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Chapter Text

There are few things that Shen Jiu can find comfort in. More times than not, he finds himself wishing to sleep and never wake up. But he can't sleep forever. Qi-ge still needs him to be awake and Shen Jiu is still too weak to truly throw the past away. He's still the one who's desperately clinging onto Yue Qi, his Qi-ge. But Qi-ge, Yue Qi, is already gone. And the one who replaces him is Yue Qingyuan.

"Jiu'er plays so well," One of the brothel ladies commented. Around her, the other sisters chime in their agreement.

Shen Jiu doesn't smile, not exactly, but the corners of his lips do curl a bit. He's glad he's made the girls happy with his musical talents. They deserve some time of being entertained rather doing the entertaining.

They're all very kind and welcoming. They all know what it feels like to be at the very bottom of the ladder and they don't judge him in the slightest way when he comes to them for comfort. They know what a slave brand looks like and they don't comment on it. The prostitutes are kinder to him than any righteous cultivator. They won't hurt him, and he finds comfort in that.

"Jiu'er, Jiu'er," Little Ling'er calls excitedly. "Play-"

"We have customers to attend to," The Madam says abruptly.

The girls shuffle around and about, gathering their things and cleaning up any messes they might have left behind. Small snacks, trinkets to share and trade, instruments and books, the likes.

Shen Jiu was given a personal room after a few visits, and when he felt up to it, his room became the center of small gatherings. As prostitutes, their goal would be to try and find themselves a better life. But it doesn't mean they can't be happy as prostitutes. Shen Jiu would play music while the girls around him catered among themselves and him. Snacks and sweets would be shared, hairpins and bracelets would be traded, it was an overall pleasant experience.

And Shen Jiu valued the distraction it provided him with. He really does love these girls.

"Jiu'er~!"

Fucking hell, it was him again.

Luckily, the brothel ladies were already out and his room was already cleaned of any messes. So Tianlang Jun didn't have to watch out for his step less he trip over anything.

"What did I say about calling me that?" Shen Jiu snapped.

Tianlang Jun grinned boyishly. He pulled out a booklet from within his robes and presented it to Shen Jiu.

"What . . .," Shen Jiu's voice trailed off as he read the title of the book. "Your trash taste in literature needs to change. I keep telling you, throw this away and find something better to read."

"But I quite enjoy the story. It has a great plot," Tianlang Jun said as he started to flip through the book.

What great plot? It's nothing but a terrible story filled with a generic fantasy protagonist and too many 'peerless beauties'. Seriously, if everyone is a peerless beauty, then everyone is just average. Couldn't the author have come up with something better to describe the girls there? No, they didn't.

"If it isn't brain rotting trash, it's homoerotic yellow books," Shen Jiu shook his head. Tianlang Jun's tastelessness is truly too appalling.

"It's art. Art!" Tianlang Jun stressed.

"It's rotting whatever brain cells you have left," Shen Jiu said with finality.

"Hmph." A demon should not be pouting like that. "I'll have you know that what I read is nothing but educational!"

Shen Jiu gave the demon a very judgmental look. You know what, sure. If by educational, he meant unrealistic homoerotic sex poses, then yes, very educational indeed. Ugh, Shen Jiu could already smell the brain rot from here.

"Jiu'er-"

Shen Jiu threw a hairbrush square at his forehead. A bruise was already starting to form but Tianlang Jun paid no mind to it, carrying on as if nothing happened.

"Can you play a song for me?"

Shen Jiu huffed.

"And why should I? I'm quite sure you can get someone else to play for you."

Tianlang Jun dropped onto his back and rolled around.

"But I want Jiu'er-"

"Don't call me that!"

"To play for me," Tianlang Jun whined. "No one else plays like Jiu'er. I want to hear Jiu'er play."

Shen Jiu would rather not admit it but yes, he was a bit vain when it came to his artistic talents. It was rare for him to receive praise about his musical skills from anyone other than brothel prostitutes.

"Please," Tianlang Jun begged. He gave Shen Jiu his most pathetic and pitiful look. Sure, it undermined his looks as a super handsome heartbreaking sexy demon, but it got Shen Jiu to play a song for him.

