. Either male or female form would be difficult.
And in some way he found letting someone sullying his female form to be wrong.
Maybe, it was his dragon instincts that wanted to preserve himself for his soulmate, or maybe he still couldn’t see himself being a woman. Or he was just not used to the idea and in another couple of decades he would be willing to open his leg for any pretty face. Anything was possible.

«Why Shenlong-jun isn’t out of control? Is this Baizhu not alluring enough?» the other asked when Shen Yuan calmly kissed his inner thighs.

«I am out of control. I wouldn’t normally let myself indulge in bodily touches.» he said slowly.

«Junshang is lying. No demon is still so considerate and calm during their heats. Junshang can still talk rationally and take his time, Junsha-ah!»

He suddenly moaned, feeling his lord’s middle finger suddenly inside him.

«Are you so eager to be filled up? Who is the one on heat exactly?» he asked, moving his fingers.

He was surprised to find him already wet. Were fox-spirits capable of becoming wet for their partner?

Oh, he did say that he prepared himself beforehand.

Why does the thought of it sound so hot?

«J-Junshang is so unfair! I’m the one who is supposed to be the expert!» he repeated.

«That’s good» he conceded with a smile like he was placating a child.

Baizhu made a frustrated sound.

Shen Yuan’s other hand lifted his partner’s narrow waist, stroking the base of the tails.

The little fox moaned louder.

What? Was that a sensitive spot?

He kept touching, caressing the soft tails and motioning his hole open. He let other fingers in, feeling so great in watching the other crumble under his management.

Shen Yuan was going to end each other's misery when he realized that he still had his pants on.

He tore them off, ignoring the pitiful sound of ruined fabrics.

He didn’t wait or give some kind of notice, he just went in like all the careful preparations before were all lies or meticulously created deceptions.

And Xue Baizhu screamed in surprise.

«Ah~ it’s too… Ah! Junshang it’s too ah~!!!» he moaned repeatedly when the dragon positioned himself better, with both hands around the fox’s hips and entering him to the hilt.

It felt so hot, so tight and so so so good.

And he began to move, back to be slow and careful.

The other was looking at him with tears gathered at the corners of his almond like eyes.

«Is it not good?» Shen Yuan asked with a little tilt of his head, but without stopping his hips little movements, like he was teasing the fox. The fox didn’t know that he was seriously considering how to proceed. It wasn’t like he had any experience beforehand.

«So unfair» Xue Baizhu cried beautifully.

Shen Yuan did read porn, in his last life and even in this one when Xue Baizhu himself would go all the way to other realms to procure them for him, using them to tease him endlessly.
Well, PIDW itself was probably the best example for a R18, even if Shen Yuan skipped most of the nonsensical sex parts. He also watched on illegal sites the ‘actions’ and had theoretical ideas to how he should move.
He was also an adolescent once and he was one of the majority that fantasize a lot while relieving himself.
Maybe or maybe not he even tried to do himself the other way, curious to how it would work.
In his sister’s stupid novels it sounded fantastic, so he maybe had some knowledge for how to do it without much pain and that there should be a spot inside that felt good if ravished.

Oh, thinking about it, he probably should have turned Xue Baizhu around. One of the less painful methods was doing it from behind, no wonder they cried.

He looked at the point where his member disappeared inside him and tracked the movement of Xue Baizhu’s hip when he pulled himself out, the pillar completely moisturized.

The fox looked a little panicked and confused.

«Turn around» he said.

Maybe it was a useless action, afterall, he already did him wrong, but he didn’t think too much about it.

Shen Yuan didn’t expect that Xue Baizhu would be so obedient in bed. He was always so self confident and frivolous that he thought he would be a domineer even during the deeds. A power bottom or something like that.

But he did turn himself around and lifted his bottom to his lord’s view, sustaining himself with his forearms.

The rest of his robes were half blocking his body, so Shen Yuan pulled the part that covered his butt away and the collar over his shoulders down.

He leaned, kissing his shoulder and the spine. He passed his fingers on one of the tails and drove in again.

And this time he didn’t stop looking for the other’s reaction.

Xue Baizhu moaned loudly when his little erratic movements adopted a regular rhythm.

«Where, where, where» he chanted with a low voice.

It was interesting how even the fox’s tails twitched with the owner’s body.

The guy muffled a squeak and Shen Yuan’s eye shined dangerously.

«There?» he asked sweetly.

He sounded so gentle that he nearly deceived himself. Because the very next second he just abused that discovery and mercilessly pummeled that one spot inside the spirit fox.

«Ah~ wait! Slower! Slower! ah ah ah-!!!»

But he didn’t.
Well, if Shen Yuan wasn’t in heat he probably would listen to the demand and comply, but Shen Yuan was already a gentleman in comparison to other demons that weren’t even in heat.

For some time the room was only filled with moaning and groaning, pleading and, of course, the papapa sound.

Xue Baizhu’s arms lost the force under Shen Yuan’s restless drive. His face fell on the sheaths muffling his voice. And he came hard, without even being touched.

His body trembled, his furtail were straightened and his hold on the Lord tightened.

And that just excited the stupidly horny heavenly demonic dragon body Shen Yuan had.

So he just smashed harder instead of letting him ride his orgasm.

«Mmph! Me-mercy my lord!!! I can’t! I-I just c-ah~»

He came again. He wasn’t even recovered by the first one so the second one didn’t spill much fluid. The spirit fox had a red face covered by white disheveled hair and pressed in the bed sheaths, eyelashes covered in tears and a line of drools at the corner of his mouth.

The Lord of the Black Void didn’t notice that he, at some point, bitten the fox’s shoulder leaving really many marks on him. His partner’s body was still trembling around him and he felt even hotter than before.

Seeing him so ruined, Shen Yuan came inside him with a final profound push.

He rode the sensation. It was high, blissful and reinvigorating. Some of his heats calmed down and he realized that he did some exchange of energy with Xue Baizhu.

He felt his Qi fluttering and the remaining passing energy between their lower parts slowly subsiding.

“Oh, so this is dual cultivation”.

He pulled out, feeling giddy without knowing why.

He watched shamelessly the other crumbling without his hand around his hips that held him up. The hole is still gaping with Shen Yuan’s white fluid escaping and running down the marked thighs.

«How are you?» he asked, helping the other guy turn around.

Xue Baizhu was still dazed, with the sight unfocused and he was breathing heavily, trying to recuperate himself.

«I’m okay» he said after a while.

Shen Yuan helped him by fixing, with a caring touch, his white hair and stroking gently his fluffy ears.

The guy moaned at the touch and when he realized that he quickly looked at Shen Yuan in the eyes.

Shen Yuan didn’t have any reaction at the moaning, he just smiled with a friendly face.

«Are you up for another round?» he asked instead with total nonchalance.

«Right now?» asked the fox, dumbfounded.

«Is it a no?»

«C-could Shenlong-jun give me some moments? I still have Junshang’s essence inside me!»

The normally embarrassing subject of conversation didn’t faze him. That alone would speak loud to how he wasn’t in his right state of mind.

«You can guide the pace this time» he proposed.

He was really eager to continue even if he seemed calm on the outside.

He pulled the obedient fox on his lap and he himself leaned back.

Their eyes latched and he knew that Xue Baizhu could feel his pillar against his rear, so he smiled gently.

He wasn’t trying to coax him, he just didn’t want him to feel scared of him.

«I’m gonna let Shenlong-jun know who is the expert here.» Xue Baizhu said before put himself the very invigorated heavenly demon size pillar back inside him. So he began to ride him.

•••

He harassed Xue Baizhu all night and he probably had lost himself at some point, realizing too late that Xue Baizhu lost consciousness in the middle of it. He, of course, stopped, even in his frenzy heats he wasn’t a beast.
He let the fox sleep all morning after cleaning up his body.
The sheets were covered by their body fluids, but Shen Yuan didn’t change them. He wasn’t remotely done, after all.

With their level of cultivation, it wasn’t a problem continuing without stopping to eat or whatnot.
It lasted a week and in that week the only two places that they had gone were the chamber and the bath.
After the heat finally subsided, Shen Yuan felt quite lost.

System lied to him.
He remembered everything.

Well, the essential parts.

What he forgot was the capacity of straightening his face.

Where did that bold sexy man go?

Fortunately there were some other things that required his attention, so he could scream in a pillow later.

«Since when did you have two more tails?» he asked an exhausted Xue Baizhu.

He was lying on his stomach, the butt still red for the last session and seven white tails waving on top of him.

The last time he checked he was sure he had only five tails.

«Mmh? Dunno. But with all this dual cultivation done with someone like Shenlong-jun it would be strange not to jump some levels.» he said.

Wasn’t he the race that was supposed to be like a cauldron?

Well, Shen Yuan did feel himself full of energy in both his meridians.

He felt he could breakthrough once. He didn’t need that and he would prefer using his time traveling to the demon realm instead of going to seclude himself in cultivation.

It was total cheating becoming that much stronger only through papapa. Only in PIWD could this thing be possible!

Xue Baizhu stayed in his bed for another three days. He couldn’t even get up the first one and suffered back pain with very loud complaints. He made Shen Yuan so shocked that the fox felt the need to console him.

«Sex with Junshang is life changing» he said shamelessly.

Well, he probably referred to his leaps in levels. Passing from a five tails spirit fox to a seven tailed one, after only one full week worth of papapa, was life changing indeed.

«I had my time back in the demon realm, but there is no one in all my life that made my mind mushed up like that» he added like he knew Shen Yuan would misunderstand his words and quickly clarified.

Unfortunately, other people were in his room with them.
Zhongren-lang timely run away and even Yue Yuyu remained silent with a red face.

«C-Could you stop saying that?» Shen Yuan asked, embarrassed, lifting his white sleeves, in an attempt to cover his face.

He still felt guilty in treating someone, anyone, like a wife of a stallion protagonist. So the only way to face Xue Baizhu without running away or grovelling in front of him was assuming his female form. So he would not feel like threatening the spirit fox with the sole existence of his cucumber.

Well, having a blushing peerless maiden in front of them was equally threatening, but Shen Yuan didn’t pay attention.

«Junshang should be proud of his natural skills» the spirit fox insisted.

«Xue Baizhu»

«Sorry, Junshang» he finally stopped.

•••

Shen Yuan had the time to think about himself.
After one week of papapa with a beautiful men, seeing him totally naked, having his way with him repeatedly, stroking each others members, letting him touch him and even doing him blowjobs and knowing he liked all of it, Shen Yuan realized with mild surprise.

“Oh, fuck, I’m gay”

[Congratulation! Congratulation! Congratulation! Good news must be told multiple times! User Shen Yuan realized his sexuality! :D]

“Sis, remember me how often are those heats” he asked ignoring the sarcasm in the other message.

[For dragons, every century, but User is a Heavenly Demon, so probably every half century. User should also know that outside factors are relevant to heat.]

“Why is the frequency for me doubled? Heavenly Demons don’t have heats”

[They do]

“Never read of Luo Binghe’s heats”

[The Protagonist had sex every day and sometimes multiple times per day. Even if he was in the middle of one, he wouldn’t notice the differences]

“Fair enough. What’s a Heavenly Demons frequency?”

[Every ten years without triggers]

“Less than I thought.”

“Did Xin Mo trigger mine? It was strange that it coincided with my meditation session with it.”

[It was a coincidence. But, looking at User’s luck, the timing of taking care of both matters will probably coincide often]

Shen Yuan sighted.

“So it’s okay if I take some decades to roam the demon realm”

[User should return one time to purify Xin Mo, but User is free to even create a kingdom or even conquer all the demon realm and became the Saintly Ruler in the meantime]

“I’m not the protagonist”

[Whatever the User wants]

“How much time would I take to take over the demon realm?” he asked out of curiosity.

[With the current political course, twelve years at most and eight years at the least.]

“Wow! Am I pretty strong? It took Luo Binghe three years to submit all the Demon Lords, right?”

[Correcting User’s statement, I said in the current political status. In a scenario like that of Luo Binghe would take User a month at most and only because it would take time spreading the rumors and reorganizing ranks]

“Uh? Why?”

[In Luo Binghe case he found an anarchy system without rules and full of loopholes. Every Demon Lord thought for themselves and had their personal fight with their heirs. Their territories were all in some internal conflicts that were near self destruction. He began from the South that was without a ruler for decades and conquered the young heirs of the east and the north. It was pretty easy for him.
In this current timeline it would took him at least a century to conquer the demon realm if he chose to resort to violence and treachery like in the original story]

“What’s the difference?”

[The existence of a overlord]

“Who he is?”

[Tianglang-jun, the actual Saintly Ruler, last pure blooded Heavenly Demon and biological father of Luo Binghe. In the original draft he was the final boss, stronger and with better leadership than Luo Binghe. Like all the characters better than the protagonist, he didn’t pass the reader's support.]

“The one sealed under Bailu Mountain?”

[He is still a young ruler of the south right now]

“Still not an overlord?”

[He could. But he is a rather pacifist. He was kind of obligated to conquer the demon realm.]

“What happened?”

[I couldn’t tell you now. It would put User at unnecessarily risks]

“Uh, that’s so much backstory for the demon realm that took Luo Binghe only one arc to conquer. What a waste”

[That is why this World needed User :)]

“Right, but it’s not like I want to change something.
You said it would take me twelve years, though?”

[Because User isn’t Luo Binghe]

“Oh! I understand. Because I would not use his undertaking methods. If Tianlang-jun is a pacifist I would prefer a diplomatic approach before the violent one. Make sense a pacific conquest from my part”

[…]

[As the User wishes to believe]

“Hey Sis, am I related to Tianlang-jun? He was supposed to be the last Heavenly Demon before Luo Binghe, right? But I’m also a Heavenly Demon, am I?”

[User is also a Heavenly Dragon and a Heavenly Dragon’s egg needed centuries of incubation before being born. User’s parents are two generations older than Tianlang-jun’s parents. Yours are children that lived the middle of the Great Wars, his are sons and daughters of the Great Wars survivors. Even if there are relations it's a very distant one.]

“What a shame, I could be Luo Binghe’s cool uncle”

[User should be more open minded]

“I am an open minded person. Super open minded. You know what? I’m so open minded that I’m going to seal my spiritual power during my stay in the demon realm.”

[???]

“It would be strange having spiritual power in the demon realm, even Luo Binghe relied only on his demonic heritage!”

[I urge User to rethink!]

“And the demons hate half blooded people. If I’m found out they will unite to strike me down. And stronger demons would could feel my spiritual power, so it’s better to sealing it”

[User is a half dragon and half heavenly demon! No one will strike down someone like the User!]

“Oh, Sis, you’re becoming more expressive! Congratulations!”

[>:(]

“Now a sealing manual, thanks”

Chapter Text

It was time to depart.

Shen Yuan didn’t prepare much, only some raw materials, to create random talismans when necessary, and a change of robes like when he departed for his explorations around the Abyss.
Well, if he really needed something he could just open a portal and take what he needed.

[User should take his collection of pills box]

Shen Yuan had a little hobby of learning the various cultivation manuals from System and the ones found inside secret chambers of some ruins.

So he was experimenting on being an alchemist and an apothecary in recent days. His garden was full of rare and particular herbs and plants and he had all kinds of monsters and beasts, so he could try making various poisons or elixirs.

In a world without internet and so much time at his disposal, creating legend-like elixirs sounded just the perfect hobby.

“Why?” he asked.

[Returning every time User forgets something is a waste of energy and inefficient. User should put things in the spatial dimension so I can categorize the things for him.]

“Eeeeh! But it’s an hassle”

[User is an hassle]

“Hey!”

[If User didn’t randomly decided to seal his spiritual power it wouldn’t be a problem at all]

“But it would be strange having so much pure Qi when I’m in the demon realm. I’m staying in the demon realm, so I should look like one. It would be cheating acting otherwise.”

[Only User could think that having more power when going to the demon realm is unfair]

“I just want to challenge myself! I am a demon too, so I should try to act like one. And I’m plenty strong even without spiritual powers.”

[User didn’t have a demonic core without Xin Mo. User is strong only in areas with high concentrations of demonic Qi.]

“It’s enough. Only areas with plenty of demonic Qi are dangerous.”

[User statement is wrong]

“Usually the areas with plenty of demonic Qi are the most dangerous ones” he corrected himself.

[User would be powerless in the human realm]

“I said I’m going to the demonic one, didn’t I?”

[User doesn’t know what could happen. Even the borderland could be problematic for User]

“I still have the reserve cultivated with Xin Mo and Xue Baizhu, Sis.”

[It’s consumable]

“Sis, I’m the Lord of the Black Void, I’m not going to be put in danger by some demons only because I have limited powers. In any case, my heritage power can still be used. In case of grave danger I’m gonna open up a portal and flee, no need to be worried”

[Who is worrying]

“Of course you are not. The almighty System knows that she can just save me if I really need to, " he chuckled.

[User Shen Yuan didn’t have any self preservation despite he keeps saying he wants to live a peaceful life.]

“A peaceful life isn’t the same as a boring one. I already died as a neet in my previous life, I’m going to enjoy this immortal one. Well, if the protagonist doesn’t kill me off it will be a immortal one”

[…]

“I’m gonna listen to you and take the pill box, anything else that can help you quell your anxiety?”

[I am a System, I don’t feel anxiety]

“Yes yes, didn’t you know that your voice feels less Google translate and more like a AI one? Are you evolving, Sis?”

[User should just shut up and keep filling the spatial dimension. User should take some gold and jewelry. The demon realm use bartering and didn’t have a real currency, but money can still be used, so User should take even the silver and copper coins for small exchanges]

“…”

Shen Yuan just listened to the mother hen that was his System.

He changed into his black set and checked himself in the mirror.

“Honestly, too much contrast. I’m not gonna pass unnoticed with those silver hairs.”

He pulled his silver hair in a high ponytail to look more like a traveler, but he just seemed an arrogant cold overlord.

“It is the black mark on the forehead and the horns” he decided.

Maybe it was a Heavenly Demon thing, because he wasn’t that cool in his previous life, even though he had the same face (with a camera filter).

Shen Yuan had three set of colors in his wardrobe: the white and silver with black decorations one, that he usually wear, they were more simpler and convenient, letting him move freely; the light green and silver one, more elegant but designed like what a immortal cultivator would wear, with tons of layers; and the black set with green inner layers and silver jewelry, more revealing on the front and more heavier, designed specifically to let him look like a noble demon.

He had even those set in female clothing. He didn’t know why, but there were more accessories and clothes for his woman form than the male one, despite being less used.

After some time, Shen Yuan was ready to depart.

He planned to explore all the demon realm. He was only interested in the flora and fauna, so he really didn’t need to meet the demon lords or their officials. If he could, he preferred taking his distance with all the politics, so he shouldn’t have any problems even if he wandered for a century in the demon realm and travelled to his heart's content.

Obviously, he wasn’t so hopeful that he would never meet some bigshot in a hundred years, but he would try to stay away from them.

«Junshang!» all his allies burst into his chambers.

Well, rude.

«Wait a moment, Junshang! We will help you prepare!» exclaimed Yue Yuyu.

«We also have something to say to you.» added the always responsible Zhongren-lang.

«How could Junshang depart without telling us?» lamented Xue Baizhu.

«It’s just another trip, guys. Are you saying that you found the demon realm more dangerous than the Endless Abyss?» he asked dumbfounded.

They were never like that when he departed for years long trip around the Endless Abyss.

«At least the Endless Abyss doesn’t have swindles,» said Xue Baizhu, nodding.

Am I a child?!

«What are you all fussing about?» he murmured, covering his face with his long sleeves.

[User is a high maintenance person]

“What is that supposed to mean?”

[How User got up every morning?]

“Zhongren-lang come wake me up every morning”

[How User prepare himself every morning?]

“Yue Yuyu help me choose my robes and help me put them on”

[How about User’s hair?]

“Xiao Qiang or Niao-er help me take care of them…”

[How does User eat?]

“Why is it how and not what I eat?”

[Does the answer change? :)]

“El cooks for me…”

[What about all User’s amenities in his castle?]

“Hans’s works… Hey, listen, I know I’m spoiled, but I’m capable of taking care of myself, okay? In all those years of travels, half of the time I’m alone!”

[And all those times User would pick up something strange]

“Queen is not strange!”

[This System wasn’t referring to User’s carnivorous glitched pet plant :)]

“She is not glitched. She just disappears sometimes and returns with a dismembered body.
But we are working on that, El and Xiao Qiang are taking care of her and studying this unknown specie. She’s a lot more tamer and she’s cute, like an overgrown dog!”

[As User’s says :)]

“Stop that condescending tone, Sis”

[This System uses messages. There aren’t any tones]

“You know what I mean!”

«Well, first of all. Junshang should take this.» said Hans, giving him something long covered in clothes.

«A sword?» he asked him.

Shen Yuan had entire chambers of reliquie and legendary like swords, if he needed a weapon he could just go there and pick up one of them.
He even had an armory full of lethal objects that were all Hans creations done when he was inspired.

He opened the clothing and breathed in sharply.

Pleased by his reaction, Hans chimed.

«It’s a sword made of Abyss metal, a metal born from deadly and dense demon Qi and the hilt is made from the World Tree. It gladly gave me one of his branches when I said it was for you» he said.

Oh, the World Tree. They all incorrectly call that big spiritual generator tree that the System gave him World Tree. But maybe it wanted a name and this pretentious one was his. Like Queen.

The sword was really beautiful, reddish like with a web of silver on the metal and a dark black guard with a beautiful tassel made of moon stone.

On the tassel had two ideograms: Huo Xin.

Shen Yuan’s eyes landed on the Phoenix that was in his small form on Hans' shoulder.

«It has my name because it can summon me when needed. Shenlong-jun had the wonderful idea of sealing his spiritual power, so when you call my name when you’re using this sword, I will come» said the Phoenix.

She flew on top of his Lord’s head and nuzzled between the horns.

«Only for emergency uses! Not empty calls, Shenlong-jun!» she clarified.

«This sword can function as a conduit for maximizing spiritual power. Junshang asked me something like that, right?» added Hans.

«Yeah, I need to cultivate in a place full of spiritual energy to break this seal and a catalyst could help me do it a little quicker. It will be similar to my ritual with Xin Mo» he said.

«Well, remember to call me. I will burn your enemies in ashes for you. This sword is already capable of discerning evil and malicious people, so listen to him. You are too trusting!» Huoxin hit one horn with his beak.

«I heard of a sword that was capable of discerning malicious energy, but I suppose this wasn’t the case» Shen Yuan said thinking about that Wan Jian Peak’s legendary sword.

«I said evil, not dark energy. What kind of sword is so biased?» lamented the red bird.

Shen Yuan chuckled.

El step forward holding a bundle of leaves and grass.

«Oh! Queen!» Exclaimed Shen Yuan, smiling.

The bundle-like plant bloomed flowers like he recognized his voice.

Shen Yuan just loved that thing.

He took it and with great surprise a black muzzle popped out from it.

«Queen is not a plant. She’s a Turtle Island. A… Strange one. Maybe it’s because of the influence of the Abyss, but she didn’t resemble a normal Turtle Island that is known to be tame, slow, calm and with great wisdom...» El said, looking at Queen with puzzled eyes.

«Maybe it’s because she’s still young. Turtle Islands were supposed to be big like islands in their adult form, after all» Shen Yuan said.

«That’s the problem. She is already an adult» said El with a complicated face.

«Junshang knows that normally, sacred beasts don’t survive in places with rich demonic Qi and chaotic Qi like the Endless Abyss. The only reason some of those are born here was only thanks to Junshang's and the World Tree’s powers. But Ku’en adapted to this difficult place to survive, evolving her differently.» said the monster expert Shen Qiang.

Shen Yuan noted that only El and Hans could pronounce Queen’s name correctly. It was very strange.

«She can become bigger enough to carry a comfortable hut for two people.» El added.

«This is the hut» Hans gave Shen Yuan a little hut the size of his palm.

«If you infuse some Qi, either demonic or spiritual, it will become big.» the dwarf instructed.

«Oh, so you will be my conveyance! Thank you, Queen» he chipped happily.

The little Turtle Island bit his finger jokily.

«And she doesn’t disappear. She is just very fast» said Xiao Qiang.

A fast turtle? That’s super funny!

[User could put her in the dimensional space] chimed System, always anticipating Shen Yuan’s dilemmas.

So Shen Yuan put her in his sleeves, where Queen disappeared in the System arms.

«She can procure food for herself, so you won’t need to worry about that» said Xiao Qiang.

«Good. Anything else?» he asked.

They look at each other.

Uh? Is it a big thing?

«Junshang should take me with him.» said Zhongren-lang.

«What? Do you guys really think that I’m powerless without my spiritual powers?» he asked coldly.

The atmosphere became tenser and oppressive letting some of them gaping.
Realizing that his piss of mood was leaking out, Shen Yuan quickly stopped.

He sighed and the oppressive aura dissipated.

«It’s not like that, Junshang. It’s just that this servant knows better the demon realm and it would be more convenient having someone helping your minor tasks.» said Zhongren-lang that was now kneeling in front of him.
All the others were now kneeling, even Huoxin flew down from his head.

Shen Yuan was already used to being served as a Lord of a territory, it wasn’t so different from the servants from his other world household, but having all of them grovel before him still made him uncomfortable.

He just returned to his seat, without looking at them and waved a hand to let them get up.

«Some of us are going to leave the Black Void when Junshang is not here. We have something to take care of,» said Xue Baizhu after they all got up.

«Why asking? You’re not my prisoners. Go wherever you want.» he said.

«I’m gonna rebuild my clan and change the spiritual foxes' situation in the demon realm.» said the leader of the foxes.

«It will take time. My girls are going with me. I… don’t know when I’m coming back,» said Xue Baizhu.

Shen Yuan actually looked at him.

«Follow what you desire. If it becomes too hard, you can come back and remember that you always can ask us to help.» he finally said.

Xue Baizhu smiled and nodded.

«Who else?» he asked very flatly.

«Junshang, I will return to my family, there is a problem with my clan.

Yue Yuyu’s clan was the clan of wife n. 888 in the original novel.
He remembered the plot. A forgotten family that had fallen for centuries. With all the dragons extinct, a clan of dragon priests was useless and mocked about. Wife n 888 was a pitiful girl devoted to his family beliefs and tried to keep them alive. She was alone and the last one of their family and could only chant stories about great dragons.
Luo Binghe heard one of her song’s and approached her to learn about dragons, more worried by potential threats than the sad story of the girl.
But after confirming that there weren't any dragons anymore, he just bedded the pretty girl and gifted her the Egg that he found with Xin Mo as a wedding gift.

If Yue Yuyu wanted to go back, she was probably trying to restore her family reputation. It was strange that the girl that was so crazy about him didn’t offer herself to escort him after all.

Well, Shen Yuan would have refused of course. A human in a demon realm was a bad idea.

But if she got back and restored her clan (and he was sure she would succeed), what about the wife n. Children 888 plot?

[That plot is already changed]

“Why?”

[From the day User was born in the demonic dragon body]

“Oh, right”

«Go. Your tasks will be taken care of» he said.

«Yes, Junshang. I already appointed other servants to cover me. And the Sky Serpent will be the protector of the Hidden Realm in my absence.»

Uh? She was protecting the Hidden Realm?
Well, she was a very strong immortal master after all.

«Heitien?» he asked.

The black Sky Serpent that was supposed to be a final boss between the Protagonist and Xin Mo.
It was actually a spirit beast created by the Heaven’s to protect his egg and was tainted during the centuries in the Endless Abyss.
Thanks to Shen Yuan’s OP power of reality manipulation he returned Heitien to his original form.
The only change was his scales color that were light blue instead of black.

Xiaoniao was next. The little ghost decided to search for his roots. He didn’t remember his resentment and his life before he died, so he was going to search for information about his identity. He decided to go with Yue Yuyu first.

The last one was Xiao-Qiang.
The little demonic Peach Fairy became a beautiful woman with a stunning pretty face. A face capable of ruining continents in his opinion.
She was like how Shen Yuan imagined Liu Mingyan without a veil.
She wasn’t leaving.

«I’m gonna sleep in my tree for some time.» she said.

«I’m will have a breakthrough soon and it will probably take some hundreds of years, Junshang»

«Oh»

It was all he said.
When all the others told him about their plan, he was honestly happy for them, but Xiao Qiang was different.

She was born in the Abyss like him and besides having a child’s body, she was like a big sister to him, the only one that would talk him off if needed.

They give each others their new names for their new life and had similar passions and curiosity. Even when she obtained her adult form, nothing changed.

Right, she reminded him of his meimei, that overbearing girl that always scolded Shen Yuan for being lazy and harassed him with her readings. That’s why Shen Yuan gave her his surname.

Shen Qiang was in front of him and was giving him a little box.

He took it.

There was a silvery piece of clothing translucent.

«Cover your face when meeting people» she said without a sign of honorifics.

«My face?»

«Yeah, it will be for your well being and for that of Zhongren-lang»

He did not pout.

«I didn’t accept him coming with me» he said.

«Yeah, but he will go anyway and you’ll let him.» she said.

He did not respond.

“Anyway, I’m gonna go alone!” he thought.

Shen Yuan of course didn’t go alone.

•••

After two and half decades in the demon realm, Shen Yuan had visited most of the famous beasts and monsters of the demon realm, recorded them and studied them.
Sometimes he got attacked, so he had to kill them, but it was useful for recording weak points and came to know if they’re edible or not.
Shen Yuan was a knowledge lover and studying living creatures was just more exhaustive than just killing them, that was the only reason he preferred not to kill.

Usually people mistakenly thought that Shen Yuan was too gentle to harm, a too merciful Lord, naive and hopeful, but that kind of mentality was already gone after the first time his trust was betrayed.

He was still merciful and kind, but he was not a pushover. He would attack viciously and without hesitation if he felt the need.
The Endless Abyss was a wasteland where the only thought would be attack or be attacked. It was rather peaceful living with the others, but Shen Yuan knew that they were there with him because they had nowhere to go.
As he thought, after they became stronger, they returned to their origin.

The demon realm was ruthless and the demons so sly, aggressive, possessive, always drove by emotions and only recognizing force and power.
Shen Yuan tried to ignore those demons that tried to attack him out of the blue when he got in some villages, but they were so insistent!

Things got better when he actually put the veil that Xiao Qiang gifted him on his face under Zhongren-lang pressure, but for some reason stronger demons got to him.

He found out that there was a rumor about a certain “Lord on the Turtle”, a beautiful demon with noble lineage that travels on top of a big turtle.
He was gorgeous and lofty, dashing and strong, cold and spiteful, a peerless beauty with a brilliant mind and anything a demon could desire from a spouse.

He had beaten up high ranked generals everyday and hadn’t even acknowledged demons with clair pedigree. Sometimes he wouldn’t even bother to listen to the demon’s declarations and swing them away or let his servant do it. Other times he just disappeared with all his house on top of the e turtle. How could a demon with a hunter heart not chase someone like that?

Well, it seemed that demons thought that Shen Yuan was this famous lofty Lord, only because of Queen. He didn’t think that there would be someone else that would travel on top of turtles. Shen Yuan was really unlucky.

[…]

«We should stop traveling on Queen» he said to Zhongren-lang.

«It would take longer, but with all the time some tries to stop us, it would be the same» he added.

«As Junshang wishes» said his reliable butler.

Shen Yuan calmly put the cup of tea down and put his veil on, in time to perceive all the demons that surrounded them.

Fantastic, this time is a big shot.

He left havoc his demonic aura.

«Lingzhu, oh, Lingzhu, we are not here to cause you problems!» he heard.

«Oh? I have my doubts» he said from his hut.

«It’s true, Lingzhu. We are here in the name of Jiuzhong-jun’s only heir, Sha Huazhu.»

Oh? From the Sha clan? The favorite, cruel and capricious wife of Luo Binghe’s clan? Only heir? Uh, is he, what? Her father?

[Great-uncle. He is Sha Hualing grandmother’s brother.]

“Didn’t you say that we are in Tianlang-jun’s era?”

[Indeed]

“So Luo Binghe father was hundreds years older than the father of Sha Hualing?”

[User shouldn’t be so focused on people’s ages in this kind of setting. Most of Luo Binghe’s wives were hundreds years older than him, afterall.]

“Right, it was stupid on my part. So why there are so many differences in ages?”

[Tianlang-jun is strong, so strong that no one tried to overthrow him. Or tried and failed miserably. That was why he was so bored by the demons that he became fascinated by humans.
The Jiuzhong-jun’s title is very coveted in the clan and obviously eliminating competitions is a normality here. So they change their king quite frequently]

“Your dumping informations are always so good, thanks, Sis”

[:D]

Zhongren-lang became rigid near him.

«Are you all right?» he asked.

«Yes, Junshang. How does Junshang want to proceed?» he asked, always so rigid and efficient.

«Let’s visit their scorching territory and see what he wants» he said, curious about the household of Sha Hualing.

«My lord will grant yours of his presence. He will accept your hospitality.» his butler announced.

Do you really need to phrase it like that all the time? I look like a haughty snob!

«Queen, follow them» he said, picking up the refilled cup of tea.

•••

The moment the famous beauty on top of the turtle appeared after his servant opened the door of the hut, a dead silence fell on the main manor of the Sha clan.

Exited whispers followed some beat afterwards. No one could tear their eyes from the elegant veiled figure, much less Sha Huazhu.

He had long silver hair, half breaded around his black horns and half of the face covered but the heir of the east could tell that he was more beautiful than the most famous succubus and any demon of the notorious spirit fox clan of the ovest, probably better looking even than the southern king that had heavenly blood.

For a demon, he wasn’t wearing very revealing clothes, but the white jade skin of the collarbone and chest, visible thanks to the open robes on the front, was enough to make demons fantasize touching him.

A translucent silver outer robe had fallen around the armpits and swept around like how foxes use their tail to seduce people, so they could assess his lean and elegant form under the two black and green layers tightened on his body by the belt. The long, wide and floaty sleeves covered his hands and the fingers visible from time to times were distracting.

When he came near, Sha Huazhu noticed that what he thought was a decoration, was a black sinner mark on his forehead.

An Heavenly Demon? Wasn’t Tianlang-jun and his sister the only ones remaining?

Is it real?

He couldn’t assess his power, just like the rumors had said. He felt like… Air, like when someone was trying to absorb the demonic Qi in the air and found it too much to take. But there were moments that he couldn’t feel anything from him.

Maybe he was learning to control his aura output or he was doing it on purpose to distract the enemies. If it was the letter, he would be stronger and more cunning than he thought.

The giant turtle shrunk to the size of a palm and jumped inside his owner's sleeve.

«Lingzhu, I’m Sha Huazhu, the only legitimate heir to the throne of the East Kingdom. It's an honor meeting you» he said with an elegant curtsy.

The silver demon turned his head away, looking at an indistinct point behind him, his earring around his pointed ears, dancing at the little movement.

How dare he ignore him?!

A shadow covered the beautiful demon.

«My Lord wants to know the reason for this call.» said his servant.

He didn’t even realize that this thing existed, too focused on the Lord.

Sha Huazhu was dumbfounded for a second. The face of the servant reminded him of someone.
He didn’t get immediately who he resembled but he was certain that he was familiar.

He was taller than him, but Sha Huazhu didn’t had any intention to retreat. He would look weak.

He was already considered a laughing stock by the other members of the clan even though he was the direct descendant, he would not help them having more excuses.

He smiled.

«Let’s talk about it inside.»

The beauty just nodded.

•••

«How can I refer to Lingzhu?» he asked with a polite smile after they were all served with beverages.

«You may refer to him as Shenlong-jun» said the middleman again.

«Of which territory is Shenlong-jun lord of, if I may inquire? This Sha Huazhu didn't think he ever saw someone like Shenlong-jun around» he eyed him.

«You may not» the servant replied.

Sha Huazhu finally turned to that damn nuisance.

«How dare a mere servant intervene between two high nobles?!» he snapped.

«Noble? Hardly» said that jerk «In front of my Lord all demons are inferior»

He wasn’t going to snap at a lower being. He needed to calm down or everything he worked on would go to waste.

«Well, Shenlong-jun, I’m sure you already heard about the need for this Lord to find a companion…» he picked a look.

Shenlong-jun was still looking away from him.

«I need a strong partner with whom I can rule over the east. I’m sure you will seriously consider my offer knowing the fame of the Sha clan» he said.

Surprisingly, the jerk didn’t intervene.

Obviously, it was an honourable proposal form the heir of the east throne, who would reject it?

«This tea…» said the beauty for the first time after some silence between them.
«Have a really intense aroma.»

Sha Huazhu froze. He tried to smile elegantly.

«Hope it is to your taste» he said.

«Not really. I usually don’t enjoy poison, but I admit that this one had that little spice that made it particular» he said, taking a sip under the veil.

Despite being found out, he was attracted by the veil movement, wanting to take a peek at that face.

«Mmh, a sleeping inducing type.» he said.

So, he was immune.

He slowly placed the cup down.

«I’m curious about something, Lord Sha. Would you be so kind as to answer some questions?» he asked in an elegant posture.

«It would be my pleasure» he said calmly like the poison he put inside the tea was a mere spice.

«One. Why didn’t you choose a female partner? Isn’t having an heir more important than having an ally that could betray you?»

Because he couldn’t have children, but he couldn’t say that. It was one of the reasons why he was mocked. No matter how many female demons he bedded or how many medicines or elixirs he took, it was all in vain.

And now what? His stupid sister was pregnant because someone had the genial idea of bending her? If that child inside her womb was born a boy, his position would be put at risk!

«In the Sha clan all the male members of the direct family have the right to fight for the throne. I’m not so eager to produce rivals, but I need someone at my side to prepare for the incoming battles.»

What he originally wanted was just put on his fathers’s bed the demon he was fancying at the moment so he could obtain his father’s favor and obtain the permission to get rid of that wench.

Well, the demon in question was apparently a Heaven Demon of unknown origin and obviously immune to all the poisons, so he may just obtain this beautiful man for himself. It wasn’t a bad plan having a Heavenly Demon. Instead of obtaining favor from his father he could just kill him and blame the turtle lord. He could just tell the people that he was blinded by love.
Demons preferred crime from passions instead of patricide...

«What battles?» the other asked.

«The ones on the west. Since the last Saintly Ruler died after a coup, there was a fight for the throne and, now, those fights are expanding» he said.

The ruler of the ovest was the last Saintly Ruler, a Heavenly Demon with a nasty personality that liked to drown himself in succubi dens instead of governing.
Until those succubi that he loved so much ate him alive.

After that, multiple clans from the west tried to kill each other and caused the extinction of multiple races, like the dream demons one or the spiritual foxes.
But it seemed that the last one came back recently with a new ruler, a male fox named Ruler of Snow.

Well, the problem was that those conflicts were expanding and Sha Huazhu knew that others would take advantage of them to strike him when he had his eyes on the west. He didn’t have enough power to prevent either of those problems, so his most urgent problem was securing his power.

And his father was ignoring him and had his eyes on the southern princess, the sister of that Tianlang-jun.

Stupid father that thought more with his dick than his head. The only reason that he beat his brothers was because he was insanely powerful. He was just like the previous Saintly Ruler.

Thinking about that… Was this unknown Heavenly Demon an illegitimate son of the last Saintly Ruler?

«I understand your point. But why should I marry you? What’s my gains? Besides, you tried to put me to sleep. Were you trying to sully me?» he asked.

«Shenlong-jun, it’s a misunderstanding, I was just trying to test your ability. And of course I would get you anything you wanted if you accepted to marry me» said the heir of the Sha clan.

«Even all those demons hiding around and spying on me since I came here are a test?»

Sha Huazhu paused his smile.

«Very well, I suppose that you are refusing the good way. I was going to choose using force, anyway» he said. He tried to be patient but he was running out of time. He was never a tactician anyway.

It didn’t matter how he was going to use this Heavenly Demon, the important thing was having him first.

All his men attacked and the veiled lord didn’t move an inch.
His servant did the job, killing without mercy any enemies that came in front of his lord, using lethally long claws.

Seeing him battle against so many, he finally realized why this servant looked so familiar. He looked like his father.
His brown hair, reddish eyes and the claws were all distinctive signs of his family. How could he not realize that?

Who was he? Another illegitimate child of his father? But he could tell that he wasn’t totally a demon. Maybe a human half-blood.

How could a mongrel be so strong?

He began to laugh.

Not only he had his nephew to think about, now even a halfbreed came to hinder his throne?

He killed all the men he prepared, but Sha Huazhu didn’t feel dread. Only rage.

«I was thinking of who you reminded me of. So you were one of my father’s mutts. A lowly blood that shouldn’t even exist.
I imagine that the Lord that you serve gave you your fine face. Good, I didn’t need to go find my father’s waste and they came for me.
Easier to get rid of!»

And he attacked.

They battled with their claws and demonic energy. All the furniture, decorations, walls and roof were destroyed. He didn’t expect the half blood to be so strong. He knew he was losing.
His instinct told him that the other was stronger.
It was the same feeling that took him when he tried to kill his father in a legitimate duel.
He just knew.

«I won» the other said with a foot on his chest.

They were both so bloodied that it was hard to distinguish whose blood was whose.

«Good job, Zhongren-lang. Now, go get the woman that is trying to run away with a newborn before they both die,» said Shenlong-jun.

He didn’t even move a finger during all the battle and destruction. He just sat on the crouch elegantly and looked at them with a mild annoyance.

«Yes, Junshang» the mutt said and he was gone like they never battled for the position of heir.

That was so humiliating!

«No one saw you. You can just pretend that you never lost.» said Shenlong-jun.

«I would never fall so low» he replied, every pretense fallen.

He heard a laugh and looked at the Lord.

Shenlong-jun was looking standing tall over him. He could see the smile under the veil and his heart stopped.

«That’s why you are going to become the next Jiuzhong-jun» he said with a kind tone, completely opposite to his icy one used until that moment.

Sha Huazhu gasped.

«I heard Zhongren-lang is your half brother.»

«I have many illegitimate brothers and sisters.»

«Why not ask them to help you firm your position?»

«They are weak»

«You just got beaten by one of them»

«My father would never accept them»

«Your father, mmh? Zhongren-lang, what’s the meaning of this?» asked the beautiful lord without even turning around.

The mongrel returned but he was dragged by the hair.

His father was towering over them, on top of the broken roof, behind him, his people.

His sister with a very newborn was captured by others.

«Shouldn’t this Lord be asking the question?» said his father with a false politeness.

«Jiuzhong-jun, it’s your family that invited me here» he said, finally turning to look at his father.

His father’s eyes shined with a predatory glint.

«Good job, my son» he murmured, licking his lips.

«That’s my aid that you are handling so carelessly» Shenlong-jun said colder than a northern demon.

«That’s my house that you ruined. Shouldn’t you pay for the damage? I know a very good way…» his father replied with that disgusting tone.

But the next moment there was another battle.

Wait no, it was a one sided beating from the beautiful wanderer part?!

How could a graceful, beautiful and elegant being be so ruthless and capable of pummeling people with bare hands?!

He wasn’t even using demonic energy!

That was the hottest thing Sha Huazhu had ever seen!

«Ah, you get Xiao-Qiang’s gift dirty» he said, adding a kick that sent his father over three walls.

And that was the moment where all the demons present, even the semi conscious one, gasped in awe.

Shenlong-jun graced them with the vision of his face. Even with a frown and looking at his veil with annoyances he was… breathtaking.

«I’m willing to become your concubine»

What?!

His father, with a bloody and swelling face, was offering himself with open arms.

Shenlong-jun looked confused for a moment but scoffed immediately.

«I’m not courting you. This was just letting you know to not mess with me and my people.
Just scram, I don’t want to see your ugly face»

In the near future, his father would just abandon his role as ruler, putting all the affairs in Sha Huazhu’s hands and disappear. No one knew where he went or if he was still alive.

He was not missed. Jiuzhong-jun lost and was depressed due to a heartbreak? Pathetic.

Presently, Shenlong-jun proceeded to put out of his sleeves some elixir that he tossed in Sha Huazhu’s direction.

«Cure your sister and your nephew.» he said to him.

«Zhongren-lang will help you for the time being»

«What?! Junshang, I'm not helping them!» the mutt that was healing himself stopped to protest.

«Don’t be silly, Zhongren-lang, you don’t need to stick to me for all your immortal life. Go and mend your relationship with your family and if you feel so bad about it, just let the Sha clan protect me from unwanted attention.
If I need you I will came to find you»

Said that, Shenlong-jun just called his turtle and disappeared, leaving the mutt there.

«This is all your fault» the mongrel said to him apathetic.

The newborn nephew of them cried.

•••

Madame Meiyin was one of the previous Saintly Ruler concubines.
She knew his doom before even meeting him as she knew that a very strong person, stronger than the last Saintly Ruler was, was coming in her den before he actually came.

She was a seer, more powerful than she ever admitted and she took pride in her powers.

The powerful person came, flushed and clearly in heat.
Only high races would have heats, as they had more probability of remaining alive for all their immortal life. It was a requirement to not lose the capacity to reproduce. Even though they would have children only if they wanted.
The egoistic characters of strong ones were the primary causes to the extinction of their species. Like the previous Saintly Ruler had tons of wives but no children.

This person had a beautiful veiled face but clearly reddened, with big spring green eyes, long silver eyelashes and braided silk like hair that fell to the ground. She had a gorgeous body paired with an abundant chest, a thin waist and long legs that put most of her girls to shame.
On the forehead a clear black sin mark that was shining ominously.
A Heavenly Demon?
But that was not right. She saw more than a merely Heavenly Demon. Also, Madame Meiyin always thought he was a man from what he saw.
Oh! A man in a woman's body. Which higher race were capable of changing gender? The dragon race… A Heavenly Demonic Dragon?
But why come in as a woman?
If he chose to relieve himself with succubi wasn’t better to do it in his male form?

«I need someone that could take care of this» he said with an overbearing tone, like he was pissed off.

«Why not be in a more comfortable form for that?» she asked him.

«I don’t want to.» he said.

«Let this Meiyin go call for an incubus for you then» she said politely.

«Meiyin? Madame Meiyin? Well, nevermind, no incubi, a woman will do, you can do it, right?» he said.

He was actually really her type. Well, with this woman's body he was really her type.

Usually Madame Meiyin would never took customers herself, even if it was a high ranking clan leader or even a king.
She always went for her preferences. Never again would she lower herself to a powerful demon.

Succubi weren’t a strong race, so she didn’t have any heat, but she was an old one, a really old one. She was so old that she had seen the end of the Great War.
It had been centuries since she hadn't had the need to eat others' life energy to sustain herself; and some decades since she has enjoyed pure sex.

The powerful person in his woman's body fell down, his knees weakened from the heat.

How could he be so stupid to wait until the very last minute?

Madame Meiyin hugged him and let him fall on her breast.

His beautiful face nuzzled. Body hot, breath heavy and weakened legs.

Some of her girls came near but Meiyin interrupted them with a hand up.

«Girls, I will take care of this lovely customer» she grinned.

«Let’s get rid of your heat, shall we?» she whispered in his ear.

He trembled.

•••

Well, after two weeks, Shenlong-jun returned to his very genderless form, without even one of the two genitals.

«That was too long» he said, face red for embarrassment, trying to find his clothing.

Madame Meiyin was still naked and smoking a hookah. She looked at him smiling without any shame.

«I prolonged the experience with some of our products. Are you interested? I can make you a special price» she winked.

«What? I should be immune!» he protested.

«No? All the demons and even Heavenly beings are vulnerable to aphrodisiacs, even Heavenly Demons or Dragons» she said.

«What?!»

Oh, he must be younger than she thought.
Maybe that was one of his firsts heats, so he dumbly delayed the symptoms.
If he was the child of who she thought he was, his egg shouldn’t even have hatched.

«Yeah, boy, you’re not immune to any kind of aphrodisiac.» she said.

«But this world has this type of thing on every corner!» he lamented.

«Not in the Endless Abyss, sweetie»

«I know. I live there. It’s a miracle that I lived a century without knowing that I’m vulnerable to aphrodisiacs.» he pouted.

What a cute creature. Madame Meiyin wouldn’t mind if he came for her everytime he had heats or incidents.

«Want me to see your future incidents?» she asked.

He looked at her after he put on all his robes.

He stripped himself from the outer one and covered her body like it was a blanket, with a very caring touch.

«I thought you only gave peeks of someone’s love life.» he said.

«I can also give you that. Maybe I just like you that much.» she flirted moving to his direction.

She wouldn’t mind doing it the other way around this time.

«Thank you but there’s not need.» he took her in his arms and slowly put her inside the big pool of roses.

He began to wash her and massaging her gently.

«You know that I was the one that did you» she said perplexed, because usually was she that had to take care of her partners, the non food ones.

«Yeah» he said.

She didn’t understand.

All the powerful people are being served and the weak one serves the strong.
It was a universal rule.
And this individual wasn’t a simple powerful person. He was a dragon and a Heavenly Demon! He was probably the child of those legends so he had the noblest of bloods going through his veins.
He was so strong that even his future was blurred for most of parts and his mate would be the most powerful man that this world would ever know, like he was someone loved by fates!

Why was he doing servants' jobs? Why was he taking care of her like it was him that used her as his please?

She looked at his gentleness with a exstranged look. For all her long life there wasn’t a single noble blood demon that treated her right and the ones that were good, they were just in search of or wanted something from her.

«What does Madame want from this Shenlong to repay her favor?» he asked, meanwhile brushing her wet hair.

«Payment?» she asked, feeling dumb for the first time in awhile.

«Yeah» he confirmed.

What is he saying? She wasn’t the one that had it bad! He even took a female form that Madame Meiyin took advantage of and took as much energy as she could!

Normally even after consuming all her ‘customers’ she would exploit them to do her bidding or something like that. She was expensive and an opportunist. But this Lord just offered himself? Shouldn’t be the one begging him at this point?

«What if I asked something impossibile?» she asked.

«Like what?» he was unfazed.

«The core of a Demi-falcon of the Abyss» she said. Knowing how hard it was to catch that creature and even harder to obtain that fragile core intact after the beast died.

«Can do» he said easily.

«Sounds too easy for you. I should ask something more annoying than dangerous,» she said.

«So?»

«I want the Queen’s Teardrop of the Northern Territory. That Pearl that is said to be a northern treasure. It would be beautiful for my collection.» she decided.

«I will try obtaining it for you» he accepted.

He helped her dry with demonic Qi and helped her wear her robes. His outer robe was still discarded near the pool, soaking and ruined.
It looked very expensive, but was discarded just like that.

