Chapter Text
Shen Yuan stood frozen in place as Lin Jianping peacefully waves him over. As he walks over two the two familiar faces he feels as his body reverted back to that of youth. His old ears an tails flicker free as his old head accessories jingle softly with each step he takes. Mei Yahui looked as grumpy as he usually did when not doing combat training or when he had alone time with Lin Jianping.
"Took you long enough to get here Aozhi Benxin, did you forget we're doing hunting training today?" Mei Yahui spoke roughly, not the slightest care of the status Shen Yuan held. He had always been disrespectful like that, regardless if it was to a random person or the heavens alike. Meanwhile Lin Jianping smiled in greetings before smacking his partner upside the head.
"How many times must I remind you to treat the young prince with basic decency?" Lin Jianping deadpanned in question to the slightly older party. Lin Jianping was never someone who showed much expression, usually aloof and calm like gentle waves on water. The only one who even slightly got a raise out of him was Mei Yahui but even then it's more with actions or slight scoldings than anything else.
Shen Yuan felt himself quietly snort at the twos behaviors before bowing lightly "My sincerest apologies for being late I'd been held up with a lecture from father about staying safe." Mei Yahui looks exasperated at this and grumbles "Once again no need to be formal with me, it feels gross and I'm not of status for such things."
Lin Jianping rolls his eyes slightly at the two before standing up and pulling up Mei Yahui with him. Which resulted in Mei Yahui yelping and slightly stumbling from the unexpected momentum without warning. Shen Yuan exerted strong self restraint to keep himself from laughing at the scene. 'Oh how I miss these times, if only they could have lasted longer' he thought to himself with slight sadness. As he followed along with Mei Yahui the scene changed. It was the memory of Mei Yahui demonstrating to him how properly use a bow and arrow.
Mei Yahui was harsh and would smack any part of his body that had incorrect positioning or posture without an ounce of hesitation. Eventually though, he got it perfect, even if that meant his legs and arms stung from exertion and past strikes. Once he got his posture right that's when Lin Jianping stood in to explain the patience needed for this weapon.
"You need to aim right where they're about to be and shoot as they've already began the movement. This way they have no time to change their momentum elsewhere to evade it." He'd explain before giving an example, perfectly sniping a bird in the sky with his arrow. Shen Yuan still feels just as amazed as the first time he saw such skills. He never ended up skilled enough to do that but he still can get rabits and snakes using the method he'd been taught.
Birds though, were always something out of his grasp. Maybe one day he'll be able to catch up with those of the sky. Shen Yuan sighed at that thought but then the scene dramatically shifted. As he observed the new scene in front of him, he blanched and felt his blood run cold.
---Warning graphic death descriptions and cannibalism---
Shen Yuan glances next to him where Lin Jianping had just been but instead saw as a demon stabbed ice into both of his eyes. Lin Jianping even in this situation refused to show distress as he cuts off one of the demons hands. Shen Yuan had hope the other would escape but it was too late. A different demon showed up behind Lin Jianping and violently ripped off the now blinded fox demons jaw as the one who lost his hand stabbed into his stomach.
Shen Yuan held back a gag as he watched Lin Jianpings organs slowly fall out of his body. Ice spikes starting to grow and jut out from Lin Jianpings ribs. The two demons who killed him then each ripped off one of his tails. The two ate said tails like as if it was any normal animal they'd just killed. They savored the flesh as blood dripped down their chins. You could even hear as they also crunched through the bones painfully slow. Shen Yuan felt as bile rose up his throat and he wanted to hurl but he kept it down and averted his eyes.
This was the wrong decision though as this decrease in spatial awareness caused an opening on his life next. A different demon who was scouting noticed his small form and violently pulled him from his hiding spot. Shen Yuan dangled there in pure terror as he looked at the demon in front of him. This demon was the same one who lead the chase when he'd escaped his clans massacre. Long sleek black hair with black pits for eyes, a sharp face accented with fangs and a blue demon crest. Shen Yuan could see some grey streaking his hair though so he was likely fairly old.
Shen Yuan couldn't focus for long on the others appearance as he feels himself slowly losing oxygen. The demon soon raised a hand and slowly riped open Shen Yuans stomach. Shen Yuan feels the sharp pain as his body gets colder with each splash of blood falling from his body. The last thing he heard as he fades out of consciousness is "The event of those years past are not yet done, I need every one of you vile foxes dead.".
---Scene over---
Shen Yuan startles awake, making the body wake with him. He looks around the room with a cold sweat coating his body and slowly relaxes as he sees Yue Qingyuan sleeping peacefully beside him. Soon though, a ding sound blares beside him. The system that's slowly become a source of enough annoyance has omce again appeared. "Congratulations! You just completed the mission 'A demons motive!' keep up the good work" then once again, thr System flickered back out of existence.