Tch, Shen Jiu relented. He pulled out his pipa and strummed the strings.

"Name your song."

Call him what you wanted, but Shen Jiu is weak to good looking pathetic people. Sue him.

A melody, so beautiful yet still so sad. Not a song, just a few strums of strings that formed into a pretty melody.

Tianlang Jun followed the music to the source. He always considered himself an appreciator of fine arts. And to hear something this entrancing, how could he not follow it to the source?

His discovery led him to a room far away from where most of the usual brothel activities took place. The door was not closed all the way and there was no sign of candlelight.

Inside the room resided a single occupant. He had a guqin resting on his lap and he was staring blankly at the open window, absentmindedly strumming his fingers across the instrument.

His back was slumped against the wall and it almost looked as if his mind wasn't in his body either. He just kept staring out the window in a dark room . . .

Tianlang Jun walked with soft footsteps. As a demon lord, his eyesight was not to be underestimated. The boy in front of him looked beautiful, gorgeous in fact, but he didn't dress like the prostitutes here nor did he act like a customer.

The boy didn't react for a while, not even when Tianlang Jun took a seat next to him.

"I want to hear you play."

A little bit of clarity returned to the boys jade green eyes, and he slowly turned his head to face the demon.

Ah, the boy looked . . .

'Incredibly sad and tired,' Tianlang Jun thought to himself.

The servants of the Southern Palace would say that their Lord is someone . . . eccentric. He was unlike any other Demon Lord out there, enjoying human culture and often traveling around in the human realm.

When their Lord is home, he would sometimes be seen carrying a yellow book. And more times than not, their Lord would be reading the lines out loud at full volume without a hint of embarrassment. It was actually hard to be around him most of the time. Not only was the strength and prestige of their Lord unlike any other demon, his personality made him too eccentric. So their interactions with their Lord are often strained.

"I am handsome right?" Tianlang Jun asked one of the maids.

"Yes, of course," The maid answered back. The Lord is usually so confident in his good looks and he should be, never doubting himself. So what passing fancy could cause her Lord to ask such a ridiculous question?

Tianlang Jun, upon hearing the answer, began to mumble to himself.

"But Jiu'er only gave me three silver taels. . .my face is certainly good. . .Jiu'er must have been short on money. . ."

The maid could not make out anything the Lord had said other than mentioning someone named Jiu'er. That was most likely the peerless beauty who managed to capture their Lord's heart.

Tianlang Jun punched a fist into an open palm. He has a good face and a good body, that much he's assured of. And now he knows what to do!

Zhuzhi Lang secretly lit a candle for his Lord.

Shen Jiu cursed deeply as he assessed the damages done to the Warm Red Pavilion. Broken doors, broken walls, ruined floors, destroyed instruments, beds, books, clothes, this is too much damage!

He could already feel a migraine forming. To think two Bai Zhan disciples would actually go brawling inside of a brothel, he shook his head. How was it that they are still allowed to be disciples? Such unruly behavior. And they're the ones who actually go to brothels to fuck too!

"Jiu'er, you don't have to concern yourself with this," Madam Fei says. Shen Jiu is still a disciple and does not yet have the funds to help with the repairs. And he's not a physical cultivator either so he can't really help them clean up the rubble. Shen Jiu is a good boy, but he extends himself too much for those he cares about.

"I can still-"

"Jiu'er~"

"Fuck."

Shen Jiu turns his head over to the source of the voice. There's only one man who would address him like that.

"What?" He bites.

Tianlang Jun is not deterred in any way by the attitude. In fact, he even finds it rather cute. Like a cat. Tianlang Jun grins at the young man.

"Look closely at my face and body!" Tianlang Jun exclaims.

Shen Jiu gives him a weirded out look. What sort of gross thought does the demon have this time?

"I'm definitely worth more than three silver taels! Right?" Tianlang Jun asks with so much enthusiasm that it sparkles off of him.