Shenlong-jun didn’t take anything away and he left the den with dignity, like he was just there for a couple of hours for consultations and not for two weeks worth of sex.

Madame Meiyin asked herself if he was really going to have the Mobei’s clan treasure only because she, a succubus, had sex with him.

Maybe not. Maybe he just wanted to flee.

But she was wrong again.

She heard the stories about the savior of the Northern Territory and after some days, the demonic dragon appeared again, giving her the Queen’s Teardrop.

«Want me as your concubine?» she asked like a joke, but maybe a part of her was sincere.

«Uh? This is not a proposal. It’s just a repayment. It wasn’t even that hard to obtain» he said.

How? Wasn’t this Pearl the Northern treasure? Those arrogant cold bastards that didn’t even have a sense of fun were willingly giving this pearl to him?

Well, it wasn’t her place to inquire.

«Well, it’s always a pleasure doing business with Shenlong-jun. If Your Excellency needs anything, this Meiyin will be willing to help free of charge next time» she winked.

«Thank you» he said. And he was gone.

What a shame.

Chapter Text

The Mobei clan had a problem and Tianlang-jun was going to solve it for them. 

Isn’t he so good? 

Well, he wanted to, but the icy guys resolved their problem before he even began his journey to their territory. 

He heard the north had problems producing their staples. All their plants fell ill and their younger ones were at risk without food.  

It was fundamentally stupid to have only one type of ailment that they couldn’t go without and Tianlang-jun was ready to present them a replacement as their stupid plant was so difficult to harvest (it could only grow with a precise temperature and a really low one). 

Well, their territory was named Northern Desert for a reason.  

So, the icicles were people that believe in ‘the stronger, the better’, always repaying power and kindness with undying loyalty, and had this ultimate useful power of traveling long distance opening dimensional portals. 

And Tianlang-jun wanted to make them indebted to him, so he could use them to find his sister.  

Yes, his older sister disappeared and left all her work to him. 

Old troublemaker. 

It wasn’t really necessary to find her, she was free to go wherever she wanted and it wasn’t like he worried for her, she was a pure blooded Heavenly Demon afterall.

He just wanted an excuse to escape for his responsibilities like his sister did.  

Honestly, when his old hag decided to became one with the demon realm and left all his kingdom to them, he really just wanted to run away and let his sister do the job.  

Unfortunately his sister had the same idea, but actually went with it.  

Tianlang-jun knew he would be bored before even trying.  

Honestly, he thought it was a family thing. His old hag had that magnificent idea right after the other Heavenly Demon was murdered by his succubi, during their intense night of flashes and blood. 

Tianlang-jun suspected that his mother had not wanted to risk being called as the next Saintly Ruler, as the other senior Heavenly Demon was alive, and had just decided to disappear.  

Of course, when some troublesome people came to him, he kicked them out. He already hated being the Southern Ruler, why should he become the Saintly one?  

It had been already a century or more and maybe there were some problems from the west. 

But it wasn’t like it was his responsibility!  

Why couldn’t the others do it? 

So when he heard about someone that one sidedly beaten the Jiuzhong-jun of the east and forcibly put his incompetent son on the throne and that same person saved the Mobei clan, introducing various plants that they could easily harvest in the Northern Desert barren territory, cured the original plant and even saved the various children in a matter of a day, like some blessing from the Demon God, he just thought: ‘Fantastic! Someone he could use as a Saintly Ruler!”. 

Seriously, wasn’t he just perfect?  

When he began searching for him the people he asked about him were so overprotective of him!  

The Sha clan had this half blood that looked like he wanted to kill him on the spot when he asked about this person’s whereabouts and even the new Jiuzhong-jun was so evasive and cold to him! And that brat was known to be an egoistic moron!  

The Mobei clan was even glacier to him! They didn’t even offer him anything when he visited them! 

And asking about their savior? Didn’t Tianlang-jun already said that they were fucking loyal? 

Honestly, he was kinda hurt! It was just the other day that all of them were groveling at his feet asking him to take the Saintly Ruler’s title! 

He even went to Madame Meiyin, the succubi seer, who would tell anything to anyone if paid, but even she refused to tell him anything! 

Since when was that old crone seducible? What did this person do to actually obtain this kind of loyalty?! 

He actually went to the battleground of the ovest in search of the current most powerful clan, the Snow Mountain spirit foxes. As there was a force that was supposed to be extinct but out of the blue became the strongest ones, he went to ask if they had something to do with this mysterious demon and… He was there.  

Well, he didn’t recognize him at first, since they never met, but the description ‘a veiled beauty, peerless and lofty, with the grace of a crane and the gaze of a tiger’ seemed spot on that person.  

He was actually a guest of the Lord of Snow, Xue Baizhu and… Well, that arrogant fox was actually serving him?  

He met Xue Baizhu when he heard of his clan suddenly overcoming another that was nearly becoming the new ruler of the west. 

He was so pissed off at them because he was so sure that he could finally be ridden of those flies that kept bordering him for his aid, but those foxes ruined everything! 

But found out that they just remained in their mountain range and stopped bothering about everything around them. 

He changed to convince the male fox to actually become the ruler of the ovest, but he refused and actually chased him away. 

From that day onwards it was Tianlang-jun that kept bothering Xue Baizhu to take the reins of the unruly demons of the west.  

Honestly, he just didn’t want to remain home. 

«Tianlang-jun, this Baizhu didn’t expect your presence.» said the fox.  

Yeah, he was pissed. 

He wasn’t actually sitting on his usual spot, a crouch were he usually lay with all his eight tails spread.  

He was actually now in the middle of a banquet. Beautiful female foxes were dancing and playing instruments, singing stories and bringing food before that sit.  

But on the honorary ruler’s seat, there was a beautiful veiled man in black and green clothing served directly by the Lord of Snow.  

That haughty male-hooker was actually serving someone like he was a servant! 

Even if he always used respectful words and attitude with Tianlang-jun, he often scoffed in his presence and barely maintained some politeness with him. That was actually one of the reasons he liked hanging around with him. 

Well, during their first meeting he was actually a little scared, but after understanding that Tianlang-jun was somewhat non violent, he just didn’t care to maintain a good image.  

Maybe Tianlang-jun should use more of his authority and terrorize some people. 

«Tianlang-jun?» asked the famous Lord on the Turtle, rumored to be the conqueror of the Endless Abyss and the most beautiful demon of the demon realm. 

And a Heavenly Demon.  

«Shenlong-jun, I have wanted to meet you for a very long time! It’s such a lucky coincidence meeting you here!» he exclaimed with a big smile.  

«Oh? Why so?» he asked, stirring the tea inside the cup.  

«Well, I want you do became the Saintly Ruler» 

Shenlong-jun had just drunk the tea from under the veil, but hearing Tianlang-jun’s reply, he spat it all.  

He began coughing violently and tore his veil off with a panicked Xue Baizhu that was trying to offer him some water. 

«Why don’t you sit down first?» he said after he calmed down. 

«Xue Baizhu» he called like he was used to commanding him.

The spirit fox actually got up and called some servants to prepare a seat and refreshments for him. 

Tianlang-jun was surprised. A male spirit fox was already a rarity and as such he was treated with care since birth by his race and similar races, but a male spirit fox with eight tails out of nine was a legend that even a Saintly Ruler could not offend.  

The Lord on the Turtle was indeed beautiful and he would be his type if he was a woman. And he could understand that even the most woman lover would be willing to bend before this kind of beauty.  

But it couldn’t be just his beauty that conquered all those arrogant demons. If it were only a matter of beauty and lineage, Tianlang-jun himself would have obtained that kind of life changing loyalty from them without even lifting a finger.  

«I heard that you wanted to convince Xue Baizhu to become the King of the West region?» he said after he composed himself. 

«That’s right» he replied. 

He drank the wine served to him even though he couldn’t become drunk. 

«Why don’t you become the Saintly Ruler, wouldn’t it be simpler? Become the overlord and assign yourself people you want to each territory» he asked.  

«I don’t want to. It would be a hassle.»  

He nodded in agreement.  

«It would be. So I’m not gonna do it.» Shenlong-jun said smiling. 

Tianlang-jun didn’t expect an immediate agreement, so he just nodded.  

«You are a dragon» he said instead.  

To his credit, the dragon only paused briefly and drank the wine, instead of the previous tea, calmly. 

He made a displeased face, like he wanted to get drunk but couldn’t.  

«I am.» he said.  

«Oh! A demonic dragon» he added looking at his sin mark.  

«Indeed»  

«Rumors said you conquered the Endless Abyss»  

«Exaggerations. I only live there, the Abyss has no ruler» he replied. 

A demonic dragon that lived in the Abyss…?  

«I know you!» Tianlang-jun was hit by a realization.  

«What?» 

«You shouldn’t have been born, how are you here? I did hear that there was a dragon in the Endless Abyss but…» 

«The hell are you saying?» he snapped. 

The dragon just stopped to maintain some kind of pretense in front of him. 

Isn’t this dragon hilarious? Where was exactly the peerless distant Lord? 

«Are you not the Prince of dragons, Xuluan, and Zhengya-jun’s child?»  

The confused face of Shenlong-jun said it all.  

«What?! Their story was pretty famous! I hear it even became a ballad in the human realm. 

It’s a bed-story of two sinners for demons and pretty much a taboo, but the humans really like it.» exclaimed Tianlang-jun, somewhat offended and amused.  

Seeing Shenlong-jun still confused, the Heavenly Demon took pity. 

Well, he loved talking anyway. Usually no one was willing to hear his stories, so that was a given. 

«They are the cause of the end of the Great War between the Heavenly and Demon Realms.» he began.  

«Tell me more about it,» said the dragon, immediately interested.  

Like a child that was excited to chant about his new found toy he complied. 

Tianlang-jun grinned. 

«Well, the elders never told much about this story and most of the citizens mostly forgot about them and the War. It’s been… five centuries since it ended? 

Anyway, the Heaven and Demon Realms were at War since the fall of the Heavenly Demons and at the forefront of the Heaven were the Heavenly Dragons. 

They were enemies to the core, they hated each other and could only see blood when in the presence of one other! 

It was very bad. 

But the War was spreading on the Human Realm and caused countless innocent lives to perish. 

Hundreds and thousands of villages were wiped out only because they were the grounds where the two almighty races would exchange blows.  

Most of Heavenly Demons and Dragons perished in those battles. 

The Demons were winning because they had the numbers. 

Dragons had difficulty conceiving children. 

For a period of time stealing Dragon Eggs was a conquest for Heavenly Demons and for the stupid reason that one dragon's mate died he would follow and the eggs would remain unhatched, it was pretty easy for dragons to go extinct like that. 

It was fantastic, until Heaven’s officials and ascended began participating and transforming the Demon Realm into wastelands. 

Well, all the three Realms were pretty much destroyed, but no one knew how to end things. They were at war for too long and the animosity was still all present. 

All they could do was force some time of truces.  

In those times, no one could lay hands on each other and it was in those times that the Prince of the noble race of the Heaven met the Sage. 

Zhengya-jun was a rather pacific Heavenly Demon but a deadly one if wronged. He was the son of the strategist of the Saintly Ruler of that time. Dunno who it was, Saintly Ruler died quickly during Wars. Dragons always went for the head first. 

He was smart and very knowledgeable but lacked ambition. Don’t know how strong he was, but his fame came from the viciousness of his mind. 

He was a menace, more than his father, so the Prince thought that it was better off him in the background before the truce was finished.» 

«That’s so undertaken.» said Shen Yuan.  

«Well, no one really followed truces at that time.

So, he found the demon and well, they fell in love with each other. There was this beautiful piece of art in the human world that said they fall in love at first sight and coincidentally were washed away by their synchronized heats, like the fates wanted them together at all cost»  

«What?! A wife plot?» 

«A what?»

«Nothing, please continue»

«Well, it was only one of the versions. Others were that the Prince tried to kill him but was outsmarted. The demon didn’t kill him, saying that they were still in the middle of a truce. But the real reason was because the Prince was too beautiful to kill! And the Prince was attracted by how the demon outsmarted him so he kept going to find the demon. 

After they continuous confrontations to excite each other, they fall in love in the end»  

«This version is better, like an enemies to lovers trope»

«Don’t understand you. 

A pretty popular one was that they didn’t recognize each other and lived the truce like humans, falling in love and found out afterwards that they were enemies»  

«This one is so heartbreaking!»  

«Yeah, pick your favorite and that’s how it goes» 

«So what happened afterwards?»  

«Well, they bounded in secret but were found out by their parents and lords. As they were bonded they couldn’t be separated unless they killed both of them. So there was an official convenience marriage that declared the end of the Great War.» 

«What? That’s it? And a happy ending where love wins above all?» 

«Well, no. Obviously there was a riot. 

I told you, no one knew how to end the animosity. They tried to separate them, but doing that was fighting their rulers. So each Realm became too busy to contain revolts and actually the War between realms ended becoming internal ones.  

The problem arrived when they conceived their offspring. The egg had an energy so strong even when it was only an egg! It was coveted and hated because it was a symbol of pace, a symbol of coexistence.  

Worried about the egg, Zhangya-jun used all his knowledge to extract the demoniac powers from the egg and created a sword with it, so they could hide the egg. 

It was protected by a pretty famous family of Dragon Priests in the human realm, the Shen clan, I think.  

But the sword power backlashes, unstable. Doing the separation already put on Zhangya-jun so much burden and controlling the sword was impossible. 

He killed a good amount of strong people, enemies and none in that rage. Prince Xuluan tried to stop him but was killed. 

Of course, as bounded souls they died together.»

«What? So it was a tragic ending?» He looked like an offended spectator of an opera.  

«You know that you are that egg, right?» Tianlang-jun asked.  

«So how did I end up in the Abyss?» the dragon asked, still talking like it wasn’t his business.  

«Nothing special. Seeing how the sword was strong and without a person to protect it, greedy people used it. The sword influenced them, they went crazy and the sword was fed with negative emotions, becoming more dangerous to each user. 

Xin Mo, the name that demons gave to the sword, was sealed in the Endless Abyss in accord with all three realms because it was far too dangerous. But it was too strong and the only way to seal the sword was using the egg.  

Heaven Officials and Demons Lords decided to sacrifice the egg…» 

«Sacrificed?» asked the egg interrupting him.

Tianlang-jun wasn’t offended. He liked to be heard. 

«Because after being used as a seal it would be hard for it to hatch. No one was going into the Abyss only to help it hatch. 

I think that there’s a need for constant injection of pure Qi to hatch a dragon egg.  

The Shen clan was wiped out because they wanted to interfere but didn’t have the power to do it. 

The Heaven closed the doors, guilted by their choices that led to the loss of the precious child of the Dragon Prince and never opened up again.  

The Demon Realms were ruled by the last survivors of the Heavenly Demon’s race, but suffered the consequences of the long wars. They lost the will to fight the Heaven and even harassed the humans and became useless because there weren’t many of them and no strategist was there.  

It all ended with no one happy.»

«Well, that was interesting» the dragon said finally. «But it’s not like I can imagine having parents, they died five hundred years ago, afterall» he said, lowering the aloof mask on his face.  

«I can imagine, so, why don’t you become the Saintly Ruler to commemorate the peace between realms that your parents sacrificed for?» 

«Stop bullshitting» he replied immediately unfazed.  

«Oh! Why not!  

My grandfather was a survivor and he actually meet Zhangya-jun, you know?  

Even though he was considered a traitor for the demons, he was still well liked by his peers, that was why he told me the story. 

Zhangya-jun was indeed a genius even between Heavenly Demons and colder than the northern guys, but he was the type of person that attracted people. He was rational, merciful and cruel at the same time.  

He was a problem resolver! I can see that you are his son.»  

Tianlang-jun kept blathering and even someone like Shanlang-jun that liked stories began to find him annoying.  

•••

After that day, Tianlang-jun kept going to the Snow Mountain to find Shenlong-jun because he couldn’t find him anywhere and could only hope for coincidences. 

Each time they would joke about who should become the Saintly Ruler and that damn dragon was so adamant to make Tianlang-jun the overlord that he even said that it was what the Fate said.  

It was all fun having someone that he could consider as his peer, but other clans were becoming too unruly.  

The sowers were causing havoc in the human realm and disturbed his territory heavily, he received so many complaints that he was fed up.  

Some dream-demon survivors were being parasitic, meaning other complaints. 

The demons without rulers went to the human realm, causing so many problems that there were tensions for a war between realms!  

Even those demonic beasts just kept sprouting like fungus.

«I’m sure you were a four tailed fox the first time I saw you, Lord of Snows» he said in one of his visits.  

After the usual dumping responsibility, they somewhat began talking about the previous Saintly Ruler, his horrible dead and Tianlang-jun’s mothers escape from the Saintly Ruler’s title, because, apparently, the dragon had only little over a hundred years and didn’t know anything about a demon realm with a overlord that dominated over them.  

Well, Tianlang-jun himself wasn’t much older, the only difference between them was that Tianlang-jun had an education.  

After that he remembered that before he became the Southern Ruler and the Spirit Foxes clan were attacked, he actually went to them with his mother and sister, for his sister's first heat, and he did see a male spiritual fox with four white tails. (His sister had a particular interest in anthropomorphic people).  

He just never connected them.  

«It’s all thanks to Shenlong-jun that I acquired three of them in little time» the fox replied. 

«In only half a century? I only know one method to leap so many levels in that short of time» he grinned. «It seems that our Long-er have a very potent essence» 

Fox tails were really difficult to cultivate on their own, but one of the fastest ways was dual cultivation with someone much stronger than them or with multiple weaker ones. That was one of the reasons that their clan offered themselves to Heavenly Demons for heats problems. 

And Shenlong-jun was… Hella strong. Three tails would be nothing to him with a couple of sessions. 

Maybe he could even help someone ascend… Wasn’t that pretty hilarious?

«Oh, trust me, it isn’t only his essence that is potent.»  

«Oh?! That’s not what I expected. I thought he would be more a gentle type» 

«He made me cry and you know that usually I am the one that made others cry in bed»  

«My lieutenant still dreams and talks about you, how could I forget?»  

Since their clan returned, he did send some of his men to them to protect the weaker foxes from being plundered, as foxes fleshes were elixirs. 

«Which one?» asked the fox. 

«Not important. I doubt you remember him. Well, I really can’t be sure if he is still alive or already dead…» 

«Sad. Wanna try on your next heat? Let’s see if it is you or me who will make the other cry, the winner has to enter Shenlong-jun’s bed for his next heat.» 

«Oh? Good idea, but I’m actually more into women. Deadly and cold ones» 

«Shenlong-jun has a female form too, you know? I’m sure tha-» 

«Could the both of you shut up?» interrupted the subject of their conversation in a very very irritated tone and half of his face was covered by sleeves.

«You have a female form?! I did hear that dragons could change gender but I thought it was just some legend! Can I see it?» asked the Southern Lord excitedly. 

«No.» 

«Aw! So cold! I’m aroused» 

«Disgusting» 

«Don’t be like that! We could spend my incoming heat together!» 

«Never, fuck yourself» 

«I can’t, you know that, it would kill me!»

«Just die, then» 

«Aw come on! Why not? I like women, you like men, you have a woman form, we get along fine and we are both gorgeous. It would save me the time to search for a partner!» he lamented. 

«I’m not limited to men, I spent my last heat with Madame Meiyin» he pouted. 

«Junshang’s heat has already passed?!» lamented Baizhu. 

«Yeah» 

«Why didn’t Junshang come to this Baizhu?!» He sounded so offended. 

«Didn’t realize it, didn’t have the time» the dragon treated a life threatening problem with so much carelessness. 

That was hilarious. 

«Even so, Junshang shouldn’t have gone to that woman! She is a leech! You shouldn’t trust your body to them!» said the fox with a serious face.  

What was that? A field competition? 

«She was good…»  

«Well, so, you can do women too, that was why Madame Meiyin was so protective about you when I asked. Are you that good in bed?» intervened Tianlang-jun. 

He blushed.  

«I didn’t do a thing. I was in my woman form and she took care of me.» he said embarrassed, covering his face with both hands. 

«Oh, so you’re refusing me because you like it with the same sex?» 

«I’m refusing you because you are you. Shut up and go find someone that needs a breakthrough. You can make yourself useful for once.» the dragon said spitefully.  

«Cruel. I like it.»  

••• 

Tianlang-jun liked to have friends. 

He and his sister were the only Heavenly Demon of their generation and they hadn’t any competition or someone strong enough to be considered as a peer. 

Being the only one on top was a lonely life that he wouldn’t even wish upon his worst enemy.  

But he had his sister and, after she ran away, he met Shenlong-jun.  

Shenlong-jun was similar to him. He preferred when people were talking freely with him and only used his authority when insects were being arrogant or overbearing to his people. 

Unfortunately he was of the same opinion even when talking about ruling as the overlord of the demon realm: he didn’t want to do it. 

It was something exhilarating, as the strongest people in the realm despised the highest position but the lower ones were battling each other to extinction for that same position.  

Problems came when those demons declared war on the human realm as more and more powerful cultivators began killing them. 

It wasn’t strange, after all their deeds, it was weirder that they didn’t retaliate before.  

The sowers were driven to extinction, and it was actually a good thing, but the humans began faulting the four lords! 

It somehow made sense as no one tried to do something about them for decades (or centuries?) and they didn’t know how demon’s politics (if there any) worked, so a bunch of clans did something wrong and all the realm were at fault.  

Lucky Long-er that didn’t have any territory and was unknown by the humans.  

And lucky him as he departed to the Endless Abyss saying that he has to go taking care of Xin Mo for some years.  

Apparently he was capable of disabling, to some extent, that cursed sword. 

It made sense, it was born from him, afterall.  

Tianlang-jun always wanted to see for himself the sword that could kill his owner, no matter the strength. It was famous and desired even though it was lethal. 

It was owned by legendary-like individuals from all the three realms, each one remarkable in their own way, but no one ever won it. All of them died miserably.  

And in the end, it was sealed.  

What a shame.  

So… Will it be usable after Shenlong-jun stabilized it? He heard from his grandparents that that sword was capable of opening portals, changing reality and travel dimensions. Maybe it could be capable of merging territories, so that there would be no disparity of products or even merging realms… 

So the three lords were forced to join the war, as the cultivators attacked all the demons indiscriminately and didn’t even want to hear any explanation.

They killed so many innocents that even the neutral factions couldn’t turn blind eyes anymore.  

That was why there was a need for an overlord. 

Someone that all the demons were obligated to listen to, someone that could talk to humans, someone that could… He still doesn’t know what, but he just knew that if there was someone like that, there wouldn’t be wars.  

Even the bigger closed clan, like the foxes, were forced to partecipate. 

Tianlang-jun’s sister grew some conscience and came back to him, helping as Tianlang-jun first commander.  

They would battle every day, sometimes brutally, sometimes with undertaking methods and sometimes dueling with representatives. 

They still haven’t arrived at an all out war point. 

But one time, his sister didn’t come back. 

He personally went to the battlefield searching for her. 

She was dying. She battled for seven days and seven nights with the Xuan Su Sword, a cultivator with a legendary sword that slayed even Heavenly Demons. 

Even though that cultivator was dying, he couldn’t even claim revenge. 

She only asked him one thing. To find his son and kill him.

A son? Since when? Why do you want me to kill him? 

She was weakened by having given birth recently but she still chose to stay by Tianlang-jun as his first commander? 

A snake tribe? Why? They were the ugliest of anthropomorphic races! 

Came on, stupid sister, don’t be lazy and leave me behind again! 

Aren’t you a Heavenly Demon? A little child and a stupid sword are enough to take you down? 

You haven’t told me about your journey! 

Was it worthy? You did sacrifice your little brother to the throne for yourself.

You are a selfish one, why did you come back? 

No answer came. 

She died. 

•••

Tianlang-jun decided to end the war. It was too much of a hassle to keep continuing and the only way was an overwhelming win.  

First, seize all the demon troupes; eliminate the troublesome one by sending them on the front lines; make humans know who was stronger, who they’re messing with, and organize the most efficient way to use clans with special powers. 

Kill the strong one. 

No, better kill all this generation of humans, so the next one would come out clean. 

Anything else? 

Send someone to search for the snake tribe, they weren’t here. 

«Tianlang-jun, do you want to become the Saintly Ruler?» asked Xue Baizhu. 

«No. But if all this will end, I will» he said without smiling. His easy smile was nowhere to be seen.  

«As I see, it’s not necessary for this all out war thing. Most of their strong cultivators are dead, as most of ours. We should finish here with a settlement.» he suggested.  

«No. They wouldn’t understand if we don’t let them see our overwhelming force. They would come back after some decades. 

After that… After that we can just begin from zero and try again.» he said.  

«As Junshang said» replied Xue Baizhu.  

He was more distant than he ever was.  

••• 

It was an all out war. 

It was a sight, hundreds of thousands of demons of all races and clans and hundreds of thousands of cultivators flying on their sword separated only by a line of barren land. 

The borderlands were freed of civilians for the great battle.  

And it began.  

Clashes everywhere, tons of blood pouring, deaths, but the most terrifying thing was the overwhelming strength of the newly crowned Saintly Ruler, Tianglang-jun.  

He was going to do what he said.  

The terror that he spread made some of his enemies and even allies run away, but he didn’t let them. 

He saw the old Mobei-jun fall, he saw the young Jiuzhong-jun lose one arm, he saw Xue Baizhu lose his fan, that was his weapon, and being attacked from all the directions. 

For each of his companions, Tianlang-jun fought ten times more ferociously, it was like he was unstoppable.  

But the battles came to a halt. 

The terrain began to tremble, and the sky darkened by black clouds.  

Lightning fell down, destroying terrains, trees and boulders with each strike. 

The air became heavy and unbreathable. The demons and cultivators with lower cultivations fell on their knees and some of them lost consciousness.  

The sky open.  

What was that? The Heavenly Realm reopened their doors?  

From the open sky a big snake-like creature was moving, slipping behind the clouds, rumbling like thunder.

It was so big that the entire sky over the battlefield was obscured by the shadow of the silvery creature.  

A sweet hum fell onto the battlefield, so misplaced for how beautiful it was. 

And it began to rain.  

The water touching the skin of the battered people healed all their wounds, no matter the severity of them, no matter their race, all of them, cultivators and demons alike were healed.  

And a head appeared, elegant, majestic, powerful, adorned by black horns, black crests and a sinner black mark on the forehead.  

«Stop all that» the Demoniac Dragon said, rumbling inside their bones. The pressure was so immense that they all felt their heads exploding. 

«Oh, estimated lord, may I inquire which side you are taking?» asked a courageous cultivator. 

«Side? I don’t take sides» he said, not offended by the audacity of the puny human. 

«This is our battle for our realm, elder, this master asks your eminence to understand…»  

«I do understand. I understand that you all should stop drawing so much blood uselessly» the dragon said.  

He lifted a black claw and pointed to one person.  

All of them looked in the direction.  

It was Tianlang-jun.  

Was the estimated dragon accusing him? Was the Saintly Ruler going to be punished? 

«Stop that Tianlang» the dragon said with a surprisingly soft tone.  

«Why should I?» he asked, face devoid of any emotion.  

«Because it’s hurting you» 

Hurting him? He wasn’t hurting. He was wrong.  

«If I stop, they won’t understand.» he said. 

«Fear is not the answer for humans. They are different from demons» 

«Are you siding with them, Shenlong-jun?» he asked with a sarcastic tone. 

«I’m not. I’m just stating that you are different. That’s why you live in two different realms and not one. 

Stop this, Tianlang» 

Tianlang-jun lifted his sword and pointed it to the dragon, like he was challenging him.  

«Very well,» said the majestic dragon, closing his big green eyes. 

And when he moved, he shot in the direction of the Heavenly Demon that didn’t lose his position. 

All the eyes were on them.

A silver tail with black manes appeared from the clouds, and swept the air where multiple cultivators were on their sword. 

They were all sent flying and disappeared inside abyss like portals that appeared right behind them. 

A claw struck down violently, kicking up soils, debris and people, demons and cultivators alike.  

The big tail swept again, left and right, sending them precisely inside opened portals in the middle of the air.  

After all the thousands of soldiers were sent away, on the battlefield remained only Tianlang-jun and the dragon.  

The Demonic Dragon shrunk and assumed his humanoid form.  

«This is the last time I’m gonna help you, Junshang» he said, more cold than he ever was.  

His beautiful face is distant and stoic.  

He gave his back to Tianlang-jun.  

«Why? Why did you stop everything? Do you pity humans? Do you think they were the only victims?» he asked. 

«Tianlang. I’m here to save my friend,» he said. 

«I didn’t need to be saved» he replied. 

He looked at him over his shoulder.  

«I still wanted to save you.»  

And he was gone.  

••• 

As a Saintly Ruler, he left the first day available after taking care of the war’s aftermath.  

The Mobei clan had a new Mobei-jun, Xue Baizhu took the role over the Ruler of the West and was named Xixue-jun and Jiuzhong-jun, that wanted to abdicate in favor of his half-brother, remained, even as a one armed Lord. 

It was ridiculous that all the Demon Realm felt more stable after the war.

He heard the rumors and whispers. 

How he, Tianlang-jun, was terrifying, strong and a perfect Saintly Ruler unlike the previous one. All the titles that he desperately wanted to avoid.  

But there were other rumors. How their Saintly Ruler was the archenemy of the Lord of the Abyss, the Demoniac Dragon that singlehanded ended the war.  

How after he sent all the individuals safe to their home, he battled alone the Saintly Ruler and disappeared right after. 

It wasn’t clear who won, because the Saintly Ruler was unscathed and it was dubtful a one sided victory after the power the dragon displayed.  

All they know was that the once friends, fell apart, now hating each other.  

Did they? Did Shenlong hate him now? Did he hate him for stopping him? 

How he could?  

Tianlang-jun didn’t know if he would have suffered his actions as his friend implied, but no matter the cases, he just couldn’t come to hate the dragon.  

Tianlang-jun departed in search of his nephew, he did promise his sister to kill him. And looking at the demons that were busier securing their positions than killing each other, he valued that he didn’t need to be present anymore. 

Near the borderlands, he found a child chased by a group of demons.  

A human child, probably. As the war ended recently, the hate between the two races didn’t calm down and major riots were placed on the borderlands. 

The child was carrying a spiritual sword that was bigger than himself, some bagging clothes and a messy black ponytail swinging wildly behind him.  

Before he could save him, the child screamed:«Huoxin!»  

A shockwave of intense and hot spiritual energy sent the demons flying and even Tianalang-jun himself needed to bend his knees and shield himself with his arm.  

A red phoenix appeared over the child and beat his wings, sending a swing of energy that made the demons columns of fire. 

As it appeared, it disappeared just as fast.  

When the child looked at him, as he made his presence known, his green eyes widened and he quickly hid his face.  

The child tried to run away. Tried, but didn't succeed. 

Tianlang-jun lifted the little sprout from behind his robes and looked at him dangling his legs and arms.  

«Shenlong» Tianlang-jun said. And incapable of being serious, he burst laughing before his cute face. 

The little version of Shenlong-jun frowned. 

«What happened to you?» he asked.  

«What happened?! You happened!» he exclaimed indignantly.  

«How is your cute form my fault?» 

Brief summary of what happened to the dragon.  

Apparently, before coming into the demon realm, he sealed his spiritual power, that was his primary source of force, as his demonic one was in Xin Mo’s form.

At Tianlang-jun’s ‘why’, he just replied that it was a great idea at that time.  

No matter how he put that, it was a stupid idea. Who would seal his main power?!  

For his periodical treatment with Xin Mo, he needed to loosen the seal on his spiritual core, but just doing that he needed to cultivate in a place rich in pure spiritual energy for a bunch of years. So he did it inside his World Tree.  

«You have a World Tree?!» 

«It’s not a real World Tree, it just like to be called like that» 

«You said it’s a spiritual Qi producer, sentient and had healing and protective powers, right?»  

«Pretty much» 

Uh, maybe his friend was more amazing than he previously thought.  

So he stayed within the World Tree embrace for those couple of years where Tianlang-jun began battling the human realm.  

He began his ritual with Xin Mo, but was interrupted in the middle of it by a pleading message from Xue Baizhu. 

He apparently gave an emergency talisman to all his underlings.  

When Tianlang-jun looked at him with a fake hurt expression, the child dragon just said:«You are not my underlying» 

So he immediately opened a portal and came right away.  

The problem was that after the battle, the portal he opened took him to the last destination he had set, the human realm.  

There, he struggled, as he didn’t have a shred of demonic power and couldn’t use the barely managed unsealed spiritual ones.  

He wasted too much power opening that many portals for all those thousands of people, and sending them into secure areas.  

As he needed to save power to finish the ritual with Xin Mo and couldn’t further spend it, he took a child form, to conserve what he could. 

But in this state, he couldn’t open up a portal so he travelled, realizing fast enough how hard it was to travel as a child even in the human realm.  

«Didn’t want my first experience in the human realm like that» he lamented. 

So he summoned his phoenix to fight for him, since she could be called when necessary. 

Tianlang-jun could already hear ballads about a child and the legendary vermillion bird spreading around the human realm. 

Arriving near the borderland, he was kept attacked by demons, because of his phoenix that was a bunch of spiritual energy and identified as an enemy.  

So he couldn’t even use her as he wanted, to not attract attention to himself.  

And also taking a phoenix to the demon realm sounded really stupid. 

He hoped that coming near areas with concentration of demonic Qi could help him recover enough demonic power to open up a portal.  

«Why not use your turtle?» the newly crowned Saintly Ruler asked.  

«I left Queen behind when I got home. Like I said, after the emergency call I came right away» he replied. 

«Then, I will accompany you to the Endless Abyss» said Tianlang-jun, still holding the child in his arms.  

«You just want to see my place» the dragon said deadpanned. 

«Long-er knows me too well» simply replied to the demon. 

The child hit his shoulder with his tiny hands. 

He looked so angry and cute!

«A question. Why are your hair black?» 

«What kind of question is that?!»

«Well, weren’t they usually silver?» 

«Dunno. My reduced form just had black hair, like most humans.»

«Uh? Did your hair have powers? The silver color is because there is power in them?»

«That’s stupid. Stop talking and move. I had a job to do» 

«Yes, yes, as you wish. This Tianlang-jun promises to take the little dragon to his destination!» 

He was hit again.  

••• 

They met the snake clan. 

They were… Snake-like. 

It wasn’t so strange in the demon realm, Tianlang-jun had met demon’s behaving like animals or looking like animals a lot.  

A lot of lower demon races were instinctual and could be seen as evil in a human moral code, as they lacked behind in evolution and intelligence. And if they were the fruit of cultivation from demonic animals or beasts, it was rare founding someone highly intelligent.  

Obviously, there were clans like that of spirit foxes that were born with a human form so with capability of reasoning. 

Their lower class, the demon foxes, need centuries of cultivation before gaining a human form and other centuries to become more intelligent. 

The snake clan they encountered wanted to eat Shenlong, as they didn’t recognize him and didn’t even recognize Tianlang-jun. 

Well, they didn’t participate in the war, so they never met him, but, even if the little Shenlong didn’t have his sin mark, Tianlang-jun clearly still had his!  

It wasn’t a hard job. He went around villages, terrorizing some of them with a grave frown from his little friend. 

He threatened some of them and found out that they were one of those races that eat children of other races, humans and even their own children.  

That was why they wanted Shenlong.  

The more intelligent ones didn’t live with the lower forms, so he searched for the higher up. If his sister had contact with this clan it would be obviously the older intelligent ones. 

They met two twins, princesses of the clan, one black scale and the other white. They both tried to seduce him, having his blood that he gladly gave and then tortured them from inside. 

And finally he found out his sister's stories. 

They had a big brother. The first child of their old hag that was in seclusion.  

Even as the first child, he was useless because the snake clan was matriarchal.  

Their older brother was retarded, he didn’t have any intelligence and lived as a snake for nearly five hundred years. He was a disgrace to their mother, a defective product that she wanted to dispose of, but couldn’t because, at that time, she still hadn’t had the twins.  

Their older brother lived in the forest, and even when they were born, he remained there, forgotten. 

One day, a woman of higher lineage came to them. She was traveling and had a high attraction to the men of their clan. 

She spent several nights with some of them.  

Their mother told her that there was a monster inside the forest and asked this woman if she could slay it for them.  

She accepted, but she remained in the forest for years and when she came out, she had a shocked face. 

She left without even greeting anyone.  

The twins were sent by their mother to see if their brother was slayed. From what they know, their brother was a giant blue snake, but what they found was a man. A beautiful man with blue scales shattered around his face and hands. 

And he was dead. His throat was ripped and his corpse lost in the middle of a pool of blood.  

There were signs of something slithered away, as there were traces of blood, so they followed it. 

They found a hideous creature, with a woman-like head and a green snake body that was coiled within itself.  

They tried to kill it, but it disappeared inside the darkness of the forest.  

After the confessions, Tianlang-jun was confused.  

What happened to his sister and… What? The father of his nephew? A half of a thousand years old snake that lived in a forest?  

«So much lore… Is it a family thing?» murmured the child.  

Shenlong-jun looked at the two snake twins with pity.  

Tianlang-jun smiled. 

Well, it wasn’t any of his business what his sister did. He just needed to do what he came to do.  

They went to the said forest and found a rudimental handmade hut, probably used by one person for years.  

«Mmh, so he did obtain a human body» commented the child.  

«I bet he was gorgeous, had some face parts more like snakes than humans and a distant and cold personality.» said Tianlang-jun.  

«How could you tell?» asked the little dragon confused. 

«It’s my sister type. Well, all our family liked cold and distant people, she just had a thing for beastly beauties. 

Personality, I like it more if she’s heartless and treat me like a trash»  

«Masochist» 

After some searches they did find the creature that was supposed to be his nephew. 

A pitiful thing, not human, not beast, disgusting and ugly beyond misure. It brought shame on that sin mark on his forehead.  

«So ugly» he commented.  

Shenlong-jun kicked him.  

«What? It’s true!» 

Shenlong shook his head. 

«What are you waiting for?» he asked.  

«Yeah, let’s finish our business» 

The thing retreated, shaking, scared. 

But there was a touch of resignation in its eyes.  

How shameful. A Heavenly Demon resigned? 

Never heard.  

••• 

Traveling to the Endless Abyss on top of a giant snake was much faster than going on foot.  

His nephew, Zhuzhi-lang (because he refused the jun title), was more useful than he thought. 

He could just use him like Shenlong used his Queen, even though that turtle was much faster.  

Shenlong-jun actually could already use a porta; they were deep in the demon realm so he could just use the demoniac Qi, but decided to let his friend and his friend's nephew do the ‘sightseeing’ of the Endless Abyss. 

Well, it wasn’t anything that Tianlang-jun couldn’t deal with, just a bunch of monsters every other hour.  

Sure, he never actually went deep inside the Abyss, but he was plenty strong enough.  

The problem was Zhuzhi-lang was scared shitless, so he returned to his human form, much more decent looking, and just helped when he could.  

«To help him become stronger» said the Lord of the Abyss.  

«Why don’t you help?» asked the Saintly Ruler.  

«I’m a child» he said.  

«Don’t bullshit! I know you can already take your adult form! We are in the middle of the Abyss!»  

Said Tianlang-jun slaying another monster after his nephew paralyzed it.  

He knew that he was probably punishing him for nearly decimating an entire generation of humans, but how could he be so petty?! 

«You’re so cruel, friend of mine» 

«Shut up, we are here»  

Zhuzhi-lang trembled in front of the Black Void.  

«Don’t worry, Zhuzhi-lang, it just looks bad» said the master of the mountain that sealed the terrible Xin Mo. 

«Prepare yourself, nephew of mine, because Shenlong-jun’s words were not to be trusted.» 

Zhuzhi-lang knew his uncle and his friend for only a couple of months, but he was already asking himself if it would be better remaining as a hideous monster inside the forest. 

Nonetheless, he followed them.  

•••

Well, it wasn’t so terrible. But it was only because all the lifeforms on the mountain recognized the presence of their master and would not dare to attack the people near him.  

Monsters and plants on the mountain were incomparable in dangerousness compared to the rest of the Abyss, even for Heavenly Demons. 

Well, not for Tianlang-jun.  

Shenlong-jun tugged at Zhuzhi-lang’s sleeve.  

The older boy bent a little.  

«For you» he gave him a talisman. «It will protect you here.»  

«How about me?» asked Tianlang-jun.  

«Not needed,» replied the child.  

Tianlang-jun was offended.  

••• 

Shenlong-jun’s palace was bigger than his. That was unfair. 

Well, this ‘palace’, was carved inside the peak of the Black Void with some construction around it, it had chambers that followed the natural cave formation of the mountain and natural hot springs. 

All the luxuries looked from different ages, maybe older even than the Great War and there weren’t many servants. 

Those guys didn’t seem surprised by the guests and all of them were strangely strong, more than Zhuzhi-lang at least.  

Tianlang-jun could tell that being strong was a needed prerequisite to work inside the palace, because there was a very high concentration of both demoniac and spiritual Qi. 

Or maybe they just became too strong to adapt.  

«You’re good?» asked Tianlang-jun to his nephew.  

The poor boy just nodded even with sweat on his forehead.  

«The talisman is helping» he said.  

«Junshang!» they heard «Junshang is back!»  

That… That was a World Tree’s guardian right?! The last time someone of that race appeared in either demon or human realm was during the Great War era. 

The yellow headed girl, with pointed ears and spirit-like features was fussing around his master.  

«Why, Junshang have this size?» asked her.  

«I needed a change of clothes first»  

He didn’t help us with monsters because he didn’t want to change clothes in front of us?! 

After some moments, even the Phoenix and another individual of a lost race came to greet them. 

Even though a Phoenix was already a rare presence, as a blessed creature of the Heavenly Realm, the other one was a Metal Demon, a race that was expert in blacksmithing, they created all the weapons during the Great War and were exterminated to weaken demons power.  

Were they still around but in hiding?  

As two ancient races were Shenlong-jun’s subordinates, he could understand why he gave his turtle a name in ancient language.  

Should Tianlang-jun learn it too? Maybe it could become their secret language.  

When Shenlong-jun returned after changing his clothes, he wasn’t a child anymore. 

He wasn’t even in his usual form that Tianlang-jun came to know.  

Finally, after decades of knowing him, Tianlang-jun could finally see his female form! And damn, he was hot!  

Even his young nephew had his jaw dropped. 

As a kind uncle he helped him close it.  

«Nice boobs» he said.  

«Shut up. I just need this form for the ritual with Xin Mo.» 

«Do you put it inside you? 

That’s a wild method! 

It’s not like I don’t approve, I don’t understand why you don’t use the male form since you like it when your hole is fu-» 

With a strike of Shenlong’s palm, Tianlang-jun was buried inside the wall.  

From that day onwards, there was a Tianlang-jun shaped hole in the Demonic Dragon’s Palace.

Chapter Text

Shen Yuan sent Tianlang-jun right away through a portal.
He looked at the young Zhuzhi-lang that was trembling like a leaf and sighted.

«He won’t die. Go, help your uncle so he won’t make the demon realm fall.» he said, coaxing the snake demon to go through the portal.

«Yes, Shenlong-jun…» he bowed.

Cute. Completely unlike his obnoxious uncle.

•••

This time, Shen Yuan spent more time with Xin Mo, it was about two years of secluded cultivation and after that he found Tianlang-jun and his nephew there again.

«I’m sure I sent you back before I entered into seclusion» he scrawled.

«Don’t be mean, friend of mine! I came after some arduous time at work! You know, Saintly Ruler’s things. You should console me.»

«I should send you back» he replied.

But he let them roam around the Black Void as they liked, since the last time they didn’t stay long.

It was kinda cute how Zhuzhi-lang was liked by his reptilian beasts but none of them liked Tianlang-jun.

«Aren’t you going back to your realm?» asked Shen Yuan to his friend.

It was strange considering Luo Binghe’s father was his friend, but he really couldn’t consider him in any other ways.

«Junshang, Shenlong-jun’s right, there were problems with Meng Mo and Xixue-jun is angry»

«Didn’t I say you should call me uncle?»

It was impressive how he would evade responsibility…

[Host shouldn’t talk]

“I just thought it”

[Host is the person that ignored his heat symptoms until it was too late and had to roll inside a succubi’s den]

“How long are you gonna fixate on that matter?”

[And is the same person that thought having two weeks of copulating with a woman was so good that couldn’t stop thinking about it, but had the face to say he still doesn’t like woman]

“It’s not easy coming out twice you know? How could I know I was Bi?”

[User still think sealing his power was a good idea, even after falling into the human world and being chased around endlessly]

“Here we go again…”

«I’m busy, you should go back.» he said to his friend.

«What are you gonna do now?» he asked more interested about Shen Yuan’s plans than his.

Poor Zhuzhi-lang.

«I will go to the human realm to unseal my powers. The last time I did find a cave system rich in spiritual power that could aid me.»

«Why don’t you use your World Tree?»

«The air there is too dense. If I stay too long inside the World Tree, my demonic circuit would shrink. It’s okay if I just need to loosen the seal, but for all the process of breaking this thing, it would put a toll even on me.
Well, on my demonic part.» he replied annoyed.

«Makes sense. Wanna company?» he asked.

«Just go do your job. Aren’t you the Saintly Ruler?»

«You're no fun» he pouted.

«Yeah, yeah, yeah. I heard you’re giving Xue Baizhu, Sha Huazhu and the little Mobei-jun a hard time?»

«They just like to exaggerate»

«I will go to my aide first. She’s a Dragon Priest. So, I think we will see each other after five years.»

«What?! No! Five years is too much! I already waited two years to hang out with you!» he lamented.

«Just do your job and don’t stick with me all the time. I came back after five years.»

•••

Shen Yuan planned to visit Yue Yuyu first so he sent her a message beforehand.

Before going to the place where he needed to cultivate he would be stuck in his child form, so he needed more preparation than before.

But all his problems were unnecessary.

Yue Yuyu was his crazy maid, afterall.

He was welcomed by hundreds of servants, all kneeling before him, a red carpet and ceremonial music played in the background.

It was ridiculous how all those people were serving him, serving this very childlike form, like he was a heavenly official.
Well, he was a heavenly dragon, tho.

There was a big banquet, the village, where the Yue family was protector of, was in the middle of a feast without knowing why, and the offerings kept pouring from nearby towns.

The thing was, he could tell that the Yue clan was doing well. Yue Yuyu was able to revive her clan.

She told her everything, with Xianiao present.

In those decades where they didn’t see each other, the Yue clan became rather famous.

Well, it seemed that after Yue Yuyu came back, words that there was a dragon living in the Endless Abyss were already spread even in the human realm.

After that, some people from his Hidden Realm came out and boasted about their ‘god’, the Heavenly demonic Dragon.
That was all taken as fantasies of a fanatic cult, though. And Shen Yuan understood very well! They were a cult! A cult where Yue Yuyu was the cult leader!

She’s so scary!

Well, it was backed up by some people accidentally pulled inside his Hidden Realm, a place with a village of warriors of mixed races, spiritual beasts and a legendary Sky Serpent as his guardian.

Heitien?! Why Heitien was in this fucked up story?!

There were treasures and elixirs of all kinds and the people there were kind and generous like their ‘god’ taught them.

Since when his lazily created Hidden Realm became an Eden like place?

Should he go there for a visit?

Hidden realm aside, the image of Yue Yuyu’s clan changed drastically thanks to him.

The apparition of the dragon in the middle of the war between the two realms curing all of them, indiscriminately, and that he sent them home unscathed, with their family to remind them what real ‘peace’ means, and singlehanded the conflict and saving so many lives, was the final key.

All of the dragon priests’s beliefs were true and confirmed by many cultivators, so their fame skyrocketed.

Oh, of course they didn’t participate in the war, but they did protect the innocent ones as all the top cultivators were gone.

After the war, there was some chaos around the human realm: some people were adamant to go to war again; some were against; some demons were still around being vindictive bitches; and, of course, without cultivators doing their jobs, beasts and evil spirits went havoc.

Until a child that could summon the vermillion bird appeared.

The child would go around, resolving problem for civilians as the cultivators, too fallen in their politics, couldn’t anymore.

No, guys, he was simply too unlucky and would encounter strange things every step he took.

When the Yue family confirmed that that child was a dragon priest, blessed by a legendary sword named Huo Xin, the Yue family became a role model of righteousness.

«Did you know that child was me?» he asked his maid.

«Of course! But this servant figured out that Junshang wouldn’t want to be known. So when people asked this servant just blamed all on Huoxin» she said so proud of herself.

Shen Yuan wanted to facepalm.

«And we found out who Xiaoniao was»

That actually surprised him.

Xiaoniao was a Shen. Well, not his Shen even though it was the same character, but the Shen of PIDW, the Dragon Priest’s clan that his supposed parents entrusted his egg to. They wiped out the family that tried to protect him, when the three realms wanted to use him against Xin Mo.

Well, that explains why Xiaoniao was found in the Endless Abyss so near the Black Void.

«It’s fate that gave me the opportunity to serve Junshang even after my death» he cried.

“Why are you crying, little Xiaoniao?! I can’t digest crying people!”

«Do you have the intention of rebuilding your clan?» asked Shen Yuan.

«If Junshang permits, this Xiaoniao wanted to build a secret clan for information gathering» he said.

«This Xiaoniao found useful people as he was searching for his past. The Yue clan is getting more influential and bigger and there are things that it can’t touch.
This Xiaoniao will do that job.»

Shen Yuan knew that Xiaoniao was much older than what he looked like, but he couldn’t help but feel that he was exploiting a child.

«You have my permission» he said.

•••

Honestly, he stayed at the Yue clan for a couple of days. It was interesting looking around a human village without anyone chasing him.

Then, he went to that mountain that overflowed with Qi.

How no cultivator claimed this place?

[Answering Master, Qi here is too strong for now, no cultivator would claim something he couldn’t control and risking being slayed by others]

“Oh? Will it be reduced?”

[The present caves, that are the source of Qi, will be reduced.]

“What happened?”

[I will inform Master later, knowing before the due time will put Master to risks]

“The last time you said something similar, Tianlang nearly wiped out an entire generation of cultivators”

[If Master knew it beforehand, Master would have intervened and that would create conflicts with the World. Master couldn’t change too much before the beginning of the story]

“I understand”

•••

«It will be boring staying here for five long years» he commented.

Shen Yuan was in his dragon form, cultivating with Huo Xin the sword, slowly unsealing his powers.

He was a giant dragon coped inside a structure of bioluminescent caves.

It was cramped, claustrophobic and boring!