'Jesus fuck was that really necessary? Have you had enough fun buttfucking my mental health yet?' Shen Yuan mentally complained at the system. He attempted to force the memories of his nightmare out of his imagination. This of course though fails, so he ends up carefully leaving the bed that still provided warmth to a sleeping Yue Qingyuan.
The sun hadn't even risen yet as Shen Yuan steps out for a bit of fresh air. It had been years now since he took this human form, he even sometimes forgets he's a half demon now. But he also knows it's important to keep balance between his two Qis so at times like these when he's disregulated he steps out to meditate. Shen Yuan takes a path he's gotten accustomed to and settles down under a tree near the pond he often stays near.
Shen Yuan then carefully crosses his legs into lotus pose and closes his eyes. He forcibly clears his mind of stress as he lets both of his Qis circle around in his core. He then stretches it into a steady stream throughout all of his limbs. This state is how he remains until the sun starts creeping up from the night prior. The sunlight slowly entering Shen Yuans eyes as he lightly blinks before releasing a much more peaceful sigh.
Shen Yuan now figures he should get ready for the day ahead of him. Slowly he stands back up, allowing his muscles to gently stretch. Shen Yuan then lightly clasps his hands behind his back. Soon he makes a slow walk back to his and Yue Qingyuans shared sleeping quarters.
As he returned to the room Yue Qingyuan had still been peacefully asleep. Honestly seeming completely detached from the world around them. Shen Yuan felt himself snort lightly as he quickly dressed before heading out again. He wanted to get to training earlier than usual since he had time to meditate for once prior.
---
Shen Yuan face planted horribly in front of Shang Qinghua. 'Why do I have to be stuck with such a helpless author?! How is it possible to forget so much about a world YOU created?!' he fumed internally. Shang Qinghua noticed the glare from the other and sweat dropped "It's not my fault! I wrote about places in relation to travel not exact coordinates!" he exclaimed, hoping for any mercy.
Shen Yuan had already completed his training today and met back up with Airplane. Upon his arrival they were able to think of a few mind synching plots Shang Qinghua haphazardly made. Unfortunately for the two most were annoying if not completely impossible to do without the protagonist. Shen Yuan though, was determined since this could be a way for him to get information from Liu Qingge and gain trust.
Shen Yuan already knew Shen Jiu didn't approve being around Liu Qingge but the fact persisted: he was the only one who remembered the past lifes. This was the first bit of good luck Shen Yuan could hav ever got considering how strong Liu Qingge was. That was also with being killed off early as canon fodder, who's to say how much more he could be if he lived?
Eventually Shen Yuan sighs and takes a map from Shang Qinghua before marking multiple places with scary precision. "These spaces should be areas of the ingredients for the elixer at the very least. That is likely the safest option for us given the timeline." Shen Yuan spoke, not leaving an opening for Shang Qinghua to argue.
Shang Qinghua wanted to desperately but Shen Yuan seemed to always have his timing planned. Liu Qingge walked up to the two who were surrounded by maps and lists looking perplexed. "What is all of this?" He questioned with a head tilt. Shang Qinghua panicked and his information that Liu Qingge couldn't know for now. Shen Yuan on the other hand offered a smile "We were just making some plans for the thing I'd mentioned yesterday. No need to pay much mind to it."
He'd spoken calmly, seeming almost completely unaffected by the situation as a whole. That was false though as internally he complained 'That was too close if you took any longer I'd have to deal with damn airplane all along for too long! Why does this universe have to spite me with this ignorant author!' Shen Yuan outwardly seemed as if nothing could even disturb his calm manor.
Liu Qingge raised an eyebrow at the twos starkly different reactions but already decided against questioning them too much. "If you say so Shen Qingqiu..." it was clear he didn't trust the two much but none of them really trusted one another anyways. Liu Qingge then sat down beside the two as the conversation slowly drifted to Shen Yuan nerding out about some random creatures Liu Qingge mentioned.
Liu Qingge couldn't explain it as he felt a warm feeling in his heart while Shen Yuan enthusiastically discussed about monsters and such. It was like something was squeezing and hugging at his heart drawing him to the other. He'd never felt a pull to Shen Qingqiu in any other life so what even was so special this time? Is it because he's behaving differently or is there something else at play here?
Only time would tell, but for now he felt himself ever so slightly smiling at Shen Qingqiu. Shen Yuan had been completely oblivious to this but Shang Qinghua noticed and internally felt his jaw drop. 'Bro you have Liu Qingge smiling at you?! Oh god where is my story about to go...?' he anxiously thought upon acknowledging, this world will no longer follow his old plans.
Life never truly follows the same smooth sailing a story would. Especially not with new people holding control over key parts. Will the strings of fate show mercy though, or should he prepare for a fate worse than his original death?