Shen Jiu was about to yell at the demon for whatever weird thought he came up with, then it hit him. Looking closely, Tianlang Jun really is handsome. His face is perfectly symmetrical and may even be the best that Shen Jiu has ever seen. And his body is good too. Very tall and very thick, full of strong muscles. Yes, a good body indeed.

"I'll buy your body for three gold leaves!" Shen Jiu says out loud.

"Huh?"

Shen Jiu pulls out three gold leaves from his pouch and throws it towards the demon. Tianlang Jun catches them perfectly.

"Accepted!"

"Jiu'er is so bold~," Tianlang Jun teases. He pockets the three gold leaves and hurries over to the cultivator.

Shen Jiu gives him a confused look, which is then returned to him by the demon.

"Why are you coming towards me? Go there, I bought your body didn't I?" Shen Jiu points to the rubble of what used to be the storage room.

Tianlang Jun couldn't help but feel as if he's got scammed. He feels like crying inside.

"Jiu'er . . ."

"What were you expecting? I bought you for cheap labor services."

At least look a little embarrassed or something! This Lord is very expensive and many would pay thousands to spend a night with him! Ah, he really does feel like crying.

But Jiu'er is very cute when he outsmarts someone so Tianlang Jun forgives him.

With fond exasperation, Tianlang Jun picks up the fallen walls with ease. Fufufu, Jiu'er really is cute. And maybe after he's done, Jiu'er can play something for him. The labor will be worth it.

"Madam Fei, I found a solution," Shen Jiu announces with self-satisfaction.

"I see. . ."

He got such a strong man who can do lots of manual labor for cheap, he'll certainly count this as something akin to a solution.

All's well ends well as they say.

Tianlang Jun knows the value of knowledge and how rumors can twist and turn the truth.

"-cheat who only knows underhanded tricks," One of the disciples say.

"He started his cultivation so late, as expected of a spoiled noble," Another chimes in.

"He's a cheat who only knows dirty tricks and he's lazier than any other disciple here!"

The little Shimei who was listening raptly, nodded along. One of the martial brothers placed their hand on her shoulder in what is supposed to be a comforting manner.

"Shen Jiu is also a lecherous pervert who ruins his cultivation. You should stay away from someone like him," The disciple warns.

Hypocrite.

Tianlang Jun feels something crushing within his grip. The candies he was planning to gift to Jiu'er no longer retains their initial shape. He grimaces and steps away before he might do something that will get Shen Jiu in trouble.

He's always known about how uncomfortable Shen Jiu was when residing in his Sect. He has zero friends and he only trusts his fellow martial siblings as far as he can throw them. And to have such rumors about oneself, Tianlang Jun feels something sour inside of his mouth. The pungent kind of sourness that spoils his mood and poisons his mind.

It would be so easy. Tianlang Jun can easily kill the disciple with a flip of his wrist and no one would be able to stop him. Even if they try, it would end up with a few more bloody splats on the ground, But then Shen Jiu would be mad, truly mad. How conflicting.

All rumors have some kind of truth in them, as bitter as Tianlang Jun is to give credit to what he just heard.

The rumors being Shen Jiu is a cheating lazy noble who frequents brothels and preys on his martial sisters. The truth is so far away that Tianlang Jun wanted to laugh.

Yes, it was true that Shen Jiu did frequent brothels. And it was true that he started his cultivation late. But he shouldn't be blamed for starting his cultivation late. It wasn't like he had a choice.

'I really want to kill them,' Tianlang Jun thinks to himself. He doesn't entertain the thought.

The brothel ladies are the only ones who provided Shen Jiu with any semblance of care. And his reason for preferring women will remain to be unsaid. It's there, but neither of them will bring it up yet, not until Shen Jiu is comfortable enough.

It's fun to play the joker. It's much easier to live an easy and carefree life, one full of satisfied wants and joys. But at the end of the day, he is still the Demon Lord of the Southern Borders. He is still a dangerous Demon Lord capable of crushing mountains and sowing chaos wherever he goes. He can, has, brought down kingdoms because he felt like it and he has destroyed and burned down great sects because he could. And-

"Tianlang?" Shen Jiu called out, surprised.

Tianlang Jun smiled as he saw the cultivator in front of a teahouse with a bag of sweets in his arms.