As he needed to absorb the Qi from the surroundings, it was easier doing it when having more surface capable of absorbing, that was why he had the dragon form.

[Master doesn’t need to worry! Someone is coming]

«Shenlong-jun» he heard a familiar voice that he hadn't heard for a very long time.

«Xiao Qiang, I thought you said you would come out of seclusion only after some centuries» he said amused.

«It was easier than I thought. Now I and my main body are the same thing»

Basically, what she did was stop being a plant, so her life wouldn’t be endangered by a body she couldn’t move because it was rooted somewhere.
It was something like gaining independence for a fairy and she could move more freely.

That was why she finally could come out of the Abyss.

With Xiao Qiang who kept him company time to time by telling him stories of her adventures around the human realm, about the creatures and plants she found, about the bestiary she completed, about the songs she heard, Shen Yuan could endure better boredom.

And one day, a stranger stumbled in his cave.

It happened that the cave he was in was the LingXi cave.

“WTF?! Sis?! Why didn’t you tell me that I’m cultivating on Cang Qiong Mountain?!”

[Master didn’t ask]

“Since when do you talk only when questioned?!”

[Master should enjoy this encounter ;)]

•••

They were a little sect that lived near the borderlands, used by bigger sects as a leverage for bigger battles, usually the ones against stronger and dangerous demons.

They were one of the few that survived during the war with the demons.

Liu Yangge, was the Head Disciples of the first Grand Master, so, the next leader of said sect.

The War took away all the Grand Masters of their sect, so they remained without mentors that could guide them.
Liu Yangge took responsibility for them.

It was hard to survive for them as a sect without a singular head, but multiple voices.

Their sect was separated by their field of study because all of them had the same goal, the ascension, each group had different methods.
They found each other, covering the lacking part of each one, and ascended together. It was like that for generations, even though other sects found them stupid.

During war, there was a need for one leader that could lead them, not multiple opinions that clashed with each other. That was why they lost all their Masters.

But Liu Yangge was someone that trusted in loyalty and others opinions. He trusted in the older system and would do anything to save his sect.

There was an internal division and Huang-Shimei, from the branch dedicated to the art of illusions and concealments, separated herself with other disciples, wanting to create a new sect with a single Palace Master.

Liu Yangge departed to find a better place to rebuild the sect, because living on the borderland was too much for a bunch of disciples with barely a Golden Core.

That’s how Liu Yangge stumbled inside the LingXi cave.

It was a famous system of caves with high concentration of Qi, so high that most cultivators couldn’t even breathe there.
Only immortal Masters could and, even for them, was advisable only if they wanted to cultivate to the upper stages.

The risks of Qi deviating in these places were high.

Nonetheless, it was a popular place for Masters.

As the quality of the Qi was high, even normal animals didn’t live there.

But, the mountains around it weren’t claimed by anyone, only because there wasn’t anyone strong enough to protect that place and to prevent themselves self-destruct.

In that regard, it was only because most of the sects in the last centuries, because of the increasing number of demon attacks, found the sole leader method more efficient than a sect with multiple lords. So they changed to that.
But as a dictatorial-like sect, it was easy being corrupted and fallen into disgrace.
Those kinds of sect, couldn’t possibly be capable of safeguarding a cave system like the LingXi cave.

But what about a sect of powerful Peak Lords?

Liu Yangge entered the cave, already dizzied by the Qi, but exited at the same time.

«Who are you?» an eco-like voice boomed in the cave.

Liu Yangge froze, trying to figure out if it was a malicious creature or friendly.

But in a place overflowing with pure Qi it was practically impossible finding evil creatures.

«This one is called Liu Yangge, Elder» he replied. «Is the Elder, an inhabitant of these caves?»

«Why? Do you want to claim this place?»

«I think that me and my sect siblings can do a good job protecting this place» he said, voice filled with pride.

Usually, if he said something like that, people would laugh at him, but Liu Yangge had a profound loyalty for his sect. The sect was the only thing that saved him from the street, and was the same for his shidis and shimeis.

His Shizun was the Xuan Su Sword that slayed the first commander of the Saintly Ruler, a Heavenly Demon!
Just because their sect lost his master didn’t mean they were finished.

«Good, come near. I want to see you,» said the voice.

«And where is the Elder?»

«Just follow my body» he said rumbling.

«Body?»

«My scales»

Only at that moment he realized that the silver luminosity that he thought was a wall, were in fact scales of an enormous snake body.

And it hit him. The great Dragon that appeared in the middle of war and ended everything single handedly.

He began to tremble. For excitement.

He followed the main body and arrived in a big cave where the head of the dragon was, majestic as he was in those stories.

«Meeting the Elder» he bowed deeply.

«Courageous, for a man so young. Didn’t expect you to actually come» here said, eyes closed.

«Since I’m pretty bored here, tell me some stories.» he just asked.

Liu Yangge didn’t know what intentions this Elder had, but he wasn’t so stupid to offend a Great Dragon. If he wanted to be humored, so be it.

•••

Liu Yangge called his sect-sibilings on the mountain range.
He realized that in some unknown way, the Elder was protecting those mountains from unwelcoming people.
He said that he wasn’t supposed to pass the barrier if he had the greed to obtain the cave, but the barrier he put let him pass, so he trusted Liu Yangge’s persona.

Being praised by the dragon made him so proud of himself.

The dragon taught him things, profound thoughts, cultivation methods or things on sigils, talismans like a real Elder would do, in exchange for his everyday company and some stories.

He didn’t allow his other sect siblings in the cave yet, but he seemed to have taken a liking to him.

Thanks to the Elder, they could slowly rebuild their sect, without much disruption from other cultivators.

The Elder said that he was actually in seclusion, but his consciousness would wake up sometimes so he just felt too bored and Liu Yangge was actually helping him, but the young disciple knew he said that only for him, so he wouldn’t feel indebted.

Even so, he felt like he was exploiting the Elder’s kindness.

«Let me repair you Elder Shen» he insisted.

«Fine. Do me a favor, then. I have this scholar friend. She is wandering around for her journeys and she sometimes came here to tell me her stories»

«Elder Shen sure like stories»

«You little guy sure has some gut, mmh?»

He laughed. Liu Yangge was always a person that cared little of hierarchical ranks, he only respected those who gained his respect. He was often lectured by his Shizun for that, but he never really changed.

But Elder Shen liked his character and is confident that the Sect he was building would be great thanks to his not yielding personality.

«This girl had a difficult life and couldn’t leave her home for a very long time.
But now, she is just wandering around.
Liu Yangge, give her a place to rest, a place where she could feel welcomed»

•••

The first time Liu Yangge met Shen Qiang, she tried to kill him. And Liu Yangge, too.

Well, he didn’t know she was the scholar that had his Elder’s protection.

She was washing herself in a river, so he could understand why she tried to kill him and he was searching for some intruders, and she was covered in blood…

Well, it happened that she took care of them, from that, the need of washing herself. So it was entirely his fault.

Kneeling before the Elder, like a suitor that sullied the daughter before marriage, was an experience that he didn’t want to repeat.

This scholar was knowledgeable. Very much, so much that he felt stupid around her but attracted at the same time.

She was a spiritual cultivator that had an affinity with earth, but knew more things about other types of cultivation than the experts themselves.

She helped them all breakthrough their stages and, finally, they became Masters.

He knew that there was his Shidi that was trying to court her and for some reason they thought Liu Yangge was trying to.
He wasn’t.

He didn’t have the time to do that, as the new Sect Leader of their newly named Cang Qiong Sect.

But he did offer her the second highest position, giving her the title of Peak Lord and adding the four arts, strategy and knowledge as one of their Sects repertory.

He did spend most of his time talking to her about his dreams for the Sect.

He did make appointments with her at their Elder’s lair when he was awake.

He did find her breathtaking.

And when they found out her demonic origin as a Demonic Peach Fairy and most of his sect siblings retaliated against her.
He was there to defend her.

Demon hating aside, she was something that couldn’t ascend, and their sect had the rule that all the Peak Lord needed to ascend together, after passing their baton to the next generations or no one would. It was needed to preserve harmony and a swift relationship between generations.

«I will get rid of my demonic part» she said.

«You don’t need to do that. We can find another solution. Just changing the sect rules…»

She shook her head.

«Let’s just ask Elder Shenlong» he insisted.

«He is asleep»

«When he wake up then, wait a little more, Qiang-er»
Maybe he sounded very desperate.

He was willing to destroy the sect's harmony, the very essence that distinguished them from the others, for her. The sect that he so carefully built, loved and dedicated his sweat and soul, only for her.

And it was wrong.

She kissed him.

«Let’s wait for him»

One day. The sky brake.
The Heavens’s doors opened for a moment and behind them chaos poured out.

Debris and explosions were raining like fallen stars on them, destroying part of the sect despite the united efforts of the Peak Lords.

Most of them were coughing blood but they all endured to protect the villages and those innocent people. The protective arrays they made prioritized the villages instead of their sect, so they took most of the impacts.

Maybe it was just that.
Maybe they would all die like that.

And then, they found over their heads a protective dome. Trees, no, peach trees were protecting them.

And Shen Qiang was dying more for each taken hit.

So Liu Yangge was beside her, passing all the spiritual energy he had.

But maybe they were both dying.

They should endure, until… Until… Until…

«You did a good job» they heard a gentle voice saying to them.

And all the hurting ended like that. Shen Qiang collapsed into his arms smiling.

From the crumbled part of LingXi cave, a majestic dragon shot up and a gigantic array appeared over all the sky.

There were multiple explosions in the sky, like fireworks at festivals and nothing touched them.

And finally there was silence.

He looked at the sky, but there was no dragon there.

A person descended, silver hair, black horns and an ethereal beauty.

All of the Cang Qiong Sect people kneeled when he touched the ground.

But not Liu Yangge.

«Elder! Elder! Please, Qiang-er is…» he cried, still holding the woman. He didn’t realize he was crying so desperately.

«Don’t worry» said in a gentle voice. «She had my protection»

Liu Yangge finally relaxed at those words and passed out.

•••

They were all alive, surprisingly, and Shen Qiang was well too.

The Heavens sent apologies and all the destroyed Peaks turned back as new.
They sent a mystical sword, Hong Jing, that was capable of sensing the presence of evil spirits.

Other than that, an entire cave was filled with legendary spirit swords that would choose their righteous cultivators every year.

As a Sect recognized by the Great Dragon and the Heavens, their fame quickly skyrocketed and they were flooded by new disciples.

They chose a method for selection, mainly because they just couldn’t take them all in. All the Peak Lords would have a right to choose someone or not after assisting the new disciples' attitude toward the test.

But that was a thing of the future.

The Elder had ended his seclusion and would depart soon.

The Elder was half demon.

None of his martial siblings questioned him as they did with Shen Qiang. As they weren’t allowed in the caves, they didn’t know her relationship with the Elder, but clearly they found out at that time he was unconscious.

«It’s time for me to depart.» the Elder said finishing his tea.

«You’re remaining, Xiao Qiang?» he asked, ignoring all the Peak Lords around him.

At that, Liu Yangge's heart began beating loudly.

He wanted to stop her, asking her to remain with him, to stay, to pass the rest of their life together. But he didn’t have the right.
So he remained in silence.

It was better like that.

She wasn’t welcomed in the Sect.

He failed her and the Elder. He had promised them that he would make a place for her to rest and failed them.

He wouldn’t blame her if she wanted to leave them.

«I’m remaining» she said smiling.

A beautiful smile that proved her fairy blood.

Liu Yangge cried again that day. His sect siblings laughed at him, they accepted Qiang-er again and apologized to her.

The demon’s war was still too fresh for the human realm and most of them couldn’t overcome that. But they couldn’t overlook her sacrifices for them.

They put off the ascension problem as they still had time.

From that day onwards, the loyalty in the Sect would always come first.

Elder Shen said his goodbyes and promised to return before their ascension as his Xiao Qiang was there.
He turned into his dragon form and soared in the sky.

A shiny thing fell behind swooping down and sticking deep in the ground.
It was a sword, a really beautiful and powerful sword. The metal was reddish with golden veins that resembled lightning. The hilt was surprisingly soft, like it was covered by leather, but it was too elastic and resistant to be leather.
There was a tassel made of white silvery moonstone or something similar sealed with a weave of green and silver. Some black letters were carved on it: Huo Xin.

It was the sword name.
He lifted it with difficulty, it was really heavy.

The great being left him this gift beside the offense they made to someone he cared for.

They disturbed his seclusion, offended the person he protected and only took from him without giving back anything but he returned only wisdom and benevolence.

This cave, this mountain was really a blessed place.

Liu Yangge swore and vowed his commitment to righteousness, he would make Cang Qiong Mountain the best Sect of all.

•••

In the meantime…

«Oh fuck, I lost Huoxin’s sword!»

There was a Demonic Dragon that was panicking inside his Palace in the middle of the Endless Abyss.

«What the hell, Junshang!
You lost the sword that was cultivated with your power, made of the core of the World Tree and Abyss Steel, battered in my flames and that could summon me as the user pleased?!»

And a tsundere phoenix that from that day on became the Guardian Beast of the Liu family.

•••

«Are you sure about that?» asked the Demonic Dragon toward the Demonic Peach Fairy.

There was a Balance Mushroom of Death in her hands.

«I want to ascend with them» she said.

The dragon had an illegible expression on his face.

«I want to stay with him,» she added.

«I should have killed him the moment he grovelled before me after he peaked at you bathing» he growled.

She laughed.

«Xiao Qiang… The Heavens don’t open their doors. The last time was a mistake… After you ascend, you won’t come back»

Shen Qiang hugged the vulnerable dragon.

«One day, we will meet again» she promised.

«The mushroom won’t work on me. And I don’t want to go there,» he replied.

«Maybe one day the Heavens will open their door again.»

«Or I can just open a portal to that realm»

«You can do that?»

«No. They repel any kind of demonic energy. My demonic blood would burn to ashes the moment I set foot there.»

«You can open the portal so I can come out»

«You would be punished if found out»

They talked for as long as it took Shen Qiang’s demonic energy turning into a spiritual one. And talked some more afterward.

•••

Originally there were only eight Peak Lords and the first generation took the generational name of the last peak that was Qian Cao Peak. Liu Yangge became Liu Caoshu and Shen Qiang, the first Lord of Qing Jing Peak became Shen Caochun.

As the time for their ascension arrived, other four Peaks were added to the sect. Their Peak name would participate in the generational course after the Qiong generation. It will be in a really distant future, but the new Peak Lords were just happy with just being part of the family.

The rules were that all the Peak Lords would ascend together, but the original eight Peak Lords were there for too long. So their Head Disciples and the future Zhan generation of Peak Lords took over the rains and they would become Peak Lords after the new entry were ready to ascend.

In the meantime the retired sect leader Liu and his cultivation partner and wife, Peak Lord of the second highest ranked Peak, secluded themselves.
They loved each other like they didn’t have the chance on the sect, weighed by the responsibility to grow the sect and taking care of the first bunch of disciples.
Being pioneers was difficult and if they wanted to make the future generations job easier they needed to work harder.

Finally, using their resting time, they had their first children and when they finally ascended with all twelve Peak Lords, not far away from the Great Sect, there was a little clan that would become a powerful clan of proud and righteous warriors: the Liu clan.

They had a legendary sword Huo Xin, capable of purging and purifying evil, passed by the patriarch to them as a gift from a Dragon that he met. A fateful encounter that changed his life.

After some centuries, a member of the Liu clan finally succeeded in summoning the guardian beast of the sword, the legendary Phoenix, that would answer a call only if they judged the warrior worthy.

The Phoenix was somewhat pissed off by the call and cursed a demon lord’s name, but they helped the wielder of the sword anyway. That cultivator, named Liu Ruiyun became a legendary warrior that wielded a fire-like sword and held the power of the Phoenix, protector and symbol of the Liu clan.

The Liu clan would become more and more famous and produce even more powerful warriors in centuries to follow and, five hundred years later, in that very house, would birth the genius child that would become the Bai Zhan War God: Liu Qingge.

The generations passed even on Cang Qiong Sect and when the dragon returned he met the fifth generation of Cang Qiong Peak Lords: the Jian generations, the predecessors of the Qing one.
He was supposed to meet the Qing one so he could meet Luo Binghe and change his fate under the horrible Shen Qingqiu, but maybe this error was for the best and saved more lives than he originally planned.

•••

During the last six hundred or so years, Shen Yuan nearly forgot PIDW.

The major problems of his dragon life were his heats and the dullness of his life.

After all the problems his first seal made, one would think that he learned his lesson, but his experiences only made him update the seal.

Shen Yuan would then, time to time, wipe out his memories, transforming into a demon or human child, and living a different new life with leveled powers.

It was always shocking living a normal life, trying to level up and finding out that all that power he had ‘obtained’ was always his.

He would create a keyword for some people that could use it to call him in emergency times. When used, he would regain all his memories and dragon’s powers to respond to the call.

He alternated between living as a demon or living as a human. He chose to live in either life based on a roll of dice or he would ask Xiaoniao from the human realm if there was something interesting there or Tianlang for the demon parts.

He lived as the Prince of the Sha family after Sha Huazhu abdicated in favor of his nephew.
Living as the half nephew of Zhongren-lang was pretty hilarious, and posing as a cousin of the new Lord of East meant a whole package of really violent enemies in the clan that made that life pretty interesting.

He lived as an herbalist for the Mobei-clan and saw the two Mobei brothers growing up fighting each other.
They were both very sweet to him, though.
It was heartwarming as they would run to him every time they were hurt, even for the littlest of wounds.
The Mobei clan was surprisingly a calm place for a demon race of commanding class. Maybe it was because they were cool headed.

He lived as Xue Baizhu’s first commander and that was a pretty strange situation as the Lord of the West was always flirting with him even when all his vassals that loved him couldn’t have any of his attention.
He had to fight a lot, as Xue Baizhu’s hand was really popular and the West an unruly place.
He even had one of his heat in a rather secure situation, as Xue Baizhu was willing to spend it with him again.
He didn’t know he had heats as his memories were sealed, so he didn’t even anticipate it. It was a last minute fuck or die moment.
A little mortifying when one of his servants found them in the middle of the deed. He didn’t even realize that someone had barged in his throne room until he kneeled in panic and asked for mercy.
“What the hell are you kneeling for, just get the hell out of here! I still have my fucking pillar inside your liege!”
Well, the Xixue-jun didn’t seem fazed, besides hissing the servant out and proceeding on being laid on the throne again.
After that, Shen Yuan tried to take account of his heats before wiping out his memories, or just having Sis reminding him, as he had the brilliant idea of not using her aid for his firsts couple of lives.

He lived as one of the girls of Madame Meiyin’s den, even though he never took clients for himself. It lasted very little, maybe some months.

He even hosted Meng Mo for some time. Had an entire adventure into the dream realms and sneaking into other people’s dreams and memories.

He once lived as Tianlang’s adopted son and had Zhuzhi-lang as his big brother. They were surprisingly a good family. Strange morales with eccentric characters, but good hearted with him.
They really treated him like a child of their family.
They wandered around and pretty much just did nothing other than messing around.

There was one time he wiped his and Tianlang memory and both wandered to the borderland living as orphaned children. They ‘grew up’ and the Saintly Ruler became a shady writer and he opened up a gambler den.
When things went too far, explicit porn with orgies written by Tianlang-jun were becoming the main talk even in demon conferences and people at the gambling den began selling their souls (for one night with him?! Is it worth it, guys?), Zhuzhi-lang found them and used the keyword to call them back.

This one was one of the most recent.

He lived as a rogue cultivator that used demonic energy but did good things even though he was accused anyway for things he didn’t do.

That was one of the firsts lives.

He lived as a wanderer apothecary and saved lives and poisoned corrupted Lords.
No one ever found out that the kind benefactor of the governor of that city was the same person that killed him.

He lived in some sects, as a disciple that would die or disappear at some point and tried every type of cultivation, from the internal one, external one, healing one, music based one etc…

He even lived as a Dragon Priest of Yue Yuyu’s family and worshiped himself! That was embarrassing. Better forgetting about that.

He lived as child that had no one, but became a righteous cultivator that lived for others; as a girl that made herself into military and become commander of great battles; as a young boy that became a governor of a city of assassins; as a young detective that resolved complicated cases; as a librarian that had a portable library that could answer every question; as a scholar that knew everything and declared as a Sage; as a teacher of a school of orphans where each student became someone important; as a musician famous all over the realm, capable of playing any instrument; as a beast tamer that controlled even the most dangerous creatures etc…

All his lives had been fulfilling in their own ways.
He didn’t live the entire lifespan of a human life obviously. Each of his lives had lasted from three years the least to forty years or so the most.
When he turned into a child he would set a backstory character for who he wanted to become, leaving himself some knowledge thanks to Sis aid.
Same goes for turning into an unknown NPC. He would put his ‘just transmigrated into a new world’ reset and live his life like that. That he would decide what he wanted to do in that life. Or just be an adult that lost his memory and had a System in his head that was set to give him missions.
He tried all the tropes that came to his mind fulfilling that nerd like guy dreams from that other life.

Sometimes he would let someone accompany him, most of the time were Tianlang-jun and his nephew, but he preferred ‘living a new life’ alone.

There were times when he was forced to awaken from his memories blockage to resolve things that only he could resolve: like saving people from anomalous famines, because being a doctor wasn’t a synonymous of being a food producer; changing weather in places hit by droughts only because his life as a merchant was becoming problematic; stopping wars to take places because it would mean marrying an ugly general; wiping out an entire demon race because his heat was coming and he didn’t wanted to do it with a parasite race that refused to let go their host even after the contract ended (Tianlang-jun should have thanked him for that one).

So, even his times as a dragon were pretty interesting, even though he didn’t really appear so much after he found out that the Yue clan weren’t his only worshippers.

He would also rest for one or two years on the Black Void and just do absolutely nothing other than taking care of Xin Mo.

He said goodbye to Yue Yuyu, too. It was surprising that she was willing to leave him, but she fulfilled her wishes. Her clan was alive and powerful and Shenlong was well.
She knew that if Shenlong ever had a child in the future, her clan would be strong and capable enough of taking care of them.

Hans, at some points entered into a long closed seclusion and came out after four hundred of years and something similar happened to El. She connected to the World Tree and became one entity with part of the Black Void. So she could command all the spirit plants on the mountain.

Someone remained, someone not. He didn’t remember when, but he didn’t create profound relationships anymore.
If someone wanted to come too close to him, he would make distances.

He did create relationships in all his lives, but he would turn his back to them, once that life ended. Like he really died.
Anyway, the he in those lives all had pseudonyms.

Because the relationships in the human realm were the most difficult to digest. The non cultivators would die young and the cultivators one would ascend.

There were times that he didn’t even want to hear about humans.

That was why he forgot about Luo Binghe and when Tianlang-jun mentioned that he was wandering around the human realm with Zhuzhi-lang, founding new interesting operas and insisted on talking about how a perfect relationship should be, something finally bugged him.

«Did you find a woman?» he asked.

«Maybe, why? Finally interested in this friend of yours love life?»

He ignored his nonsense like usual.

«If you found someone you really love, you would tell me, right?»

Tianlang-jun grinned and took the dragon by the shoulders.

«Of course! Are we not best best best friends?!» he laughed. «You would tell me too, right?» he asked, eyes shining.

«If I don’t find anyone until my thousand years old birthday, I’m gonna become one of your son’s concubines» he joked.

«What? In those cases shouldn’t you say you’d become my concubine?!»

«No, you’re disgusting»

«Rude» but he thought in silence for some time until he blurted:«It seems that you liked playing as much as my son that you want to become a real one, uh?»

«Shut up»

«Talking about children, the new Mobei-jun had a child with the woman he stole from his brother, wanna see him?» he asked.

«What?! What did he steal?!»

«Yeah, poor Linguang, he was pretty shocked.»

«Why?! Even if they always fight, they care for each other!»

«Maybe it was the inheritance ritual and he inherited something funny, or maybe he just liked her that much»

«Uh, I don’t want to see them anymore» the dragon lamented.

«Shame, they missed their Uncle Peerless»

«You didn’t tell them that their herbalist was me, right?»

«Don’t worry, I didn’t. They would freak out if they found out that they treated the Lord of Abyss as their servant for two decades.»

«Good, let’s go to see the little icicle then» he put on his old veil, as that was the image he, as Shenlong-jun, had in the demon realm.

He opened up a portal and kicked Tianlang’s-jun in.

He heard a sight.

«Uncle Shenlong should be kinder with Uncle» said Zhuzhi-lang.

«I’m plenty kind» he replied. «Xiao Zhuzhu, are you coming or you need to do your Uncle’s work?»

«This Zhuzhi-lang will remain here, Shenlong-jun»

«Uncle Shenlong» Shen Yuan corrected automatically.

«… Uncle Shenlong»

He landed in the middle of the throne room and it seemed there was a commotion.

Oh, right, he had kicked Tianlang-jun there, from their point of view it looked like the Saintly Ruler rained on them.

«Lord of the Abyss, to whom do we owe this pleasure?» the new Mobei-jun asked with a little bow.
The little Prince! Look at you! You’re so big and kicking!

Well, he wouldn’t recognize him with the veil and the different hair and eye color.
He did change other features at that time, but he couldn’t become too different. Even if he put all his mystical arts on himself, he would still have four of ten parts of his face.

«Looking for the newborn.» said Tianlang in his stead.

The woman, the famous demon that changed husband between two brothers, tightened her hold on the child in her arms.

«No need to fret. Just passing by» said the dragon, because his friend sounded ominous.

He looked at the child.
How could an infant have a face this cold?! A Mobei indeed.

He pulled out a talisman with a brilliant pearl on it.

«A little present.» he said, giving it to the child.

He actually took it. Cute.

[Point of contact with the main character of PIDW! Congratulations, Master!]

“What?”

[This is Mobei-jun, the second in command of Lord Luo Binghe!]

“What?!”

«What is it?» asked the mother.

«Centuries ago, the Mobei clan gifted me their heirloom. I always wanted to give something in return. Here, it’s a lucky charm, it binds a chosen partner to the owner if presented to them and permits the two to share powers» he said. «I like loyalty as a dragon»

Silence. The uncomfortable one.

“Oh, that sounded like a reproach instead of a present right? Sorry lady, I couldn’t care less about your love dramas”

«I want a present too» murmured the Saintly Ruler.

Shen Yuan actually searched for something in his sleeves.

He tossed a talisman to him.

«It’s a keyword. Call me if you need me. It have only three use, choose them wisely»

«Are you going away again? Where?»

As there were other ears listening their conversation he said:«Xiao Qiang’s former sect»

«Got it. Maybe we will meet as I’m going to the human realm too anyway»

«Finish your job first. Your nephew is waiting»

And he opened a portal for himself.

The Saintly Ruler was forced to take the long route.

•••

So, after nearly a century leaving only as a demon and resting in the Endless Abyss, he decided to go to the human realm again.

In PIDW they never told other characters ages, besides Luo Binghe’s and some of his wives. Not even Mobei-jun had a clear age.

But if Tianlang said he was interested in someone and PIDW’s Mobei-jun was already born, then there wasn’t much time until the main story began.

So here he was, in the meeting room of the Cang Qiong Mountain, sitting in one of the twelve seats, the second one, the one that Xiao Qiang once sat on.

«Who are you» asked a man's voice.

He turned to meet a man, tall and wide, with an imposing demeanor, in black and white robes. Sect Leader’s colors. He still remembers when Liu Yangge used to use those colors.

Must be Yue Qingyuan, right?

«Greetings, Sect Leader of Cang Qiong Sect, I’m Shen-»

«Elder Shen?» he asked, changing his menacing but cautious demeanor to a shocked and excited one.

«You know me?» he asked.

Yue Qingyuan bowed respectfully, almost touching the ground, and said.

«Ethereal beauty, silver hair, black horns, green eyes and a black mark on his forehead. There are multiple scripts and records from previous Peak Lord and Sect Leaders about Elder’s appearances!
As the Dragon Protector of Cang Qiong sect, Liang Jianshu cannot not know about his greatness.
The Heaven would need to fall before this Liang Jianshu would make this kind of mistake!» he said passionately.

«Liang Jianshu? You are from the generation of Jian?»

«Yes, Estimated Elder»

«How many generations are needed before the Qing one?»

«Answering Elder, the next one will be the Qing one»

«How much before your ascensions, then?»

«Ascensions? Maybe a decade from now on?»

“Shit, wrong era! I wanted to meet Yue Qingyuan and those Peak Lords so I could become a Shixiong of Luo Binghe and help him from close up and have the front row for the show! Now who knows how much it will take before he even comes!
How old was Shen Qingqiu when he took Luo Binghe as a disciple?!”

[Master doesn’t really need to become a peer of Luo Binghe. If Master entered the sect now, as a child, he would be from the same generation as the Qing one.
Meeting other main characters could help the protagonist equally]

“Oh, you mean, like becoming friends with the scum villain and something like that?”

[Yes, Master. All Cang Qiong had deeply shaped Luo Binghe. Still front row! :D]

The non-Yue Qingyuan Sect Leader was looking at him with trepidation.
He reminded him of Yue Yuyu.

«You. What if I was a scammer?» Is it okay that the Sect Leader was such a naive believer all trusting before the first silver headed person he met?

«Impossible! No one could replicate that face!» he said with certainty.

Shen Yuan shook his head incredulously.

«You’re not even asking what I’m doing here»

«This lowly one doesn’t dare»

Shen Yuan’s eyes turned on the sky.

“Right, that was why I don’t go to the Hidden Realm or in places where I have already been with my dragon form”

[That’s because, Master did good things and was remembered! Beside, all Master’s reincarnations are considered ‘The Heavenly Demonic Dragon’s incarnations’]

“???”

[Master is akin to a god in the Human Realm! Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations!]

“And that isn’t a problem with the plot?! Didn’t you say that I can’t change too many things before the main story begins?!”

[The presence of a god like person didn’t really change the fact Luo Binghe’s birth situation is sad, his coming to Cang Qiong Mountain because of the washwoman’s death, his discipleship under Shen Qingqiu, his falling in the Endless Abyss and his ownership over Xin Mo]

“This sound so wrong”

[It’s surprising that Master accepted this reality]

“I would be very stupid if I didn’t realize after eight hundred years all the people kissing the ground I stepped on”

«Well, anyway, I’m gonna live here for some years» he said.

«Elder Shen will?» that made changes on the Sect Leader face.

What? Finally scared?

«Yeah, don’t worry, I will pose as one of the disciples and I won’t remember that I’m a dragon» he said «Just treat me as one of the children.»

The guy began sweating bullets.

He gave him a talisman, the same one he gave Tianlang-jun.

«This will wake me up for a day when you burn it up with some Qi. It’s one time use. Choose the moment wisely.»

«I-Is this one of Elder’s incarnation’s?»

«You know about that?»

«The first Qing Jing Peak Lord had a collection of exhaustive essays on Elder Shen»

“Ah, Xiao Qiang’s fault then”

«Yeah. Remember that no one needs to know who I am.» he got up.

The other put his fist in the other hand and bowed again.

«Act normal. Don’t use honorifics, I will be weirded out if you do. Just put me in Qing Jing Peak when I arrive at the next disciples selection.»

«Elder doesn’t want to be a Qiong Ding Peak’s disciple?» He seemed disappointed.

«No.» he replied flatly.

Chapter Text

The first thing that System did, as always, was greet his Master and explain his ‘transmigration’ into an NPC. 

As the NPC didn’t have a name, it would use his: Shen Yuan.  

As always he didn’t look confused as he was ‘an expert’, having read multiple web novels about transmigrations in ‘his world’.  

His Master changed into a ten years old child, the minimum age needed to enter a Sect.  

Even as a child, he was overwhelmingly cute. And she wasn’t saying it because he was her Master! It’s true!  

In all his previously incarnations he usually changed something about himself and even doing that was impossible to hide his beauty.  

This time he only maintained his face features and plastered the normal common black for his eyes and hairs. 

He looked like his original form in xianxia cosplay.  

So, this time, he was playing the role of a millennial in his twenties that was reincarnated into a child.  

He was easily accepted into the Cang Qiong Mountain, even without the Sect Leader coxing. 

As a natural spiritual cultivator with a incredibile ‘Spiritual Root’ he was easily called by Tang Jianxia, the future Shizun of the infamous Shen Qingqiu.  

Her cute Master tried to fly under the radar, like he said, because he didn’t want to be targeted by the future Shen Qingqiu, even though he wasn’t there yet. 

If they were in the Scum Villain’s disciples era, then it was obvious that that snake had eliminated all the competition to become the Head Disciple! 

“Luo Binghe thought of him as the son of a wealthy family, right?”  

[Yes, User]  

“Let’s keep an eye on all the disciples named Shen… Wait, it’s not me right?! Right, System?”  

[No, User]  

He sighed in relief. 

“I don’t think I would survive if I was transmigrated as the Scum Villain!”  

[…] 

Despite his fear for the Scum Villain, his Master did his job as a good disciple.  

He was a natural on the four arts and strategies welfare. Obviously, as a dragon of eight hundred years, he learned all kinds of things, with the Heavenly Demon’s lineage’s talent in apprehending backing him up, and those experiences couldn’t be erased by a seal on his memories and powers.  

So he was considered more than a genius only. He was a talent of one kind in the Qing Jing Peak Lord’s eyes.  

He used his ‘previous life knowledge’ to his advantage. So he was always in first place even in studying classes. 

He didn’t find it strange that he knew more things than what he remembered from PIDW, thinking it was just a transmigrator privilege knowing things.  

It was always like that. His naivety and obliviousness was a must in every incarnation. 

Well, Master wasn’t really better even after eight hundred years, but he wasn’t that clueless anymore. So, this easygoing Master was always good to see again.  

After only half a year he became one of the youngest inner disciples transfers (it was useless putting that kind of talent with outer disciples) and he was top of the inner classes at only eleven years old. 

Even if he tried to not stand out too much, he just shined like a gem. 

It was supposed to be humiliating for the other disciples, but thanks to his Master charming personality and innate cuteness he was very liked on the Peak. 

What’s the use of being jealous in front of overwhelming talent? And he was never arrogant about it, always humble and so altruistic in helping all of them.  

He would never show off and preferred to aid others to become better.  

Even as the youngest Shidi, he was caring. And honestly, he was adorable when he dandled around with his arms full of scrolls, calling ‘Shixiong’ here and ‘Shijie’ there.  

His Master said that he was always kind to all of them so ‘when Shen Qingqiu wanted to get rid of him, because it would be harder doing something bad to a loved disciple’. 

His hopes weren’t high, as even Bai Zhan’s War God died under the Scum’s schemes.  

His Shizun, Tang Jianxia was a woman that looked up at unpolished gems and liked people that are different from the masses. 

Even so, she was someone more focused on her research than his disciples, so she wasn’t often around the Peak. 

She liked to go on long missions, far away from her Peak, to quell her thirst for knowledge.  

Well, for someone that made Shen Qingqiu Head Disciple she was bound to be an odd one. 

Looking at how often she was absent, Master could tell how she never saw the darkness in his Head Disciple, as Shen Qingqiu was always described as a good poser.  

But his Master’s light was difficult to not notice, as other Peak Lords began sending letters to his Shizun requiring a change of discipleship for him. That was how even someone like her found the interest to remain and observe him.  

So, it was to no one surprise when he became the Head Disciple. 

Well, to no one except for Master himself.  

“What am I gonna do?! I will be the first person he will want to get rid of!” 

[User position is well deserved] 

“You’re not helping, Sis”  

He sighed.  

“What kind of hack Peak made a twelve years old Head Disciple when there are seniors that are twenty-two?” 

[But User had the highest score in every discipline and had the most potential even in his cultivation aspect]  

“That’s because this NPC body is too OP! Are you sure I’m not some kind of bug?”  

[User is an existence that was meant to be]  

“Sound ominous” 

[…] 

Since when was he this suspicious?  

“Anyway. I’m going to back off when he arrives, maybe he takes a liking to me and leaves me alone… Yeah! That’s a fantastic idea! I’ll get out of his way and become a cool rogue cultivator!” 

[Master already done that route] 

“What?” 

[Nothing. User needs to remember that he needs to change the main story for the better! So he needs to stay around] 

“Shit… Well, better than becoming a human stick”.  

Well, Master’s Cang Qiong Sect placement was a success!  

••• 

Shen Yuan was Head Disciple of Qing Jing Peak for a year now. 

He was thirteen years old and finally, not the only Head Disciple of all the sect anymore.  

The other Peak Lord finally decided to choose their successor and be with it. 

“Finally! No more bribing sweets! Who told those grandpas and grandmas that I have a sweet tongue? I have, but the amount was becoming embarrassing! Why steal the Head Disciple of another Peak?!”  

This generation of Peak Lords was full of odd ones. Not only did they delay their Head Disciples selection until nearly ascending, they all were simple minded and not really caring about serious things like… Politics? 

Their disciples had the most toll of their own works! 

Was that why PIDW was full of people with low IQ?! Because their fucking Shizunes didn’t taught them better? Will they even have the time to teach their Head Disciples?!  

They lived in peaceful times, so all of them just pursued their own studies for decades and hadn’t thought too much about anything.  

And what was absurd was that this situation where they were just lazing around, caring only for themselves, made them famous in their own field and boosted even more the reputation of Cang Qiong.  

So now Cang Qiong was officially the best sect of all the four Great Sects. No more peers! Well, until the protagonist would make the Huang Hua Palace the best one.  

Well, not all of them were like his Shizun or the Bai Zhan Peak Lord that Shen Yuan still never saw, or the Zui Xian Peak Lord that was busied by his new recipe of a killing wine (dunno if it was literally) or the Ku Xin that was in seclusion since… dunno, very long time, anyway. 

The Qian Cao one was pretty responsible, that Peak Lord thought that all of his disciples were equal and the best one would become the future Peak Lord. Well, he was from the medic Peak, it was a must to be a responsible one. 

That was why Mu Qingfang in the original novel was the only survivor!  

Well, the Hall Masters did their jobs just fine, Peak Lords didn’t really need to participate on Disciples’s formation. It was enough knowing a general status of their disciples.  

But after Shen Yuan became Head Disciple, something within them woke up. They finally decided to dedicate themselves to their Disciples and actually found one that would be the Head. 

Initially they tried to snatch Shen Yuan for themselves, because stealing a competent one was better than searching for one, right?  

Who knows how much time they needed to realize that they needed just a Head Disciple and not for Shen Yuan.  

Not much, in reality. 

«Shizun?»  

«Yes, Xiao Yuan?» 

«Who he is?»  

There was a beggar-like child in front of him.  

«This one is the person that will become the next sect leader» said his Shizun. 

«He was chosen by Xuan Su» added like a proud father to the sect leader. 

“Xuan Su like that super OP sword that never had the chance to shine? What?! Are you kidding me?! The super cool Yue Qingyuan was a beggar?” 

[Congratulations! User has made contact with one of the main characters!] 

“Yeah Sis, I realized!”  

«His name is Yue Qi. I’m asking Shen-Shizi to look after him for the time being,» said the sect leader. 

“Zhangmen-Shibo! Why me?! You have an entire Peak of senior disciples!”  

He cried internally. 

Obviously his face only gave the adults a polite smile. 

«As next colleagues and his second in command you should began working together earlier on»  

“Stop bullshitting guys! This is the most biased person of the Scum Villain! Do you think he would help me when Shen Qingqiu tried to kill me?!”  

«Understand, Shizun, Zhangmen-shibo»  

He bowed to them and turned to the future Yue Qingyuan.

«Nice to meet you, Yue Shixiong. This disciple is called Shen Yuan. I will be in your care» he bowed politely. 

The other guy tried to imitate him and bowed.

«I’m Yue Qi, I thank you in advance for the aid, Shidi» 

“Well, well, well, all so heartwarming right Shizun? Stop staring at me like I’m about to pull out a pigeon from my mouth, now!”  

In the original work, it was probably the apparition of the future Sect Leader that made the other Peak Lords begin searching for their own successor.  

Thus, the Jian generation finally stopped being absent parents and became active ones. 

••• 

So, momentarily there were only he and Yue Qinghyu- er - Yue Qi as official Head Disciples.  

Shen Yuan didn’t care too much. He would give up his position to the Scum Villain anyway, but he did have the Sect Leader and his Shizun’s eyes on him, so he tried to do a good job.  

Well, he kinda came to care for the well being of this sect after being there for so long.  

On Qiong Ding Peak, the first peak and tallest one, Shen Yuan was greeted every half step by disciples since he arrived at the entrance at the end of the rainbow bridge.  

It’s been a year since he kept climbing this peak to meet Yue Qi and he became familiar with this peak's disciples. 

Yue Qi was one year older than him when he arrived as a fourteen malnourished child that looked ten. 

In this year he gained weight and sprouted up, so he was now a little taller than him. Unfair,  but understandable. Yue Qingyuan was described as pretty tall in the novel, so he was just only halfway! 

“Good Yue-xiong, let’s become the cool and strong Sect Leader that even the protagonist feared! So maybe extend your protection even to me, okay?” 

Yue Qi was on the training ground learning directly from the Sect Leader and anyone could see that he was already an outstanding martial artist. He reached the other disciples in little time and was nearly on par with him.  

Well, on par with the self block he obliged the System to put on him! Stupid hacked NPC body! Where did all that Qi come from?! 

He didn’t even have a Golden Core yet! 

Was he some kind of Hidden Boss?! 

[User isn’t]

“I know, even if I was, I wouldn't act like one! Anyone who opposed the Protagonist would die a terrible death!” 

«That’s all for today» said the Sect Leader.  

«I can continue some more, Shizun!»  

He sounded pretty desperate, like always; like he was chasing after something and didn’t have the time. Maybe there was a drive to become this strong. 

Zhangmen-Shibo shook his head.  

«Anything more and it would backfire on you. Resting is important as training. Your body still couldn’t take too much, be patient»  

“Oh? So even that dragon fanatic can be a good teacher!” 

Yue Qi’s expression turned gloomier.  

«And Shen-Shizi is here. Don’t make him wait»  

He finally took notice of him.

«Yes, Shizun»  

••• 

«Sorry for the delay, Shen Shidi»  

«No need to worry, Yue Shixiong. I know how much you care about training. 

We are going to meet the other Head Disciples candidates, well, the ones that are there. Some Peak Lords still had not decided.» 

«You sure are happy about that» 

Of course I am! I’m gonna meet the main characters of PIDW! 

«They will be my sect siblings that will became like a family to me, of course I am» he said instead. 

They were going to the hall next to that used for Peak Lord's meetings.

Usually, the Head Disciples that accompanied their Shizun to the meetings would use that space while they were waiting.  

There were already some people inside the room.  

Shen Yuan was ready to greet them but was interrupted brusquely as someone just barged to the door that Shen Yuan just closed.  

A little girl, maybe eleven or twelve years old, definitely the youngest of all of them, was looking around with an angry frown on her pretty, really pretty, face.  

Shen Yuan stared at her in surprise. 

It was a grand entrance, after all.  

Small and delicate princess-like face like it was made porcelain by a talented artist; big gray eyes with long eyelashes, intense as a rumbly summer sky; strong eyebrows elegant like brushstrokes on a calligraphy intent to be exhibited for the Heavens; a small nose in perfect proportion with the rest of face, a heart shaped mouth, rosy like desert willow and, to perfectly disturb her symmetrical face, a beauty mark under her left eye.  

Yeah, really cute. 

If Liu Mingyan was of this generation he would have thought it was her without the veil. 

Judging by her silver blue and white combat robes, she was from Bai Zhan.  

«Who is Shen Yuan?» she asked bluntly, straight back, arms crossed and feet firmly planted.

Shen Yuan blinked like he couldn’t understand what was happening. 

«That would be me» he replied, smiling gently, like he always did. 

The girl was unfazed and he heard another girl scoffing in the background.  

«Fight me» said the little willow. 

Well, since Shen Yuan reincarnated in this world, he was never badly treated or offended. Maybe it was because he was always the youngest one so everyone on his peak would dote on him, therefore, the sudden antagonizing was shocking for his old heart. And from a little girl that reminded him of his meimei nonetheless.  

«Why?» he dumbly asked.  

«What do you mean why? You’re the strongest, aren’t you?» 

Shen Yuan was so lost. He didn’t see logic there. 

«Hardly» he replied. 

«Here it comes! Just ignore the little battle maniac, this person always went around asking for fights» said someone.  

Turning to see the other girl, a cute one (not as the fairy-like the one that wanted to fight him), maybe about his same age, with a haughty sneer on her face. 

She gave a big sister that said she hated you, but secretly cares about you, vibes.

Her purple and elegant robes said she was from Xian Su.  

«Qi Zigui greets Yue Da-shixiong and Shen Shixiong» she bowed a little. 

“Qi? Like Qi Qingqi? Xian Shu has already decided then? I was prepared to not meet all of the real future Peak Lords, as they could still change… Because that cute little girl surely wasn’t Liu Qingge.” 

[…] 

“What is it, Sis?” 

[… Congratulations! User has achieved the first meeting with some main characters!]  

“Yeah, I know I know, no need to tell me all the time”  

[Are you sure, User?] 

“Yeah, I bet I can manage recognizing someone important like Shen Qingqiu or Liu Qingge”  

[As User wishes] 

Others greeted Yue Qi and, by extension, him, as the ones with the highest seniority there. There were only other five people excluding Qi Zigui: Jiu Beile from Zui Xian, surprisingly Zhen Guanshui from Ku Xing (wasn’t the Peak Lord still in seclusion?), Mu Xiangshu from Qian Cao (the famous Mu Qingfang! Can I hold your hand and hope you heal me if I get stabbed by the Scum Villain?), Wei Wubai from Wan Jian and Hui Pao from An Ding (the traitor still not there, uh?).  

Shen Yuan paused, looking at Hui Pao, puzzled.  

“Traitor? Was it so bad siding with demons?” 

They took their seats, an imitation of the Peak Lords meeting, with three seats still empty.  

The Bai Zhan girl was still at the doorstep, looking quite angry for being ignored.  

But she stomped heavily to her seat and sat with crossed arms. Still frowning.  

“Little girl, if you keep going like that you’ll end up with wrinkles”.  

She didn’t say her name and she didn’t pay attention when they began discussing their duties and tasks as Head Disciples of their Peak.  

Each Peak had his autonomy but as Head Disciples they were the ones that would need to interact the most with other Peaks as they would take more and more tasks from their Shizuns.  

So it was necessary to communicate from time to time. Obviously it wasn’t required to be present.  

Yue Qi brilliantly directed the meeting like he was already the Sect Leader. 

Well, he was probably born to be a leader.  

«Shen Shidi, do you have anything to add?» asked Yue Qi. 

«I’m sure all of us will be really busy reaching the level of our Shizuns or going beyond them. 

They won’t ascend without all of us being prepared, so you don’t really need to fret as we still have time. 

I will be available to all of you if you need me. Anytime.» he said.  

«Don’t you have your own cultivation to take care of?» asked Wei Shidi. 

«Yeah, and your Peak’s duty as a Head Disciple.» added Mu Shidi.  

«You talk like those are not problems that concern you too» agreed Jiu Shidi.

«Genuses are born different» chanted sarcastically Qi Shimei.  

«Those matters concern me too, obviously. I’m just trying to be useful and create a more harmonious relationship between Peaks» he said.  

«As the Head Disciple of Qing Jing I’m laying down the foundation of a stronger Cang Qiong. If our Masters made Cang Qiong the strongest of all sects, we shouldn’t be less and neither the same.

Our Masters don’t communicate between them often, but I think that having better relationships is better for the future of our sect as we will be different. 

See, they didn’t even think about Head Disciples and are rushing right now, we are bound to be less prepared than how they were as disciples. Helping each other is a must. 

As I don’t want to force you or ask you to do something you don’t want to do, I’m offering to take the first step.» he said. 

“A stronger Cang Qiong means a more difficult sect to be destroyed! I've been living here for a couple of years now, I don’t want the protagonist destroying this place! Protagonist, if you hate the Scum Villain just take him, leave this place alone, thanks” 

Silence. 

«So serious…» murmured Qi Zigui looking away.  

«It’s a beautiful thought, Shen Shidi» backed up Yue Qi. 

Affirmative murmurs spread by the others and Shen Yuan smiled.

«I shall thank you all» 

Some of them blushed and some covered their faces. 

«What are you thankful for? For us accepting your help? Are you an idiot?» said Qi Zigui harshly. 

«Shimei…» sighted Yue Qi. 

«What?! It’s true! So this Qi Zigui should offer her help too,» she announced. 

«You’re always welcome on Qian Cao» 

«Yeah yeah! Count on us too» 

«It should be obvious helping each other!» 

“Yeah, heartwarming time! Stop smiling at me Yue Qi, I’m gonna puck.”

Shen Yuan covered half of his face with both sleeves.  

As they were dismissing themselves, Shen Yuan felt someone tugging at his robes. 

Turning around, he found the Bai Zhan shimei looking at her feet. 

«Yes?» he asked politely.  

She was one head smaller than him, so he bent a little to not look like he was looking down on her. 

«Can we fight?» she asked looking up.  

Her eyes widened as she hadn’t expected him to bend in her direction. 

«Why are you so adamant to fight me?» he asked patiently. 

«Because I want to fight you»

“Thank you Shimei for not saying anything at all!” 

«Shen Shixiong, just ignore this battle maniac, Bai Zhan is full of bull headed people obsessed with fighting. A Head Disciple isn’t different!» exclaimed Qi Zigui. 

Shen Yuan lifted a hand to stop her from continuing.

«I’m sure it’s not like that. Bai Zhan is just as respectable as the other Peaks. All Peaks have flaws and all have virtues. But, Qi Shimei is right to not understand your behavior and I am perplexed too.» 

«How?» she asked.

«How what?» 

«I want to fight you to understand why you are strong. How could I understand what person you are without fighting?» she said with determination as if all she said made perfect sense.  

Well, it didn’t.  

“Using words, Shimei? You know, the thing you just did.” 

«I’m not gonna fight the first person that asks me that. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone.» he said.  

And then smiled at her because her frown was deepening. Well, she was extremely cute and shining even with that face, but frowning people means negative sentiments, right? He didn’t want to deal with it.  

He noticed the beauty mark under her left eye again and he felt his heart squeeze.  

Too cute! What’s up about this level of cuteness?  

Is it because she was related to Liu Mingyan? 

«If you want to fight me so badly, why don’t you send me a sparring request. Usually it’s not done between Peaks as there are tournaments every year for that, but as we are both Head Disciples I think it’s possible.» he said.  

«What’s the difference in fighting me now?» 