And above all that, he is still a man who loves music and literature.

"Jiu'er~!"

It's. . .it's really hard to breathe sometimes. It's not that he has any lung issues or some other kind of illness.

But being around his martial brothers sets him on edge. He doesn't have a demon's sense of smell but the mere presence of his martial brothers is enough for him to start suffocating. His lungs constrict and his throat chokes up. It's as if some kind of paranoia sets in whenever he's too close to men, especially his martial brothers.

Shen Jiu hates this, he hates how weak he is and he hates how he can't seem to move on no matter how many years it's been.

When it gets too hard to breathe, the ringing in his ears starts to happen. And combined with how much his martial family loves to talk, all those noise grates on his ears. It makes this head spin and go blank at the same time. It's nauseating and it's a horrible feeling.

Shen Jiu tries to cover his ears but it's all futile. Everything is too loud and it's really hard to breathe. He just wants it all to stop.

He hates Cang Qiong Mountain! He hates the world for making him this way!

If his martial siblings would actually take the time to wonder if any of the rumors were true rather than add on to the every growing disaster, he wouldn't have had such a bad relationship with them. If they would have asked him about any of the rumors rather than point their fingers and blame all their problems at him, he would have gladly explained! If they would would just let him speak, if they would just listen, he would have-

Shen Jiu's hands found themselves a pair of scissors. He lifted the scissors up and angled them from above. Half of him is still lost and confused while the other half is too aggrieved to think.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID-

There's now a long bloody gash trailing across his thigh. Dark red, almost black, blood was pouring out of the laceration at a frightening speed.

Ah, he really is stupid. His pain tolerance has always been on another level, so his reaction to the laceration probably could have been more dramatic. Who in their right mind would-

The noise settled down.

Shen Jiu nearly dropped the scissors in shock. Then he clutched them even tighter.

For just a moment, when the scissors made contact with his thigh, he wasn't thinking about his Sect nor was he thinking about anything else. He could actually focus on something without the thought of his martial siblings.

He laughed, then dipped his finger deep into the cut. It stung painfully, burning from the intrusion. More blood spilled out and the flesh and fat inside was pulled and pushed from their place.

He found a solution to the noise inside of his head!

Shen Jiu pulled the sleeve of his robes higher and stabbed the scissors into his underside of his forearm. The tip of the scissors dug into his skin, then he dragged the tool down his arm with near total abandon. 

He hissed, then grinned.

It hurts, how could it not? But the noise in his head was quieting down. He finally found a solution that didn't have to involve anyone outside of him. A perfect distraction that wouldn't burden anyone.

Shen Jiu held the scissors in front of his eyes. The blades were soaked with his blood and a careless pull had accidentally pulled out a tiny chunk of his flesh along with it. 

"Inhumane bastard! Lying and cheating!"

"Bastard leech!"

"Disgusting scum!"

Shen Jiu saw his vision growing redder and redder with every new scar he added. Every time he hissed and bit his tongue from the pain, a satisfied grin would follow soon after.

His vision was getting blurry too. He doesn't know why.

He's human.

He tries just as hard as everyone else, maybe even more so. He tries. So why couldn't anyone see that no matter how much he bled and trained?

Shen Jiu lowered the scissors. This time, they didn't make any contact with his skin. They stayed in his grasp though.

He's. . .he's only human.

He's a person too. 

Shen Jiu pulls his aching legs closer to his chest. Just moments ago, he was laughing hysterically. But it's as if a sudden sombre air just crashed in.

He's a person too, so why isn't he happy? It's natural to be experience happiness. But he's, he's not sure actually. It's too suffocating in his head and his throat constricts the more he wondered why he couldn't be more like everyone else. He was sure he wanted to be happy once as well, just like everyone else. He's a person too and he. . .

Someone, he begs. Someone, please-

The door opens, a thin stream of light trickles into the dark room. A set of heavy but soft familiar footsteps resound loudly.

The sight that greets Tianlang Jun is not a pleasant one.

Shen Jiu sits curled in on himself, but not quite at the same time. It doesn't take perfect eyesight to see all the wounds and the lacerations littering across his body. On his upper arms are blood scratch marks from griping himself too hard. His clothes are completely ruined and some stray pieces of fabric actually stick onto the meaty inside of Shen Jiu's wounds. It'll be a pain to remove them once the blood dries. Everything is so red. The clothes, the floor, Shen Jiu's hands, Shen Jiu's face, the scissors.

Tianlang Jun's brows furrowed as he strides closer to the cultivator. It was already pretty bad when Shen Jiu would dissociate sometimes. (It scares him, a demon, to think of what might happen if Jiu'er really does disappear.)

"Jiu'er," He says softly as he pries the bloodied scissors out of the lax grip.

Shen Jiu continues to look down, looking as if he was trying to process what he's just done. Then a few moments later, he looks at Tianlang Jun with an unreadable expression and shuffled backwards. He pulls his hair in front of him. He feels ashamed. Ashamed to show this side to Tianlang Jun. He wants to hide-

Oh. There's something covering his vision. It's black and it's soft.

Shen Jiu pulls Tianlang Jun's outer robe closer to himself. The demon was always taller than him by quite a few inches but he's never felt smaller than now.

"Jiu'er," Tianlang Jun starts again. Seeing Shen Jiu's tear strikes and bloodied face pains him. "Won't you look at me?"

Shen Jiu shakes his head, although a bit confused. He pulls Tianlang Jun's outer robe over his head. He looks so hopelessly confused and desperate.

For this first time in a long time, Tianlang Jun feels helpless.

If Shen Jiu would so much as speak a word of it, Tianlang Jun would gladly burn down Cang Qiong Mountain for him. He won't lie, a part of him itches to burn down the righteous sect even without Shen Jiu's permission. But if he does, it'll make Shen Jiu sad. (Not because Cang Qiong means much to him, but because Cang Qiong means a lot to a man who means a lot to him.)

So the most he can give is offer a distraction. A distraction that doesn't involve scissors or anything sharp.

"Tianlang," Shen Jiu calls out.

"Hm?"

"It's Qingqiu now."

Tianlang Jun hums in response. He pulls out a gourd of sweet peach wine and hands it to Shen Qingqiu. For himself, he prefers less fruity wines.

"Shizun. . .Shizun doesn't know," Shen Jiu says. Whether it's to him or Tianlang Jun, he doesn't know. "She said it's a beautiful name."

"Was that why you were by the lake that day?"

A few days ago, Shen Qingqiu was washing his face by a lake. He had that expression that usually told Tianlang Jun something was wrong. Shen Qingqiu may have set him on fire because he was naked but it took Shen Qingqiu's mind off of whatever was going on that day.

To think it was something like this, Tianlang Jun can only shake his head.

Shen Qingqiu's Shizun may not understand why he abhors the name Qiu so much, so it's not like either of them can fault her in any way. To her, it really is just a beautiful name.

"I hate them, especially Qiu Jianluo," Shen Qingqiu sneers. He takes a sip of the peach wine.

The demon drinks from his own gourd. If he could take Jiu'er's suffering away, he would have done so. If he could make the Qiu beg for Jiu'er's nonexistent mercy, he would.

Shen Qingqiu tugs on Tianlang Jun's sleeve, alerting his attention.

"You can leave me too," Shen Qingqiu says. "You'll also leave one day so-"

Tianlang Jun chuckles. He sets his hand on top of Shen Qingqiu's head, slightly ruffling it. Then he pulls the smaller male closer to him, having Shen Qingqiu's head resting on his shoulder.

(To him, it will always be Jiu'er.)

"Jiu'er can't get rid of me that easily!"

I won't leave.

"You're a fool then."

Don't leave me.

If Tianlang Jun could describe pain, it would be watching someone you love slowly kill themselves and the only thing you can do is watch helplessly.

Zhuzhi Lang is a good kid, but he's kind of silly. Maybe a bit foolish he supposes. He is so very loyal to the first man who's shown him any kindness, that it reminds Shen Qingqiu of himself. He's strong and good at playing assistant. He's also very adept with disappearing into the background. Shen Qingqiu can guess why Tianlang Jun keeps him as his second in command.