«Didn’t you know? Internal fighting is against the rules of the sect» 

She looked so shocked that she gasped.  

Cute.  

Shen Yuan tried hard to not laugh at her, but maybe teasing a little… 

He really really wanted to see if other expressions would suit her like the shocked one. 

The last time he teased someone was… Who? His sister? Why did that sound wrong?  

«You may write requests from now on, send them officially and wait for answers. Of course, people could refuse you» 

«What?!» she sounded so shaken.  

«Yeah, even within the same Peak you should write letters…» 

«That’s! No! That’s!…» 

«It’s not true» said Yue Qi with a sigh.  

Shen Yuan finally laughed, covering his mouth with a sleeve.  

The Shimei actually pouted! So adorable!  

«You lied!» she said, offended.  

«Wait, not on everything. It is true that it is against the rules to fight each other. But you don’t need to write requests for sparring someone» he explained smiling.  

«What’s the difference?!» 

«When you fight it’s to win the other and usually born from disputes. It’s a mindless way to dominate the other. It could turn out bad. 

But sparring is learning from each other and understanding the other using martial arts. It prioritizes the way and not the end. It shouldn’t turn violent and winning is not important.» he said.  

She actually nodded as if she understood it perfectly well.  

«So what about you learn the sect rules before rushing to everyone and being misunderstood by them, Shimei?» 

Her eyes, unusually grey like, looked at him outraged.

«You! You never took me seriously!» she accused pointing a finger at him. 

And she bolted out stomping her feet.  

«Why did you tease like that? It’s not like you,» said Yue Qi, looking disappointed. 

«What did I even say? I just joked about the non existent rules, it wasn’t so bad!» he protested.  

«You said ‘Shimei’» he pointed out.  

«And what am I supposed to call her? I don’t know her name!» 

«Liu Mingyu is pretty famous even outside of Bai Zhan. The family background apart, there is even the talent to back it up.» said Mu Xiangshu «Even if today was the first meeting, we all knew that name, didn’t you know?»  

«So she’s famous?» 

«Wait, you keep referring to Liu Mingyu as a her… You do realize that it’s a-» but Yue Qi was interrupted by Qi Zigui pulling him out of the group.  

«What’s done is done! That battle maniac shouldn’t be so offended for being called ‘Shimei’» she said.  

«Let’s go, Shen Shixiong» she said, grinning and tugging at him. 

«Wait, where are we going?» he let her lead.  

«Does Shen Shixiong really think of Liu Mingyu as a little girl?»  

“Of course, she is a little girl!” 

«Famous or non-famous she is still eleven» he said.  

Qi Zigui laughed.  

«This is gonna be hilarious» she said to herself.  

«You never heard about the prodigy child of the Liu clan?» she asked.  

“Well, I thought it was for Liu Qingge, was it not him? Was Liu Qingge actually a no one that becomes a super mega talented cultivator with the strength of his spirit? Did he and Liu Mingyan have a prodigy sister? What’s all this lore, Airplane?!”

«Well, I thought it was about a boy, so maybe her brother?» he hesitated a little.  

She laughed so much that Shen Yuan feared she would choke herself.  

“What’s so funny about what I said?” 

«Well, I thought Shixiong was perfect in all aspects, but even someone like Shen Shixiong has flaws» she said happily. 

He just gave her a confused look.  

«Just asking, but is Shixiong really a Shixiong?»

«What does Shimei mean?» 

She thought about her response. 

«Should I call him a Shijie?»  

«Is this some kind of joke?» he asked, confused. 

«Shixiong has a woman scent» 

«It’s Qing Jing Peak’s flawed flavored soap.»

She shook her head.

«Shixiong felt like a woman. I understand, sometimes there are women born like men and men born like women,» she added. 

What?!

«I’m pretty sure I’m a man» he said.  

«Accepting is another thing! Well, if you prefer, I just kept calling you Shixiong.» she bowed to him and went away leaving a confused Shen Yuan behind.  

••• 

He received a request for sparring and laughed.  

First, this little girl’s handwriting was horrible and second, on the letter there was only one sentence:”Spar me” without anything else, not even her name on. 

As a good Shixiong he complied and responded with date and place. He purposely made all his words flowery with a perfectly neat handwriting. 

In the end he made two page long letters with only one sentence that really mattered. 

He was a Qing Jing Peak disciple after all.  

At the date of the appointment, he was pretty excited and waited at the entrance of the rainbow bridge at the end of Qing Jing Peak’s entrance.  

He smiled at her, receiving only frowns in return.  

«Liu Shimei, hello!» he said. She frowned more. 

As he didn’t want to have a public, he guided her to his secret place for meditation. A little calm space in the middle of the bamboo forest with a clear water mirror.  

«If I win, you stop calling me ‘Shimei’» she said.  

«How should I call you then? Liu Meimei?» 

She blushed in anger. 

What was the problem there? Did she want to be called ‘Young Lady’?

They both have a real temporary sword that all the disciples with enough level could take around. 

She attacked head on and Shen Yuan jumped outside of her range.  

He kept dodging each attack, making her frustrated and fasten her movements.  

She was actually insane. Even though she was clearly angry, that strong emotion didn’t cloud her battle judgment. 

All her movements were clean and flawless like someone that had repeated those moves endlessly. 

She had instinctual reactions to his motions adapting easily and could easily raise her levels.  

It was more than mere skills, it was a genius-like battle sense.  

He could understand why she was called a prodigy.  

But she was too direct on her attacks. 

It could work on someone weaker than her, using her overwhelming talent head on, but with a more experienced opponent she would fail.  

«Stop dodging!» she spat.  

«So you can hit me?» he asked.  

«You’re cowering!»

«I’m not. Being capable of dodging means I can see your attacks.» he said.  

And as a demonstration he deflected a thrust and hit the handle of her hilt. 

Her sword dropped. 

«Your technique is perfect and your battle sense is really incredible» he said smiling.  

He waited for an outburst, like a tantrum, but it didn’t come. 

She looked at her hand and then the dropped sword.  

What? Did he shock a little girl that had always won?  

«What did I do wrong?» she asked surprisingly calmly. 

«Technically? Nothing. I won just because I observed you in search of the right moment when an opportunity appeared and it took me longer than I thought because you’re that good» he said.  

«Then how can I beat you?» she asked.  

«With your style, I suggest widening your peripheral vision and work on widening your perception. That would widen your range of options. 

Because I can predict your movement even if you become faster, if I understand your pattern. Widening your option would make me struggle more» he said.  

She nodded solemnly.  

«I am slower and as a spiritual cultivator I am actually weaker in close combat. You should enhance your strong points, as you have something no one has» he suggested.  

Well, sometimes his NPC body just reacts autopilot, so he wasn’t actually bad in close combat. 

«Why are you telling me how to beat you? Are you looking down on me?» she didn’t sound angry, more like curious.  

Since Shen Yuan was someone that learned rather fast, he took the habit of helping his martial siblings that had difficulty to apprehend. That was why giving tips to someone and teaching them became natural to him.  

«You asked» he replied like it was obvious.  

She frowned her eyebrows. 

She took back her sword and turned. 

«I’m coming back» she said. 

It was the closest thing to a goodbye she could make.  

«Sure, Shimei, anytime»  

She scoffed, irritated and stomped away. 

“Why does she always stomp?” 

••• 

Liu Mingyu would frequently come to him after sending a short letter. Well, it was a waste of paper as it was one sentence each time.  

«You should ask your Shizun about that, I’m not sure how this works on a physical cultivator» he said when she asked if she could also enchant things around her to become sharper. 

«Shizun doesn’t have time.»  

«Then, how did you got better in this short time? I was sure you asked your Shizun to help you»  

She shook her head.  

«Shizun usually just tests us and lets us think about our defeats. I did the same thing with you. But you gave me tips, so it was easier to get better.»  

What kind of genius she was?! How was someone like her being surpassed by Liu Qingge?!  

«Well, try to ask anyway. It wouldn’t hurt anyone.» he said.  

At some point, she began appearing unannounced. 

The first time she did that she took a letter with her and gave it to him.  

“Spar with me” the letter said.  

What was the need of a letter if she was already there?! He didn’t know.  

And after that she would just intrude into his life at odd moments. 

Like when he was eating with his Peak siblings, when he was in the middle of a review of some lessons, when he was painting something, when he was challenged in a game of Wei Qi etc…

There was one time that she just barged into his bedroom. 

As a Head Disciple, he had a room all for himself, so he lectured her to ‘not enter a man’s room alone’.  

She frowned at that time, like she didn’t understand the problem in doing that, but didn’t add anything. 

And like all his lectures were useless, she even barged into the men's common bath space of Qing Jing to find him. 

It was lucky that there was only him half naked there! 

Well, she did seemed embarrassed at least. 

She Yuan was always alone when bathing, because at some point of his life as a disciple, his Shizun ordered him only one thing: bath alone. Always.  

Anyways, even though she should be stopped somehow, his other Peak siblings did not seem scandalized by how much time they were spending together, just irritated by the presence of a Bai Zhan disciple.  

All their complaints were about how much time she was stealing from him and how he always paid attention to her when she was there. 

They looked jealous of her, like their little brother had found a playmate and didn’t want to be with his older siblings anymore.

Maybe it was because they were still young, so gossiping rumors weren’t a thing.  

At some point he received a note from his Shizun and was sent to Wan Jian with a pouch of sprite stone for his sword.  

«I heard from Shizun that you’re here for your sword.» was Wei Wubai welcoming him. «Pretty young for a sword, is your Shizun sure?» 

He didn’t know if he was concerned about him or for the swords.  

«It seemed like that.» 

He actually asked her but she just laughed off.  

So after a few minutes, so few that Wei Wubai didn’t even have the time to worry for his Shixiong, he was already out with Shi Ke, a really easily maneuverable sword. The sword per se wasn’t strong, but if the wielder was powerful, so it will be. It was perfect for someone with a great amount of Qi and an internal cultivator like Shen Yuan. A sword as strong as the cultivator that owns it.

His cute Shimei found him immediately, as if she was waiting for him at his Peak. 

Sometimes Shen Yuan asked himself why his Shimei had so much free time as a Head Disciple to come to him every other day. 

Seeing Shen Yuan’s sword, Liu Mingyu was actually happy for him. 

She didn’t smile, but her steps were really proud ones as if it was her who obtained a sword early on. 

She Yuan really wanted to squeeze her adorable face. 

Shen Yuan’s life became even more full than before, as even the other Head Disciples would stop by. At the time the other Peak Lords found theirs, even they would come to him.  

And if it wasn’t enough, his Shizun, the old hag that took from zero to one disciple every ten years even though Cang Qiong made tests every year, decided to pull a bunch of new disciples that he could take care of. 

He really couldn’t believe that that woman was known as the perfect example of an immortal cultivator! He can absolutely see where Shen Qingqiu’s poser thing came from! 

What elegance with the fan?! She was just using fan language to make fun of people and hide her snickering amusement!  

What heart of an adventurer?! She just didn’t want to deal with her Sect’s work!  

What serious Shizun that was proud of her disciples?! She just wanted to pull her disciples' edges to see when they broke! 

«Shizun should do the work» said Shen Yuan.  

«Oh oh oh! What are you saying Xiao Yuan?» she laughed behind the fan.  

«I said that S-»

«Oh oh oh! This Shizun is really old and couldn’t hear you!»  

«Shizun! Wait! At least Shizun should look at the senior disciples' works!» 

«Oh oh oh! Xiao Yuan can do that just fine!» said her walking away faster than a scared rabbit.  

«Shizun! I am barely fifteen! How am I supposed to correct essays of the seniors?!» he screamed as she was flying up in the sky.  

«Oh oh oh!» it was the eco he received.  

As he was trying to do his Shizun’s job, there was a disciple that knocked at the Bamboo hut.  

«Shizun isn’t here» he said immediately. 

«No, it’s Da-Shixiong that I’m asking for» said that disciple.  

«What is it?» he asked, opening the door.  

«The Head Disciple of Qiong Ding is here» he said.  

«Yue Shixiong? We were supposed to meet this weekend as always at Qiong Ding. Did something happen?»  

For two steady years, Shen Yuan helped Yue Qi in his cultivation when he asked him to help, as the Sect Leader forbade him to train too much. But for some reason he was always anxious and in a rush of becoming better. 

Xuan Su already recognized him, but his cultivation level was still too low for him to use that sword and if he hastened it he would succumb into a Qi deviation. 

As for now, Xuan Su was still too strong for him and using it meant killing himself.  

The stronger the spiritual sword, the greater the risks, and Xuan Su was the strongest sword on Cang Qiong right next to Hong Jing, the sword from Heaven.  

On the contrary, Shen Yuan’s sword was really weak and anyone could use it, as it’s worth depending on the user.  

Contrary to all the people that congratulated him, Yue Qi seemed even more anxious than before after Shen Yuan obtained his sword. 

«I need your help, Shen Yuan» he said immediately, his eyes red and puffy, like he hadn’t slept for days.  

He called him by name. He never did. It must be serious.  

«What can I do?» 

«I need to take Xuan Su» 

Shen Yuan frowned.  

«No. Are you insane? Do you want to die, Shixiong?» he didn’t want to sound so harsh, but what he said was akin to ‘help me jump from the 100th floor window to the next building’s roof’ in the modern world!  

«You don’t understand! He is waiting for me!» his eyes were bulging.  

That was actually a scary look.  

«Who’s waiting? Let’s calm down first, okay?»  

«It’s been two years… What if, what if he… I don’t know! He needs me! Shen Yuan you don’t understand.»  

It was bad, really really bad. 

His mental state wasn’t okay! 

“A Qi deviation? A heart demon? I’m not the expert here, okay?!” 

«Let’s go to Mu Shidi, okay? We can talk later» 

«No! I can’t wait anymore! Xiao Jiu is in danger! I left him to that monster! I need to go!»  

As a matter of fact, Shen Yuan was technically the only Head Disciple that could leave Cang Qiong as he was the only one with the sword, but he was told to not do that before Yue Qi conquered Xuan Su.  

«You can’t» he said.  

«Yue Shixiong, tell me everything, okay? And I see what I can do» he promised.  

Yue Qi actually calmed down a little and began to talk about a little beggar that was always with him since he could remember.  

Shen Yuan heard him out and passed some Qi to him from the hand that was patting his back to calm him down.  

His internal Qi was a disaster as he thought. 

«So he was taken away by that young master! He was someone that was ready to kill a child for only talking back to him! What would he do to the one that hurt his horse?! It’s been two years!»  

He was nearly crying. 

He was barely put together.  

Shen Yuan summoned Shi Ke and hopped Yue Qi forcefully on.  

It was the second time Shen Yuan flew with someone.  

When he obtained the sword, the first thing he did was learn how to fly. 

He found flying on a sword so cool!  

And after he managed to understand how, he flew to Bai Zhan and picked a Liu Shimei in the middle of training and put her on his sword, without even landing.  

It was a kidnapping. No, more like snatching a cat.  

That was how his first visit to Bai Zhan was rather quick and the disciples there didn’t even understand what happened.  

But Liu Mingyu was small in comparison with Yue Qi, and not a dead weight like him.  

He flew to Qian Cao and immediately some disciples were there.  

«We take care of him.» they said.  

Shen Yuan just nodded.  

But that night, he was woken up again. 

Some disciple of Qian Cao was there asking if he had seen Yue Qi. Obviously, he didn’t.  

Yue Qi disappeared after taking calming tea and had his Qi managed. He was put to sleep, but when someone went to check on him he wasn’t there.  

Shit!  

«Where is Xuan Su? Where did they put Xuan Su?!» asked him immediately. 

«What? It’s in the Sect Leader’s private quarters…» 

Shen Yuan was ready to run out of his room when that disciple stopped him with a bright red face.  

«You should put something on first» 

Yeah, because he was in his inner robes. 

He threw on his shoulders his outer robes and hastily put a belt on. 

No one went around with only two layers, but he didn’t have time for that.  

He flew to Qiong Ding and was put before total chaos. 

Yue Qi was Qi deviating and destroying everything before him, wielding Xuan Su that glimmered with powerful energy.

The Sect Leader was there, trying to stop him.  

“Oh, fuck! Now what?!”  

Before he could think about anything to help, he realized that other Peak Lords were there creating a blocking array around the berserker Yue Qi. 

The Sect Leader was before him and with a talisman controlling his sword to attack the boy. 

He was pressured on the ground by enormous energy, but Yue Qi didn’t back down. He kept trying to get up to attack.

The Sect Leader frowned. He was pushed back by his Disciple force.  

Grinding his teeth, he increased the pressure.  

Shen Yuan could see blood leaking out from Yue Qi’s orbs, nose, mouth and ears, his bones crushed. But he kept trying to get up and swing that sword.  

He was murmuring a name: Xiao Jiu. The name of his childhood friend. 

As even the broken bones seemed capable of stopping him, the sect leader tore his ligaments so he finally fell down.  

The Qian Cao Peak Lord was there to proceed with cures, but Shen Yuan could tell that the Qi deviation was killing him and Xuan Su was still pulling energy from him.  

«We should separate him and the sword» said the Qian Cao Peak Lord. 

«You can’t, in this state of connection it would destroy the boy’s cultivation!» said the Wan Jian Peak Lord.  

«Then bound them.» said Shen Yuan’s Shizun.  

He was actually shocked seeing her saying that with a cold tone. 

«Let them become one. As the life of this boy will be Xuan Su's,» she said.

«Zhangmen Shixiong, how should I proceed?» asked the medic. 

«Bound them. We couldn’t lose him. He is the future of Cang Qiong.»  

They transferred the convulsing body of Yue Qi to the LingXi caves and Shen Yuan followed them, even though he wasn’t authorized to go near those caves.  

They sealed the still screaming boy in the biggest caves after doing something to Xuan Su and him. And closed everything. 

When his Shizun turned she saw him, shocked. 

She was about to say something but the Sect Leader stopped her. 

Shen Yuan ran to the sealed entrance. 

«Yue Qi? Can you hear me?!» he screamed.  

The terrible sounds from behind the rock were heartbreaking.  

Would he survive? 

Of course he would. He was meant to become Yue Qingyuan, this wasn’t where he should end.  

Even so.  

«Yue Shixiong. I’m gonna save your Xiao Jiu, so resist until then, okay?»  

Shen Yuan didn’t know if he heard him. He hoped he did.  

He turned and went to his Shizun that was waiting for him. 

«Shizun, would you…»  

Having a spiritual sword meant that he was authorized to go to night hunts or missions alone. But as he was still pretty young, he just did two missions with his Shizun and still hadn't done the ones with groups of disciples. 

Doing it alone was like wanting the dessert before the main course.  

But she just looked at him, more serious than she ever was with him and said:«Go. You promised him, right?»  

•••

Shen Yuan didn’t have much information to work on, so it was pure luck when he bumped into an information guild.  

He didn’t even know that something like this existed in PIDW! 

Why not use it, Luo Binghe?! 

It was more like them that found him. 

He bumped into a street child and was kind of forced to offer him a meal. Then, that child said he wanted to repair him by offering any information he wanted.  

That was suspicious as fuck.  

«My name is Xiaoniao and I’m part of an information trading system. If Xiansheng pays, we can provide any information. As you helped me this time around, I offer you a discount,» he said.  

What’s up about this little scammer?! 

Well, trying won’t hurt.  

«Tell me anything you know about the Qiu family»  

The child smiled. 

«At the grand master’s service»  

And so, he found out what a horrible family that was, especially the young master, Qiu Jianluo.  

“Was Yue Qi’s friend still alive?” He asked himself. 

Traveling by sword, he spent only two days to arrive at the main manor.  

He knocked at the door. 

A servant came and recognized his robes as one of a cultivation sect disciple’s. 

«I’m in need of a place to stay for a night. I heard from the villagers that the Lord here is kind. Would he permit me to rest before I went on my mission?» He smiled politely, making the servant fret.  

He was taken inside and offered tea, before two people came to him. An elegant looking teenager about eighteen or nineteen and a little girl probably about his age came to greet him.

The little girl's eyes sparked when she looked at his face and blushed hard. 

Well, cultivators for mortals were always some kind of mystical beings.  

His older brother assumed a chilly expression before turning into a smiling caring young master. 

Disgusting.  

“I read the information about you! How could you beat and abuse a child everyday?!”  

Shen Yuan didn’t smile and maintained a cool air of politeness, covering his face from time to time with his sleeves when he wasn’t sure about his impassible expression, during all the conversation.  

The torture of talking to him ended and that night he sneaked out of his guest room.

He noticed that that bastard put some guards on him, but they were easily dealt with. 

They were only non-cultivators.

The street child was so thorough that he even had a map of the inside of the manor. 

The little girl's quarters was pretty distant from where he was going, that was why she never heard that. That wailing and screams, the grunting and laughing of a pervert bastard. 

And outside of the room, multiple guards were chatting like there wasn’t anything wrong. 

It was disgusting. Too disgusting. 

He appeared, walking toward them. 

«Stop right there!» said the first guard that saw him. 

Shen Yuan slowly unsheathed his sword, glimmering ominously in that dark night. 

The other guards prepared themselves for his attack and one of them was ready to yell.  

With a movement of his wrist, a wind of Qi extinguished all the lanterns and there, under the clear full moon, Shen Yuan moved like a ghost, knocking out all the guards in an instant, with the silence of an apex predator. 

No one died, even though Shen Yuan believed they deserved death, but it wasn’t his place to punish them.  

He broke open the door with a kick, like how his Shimei usually did. There was a sense of fulfillment about breaking in like that, maybe that was how Liu Shimei felt.  

And here they were.  

Shen Yuan wanted to look away.  

That Qiu Jianluo was blocking a smaller figure on the floor by the nape and plunging inside him from behind grunting like a pig, both covered in blood. 

Shen Yuan swung in, took the bastard by the hair and tore him away from the child. He didn’t let him go and slammed his face on the wall, creating a hole. 

He inserted into him a pulse of his Qi. 

«Oh, you’re not going to faint so easily, fucking bastard» he hissed in a low growl. 

He slammed his face multiple times, making certain that he was awake so he could felt every inch of the pain.  

«You- regret…» he spluttered blood when Shen Yuan let go. 

«No, you’re gonna regret, fucking trash. And it won’t be an easy one. 

I know you have strings with authorities but that won’t save you and your forsaken family anymore, Qiu Jianluo.

Yours will be a public execution anyway, you will be humiliated, tortured and bear all the suffering you put onto others.»  

He bended over him. 

«And I assure you that I will make that possible» 

«Y-you’re a cultivator, you wouldn’t dare! Mortal affairs are not your business!» 

«Are you deaf? I said public executions. Do you think that a righteous sect like Cang Qiong wouldn’t punish you just because you’re not a special creature? 

Do you think that our Cang Qiong are afraid of you?» he sneered.  

«You’re not gonna be dealt in any shady way, so your sister could realize what kind of person you are» 

«No! Tang-er shouldn’t know!» he panicked and groveled at Shen Yuan’s feet. 

Shen Yuan kicked him and finally let him faint.

He found the courage to turn around.

The little boy found something to cover himself, some discarded clothing splattered in blood.

Shen Yuan didn’t really dare to look him in the eyes and couldn’t even force a smile for him.  

He must be scared of him. 

«Can I come closer?» 

The boy just looked at him with his dark green eyes. 

«Checking your wound.» he said. 

The boy looked outside the door. 

«Don’t worry, no one will come, I dealt with the guards and put a silencing spell all around.» he said. 

«Just checking your wounds, I promise.» 

The boy looked for a long, before nodding slowly.

Shen Yuan slowly removed the ruined fabrics from frail shoulders.

He used his own outer robe to cover the lower part of the boy and looked at his back. 

“Ah, this isn’t a back”  

He couldn’t see a part of his body that wasn’t whipped. 

Shen Yuan's eyes trembled and he felt like crying. 

He checked his pulse and found out that he had a spirit root. 

“Good, he won’t die”

He poured some of his Qi in him, letting it circulate over the wounds.

Looking again, he wasn’t bleeding anymore.

He searched inside his qiankun and put some medicines out.  

He slowly washed the blood away, making the boy hiss. 

«Sorry» murmured to him. 

He treated him carefully, nursing the wounds, one at a time, even though it seemed like a one big murder scene.

Shen Yuan didn’t ask himself where his medical knowledge came from, he just did the best he could.  

After he bandaged his upper body, he looked at the now clean face.  

Oh, he was pretty.  

He looked like a cold doll. Those untouchable kinds of beauties that made people yearn for them. 

His eyes were sharp, his nose straight, his lips small and his features delicate.  

«Do you want me to deal with… Your lower body? If you feel uncomfortable I can just give you some painkillers and let a doctor visit you.» he said gently. 

«I will do it myself» he said, voice cold. 

«Then let me tell you how to treat yourself» he said, giving him each herb or useful salves he had. 

With the time the boy used to cure himself, Shen Yuan tied the bastard and his minions up. 

He sent some messages with spells and prepared some clean clothes for the boy.  

When the guy was ready, half healed and with some clean, although baggy clothing, Shen Yuan crouched before him, so the young one could look down on him.

He smiled and offered a hand to him.

«If you want, come with me» he said. 

The boy looked at him, face indecipherable. 

«Are you going to let him go?» he asked with barely hidden anger. 

«No. I’m gonna pursue him to the end of the matter. Follow me, and let’s take your revenge» 

«Are you not a righteous cultivator?» 

«It’s because I am a righteous cultivator that we need to punish him» he said. 

The boy looked him in the eyes and then took his hand.

Chapter Text

Endure. Endure. Endure. 

One day Qi Ge will come back for him, as a cultivator, with a strong big sword and he will slay this beast for him. 

He would take him to his sect, they would become immortals together and no one would dare look down on them or hurt them ever again. 

He just needed to endure some more. 

It was one of the bad days. It usually was one of the bad days. 

•••

Jiu was a slave since he could remember and the only person that was his ally was Qi, because all the others were sold or dead.  

From Da Yi, sold to strange merchants; Er Jie to a brothel and forced to take the worst clients; San Ge died trying to rebel; Si Jie abused in the middle of a street and buried like a street dog; Wu and Liu disappeared and no one went to find them and his Ba JieJie sold to an old disgusting beast…  

He stopped caring after Xiao Shi was killed in front of his eyes trying to run away. 

Jiu knew that life on the street was bad and the only way to survive was biting or the others would bite you.  

Jiu was the type of person that would hold until death the things that he thought of his because for a slave, even the littlest thing was precious.  

So Qi Ge was his.  

Qi Ge was the only good thing of all that shit. 

Qi Ge was caring and kind. 

Qi Ge was reliable and someone that remained pure even in this harsh life. 

Qi Ge was a big idiot for being like that, but that was why Jiu chose to remain close to him. 

He needed protection.  

And the name ‘Shen’ was his. 

Slaves didn’t have surnames, but when the only remaining ones from the first group of slave children were only he and Qi Ge, Jiu decided that they needed something for themselves, something that would be theirs and theirs only. Something that separates them from the other ‘teen’ group. 

As slaves, they often heard passerby street musicians. 

He heard so many kinds of stories and songs that his hearing could distinguish the notes and could recite them by memory. 

Maybe he could even play something.  

One of those stories was about a tearing tale of a forbidden love between a Prince Dragon and a noble Heavenly Demon of ancient times. 

Jiu wasn’t very interested in the love tragedy, the narrative changed for each musician anyway, but the Dragon Priests in the family caught his attention. 

A family that sacrificed themselves for protecting a promise. 

It was just what Qi Ge was.  

Jiu was sure that Qi Ge was that kind of person! 

So the Shen surname became his. 

As he told this to Qi Ge, his Qi Ge just smiled, being happy for him, and then it occurred to him that Qi Ge didn’t have a surname either. 

«Let’s find one for you too» he said. 

And they found rather easily about another Dragon Priest family. A family that was declining but thanks to their persistence were rewarded by a real Great Dragon.  

So being persistent was a good thing, fighting to survive was a good thing that deserved rewards, never give up. Like how Shen Jiu was. 

So he gave that surname to Qi Ge. At first, he was uncomfortable using the surname of a powerful family, but as no one would pay attention to two slaves, he relented (like always) and took it. So Qi Ge became Yue Qi. 

And then all went down. Shen Jiu was taken away, imprisoned and separated from Qi Ge, with the only promise that he would return to save him to keep him going.  

The first year was normal, expected even, as he was called to only be beaten up and he could endure violence, he knew.  

Qiu Jianluo would alternate to a gentler version of himself sometimes, teaching Shen Jiu courtesy, writing, the way of talking, but on bad days he grabbed him by hair, dragged him on the floor and proceeded to beat him.  

There were times when he made the torture a some kind on perverse appointment, a date between them.  

That young master would wait for him in his room, wipe his hand and order Shen Jiu to undress. 

He would admire him with those disgusting eyes and stroke down.  

And then, one day he just lost any kind of humanity and used Shen Jiu’s beaten body as a sexual reliever.  

It hurt. It hurt so much that he just wanted it to end. 

But he didn’t want to lose. So he remained conscious and memorized everything, so when Qi Ge would come for him, he would get the best revenge. 

That thought began trailing off the more days passed on. He still wanted revenge, but he dreamed of punishing that beast with his own hands.  

He just hated and hated and hated more.  

Even the gentle Qiu Haitang couldn’t give him much relief anymore. 

He wanted to burn him alive.  

He wanted to stab him multiple times in that disgusting face; wanted to carve out his eyes that looked at him with lust when he was covered in his own blood; wanted to slice his cock and give it to the hounds; wanted to make him feel as humiliated as he felt.  

It would be a sight letting him be covered in blood and feed him to the wild beasts alive.  

And not only him, even all those bastards that watched him and laughed off his misery! All of them would push him inside that room without any hesitation! All of them should suffer!  

That was a bad day.  

That day he accidentally smiled at Qiu Haitang for a joke she made of her brother and that night he paid that laugh. 

He was asked to undress again.  

Whipped again. 

And then fucked again.  

But then it all ended.  

There was a crushing rumble, a cold wind, and the beast was torn off from him.  

There was banging, an angry growl and Shen Jiu looked up.  

“Qi Ge? Qi Ge was here?!”  

There was a person with cultivator’s robes that was angrily banging the beast’s head on the ground. 

The face of Qiu Jianluo became unrecognizable.  

And then that cultivator looked up at him, still fury buried in those black eyes.  

He wasn’t Qi Ge. He wasn’t. 

The stranger’s gaze changed.  

He looked horrified.  

Despite that, Shen Jiu could not but think how beautiful that person was.  

He did hear that cultivators were beautiful but that stranger was beyond beautiful. 

If there was a god descended from Heaven, he would have this stranger’s face.

He talked to him, gently, caring and would never dare to surpass the boundary without his permission. 

He patched up his wounds with the patience of a nun, and promised him revenge and freedom, and Shen Jiu admitted he was swayed a little. But he couldn’t leave with him, right? Qi Ge would miss him when he came. 

Moreover he couldn’t trust this person.  

Even Qiu Jianluo was capable of being gentle, becoming so perfect and good that even Shen Jiu was fooled the first time.  

But if he remained he would die.  

If this person wanted to help him get revenge, then he could use him to do that and just run away after that.  

The ‘how’ was not decided yet.  

The first thing the stranger did was going to the authorities. 

Was he stupid?! He said himself that the Qiu family had ties with them!  

«Let me see the governor, please» he said to the guard.  

The guard that usually would begin to yell at him or just ignore every commoner’s pleas, just smiled back with a silly expression and went in again.  

Shen Jiu looked at his savior shocked.  

Was this the influence of a cultivator?  

Or the power of an ethereal face?  

They were escorted inside and even at that late hour. 

«Let’s cut it short, Governor. You will punish Qiu Jianluo for his human crimes or I will go to the higher ups and tell my sect that that monster in the forest was originally your pet. Adopting a demonic creature is a crime even for you, so… Make your decisions»  

«Disciple… I don’t….» 

The cultivator put some papers on the table.  

«Let’s not count the number of people that died, shall we?»  

«I will send someone to the Qiu family» 

«Oh, let it be public, strip him of everything, even the clothes, make him march in the middle of the street, I’m sure there are others that want to see his downfall. 

I suggest fustigation for his confessions, always public, mind you. And some times shackled at the city’s main door, you know, as an example.» 

«Is all that necessary?» 

«In exchange, I’m gonna slay the monster» 

«But I asked the Huang Hua palace and they sent multiple groups that already failed…» 

«No need to worry. You won’t have to pay, I know that you’re tied with the Qiu family because of money for your gambling problem»  

«How do you know all that?!»

The young cultivator got up and looked at the Governor over his shoulder with a coy half smile. 

«A little bird told me» he said.  

Despite all the shock that the cultivator made the Governor felt during that night, he blushed.  

••• 

That night the cultivator booked a room for him, but not for himself. 

He went out immediately, after having Shen Jiu secured in the inn.  

But Shen Jiu wasn’t going to let him go! Like hell he would lose sight of him!  

So he followed him into the woods.  

The cultivator was walking, making noises deliberately because Shen Jiu knew how quietly he usually walked.  

Time to time he would make a talisman fly away from his hands. 

He looked like a young master strolling around lazily, the only difference was that it was in the middle of the night inside an eerie forest with a monster roaming around.    

And then there was a movement and a big boar-like monster jumped out from behind the vegetation. It was still far from them, but Shen Jiu could feel the fear blocking his legs and his blood cooled from the shock. 

He felt that they would die when the monster charged on them.  

But there was an explosion.  

The monster overcame the first talisman trap and charged again, meeting another explosion. 

That demon monster kept charging, trusting in his impenetrable skin. 

The cultivator didn’t move a step and the last talisman exploded, but it was a bomb of light. 

Shen Jiu covered his face and after the light disappeared, the demon monster was down, at the cultivator's feet. 

He didn’t have a hair out of place or a speck of dust on him, still there, arms crossed behind him and looking down at the monster. 

Didn’t the Governor say that he called a group of Huang Hua Palace’s disciples that failed? He just single handed killed the monster?

He heard he was from the Cang Qiong Sect, the strongest and greatest sect of all. The disciples there were definitely different. 

«Did you like the spectacle?» asked the cultivator making Shen Jiu stiffen.  

«H-How?» 

«Mmh, the Poisonous Horned Boar is a species that has a very resistant skin. Their weak point is their eyes, as they can’t withstand the light. 

They have basic intelligence, so they can come up with some strategies and protect their weak points well. 

If you don’t know him enough, even ten disciples with strong cultivation attacking together would be useless. 

Just distract him, make it confident, surprise it to reveal his weak point and stab it in the eyes.  

This creature is rather pitiful. They usually live in herds and their cubs are cute, so unknowing poachers would capture them to sell them in black markets. 

But growing up far from their mothers would make them grow the demonic energy that they used… Sorry, I’m trailing off.»  

«Do you intend to just let that beast be punished like that?» he asked.  

The cultivator understood that he wasn’t talking about the Bear.  

«Do you want to do it with your own hands?» he asked.  

She Jiu didn’t say anything.  

«Do you want to kill him?» he asked again.  

«Doesn’t he deserve to die?»  

«He does. But can you do that?» 

«I can.» he said, without a doubt.  

The cultivator nodded.  

••• 

Qiu Jianluo was humiliated publicly, walking naked in the middle of the street. 

After the first moment of confusion, the citizens began to launch at him any kind of things, fruits, vegetables, pebbles.  

It was a sight as he walked to the scaffold in front of the Governor maison.  

There was a grand public, all of them offended by the Qiu’s in some ways.  

There was Qiu Haitang in the front line too, with a servant covering her with a paper umbrella and sniffling into a handkerchief.  

There were grand shouts to condemn him, saying he deserved it, that he was a bastard, that the heavens finally looked at them to punish that monster.  

Qiu Haitang was horrified by the people of her town that were always gentle to her.  

But she couldn’t let them listen that they were in the wrong.  

Qiu Jianluo didn’t say anything and just let them. 

Shen Jiu wanted him to trash around, to say he was innocent, to appear more pathetic, but that beast was behaving like a rational creature for once.  

He probably was thinking that he would search for revenge after all that, as killing a bunch of slaves, doing some torture and harassing here and there wasn’t a big deal for his family.  

He probably was thinking that his father was going to make all of them pay.  

He was flogged, admitting all the murdering with a bloody grin, admitting rapes, admitting torturing and all kind of atrocities.  

Qiu Haitang was horrified. So much that she stopped crying. She was shaking her head slowly, like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The more his brother admitted everything with a crazy smile on his face, taking all those slashes, the more shocked Qiu Haitang was. 

Were all her beliefs and thoughts wrong?  

And then he was hanged at the city doors for one night.  

After all the people were gone, at midnight, two figures appeared in front of him and put him down.  

Qiu Jianluo smiled. 

«Hello, Young Master» said Shen Jiu.  

He wanted to smile to scare him like the cultivator did to the Governor, but he couldn’t.  

«I knew it. Xiao Jiu doesn’t want to be punished right?! Xiao Jiu, I know you secretly liked eve-mmpf»  

«Just shut» hissed the cultivator putting some cloth in his mouth.  

He was dragged in the forest and then, the disciple gave Shen Jiu a whip.  

«Whatever you want» he said.  

And so Shen Jiu didn’t hesitate and took that same object that he feared once and still feared and began to vent all his hurt, desperation, anger.  

The blood splattered on his face and the screams of the beast were muffled by the cloth, the already red skin of his began to open, because the public flogging from the guard was from a softer whip and he had gone easy on him, as he was still the young master of the Qiu family.  

But not Shen Jiu. 

He used the very same whip of his, a metal like weapon, and he had no mercy.  

He should have felt thrilled, ecstasy, joy, fulfillment, satisfaction…  

But he felt nothing. Nothing at all.  

Where was his rage? Where was his vindictiveness? Where?!  

So he struck harder. 

Harder. 

Harder.  

He revived everything inside his head and poured it all out. 

At some point his arm began feeling numb and he stopped. 

The whip dropped on the grass splattered in blood.  

«Is he dead?» he asked.

«No. He just fainted.»  

«Ah»  

He looked at that bloody meat that was Qiu Jianluo.  

«If we leave him here the wild animals will take care of the rest» 

«People will come out searching for him if they couldn’t find him tomorrow»  

«I have a idea for that» 

••• 

There was so much commotion in the city. 

Horrified exclamation, scared whispers and prayers to the heavens to protect them. 

The young master of the Qiu family that was hanged on the principal door, became a monster with a boar head overnight and died exposed to the sun.  

Who would ever think that the Qiu Jianluo was a monster? 

The Governor remained silent about the issue and the Qiu family closed their door.  

The following morning, a Grand Master from the Cang Qiong Mountain arrived, beautiful and flawless, in green robes and on a spirit sword, she came in their aid as if she heard their pleas.  

«What did you do, Xiao Yuan?» asked the Qing Jing Peak Lord with her fan open.  

«Greeting, Shizun» smiled at her Head Disciple.  

«Does Shizun remember the Poisonous Horned Boar that Huang Hua Palace stopped pursuing after those failures?»  

The Peak Lord looked at him, impassible, fan still covering half her face.  

«Of course not, as I am the one that reads and categorizes all Shizun’s paperworks» he smiled.  

«Little brat, just state your business» she said, snapping her fan on his forehead.  

He hissed.

«Well, I captured it. And Shizun, the Governor has ties with an illegal market of monster cubs. It could go awry so I think the sect should take care of it.»  

«Why not wait to come back to report?»

«So they can hide the evidence?» 

«How brave of you to order your Shizun around, little brat!» another hit. 

«Shizun should work too…» 

Another hit.  

Why was he taking all the hits? 

«How about the other quest?» 

«He is Shen Jiu» said the cultivator. 

Shen Jiu snapped his head. How did he know his name?!  

«So? Are you going to take him to Cang Qiong?»  

«He has a spirit root, Shizun» 

«You know that having one doesn’t mean anything»  

«But I’m sure Shizun would like him» he said.  

«Oh? Are you not going to send him to Qiong Ding Peak?»  

«I’m going to take care of him until Shixiong comes out. After that it’s his decision where he wanted to be.»  

«Don’t your Shizun and Zhangmen-Shibo have any right to speak, you cheeky brat?!»  

«Do you?»  

Another hit. 

«It’s going to bruise Shizun!»  

«Shut up. And you!»  

Shen Jiu stiffened.  

The woman looked at him, up and down, judging him and then said:«You will become my disciple. Even after the Qiong Ding brat comes out, you will be a Qing Jing disciple, understood?» 

«Understood m’am» 

«Shizun» 

«Understood Shizun»

And then she went to clean up his disciple’s damages.  

Then Shen Jiu said. 

«I didn’t say I would follow you»  

«You won’t?» 

«Like you gave me any choice!»

 He said that, but he didn’t seem angry.  

«Don’t you want to meet Yue Qi?» 

«What?!» 

Qi Ge? Does Qi Ge have anything to do with this? 

«Didn’t I tell you that it was Yue Qi that sent me to find you?» He looked perplexed.  

Shen Jiu was so shocked that he didn’t know what to do other than staring at this dumbass.  

«Oh? I didn’t. Well, Yue Qi sent me» he said. 

«Where is he?! Why is he not here?! Why send you?!» he didn’t know if he felt angry that he sent someone instead of coming himself or happy that he wasn’t forgotten.  

«He is currently in closed seclusion because he… Fell ill. So he couldn’t come to you. I came instead, as no one knows when he can come out.»  

Qi Ge was ill? That was why he couldn’t come immediately?  

«And I’m just the only disciple that knows his situation and has permission to go out of the sect.»  

«…» 

Shen Jiu felt the urge to kick the guy.  

«So… Who are you?» 

«I’m the Head Disciple of Qing Jing Peak, the second highest Peak of Cang Qiong Sect in rank and your Da-Shixiong from today on.» 

And as if it was an afterthought:«And my names is Shen Yuan»  

A past memories of some songs of dragons echoed in Shen Jiu’s mind.  

Did they have the same surname?  

«You… Didn’t you promise the Governor to not pursue his crimes? You just sent a righteous Grand Master on him» he said. 

«What? I don’t strike deals with criminals»  

He shrugged.  

«Let’s go. You need to get checked by Qian Cao first.»  

He offered Shen Jiu a hand and with the other created a seal to call upon his sword. 

Shen Jiu still couldn’t understand how his life took this kind of sharp turn, it all seemed too good to be true. He had his revenge, he left the Qiu house and he was going to the sect where Qi Ge was to become a cultivator too.  

He still couldn’t trust this Shen Yuan guy, but he sure couldn’t be worse than Qiu Jianluo, so he took his hand and hopped on the sword. 

«Hold tight»  

Shen Jiu did hold tight. But as he hadn’t slept for two days he probably fainted in the middle of the air. 

He dreamed about being carried on the back of someone.  

Strangely, the last time someone carried him was Qi Ge… He tightened his hold and buried his face in that back.  

He maybe, just maybe, let some tears wet the robe.  

But Qi Ge wouldn’t care.  

••• 

In Shen Jiu’s nightmares there was this pig headed monster that was blocking his arms down.  

He knew that it would be long so he just gritted his teeth.  

But it wasn’t.  

Someone saved him. He thought it was Qi Ge, but he wasn’t.  

Then he woke up.  

He was in a little room with a disciple there.  

«You’re awake, Shen Shixiong» said the calm looking guy.  

Shen Jiu frowned.  

«I’m Mu Xiangshu, Head Disciple of Qian Cao Peak. 

Shen Da-Shixiong told me that you don’t like to be touched and he already gave you a basic cure, so we only had a superficial look, nothing invasive, I swear. But we need to check more thoroughly. 

If you permit…» said the guy offering water.  

So he was going to check on him? 

All his body? 

Touch him? 

Looked upon like a defective product that needed to be fixed? 

So another person would know how humiliated he was? 

«Where is Shen Yuan?» he asked instead.  

«He is on duty at his Peak» replied the younger guy with an irritating calm. 

«And Qi… Yue Qi?»  

That name made the disciple of the medical peak frown a little.  

«Yue Shixiong is in seclusion… Do you know him?»  

Shen Jiu didn’t answer him.  

He just didn’t want to be touched.  

The young medic had maybe limitless patience because he didn’t get angry. 

«Do you want me to call Shen Da-Shixiong here?» 

Shen Jiu didn’t realize he nodded until the medic actually got out of the room. 

Shen Yuan then appeared disheveled like he was just woken up abruptly. 

«Your bun is crooked» was the first thing he said to him. 

«Yeah, good morning to you too. You slept for a week but you sound pretty fresh uh?» 

Shen Jiu let the future Peak Lord of Qian Cao visit him, because it would be stupid going around with wounds that could damage him permanently.

Mu Xiangshu was quite surprised after he had checked him. Shen Jiu wasn’t sure if he was shocked to find out what happened to him or how he was already mostly healed. 

«Shen Shixiong’s first aid was… Impeccable» said the medic. 

«Was it? He healed well because of his innate spiritual root, though» commented disinterested the other Head Disciple.  

«I now know why the other seniors keep saying that Shizun wanted to snatch you for himself»  

«Uh, Shibo was pretty insistent» 

«Should I thank Shen Shixiong for not changing Peaks and snatching my position from me?»  

«Don’t joke around. I’m already busy as I am. Working on Qian Cao would kill me»  

«We rest too» protested Mu Xiangshu. 

«Our Mu Shidi is a genius of the century, this Shixiong wouldn’t dare trying his field»

«Shixiong should know that this Shidi won’t take his lips services as bribes»  

«I was totally sincere here, Mu Shidi» 

«Sure» 

«But I wouldn’t mind if Qian Cao prioritizes Qing Jing’s orders of unguents next time»  

«Shen Jiu Shixiong can be discharged in a week's time» chose to say Mu Xiangshu instead of replying to him. 

«Thank you, Mu Shidi» said Shen Yuan.  

He still hadn’t fixed his hair.  

••• 

After he was discharged, he was presented to his Peak siblings. 

They were all pretty enthusiastic to have a new Shidi with them. They were hovering. They were noisy.  

They were all liars.  

They just wanted to look good in Shen Yuan’s eyes.  

When a hand was going to pat his head, he wanted to bite him for daring to touch him.  

«Let’s give him some space, guys. He is not used to so many people» said their Head Disciple putting himself in front of him. 

Shen Yuan took him to his room that he would share with a Shixiong.  

That Shixiong, a guy that reminded him of Shiwu, was really happy to finally have a roommate and a Shidi.  

All that happiness was making Shen Jiu uncomfortable, but he would rather die before letting them realize that.  

That night, he felt insects crawling onto his bed and on his skin. He bathed himself for the first time alone and in a real tub, with warm water and scented oils, but he felt dirty nonetheless.  

He wanted to skin himself alive.  

The breathing of the other man in the room was heavy and too present. It felt like someone was hovering over him. 

He felt invisible touches from the breath alone. 

He got up and ran out of the room.  

He found a woodshed and slept there. 

•••

So, every night he would wait till his roommate to fall asleep, ignoring his attempts to make conversation, and then run out to the woodshed.  

His lessons began immediately and he had a hard time keeping pace, but he was actually good at everything. 

He had a perfect pitch since he was little, making him learn pieces for guqins after only one hearing. 

He had a visual memory and sense of art top-notch that his hall masters were crying before his paintings.  

Even calligraphy was easy if he only focused on the ‘making it look good’ part, as most of the characters were unknown to him. 

The strategy part with Weiqis was still difficult, but he knew that he could succeed even in that, given time.  

Even the beginning of cultivation was easy, even though he had started a couple of years later than his peers, he had a natural predisposition and talent in controlling Qi, so he caught up rather easily.  

If he had begun even a year later it would be more difficult for him.  

His problems were reading and general knowledge. He was good at memorizing and that Qiu Jianluo did teach him something, so he didn’t seem a total idiot, but he could see the enormous gap with the others.  

It made it a lot easier having Shen Yuan giving him private lessons after the main ones.

He was caring and taught with sincerity. 

When he promised to take care of him he really kept his word.  

He always paid attention to Shen Jiu’s difficulties even when Shen Jiu tried to hide them, but he never pointed them out. He just took care. 

Like how he noticed he didn’t like the crowded places he always find stupid excuses to invite him elsewhere and suggested some quiet and tranquil places for exercise with the guqin; or that Shen Jiu preferred eating alone so Shen Yuan would just prepare his meals beforehand the time for lunch or dinner; the younger had difficulty reading and didn’t know from where to start, because all the books in the library seemed too complicated, so the older would sneak some of ‘his favorite books’ for him to exercise. 

And finally, the others began to ignore him and distance themselves from him. Sometimes, Shen Jiu would catch them staring at him with frowns or clear displeasure.  

”What? Are you jealous because I’m better than you after only a month?”  

Even his roommate stopped trying to talk to him and was giving him cold shoulders.  

Sometimes Shen Jiu would find himself in disputes with some disciples.  

Initially he tried to ignore them, but sometimes there were comments or things that he just couldn’t get over. 

Shen Jiu, after all, was a street child that always fought for the little things he had.  

He couldn’t tolerate people ordering him around doing meaningless jobs. They get turns!  

«The fact that Shen Da-Shixiong dote on you now doesn’t mean you shouldn’t gather firewoods» 

Or  

«How could you not know how to write a letter? Even Bai Zhan’s disciples can do a better job?» 

Or 

«You lose the spar, now it’s your turn to clean the bathhouses» and of course he would lose the sparring! He had just started! 

So he retailed. How dare they look down on him?  

They were all hypocrites that smiled kindly when Shen Yuan or Shizun were around but scoffed at him when he was alone!  

Well, he didn’t attack them like he would on the street, but he would tell them off with the sharp tongue he had.

«Why do you keep making the sound off always at the same part? Are you deaf?»

«To paint a thing like that, it’s like you haven’t eyes»

«You know? The Poisonous Horned Boar have more grace than you» 

And he would do the exact same thing they did to him.  

It was a different form of battle than those on the streets but a battle all the same indeed. 

He would strike them all down and gain the highest position, so no one would look down on him anymore. 

He looked at the highest point of the Qing Jing Peak where the bamboo hut was.  

He would become the next Peak Lord because he promised to become a powerful cultivator with Qi Ge. And Qi Ge was destined to be the future Sect Leader so it was obvious that Shen Jiu should become his second in command. 

So he would, by all means, even if he were to drive Shen Yuan out of his position as Head Disciple. 

•••

«What do you think about the new Shidi?» he heard a pair of disciples that were chatting near his resting place (it was a place that Shen Yuan pointed out to him if he wanted to stay alone and ‘napping’ near the woodshed).  

«Well, he is overrated. You know, I get it that he is pretty talented in everything, but not enough for being immediately put as an inner disciple.

I get it that the excellent people get to have better treatments, but even Shen Da-Shixiong had passed a year as an outer disciple! And even that Bai Zhan Little Lord had his time as an outer one!» replied disciple number two.

«I heard that he’s related to the Head Disciple of Qiong Ding Peak and he also was ordained as a Head Disciple immediately» the other said.  

«Well, Yue Qi was chosen by Xuan Su, the strongest sword in Wan Jian’s cave. He was like born to be the Sect Leader, I can understand that, but this Shidi of ours, what does he have more than others? And you said Shen Jiu is related to him? I thought he was related to Shen Da-Shixiong?» number two huffed.  

«I thought that too, but Shen Da-Shixiong said he is an orphan. They just coincidentally have the same family name» number one was still calm.  

«So why did Shen Da-Shixiong care for him so much? Isn’t it unfair? He always pays attention to any of his problems and distresses. He’s overworking himself because of that guy, you know?» 

Number two actually sounded familiar. 

Oh, it was his roommate. 

«It’s not like we could do anything, you know how he is. But I bet it will change once the other one comes back.» 

«Who? Yue Qi? Because he is the one related to the new guy?» 

«No, the Bai Zhan Little Lord. Shen Da-Shixiong was so sad when he found out that Bai Zhan’s disciples went on a three month night hunt with their Shizun when he wasn’t here!» said number one. 

«You know, I actually hated that guy, but I could get over him because Shen Da-Shixiong seemed actually relaxed and got to rest when he came around. 

But Shen Jiu… Well, they honestly have both horrible personalities, I really don’t know why Shan Da-Shixiong cares for those strays that much.»

«You’re just jealous because you were the youngest until some time ago and he paid attention to you then because you were new»  

«I’m not!» 

«Well, anyway Shen Da-Shixiong will stop caring about Shen Jiu Shidi once he has mastered his studies and he has adjusted to the Peak. 

Your real enemy is the Liu guy» 

«What enemy? I’m not competing with anyone!»  

«It’s okay, everyone in Qing Jing had or still has a crush on him once. He’s just that perfect and kind, right?»  

«How could you say something like that about our Da-Shixiong?!»

And they went away. 

From that day, She Jiu would find himself hearing gossip about Shen Yuan from time to time. It wasn’t like he wanted to, but it just happened. 

And after all that, there was something that Shen Jiu could tell for sure: Shen Yuan was exceptional even among the peak cultivators of the best sect of the realm. 

He was a genius, talented in everything he put his mind into, smart, intelligent, but also gentle, patient and kind. He was really upright and would resolve disputes with pure logic and gentle coaxing instead of using his authority or using force, both things he possessed and could abuse.  

And of course he was also a proficient martial artist and had a high level of cultivation even for his age.  

He didn’t realize that he was that good. Shen Jiu really thought that he was at a normal level. Sure, he was exceptionally kind like the goodie two shoes he was and had the capability of teaching him everything, but he thought that that was all. 

Why would someone that had it all act like he was normal? 

Shen Yuan looked like some perfect immagine of how an immortal cultivator should be. 

And that irritated him. The more he found out about Shen Yuan, the more he began to find him hateful. 

Honestly, it was impossible being that perfect, right? No one in all the realm was just good. He probably was hiding something terrible! He was rather cruel with the Governor and the Qiu’s, but a decisive attitude against evil and enforcing justice was considered a virtue for the righteous sects. 

«Waaah! Did you see Shen Da-Shixiong smiling at me?!» said an excited little girl to her friend. 

“Loved by girls, why is it not that surprising?”

He scoffed internally.  

Qiu Jianluo too was popular with women; it wasn’t special having a nice face and a silver tongue.

He went into the training area and heard another familiar conversation.

«And then Shen Da-Shixiong smiled at me!» said a boy, rather enthusiastically to his friend. 

Shen Jiu’s wooden sword dropped by the absurdity of all that situation. 

“He sways women and men?!

What’s wrong with all these people?!

Is he some kind of sealed demon of seduction?!” 

That day he had additional lessons with Shen Yuan.  

Yeah, sure, he had an unfairly beautiful face, so ethereal and untouchable, really a blessing from the Heavens… And Shen Jiu really wanted to punch him because of that. 

Their private time together did decrease the more Shen Jiu learned and that was an achievement on Shen Jiu’s part.

Shen Jiu was getting better at a monstrous pace and he maybe was even more talented than the beloved Shen Yuan that all of them adored.

Maybe he could really take his place as a Head Disciple.

And he said so to him. 

«I’m going to become Head Disciple of Qing Jing so I can ascend with Qi Ge» 

What was he gonna do? Yell at him? Told him that he was an ingrate? Hit him? 

No. He smiled. 

«Please, do so then» he said. 

Was he mocking him? Did he think that he couldn’t? 

«I will, just you wait!» he roared angrily.  

At some point, after that brief conversation, he began taking lessons with Shizun together with Shen Yuan.

He was called at the personal training field of the Peak Lord and was taught qi control directly by her. 

Their Shizun was a real peerless cultivator with elegant looks and impeccable poise, the apex of how an immortal Grand Master should look like an Shen Jiu found himself imitating her the more he came to see her. 

If Shen Yuan paid attention to his changes, he didn’t point them out.

«Shen Jiu, I have high expectations from you, let this master see more»  

It was a praise right? He was praised? 

«Many thanks, Shizun» 

He then was given a fan that could help him better control his qi and she even offered him teaching the fan language. 

Shen Jiu launched a smug expression in Shen Yuan's direction, but he just found a smiling proud face in return.  

That made him angry. 

••• 

He kept sleeping in the woodshed until he had had enough of bruising himself every night, so he got up, searching for another solution. 

He was thinking of going to ask in one of the village's brothels, paying for an empty room with a bed, once he obtained his sword, because he just couldn’t tolerate sleeping beside a man. It reminded him too much of Qiu Jianluo.  

In the meantime, he should find more hay or blankets. 

«What are you doing, still up at this hour? It’s long past the curfew, Shen Shidi» he heard. 

Under the full moon there was a white clothed figure, with the face of a deity. Anyone would think that he was having a lucid dream in front of this kind of scene. 

He had slightly damp hair, loosened on his back and shoulders, some scrolls in his arms and it looked like he was barefooted. 

Shen Jiu found himself unable to reply.

«Go back to the dormitory, I will turn a blind eye this time»

«I don’t sleep there»

«Where do you sleep, then?»

«In the woodshed» 

Shen Yuan frowned. 

«Is someone… Forcing you out of the dorm?» 

He shook his head. 

«You can tell me, you know?»

«I can’t sleep in their same space» he said. 

«…» 

«Men are… Noisy» he added as an excuse.

No one would sleep in a woodshed for some noise! That was a poor excuse. 

«Okay, come with me» Shen Yuan said and turned to walk. 

Shen Jiu then followed him.

Shen Jiu knew where they were: the Head Disciples' private quarters.  

What?! He wanted Shen Jiu to sleep with him?! 

«Sleep here, I will sleep in your room» he said contrary to what he had thought. «If you need anything just call me. The clean sheets are in the wardrobe.»  

And he really left after giving to him his room, his right as a Head Disciple and everything Shen Jiu ever wanted.

Why did he keep giving away and never asked Shen Jiu something in return?

His private quarters were still in the men’s dormitory, so it was still uncomfortable in some way. The thought that over the thin walls there were so many male disciples, made him uncomfortable. 

But that night, without even changing the sheets, he fell asleep on a bed for the first time.

•••

He searched for Shen Yuan the next morning, but he wasn’t in his room. There was only that stupefied Shixiong that never asked him where he went at night. 

His own bed was still done, so no one had slept there, like always.

He only used that room for storing books or tools for studying, his personal things were all inside a Qiankun pouch that he carried everywhere.

Shen Jiu finally found Shen Yuan with his head on scrolls, paper and books in Qing Jing library. 

He had worked on his Head Disciples duties all night. Shen Jiu always asked himself when Shen Yuan did the paperworks since he was always dealing with something and taking care of him everyday.  

Was he stupid to give away his own sleep for a guy he had just met? 

Why try so hard? He still wasn’t at the level to practice inedia, was he? 

Even asleep looking so goofily and inelegant, he still looked beautiful. Talking about unfairness. 

That guy was just hateful.  

Shen Jiu took out his outer robe and covered his shoulder. 

He stayed there, looking at his face kissed by sunlight with daze. 

“I want to touch him”

Shen Jiu jolted.

Realizing what he was thinking about he got up and ran away, like a criminal that was fleeing from a crime scene. 

••• 

Shen Jiu realized that there wasn’t a bit of darkness in Shen Yuan. That guy was just pure. 

No matter how he tried to provoke him like he did with the others, that guy never failed to smile at him. 

It was enraging! 

The others would always be railed up by one or two sentences and then a fight would break out like that.  

There was no person in the world that would be happy when trampled! He was actively trying to take his place, for heaven sake! 

What was wrong with him?! 

One day, after training with the sword, he was stopped by his roommate. 

After that night, Shen Yuan asked their Shizun if Shen Jiu could sleep in the spare room of the bamboo hut, so he now had effectively a comfortable space that he could call his. 

Thus, that Shixiong wasn’t his roommate anymore.

He wanted to talk to him. 

He began nagging the moment they went to a more secluded place. He was outraged about the fact that he had the face of sleeping in Da Shixiong’s bedroom, that he was spoiled and how he was without any shame.  

And now he was even sleeping in their Shizun’s house, without knowing his place.

Shen Jiu snapped. 

He said awful things with a sneer on his face.  

«Sad is the life of people corroded by jealousy, isn’t it?»  

«What do you mean?!» he roared, just as Shen Jiu foresaw.  

He was quite angry.  

«Couldn’t you understand? What can you do? I’m just better so I get privileges, it’s normal.» 

«You don’t know anything!» he snapped. «Do you know how many sacrifices Shen Da-Shixiong is making for your conveniences?! How can you be so selfish?!» 

«No one asked him anything! It is his own decision if he wants to throw himself at my feet! Why is it my fault if he is stupid?!»

«How dare you! You ingrate!» 

«There is no need to take your frustration on me, even if I wasn’t here he would never take notice of someone like you!» 

Slap!  

His cheeks stung, but Shen Jiu grinned. 

Just like he thought.  

Now it was a legitimate defense. 

So he threw him a punch and they began throwing fists.  

Someone came to them to separate the two.  

But Shen Jiu kept trashing.  

Other disciples came to help and finally they all stopped when they heard the voice of the only person they all cared about.  

«What’s happening here?» Shen Yuan said. 

«Da-Shixiong… There was a fight…» someone replied.  

He looked at both of them and crossed his arms.  

«You all, go do your duties. I handle them» he ordered. 

With some worried murmurs, the other disciples dispersed and Shen Yuan looked at them. 

«So? Who is going to talk first?» he asked without any inflection on his voice. And it was worse. It would have been better if he expressed clear displeasure. 

The snitch Shixiong didn’t even hesitate and spilled everything, even what he said to Shen Jiu, word by word. 

Coward.  

Shen Yuan sighted.  

«Sorry, Shidi. I can understand how you’re feeling but Shen Shidi has nothing to do with any of his dispositions. I was the one that decided everything with my own criteria and I talked about it with Shizun before doing anything. 

I can swear on my name that it’s not preferential treatment,» he said. 

«Shixiong! It’s not that the problem! It’s that he just takes everything for granted and you just… When was the last time Da-Shixiong had slept?! You didn’t even have time to eat!» 

«Thank you for your concerns, but this Shixiong can take care of himself. Please, apologize to Shen Shidi» he said gently.  

Why?! Why was he defending him? Didn’t he see that it was the Shixiong with red lines from Shen Jiu’s nails on his face?! 

What is it that he wanted from Shen Jiu to act like that?!  

«I don’t need your help!» he snapped.  

The Shixiong looked at him in horror and disgust, but Shen Yuan didn’t even react.  

«I didn’t say you were in need. I’m resolving a dispute»  

«Stop kidding! Do you take me for a fool?! What do you want from me? What do you want to archive?!» 

«What the hell are you saying?! Do you think all people are like you?!» spat the Shixiong in Shen Yuan’s defense. 

«Oh?! I know! You’re being a goodie-two-shoes so that they all can compare me to you and hate me, right?!» he spat with all the hatred he could manage. 

But why? Why didn't he react even after he said all these hurtful things?

«Shen Jiu…» he tried to say, a hand lifted in his direction.  

«Don’t fucking touch me!» 

He slapped it away.  

«I’m sorry» 

Shen Jiu exploded in a fit of fury.  

What was that look?! 

What was that careful tone?! 

Shen Jiu finally understood why that person always bugged him!  

«And what?! Do you pity me?! I don’t need your fucking pity! You think you’re so good that you can just look down on anyone?!»  

He trashed his arms, in a pit of fury he attacked, like he always did when he was an ugly street beast. 

Shen Yuan could have dodged it. But he didn’t.  

A line of blood appeared on the side of that beautiful face. It became bigger and a drip of red trickled down.  

No one said anything for a moment, too shocked in horror to see that wound on the most precious face of all Cang Qiong Sect.  

Shen Jiu’s rage frozen. 

Before things could escalate, Shen Yuan smiled.  

«It’s good saying what you think; stuffing everything inside is not good.» 

«Da-da Shixiong your f-face!» the other disciple seemed on the verge of crying, with his hands twitching, wanting to touch Shen Yuan‘s face.  

«It’s just a scratch» he said like his face wasn’t a Hidden Realm’s treasure.  

«Qian Cao Peak! We sh-»

«Shidi, I’m okay. With some Qi circulation I won’t even have a sign tomorrow. 

I’m sorry for all the trouble. But please don’t come to hands. 

Shen Jiu, apologize to your Shixiong, please»  

“Apologize for what?!” Is what he wanted to say. But he knew perfectly well what he needed to lower himself for. For being sincere, for revealing the ugliness of that Shixiong’s heart, for… 

«Shen Jiu, hurting people’s feelings doesn't reveal their hidden face, it just makes them feel bad. In this world, there aren’t people who are all righteous and good; even the best immortal master had something they wanted to hide, but, do you know the difference between good people and evil ones?» 

He didn’t wait for a response.

«It’s the choice one makes. Even if someone had ugly thoughts, but chose to hide them and make himself better, then he isn’t a bad person. You may say that your Shixiong is jealous of others, but he is also someone that worked hard on his studies.»

«Did he hurt you? Did he make you feel uncomfortable? Were there any malicious intentions towards you?»

There was no need for an answer. 

«There’s no need to push people to the edge. No one knows what he is capable of if forced to the corner.»

“And what will you be capable of?” he wanted to ask. He didn’t even budge at all the things he had said to him and had overlooked even after he had wounded him. 

He didn’t say anything for a moment, he didn’t even dare to look at his face.

But he gathered some courage. 

«I apologize. I wanted to demonstrate that no one really sincerely cared…» he murmured. 

The Shixiong seemed to calm down too.  

«I did indeed think it was better to just leave you. 

You’re putting such a burden on Da-Shixiong. He is already busy as he is and you just make problems for him. You just keep fighting everyone; you are a pest!

But that doesn’t mean I wish for your downfall. I wanted you to better yourself and maybe share your problem with others too, letting other disciples help you, so you are happy and Da-Shixiong will have more free time» 

Shen Jiu nodded and apologized again. 

As it seemed all the things were wrapped up, Shen Jiu turned, but that Shixiong stopped Shen Yuan.  

«I-I want to say something to you Da-Shixiong» he said, face suddenly turning really red.  

«What is it?» asked the polite Head Disciple.  

«I like you, Da-Shixiong, I have always liked you!»  

A confession?! Right now? 

There was a half second when Shen Yuan’s face turned cold. Really cold. 

Shen Jiu wasn’t sure he saw it right since it disappeared really fast. 

The Shixiong didn’t seem to have noticed it. 

«I appreciate the sentiment, Shidi…» Shen Yuan said

The other dropped his shoulders.

«I know. I didn’t expect anything… It’s just… Wanted to tell you»  

Shen Yuan nodded awkwardly.  

The Shixiong ran away and Shen Jiu was sure that he saw a tear.

••• 

Shen Jiu and Shen Yuan walked in an awkward silence.  

«You don’t have anything to say?» Shen Jiu asked, breaking the silence.  

«Not really» the other replied. 

Shen Jiu stopped his walk. 

Shen Yuan tuned to look. 

«Just why aren’t you angry at me?» he asked.  

Was it all? Will he turn around and pretend everything was okay? Just like that? 

«Why didn’t you hit me back? Everyone would do that!» he continued.

«What is it that you want?» Shen Yuan asked. 

«Just hate me like everyone does!»

There was a confused silence where neither of them said anything. 

And then Shen Yuan began to advance in his direction. 

Shen Jiu found himself moving backwards with each of Shen Yuan’s steps, until his back was against some bamboo reeds. 

Shen Yuan was just one step away from him and Shen Jiu noticed that he was tall, really tall. Shen Jiu didn’t realize that he was so much taller than him.  

If Shen Jiu had thought about it, it was obvious. Even though he was only one year older than him, Shen Yuan was a cultivator that had enough nutrients and practiced martial arts from a young age. On the contrary, Shen Jiu had passed years as a malnourished kid and after that he was abused for two years.  

It was obvious that Shen Yuan would be much taller than him. 

Then why had he never noticed?  

Because every time they met, Shen Yuan would try to make Shen Jiu comfortable with his presence: like maintaining distance when they stood together; always sit first and in front of him or just change the way he spoke to him.  

«Shen Jiu» he called. Voice low and with an expressionless face.  

«Do you wish me…» he leaned a little, near his ear «… to fuck you…» 

Shen Jiu shuddered.  

«… up that much?» 

What the fuck was with that pause?!  

Shen Yuan leaned back and smiled gently like always; like that cold moment hadn’t even existed.  

«You shouldn’t want something that could hurt you. Take in, don’t throw away» he said. 

Then, he walked away after patting his head. 

Shen Jiu let himself fall on the ground. He couldn’t feel his knees anymore and his heart felt like exploding with how fast it was beating. 

He felt his face hot when he thought of the cold expression on Shen Yuan’s face. It was… Gut-wrenching. 

What was that?! 

And then, Shen Jiu realized. There was a spec of cruelty even in Shen Yuan. 

He nearly smiled at that thought. 

If someone found out, Shen Yuan's perfect image would be shattered and who would love him anymore? 

It took a lot to be seen as good, but it would take just a little stain for an entire wall to crush down. 

Humans are like that. Always there to make the tops, bottoms. 

But he was different. Shen Jiu was certain that only he could accept even Shen Yuan’s cruelty and not run away when facing it. 

He would care even for his uglinesses. 

He could lo…  

Maybe he could even love him.

Chapter Text

Shen Jiu thrashed around on his bed.

What was wrong with him? Love him? Love Shen Yuan?!  

He didn’t need those stupid feelings!  

Qi Ge was all he needed!  

He was going to become Head Disciple, then Peak Lord with Qi Ge and after a successful life as Immortal Masters they would ascend together! That was all!  

So it was decided.  

Then why did he shine so much? Why couldn't Shen Jiu tear off his own eyes from him when they were in the same space? Just why did he seem more beautiful than before?!  

It was stupid jumping every time he found him close to him, or feeling breathless when he smiled at him. 

It was his fault right?! He had this ‘thing’ that just attracted people.  

He suddenly remembered that roommate Shixiong saying that everyone that knew Shen Yuan would end up crushing on him at least once.  

It was something that would go away on his own.  

••• 

Fuck fuck fuck. Why didn't it go away?  

It’s getting harder hearing his own thoughts when he was near Shen Yuan because of his heart beating too fast!  

”So noisy! He couldn’t hear it right?”

He felt his face burning so often that he had Shizun’s fan open in front of his face all the time.  

Shen Jiu couldn’t spar with Shen Yuan until now - since his level was too high for him -  but he finally managed to learn the basics, enough to withstand his lessons in martial arts.  

He was extremely happy, because he heard from the others that Shen Yuan had a different set of gowns for his martial arts lessons.  

Usually for Qing Jing Peak’s disciples, the robes were more baggy, suited for scholars and spiritual cultivators. They didn’t get to focus as much as other Peaks on martial arts, but, of course, martial arts was a requirement for all cultivators.  

Shen Jiu had to learn all the basics first and Shen Yuan was in the advanced classes, so they actually never met on the training ground.  

They all had a set of lighter clothing and with much less layers, but he heard that Shen Yuan’ robes were customized by Shizun as he usually sparred more than the other Qing Jing Peak’s disciples.  

Shen Jiu’s training sword dropped the moment he saw him on the training ground.  

Was that little amount of layers legal?! He was practically naked wasn’t he?!

Was the belt making his waist look smaller? His shoulders were wider than he had thought, but nonetheless proportionate; his figure slender and elegant, legs long and straight and… The nape! He could see his nape! He had his long, black-inked, shiny hair in a ponytail!

And he noticed him. 

«Shen Shidi! Congratulations for advancing so far» he smiled at him. 

Shen Jiu snapped open his fan immediately to cover his face and barely replied with a nod. 

He heard some people commenting on his rudeness, but he ignored them.

As a lesson guided by the Head Disciple, there were no Hall Masters around. 

Shen Jiu could see that all his peak siblings were watching with hawks-eye Shen Yuan’s figure when he passed near them to correct their posture.      

Shen Jiu noticed that Shen Yuan would never touch the other disciples when he corrected them. He would use the wooden sword to correct them, like he could punish them any moment.  

«Could you show us?» he asked before he even had thought about it. 

He really wanted to know how to do it better, it wasn’t because he was paying more attention to others than to him.  

«Well, if it helps»

When Shen Yuan put on his stance, silence fell on the surroundings. It was like time itself had stopped to look at him.  

Shen Yuan then moved like the wind itself. He moved like he knew how to fly (well, he was a disciple with a spiritual sword, so he indeed knew how to fly). He looked like he was dancing with the sword, that seemed an extension of his body, and he had perfect control of everything about himself, even the swinging of the tassel and his hair seemed to move with a calculated elegance. 

It was a spectacle to watch.  

Shen Jiu wanted to be just like him.  

When he stopped he asked something to them, but no one replied. They were probably all like Shen Jiu who had not actually heard him, too mesmerized to answer him. 

«Well, if no one had any question you can proceed on replicate it»  

“How the hell am I supposed to do that?!” 

He tried really hard to reproduce those movements for a sichen and he eventually tripped on his own foot and fell.  

He was really going to fall face down, really disgracefully, but someone caught him mid fall. 

His first reaction was to retaliate for being touched, but after noticing who caught him he felt like dying instead. 

Shen Jiu was never more grateful for his own stony face. He trained his face to never show emotions since Qiu Jianluo wanted him to express all the pain. The consequences were helpful for once. 

Shen Jiu had his hands on Shen Yuan's arms and he could feel his muscles under those few layers. Also, at this distance, he could even smell his clear scent, like that of nature itself, and he knew that if he lifted his head he would meet a worried and gentle gaze.  

But he couldn’t lift his head.  

He pushed him away and hissed at him, then ran away.  

•••

Shen Jiu had never heard Shen Yuan play guqin. 

Shen Yuan had stopped going to lessons, before Shen Jiu even arrived, because of his Head Disciple’s duties and the fact that the Hall Masters said he was already better than them and didn't have anything to teach him anymore.

Also, Shen Yuan didn’t want to become a music cultivator, so he didn’t need additional studies. 

That was why, the first time he heard him play, he nearly cried.  

It was so beautiful.  

His sound was clear, tender, pure.  

He played in a secluded place, where the others called ‘Da-Shixiong’s place’, but all peak’s people could hear him.  

Shen Jiu wanted to join him, but he knew what having a personal space meant to someone, so he didn’t dare to disturb him and invade what was his. 

The beautiful music spread even more and they all could feel the Qi in it.  

Shen Jiu really envied this kind of talent. He could admit that he was exceptional, since he was someone with a really sharp hearing. If Shen Jiu’s music was precise and how it was supposed to be, a rigid perfection; then Shen Yuan’s was emotional, personal and sentimental. 

Not really something he could put into arrays as he used strong sounds that couldn’t be bound, but it was something that could even move the Heavens, in Shen Jiu’s opinion.  

Shen Jiu had already seen Shen Yuan’s beautiful painting, something that seemed capable of coming to life just by looking at it; he had read his poems, profound, smart and exhibited as an example by the Hall Masters; he had been taught by him in weiqi so he knew how proficient he was in strategy too.  

And now even his music was incredible. 

He was truly a perfect being. How could Shen Jiu even think of taking the Head Disciple position from him?  

He was so talented that Shen Jiu felt displeased. He hated and admired him at the same time.  

He wanted to be like him.  

•••

Shen Yuan wasn’t perfect.  

He was a dork.  

Shen Jiu realized that after he began to pay attention to Shen Yuan’s every admirer. And he had a lot of them. Too many of them in fact.  

Shen Jiu felt like every person Shen Yuan came in contact with was ready to propose to him at any time.  

Yeah, he knew perfectly well that it was hard not to look at him when he was there, but they shouldn’t be this blatant! Shameless! They were all shameless! Who the fuck were they to covet Shen Yuan?!  

At first, Shen Jiu wasn't sure if Shen Yuan just didn’t know or he just didn’t care. 

He never took them in particular regard, not like they wanted anyway, and he was always distantly polite with everyone, equal to all, so Shen Jiu thought he was somewhat self conscious and had kept distance. 

All his admirers just responded with their own politeness and tried to attract his attention in more subtle ways. 

Well, no one was so stupid to confess anymore after they saw how awkward his relationship with the Shixiong had been after he had confessed.  

They all found out that Shen Yuan was the type of person that ran away from or would completely ignore the person that liked him romantically.  

But they were wrong: Shen Yuan wasn’t aware of anything; he was actually pretty naive and oblivious. 

And of course it wasn’t all! Apparently, he didn’t find himself attractive!  

He couldn’t understand people loving gazes!  

He couldn’t take hints!  

He just twisted things in his head and made himself a normal and absolutely anonymous disciple!  

He was the densest person in all the human realm!  

Just why did Shen Jiu fall for an imbecile like that?  

Even when Shen Jiu stopped running away at the slightest contact with him and started to try to get close to him instead, he just couldn’t take a hint! He just played off like he finally got used to him! 

He, of course, knew that he was cared for by him more than others ‘like a little brother’… Yeah, this dork said that to the other disciples! He said that he saw Shen Jiu like a little brother to take care of! How dare he?!

Even though Shen Jiu decided to not run away from him anymore, he wasn’t going to stop trying to take his place as Head Disciple, and he had told Shen Yuan so. That stupid imbecile had seemed overjoyed by his declaration.

“You will become a really good Peak Lord” he had said to him! And he was fucking sincere about that! This moron! 

He was stupid and more of an airhead than he had thought. But if someone wasn’t close to him they would just see his perfect disciple facade and not his flaws. 

Shen Jiu should consider himself lucky, right?  

So, Shen Yuan really didn’t know that he was ethereal, special and anything but normal. But Shen Jiu could put up with that, if anything, it was helpful to drive other flies away from him.  

On the other hand, Shen Jiu realized that he was treated awfully well by Shen Yuan, even as only someone he considered his little brother. He was too caring.

Shen Jiu wasn’t stupid, he knew it was probably just pity since Shen Yuan saw him at his lowest; it could have been just a sense of responsibility from the one who saved him or even he just treated it as the Head Disciple’s duty or maybe he just promised Qi Ge to take care of him until he came out of seclusion. 

It made sense that he was close to Qi Ge; he had heard that when Qi Ge had just arrived at Cang Qiong Sect, it was Shen Yuan that helped him adapt faster since both of them were Head Disciples. 

And who just goes all the way to save and take care of the childhood friend of someone that you’re not close to? 

Shen Yuan seemed like someone that always cared for others but never thought for himself. 

He had other close relationships, of course. 

Often, he would go to other Peaks or other Head Disciples would come to Qing Jing to find him.  

Usually, they had something they wanted help for, but most of the time they just wanted to spend some time with him.  

The majority of them seemed to have already given up on him and decided that being his friend was better than nothing and some of them had never tried.  

Like the girl from Xian Shu Peak. She was an overbearing brat with an awful personality. 

Well, Shen Jiu knew that he himself had a nasty character, but he at least could pretend to be poised. 

They didn’t get along, of course. 

«Why do you always take that thing with you?» she scoffed when they arrived at Xian Shu receiving hall.  

«Shimei…» sighted Shen Yuan.  

«Because if he kept hanging around reptilians he would end up bitten» Shen Jiu replied in his Shixiong stead.  

«Are you talking about yourself, Shen Shidi?» grinned the girl.  

Shen Yuan laughed nervously and interrupted them.  

The reason Shen Yuan was meeting her was to catch up with the gossip of all Cang Qiong since Qing Jing Peak’s disciples seemed awfully overprotective over their Head Disciple and didn’t want to tell him anything besides the good things.  

«Well, you’ll be happy to hear that Bai Zhan’s juniors will come back soon» she said.  

Shen Yuan’s eyes sparkled.  

It was the first time Shen Jiu saw Shen Yuan that excited about something. He was usually calm and placid, like Qing Jing itself, so it was always hard to understand his real feelings.  

How could you tell what he was feeling if he was someone that smiled even when insulted?!  

But he looked really happy about the Bai Zhan’s disciples' return.  

Shen Jiu had heard about them. 

A Peak full of brutes that were obsessed with becoming stronger and all they could think of was fighting.  

They were so empty-headed that when their Shizun wasn’t on Bai Zhan they would go around other Peaks picking fights. 

Well, somehow Qing Jing wasn’t a target, mainly because of Shen Yuan, but that didn’t make them less brutes.  

So Shen Jiu really couldn’t figure out why Shen Yuan was so happy about their return.  

Shen Jiu didn’t like it.  

«There is still nothing from LingXi caves» she continued ignoring her Shixiong silly smile.  

«Yeah, I figured» he came to his senses.  

«And half of my shimei wanted me to introduce you to them»  

«Uh? Why? I don’t play favorites»  

«I don’t even know where to begin.» said Qi Zigui, rolling her eyes.  

«First of all, you do play favorites» and she signed at Shen Jiu with her chin. 

«And let’s not mention the little beauty of Bai Zhan»  

Shen Yuan actually had the gut of looking offended.  

«I just gave attention to people that needed it!»  

Shen Jiu and Qi Zigui looked at him. 

«Sure, just say that I’m playing favorites.» he grumbled. «But that doesn’t mean that I will yield to the first good looking person that came to me! I don’t want to meet any of your shimei if they searching for favors»  

Qi Zigui scoffed.  

«Why do you always turn things around?»  

Shen Yuan looked puzzled.  

«Well, let’s keep you that way. If you're this wanted when you don’t have any clue, I fear to imagine if you were more aware.» 

Shen Yuan looked at Shen Jiu to express his confusion but Shen Jiu just opened his fan in front of him.  

Like Shen Jiu said, he was a dork that thought he was perfectly normal and was just a little better at listening to instruction.  

The problem was that usually the ‘instructions’ of how things should be done, were the ‘perfect way’ that no one should be able to reach! But he just did it easily! 

«Anything else, Qi Shimei?» asked Shen Yuan. 

«I heard the Cang Qiong Mountain sect will participate in a big purge of monster traffickers, it will require the presence of all the Head Disciples and as Yue Shixiong isn’t here…» 

«I will be the one to guide you all? Please, no» 

«Weren’t you the one that found traces of them?» 

«Yeah, but I thought Shizun would take care of everything!» 

«Well, Tang-Shigu did find all of them and took care of the big guy… The small fries are for us»  

Shen Yuan sighted. 

«Cheer up, Shixiong, we still need to wait for Hui Shibo and Liu Mingyu to come back.»  

Shen Yuan smiled at that name. 

••• 

Shen Yuan was meditating.  

Shen Jiu knew that he had better things to do than watching him meditating and he was even hiding behind a bush like some kind of pervert. 

But he couldn’t tear off his gaze from that sitting figure loved by the wind of Qing Jing Peak and the birds, butterflies and all sorts of animals that would normally be too scared to approach humans.  

«Shen Jiu» he heard his call, gentle as always.  

«If you don’t have anything better to do came here»  

Shen Jiu got up, like he wasn’t hiding and spying on his Shixiong and plopped down next to him.  

«Now, meditate» he said.  

Shen Jiu obeyed without making a fuss, but then, the calm moment between the two of them was interrupted.

A disciple ran to Shen Yuan huffing heavily. 

«Shen Da-Shixiong the Bai-»

«Scram» said in a cold voice. 

He was interrupted by someone that took him by the collar of his robe and threw him away easily like he weighed nothing. 

Shen Yuan’s eyes sparkled again as he recognized the owner of the voice and a beautiful smile appeared on his lips.  

He immediately stopped his meditation and got up. 

Shen Yuan was a usually smiling person. His smile was always warm and gentle and sometimes there was the cold one when he was pissed or the polite one that appeared when he was forced to do something he didn’t want to do. 

But that smile was a new one for Shen Jiu. Shen Yuan smiled for others, but that smile was for himself, a natural smile, a smile born without thinking. 

It was a happy smile. 

«Shimei~ you should send me a notice before appearing like that» hummed Shen Yuan. 

He wasn’t the slightest offended despite his words. 

«Burdensome. This way is faster,» the Bai Zhan guy pouted. 

«You didn’t even tell me that you were back, I was waiting, you know?» he added, smiling more openly. 

The Bai Zhan disciple blushed. 

«I got back just half sichen ago» he murmured. 

Oh… He was another one of those fools that thought Shen Yuan would pay attention to them if he was insistent enough! 

Shen Jiu sneered. 

«Did you miss me so much that the first thing you did, after coming back from your first long night hunt, was to come to me, Shimei?» joked Shen Yuan.  

That brat blushed even more.  

«It’s just you weren’t here when I was departing on my first night hunt and…» he trailed off. 

The brat hadn’t seen the look on Shen Yuan’s face. But Shen Jiu did. 

He was looking at that brat with fondness, a gaze that never landed on anyone Shen Jiu had observed until now. 

Who the fuck was this brat? 

And he was clearly a boy, so why did Shen Yuan call him Shimei? He never passed for one that liked to tease people! He had always polite and gentle with anyone! 

«I missed you, though, Shimei» 

«Shixiong! You-!!» the Bai Zhan guy huffed angrily.  

Seeming incapable of saying more, the guy put a hand into his qianku pouch and put out a sack the size of a big tiger. He let it down on the ground with a heavy thud.  

All that staying angry. 

«What is it?» asked Shen Yuan gingerly.  

«A Southern Griffin. It’s my first hunt.» he spat rudely, like he didn’t want to stay here, but it was his duty so he had conceded them his presence. 

«Oh! That’s quite impressive, Shimei!»  

Shen Yuan was too generous. 

«It’s a gift» 

«A gift?» 

«You said you wanted to see one since they are rare…» the brute blushed again, but tried to stay angry.

«For me? That’s actually sweet, Shimei, thank you»

Blush. Again. He was so red that he looked away, turning all his body.

Then he finally realized that there was someone else there.  

«Yeah, the first time you meet him, right? He is Shen Jiu, my new Shidi. Shen Jiu, Liu Mingyu, the Head Disciple of Bai Zhan» 

He was a Head Disciple? He looked young though.

Well, he heard Shen Yuan was the first person to become Head Disciple at only twelve and had been the youngest to achieve that too, this much was nothing.

«I know she is pretty, but please don’t stare at her too much» 

«Y-you!» 

«What?! Who is staring?!» 

They said together and then looked at each other with displeasure.  

Shen Jiu felt cold in his chest when he looked at this guy.  

He was pretty, he could admit that much. Much prettier than every young lady on Qing Jing he had seen until now and obviously fairer than Qi Zigui. He could see why Shen Yuan would call him ‘Shimei’, because, with a face like that, he could be easily mistaken for a girl.  

Uh? Wait… Did he really confuse him for a girl? It would be pretty stupid, but Shen Yuan was kind of… an airhead in the strangest circumstances.  

After that Shixiong confessed, Shen Yuan admitted that he never thought that someone would like him ‘that way’ and Shen Jiu was so perplexed because half of the people on Cang Qiong had a crush on him. 

Or that time a brave girl invited him to ‘play’ with her and he said that ‘it was irresponsible to play when there are duties still not completed and that she should be more disciplined as a disciple of Cang Qiong’. 

Or when his fellow peak siblings would ‘accidentally’ fall and hurt themselves during training so he would worry for them and he would always fall for their tricks! 

And he always praised people like he was flirting with them, but he was absolutely sincere about his compliments and couldn’t understand why the people were discouraged when they realized that he wasn’t flirting! 

So, he was a person perfectly capable of mistakenly thinking of a friend he knew for nearly two years as a girl.  

But the question was… Why was that brat letting him? He didn’t strike to him for one that would let off someone that treated him as a girl. And he didn’t seem that smart to purposely mislead Shen Yuan to gain his affection.  

«So… Liu Shimei, how did you hunt it?» He asked to test his theory.  

The brat from Bai Zhan was visibly going to snap at him, so easily to rail up, but Shen Yuan was very thrilled when he added:«Yeah! Liu Shimei, tell us all!»  

And Shen Jiu’s theory was confirmed. 

He was in love with the dumbest person in the human realm that couldn’t even distinguish a man from a woman. 

The Bai Zhan brat relented to his obvious crush and told how he hunted the Griffin. 

«So Shizun just took us all to that mountain where he already verified that there were multiple wild beasts like Short Haired monsters or Paper Snakes. 

He said to us that the person who catches the most monsters or the most dangerous ones will get a banquet-like meal full of meat and 50 spirit stones»  

«Uh, Hui Shibo was… Generous, I guess?» commented Shen Yuan. 

«The race began and I captured some Short Haired monsters. I wanted to take them to you since they are edible, but then I found traces of a bigger predator. 

So I followed them» 

«Alone?»

«Didn’t think» 

“I figured that he wasn’t someone capable of thinking” scoffed Shen Jiu in his head.  

«I’m sure Shibo was there to look after you, right?»  

«Dunno»  

Shen Yuan sighted helplessly.  

«I found the Griffin and attacked it. We fought and I won»  

«Details, Shimei! Details!» 

So he told the story of the battle.  

Shen Jiu felt jealous at how he described difficult sword manoeuvres as something easily done and he felt jealous at how interested Shen Yuan looked. He kept asking questions at the right points and he kept praising him at incredible feats that the brat was going to gloss over, if Shen Yuan hadn’t pointed out. 

Shen Jiu knew that he had just begun practicing martial arts and he was a spiritual cultivator unlike the Bai Zhan kid, but Shen Jiu was a competitive person in the end. 

Heavens, he even felt competitive with Shen Yuan’s geniuses with the four arts! 

And what had this kid that excited Shen Yuan that much? He kept smiling at him! And he was just talking about martial moves without the skill to elaborate his sentences! 

«Well, Shimei, that was really impressive. I cannot wait to test your skills.»

«Are we not fighting now?» the Bai Zhan guy looked puzzled. 

What? What fight? Now? Out of nowhere?

«Don’t be silly, you just came back» laughed Shen Yuan. He didn’t seem surprised by the absurd request. 

«I can still fight» he replied. 

«We will have plenty time when we’ll go on mission together» 

«Are we going on a mission together?» the Shimei didn't change any expression on his face but he sounded excited. 

“He just said that, you dumpshit.” 

Shen Jiu was already frustrated that he couldn’t follow Shen Yuan and now he found out that this irritating guy was going to go with him?! How was that fair?!

«Yeah, I’m looking forward»  

Shen Yuan’s smile was blinding. They both blushed.  

••• 

That guy came to Shen Yuan every other day to spar. He would come and Shen Yuan would leave everything he was doing and go with him. 

That was irritating.  

Shen Jiu didn’t need Shen Yuan’s constant teaching anymore, but Shen Yuan would normally stay with him when the younger was doing his studies and test him after he was done, even when he wasn’t needed. But every time that Bai Zhan brute appeared, Shen Yuan would always indulge with his nonsensical demands!  

It was so inelegant fighting that much!  

And the fact that that guy would always ignore Shen Jiu and any other Qing Jing disciple and acted like only Shen Yuan existed, made him furious. It seemed that he deemed all the others, Shen Jiu included, unworthy.

Shen Jiu hated arrogant people that never knew hardship, acting all mighty like him.  

And then, all the Head Disciples departed for their mission. 

Qing Jing Peak without Shen Yuan was gloomy. Maybe it was only the general mood or Shen Jiu’s pessimistic perception, but it felt all so wrong.  

Shen Jiu was, for the first time, alone since he had set foot on Cang Qiong Mountain sect. 

Meanwhile, he found out more about the Head Disciple of Bai Zhan, because he just didn’t like him and as an enemy he should have known about him. It was not because he was liked by Shen Jiu’s crush. 

Shen Jiu knew that Shen Yuan favored him blatantly but he had never seen Shen Yuan liking someone so openly. Shen Yuan usually was subtle in his personal preferences. 

Shen Jiu could tell most of Shen Yuan's likes and dislikes because he observed him all the time, but Shen Yuan wasn’t so easy to read if he put an effort to hide things. 

Like he was obviously more leaned toward sweets and he really hated the bland food of Qing Jing, but he always ate it all without complaining or that he was actually a lazy guy that preferred to sleep in, but he worked more than anyone only because he was the Head Disciple. 

So he could tell that Shen Yuan liked that Bai Zhan guy in a different way than others, because everyone could tell. 

Well, he treated him more like a cute pet than a love interest, so maybe he wasn’t a problem. 

Shen Jiu grinned to himself.  

It would make sense that Shen Yuan was able to tame a Bai Zhan wild animal.  

But maybe Shen Yuan was only fond of him because he thought of him as a girl? Like a pretty little sister? Thinking about that, there aren’t any Shimeis in Qing Jing and the other Peaks girls were…

But doesn’t that mean that Shen Yuan preferred women? No, no, no, even Shen Jiu himself treated women differently from men! And he clearly was attracted to men even though he couldn’t stand them.  

So maybe… If he addressed the topic to Shen Yuan and he came to realize that he was not a girl, Shen Yuan would feel betrayed right? Why had no one told him that he was mistaking that guy for a girl?  

Well, even if he forgave the brute, their relationship would never ever be the same… 

On the other hand, Shen Yuan knew everything about Shen Jiu, he objectively hadn’t anything to hide from him anymore. (His crush wasn’t a secret. It was Shen Yuan’s fault that he couldn't understand). 

So, wasn't it better for Shen Yuan to have someone that wasn’t hiding something from him by his side? 

Shen Jiu found out that that guy was the only son of the matriarch of the Liu Clan, the direct descendant of a famous family of proficient cultivators. 

His father was from Bai Zhan too so he had an easy entry in Cang Qiong Mountain. 

Well, despite being recommended, he chose to crawl on Bai Zhan on his own, though. 

He was an exceptional physical cultivator even considering the other brutes on that peak. They said that he was trained from the moment he could walk. 

But he didn’t have only a peerless background, he was even blessed by a talent that came once every one hundred years. 

So, basically, he had it all since birth.

He was a guy that never had any hardships in his life and was used to being at the top. He had a rude attitude and arrogant personality, but he was popular nonetheless because of his perfect pedigree. 

A golden spoon since he was born and acted as one, the type of guy that Shen Jiu hated with all his heart. 

What was so good about someone that had everything handed to him?  

Why was Shen Yuan even attracted to him?

Why, when Shen Yuan himself didn’t have a good past?  

Shouldn’t he hate him too?

The more he heard about Liu Mingyu, the more he hated him.  

«Xiao Jiu is distracted» said Shizun.  

«I’m sorry, Shizun»  

«Don’t be sorry. What’s the matter? Missing your Shixiong already?» 

Shen Jiu blushed. 

«Oh?» his Shizun smiled from her working table, the spot where Shen Yuan usually stayed when doing the work for her. 

Since Shen Jiu lived in his Shizun house, he took the job of tidying it for her.  

«Well well, that heartthrob of my Head Disciple hit someone again.» said her bemused.  

«He sure is a menace. Protect your heart, Shen Jiu, that brat doesn’t have a spec of romanticism in his body.»  

«Shizun, this disciple doesn’t know what she’s talking about» 

«Oh ohohoh! It must be embarrassing talking about love with your Shizun! This Master got it» she laughed, waving her fan.  

«So, you’re not interested in what his type is, right?» 

Shen Jiu tensed.  

«I suppose you are interested, Xiao Jiu, mmh?»  

«Shen Shixiong isn’t interested in romantic relationships» he said. 

«No, but he had preferences. I have known him since he was ten, Xiao Jiu, I raised him!» she said proudly.  

Shen Jiu went sitting beside her on his knees when she signed him with her closed fan. 

«Listen well. He likes cute and pretty things. He likes people that behave like a needy pet and have special skills.» she said with a serious face, covered in half by the fan.  

What?  

«Xiao Yuan likes to go around with beautiful faces» she emphasized. 

«Shen Shixiong isn’t that shallow»

«He is. He likes pet-like people with talent because it made him excited seeing a skilled person who needs him»  

«Shen Shixiong isn’t that kind of pervert» he said, offended on Shen Yuan’s behalf.  

«Why do you think he is so smitten by the little Head Disciple of Bai Zhan?»  

That was what he wanted to know!  

«Because he thinks he is a girl» he said. 

«Not exactly. He likes to protect small, pure and innocent things like kittens and puppies»  

So he was right in thinking that he treated that brute like a beloved pet.  

«But he doesn’t see him romantically»  

«Like I said, he doesn’t have a spec of romantic interest in him. So there’s only one way to make him understand»  

Shen Jiu drew closer.  

«Be forward. Make physical contact whenever you can, but be subtle in your actions, he will run away if you’re too direct. Make it obvious that you’re seducing him but never tell him that you like him!» 

«Shizun… I’m fourteen»  

«What’s the problem? Teens are easily aroused!»  

«Shizun, I’m going to confiscate the yellow books»  

«What?! No! Why?!» 

«Shizun keeps saying nonsense. Those books are at fault» 

«How dare you! Those books are art! I would know since I’m Qing Jing Peak’s Peak Lord!» 

Shen Jiu decided to return to clean the shelves.  

«Then take care of him.»  

«He doesn’t permit anyone to care for him» he replied.  

«That’s why you should do it anyway» 

••• 

Shen Yuan was someone that couldn’t take care of himself. He was the type of person that would lose sleep and skip meals if he was too focused on other things or too lazy to do that.  

If he was working on something and skipped lunch and the dining hall closed their door, he wouldn’t find a way to eat, he just won’t eat until his free time and the open dining hall happened at the same time again. 

If he was taken by something he would just ignore everything else, even sleeping.  

He used the common bathroom even though Shizun told him to just draw water in a tub to wash himself in his own room, just because he was too lazy to do it. And he even slept in the spring water sometimes! 

Half of Qing Jing Peak disciples had a heart attack after they found a half-naked Shen Yuan sleeping in the water.  

He was a disaster. 

Shen Jiu didn’t know how he survived without inedia until now. 

Shen Jiu felt stupid to like someone this stupid and found other people stupid too for being swayed by someone so clumsy. 

So when Shen Yuan returned from his mission, Shen Jiu began to take the Head Disciple routine into his hands to ease his work.  

He thought Shen Yuan would find him bothersome, but Shen Yuan just let him do as he pleased.  

Shen Jiu even began to initiate a touch, in a casual manner, like redoing his hair in the morning. After some time he just went to his room every morning to help him do his hair. 

Or helping him adjust his crooked robes. 

Or saying to him ‘I want to see how the qi circulate in your meridians so I can understand better’ and Shen Yuan would offer his wrist willingly, like it wasn’t an intimate way of saying that he trusts Shen Jiu. 

Shen Yuan would always let him touch him unlike how he distances himself from others, but he nerved initiated the touch. 

Shen Jiu considered that a victory, until he noticed that Shen Yuan sometimes would pat that Bai Zhan’s brute’s head at random. The Bai Zhan’s brute would always make a fuss, but he didn’t discourage Shen Yuan. 

And then, he realized that Shen Yuan finally found out that his adorable ‘Liu Shimei’ was indeed a Shidi. 

And he wasn’t upset at all! He probably found out when they were on the mission together and Shen Jiu really wanted to know ‘how’! Did they bathe together? Did they see each other change clothes? Did they sleep in the same bed? 

If it was Shen Jiu that told him that Liu Mingyu was a boy all along and tried to deceive him, would Shen Yuan get angry instead? 

They were on the rainbow bridge returning from Qian Cao Peak after taking their usual order of unguents, when Shen Yuan's eyes sparkled as he spotted someone. He launched himself and jumped on the Bai Zhan’s brute back. 

«Shidi~» he chanted happily.

The brute face became red fast. 

«Y-You! Shixiong!» he screamed angrily like always, but did nothing to separate himself from Shen Yuan.

What the hell? Why was he more touchy now? Wasn’t he so attached to him because he thought of the brute as a girl? 

He never touched Shen Jiu! Every time he touched him he always asked for permission and did it like he was made of porcelain! 

«Yeah! It’s me! This Shixiong missed his adorable Shidi» Shen Yuan said shamelessly.

Shen Jiu’s jaw dropped. Since when he flirted so openly? 

The Liu brute blushed hard and pushed Shen Yuan away. 

«Stop messing with me!»  

«Sorry, sorry, this Shixiong apologies» he smiled covering half of his face with his sleeve. Shen Yuan always had the urge to cover his face, maybe he could use a fan too. 

«By the way, how is ZhanZhan?» 

«He’s well» murmured Liu brute still angry at Shen Yuan «Want to take a look?» he then asked. 

«Can I?» Shen Yuan’s eyes shined. Bai Zhan’s disciple nodded. 

Shen Jiu tagged along, but he doubted the brute noticed him. 

Shen Jiu had never set foot on Bai Zhan Peak and he hated it already. It was too noisy with all the shouts and noises of destruction, and maybe he was biased but it smelled foul.  

There was a little handmade fence near the dormitories of Bai Zhan Peak and there was a white cat inside?  

No, it wasn’t a white cat, it was a White Tiger cub! What was a blessed spiritual beast doing here instead of the Zi Wu Peak that studied spiritual beasts? And a White Tiger was a legendary beast from Heavens! And a cub? Cub usually couldn’t survive without a mother, unless it bonded with a worthy warrior and recognized him as his owner…  

Shen Jiu looked at how the little tiger jumped on the Bai Zhan brute’s leg, like he was welcoming him. 

So that perfect stupid Bai Zhan brute was even a warrior chosen by the White Tiger now? Shen Jiu felt like stabbing something. Preferably, that Liu Mingyu’s face. 