A good kid, Shen Qingqiu concludes, even though Zhuzhi Lang is probably twice, maybe thrice, his age.

Shen Qingqiu once kicked Tianlang Jun in the head for using his nephew as a means of transportation. But looking down at the green scales below his knees, Shen Qingqiu pulled out his fan to cover his face. Hmph. Who told Zhuzhi Lang to be so good at transporting people?!

"There we go," Tianlang Jun said as he hopped off first. Then he extended a hand towards the scowling Peak Lord who was probably still agitated from their previous conversation about Cang Qiong.

"My Lady- Oof-"

Shen Qingqiu gracefully got off of Zhuzhi Lang and picked up his fallen fan. He brushed it clean and snapped it shut.

"I am not your wife nor am I some maiden," Shen Qingqiu said clearly.

Tianlang Jun patted the side of Zhuzhi Lang's head and gave an order to send him away before jogging up to the Peak Lord. Zhuzhi Lang shrunk down to a more appropriate size and slithered off.

"But I wouldn't mind marrying you," Tianlang Jun chirped.

The words that came out of the demon's mouth were the last thing that Shen Qingqiu would have expected from anyone, so he stopped so abruptly that his fan nearly dropped. The idea of him possibly marrying anyone is laughable. And for Tianlang Jun to propose something so casually, he truly must be out of his mind. It has to be a joke. But the idea of it being a joke feels. . .he doesn't really know actually.

"As if I would marry anyone," Shen Qingqiu scoffs. His lips curl into something equal halves bitter and enigmatic.

He had a fiancé once. He doesn't love her. Indebted, yes, but love, no. She's a sweet girl and he has a disciple who reminds him of her. He only wishes that he was able to properly pay back his debt to his once fiancé.

Next to him, Tianlang Jun whistles leisurely and folds his arms behind his head. Shen Qingqiu isn't sure about what the Demon Lord is thinking.

"I'm serious. I wouldn't mind marrying you."

Shen Qingqiu nearly laughs outright. But he knows he wouldn't be laughing from anything like joy or hilarity. Seeing the rare glint of seriousness in those dark, starry eyes, Shen Qingqiu really does want to laugh. It will probably come out as something incredibly bitter and sour, spiteful even.

He had a fiancé once, that much is true. But Shen Qingqiu never once thought of himself marrying another. That remains true even now.

"Dreaming of stupid fantasies again, you forget your place."

It's not supposed to come off as anything other than a reminder to the both of them.

By all accounts, the very nature of their relationship is abnormal. For a Peak Lord and a Demon Lord to have a relationship that is anything other than hate and disgust, it is frowned upon. Tianlang Jun is strong enough that no matter what he does, no one can outright stop him. But Shen Qingqiu, he is a different story. He will be deemed as a traitor to not only his own Sect, but by the human population in general. Not even his own Sect Leader would be able to save him.

The very fact that the two of them haven't tried to kill each other is already unusual and maybe even miraculous in certain ways.

Neither of them say anything else for the rest of the walk.

Tianlang Jun's hands curl into fists. For all his strength and talents, he can't even protect one person. The idea of marrying Shen Qingqiu is something he's always entertained the idea of.

He's also thought of taking Shen Qingqiu away from Cang Qiong multiple times. Fantasies of saving Shen Qingqiu fill his head at least once every day. But Shen Qingqiu doesn't leave Cang Qiong no matter how much it's killing him inside. He stays for one person and endures everything for one person. Tianlang Jun has never met the man who seems to have entranced his Jiu'er so much in person, but he would say without a doubt that he wishes the man would simply disappear.

It would be so easy to whisk his Jiu'er away from Cang Qiong. The saddest thing is that no one will stop him either. Not because he's too strong (maybe so, but it'll only be a secondary thought), but because Jiu'er will not be missed. Shen Qingqiu's martial family, as righteous as they claim to be, are blind and deaf fools. 

Not a single one of them will raise their hands to help Shen Qingqiu. They all despite Shen Qingqiu for reasons they made up themselves. Maybe a few of them will even cheer for the disappearance of the unwanted Peak Lord.

Fools, all of them. Even that Sect Leader. In fact, he may as well be the greatest fool of all.

To have something so precious but still continuing to bash it countless times. (There's only so many times a person can smash porcelain until it's no longer salvageable.) Tianlang Jun wanted to laugh. Jiu'er's sincerity is not half-hearted in the slightest way. He just prefers to prove his sincerity through actions and not flowery words. But his words are equally important too. . .

"We're here," Tianlang Jun announces the moment they reach the doors of the Warm Red Pavilion.

Shen Qingqiu hummed in response. He gave a look towards the Demon Lord who merely shook his head. Seeing this, he shrugged and went in by himself, leaving Tianlang Jun by himself.

Once he made sure Shen Qingqiu was in the brothel safely, Tianlang Jun made his way back to his Southern Palace.

The brief conversation of marriage still rang clear in his mind. He's played out countless scenarios of marrying Jiu'er, each one as grand as the last. The Southern Palace would be bustling with life. Flowers, lilies, peonies, orchids, all sorts of flowers would be decorating the Palace. And Jiu'er would be absolutely gorgeous. He would wear countless layers of silken reds and gold with gold thread twisting and forming into auspicious symbols. His hair would be even more captivating and it would be curled and pulled into an elaborate and stunning updo. There would be a lotus huadian painted on his forehead and he would look like an empress. He would be happy.

There were times where Tianlang Jun would take hold of Shen Qingqiu's wrists. He would imagine what kind of golden bangles would adorn those delicate wrists even if Shen Qingqiu himself may not agree to marriage because of his obligations to Yue Qingyuan Cang Qiong Mountain.

The scars are still there. They get worse with each passing year and it's like they'll never leave. But every time Tianlang Jun sees them, he doesn't say anything. He's afraid of ruining the fragile sense of balance that Shen Qingqiu has, and why bother putting words on something they already know? So Tianlang Jun would simply heal those scars and only pale perfect skin would be seen.

It's not healthy, but he doesn't know how else to help Shen Qingqiu. He can't destroy Cang Qiong Mountain or kill Yue Qingyuan. That would only make Shen Qingqiu worse because Cang Qiong matters to Yue Qingyuan and his Shizun and therefore, him as well. It's not like Shen Qingqiu can just leave either. He's a Peak Lord with a duty to a Sect that only worsens his conditions.

Chapter Text

Rumors say that Shen Qingqiu is a lecherous depraved man who spends his money on prostitutes so he can enjoy their services. That rumor is not a complete lie, he does visit prostitutes, just not for the reasons they claim.

And in this world, there is only one person is allowed to touch Shen Qingqiu like this.

Tianlang Jun takes a moment to admire Shen Qingqiu's waist. It's so narrow and slender, but his hips are so wide and well proportioned. And that plump ass too.

"Do you like that?" Tianlang Jun whispers huskily next to the Peak Lord's ear. "Does Jiu'er like the way I fill him up?"

Tianlang Jun had Shen Qingqiu's back facing him, but he can see everything with the mirror propped in front of them. Like this, he can have a full view of both Jiu'er's front and back.

"Look," The demon coos. "You can see my cock pressing against your tummy."

Shen Qingqiu whimpers. Everything feels so hazy, so good. He looks down and despite how blurred his vision is, he can see the imprint of the demon dick inside of him. His normally taut belly had the outline of someone's cock and it only makes the human's stomach warmer. Something so big is inside of him. A proud little smile breaks out.

Tianlang Jun laces their fingers together, and brings the slender hand to his face. He kisses each of the knuckles and chuckles. Look at his precious Jiu'er. Just a little kiss and he's already whining for more. Cute.

It doesn't take much for his Jiu'er to be happy and calm. It also doesn't take much to undo him like this.

Tianlang Jun moves, which causes Shen Qingqiu to whine and whimper. So the broader man kisses him behind his ear and whispers sweet assurances.

"You're taking my cock so well. See how hard you clench down on me? Look," Tianlang Jun nudges the other towards the mirror.