«Hello, ZhanZhan» Shen Yuan approached the cub that purred at Shen Yuan’s touch. A White Tiger reflected his owner's feelings and personality, so it was clear how much Liu Mingyu liked Shen Yuan from how the Tiger was behaving.

Shen Jiu could bet that if it was him the one petting its fur, that thing would try to bite off some of his fingers.  

Shen Yuan probably got that, because neither him nor the Bai Zhan brute had hidden their dislike for each other every time they met. Ignoring each other was the best thing they could do to be civil. 

They both were looking at Shen Yuan chatting affectionately while playing with the little cub. The cub was… Too happy. It purred too much and when Shen Yuan leaned his face on the muzzle, it licked his nose. 

Shen Yuan giggled happily. 

He really liked cute things…  

And Shen Jiu knew he wasn’t cute at all. 

He felt a sting in his guts.  

Shen Jiu hated that tiger cub.

He looked at the Bai Zhan brute that had his arms crossed and was frowning angrily. 

Looking closely he could see the Bai Zhan brute murmuring something.  

Yuan 

A-Yuan

A-Yuan 

A-Yuan 

He was repeating that one word, like he was practicing his tongue to say that name.  

Pathetic. He didn’t even have the courage to call his name.  

What was so hard about it? It wasn’t some kind of spell.  

Shen Jiu opened his mouth and was ready to call his name when the word died on his throat.  

He felt abruptly his face becoming hotter.  

“Are you kidding me?! It’s just a name!” 

«Y-Yu» 

He felt suffocating.  

Shen Jiu became angry at himself for this kind of weakness.  

«Yuan-ge!» He forced the letters out, just to prove himself and then he immediately wished to be buried alive.  

Shen Yuan seemed surprised because, of course, he had heard him, even if he barely made his thoughts into a sound.  

But to his smugness, the Bai Zhan brute appeared shocked for being beaten. 

«Yes, Jiu-er?»  

Shen Yuan smiled at him, like it was normal and natural being called so intimately by him. 

«Yuan-ge is stupid»  

«Mmh? Yes, I know» 

Oh, maybe the others weren’t so stupid for being swayed by him.  

••• 

It has been one year since Shen Jiu was saved by Shen Yuan and took on the Cang Qiong Mountain sect. In the end, the only person he was close with was the Head Disciple of Qing Jing, but he didn’t have a bad relationship with the others as much as in the beginning. 

He would argue with some people sometimes or just ignore them, but there weren’t fights so far.  

He could tell that people didn’t like him but it wasn’t something like complete rejection like when he was a slave.  

He had some more polite relationships too, like with the ever so calm Mu Xiangshu from Qian Cao Peak or surprisingly Jiu Beile, the Head Disciple of Zui Xian Peak, the Peak of wine, but only because that guy was always happy. 

He was now ready to go on night hunting and other missions with groups or with Shizun. 

He was excellent in all Qing Jing Peak four arts and other classes too and his cultivation leaped up easily. Shizun said he was naturally talented in Qi control so it was easy for him to catch up to his peers.  

Everything was well, but there was still a hole inside him. 

Shen Jiu was woken up by his Shizun in the middle of the night. 

That day had been like others, so he didn’t know it would be the day that finally all his dreams and wishes would become reality. 

«Get up, Xiao Jiu.» she said, more serious than ever.  

Shen Jiu didn’t ask anything. He just got up, put on his robes and let himself be taken by Shizun with her sword.  

Shen Jiu could feel that something was wrong but didn’t dare to ask.  

They arrived at Qian Cao Peak in the Peak Lord’s personal quarters where he would visit only Peak Lords or serious cases.  

«Please Shizun! I can get up now! I need to go!» he heard.  

The voice was different, lower and more baritone. But the tone sounded the same. 

He didn’t wait for explication or etiquette or his image, he burst in and cried out his name.

«Qi Ge!» 

Qi Ge stopped thrashing around and stilled.

«X-Xiao Jiu?» he called, red eyes widened.  

He was scared, like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing was real. 

He had bandages all over his body, his face faint and was clearly barely standing.  

Shen Jiu didn’t hear the other Peak Lords go away, there was only Qi Ge for him.  

Qi Ge tried to run to him, but he stumbled. Shen Jiu was there, hugging him tightly and supporting him at the same time. 

Despite being so weak and too thin, his Qi Ge was still taller than him by one head, so the younger leaned his forehead on his Qi Ge’s shoulder. He still was trying to support him.  

Shen Jiu wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, but he didn’t do either. 

Qi Ge had herb scent all over his body and even without seeing his wounds he knew that whatever happened to him was something serious.  

Shen Yuan said that he was ill so he needed to cultivate and after Shen Jiu began to understand how qi and cultivation worked he wondered what illness Qi Ge had for him to seclude himself for that long. 

But this wasn’t an illness. Something happened to him, something really dangerous that could have cost him his life.  

Shen Jiu felt a boiling anger inside him. Who? Who dared to hurt his Qi Ge?!

«Xiao Jiu, is it really you?» the older asked with a small voice. 

So small that if Shen Jiu wasn’t hugging him he wouldn’t have heard him.  

«It’s me, Qi Ge. It’s really me»  

«You’re safe» 

«I’m safe» 

«You’re safe»  

«I am» 

«You’re really safe» 

«Yes. I am really safe, Qi Ge» 

And Qi Ge was bawling the very next moment, he tightened his hold on Shen Jiu slim shoulders, squeezing Shen Jiu against his chest like he was the shores which he clung on after nearly drowning. 

Shen Jiu couldn’t act anymore. He cried too.  

They turn back to be only Qi and Jiu, two slaves that survived the streets with only each other to rely on, but that could finally cry out all their sufferings and hardships. Because they did it. They were together and safe now.  

After they both calmed down but didn’t release the hug, Qi Ge asked with a hoarse voice:«How…»

«You sent Shen Yuan to me»

Qi Ge didn’t reply immediately.

«I don’t really remember… When I had my Qi deviation I was out of my mind and don’t really remember asking him anything. I had this memory of searching for him and telling him about you, but that is all. In any case, I should thank him»  

«What’s important is that we are together now, Qi Ge. You should rest» 

Qi Ge nodded, but instead of releasing him he took Shen Jiu to the bed and the moment he laid down, he fell asleep. 

Shen Jiu huffed, but relaxed into the hold. 

He could fall asleep too if it was Qi Ge.

Chapter Text

In the middle of a Peak Lords meeting, the Sect Leader of Cang Qiong Mountain sect, Liang Jianshu, was deeply in thought.

The talisman that the Estimated Elder gave him was burning inside his everyday robes in case he needed it for emergency.

He honestly hoped that there would be something that needed to call the Demonic Dragon, but that would mean that something terrible would happen and it would be something Liang Jianshu wouldn’t want to happen in all his Sect Leader career.

He really wanted to stay more, but only three Peak Lord still hadn’t archived the ascending level, so it wasn’t far until the change of generation.

He asked himself if the Esteemed Elder would remain even after they ascended.

After all, his incarnation seemed very close to the next generation of Peak Lords.

Would that mean that he would become the Qing Jing peak lord for the Qing generation?

In the ancient text they all said that usually his incarnation in the human realm were short, no more than three decades… He wouldn’t want to become an hindrance of the other Qing generation Peak Lords ascension, so will he be gone before he could become a Peak Lord?

He did hear that Tang Shimei was training another disciple too with Eleder’s incarnation as per his request, so maybe that child he saved was his substitute.

But at their first meeting he did searched for the Qing generation… Why?

«Zhangmen-Shixiong?»

Oh, he didn’t pay attention! What were they saying?

«The next Immortal Alliance conference is organized by our Cang Qiong Mountain sect. This year is important, we need to demonstrate why our Cang Qiong is the strongest sect out of the four great sect. And it will probably be the last one organized by our generation, so it’s really important.»

“Oh, thank you Shidi”

«I don’t think it will be a problem. After all my little Xiao Yuan will snatch first place easily» said Tang Shimei.

Liang Qianshu found himself nodding, but he remembered that he should be the impartial one so he stopped himself.

«Well, we don’t know when my disciple will come out and we still have more than a year of time» he said instead.

Thinking about his Head Disciple made his mood sour.

That poor boy.

«Most of the preparations are done, all we need is prepare our disciples and let them take glory for us»

«Next year… My Head Disciple is still too young even though he can beat up all his peak siblings now.» murmured Hui Shidi.

«It won’t be too late if he wait for the next time, Hui Shidi. After all, it’s done every three years, he has time»

«But it won’t be organized by Cang Qiong»

«It just meant that his victory will shines more»

«You talk like he will surely win even the next Immortal Alliance Conference»

«Aren’t we talking like we will win all the first places until we ascend?»

«Well, we are sure that we have exceptional talents for this and next Conference so those are assured wins»

«Aren’t we too arrogant? What if one of the other sects win?»

The Peak Lords looked at each other and began to laugh out loud.

«Ohohohoh!»

«Ah ahahah!»

«Ehe ehehe!»

And so on.

Yeah, no metter how little they know about other sects talents, they are sure that there was no one like their chosen Head Disciples. And they all remember when Disciple Shen Yuan used to roam other peaks because they invited him to snatch him from Qing Jing and found out what kind of monster he was.

He was someone with bottomless talent.

The Peak Lords chatted some more without knowing that there was an infamous rogue cultivator that was keeping eye on the Immortal Alliance Conference.

•••

Shen Yuan, one day, abruptly realized:«Fuck, is Shen Jiu Shen Qingqiu?»

It had been nearly three months since he took Shen Jiu to Qing Jing Peak and it was the third time this ostile little guy taunted him to take his Head Disciple place.

At first he found him funny and he was relieved that Shen Jiu was so determined and didn’t linger on his trauma. A goal was needed for him to move on.

And honestly, Shen Yuan didn’t like being a Head Disciple. Too much work and too much social events.

Shen Yuan was a guy that coped himself in his apartment when he wasn’t at university. And he could finally separate himself from his family to have some peace and privacy from them.

He grew up as a rich boy that had it all without any responsibility as he had two big brother much older than him that had already helping the family business. The only thing that was required from him was participating those party for rich people and important families where he just sat in a corner playing as a pretty statue.

He had the skill to comunicate, of course, but he was more an introvert than anyone thought.

His sociability could be consumed if used too much!

He needed a recharge!

That was why being a Head Disciple that was the spokesmen of the other Disciples and his Shizun, so it required keeping contact with everyone, was tiring for Shen Yuan.

Of course, Shen Yuan liked his martial siblings, really, and he loved his friends from other peaks, he just needed more chills and lazying around time to stay with himself.

The only person that he actually liked spent his time without feeling fatigued afterwards was his adorable Shimei from Bai Zhan. She was like his cat at his parent’s house, just by looking at him he felt better.

And he was in abstinence of adorable Shimei.

So he put more effort in taking care of Shen Jiu and make himself busy, so he could use that as excuse to not talk to people.

Shen Jiu was settling well, he had natural talent in the four arts and had an exceptional spiritual root that he cultivated well.

Well, he had some problems in socializing and sleeping, but Shen Yuan couldn’t really blame him, after all he went through.

Shen Yuan did his best to make him comfortable, trying to overwrote his abuse with care so that he realize that the world wasn’t all evil.

He felt responsible for that kid, as the one that saved him and Yue Qi wasn’t there to take care of his friend, so it should be Shen Yuan.

But Shen Jiu seemed to hate him. Very much. Even when he settled he remained hostile with him.

If at the beginning he seemed someone that would bite him if he went too close, afterwards he became some kind of predator that would jump on him if he dared to show weakness.

Shen Yuan noted that he was always watching people with weary eyes, like he was waiting for them to show their true color and attack him.

And of course that same treatment was given to Shen Yuan too and as the one that spent most of his time with him he was observed the most.

Shen Jiu always had his eyes on him.

Then he expressed his desire to steal his Head Disciple role and Shen Yuan thought:“finally!”

So of course Shen Yuan helped him to reach a level that a Head Disciple required and took him everywhere and he let him tag along every time he went to meet the other Head Disciples.

He should get used to it. With all his trauma that caused distrust in human kind and antisocial personality, it was rather difficult, but manageable.

He progressed even in convincing Shizun that having a ‘spare’ Head Disciple was useful. Fortunately, Shizun even began to care for him after Shen Jiu transferred to the bamboo hut, so it went well in that depart.

Honestly, Shen Yuan didn’t thought about PIDW for so long that he forgot.

But then, fall came on Qing Jing Peak and Shen Jiu was there, face cold and sour, remarking how being a Head Disciple didn’t suit Shen Yuan, looking at him with displeasure and he realized.

[Congratulation! User create a relationship with ‘Scum Villain Shen Qingqiu’]

“Why didn’t you said it before?!”

[User said this System didn’t need to]

“That was…! Never mind”

A new world vision open up for Shen Yuan followed by multiple questions like:

“Did the Shen Qingqiu in the novel had this kind of backstory? Why Airplane never mentioned it?!”

“Oh fuck! Was their common past the reason why Yue Qi was so biased with Shen Qingqiu?! But then why Shen Qingqiu hated him?”

Shen Jiu was on Qing Jing only because Shen Yuan went to save him… If the Qi deviation happened in the original too, then it must mean that Yue Qi couldn’t go to save him…

Shen Yuan remembered the state Shen Jiu was in.

If Shen Jiu thought his friend abandoned him then…

But Shen Jiu was already on Cang Qiong Mountain and was taking therapy so he maybe wouldn’t become that bitter bitch he was in PIDW.

«Did you hear me?» spat Shen Jiu.

He forced a smile on his face.

«Good! You can become Head Disciple if you want it.»

“Yeah, little future scum villain! I’m harmless and ready to help you! Let’s not stabbing me in the back, okay?”

Shen Jiu frowned.

•••

Shen Jiu, actually, wasn’t so scum. He was just a weary person with PTSD, still really young and rather innocent in some way. It was like he still wasn’t completely blackened to the point to become a villain.

Who would thought that the scum villain wasn’t born evil but made into one? Stupid Airplane!

Well, his Shidi still hated him though. And he would keep reminding him of that, calling him stupid every time he had a chance, like when he smiled at him or said something kind.

“Why call me stupid when I’m trying to be a good big brother to you?”

He just couldn’t understand where he went so wrong! But if he hated him, why would he keep roaming by his side even when their additional lessons ended?

Was it like “keep your friend close but the enemies closer”? Was Shen Yuan’s role as Head Disciples that unforgivable to him? But wasn’t this Shixiong helping him?!

Shen Yuan even told the others that he saw him as a little brother so he would literally do “anything” for him! With this kind of declaration, wouldn’t he soften up?

“Really, my little scum villain, l really like to be alive, so I really would do anything for you if you spare me the horrible future of falling in some kind of mortal accident, okay?”

Maybe he shouldn’t have told him to take everything he wanted…

“Anyways! Stop staring at me when I’m meditating! You scare the shit out of me!”

But finally his cute little stress reliever came back! He really wanted to hug his little Shimei but he obviously couldn’t. It would be inappropriate no metter how out of romantic sphere he saw the girl.

Coincidentally, Shen Jiu was there too and Shen Yuan saw sparks between them! Maybe if Shen Jiu found a pretty girlfriend he would calm down?

It took two more meetings between the to for Shen Yuan to realize that, yes, the sparks where there, but not the romantic type. Somewhat, a part of Shen Yuan was relived. They were both too young after all, forcing relationships at this young age maybe wasn’t responsible.

After two week Liu Mingyu came back from her first long night hunt, all the remaining Head Disciples departed from Cang Qiong.

They all settled by horse as Shen Yuan was still the only one that had a spiritual sword. Qi Shimei had a carriage all for herself though.

«Wanna join me?» she asked with a irritating grin on her face.

«Can I?» he asked.

«Of course. I’m gonna protect the eyes of the others» she said.

“I’m not ugly!”

«Qi Shimei, are you sure you want to take that carriage around for all the places we’re going?» he asked.

«I’m a lady» she said like that should answer his question.

Shen Yuan looked at the spot where Liu Shimei was mounting on her horse and shook his head.

«You can’t really compare me with the battle freak!» Qi Zigui said offended as she followed Shen Yuan’s gaze.

«I’m not» he said and mounted on his horse.

They traveled together for a while but ended up splitting up in groups so they could cover a wider range.

«Then only Qi Shimei and Liu Shimei remain, so you two can cover the black markets at south.»

«And you?» asked Liu Shimei.

«And Shen-Shixiong? Be respectful» corrected her Hui Pao from A Ding Peak. The traitor Shang Qinghua still nowhere to be found.

Liu Shimei ignored him.

«I will go alone southwest. I already went there last time, so…»

«I’ll go with you»

«Are you gonna leave Qi Shimei alone?»

«Then why you get to go alone? Four groups are enough, you don’t need to separate from us» intervened Qi Zigui.

«Just join us. We are only two» she added.

“Why would I want to be the only guy with two girls?!”

He didn’t say that of course.

«They are right. It’s not safe going alone, even for you, Shen Shixiong» said Mu Xiangshu.

«The minimum number for missions are three» added Wei Wubai.

Shen Yuan sighted.

«Fine» and he went back to his horse.

He didn’t saw the sighs of relief of his martial siblings.

They were already going to shady places, what if someone noticed the beauty of their Shixiong and kidnapped him?!

•••

They arrived at the first city at sunset so Shen Yuan sent Qi Zigui to book two rooms at the inn.

Asking around in cultivators robes would be stupid, so they changed into some commoners clothes given by Qi Zigui. She had multiple disguise outfits in her qiangku pouch.

The problem was that Liu Shimei just couldn’t hide her beauty no matter how shallow her clothes were, so it was a disguise that looked like a disguise.

She supposed to be an errand boy, but looked like a son of a general.

They were supposed to be two servant following the young lady of a rich merchant family.

«People blessed by beautiful face surely had it difficult» he murmured looking at Liu Shimei up and down.

«You shouldn’t talk!» spat Qi Zigui angrily.

“Now what is the problem? Why is she angry at me?”

They arrived at the black market.

They planned to induce the seller to take them to where the monster were, meet the boss and then arrest them. The plan in Shen Yuan head would be subtle and full of nerving schemes were they tried to beat the enemy with their wit, but when they arrived in front of the first guard, Liu Shimei just drew her training sword and barge in.

What was the point of disguise themself and create a backstory for their character if they were going to use brute force, Liu Shimei?!

Well, she did found where the monsters were kept (in the secret basement); she found and beat up the boss too and after that she bound the boss and his lackeys with rope, so the three point of his plan were met…

Everything took a shichen. A mission that supposed to take all the night ended just like that.

He didn’t know if he should praise her or get angry at her.

The problem with this approach was that if the monster weren’t there, they would be the ones in wrong as the one that attacked first. They got lucky that the monsters were actually there.

So they wrapped it up and went back to the inn to sleep for the night before departing again at dawn.

They ate something, but Liu Shimei to turn in before them.

Shen Yuan went to the room after the midnight meal, feeling like he would drop dead the moment he’d touch the bed, but froze when open the door.

There was Liu Shimei there and looking at her robes state, she just finished to wear on her sleeping clothes.

«Sorry, I entered the wrong room» he immediately said.

She frowned.

Well, it was good that she didn’t scream at him and punched him in the face.

«No, you didn’t» she said.

They look at each other in silence.

Maybe, Shen Yuan was more tired than he thought. He began hearing things.

Shen Yuan began retiring himself, closed the door and went to the other one.

«That’s my room» he heard.

Turning around he found Qi Zigui with her arms crossed.

«No metter how girly you are, you still have a man body» she added «so we are not sleeping in the same space»

Shen Yuan frowned confused.

The door of Liu Shimei’s room opened reveling the little girl.

Then Qi Zigui eyes widened and she burst out laughing. No, she was wheezing with tears in her eyes.

They both looked at her like she went crazy.

«Uuuh~» she calmed down.

«Shen Shixiong, it’s been years!» she laughed.

Shen Yuan frowned. Liu Mingyu frowned too.

«Liu Shidi is a Shidi. I can’t believe I really need to clarify that» she sneered.

«What?» was the eloquent reaction of the Head Disciple of Qing Jing Peak.

«What? You really thought I was a girl all this time?»

Liu Mingyu didn’t sound offended or angry for once and that was even more unnerving.

«…»

«…»

They both didn’t looked at each other and remained in silence.

«Well, I will go to sleep. You two morons figure it out yourselfs»

And the second room’s door closed behind her.

Liu Mingyu turned to go back in the first one, but stopped at the doorway.

«Shen Shixiong isn’t coming?» Liu Mingyu asked, expression illegible.

The moment Shen Yuan closed the door, he went down in knees, groveling before Liu Mingyu.

«Wh-Shixiong what are you doing!» the younger was panicking.

«This Shixiong is a idiot, this Shixiong is sorry»

Shen Yuan refused to get up.

«I’m okay, Shen Shixiong. There is no need!»

She-He was down too. The younger didn’t know what to do.

«Shixiong is really really ashamed» Shen Yuan covered his face with both hands.

“Just let me die! Who is so stupid that couldn’t tell that his favorite martial sibling is a guy?!”

[Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations! User reached an impossible feat! Self-awareness archived!]

“You’re not helping, Sis!"

«Shixiong didn’t wanted to hurt me» said the generous Shidi.

Shen Yuan looked up and found a blushing Shidi in the middle of panic attack. He really didn’t know what to do with a groveling Shixiong full of guilt.

“It’s so unjust that he is so cute”

So he smiled at him and took his hand between his. Liu Mingyu froze.

«Is Liu Shidi willing to forgive this useless one?» he asked.

His cute Shidi just nodded.

Well, in Shen Yuan defense he really looked like a girl. Actually, he was fairer than a girl.

«Just sleep and forget about it» he said getting up. His Shidi then went straight to his bed and covered himself with the blanket.

Shen Yuan smiled helplessly.

•••

The next place was an underground auction house that was larger in size and frequented by masqueraded important people, so they couldn’t just barge in like last time.

This time they really disguised themselves.

Qi Zigui snatched them by the collar and smiled at them, with makeup tools between her fingers, like how Mu Shangshu would with his needles when used to attack.

So they become three veiled noble ladies that visited the auction house.

«Stop grumping, you’re gonna ruin the makeup» hissed Qi Zigui to Liu Shidi.

Liu Shidi grumped more.

Shen Yuan wasn’t looking at him because he really wanted to praise him for his beauty.

He was so pretty that Shen Yuan felt angry for how pretty he was! He even doubted that he was really a ‘he’.

But after the gaff he made for two years, he didn’t have the courage to say more.

And Shen Yuan himself was in woman’s gowns that, honestly, were making him stunning. Though neither Qi Shimei nor Liu Shidi commented his looks when he showed himself.

They both had their eyes widened and their heads turned immediately away.

Qi Zigui crunched herself, covered her face and screamed silently.

Liu Mingyu went over to the corner of the room and hided himself like he wanted to disappear in the shadows, and the only reason he did that instead of fleeing was because he couldn’t run away.

Rude.

After Shen Yuan put on the veil they calmed down, but ignored him during all the trip.

At the gate of the auction they let them pass without any control. Maybe because they looked rich.

It was disgusting how the guards eyes lingered on them. No metter how pretty Liu Shidi looked, he was clearly still a child!

He felt Liu Shidi ready to snap at them, but he took his hand and leaned.

«Meimei~ let this Jiejie guide you» he said.

Shen Yuan didn’t know why even the guards blushed, but he succeeded in distracting Liu Shidi enough to pull him away.

The auction began with simple expensive objects from cultivators or important past generals, all pretty illegals but common things. There even some rare martial arts manuals and some famous scholars essays.

Shen Yuan got bored and looked around. He froze when he find someone looking at him.

In the vip section there was a handsome man with his hooded attendant. The handsome man grinned and waved a hand at him.

Shen Yuan looked away, a shiver passed down his back.

He returned to focus on the auction and the second time he looked up to the vip section, the man and his attendant weren’t there anymore.

Before the monsters began to be sold, the three of them slipped away.

The middle of the auction was the moment where most of the guards were focused on the stage so it would be looser elsewhere.

They asked some guards to find a place to adjust their makeup and were escorted by two people that were easily knocked out.

Shen Yuan and Liu Mingyu changed in their clothes.

It was funny how they resulted baggy on Liu Mingyu slim body, but he preferred that compared to the woman’s garments.

They let Qi Zigui loose to cause the distraction that would call the manager of the auction house, meanwhile Shen Yuan and Liu Mingyu went in search of the monsters.

It wasn’t easy but they found the cages and knocked out the guards silently.

“They had some dangerous monsters here”

Harpies, Two Headed Salamanders, Thick Skinned Armadillos and in the most guarded spot, where there were even sealing talisman on the cage, there was a giant White Tiger.

«It’s a spiritual beast» even Liu Mingyu was surprised.

What was a beast of the Heaven doing here?

«It’s dying» commented Shen Yuan.

The glow that the White Tiger normally had on their fur was fading and Shen Yuan could spot some really serious wounds.

«We should go. We already confirmed the numbers and the kind of monsters here» said Liu Mingyu.

Shen Yuan nodded.

In that moment, the White Tiger and Shen Yuan’s eyes met.

“Greetings, Shenlong-jun”

Shen Yuan shuddered. He looked around but no one was there.

«Shixiong?» called his Shidi worried.

«It’s nothing» he smiled to him.

“Please, my lord, please, hear me out”

Shen Yuan then realized that it was the White Tiger that was talking to him.

«The Tiger is saying something» he said to his Shidi.

Liu Mingyu frowned but didn’t say anything.

«I’m not your Lord» he said.

"You’re the Lord of this World, so you’re my Lord too. Take pity of me, my Lord and save my cub, my child, he can’t live on without me, but I will pass away soon. Please, my Lord. I’m begging you”

From under the weakened White Tiger, a little tiger mewed out of the fur. It licked his mother’s nose and mewed again.

«Shixiong, there is a cub» Liu Mingyu pulled Shen Yuan’s sleeve.

«Let me see those seals» he murmured.

«Are we going to save it?» asked Liu Mingyu.

Shen Yuan smiled at him.

«You don’t want to?»

«I want to» he replied immediately without hesitation.

Shen Yuan analyzed the array of talismans and spot a weak point. There wasn’t a need to know how this things works, every array had a weak point.

«There»

Shen Yuan summoned Shi Ke and stabbed the weak point.

The array fell down and the cage opened.

The two young disciples went inside and Shen Yuan took a look at the Tiger’s wounds.

It was a miracle that it was still alive.

The little cub launched himself on them. Liu Mingyu lifted his sword but the cub just clung on Bai Zhan’s disciple’s robes and began purring.

«What it’s doing?!» he frowned and tried to shook away the little tiger from his leg.   

The little tiger cub took that as wanting to play with him and clung on him more.

Liu Mingyu seemed distressed by it. He kept trying to shook the beast away but he clearly didn’t wanted to hurt it.

Cute. So fucking cute!

«I think he likes you» said Shen Yuan.

“I’m relieved. He chose a master, he will be safe”.

Shen Yuan attention returned to the mother.

«What happened to you?» he asked.

“I was searching for a new place for me and my child.

I wanted to go to the Abyss Dragon Town, but I was pregnant and easy to hunt. They were cultivators, in bright yellow. They sold me to the black market. I had my child here.”

«Cultivators of a sect?» murmured Shen Yuan.

“They wanted to go to the Abyss Dragon Town. But it is a sacred place only for pure and nobel souls”

«Abyss Dragon Town?»

“My Lord should know about it”

«It’s a Hidden Realm» replies surprisingly Liu Shidi.

«You know about it?»

He nodded.

«I stumbled there when I was a child»

“You’re still a child” is what Shen Yuan wanted to say.

«It’s a place full of beasts of all kind, spiritual or demonic and a town of Dragon Priests.» he added.

«Wow, it sound as a very interesting place»

«Shixiong would like it»

“They don’t have good intentions. None of them were pure" added the Tiger.

Being judged impure by a White Tiger meant they were grave sinners, but having the sole idea of hurt or wound a sacred being like a White Tiger was a sin itself.

«Could you tell me which sect are we talking about?»

“I don’t know. They were wearing yellow, golden flowers on them, they used poisonous darts.”

Was it Huan Hua Palace? But he couldn’t just point out one of the four great sect of the Immortal Alliance.

“My Lord, I don’t have any more time. Could my Lord take care of my child as this one’s dying wish?”

«I and Liu Shidi will. You’re child have a good eye»

Shen Yuan felt the White Tiger was smiling.

And then the sacred beast became white bright particles. The little cub jump down from his new master and returned to his mother. It snuggled against his mother’s fur.

They were communicating silently, saying their last words and goodbyes.

The pitiful White Tiger finally disappeared in an explosion of white particles and only the cub remained.

«Come on, White Tiger. I’ll let you snuggle against me» said Liu Mingyu.

•••

Things were wrapped up fast afterward. They found the manager and sent the cages with innocuous beasts to their habitat and the dangerous one killed.

Qi Zigui seemed conflicted before the White Tiger, like she really wanted to pet it, but at the same time wanted to maintain her dignity to not resemble a stupid girl that would fawn in front of a cute animal.

They went to three other places and finally returned to the inn that was the meeting point with the others.

He and Liu Mingyu shared the room as always.

They never talked much but they shared spaces like they could read the other’s mind, never making the other uncomfortable.

Shen Yuan was sleeping lying on his side, he was teasing his Shidi the entire time regarding his beauty in female clothes and how cute he was with the still unnamed tiger, until Liu Mingyu had enough of him and gave him his back.

Shen Yuan smiled and fell asleep soon after.

Shen Yuan heard something and opened his eyes in the darkness of the room.

There was a shadow of a man that was looming over him, eyes bright red and white smile.

Before Shen Yuan could react, he was bitten by something and it all went dark again with a whistling of snake in the background of his mind.

•••

[User Shen Yuan’s seal are lifting]

[Wait a moment please…]

Shen Yuan was hit by a sense of vertigo and then all his memories as Shenlong-jun came back.

His eyes open up and he slowly focused on the two figures in front of him.

There was a moment of panic as he saw two demons looming over him, but then all the pieces in his head reattached themselves.

«Right, Tianlang… I gave you a keyword.»

[Congratulation, Master! Welcome back!]

«Friend of mine! You’re back!» said Tianlang-jun happily.

“Stupid Tianlang, he scared the shit out of him! Did he just kidnapped him out of nowhere?!”

«What’s the emergency? You don’t look like in distress»

Shen Yuan asked Tianlang but he was looking at Zhuzhi-lang.

“I knew I shouldn’t gave the keyword to him. What was this, why the rope?”

The snake demon couldn’t withstand Shen Yuan’s gaze and was too interested on the ceiling.

«Do you wish to know?» the Saintly Ruler asked with a grinning face.

Shen Yuan looked at him unimpressed.

«Yeah, but release me first» sighted Shen Yuan.

Zhuzhi-lang immediately went to release the red capable bind, happy that his other uncle renounced to question him.

«What were you doing at the auction house?»

«Searching for you, obviously»

«Could you be less creepy next time? You scared the other me. My human incarnations aren’t that chill with demons»

«Noted»

Shen Yuan was sure that he wouldn’t remember. Well, he wouldn’t want to remember, Heavenly Demons supposed to have big brains.

«I have something important to say» said Tianlang waiting for Shen Yuan to be released.

Shen Yuan massaged his wrist.

«Did something happened in the Endless Abyss?» he asked.

«No? Well, what’s not happening in the Endless Abyss?» he asked.

Fair.

«So, the demon realm? Or did you do something stupid and need me to resolve it for you?»

«Well, that’s insulting! Since when I’m the one causing problems!»

Shen Yuan side eyed him and Zhuzhi-lang returned to look at the ceiling.

«Nephew!»

«So? You kidnapped me in the middle of my mission. I’m not going to worry my martial siblings so just say it»

«I’m in love»

«Yeah, was it that hard to say? You’re just in lo- You’re what?!»

Finally the attention that the Saintly Ruler desired arrived.

«I’m in love» he repeated with a silly smile on his face.

«Did you just used a keyword and kidnapped me just to tell me that?» the incredulous look on the pretty boy face looked hilarious.

«You said that I should tell you when I found the one»

«Just asking, how many times did you meet?»

«One! It was love at first sight» Tianlang said proudly.

Shen Yuan searched for Zhuzhi-lang’s eyes. The snake demon was really interested in his feet now.

“Didn’t I ask you to looking after him?”

«Do you even know her name?»

«Nope! But she bought me something when I found myself without money. She was so gallant! A perfect gentleman! And she looked so cold, distant and inespressive when doing that! Like it was nothing for her!»

“Why it sounds like a reverse c-drama story?”

Tianlang-jun continued to rant about this mysterious woman, that he met for less of half shichen, all night.

He was lucky that he was returning to Cang Qiong and not in the middle of the mission.

Shen Yuan let his friend talk and talk. He didn’t miss him in this five years because he couldn’t remember him, but it wasn’t that bad spent some time with him.

Even though this Tianlang-jus was a little OOC.

“Why is he behaving like a teenager girl with her first love?!”

He searched for Zhuzhi-lang again.

«So, you don’t know her name, you don’t know if you ever met her again and the amount of sentences she said to you can be count in one hand.»

«Yes!»

«You said she is a cultivator, which sect?»

«Don’t know. I only know Cang Qiong because it’s founded by you, you know»

«It’s not founded by me»

«Well, I’m not very interested anyways. She had this bright yellow robes with flowers sewed on it. She looked really rich»

«Mmh, yellow? Maybe she’s from Huan Hua Palace? I don’t really know anyone with your description on my sect…»

Why it was Huan Hua again?

«Huan Hua? Is it a good sect?»

Shen Yuan scoffed. It was him that read all the report from the outer disciples and the mission related to other sect when he helped his Shizun. He knew.

«They are indeed filthy rich.» he opted to say.

Tianlang-jun seemed too happy and as a friend he didn’t want to pull him down from his clouds.

«Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid like went there and kidnapping her. Huan Hua is the least demon tolerant sect. They have a profound hate even for me. I mean, the demoniac dragon me.»

«Uh? Why is that? Weren’t you pretty popular in the Human Realm despite being with demon blood?»

«You remember my life as demonic cultivator, right?»

«Not really»

«Well, they killed me»

«What?!»

«Yeah, and there was this one time when I was a cultivator of Zhao Hua Monastery and they tried to kill me for protecting some half blood»

«You had been a monk?!»

“Was that all he care about?”

«Yes, Tianlang, thank you for worrying for me, I survived that time and was well» Shen Yuan rolled his eyes.

«How could you be so shameless after all the bed activities with Xixue-jun!»

«First of all, it wasn’t necessary to be virgin to enter the sect, second, I was mentally virgin with a child body and third, it’s not like I can just ignore my heats!»

Tianlang-jun grinned. He always found funny railing him up.

«Well, I’m not saying that Huan Huang people are bad. I’m sure they had good people in it too. Just be careful» he opted to change the subject because he didn’t want to humor him.

In PIDW Tianlang-jun was said to be sealed under Bailu Mountain that was near Huan Hua territory. Shen Yuan could come to some conclusion.

It was still a mystery how someone like Tianlang-jun would be sealed.

First of all, he was no longer hostile with humans for six hundred years now.

And even though he was strange, eccentric, an hassle and had questionable ways of thinking and methods to resolve his problems, he wasn’t evil.

Even if he put a plausible reason to seal him aside, it was technically impossible. Tianlang-jun was really strong even as an Heavenly Demon. He was even a much appreciated Saintly Ruler, so he had a loyal army that wouldn’t be anything less than the one Luo Binghe used to raid all the four Great Sects.

So Shen Yuan really couldn’t figure out how Tianlang could ended up sealed.

He had a bad feeling.

What if it was a humans set up? Because he was sure that Tianlang would never harm the human realm without reasons.

He really hoped it wasn’t like that. It would mean that even Cang Qiong Mountain was in it, because even if one of the greatest attacked Tianlang alone it would be useless. The only method to seal him would be unite all the four sect…

No, Cang Qiong would never agreed to something like that.

«What? Is the Great Shenlong-jun jealous? Don’t worry, my friend, I’m not going to abandon you just because I found the love of my life!»

Shen Yuan sighted.

«Keep an eye on your uncle, Xiao Zhuzhu»

For the first time that night, Zhuzhi-lang looked at Shen Yuan.

«I will Shenlong-jun» he bowed.

«Uncle Shenlong»

Zhuzhi-lang looked at his teenager form and hesitated a little. Then he said:«Yes, Uncle Shenlong»

“What? Embarrassed to call someone that looked like a child uncle? How do you think Xiaoniao felt all the time?”

•••

So this mystery girl was probably Luo Binghe’s mother.

Shen Yuan never saw that eccentric guy so smitten by someone before, especially not someone he met only once. He was usually a pretty cautious man even when he was confident in his own abilities to turn things around in his favor in any circumstances, he wouldn’t completely trust someone he just met.

Shen Yuan asked himself if it was destiny.

If every person was destined to their role as the novel said. But if it was like that, could Shen Yuan really change the original story?

What were the differences? What could he do?

Shen Yuan knew he changed some wife plots, so it wasn’t all final and that some things needed to happen regardless his own opinion, but what if he needed to watch something terrible happening only because of PIDW?

Shen Yuan returned to his room and nearly jumped for the scare as Liu Mingyu was sitting in a meditative position in the middle of the room instead of sleeping on his bed.

Shen Yuan was still somewhat in denial every time he saw him.

How could he thought of him as a girl for two years?! And they met every other day to spar!

[Liu Qingge always had feminine features since he was a child.

As a kid of the Liu clan that is famous for having beautiful appearances other than exceptional martial skills, he got used to it and compensated with increasing his combat powerless so his name would be recognized before his face.

But Master still ignored all his effort to make a name for himself and continue to think of him as a girl even though Master knew his name.]

“Wait, what?! He is Liu Qingge?! What’s up with this pretty princely like face?!

Oh, my god! Is it my fault? He is Xiao Qiang’s descendant so he became a pretty boy rather than the buffed scarred warrior that he was supposed to be?!”

After all Xiao Qiang became the wife of the first Clan Leader of the Liu clan! How could he never connect the dots?!

[Host needed to worry, this is how originally he should look like]

“How? Xiao Qiang wasn’t supposed to be Liu Qingge ancestor. The only reason that she is was is because I took her on that mountain and back again, I saved her life. She… She wasn’t supposed to leave the Abyss.”

[Host is right, the Demonic Peach Fairy was supposed to die in the Endless Abyss. But thanks to her innocent and pure soul, she reincarnated as a human. She would become a talented scholar that was uncannily knowledgeable on demoniac monsters and spiritual beasts and a pretty good cultivator that loved to wander around to study beasts.

She would eventually met Liu Yangge and become the first Peak Lord of Qing Jing. And after both retired from their position and were waiting for the ascension with their shidis, they married and founded the Liu Clan.

The only difference in this Liu Qingge is his Demoniac Fairy heritage and the presence of Huoxin’s sword as their heirloom.]

“Tell me the truth. Did Xiao-Qiang’s fairy blood made Liu Qingge more beautiful than he was supposed to be?”

[The reincarnation of the Demoniac Fairy should resemble her original form so Liu Qingge and Liu Mingyan’s face are how they supposed to be.]

It surely was a lie.

[…!]

He looked at Liu Mingyu meditating face and nodded at himself.

It surely was a lie.

He was only thirteen and Shen Yuan could already see the unmatched beauty he would grown to. Maybe Airplane killed him off because he was just too beautiful. Instead of being a treat to the protagonist powers he was probably a treat for the wives or for a change of Luo Binghe’s sexuality.

«Where did Shixiong went?» asked the younger disciple opening his eyes.

«Did Shidi waited for me?» he joked.

Now that he had his memories back he surely could feel that he treated Liu Mingyu differently because be reminded him of Xiao Qiang.

After all, he was her descendant.

When Shen Yuan first saved Xiao Qiang, she had the appearance of a little girl despite being older than him, so he treated her that way.

Sure enough, they had really different personalities and actually didn’t look alike; even their specialized talent was different, as one was a spiritual cultivator with a scholarly and pacific air around her and the other was a physical cultivator with insane talent in battle, so Shen Yuan didn’t know why he reminded him of her. Was it only for his bloodline? He never felt so much affection for her other offsprings, though.

«I’m not!» said the little Liu frowning again.

He was so easily riling up.

Shen Yuan smiled.

«You just disappeared in the middle of night… I thought… Never mind.» he murmured.

«I just couldn’t sleep. Don’t worry» he said gently. «But maybe I will sleep better if Shidi sleep with me»

He received a pillow on his face.

•••

Having twenty four hours of memories and dragon powers back was an hassle.

The need to travel by carriage was stupid when he could open portals or fly by sword. But he was the only one with a spiritual sword and he couldn’t just dump his colleagues there and set up alone.

In the meantime he freaked out a bunch of times inside his head every time he land his eyes on Liu Mingyu and realized he was indeed Liu Qingge and he treated the fucking future Bai Zhan War God like a prissy lady for two fucking years!

He would calm down, but then, at a random moments, the idea just pop up in his mind making him cringe about himself.

Even though his Shidi didn’t seem to mind, he felt so guilty that he wanted to apologize again or maybe make up like make him beat him up or something.

Because if it was Shen Yuan in his shoes he would be really pissed off.

«Why are you keep looking at him?» asked Qi Zigui from the window as the carriage was moving near him «Well, more than usual»

«He looks like a girl, no meter how I look» he admitted.

Qi Zigui scoffed.

«But he’s like one of those mysterious double painting. Having two imagines in one. Once you find both it’s easy to distinguish.» he added.

«Well, I suppose it made sense» she commented.

«So he is a beauty beyond gender» he concluded.

She scoffed again.

«Do you felt disappointed? About he being a boy instead of a girl?» she asked.

«No, why should I be?» he replied immediately.

«So do you like him?»

«Of course?»

She paused.

«I mean, romantically?»

For a moment, Shen Yuan was too shocked to realize what was said.

«What?! He’s thirteen! His a child!» he cried out.

«And you are fifteen. I’m not saying to marry him! Just if you like him differently» she fawned her index at him.

«No! I’m not a pervert! Too much difference in age!»

«It’s only two years, Shen Shixiong»

“It’s not! I’m an oldie in his mid-twenties! No, worse, I’m an oldie of eight hundred years old!”

«It’s too much! And we are only teens!»

She looked at him belittled.

For her, Shen Yuan didn’t make any sense.

Here he said that two years apart were too much when they were cultivators that could end up with a cultivation partner of a hundred years older. After a hundred of years, what importance would have two years?

Even if he still had a mentality of mortals, wasn’t it normal for a young lady being engaged with a young master at really early age? Or for an old master take a teen concubine?

«His parents are fifty years apart, though» she opted to say.

«They are immortals»

«So we are. Or better, we will be»

«That’s not the point.»

«Don’t you find him beautiful?»

«Of course, he’s the best looking person I ever seen in my life»

“and I had a long life, gal.”

«But you don’t consider him because he is thirteen»

«I’m not interested in romance in the first place» he ended up saying.

«So would you consider him in a couple of years? When he will grow up as a tall and handsome man. Or do you prefer girls?»

«I’m not going to answer you» and he huffed the horse forward, putting distance with her.

How could he lose in an argument with a little girl and end up run away?!

“Teenagers scare the livin’shit out of me” like that song said.

•••

Shen Yuan was surprised that his Little Scum Villain was waiting for him at Cang Qiong Mountain’s foot stairs. It should still be difficult for his level of cultivation using those stairs. Even Masters hated those stairs, even though they could use Qinggong.

«Jiu-er!» he smiled gently.

«Welcome back» he replied dead panned and completely unimpressed as always.

«I did your work when you weren’t here» he said like he hated all that.

«This Shixiong thanks his Shidi for the trouble»

«Anyway, it will be my job, so you can do anything you want» he sneared.

«Of course, Jiu-er»

Shen Jiu shot a glare at the rest of the group and grinned behind the fan.

And with a twirl of teal color he preceded Shen Yuan on the stairs.

Was that his greeting to the others?

“My little Scum Villain, you shouldn’t be so rude with your future colleagues”

«Go make your reports to the Shizuns and Liu Shidi should go to A Ding and Qiong Ding and obviously your Shizun to ask permission to keep the White Tiger» said Shen Yuan turning to them.

He was still the leader the facto.

«ZhanZhan» Liu Shidi said.

Shen Yuan tilted his head.

«His name is ZhanZhan» he said blushing.

«Like Bai Zhan’s Zhan?» Qing Jing Head Disciple asked.

Liu Shidi nodded.

«That’s so lame» commented Qi Zigui, but she received an elbow hit from Mu Shangshu.

«Good, I’m sure he will be happy to accompany a great warrior in his battles. He will be a good companion, take care of each other, okay?» he patted both of heads.

With some final recommendation the others returned on their own Peak and Shen Yuan went directly to Qiong Ding to meet the Sect Leader, Liang Jianshu.

Shen Yuan scared the poor man but after he tried to get on the dragon good side, Shen Yuan told him about putting an eye on Huan Hua, but to do nothing about them.

The Sect Leader calmed down and become more serious which made him resemble a real Great Master.

He returned on Qing Jing and spent the rest of the day listening to Shen Jiu’s report of the Peak.

Shen Yuan didn’t know why the other him was so scared of Shen Jiu. It was pretty, irrational and useless. But being his younger self meant that he’d put importance and values on other things.

He was now an experienced dragon lord with multiple lives on his back, he could see now that even though Shen Jiu was the Scum Villain in the original, he couldn’t possible be that person now.

Shen Jiu was just a wounded animals. He saw plenty of people like him and he could tell that he wasn’t evil. Real evil and ignorant people weren’t like this.

Well, Shen Jiu wasn’t a kind soul, but he was a good person. Why would he always secretly help him in chores if he wasn’t good?

He still needed to learn a lot in social field and Shen Yuan should make it so he wouldn’t become an abuser, pervert bitch.

Oh, and maybe improve his relationship with Liu Qingge so he wouldn’t kill him off.

Right that was important.

Shen Yuan thought of them and how they watched each other with disgust every time they met.

Shen Yuan sighed.

“Ah, my little Scum Villain. Let’s take care of each other”.

Chapter Text

Every other year there was a tournament between peaks disciples to empathize the unity of Cang Qiong Mountain sect. As each peak was more like self caring and most of disciples never met their other peak martial siblings if not necessary, there was a need to force the disciples to meet, because force them in multiple missions was inefficient.

The only disciples that frequently went to other peaks were the Head Disceples and the seniors, the other smaller one were coped in their peak until their first mission.

Besides, it was better to know and trust the person they went to a mission with in case they needed to mix disciples from multiple peaks, so it was necessary made them know each other.

That was why there were tournaments. With those, the Cang Qiong Peak helped their disciples create comrades from other peaks, they could exchange teachings, compare martial arts and knowledges and verify the level of their cultivation.

Usually the seniors would not participate and there were only the ones with spiritual swords that could be part of it.

Shen Yuan won first place last time albeit he was the youngest and newly got Shi Ke. But there wasn’t really competition as there wasn’t any Head Disciples at time, so it wasn’t a great achievement. Of course, Yue Qi didn’t partecipate because he still couldn’t use Xuan Su at the time and this year he was… Absent. Maybe when he came out of the cave he would be able to wield it and partecipate the tournaments.

That year, Qi Zigui and Wei Wubai were participant too. They got a spiritual sword recently.

Shen Yuan was happy that his friends were there.

He heard that Jiu Beile got drunk before going to Wan Jian and lost himself in the cave, missing his opportunity to actually find his sword.

Wei Shidi and Jiu Shidi were actually Yue Qi’s age and theirs was the actual age someone would went to get a sword. A precocious disciple would got one at fifteen, like Qi Zigui and a someone would even need to wait until eighteen if he couldn’t got one beforehand.

Rare times there were people that couldn’t find their sword at Wan Jian so if he or her couldn’t find one until nineteen he or her would need to search for it in other sects or other spiritual blacksmiths.

Well, there were also people like this NPC that would snatch one at fourteen because he was bugged.

Shen Yuan and Qi Shimei were approaching the sixteen of their years, Wei Wubai just turned seventeen and the three of them were the candidate for victory of this tournament.

Head Disciples had more pressure on those tournaments, because they needed to prove that they were indeed the right choice and if they didn’t obtain a relevant rank, they would be questioned and their position put at risk in favor of someone that had an higher ranking from their Peak.

Even if the Peak Lord decide to keep the Head Disciples without changing him, that person reputation would be already pummeled.

In the end, each Head Disciples should be the best of their Peak.

Shen Yuan took his initial duels calmly and slowly, like he was sparring with someone and would move like he was teaching his opponent, so they wouldn’t end the match too soon. Unlike Qi Shimei that was brutal with her adversaries and would won overwhelmingly.

And she said Liu Shidi was a brutal fighter.

“Go immediately to apologize to my cute Shidi!”

Shen Yuan was waiting for his turn and saw how that vicious girl gave ten sequential punches in the other guys’s gut.

“You have a sword Qi Shimei! That’s why it was required for participating!”

Shen Yuan wanted to face palm or bang his head on a tree. Or just cover his face because he wasn’t Yue Qi that could smile even in front of two of his martial siblings tearing each other apart.

He covered half of his face behind his sleeves, but then he realized that his fighter outfit didn’t had large sleeves but forearms cuffs.

“I want a fan too”

He thought of how his Shizun and Jiu-er abused the usage of fans. Super useful.

«Shixiong» he heard calling.

Shen Yuan smiled immediately.

«Shidii~, morning!» he turned happily.

The now fourteen years old Head Disciple of Bai Zhan didn’t have any visible response.

He just froze a moment and looked away.

«I see you’re here this year too»

«I’m a Head Disciple. Even though I still don’t have a spiritual sword I need to stay here» he scoffed.

How was fair for the Bai Zhan Head Disciple to stay there but couldn’t even partecipate himself? He must felt frustrated.

«You will obtain your sword soon and it will be a really strong and powerful one» he consoled.

When Yuan remember how glorious Chen Luan was described in PIDW and he now could figure Liu Mingyu’s face as the holder. He would be really cool!

«Mh»

He seemed about to say more, but he didn’t.

Shen Yuan knew that Liu Shidi was more talkative with him compared to how he interacted with all the other people existent, but somehow Shen Yuan wanted this silent Shidi to talk to him even more.

He was usually a monosyllabic answer like person. He wasn’t sure if it was because he just didn’t care or because he didn’t know how to communicate.

Well, he didn’t think he was scared of socializing or anything like that, because Liu Mingyu would always speak up his mind when needed, usually with an angry frown and blunt tone with a insensitive delivery.

He was a very direct person, didn’t like take turns and always looked forward. He was quite the opposite of Shen Jiu.

Where at the beginning Shen Yuan thought that maybe they were similar as someone that got angry easily, tsundere and with cat like behavior, Liu Mingyu was the kind that would face everything and everyone head up and without any hesitations. Shen Jiu was more like a calm before the storm that would got angry but cope everything until he could find an opportunity to get it all back, tenfold.

And they were stubborn in two different way, Liu Mingyu was more like “never give up” type and Shen Jiu a “I am always right” type. Ergo, neither of them would step back in a fight.

Those two had completely different values and approach so they never would get along. That was why, after a year of trying, Shen Yuan gave up.

He should find another way to save Liu didi’s life. But maybe he won’t die. Shen Jiu, however bitter he was, wasn’t the type of person capable of killing his martial siblings, even one that he didn’t like.

“Hey, Sis, did Shen Qingqiu ever admit that he killed Liu Qingge?”

[Answering User, character ‘Shen Qingqiu’ never said anything during all the accusations and processes]

“Figured. Jiu-er’s silent treatment"

Shen Jiu had this stupid mentality that let him thought that admitting his good deeds and refute the wrong accusations were a stain in his pride.

Shen Yuan himself wouldn’t notice if he didn’t stubbornly tried to understand his little Scum Villain.

Shen Jiu was always testing the people around him, Shen Yuan included. He remained silent during accusations because he wanted someone to realize how stupid they were. He wanted people to take his side without judging appearances. He wanted trust and loyalty but wouldn’t do anything to obtain that.

So Shen Yuan gave him what he wanted: someone that could speak up for him. It was his role as Head Disciple anyway.

But at the same time Shen Jiu was someone that didn’t wanted people to realize he was caring, because affection was a weakness that someone could exploit and something stupid along that line. He really did have too many paranoias.

«Shen Shixiong will win» muttered Liu Shidi.

He was watching the other fights with so much attention that Shen Yuan didn’t expect his name in his next sentences.

«How come?» he asked amused.

«I know.» he just said.

Well, he and Liu Shidi sparred a lot, so maybe he saw how others fighted and judged Shen Yuan’s swordsmanship was better.

«If I win, I’m gonna dedicate my victory to you, what do you think?» he teased.

«Uh, maybe Shixiong won’t win easily as I thought» he corrected.

That wasn’t the reaction he expected.

He saw Liu Mingyu looking at a point behind him. And Shen Yuan turned, following Liu Shidi’s gaze.

There was a known face that he didn’t had the opportunity to see for a year long.

Shen Yuan lit up.

«Yue Shixiong!» he ran immediately to the Qiong Ding Head Disciple direction.

There were other disciples that noticed him and ran up to him and some were already surrounding him. Most were from his own Peak.

Shen Yuan spotted a Shen Jiu with a fan opened before his face tagging behind Yue Qi.

Shen Yuan did asked himself where his little Scum Villain disappeared all the last week, but Shizun said to not worry because it was a good thing, so Shen Yuan just let it go.

They eyes met and he smiled.

There was a moment that Shen Yuan thought that Shen Jiu would smile him back, but he frowned instead and turned away with his face covered.

He looked… displeased?

«Why did you stop?» asked Liu Mingyu that had followed him and was now by his side.

«He seemed busy?»

Liu Shidi scoffed and went in the middle of the group.

A moment later there were flying bodies and a Liu Shidi before his Yue Shixiong.

«Now that you’re back, let’s spar» was all he said.

«How dare…» Shen Jiu snapped.

Ah, right, his temper was way more explosive when it concerned Liu Shidi.

«Xiao Jiu» Yue Qi called gently.

Shen Jiu snapped open his fan again.

Liu Mingyu scoffed at Shen Jiu attitude and turned away.

Those two antics were famous in all Cang Qiong, so no disciples were surprised, unlike Yue Qi that seemed conflicted.

So Shen Yuan had to help him.

«Yue Shixiong» he called.

Finally, Yue Qi noticed his presence and he paused for a moment when laid his sight on him.

Then, he smiled.

«Shen Shidi» he called «It’s been awhile»

Shen Yuan searched for evidence of his wounds but if they were there, they were hidden very well.

«You’re not participating, right?» he asked.

«No need to worry. I’m completely healed and much stronger» he said patting Xuan Su’s scabbard.

Shen Yuan felt Shi Ke tremble.

Before they could catch up, the announcer called Yue Qi’s name.

They finally could see a Yue Qi that had managed to become Xuan Su’s master.

In the novel, Yue Qi died before he could manifest his powers and the readers never saw the legendary moment when he’d draw his sword.

But Shen Yuan remembered what happened that night. Shizun said ‘bound them’, if Shen Yuan had read sword bonding manuals right, from the Sect Leader personal collection, then Yue Qi had a reason for not drawing the sword.

Yue Qi, as Shen Yuan thought, didn’t even need to draw his sword to beat his opponents. He was overwhelming even if he stood still, like an irremovable mountain.

His cultivation had risen of multiple levels and he may have already his core formed, right?

What kind of monster became this strong after only one year?

Uh, Shen Yuan needed to catch up if he didn’t want to be left behind!

The number of participants thinned more and more until only the present Head Disciples remained.

Would it be cowardice if he was happy that it wasn’t Qi Zigui’s opponent?

«Take care of me Wei Shidi» he said at the Wan Jian Peak’s Head Disciple.

Wei Wubai smiled and gave him a little head bow:«You too, Shen Shixiong»

Wei Shidi was… Well, he was starting to put on weight. But unfortunately for Shen Yuan, not the soft kind but the muscle type.

So they had a visible size difference putting one in front of the other.

Oh, and he had Hong Jing as a sword, so he was pretty much a menace. But he still preferred him instead of the vicious Qi Shimei.

Surely Shi Ke seemed pathetic in front of Hong Jing, but Shen Yuan wasn’t going to degrade his own sword.

His sword become as strong as his owner and Shen Yuan wasn’t someone laughable.

Their first to tenth meeting were testing each other’s strength, but Shen Yuan was a strategist, so he calmly controlled his force to let his opponent underestimate him.

Other than Liu Mingyu and Yue Qi, Shen Yuan didn’t sparred with the other Head Disciples, so his ways couldn’t be predicted.

But Hong Jing’s swings surely were heavy.

Shen Yuan nearly regretted his physical trainings.

Shen Yuan gave his Shidi an opening that he didn’t hesitate to take and then he tripped him over, using Wei Shidi’s own weight.

Shen Yuan then trampled him, putting a foot on his chest to force him to stay down when he tried to get up.

«Yield» he said pointing Shi Ke at his face.

Wei Shidi was sprawling in the ground, face red and Hong Jing still in his hand.

«I-I yield» he stammered.

Shen Yuan grinned and helped him get up.

«Shen Shixiong, w-wou…» Wei Wubai tried to say, but Shen Yuan was already running out the training ground of Qiong Ding, where the tournament was taking places, to Liu Mingyu.

«Shidiii~» he was chanting.

«Did you see me? Wasn’t your Shixiong pretty cool there?»

The poor Wei Wubai withered behind Shen Yuan. Some of his fellow peak siblings had reached him and were patting his shoulders to comfort him.   

«It was predictable, nothing new» his cute Shidi said stoic as always.

«Aw, you wound me, Shidi~. Wasn’t only predictable for you because you just know me so well~?»

«Shixiong is becoming lazy» he replied.

«Yes, yes. But I’m still winning, am I not?»

«You’re going against Yue Shixiong, don’t be so giddy»

«Did you watch Yue Shixiong and Qi Shimei’s match instead of mine? You make me sad»

Liu Mingyu scoffed, already used to his Shixiong antics even though he had his cheeks warm.

«I can watch both»

«Mmh~ You’re going to cheer for me, right?»

«No.»

«So cold, Shidi»

«Um»

Shen Yuan wanted to pinch his cheeks. He looked so cute when he was surly.

“One day Shidi, I’m going to eat you”

Shen Yuan fanned away mentally his cuteness induced aggressive thoughts.

«Head Disciple Shen Yuan»

It was time to test the future Sect Leader!

Shen Yuan saluted Liu Mingyu one last time and saw Yue Shixiong doing the same to Jiu-er.

Shen Yuan was secretly excited.

«Shixiong will go easy on me, right?»

Yue Qi laughed.

«I don’t think you will need that» he commented.

Shen Yuan attacked first.

Xuan Su still in then scabbard parred easily Shi Ke’s thrusts.

Fuck, he didn’t even budge!

Shen Yuan leaped back, putting distance between them as he felt chills the moment their swords touched.

Yue Qi had this oppressive aura that made his opponent feeling small and lowly.

«Shixiong~ I’m the one that was your sparring partner since the first time you picked up a sword. Don’t think that this little trick can do something to me» he casually walked laterally.

Yue Qi smiled placidly.

«Of course, this Shixiong knows how exceptional Shen Shidi is.»

Even if he said so, he didn’t seemed on guard.

Who would thought that a year of reclusion would made him so cocky.

“Let’s see if you really won’t budge even a bit even against me”.

During the Cang Qiong Mountain tournaments, it was prohibited the use of Qi or any Qi technique. It was supposed to compare the twelve martial styles of each Peak.

Honestly, for the more internal cultivators oriented Peaks all this thing was pretty unfair, but it wasn’t like their swordplay should be looked down upon.

Shen Yuan’s beginning stance of Qing Jing Peak martial style was famous in all the twelve Peaks.

One would say: “what was so important in one initial stance? It’s not like demons and monsters would wait you make a pose”.

True, very true. But then why would the other Peaks exist if all there was important in martial arts was brute force to hunt monsters and demons?

For example, Wan Jian swordsmanship were focused on enchanting the sword itself; Xian Shu on stealth and illusion; Qian Cao on point out the enemies weak points and end things quickly; Zui Xian’s resembled a drunkard moves with all the unpredictability that he could manage etc…

For Qing Jing, swordplay was an art too, so the various generation of Qing Jing Peak Lords refined their style and made Qing Jing Peak martial arts the most beautiful and similar to nature itself kind of martial arts.

The first time Liu Minyu saw Shen Yuan’s swordplay, unlike the other people that admired and praised him, he belittled Qing Jing Peak’s martial arts.

“It’s useless. All those unneeded moves are there just to look good. It’s inefficient” was his blunt opinion.

Now, everyone else would took offense at that. If it was Jiu-er the person that heard him he would try to stab his cute Shidi. But Shen Yuan found his response refreshing.

“But it is beautiful, right?”

Shen Yuan didn’t lose Liu Mingyu’s sparkling gaze when watching him. Even a non expert of art and someone that didn’t have an eye for beauty would admire Qing Jing Peak’s swordplay with awe.

“It is” he admitted reluctantly.

When learning, Shen Yuan found Qing Jing swordsmanship so cool! If there were a point system he was sure that he would be obtained a bunch of them just by learning it. Because it was there. Like all the four arts, this too was created to look good, to be a conduct of Qi and be the vessel of nature.

It was like wind. Like water. Like soil. Like fire. Each disciple could interpret this art and express it with his own Qi.

That was why one couldn’t tell at what point a Qing Jing Peak Disciple level was, as all their swordplays looked different event thought it was essentially the same.

That was why Shen Yuan stance was famous, even though any disciple of Qing Jing could do it.

His stance was interpreted and exhibited by him. And the way he did was making him look like ethereal. Someone that was nature itself.

No one knew. But this stance was a legacy of the very first Qing Jing Peak Lord, a lost memory of a race long gone that the demonic fairy herself half forgot. It was something from her dreams that she tried to reproduce. And now, thousands of years later, the very person that saved her made it came back.

There was silence all around, all people mesmerized by the two opponents that were seizing at each other.

Shen Yuan moved forward like wind itself, fluid as water, ardent as flame and hard as a boulder. Qing Jing swordsmanship was made to look good, so most of disciple would interpret it as something soft and elegant, but there was a beauty in aggressiveness too.

It could be vicious and heavy, like a natural disaster and maintain a dangerous beauty at the same time.

All the people that know Shen Yuan’s way of fighting, were shocked. Was that still Qing Jing swordplay? Well, they were all martial artists and had sharp eyes, it was still the same forms, but why it looked so different?

Nonetheless, it was beautiful.

Yue Qi parred all the attacks that had increasing difficulties, but he never stepped back.

Qiong Ding Peak focused on stability, on the firmness and irremovability. For the highest Peak, it had the most grounded of all the twelve type of swordsmanships. The irony.

It was difficult for someone that used quick blows and without Qi to move a person that had perfect foundation and stability like Yue Qi, the matchup was unfortunate.

But Shen Yuan wasn’t desidered by all the Peak Lords for his strength. He was someone quick witted that could understand things immediately and act with the best outcome.

For example, in an emergency situation where a monster suddenly attacked them, he was able to identify the monster, pointed out the weak point, came up with a plan and execute it in a metter of seconds.

His adaptability was insane.

Even without Qi, the exchange of blows between the two Head Disciples were making wave of winds that reached the other disciples.

Were they really only disciples? Even as Head Disciples, this level was absurd!

The future Qing generation was made of exceptional geniuses, their level was the highest reached at their age in Cang Qiong Mountain history, they all knew that. It was like they were born to become Peak Lords. But even between geniuses, those two from the Highest Peaks were just above.

Shen Yuan was focused on his opponent and was becoming more and more excited. He felt like if he went all out against Yue Qi, there won’t be any consequences.

Then there was a moment, where Yue Qi showed an opening. It was probably a faint, but Shen Yuan wanted to see how he was going to react so he dug in… But it wasn’t a faint. It was a real opening and if Shen Yuan struck there there’d be a significant damage and Yue Qi just healed from those mortal injuries!

Shen Yuan’s slowed his strike. It looked natural, no one would be able to notice, not even Yue Qi, it was imperceptible but it would gave him the time to react.

And he did react and really strongly.

Shen Yuan was imbalanced for that slightly change, the swung of Xuan Su nearly shattered Shi Ke and blow Shen Yuan’s body away.

He was launched in a blink and flew in the middle of the spectator.

Someone caught him mid air and Shen Yuan didn’t even felt the impact.

«Wow, that was close Liu Shidi, thank you!» he laughed.

Liu Mingyu was still smaller than Shen Yuan, not by very much, but he was still smaller. And yet, he caught Shen Yuan in his arms easily, like he weighed nothing. He wasn’t even bunched back by the force Shen Yuan’s body was launched.

“What a show of your strength, Shidi!”

Liu Mingyu frowned.

«You lost» he said.

«Yeah, I did» he smiled patting his cute Shidi’s arm coaxing him to let him down.

He didn’t.

The other disciples were gathering around him with worry shouts.

“Shixiong are you alright?”

“Shen Shixiong is hurt! Call someone from Qian Cao!”

“Shixiong! Shixiong!”

With all those people around, it was getting embarrassing to be carried like a damsel in distress.

«Um, Liu Shidi?»

Liu Mingyu hesitated, but he let Shen Yuan down in the end.

Shen Yuan calmed the others down when Yue Qi ran toward him.

He looked worried.

For what? Just because that last blow was heavier than the others?

«I’m alright, Shixiong» he said before he could open his mouth.

«I’m sorry, Shen Shidi»

He looked like a lost puppy. Shen Yuan could see the floppy ears and the tail. He tried to not show his amusement.

“Let’s not pat the future Sect Leader’s head, Shen Yuan”

Behind Yue Qi there was Jiu-er, that was swarmed by the others. He didn’t dare come nearer or elbowing the others.

Shen Yuan stretched his hand and pulled his little Scum Villain by the wrist.

Shen Jiu nearly stumbled.

«Everyone, don’t make a fuss, you’re trampling my Shidi» he said gently but firmly.

«I’m not hurt, Liu Shidi prevented anything too serious. And Yue Shixiong, congratulation for being the winner of the tournament! Of course, welcome back too»

The worried atmosphere changed immediately into a more festive one where all the disciples were congratulating Yue Qi.

«Hand off» spat his little Scum Villain once the attention weren’t on Shen Yuan anymore.

Shen Yuan let his wrist go immediately with a smile.

Jiu-er immediately opened his fan to cover his face.

Well, winning the tournament didn’t gave the winner any reward. The last time Shen Yuan won he had just a full meal and too much praise where the other disciples just won’t leave him alone.

If it wasn’t for Liu Shidi pulling him forcibly away, he would end up suffocated.

The only real winner from those tournaments were the Peak Lords that would misure each other cucumbers, brag about their own disciples and dissing their martial siblings.

Fortunately, he wasn’t the protagonist this time, so he let Yue Qi take all the attention and silently slip away.

Liu Mingyu didn’t even hesitate and followed him.

«You shouldn’t have lost» he said when they were on the rainbow bridge alone.

«Sorry, I couldn’t dedicate you the victory. I should’ve have done that the last time where I won» he commented tapping his own chin.

«Shen Shixiong» he called.

Shen Yuan finally looked at his Shidi frowning face.

«Why did you slow down your attack? You would’ve won if you didn’t»

“Oh, so he noticed. As expected from the future War God”

«Just a mistake from my part. I was careless» he said.

«You’re lying»

«I’m not? I read the situation wrongly and made incorrect choices.»

Liu Mingyu frowned even more.

«If you pitied me in an official duel like that I’d be angry.» he said. «Don’t ever do that to me»

Shen Yuan looked at him.

«I didn’t pitied him. I gave my all even though I knew he just healed from a mortal wound. The choice was wound him again and win or losing where both of us would come out uninjured.

If it will come a day that my choice is wound you for my gain and lose against with you all healthy, then I will always choose the second option.» he said.

«Even if you know I would be angry at you?»

«Well, Shidi, I can just spar with you double times to compensate. You wouldn’t be angry anymore at this Shixiong if he go to such lengths, right?»

He snorted and sped up to make distance between them, stomping all the way on the rainbow bridge.

•••

Yue Qi returned to be a regular visitor of Qing Jing Peak. For Jiu-er, of course.

Shen Yuan never had really a moment to congratulate him for… well, surviving, and he apparently didn’t want to talk about it, so Shen Yuan just acted like he never disappeared for one full year.

«Thank you, Shen Yuan. Thank you for saving Xiao Jiu and take care of him.» he said when they met at Qiong Ding Peak.

Shen Yuan just came to gave the list of participants of the Immortal Alliance Conference from Qing Jing Peak.

«Anyone would do that in my shoes» he replied.

Yue Qi smiled. He knew that not anyone would help to this extent.

«Anyway, Jiu-er is already like a little brother to me too»

«Little… Brother? Ugh, I suppose…»

Shen Yuan didn’t know why he hesitated like that. Wasn’t he a brother to him?

Well, it was none of his business. What was important was that the relationship between the Sect Leader Yue Qingyuan and Shen Qingqiu was mend! Right, Sis?

[Congratulation! Congratulation! Congratulation! Impossible achievement obtained!]

Shen Yuan felt proud of himself.

«Shen Shidi… I noticed that… You’re distancing yourself from Xiao Jiu. You know how he is, you shouldn’t be angry for not telling you about me, he just…»

«What are you talking about?»

«You’re avoiding Shen Jiu, aren’t you?»

«I’m not?»

«But you don’t eat with him anymore? Or study with him? I heard you usually pass most of your time with him?»

«What? But you’re there?»

They looked at each other in confusion.

«You don’t approach him because I’m there?»

«Of course?»

«Why don’t you just join us?»

«Why should I?»

He surely wasn’t someone that would interfere between two people that wanted to catch up for their lost time.

Yue Qi seemed to want to add something but ended up choosing to give up.

«You’re welcome to join us, then» he said instead.

Shen Yuan smiled.

«Shixiong talks like he has all the time he wants. Doesn’t Shixiong have to prepare for the Conference too?» he teased.

Yue Qi laughed.

•••

«Shidiii~ I wish you could come with me~» Shen Yuan said with a pout.

About nearly a year after he got out of LingXin Cave, Yue Qi was looking at his usually calm and collected Shidi acting childishly before the youngest of the Head Disciples.

Liu Mingyu looked away and he huffed, arms still crossed like he didn’t care a bit, but his ears were turning red, betraying his true emotions.

Even if the Bai Zhan Head Disciple acted grumpily, he still came all the way down of the mountains to say goodbye.

Yue Qi looked at his childhood friend beside him. Xiao Jiu had his face covered by a fan, but his dark green eyes were burning holes on their heads.

He looked like he wanted to jump on them and tear their throats with his bare teeth.

It was a immagine that only Yue Qi could have had, because no one that knew the new Xiao Jiu would thought him capable of something so animal like.

Yue Qi had hard time to recognize his Xiao Jiu in the elegant and austere disciple he became and he was kind of happy whenever he could spot his Xiao Jiu past fierceness.

He knew that it was important for him abandoning the horrible past as a slave, but Yue Qi just couldn’t forget. Even if it was a harsh life, it was theirs.

Xiao Jiu was clenching in his fan so hard that his knuckles were turning white.

Shen Yuan with both sleeves covering his face was giggling before an angry Bai Zhan Head Disciple.

«Then I’m going, Liu Shidi»

«Umh»

«Wish me luck»

«You don’t need it» Liu Mingyu murmured blushing.

Shen Yuan’s smiles were always mesmerizing, but when he smiled with Liu Mingyu he looked particularly blinding.

Even Yue Qi felt something in his stomach when looking at him.

Yue Qi didn’t know what happened in detail to Xiao Jiu in that house and his Xiao Jiu didn’t know the circumstances of Yue Qi’s Qi deviation, they just didn’t talk about it. There was no need to revive each other’s suffering.

Shen Yuan was someone that saw both of them at their lowest and if Xiao Jiu’s hardships were even half of how Yue Qi imagined they were and Shen Yuan saved him from that, then Yue Qi could not fault him to became attached to the Head Disciple of Qing Jing Peak like that.

Saving him apart, Shen Yuan was just someone that likable. Yue Qi knew. He came to Cang Qiong hoping to become stronger on his own, he didn’t expected that much support for a little guy his own age. He didn’t know, but it made him stronger having just someone he could rely on.

But Xiao Jiu was the type that was very possessive with everything he considered ‘his’. He knew that once he selected his person he wouldn’t let him go.

«Xiao Jiu…» Yue Qi called putting a hand on his back. «Don’t you have something to give him?» he coaxed.

«He seemed content to just have that brute purring for him» he scoffed.

Yue Qi gave his Xiao Jiu a little push.

He looked as Xiao Jiu stumbled near the other two Head Disciples.

Shen Yuan smiled gently at him and titled his head.

«Your face should be covered» Xiao Jiu spat.

Someone that didn’t know him would think he was cussing his senior.

He then pull out something and gave it to Shen Yuan like it was a burden to keep it.

«Don’t shame our sect with your silly expressions. A Head Disciple of Qing Jing without the capability of hiding his own emotions is a disgrace for our Peak.»

Yue Qi was smiling, but the more his Xiao Jiu talked the whiter his face became.

Liu Mingyu was becoming angrier, but a different kind of angry that he usually wore with Shen Yuan.

“Please, Xiao Jiu, language! He will misunderstand!”

«Thank you, Jiu-er» replied Shen Yuan smiling kindly.

Yue Qi found himself chuckling. What was he expecting? Shen Yuan wasn’t like anyone else.

Liu Mingyu pouted and looked away at his Shixiong mild reply. Well, he was never someone that could get over direct insults like that so it was difficult to see someone doing that.

Inside the little pouch there was a handmade fan with black guard and a painting of a bamboo scenario, probably done by Shen Jiu himself.

It was elegant and beautiful, even though it was done by an amateur.

«It’s really beautiful» Shen Yuan sighted in surprise and opened the fan to try it.

He waved slowly and traced the painting with the tip of his slender fingers.

There was a moment where Shen Jiu’s eyes shined, but disappeared immediately behind his own fan.

«Mine is from Shizun» Xiao Jiu puffed his chest and turned to give Yue Qi his last greetings. Then he was gone.

Shen Yuan seemed too taken by the fan to notice Liu Mingyu frowning face. The half taken out pouch was hid inside his robes again.

“Sorry, Xiao Liu. But I’m on my Xiao Jiu’s side. This world has already taken too much from him, so everything or everyone he wants he should have.”

•••

Tang Jianxia was giddy. No one could tell because she was really good at keeping a cold poser face, but she sure was giddy.

Why?

All those arrogant Masters that were so haughty and were saying that after the Jian generation’s ascension, Cang Qiong would fall in favor of their sects.

All Cang Qiong have are the twelve present Peak Lord masters and didn’t have good future prospects?

Cang Qiong had not the ability to raise competent disciples?

All the rumors of Cang Qiong were exaggerated?

In the last conference only one had arrived top three?

She looked at the disciples that were preparing to enter the field. Of course, her Xiao Yuan was eyed by many, he was literally the most beautiful there. More pretty than any girl and more noble than any disciple could learn to be.

She fanned himself and placed her bet.

All the young promising cultivators entered the field.

The firsts couple of shichens were uneventful. All the youngster that appeared on the screen weren’t even from Cang Qiong Mountain.

Zhanmeng Shixiong’s disciple was steady on first since the beginning and Xiao Yuan still never appeared on the ranking board.

And then his name appeared. It shot up at a speed so tremendous that all the present masters couldn’t help but notice.

«Fast! Search for that disciple!»

The pictures on the screen where forcibly changed and all the eyes where on it instead of the refreshments.

Shen Yuan was humming and fanning himself under the warm kiss of the sun, like there wasn’t a worry in the world.

A faint breeze were making his long black hair and fluttering robes dance in the air. A little smile adorned that stunning face, mesmerizing like a Heaven’s child.

He looked pacified and beautiful and it would be a really pleasant scene if not for the fact that he was on top of a mountain of dead body monsters.

Even the camera seemed shocked by the scene.

The platform for the Grand Masters was deadly silent.

“Who is this guy?” Was all the masters were thinking about.

The focus was now on the surroundings where they found out a big array that covered all the empty field.

There were some talisman placed in strategic points and there was a sword that was piercing a hoard of monsters that were mindlessly trowing themselves on the weapon.

«That-that was a protection array! But instead of blocking monsters outside it’s blocking them inside!»

«Look, there are a perfectly amount of talismans that combined could become something that attracted monsters!»

«What are those up there doing then?»

«It seems they are talisman usually used for confounding the opponents, but placed there… It seems it’s causing the monsters strange behaviors.»

«Just like that, they basically trowing themselves on the sword!»

«But that doesn’t explain how he is slaying them so easily. Look, those dead near that tree, aren’t they Armored Bulls? They have incredible thick skins.»

«If you look closely he is targeting accurately the weak point of each monster»

«Ho-how is that even possible? He is basically identifying the monster on sight and precisely aim the weak point? Even if the monsters are in a state of confusion, he shouldn’t have the time?»

«And he should have a really perfect control of his Qi and sword to accomplish something like that»

«The consummations of Qi is minimal too, he won’t have the need to worry about his exhaustion…»

«Whose… Whose disciple is he?»

«His robes… He seems from Cang Qiong? And the green is…»

«Qing Jing Peak»

All the eyes were on Tang Jianxia. She simply fanned herself, face covered strategically and an air of calm and tranquillity.

«Fellow Masters, it’s impolite to keep staring at a woman like that» she commented.

«Peak Lord Tang sure have a… Exceptional disciple» someone commented.

«Yeah, we are curious from which prominent clan he is from»

«Isn’t he pretty young? His future sure will be bright!»

«Ohoho! Masters, you’re too kind, but this is how Qing Jing Peak Head Disciple should fight, isn’t it? Using knowledge and his own head with the addition of perfect Qi control, is the way of Qing Jing»

“So, will all of you still going to underrate my peak after this?! Ohohoh”

«Master Tang sure is humble…» commented Old Palace Master of Huan Hua, Lao Gongzhu. «Where does Master Tang hid this talent all this time?» he asked.

Tang Jianxia wanted to snort at his face. This man always disgusted her.

Lao Gongzhu was someone that was around when Tang Jianxia was still a disciple. And he was an elder even then.

He supposed to ascend long time ago, but still remained.

He said he wanted to protect Huan Hua and wouldn’t ascend until he found a worthy successor.

It was implied by all the other sects that it was only a way for him to seize power.

Huan Hua wasn’t considered the richest sect of all before he become Palace Master after all. They said that he was so attached to material things that he would not ever ascend.

That was why all his Head Disciples would disappear after some time, so he would never have someone that would succeed him.

But there were other rumors too, like the fact that he ‘could not’ ascend.

Some time ago, he had a big Qi deviation. It was a pretty known event because that Qi deviation made him this old and wrinkled man. He lost his perfect youth and immortal like body, even though he probably was still immortal as he was still alive after so many decades.

People said that that Qi deviation ruined his cultivation so much that he could never cultivate to the Heaven ever again.

Or he was denied by the Heaven when he tried to ascend and was punished for even trying. But no man would be so corrupted that would receive this kind of penance. Those who were known as demonic cultivators or particularly shady cultivators didn’t even attempt, after all.

Tang Jianxia’s own Shizun wasn’t a really upright person. He was someone manipulative that didn’t had any problems to resort to extreme remedies and he enjoyed, very much, his life with his two wives. But even he ascended without problems.

The Heavens wouldn’t reject someone only because he was a greedy bitch.

It wasn’t a plausible theory.

And even though his Head Disciples didn’t archive their role, it wasn’t like they disappeared in suspicious ways. Some ascended and others chose to leave the sect and, yes, some died, but the cultivation world wasn’t an easy place.

«I didn’t hid him» she replied.

They looked as Shen Yuan’s name shot up first place.

«I-I think I recognize that name» said someone.

«You do?»

«No one heard of the fairy of Cang Qiong?»

«The lone disciple that is more beautiful than anyone that usually went on missions alone?»

«Wasn’t the fairy a girl?»

«I heard it was from Bai Zhan because his fighting ability was impressive?»

Tang Jianxia just smiled pleased, without confirm or deny them.

Of course it was his Xiao Yuan.

Why did they think she continued to send out his Head Disciple on missions if not to boast him?

Her Zhanmeng-Shixiong wasn’t that happy that she exploited him that much, but it wasn’t like the boy couldn’t do it!

It was worth waiting for his preparations with this kind of display.

“Good job, Xiao Yuan!”

She fanned herself.

«I wonder if he could win against my Xiyan» said Lao Gongzhu.

Tang Jianxia wanted to roll her eyes.

His most recent Head Disciple seemed finally the one that could effectively succeed him.

She was a talented and smart girl, cold and level headed. She was upright, had a stable head, had strong cultivation and she was really proficient even in official works and in political environment too. A really talented young lady that was reveled to the world when she was seventeen, six years priors at the Immortal Alliance Conference organized by Huan Hua. She participated in the last conference too, even though she was already twenty, only because the Palace Master wanted to boast her.

She snatched first place both of the time and because of her, Huan Hua acted arrogantly for the last six years.

If Tang Jianxia could, she would make Xiao Yuan partecipate in the next one too, but knowing his Head Disciple he would refuse surely. So she should rely on Xiao Jiu! He was a smart and talented guy too! Tang Jianxia was blessed by so many talents, she couldn’t just make her moods went down because of a greedy raccoon!

“We can just count how many monsters Shen Yuan will slay more than the numbers slayed by Su Xiyan” she thought.

«That will indeed be a good match. Maybe we could arrange a meeting between them»

Tang Jianxia didn’t mean anything particularly, she just said something to end that useless conversation, but for a moment an extremely displeased expression appeared on the Palace Master’s face. It disappeared quickly enough to let her think that she imagined it.

«Surely, it’s a generation of talents. Hope they all make it through» he said.

Because the Immortal Alliance Conference had always some mortality rate, no metter the level of security.

Three day later, they counted the max number of deaths in the conference’s history.

•••

It was already the last day of the Immortal Alliance Conference and Shen Yuan could see he was steady on first place.

But relaxing now would be stupid.

Shen Yuan’s method was pretty easy. After he setup the camp and killed all the monsters that his talismans could attract, he would end the day in search of a new good spot, eat and then sleep.

He met other disciples sometimes and he happened to save them in critical moments too. There had been some of them that tried to latch themselves on him, but Shen Yuan ditched them before they could try seducing him to pity them.

Shen Yuan wasn’t stupid, okay? He read how all those weaker disciples latched on Luo Binghe’s thigh during his turn and slowed him down!

Shen Yuan wasn’t a charitable white lotus, guys!

So Shen Yuan just appeared, slayed the monster and bolt away like he had other urgent business to do. He didn’t even stop to say ‘Hi’.

He felt really like how Liu Shidi would act, really.

He snickered alone.

Shen Yuan decided that he would ask Shizun if he could accompany her on the next conference so he could see him win.

Looking at the board, Shen Yuan noticed that Yue Qi’s name wasn’t in the top ten anymore.

Yue Qi and Shen Yuan were constantly switching first place during the last three days, so Shen Yuan couldn’t really understand why his name was dropping.

Then he found the first corpse. It wasn’t unusual to die during the conferences, but when Shen Yuan examined the body, he realized that it wasn’t a monster that killed that disciple.

It was by the hand of a man… And was that a consumed talisman? Why it had demonic energy? But it didn’t look like a work of a demon. Demon would never use talismans to kill after all.

So a demonic cultivator?

Shen Yuan found other dead disciples, killed by the same hand. They all looked the same, like they were fighting something before being struck by a deadly talisman. So maybe there were two of them.

The last body he found was already examined by someone. Maybe another disciple found them suspicious and was investigating.

Shen Yuan followed the tracks until he heard some fighting noises.

Chapter Text

His name was Yi Ke. He was a child sold to slavery when he was nine years old and he adopted the name Ershi afterwards.
He was supposed to be sent to the Qiu family at some point but after what happened to the Young Master, even the Owner was reluctant to have ties with them.

So they changed places again, but before they could do that, Ershi met Wu Yanzi. He was searching for a disciple and he said Ershi has a spiritual root. He said they even thought he was too old to begin cultivating he, as his teacher, could do something about that.

So he followed him. Anything was better than being a slave. But he soon after realized that he was wrong.

After he was used as a cauldron for the rogue cultivator, his meridian were too tattered to cultivate in a normal way, so he was forced to begin the way of demonic cultivation. He was forced to follow his master around, learning undertaking methods to kill and being the worst of the worst only to survive.

Honestly, Ershi asked himself why he should keep going. Was living really worth all this?

When he first entered the conference and began killing those snob children of prominent sects, honestly, Ershi felt good. And he said to himself that maybe this was the real him, this was his destiny from the moment he was born.
Those lucky bastard had it all in their life but they succumbed easily by his hand. It was exciting. He finally could understand the drive of his master to kill and plunder, to took away anything they wanted because no one was willing to gave them something. Nor humans nor the Heavens.

They were abandoned souls and always would be only that and nothing more. So if they wanted to keep existing, the only thing they could do was take away and make those people suffer for being born luckier.

They never attacked the groups, but Ershi wanted to do that, when he saw a group of people giggling with each other.
He hated that, so he set a reptile like monster on them. He wanted to watch them be ripped apart by the monster.
He looked at them, smiling happily when the girls began to scream and the boys wetted their trousers.

“Scream all you want. When really needed no one will come save you. You won’t survive, because you all know nothing about struggles and didn’t know how.”

But their screams were heard and someone came for them, jumping down from a tree and decapitating the monsters with a clean swing.
The monster open wound made blood raining all over, but not a drop touched his pristine robes.
His hair was blown by the wind and a sudden silence fell on the disciples.

Ershi had his eyes wide open.
He never saw someone this beautiful in all his life and he felt his ever aching body tremble for something he couldn’t understand.
That was really something worthy of killing.
Everything beautiful should be ruined.
Everything pure should be stained.
Everything perfect should be destroyed.
Because all the good things were false and all sweet words were lies.

«Thanking Shen Shixiong for saving us» the one disciple in yellow bowed to his savior.

«No need. In exchange, could you tell me if you saw someone… Something out of place?» he asked.

Before the yellow one could reply, some girls latched themselves on him.

«Shen Shixiooon~ why don’t you came with us?»

«Yes yes! This Lu-er would feel much more safe if Shen Shixiong is with us!»

From Ershi point of view he could see how one of the girls was caressing his chest like those prostitutes would do with his master.
There was really no differences between cultivators and lowly dogs. He laughed mentally.

«I apologize, but I’m searching for someone, so I will not be staying. You guys should stick together. I think the other Shixiongs and Shidis are trying really hard to protect you, you shouldn’t disregard their efforts»

He pulled away his arms.
The savior smiled gently at them, like he was a really detached to earthlings desires immortal masters and wasn’t fazed by them at all. He acted pretty well. Even Ershi would indulge himself if he had an occasion like that.
But with a face like his Ershi immagine he had more pretty girls fawning over him. Or pretty boys.
The young cultivator covered his fist with the other hand and bowed a little.
The girls were visibly upset.

«Did you see anything suspicious, then?»

The others shook their heads.

«Thank you all for the assistance, this one will go on his way then»

And he was gone.

“Shit, he’s searching for us! I need to tell master!”

Ershi didn’t remain to hear those stupid young cultivator fawn over their savior’s dashing beauty or honorable attitude.

«Master!» he exclaimed.

«Not now Xiao Ershi» his master said.

There was another cultivator in front of him.

Ershi knew Qi only by rumors between the generation of “Shi”. He was the last of the first bunch. He saw him only one time, before he ran away after his closest friend, Jiu, was sold to the Qiu. He thought that both were dead.
So he never thought he would meet him as cultivator of the Immortal Alliance Conference.

«State your name» he said pointing his still sheltered sword at both of them.

He obviously didn’t recognize him. They never talked after all.

So he ran away and became a cultivator, mmh? That was so unfair. Could Ershi have become one too if he had ran away too?

Master loved to turn off good and upright cultivators like Qi. He was smiling.

«This one is Wu Yanzi, a humble rogue cultivator» he said. «And the boy behind me is Ershi, this one personal disciple»

There was a little moved of Qi’s eyes. Like doubt.
Did he recognized the name? The number?

He saw Qi hesitate before his master stroke at him fast in the middle of chest.
So pathetic. So much for running away and became a cultivator and ended up being beat up by a disgusting demonic cultivator.
Was he really better than Ershi?
Master’s strikes were know for being dangerous. They messed up the course of one’s Qi.

He looked with glee in his eyes how his master trashed Qi, the guy that kept only defending and backing down with blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

Qi had one hand on the hilt of his sword and the other clenching his chest. It was useless. Master’s strikes were difficult to handle, he soon would collapse.
He was so affected that he didn’t even draw the sword. And it was a good sword. Ershi would make a good use of that after his death.

«Don’t move or I slice your throat» said a cold voice.

Ershi felt the cold metal touching his neck where a sharp pain hit him. His body tensed.

«It’s no use threatening me. My master doesn’t value my life.» he said, trying to induce the young beautiful cultivator from before to pity him.

He looked righteous and naive, like all the young cultivators that had it all since they were born were.
He just had to wait for an opening.

«I-I will surrender. I don’t want to be with him anymore»

He felt the sword move away and grinned.
But a moment later, he was eating dirts.
His face pressed into the ground and a both arms blocked behind his back with something.
All his barely usable Qi were all blocked.

Then there was a sword flying toward his Master. It didn’t quite pierce him, as Wu Yanzi yanked in time, but it did graze his side.
A blast of qi was sent afterwards, making the rogue cultivator jump of the way.
The young cultivator didn’t had any hesitation unlike Qi, he just sent attack after attack and didn’t gave the opponent any chance to strike back.
In the meanwhile he got close to Qi.

«Yue Shixiong are you alright?»

Qi was still clenching on his chest but he smiled.

«Yes, I am»

The young cultivator wasn’t even looking at him.

«Good. Now let’s do something about him»

They both attacked Wu Yanzi with a frightening sync that only someone that trained together for years could have.

«You little shiting bastards! Do you really think that this is enough to kill me?» yelled Wu Yanzi.

«Oh, Shixiong. Are we trying to kill him? Wasn’t subdue the priority?» the young man in light green was talking but he didn’t halt his movements.

«If Shidi wanted him dead he would already been. He must have not realize that» replied Qi with a tint of smugness even though he still had a calm and polite smile on his face.

Wu Yanzi trow them some black talismans, growling in frustration.
They were too much, even though Wu Yanzi was really strong as a demonic cultivator, he didn’t had enough energy to activate all them. Doing it wrong would drain him of his life energy. Why would he need a disciple to use as cauldron if he was stable enough to freely use the demonic cultivation?

The young cultivator pull out of his sleeve a fan that he swing with violence.

Multiple leaf flew up and a whirlwind trashed the talismans away.

Wu Yanzi was loosing, he had not a single chance. He turned to Ershi and with crazy eyes and an eerie smile the dashed in Ershi direction.

Ershi knew him, he knew that one day he would be killed by his Master. He lacked energy, what was better than using his disciple resentment by killing him.

But in a metter of seconds, Qi used the opening and stroke hard Wu Yanzi’s abdomen, but before he flew away, he yanked him down and hit the back of his head with the sword hilt.

The demonic cultivator crumbled down.

•••

They didn’t need to call for help, when some masters came to retrieve the two demonic cultivators.
The two masters were shocked.

Who was Wu Yanzi? Wasn’t he the demonic cultivator that had spread terror in all the human realm for years. Someone that had avoided multiple sects surveilling and capable enough to stand up even against some immortal masters?
And those two greenhorns cultivators beat him and his disciple? If they killed him would be more believable. After all, capture someone highly dangerous was more difficult than kill that person off.
And one of them even seemed unaffected by the fight!

In the meantime, Yue Qi was being checked by some medics and Shen Yuan gave a detailed report on the disciples he found killed by Wu Yanzi and some medical details.

Those masters were even more shocked, especially the medics one.

Wasn’t he a scholar? What was this expertise?

«What will happen to the disciple?» asked the ever so kind Yue Qi.

«We will investigate and judge him based on his involvement» they said «you don’t have to worry. You should continue»

They flew away with the two demonic cultivators.

«Did Shixiong know him?» Shen Yuan asked.

There was a pause and Yue Qi looked at the masters until they were nothing but dots.

«No. I don’t know him.»

«You dropped a lot, Yue Shixiong. I think this time is my victory» said Shen Yuan changing the subject. It was clear that he didn’t want to talk about that.

Honestly, Shen Yuan and the second in rank had so much gap in their points that even if he stopped hunting for the rest of the conference he was sure he would win.

«Xiao Yuan is being cheeky. This Shixiong is absolutely capable of catch up.»

Shen Yuan jolted a little at the nick name.

The only two people that called him with a friendly name since he got transmigrated were his Shizun and his little Scum Villain, where the first one did that with a little mock in her tone and the second one hated him. He did grew a little wary of someone calling him by pet names.

“Was there something like calling someone you didn’t like with pet names in PIDW?”

«Then Shixiong, what is he waiting for? This Shidi thinks that there’s only about two shichen until the end of the conference.» Shen Yuan stuck with the formalities.

Yue Qi lifted the hand like he wanted to pat Shen Yuan’s head, but opted for the shoulder instead.
He then went to hunt again.

Two shichen after, Shen Yuan wake up for his nap at the sound of the gongs.
He was still first but there was a little margin between him and Yue Qi that was second place.

“What a monster, Yue Qi. As expected from the future Sect Leader of Cang Qiong Mountain.”

•••

Seeing his Shizun proud of him made him… He didn’t know. He didn’t really expected that she would be proud of him.

«Xiao Yuan had the highest score of hunted monsters in the history of the Immortal Alliance!» she said fanning her face.

She was trying hard not to gloat, but she failed miserably.
Oh, and she received a ton of spiritual stones for betting on him.

Shen Yuan received a tassel made of gold and red thread that symbolized the eternity with tons of spiritual stones for himself as well for his first place. That tassel had some protection spell on it and it was said that it was some kind of lucky charm.

He received cold congratulations from the masters of other sects and some proposal to switch party, even though they were half serious as he was already the Head Disciple of the second highest ranked peak of the best and strongest sect. Who would switch?

He smiled all the time, but he just wanted to go home. If he knew it would be such an hassle arriving first he would have helped Yue Qi to obtain first place.

Then he froze.

“Wait. Did I stole his first place? Shit! He is Yue Qingyuan! He couldn’t not be the winner in his only chance of participating the Immortal Alliance Conference! The future sect leader without a record of winning first place in the Immortal Alliance Conference?!”

[User needn’t to worry. Even in the original he didn’t won. He left the conference early because of Wu Yanzi’s death and the presence of Shen Qingqiu]

“What do you mean?”

[In the original Shen Jiu became Wu Yanzi’s disciple after escaping the Qiu’s and ruined his cultivation under him. He then met Yue Qi at the conference and killed Wu Yanzi to save Yue Qi. Yue Qi abandoned the conference to take care of Shen Jiu and advocate for him before the Immortal Masters]

“Are you telling me that my little Scum Villain suffered more after Qiu Jianluo?!”

[Yes]

“Airplane you motherfucker! What a messed up backstory is this?!”

He even received prize for capturing Wu Yanzi. Some spiritual stones that he tossed all to Yue Qi because he altredy had those for the winning price and he was the one hurt by the rogue cultivator.
The good future sect leader obviously refused and in the end they split the reward.
They won a ginseng that helped the cultivation and some other elixirs.
He can understood the rarity of the price when he saw one, but why give to two people a thing that couldn’t be split?

«I’m going to give this to Jiu-er» he said to Yue Qi.

Yue Qi smiled at him:«Good idea».

•••

Shen Jiu was at the mountain foot waiting for them.

Shen Yuan trotted his horse to him, leaving the others behind.

«Shen Shidi!» he slowed down when he was near him and jumped down elegantly.

«I won» he said immediately.

«What? Do you want to be praised or something?» he scrawled.

«It won’t be so bad?» he commented with a pout.

His little Scum Villain scoffed.

«You did a good job» he relented opening his fan to cover his face.

The others had the time to arrive and were dismounting their horse, happy to have arrived at home.

Shen Yuan used that time to pull out his present for Jiu-er and opened up, reveling the reinvigorating scent of the ginseng.

«A present» he said.

At the pretty wooden box sight his little Scum Villain winced.
Shen Yuan sighted inside.

«Is this an insult at my low cultivation?»

“There’s really nothing that can please you, my little Scum Villain?”

There was the fan covering Shen Jiu’s face again, so he couldn’t really read him.
The fan on him was good and cool, but Shen Yuan really hated it. Shen Jiu had a pretty face, he’d love to look at it more.

«No, it’s a marriage proposal» he spat flatly.

All the people around them flinched, his little Scum Villain just froze in place with his dark green eyes nearly bulging.
The Head Disciple of Qing Jing Peak hit his little Scum Villain’s forehead with the closed fan that he gave Shen Yuan.

«Just kidding, no need to look so scared. It’s just a present without meaning. And it’s not just from me, Yue Shixiong has his a part in it. There was only one, so we decided to give it to you» he replied.

Shen Jiu nearly snatched the box from Shen Yuan’s hand and then stomped to the Peak Lords.

“Oh? He wasn’t there to greet us?”

The first amused expression on Shizun turned cold the more Shen Jiu talked. Then she and the Sect Leader followed Shen Jiu.
Yue Qi tagged along and as the Head Disciple of Qing Jing, how could he remain behind? Shen Yuan was pretty tired, but it wasn’t like he could just ignore everything.

There was an attack from demons to some An Ding Peak outer disciples.
There was only one survivor.

“Hey Sis, isn’t this part of PIDW trope?”

[Replying User, it is part of the backstory of the ‘traitor’ Shang Qinghua. It happened during his first encounter with the heir of the Northern Desert of the demon realm. It was revealed in the chapter where he was killed by Mobei-jun after his usefulness was gone]

“So that wet rat like guy is Shang Qinghua?”

[Yes, User]

“Can I expose him?”

[No, User. It would collude with something that this System couldn’t interfere with. User shouldn’t being involved with the ‘traitor’ arc]

“Mmh, it’s the first time you deny me something. Well, he is still harmless right now”

The only survivor of the massacre was this little guy with a messy bun and an hamster like face that shivered the moment he saw Shen Jiu glare at him.

His little Scum Villain commented at something about how it was curious how the little guy was the only survivor, how could he even survive?

Shen Yuan nearly grinned at how the future traitor cowered under his Shidi’s judging stare.

“So smart, my little Scum Villain”

«Xiao Jiu…» sighted Yue Qi. «don’t make empty accusations»

Shen Jiu just huffed: «Qi Ge is just too trusty».

That reaction made the traitor do a shocked face, more than even the accusation had done.

They sent someone to investigate and someone to the victims families.
Shen Yuan just looked how everything was wrapped up easily. He then met the shivering guys eyes.

There was confusion written on his face. Shen Yuan smiled at him and waved a hand.
He jolted and run away.

•••

The next thing in Shen Yuan’s agenda was accompanying Liu Mingyu to Wan Jian Peak to retrive Chen Luan. Well, he still didn’t know that Chen Luan would be the sword, though.

«Shen Shixiong. I’m going to Wan Jian» said Shen Jiu out of blue that same day.

«Oh? Shizun already gave you the pass? Congratulation, Shidi» he smiled.

If Shen Yuan remembered correctly, one of the reason Shen Qingqiu hated Liu Qingge was because he obtained a sword early on for his talents and Shen Qingqiu had Xiu Ya really late.

He was really jealous of Liu Shidi in PIDW uh?

“Luckily, this will go differently. Shen Jiu doesn’t have any reason to be jealous of Liu Mingyu. Even if Liu Shidi’s cultivation is still higher, Shen Jiu’s already superior than half of the Head Disciples. He didn’t lack behind! And he didn’t have the Head Disciple roles’s pressure!”

Shen Yuan did asked himself why Shen Qingqiu in the novel was so bad in comparison to the other martial siblings when Shen Yuan knew Shen Jiu was very talented. After meeting Wu Yanzi he realized how bad Shen Jiu’s meridians would be if he had been that rogue cultivator’s disciple.
It was a miracle that he did archived immortality in the original.

So he felt safe asking:«Want to come with me? I’m accompanying Liu Shidi to get his sword too»

Shen Jiu frowned, but opened his fan immediately to hide his face.

«Why do you have to accompany someone from another Peak?» he measured his tone.
He was becoming too good to conceal his emotions.

«Liu Shidi isn’t just someone? I think you two could be good friends actually.» he said smiling.
«I know that he is a little blunt and… Well, too foreword…»

Shen Jiu scoffed.

«But he really is a good person. He’s someone that repay kindness tenfold»

«and condemn anyone that he saw as inferior» commented Shen Jiu.

«No! He just doesn’t like people that don’t like him» Shen Yuan insisted.

«He doesn’t think you’re inferior or anything. He just is like that? Jiu-er, could you please try to get along with him?» he asked.

Shen Jiu pierced Shen Yuan with his sharp eyes but then huffed.

«Fine. I’ll try not insult him every time I see him»

«So you were aware…»

«Of course I am»

«…»

Shen Yuan went to Bai Zhan to pick up Liu Mingyu.

As Bai Zhan didn’t have a landing area, Shen Yuan didn’t even stop and flew over Bai Zhan’s disciples heads.

In the novel, Bai Zhan was a Peak of bullies that would usually torment Luo Binghe, but this guys were actually pretty chills.

They always greeted him with smiles and shiny eyes.
He heard that sometimes they’d gave other peaks troubles. But Qing Jing wasn’t really a target.

Well, they sometimes picked on his little Scum Villain, but, honestly, he was kind of asking for it.
“You couldn’t just call them brutes, sneer at them and belittle them out of nowhere, Jiu-er!”

Well, no scolding was enough to impede that venomous mouth to run wild.

There was this particular guy, Ji Jue, that was obsessed with finding problems on Shen Jiu and would usually run to Liu Mingyu or Shen Yuan himself to snitch on him. Something like how he humiliated some outer disciples abusing his power; using Shen Yuan’s name without consent; doing things that only Head Disciples had authorizations on; his intensions of backstabbing Shen Yuan; stabbing someone with his fan (how? I want to try!); using shameful tactics when dueling etc…

He was so obsessed of any of his actions that Shen Yuan began to think that he had a crush on him.

Well, Shen Jiu, in his sixteen healthy years was an icily beauty, he couldn’t really blame him.

“Oh, here he is”

«Shen Shixiong! Liu Shixiong just went to bath, he will came soon. Does Shen Shixiong want to spar with us in the meantime?»

«Ji Shidi is enthusiastic as always.» he replied. After that tournament, Bai Zhan’s disciples kept asking duels with him.
«But this one prefer not became sweaty when meeting Liu Shidi»

«Shixiong talk like he would drop any sweat!»

«Scram. He doesn’t have time»

Liu Shidi scared his peak sibling out of nowhere.

«Morning Liu Shidi~» Shen Yuan smiled immediately.

Liu Mingyu still had some dampness on his hair, so Shen Yuan touched his ponytail and infused some Qi.

Liu Mingyu was startled and shook a little.

«The caves are pretty cold, don’t go around with wet hair. Are you ready?» he asked.

Shen Yuan didn’t know why Ji Jue was covering his face with both hands and he didn’t even did a good job as he was peaking between the fingers.

Liu Mingyu didn’t reply and stomped away.

“Uh? I was going to take you by sword?”

•••

Liu Mingyu was displeased when he saw Shen Jiu there.
Shen Yuan was surprised when he saw the traitor there too.
And those exact emotions were reflected on them.
Of course, Wei Wubai and Yue Qi were there too.

«I don’t think they have introduced us. I’m Shen Yuan» Shen Yuan said to the traitor after Shen Jiu got inside the cave.

The An Ding Peak guy, that recently became an internal disciple, was startled by Shen Yuan presence. He didn’t expected someone talk to him and he was trying to hide behind Wei Wubai all the time like he didn’t wanted to be seen.

Was Shang Qinghua this mousy in the book?
A traitor should have been more… slimy, right?

«Th-this one’s name is Shang Chun, this one greet Shen Shixiong» he quivered.

«Nice to meet Shang Shidi. Congratulations for becoming Inner disciples and for acquiring the sword so soon» he said smiling.

«Thanking Shen Shixiong for the care» he squirmed.

«Shixiong should stop seducing people the moment he spot them» spat an icy voice.

«Shen Shidi! How did it go?» Shen Yuan ignored automatically the nonsense.

Xiu Ya was just as beautiful and cold as the owner, like how it was described in the novel.
Shen Yuan was generous with praises and he could finally see a tint of red on Shen Jiu’s cheeks. He considered it a victory.

He didn’t know why Shang Chun looked so shaken.
Was he scared to not obtain a sword?
Well he was going next, as they followed Peak Ranks order.

They waited pretty long and Liu Mingyu was becoming impatient.
Shen Yuan didn’t know why Jiu-er was still there or even Yue Qi. Who are they waiting for?

When Shang Chun finally came out with his sword he found all those piercing eyes on him that he trembled from head to toes.
Shen Yuan almost felt sorry for him.

Liu Mingyu’s mood overturned the moment he came out with Chen Luan. Well, he wasn’t smiling or jumping in happiness, but the angry aura wasn’t there anymore.
Shen Yuan approached him immediately.

«Chen Luan» the Bai Zhan disciple said before Shen Yuan could ask.

The proud face on Liu Mingyu was too cute for Shen Yuan’s heart.
Liu Shidi’s grey eyes were shining like he fell in love and Shen Yuan was a little jealous of the sword.

Shen Yuan let something dandling in front of Liu Mingyu’s face.

Finally his attention returned on his favorite Shixiong (of course he is his favorite! He and Yue Qi were the only one that had the ‘addressed’ title! Liu Mingyu doesn’t address anyone!).

«I did said that I would dedicate my victory to you, didn’t I?» he smiled.

The precious tassel with a protective charm on it that he won at the Immortal Alliance Conference was put on Chen Luan hilt by Shen Yuan himself, as the owner seemed too confused to react.

Liu Mingyu entire face became so red that Shen Yuan worried that he had stopped breathing.

“What? It’s just a tassel? Why are you so embarrassed? Don’t tell me that you never received a present?! That would be too sad! Let this Shixiong spoil you then!”

He heard someone choking. Shang Chun was choking out of nowhere.

«I-It’s my first!» his cute Shidi stammered out.

“Please, Shidi, don’t word it like that”.

«Your first sword tassel?» he asked patiently.

“Well, of course. It’s not like you had another spiritual sword before”

«S-Shameless!» he spluttered and run away.

“Uh? What happened Sis?”

[Answering User, the first tassel is usually given by a family member or a very close individual, like the Shizun]

“Shit, did I overstepped? He was waiting for his parents present, right?”

[User needn’t worry. Liu Mingyu’s parents didn’t prepare a tassel for him]

“Uh? Why?”

[…]

“How about Hui Shishu?”

[A circumstantial tassel would not have the same value of the one and only price from the Immortal Alliance Conference]

“That’s fair”

When he turned to the others he found Wei Wubai patting a coughing Shang Chun and Shen Jiu was already on his way to the rainbow bridge with a frantic Yue Qi following him.

They didn’t even wait for him.

•••

The rest of the Head Disciples participated in the next tournament.

To make things fair, Yue Qi and Shen Yuan didn’t partecipate.

Well, they both were already superior to their seniors since long ago, they didn’t really need to partecipate even before. It was just polite to do it at least one time.

And Shen Yuan had been part of it already two times.

Liu Mingyu was so displeased when he found out that he went on missions alone without telling Shen Yuan.
And he was frowning when waiting for his turn.
How adorable.

«Are you that upset?» he teased.

«It’s unfair. I want to duel with Shen Shixiong too»

«We already spar every other day?»

«It’s not the same. Here I barely have worthy opponents»

«That’s just rude, Shidi» he pinched his Shidi’s cheeks.

Since he found out that his cute Shidi was pretty lenient to his touch, Shen Yuan would abuse his benefit every time he could.

«I want to spar with you or Yue Shixiong»

«I’m sure you will have a wonderful experience» he said.

Liu Mingyu didn’t quite pout, but may as well did that, because he looked just too adorable.

«You two are annoying» said Qi Shimei.
She wasn’t participating either. She was there only to make mean comments on that year tournaments participants.

«Is Qi Shimei displeased that he didn’t include her in his list?» he teased.

«As if I care.»

«I’m quite happy that the two Shixiong didn’t partecipate. Last time the medical tent was full of wounded people.» said Mu Shidi smiling.

«It wasn’t my fault. I dealt with my opponents with not too much damages» Shen Yuan said immediately.

«Are you not counting all the people that fell down the stairs of Qiong Ding?» snickered Qi Zigui.

«How is that my fault?!»

«It was the first time they saw him, Qi Shijie» said Mu Shangshu with a sight.

«Pathetic.» she huffed.

«Shimei should count in those that tripped on their own sword and stabbed themselves.» said Wei Wubai.

«Or those that were too distracted in the middle of their duels and were blow away»

«How about those that trampled down the cliffs?»

«Nah, those are in the same group of the stairs ones»

«Today there are less victims, though?»

«Most were already prepared and the Qian Cao staff made precautions with An Ding’s help»

«Oooh? Prepared against Shen Shixiong like he is some kind of calamity?»

«A walking disaster»

They laughed.

What the hell were they talking about?! How anyone hadn’t told them off? Why they were accusing Shen Yuan of all that? Was this some kind of inside joke?
“Blame Shen Shixiong on any misfortunes?”

He looked at Liu Shidi for support, but he wasn’t paying attention to them.

He was playing with the tassel on Chen Luan’s hilt and watching the other disciples duels with a sharp gaze. Despite what he said, he was studying his opponents.

They all said he was arrogant, but he was just confident and serious to a fault in his discipline. Shen Yuan found him admirable. Not any type of mindset could made someone the War God after all.

«He’s playing dirty» he murmured.

«Who?»

Liu Mingyu didn’t answered but he could follow his gaze.

Shen Jiu wasn’t exactly playing dirty.

He was really aggressive, subtle in certain moves, like he wanted to make clear who was superior and he would kick a man already down. He was humiliating the other. It was a non necessary violence.

Shen Yuan could still see the street kid he was behind those actions, even though he adopted Qing Jing Peak elegant and flowery styles perfectly.

«Despicable» murmured Liu Mingyu.

«Mu Shidi, I think the medical tent will be full this time too.» said Wei Wubai.

«How could he make Qing Jing’s style so disgusting?» commented Qi Zigui.

«This one will excuse himself» said Mu Shangshu. He went to the fallen disciple that was Shen Jiu’s opponent.

Some of his friends looked subtly at Shen Yuan.
He didn’t say anything.

It had been about ten months since Shen Jiu obtained the Xiu Ya and he ignored Shen Yuan most of the time, too focused on training with the sword. Shen Jiu then began to go on weeks long solo missions and if it wasn’t him, it was Shen Yuan. So they didn’t talk very much lately.

Shen Yuan had his Head Disciples duties and the new disciples to take care of and he spent his free time on other peaks or he’d seclud himself in his secret place on Qing Jing. When they actually met, it was usually tea time with Yue Qi.
So even when they were both on the Peak he didn’t had the occasions to verify his progresses. That was actually the first time he saw Shen Jiu fight since he obtained Xiu Ya.

«Did I negligent him?» he asked himself.

«Why is this your fault?» asked Liu Mingyu with a frowning face.

«I didn’t say that it is my fault»

«Anyway, you don’t have any responsibility over how one decide to use his swordsmanship» his cute Shidi said. «He isn’t some kind of new disciple…»

The duels continued. Both Shen Jiu and Liu Mingyu won each match overwhelmingly.
Their opponents were building up a mountain of wailing losers in the medical tents. It was a massacre.

One of the surprising events, other than those two menaces, was Shang Chun beating Hui Pao.

“Is this the moment where he snatch the Head Disciple position?”

He didn’t expect it, but Shang Chun classified himself higher than he thought he would. Well, he did surrender without even putting a fight when Liu Mingyu happens to be his opponent, so he wasn’t really admirable, but he arrived in the quarterfinals?!

His cute Shidi stomped out of the training ground angry and fuming.

«Surrender?! Surrender?! What kind of respectable martial artist surrender in an official duel?! He’s a dishonor for Cang Qiong!» he was murmuring.

«Don’t be too mad, Shidi» he soothed him with pat on his head. He didn’t want all that anger to pour down on his next opponent. They would be too pitiful.

«He didn’t even try!» he huffed.

Shang Chun cowered on the other side of the training ground, like he felt Liu Mingyu’s anger from there.

“Well, I bet this choice of his made him more likable by the An Ding Peak Lord. That man appreciates good capability to analyze and smart judgments.”

Shen Yuan felt a little sorry for Hui Pao, but that guy never liked to be Head Disciple of An Ding. After all, An Ding was already a black company like place where the Head Disciple was the slaves of the slaves. It was surely a difficult job. And even the Peak Lord was always overworked.
Only a masochist or a really ambitious person would be willing to be the Head of the logistics of twelve Peaks.
So Hui Pao maybe didn’t feel too bad.

There were whispers on Shen Jiu’s side. Another victory where he nearly broke the Head Disciple of the beasts Peak’s leg.

“For someone that wasn’t even a Head Disciple he was really strong” was what they were saying.

There was even someone that asked if Shen Yuan didn’t partecipate because he didn’t wanted Shen Jiu dethroning him.

«Those despicable bastards» he heard Qi Zigui saying.

«As if Shen Shixiong could be scared of that snake!» she added angrily.

«Why? Maybe I am» he said.

She scoffed.

«You’re always so laid back! Even if you’re more talented than anyone else, a more ambitious person could snatch your position from you! Be careful and don’t just trust anyone!»

«I didn’t know that you’d care so much for me, Shimei, I’m actually touched»

«I just don’t like him! It’s not that I care about you!» she scoffed.

«Yes Yes»

«You’re so annoying»

«Mmh»

Finally at the finals Shen Jiu and Liu Mingyu faced each other.
The two of them, first studied each other and then attacked at the same time. Swords meet with sparkles.
They exchanged blows, strong and violent, but Liu Mingyu clearly had the upper hands.

It surprised Shen Yuan that Liu Mingyu had many people cheering for him and Shen Jiu multiple disciples booing him.
Yue Qi was clearly displeased by their attitude and told them off. Of course not a real scolding way but with his gentle though oppressive smiling face.

Shen Jiu’s face cracked and the cold demeanor turned into a frustrated frown.
He spat something to Liu Mingyu, not that audible even by cultivators, that made the Bai Zhan disciple going harder and angrier.
Shen Jiu abused mercilessly the opening created and Liu Mingyu barely parred the attack that would otherwise caused a serious damage.

It wasn’t like Liu Mingyu losing focus even when angry, so what could possibly he have heard?

Shen Jiu grinned and said something more, but Liu Mingyu gritted his teeth and said, clearly so even Shen Yuan heard him:«You’re a shame for the cultivation world»

And he attacked faster. From then on it was a one sided attack. Liu Mingyu didn’t gave him the opportunity to counterattack, fast, strong and efficient, he moved like an expert and finally blow Xiu Ya flying. Shen Jiu fell on the ground.

«Such a disgrace» said the Bai Zhan Head Disciple sheathing Chen Luan and turning his back on him.

«Who fucking gave you the right to insult me?! I’ll fucking kill you!»

Shen Jiu blasted a condensed Qi to Liu Mingyu, but with his reflex he turned fast and blew the attack away with the scabbard of Chen Luan.

«Shen Jiu! You despicable coward!» Liu Mingyu unsheltered Chen Luan again, calling upon the Qi, and even Shen Jiu was up with Xiu Ya, blue Qi a whirlwind around him.

They attacked each other but their swords never met.

Shen Yuan jumped between them. Their eyes widened seeing him appear out of nowhere, but it was too late to stop their attack.
Shen Yuan moved gracefully, with both hand infused with Qi he blocked Chen Luan between his index and middle finger, dodged slightly Xiu Ya that nearly chopped his nose and with the free hand he caught Shen Jiu’s wrist.

Xiu Ya fell on the ground.

Some stand of Shen Yuan’s hair fluttered down.

«This is enough. If I see either of you rise his weapon again I’ll go immediately to Shizun and Hui Shishu to make you work as servants of An Ding.»

The worst of punishments for all Cang Qiong disciples.

«Sh-Shixiong?» Liu Mingyu was looking at Shen Yuan’s hand that could be chopped of by Chen Luan if Shen Yuan’s control was slightly inferior.

«Pick up your sword, Shen Jiu. We’re going back to Qing Jing»

«Why am I the only one to be told off?!» retailed the guy.

Shen Yuan slowly looked at him and said:«I’m not going to repeat myself»

Shen Jiu flinched at the tone and most of the disciple that knew Shen Yuan held their breath.

They honestly never heard the tranquil and peaceful Shixiong ever be angry for something. Even before the most unfair situations he always maintained a calm demeanor. And he always, always defended Shen Jiu.

It wasn’t the first time those two fought or threw hands either and even then, Shen Yuan was always the pacemaker. But he was always more like a coaxing brother than a senior that exercised his authority.
He would always hear both out.
He’d usually took Shen Jiu’s side and even if he was in the wrong he would spoke gently to him.

He just never got angry at Shen Jiu.
Even Liu Mingyu appeared shocked.

Shen Yuan summoned Shi Ke and signaled Shen Jiu to get on.

«Wait, Shen Shidi, you know how Xiao Jiu is. I’m sure that he kn-»

«Yue Shixiong, as the Head Disciple of Qing Jing I will deal with people of my peak.» Shen Yuan interrupted with an overly respectful tone.

«O-Of course, you’re right…» the future Sect Leader glanced apologetically at his old friend.

«Get on» he let space for Shen Jiu to got on his sword.

All the disciples looked nervously as they got off.
Immediately they called out their Qing Jing Peak friend and sent them back.
They need to know what would happen.

Shen Jiu followed Shen Yuan silently.

The Head Disciple started to walk the moment they landed until they arrived at the bath house.

Shen Jiu jolted when Shen Yuan began to strip and he finally opened his mouth:«What the hell you’re doing?!»

«Undress. We’re going to clear our body and mind» here said.

He fortunately didn’t get off all his clothes. He still had his inner robes and trousers on.

There was a part of the bath house for meditation, where there were ice cold waterfalls that helped Qing Jing Peak’s disciples to control the flow of their Qi and meditate.
Shen Yuan didn’t even flinch when he dipped in the water.
Shen Jiu followed suit.
They remained in silence with the waterfall as a background sound.

Shen Yuan opened his eyes and found Shen Jiu with his head and shoulders dropping in a corner of the spring.

«Come closer» he said.

The younger didn’t move.

«I’m not angry»

He peeked up:«You are not?»

«Just disappointed»

It shouldn’t be possibile but his shoulders dropped even more. He even trembled like he was crying.

“What? Didn’t I said I wasn’t angry?”

«What were you doing out there?» he asked.

Shen Jiu didn’t reply again.

«What did they say to you?»

He still remained silent.

«We talked about this, Jiu-er. If you don’t talk to me I won’t understand.»

«As if you cared»

«You think I don’t care?»

Shen Jiu didn’t look at him.

«You only come to me when I did something wrong, you… » he clenched his jaw without continuing his words.
«For you I’m just some responsibility» he said.

«As long as I am the Head Disciple I am responsible of you» he said.

«That’s the point! I’m only this for you, a burden!»

What the hell? Was he angry because Shen Yuan was good at his job? If he was good it would be more difficult for him to steal the role?

«I can’t just stop being Head Disciple even if I wanted to» he said, trying to resonate.

«So if you weren’t the Head Disciple you wouldn’t even look at me»

«What are we talking about here? I can’t understand what’s the point! You hated me since you arrived at Cang Qiong and now you talk like I treated you like shit since then.
When have I not cared for you? I know you didn’t want me around now that you’re self sufficient, so why aren’t you happy that you have more space and freedom without me around?»

There was a moment of embarrassing silence.

«You thought I hated you?»

«Didn’t you?»

«I-I don’t hate you!» he flushed all red. Really red.

«Even if it’s not hate you surely dislike me enough»

«How could you say that! What did I do to make you thought that I dislike you?!»

«What did you do to make me think otherwise?!»

That silenced Shen Jiu. It was like he was flashed by a sudden light.

«Are-Are you saying that you treated me well while believing that I hated you?!»

«Why? Should I have ignored you?»

«Are you stupid?!»

«Maybe I really am! What’s wrong in caring people that needed it?!»

Shen Yuan then sighted.

«Still, all this didn’t explain why you purposely hurt all those disciples when it was clearly not necessary, not to mention you disregarded any rules and used Qi to attack your opponent when the match already ended. If… Even if they offended you in any ways, it’s not the way to respond.»

He didn’t reply.

«Are you not a Qing Jing Peak disciple? Are you not aiming to steal my position? If they insulted you, you can just get them back later! It’s so stupid exposing yourself like that»

«Are-are you okay with that?»

«As long as I didn’t come to know? And it should be fair, of course. Hurting people like that is excessive. I’m sure you could have won and humiliate them even without going that far.»

«Even if it’s Liu Mingyu?»

«I’m sure that he would appreciate a good fight»

«I thought you were angry because I tried to hurt him»

«I thought I said I wasn’t» he sighted «You’re so childish. You both are.»

Shen Yuan got up. Water dripping all over his slender body, the thin robe was stuck on his skin and Shen Jiu could see through it.

Shen Jiu flushed and dipped in the water.

Shen Yuan got out and dried himself with the Qi. Usually no disciple would do that, it required a perfect control over the Qi and it spent an unusual high amount. Only someone absurd like Shen Yuan would spam that technique like that.

«I don’t hate you and never disliked you» said Shen Jiu before Shen Yuan could get away.

«Nor I think you’re a burden.» the Head Disciple replied.

•••

Shen Yuan was meditating in his favorite spot on Qing Jing.
In the middle of the bamboo forest, there was a little space where the sun would shine down gently in the day times and the moon gave a peaceful mood on the nights.

It had a little cave where there is a pond with clear spiritual water in there and some boulders formation that resembled some tables and chairs.

It was a little complicated to get there, because it was surrounded by a dense vegetation. So it was easier get there with a sword or jumping on bamboos and trees.

Shen Yuan usually just meditated there or played alone with guqing or even dizi if he felt like. He honestly had a too thin face to play freely before someone, because he would put his emotion in it and it was just too personal, so he preferred doing it alone.

Of course playing for cultivation was an entirely different thing, that wasn’t a problem to show.

Shen Yuan already found embarrassing that the Hall Masters of the art department hanged his paintings on the walls and the Calligraphy Master would use his writing as an exemplary for the newcomers.

And when he asked his Shizun to take them down she began hanging them in the bamboo house! Fortunately she did that with Jiu-er’s too.

Shen Yuan didn’t exactly claimed that place, but everyone, even after they found out where he disappeared every time, just didn’t step there.
He appreciate that they all knew how to gave someone privacy.

The only exception was Liu Mingyu, that usually stayed for a spar. Shen Yuan took him there because their spars would gather too many eyes every time, no metter which training camp they went to.

So, he was meditating when a little green snake approached him.
It stopped right before him, open up his mouth and vomited a plaque.
That plaque of metal had something engraved on it that resembled some kind of talisman.
The letters on it began to brighten and Shen Yuan was hit by hundreds of memories and all his powers lifted in one go.

«Fuck, Tianlang, I’m going to kill you» it usually took some moments before he got out of the confusion.

The snake vomited again, this time a piece of paper. It was a letter.

“Dress up as a rogue cultivator if you don’t want to get found out by your sect. Came with your pretty silver hair, I will wait in the town where your gambling house is.
Love, your best friend”

«Whose best friend are you, bastard» Shen Yuan murmured.

He surely called for something stupid, but there was always a possibility that it was really an emergency, so Shen Yuan strip himself from his Head Disciple’s outer robes and put on a white one, anonymous and without any decoration that he pull out from his dimensional pocket that his sealed version didn’t know he had.

If Shen Yuan was honest, he loved Xianxia’s robes and he liked to adorn himself. They were just badass. So those plain white weren’t nearly as cool and even the white and light green Qing Jing disciple’s outfit was dull. It had been nearly a decade since he’d worn something pretty.

He changed the color of his hair and pull out a Weimao before open up a portal and jump in.

If he wasn’t that preoccupied by insulting mentally his friend he would have felt someone watching.

Chapter Text

Su Xiyan was dating a demon lord. It came to her suddenly, out of nowhere. She was probably dating him for years now and she never suspected it.
And he wasn’t any demon lord, but the Saintly Ruler, a Heavenly Demon!

Was she seduced? Or was she deceived?

But no metter how she thought about it, that naive demon couldn’t be possibly capable of any deception. What kind of demon lord watched silly human drama play or read horrible human novel was capable of deception?

After meeting Tianlang, she began to question everything she’d learn in her sect.

She was still deciding if she should talk about it with her Shizun.
Her Shizun was always supportive with any decision she made. He was particularly lenient with her and would pardon her everything. He surely would listen to her if she talked about Tianlang, right?
It wasn’t like there was a law against demon race in his sect after all.
And what if he was against her relationship? Would she be ready to abandon all the reputation and achievement she built up with all her effort only for him?

She decide to not think about it.

That day, they would meet in the outskirts of the human realm. He even wanted to introduce her someone he cared!
Tianlang was so serious about their relationship that he even felt the need to introduce his important ones. He was that devoted to her that Su Xiyan’s half hearted indecision felt so shameful in confront.
Who could that be? He treated his nephew like a decoration, so who could be that he needed to announce them?

She spotted Tianlang-jun and his nephew immediately. He was a really tall man and even in his plain clothes he radiated an imposing and powerful aura. Useless to say, but he was even unfairly gorgeously handsome.

But that day, with them there was a third figure.

Su Xiyan wasn’t sure, but they didn’t felt like a demon, even so, just like Tianlang, they were otherworldly.

They wore a weimao, so he couldn’t discern the face or even the gender of that person so he needed to wait for an official introduction.

When Tianlang spotted her he began to wave both of his hands, smiling openly like a cute child.

It was so different than the picture of the terrible demon lord everyone had imagined him to be, that every time she felt like she was dreaming him. How could a man like that be real?

Too bright! Too bright!

Of course, her face didn’t betrayed anything at all. She wasn’t capable of that even if she tried. Her own smile scared her. It was just creepy.
She smiled like a ghost.
So since she was a child, she didn’t liked smiling or laughing, maybe sometimes she would smirk, but she was really conscious of her own smile.

Su Xiyan came from a noble family, one of the multiple concubines’s daughters of his father that was going to be sold off to some old general.
And she was barely nine at that time.
Since she was a child, she always acted more like a boy and would play with her brothers than be a good young lady, but just before the marriage she was forcibly taught how to be a good girl and wife.
She was taught to be a smiling, kind and obedient beauty.
She was taught to be good and obedient, otherwise she would not receive anything from her husband.
She was taught to be a servile wife because that was how a woman was suppose to be.

But she couldn’t smile, she couldn’t stay put, she couldn’t step on her pride, she didn’t want to be someone else and caged for her entire life.

She ran away from home and had nowhere to go and then she was saved by her Shizun. She had intended to join Cang Qiong Mountain, but Huan Hua Palace was one of the four great sect too, so she accepted.
Her Shizun was kind to her and treated her like his own daughter, with blatant favoritism, and he let her act however she wanted all the time, without any restrictions. That did raised the hate of all the other disciples, but she was capable of backing up her support with her talent and hardworking. She wanted to be recognized as her, as a powerful cultivator and not just a favored daughter.
Her Shizun understood that and helped her rise her immagine as a proud warrior rather than a palace princess and for that she was grateful to him.

But with time, even that role began to shape her and became too tight for her.
People had expectation and when she didn’t meet those absurd expectations they scoffed at her “she’s a woman, what do we expected it would go?” they said.
“Her favor won’t be long, once the Huan Hua Palace Master gets bored of her face” were the others.
“She’s strong, but not enough, it would be better just merry her off”.

And she would just run again.

Her Shizun always found her and say something to console her:«Don’t listen to them, they are only jealous because you’re a wonderful woman that they wanted to have. But you’re ‘my disciple’.»

Even so she didn’t want to be recognized because she was her Shizun’s disciple, she wanted to be Su Xiyan.
She was so jealous of the Cang Qiong Mountain female Peak Lords, admired and appreciated for their own accomplishments. She couldn’t understand why she couldn’t be seen the same.

Su Xiyan was a Master of Arrays, she invented a lot of protective Arrays that were protecting the Water Prison!

And then, she met Tianlang, someone that went against everything he was supposed to be and someone proud to be different.
And he just liked her, not for her role as Huan Hua Palace Head Disciple, but as her.
He liked her coldness and even her arrogant attitude. He liked her boldness and her sharp tongue. He liked everything and never expressed that he wanted her different.
Even her Shizun often told her that she should be more obedient or to calm down and that she was in the end a woman.
Tianlang, on the other hand, really liked her ‘not a maiden’ character.
No, he was raptured by her in a way that made her felt the most desirable and capable person in the world. He even always said that he was willing to be the weak one, the little spoon, the wife of their relationship. So shameless but always so sincere.

Su Xiyan was worthy enough to be admired by the most powerful person in the entire Demon Realm.

«I missed you, my Xiyan~» her lover chanted with his low and sensual voice, latching himself at her arm.

Su Xiyan just nodded and patted his hand.

«Morning, Su Xiaojie» greeted the timid snake demon.

The person with the meimao just nodded in acknowledgment.

«This is the person I wanted to introduce to you» said Tianlang happily.

«I’m his son» said that person.

Su Xiyan froze and looked at Tianlang that had his jaw dropped. Even Zhuzhi-lang had his snake like eyes widened.

«What?» asked the three of them with different tones.

«Why are you surprised?!» Su Xiyan snapped to Tianlang-jun.

Well, he was an ancient demon lord! It was absolutely normal to have an adult child older than her! He was okay with that. Totally okay!

«Wait, my love, it’s hurting. L-lose a little your grasp, okay? Let’s talk, let’s talk»

Su Xiyan was gripping deadly her ‘lover’s arm’.

«And ‘you’! How could you say that!» Tianlang exclaimed shocked but somehow amused.

«Don’t make my lover jealous out of nowhere! You should have told me beforehand!»

«That’s the problem for you?! Not that you didn’t say that you had a son?! Didn’t you told me that you didn’t have an Empress?» Su Xiyan said deadly cold.

«He’s not my son, my love!» protested Tianlang-jun caressing Su Xiyan’s grip.

«He’s registered in the family records as such, Junshang» said the unhelpful Zhuzhi-lang.

«It wasn’t him him!» he retorted, smiling pleading at Su Xiyan.

«How cruel, father, after calling me ‘son’ for all those years…» the guy in the Weimao didn’t sound hurt at all.

«It ‘is’ him, Junshang»

«Whose side you’re on, nephew?!»

«It was only a decade! A decade! My love!» he added turning back to Su Xiyan.

«And I didn’t even had the memories of him. No one on my palace had. It was just a way to play for us, you know immerse yourself in the role…»

The imagine where so horrible in her head that the disdain was probably reflected on her face.

Tianlang finally began to panic.

A crystal like laughing was heard by them.

«You sadistic dragon! Hurry explain to her!»

«Yes yes.» the guy in the weimao saluted her with a greeting bow.

«This one is called Shenlong, the Lord of the Endless Abyss, it’s a pleasure to meet my old friend’s cultivation partner»

Su Xiyan’s heart dropped at that name.

Who was Shenlong-jun for the humans?

Unlike the Saintly Ruler that was feared and hated by the humans even though he was a legendary figure, the Demonic Dragon was like a descended god. In a world where the Heavens denied their attention to the mortals and human realms, the Demonic Dragon was the only deity they could pray to and hoping for a reply.

He was no different to a god, maybe even above as it was unknown if dragons still existed even in Heaven.

By only his existence, he decreased the prejudice on demons and half-bloods, without even considering the legends of his incarnations that shaped the two Realms.
His existence was only an hindrance for demon haters sects like Huan Hua Palace.
Sometimes, the Demonic Dragon would reborn as something else and lived among demons or humans.
Without his powers or past experiences, he would humble himself to live like the lowly lives. He would become no different from them, but even without his dragon’s skills he would always leave a mark in the history for each incarnations.
One of his incarnations was the reason Huan Hua hated him so much.

How did Su Xiyan manage to met the Saintly Ruler AND the Demonic Dragon in her lifetime?!

But she just nodded back like nothing was strange.
«The honors is mine. This humble one is called Su Xiyan, Shenlong-jun» she greeted back.

Tianlang happily pulled Su Xylan’s hand and made swaying them childishly.
He felt the dragon’s gaze on them and she wasn’t sure what his opinion was of her, but she wasn’t someone that would grovel for someone’s approval. She didn’t back then and she never would.

Like always, Tianlang pull them in questionable places and this time it was an inn with a gambling place in the underground.
It was curious how the upper floors were handled by humans and lower ones by demons. They worked in such an harmony that the animosity between the two races seemed a joke.

Tianlang seemed a regular there because all the workers went down on their knees before the moment they set foot there.

«Hey! You never kneeled before me when I came alone!»

Or maybe it wasn’t Tianlang.

«You need to give them a reason to» the dragon said. She wasn’t sure, but he probably grinned.

The dragon voice was, unexpected. She didn’t knew how it could be low and melodic at the same time.
Even thought he belittled Tianlang, there was a gentle tone in it.

«No need to kneel. Just treat us like normal customers» he said to the manager that hurriedly run to them.

«This gambling den was created by one of Shenlong’s incarnations.»

«I heard that he wouldn’t get involved with anything that is related to his past incarnations.» she said.

There was a story of the Demonic Dragon incarnation that she heard her nanny telling her before bedtime. The story of this commoner woman that became general and then commander of some war between mortals. She changed the perception and lives of the woman on the empire with only her existence. Thanks to that war hero, jobs that were only for men, were began to be shared with women too. Obviously, she didn’t change completely the perceptions of all women, but she gave them many right that they had not before, improving their life.

Anyways, it was said that this commander was promised everything she wanted and she wanted the only princess of the empire to become the Empress instead of her brothers. She said that she would support her in everything, until the Empire would stabilize itself and then she could finally rest.
That was how the first Empress was born. Some stories said that the two were lovers and some that she was only a loyal friend, more moral and strong than any man, no one was sure about it. What was sure was that she eventually left one day, after the Empress firstborn was secured as the Crown Prince. She transformed into a silver dragon and blessed the Imperial family and then disappeared.

But the dragon never came back, not when the Empress died of old age, nor when the Imperial family asked for his aid for their conquests years later.

«That’s only for humans. They had the tendency to remain attached to him or take advantage of knowing the demonic dragon. But he would not make exceptions even for those whom he liked. Shenlong didn’t like humans he’s attached with»

«What does that mean?»

«Demons are always there and don’t dare to overstep. Humans dies or ascends and boldly claim his love... He doesn’t like goodbyes» he said.

«But immortals could choose to not ascend» she said.

«Until now, no one he cared about had chosen to remain. And it isn’t because they did not love him.»

“Then why?” She wanted to ask, but chose not to.

«Does he still incarnate as human then?»

«I thought he wouldn’t anymore. In his last human incarnation he was a teacher and had seen all his disciples die or ascend. He was inconsolable. After that he stopped visit the human realm. Until recently he just chose, out of nowhere, to incarnate as human again.»

«Did you know who he is now?»

«Yes, but I can’t tell you. It would be a problem if his incarnation came to know who he is. They don’t have memories of his dragon life. I consider them different people altogether from Shenlong. They all are similar to him but sometimes they aren’t that likable. I bet he consider them other people too»

«But he’s Shenlong-jun now, isn’t he?»

«It’s just because of this» he put out a talisman made of metal.
«It unseals his memories and powers for a day. Take it»

«What?»

«You can ask for his help one time. Just put some Qi there and he will appear no matter what»

«What are you give it to me for? Didn’t he gave it to you?»

«It’s not like I really need it. He just sometimes left one to me on a whim. Maybe I can convince him today to gave me another one.»

«What are you doing?» they heard.

The dragon came back after his talk with the manager.

Su Xiyan froze in place with a hand on the talisman.

Shenlong-jun had put down his weimao and Su Xiyan could finally saw the legendary beauty of the most powerful creature on the demon and human realms.

Unusual silver hair, vivid green eyes and a spotless face that looked like a jade statue carved by an artisan blessed by Heavens.

If Su Xiyan said that he wasn’t her type it was only because she was really biased regarding Tianlang.

Where Tianlang was a delicious piece of meat with large shoulders, juicy chest and exquisite biceps, sexy thighs all adorned with a stunning face with sharp and strong jawline; Shenlong-jun was more a elegant and peerless type, someone more beautiful than any woman could be and more dashing than any pretty boys.

He made herself think how could Tianlang praise her beauty when he was around someone like Shenlong-jun.

And that very beauty caught her taking a token capable of summoning him anytime.

«You’re not going to be given another one» he just said.

«What?! Why not!» whined Tianlang.

Shenlong-jun ignored him and followed the manager that took them in the most exquisite room.

They were served like emperors (well, they were in the presence of the Saintly Ruler and a Dragon). Beautiful woman and man of all races danced together with the only purpose of pleasure them. They sang, they played with various instruments and were even better than the musicians hired by Huan Hua for important banquets.

«They are all very talented. Why didn’t they are known?» she asked.

«Most of humans don’t hire demons» grinned the dragon swallowing the wine in one go.

«Demons? I heard that demons were incapable of creating art?»

Shenlong-jun snorted.

«How could you say that after you fallen in love with my singing?!» exclaimed Tianlang with both hands on his chest like he was hurt profoundly.

She knew that he was just making a show of his pectorals.
And of course she fallen for it, her eyes followed his movements.

«Demon’s arts are for demons, of course» said Shenlong. He then got up and went to the guqin player.

She looked at him and blushed hard. He said something and she immediately moved aside, trembling and still flushed.

Shenlong sit next to her and began playing with only one hand. She immediately connected and the sound they were making was so nice and cheerful that drove the dancers to move with happiness instead of following a choreography. The other musicians accompanied them smiling and laughing giddily.

Tianlang began to sing out loud, taking Su Xiyan between his arms and swinging with her.

His nephew that usually remained silent and still in their presence, was clapping his hand, humming with them all.

After a while of singing, Tianlang went to dance with the dancers. He did try to pull Su Xiyan with him, but she refused, so he just took the poor nephew with him.
No refusal acceptable from him.

She found herself alone with Shenlong-jun that returned after playing only one song.

There was an embarrassing silence between them that none wanted to break.

«How is the Huan Hua Palace Master doing?» he asked.

Su Xiyan froze.

«No need to be scared. I’m not so petty to feel grudge on an entire sect for something that fewer did.
You know the history I had with your sect, right?»

«Yes. Huan Hua recorded everything» she opted to say.

«Impressive. It’s been more than five hundreds years after all.»

«Forgetting would be a sin»

«Tianlang knew very little about humans. He admire and loved them, but he can’t understand them.» he paused to drink. He then looked at the empty cup.
«isn’t it curious that the woman that he happened to fall in love with came from the sect that hated demons the most?»

Su Xiyan felt a sense of danger that Tianlang never gave him and she unconsciously put a hand on her sword.

Shenlong-jun burst laughing.

«No need, no need. I’m not threatening you. Tianlang would never forgive me if I did. Just saying. Your sect have buried really a lot of messes, I just don’t want Tianlang be one of those.»

«Tianlang isn’t so weak that he needs protection from one human sect. He’s the Saintly Ruler» and there was a proud tone in her voice.

«Yes, you’re right» he commented looking at her with curiosity.

«But I will never betray Tianlang.» she added to be clear.

«It’s not something about you, Su Xiaojie. You and Tianlang are destined partners after all»

«Then what Shenlong-jun wanted to say?» she asked trying not to blush for being recognized as the Tianlang-jun’s destined partner.

«How much are you loyal to your sect?» he asked.

«I’m afraid I don’t get your question»

«Let me put it this way. If you need to decide between the sect and Tianlang, which one would you choose?»

«Why should I choose? If I’m pur in front of a choice, I will first try to find a solution. I will convince my sect to accept Tianlang and the demons.
I will create a sect that can accept all kinds of differences. Humans and Demons can be friendly» she looked at all those humans and demons that were dancing together.

«You proved it yourself. I don’t see why I can’t do the same. I’m the future Huan Hua Palace mistress, if I say so, all my sect will follow» she said proudly.

Shenlong-jun looked at her with interest.

«I understand» he said. «You have the keyword given by Tianlang anyway, just use it if you need help.»

She can understand why the dragon was so wary of her. Tianlang was someone really important to him so it was natural that he didn’t liked the Head Disciple of the sect that once killed one of his incarnations.
But even so, he recognized her because his friend chose her and put aside his thoughts, giving her the benefit of the doubt.

After the lunch they strolled on the markets like a big family and Su Xiyan thought that Shenlong-jun would be like Tianlang, clueless about humans, but he wasn’t. On the contrary he slapped his closed fan on both demons’s hands when they were going to waste their money stupidly.

«How could you be so clueless after centuries?!»

«Don’t be so mad! Humans change monetary values too often! I don’t need to remember all of them! Just gave them as much as I have, it’s not like my treasures room is empty»

«We see when you became penniless. Don’t come to me when that time arrives»

«I’m the Saintly Ruler, I’m the richest demon in the demon realm and, beside, I have Xiyan» he smiled at her.

«I will buy you anything you want, because of your face»

«I knew that my face was priceless»

Shenlong-jun probably rolled his eyes under the weimao.

«Did you really accompanied them all this time?» he asked Zhuzhi-lang.

«It wasn’t that bad, Shenlong-jun»

«Uncle Shenlong»

«Yes, Uncle Shenlong»

«You have my respect, Zhuzhu»

It was late in the night and they had dinner. She found out that Shenlong-jun paid for everything they had all day and Tianlang just let him do it.

«What’s the problem? I don’t know when we can meet next time, so it’s better enjoy it now. I already used all the keywords, so… Maybe in ten years if he doesn’t grew to attached this time?»

«Why he keeps doing this if he hate saying goodbye?»

«Dunno. He said that he would be bored otherwise»

Su Xiyan thought that maybe the dragon just didn’t found a meaning yet.
Humans lived they short life knowing that it would end one day and tried to fulfill it with a purpose. Cultivators aimed at the Heaven and demons followed their instincts, some lived for power and some for authority.
All lives had aims in life.
Even Tianlang lived for the demons as the Saintly Ruler. Even thought he was often irresponsible, he had his values and desires.
So maybe the dragon still didn’t know what he wanted that was why he lived different lives in search of a means, no metter the price.

The dragon feed them with all kind of delicacies, like he wanted to spoil his children and before they knew, it was time for him to go.

«Remember, Su Xiaojie. Call for me if you found yourself in some real problems, don’t waste this opportunity for something stupid like how Tianlang did. Honestly, it’s such a relief knowing that you had it instead of him…»

«Hey!»

«And Zhuzhu don’t let your uncle use you like a carriage. Be more assertive, okay?»

«Uncle Shenlong, I was once uncle’s gege and even then I was trampled by the young and weak yourself, how am I suppose to be assertive with uncle Tianlang?»

«That… You will figure it out. I trust you»

«Uncle Shenlong…»

Shenlong-jun patted the snake demon’s head with pity.

«When will you return?» asked Tianlang.

«Dunno. Maybe another two or three decades. I wanted to… It will depend on circumstances.»

«Shouldn’t you came back before your heat? You said it was troublesome passing heats with humans»

«What’s a heat?» asked Su Xiyan.

«A period of time where he will become really horny and if he doesn’t fuck someone he will die»

«…»

«By the way, I have them too. So I will be in your care, my love. You will take responsibility right?»

«… Do you perhaps pass your heats with each other?»

«No, my dear we neve-»

«Ew! No! That’s disgusting! How could you say that!» exclaimed the dragon suddenly angry.

«Hey!» protested Tianlang.

«And there’s time until my next heat, no need to worry. I settled near the end of the last incarnation» the dragon added with a pissed scoff, ignoring Tianlang’s offended pout.

«In the gamble den?»

«Well, I did lose my bargain»

«Who won against you?!»

«Who else if not a fox»

«He always find a way, that cunning fox» Tianlang laughed.
«Why don’t you cut his misery and let him merry you?»

«Don’t joke about that, it’s purely a medical treatment, nothing more»

Tianlang rolled his eyes and, as if he wanted to show off that he had a partner and the dragon didn’t, he hugged Su Xiyan from behind and nuzzled his face on her shoulder.

«Well, just be present when I’m getting married»

«Who said I will merry you?» Su Xiyan grinned when Tianlang looked like he was going to cry.

«I need to court you first» she said kissing his cheek.

Tianlang-jun blushed. He really looked like a young maiden at her first love.
He was just too adorable.

Shenlong-jun opened a portal out of nowhere and stepped in.
But as he had an afterthought he turned to Su Xiyan.

«Su Xiaojie, my current self would always chose Tianlang over any human.» he said.

«I’m touched, friend of mine! I will choose you too, over any demon!»

Shenlong ignored his friend.

«But my incarnation is different. If you happen to meet him, don’t assume that he will be on your side.» he said.

She nodded.

And then, he was gone.

«Tianlang?»

«Yes my love?»

«Who is the fox you two were talking about?»

Tianlang-jun, Saintly Ruler of the entire Demon Realm and close friend of the sole Heavenly Demonic Dragon of the three realms, smiled widely and told his lover about the saddest pining of the last eight hundred of years.

•••

Some months later, Su Xiyan returned at the Huan Hua Palace. She went to her Shizun to make a report of her mission, minus details on Tianlang.

«Good job, my Xiyan. Care to sit and share a cup of tea with your Shizun?» he asked not very interested in her mission.

She obeyed.

«Shizun?» she asked when she prepared the tea for both of them.

«Yes?»

«This Xiyan happen to visit a town placed on borderline with the demon realm»

His Shizun’s gentle smile froze a moment but then he smiled again.

«I saw humans ‘and’ demons too. They all lived together in harmony» he said.

«Xiyan, my Xiyan, don’t be deceived by them. It’s all a illusion. All those humans were probably scums without any shame that would collude with demons… Or were they under some wicked spell? We should send someone to investigate…»

«They weren’t, Shizun. I already investigated for myself as I thought it was strange too» she said immediately.

«It’s better stay away from those places, then» he said.

«I can’t, Shizun. We are a righteous sect and I’m the Head Disciple. It’s my duty to patrol borders and assure that nothing happens» she said.

«My Xiyan is very dutiful, but she should remain home to take care of the sect and let the others do those meaningless jobs.»

«I don’t find working for my sect meaningless, Shizun» she said.

Her Shizun took a moment to look at her, pondering.

«Xiyan. Recently, I heard something from your martial siblings…»

Su Xiyan was startled but she didn’t gave it credit.

«They say that my Xiyan found someone»

Su Xiyan kept her cool and slowly sipped her tea, not denying but also without acknowledging anything.

«But they also think that their Da-Shijie is swayed and deceived by a cunning demon. I’m sure that my Xiyan didn’t know about that.» he took her hands in his and patted tenderly, like he was consoling her.

«No need to worry, you are not in trouble. Even the best could be deceived and the entire human realm is fooled by the embodiment of Heaven’s Sin, how could a young, naive girl like you know better? It’s okay» he said with caring sweetness.

«Shizun…»

«Yes?»

«Is it impossible for demons to be righteous?» she asked.

«I’m sorry to tell you, dear. But demons are born wicked. They are the original sinners. Especially Heavenly Demons, that are the cast out from Heaven. They are extremely dangerous too, one of them is capable of ending entire empires in one day, Yan-er. And the demon that deceived you is one of them, probably the last one too, excluding the evil Dragon»

He sighted and got up coming near Su Xiyan caressing her back.

«I know that they can be charming, but Yan-er needs to stay strong and see past their masks. Yan-er… We are righteous cultivator and we fight to clean the world from any kind of evil. You saw yourself how dangerous they could be. Do you remember that ice demon that attacked us and killed so many of ours?»

“Yes, that scared kid that was assaulted by them the moment he fell from the sky.
His seniors activated the arrays immediately like they knew he would arrive…”

That young ice demon was even the main reason she met Tianlang again. She was dispached to search for him after he run away, but she didn’t want to persecute that demon like a hunted beast, so she just wandered around the place.

She noticed the two demons she met around times to times. Su Xiyan had always let them go because the handsome one amused her.
That time though, she was wary of them because they were too close to the place where the ice demon disappeared to not be suspicious.
Su Xiyan was ready to strike them down, but she then remembered the scared face of the young demon and decided to just test them first.

She didn’t know how Tianlang managed to totally seduce her in a span of one evening. The only things Su Xiyan knew was that from that day on they began courting each other.
It was the best decision of her life and she surely didn’t regret it.

«That demon could arrive in the middle of our sect surpassing even our protection arrays to attack us!» was her Shizun saying.

She knew his Shizun used the excuse of the demon attack to strengthen his arrays so the other sects would not interfere in the matter and he changed them so they became attacking arrays instead of only trapping them.

«What would we have done if it was a Heavenly Demon? And Xiyan, that was not a common Heavenly Demon either. He is the Saintly Ruler, the horrific Tianlang-jun, my Xiyan.» he sighted.

«It wrench my heart to ask you this. But, this Shizun need to request you do the most dangerous and important mission of all»

•••

Su Xiyan did not believe her Shizun. It wasn’t the first time she didn’t followed him too. Even though he was her savior and doted on her, Su Xiyan was always the type of person that knew what she wanted and what she believed.

She also wasn’t someone that would kid herself in a delusional hypothesis that her Shizun would listen to her, not after the hatred he displayed for the demon race, not after the meticulous plan he cocooned to end Tianlang, not after he ignored all her concerns as useless worries and tried to manipulate her thoughts.

But she couldn’t disobey him. If she made a wrong step now, Tianlang would be in real danger.

What should she do?

She touched nervously her sleeves and found the strange talisman that Tianlang gave him.

She nearly laughed historically.
She just had said to his lover’s family that she would find a solution if came the time her Sect would put Tianlang in danger. She proudly told Shenlong-jun that she would change her sect too! But… Was her Sect this corrupted?! What was she seeing until now?

One time.

She could ask for the most powerful being help one time.

It would last a day.

It would be a waste just calling him for some brainstorming…

Should she talk about it to Tianlang?

No. She couldn’t.

She knew him. Tianlang loved her, but he was also the Saintly Ruler. If her Shizun wanted his downfall and planned to use her, she knew he would not just stand and do nothing. An attack to the Saintly Ruler could cause a War or the complete destruction of her Sect.
And she knew that they would put some tails on her…

She couldn’t permit it.

The only thing she could do now was gather evidences and… And what? How could she be sure that the other Sects would listen to her? Would they not side with his Shizun?

What could she do to save both Tianlang and Huan Hua Palace?

And no matter how her Shizun hated demons, he was her savior. She wasn’t so heartless and unfilial to betray him.
He probably had his reasons.