He had readjusted their position so that they were in more of a sitting position. Like this, they can both see how they're "connected". It makes Shen Qingqiu's already pink face go even more pink. It doesn't help that Tianlang Jun is nuzzling the side of his face, deeply breathing in his scent.

"Is Jiu'er embarrassed?" Tianlang Jun teases. "Why would Jiu'er be embarrassed?"

Shen Qingqiu whines, and Tianlang Jun lets out a breathy laugh. Of course he knew why Shen Qingqiu would be embarrassed. He cups Shen Qingqiu's face and turns it towards him. Those red bitten lips, still so enticing after all the abuse it went through, those flushed cheeks, the half dries tear trails. He admires his handiwork.

"You can open your mouth now."

Shen Qingqiu is still facing him but his eyes are looking elsewhere. Slowly, his lips part and something white trails out.

"Such a good kitten I have," Tianlang Jun praises. "Do you like the taste of me inside of you?"

It's not like Shen Qingqiu can answer though. His mouth is filled to the brim with Tianlang Jun's cum and he's been keeping it inside of his mouth for such a long time now, just rolling it around with his tongue.

"Swallow."

An audible gulp is heard, and the warm heat around Tianlang Jun squelches.

"I should do this more often, keep my cum inside of your mouth," Tianlang Jun thrusts his hips upwards. "You'd love it too."

"I. . ."

"I'd have my cum rolling around inside of your cute little mouth. I would stick my thumb into your mouth and play with your tongue while it's drowning in sperm," Tianlang Jun trails a finger along Shen Qingqiu's belly. It makes the man shudder so beautifully.

It would be quite a sight too. Seeing the pink muscle in a pond of white.

Shen Qingqiu moans when Tianlang Jun nibbles on his ear. It feels as if his mind is nothing more than a kaleidoscope of sensations and each one is pushing him further and further into a fuzzy space.

"Can you imagine it? You're in a meeting and you can't open your mouth because it's stuffed with my load. You'd have to sit there and be good."

Tianlang Jun lifts Shen Qingqiu up by holding the undersides of his knees, then drops him. It makes the smaller man cry with a choked scream. All these beautiful noises, and just for him.

"Your mouth isn't all that I'll fill up," Tianlang Jun says. He pats Shen Qingqiu's belly, giving it a few light smacks. It makes the smaller man hum in bliss when the contents inside swish and jiggle.

"You're already filled with me inside of you. Every time I move, you start to drool and drip," Tianlang Jun says softly.

Shen Qingqiu, with what little clarity he still has, grips the upper arm of the demon. He turns his head around and looks pleadingly at him. Tianlang Jun huffs a laugh. If Jiu'er looks at him like that, looks at him like he's been bullied, how could he not give in?

Obscene noises fill the room. The sound of wet squelching and fleshy slaps are the only things that could be heard, that and the lewd moans coming from his Jiu'er.

"Jiu'er can be so lewd and wanton," Tianlang Jun teases. He cups Shen Qingqiu's face in his hand, and kisses him sweetly.

Tianlang Jun continues to whispers sweet soft words to him while also fucking him roughly. Shen Qingqiu sobs and mewls, thrashing and throwing his head back when Tianlang Jun continues to fuck him pass his orgasm, overstimulating his already puffy and red hole. His legs feel like jelly, all soft and moldable. His mind too. Everything is so fuzzy and good, and he doesn't want it to stop.

Everything feels too all at once but it's in a good way, in a way he likes. His eyes rolls to the back of his head and he falls into warm and safe arms.

"You did well," Tianlang Jun praises.

The sex is amazing and it's a great way for Shen Qingqiu to run away from his emotional problems. When his mind enters that fuzzy safe haven that Tianlang Jun fucks him into, everything feels safe and good. He feels like he can run away from the Qiu family and run away from Cang Qiong. So to him, sex with Tianlang Jun is his way of escaping.

He can trust Tianlang Jun. He knows that even if Tianlang Jun is a demon, he won't let him break. Every time he falls, Tianlang Jun catches him. Every time he feels like coming apart, it's Tianlang Jun who puts him back together.

"If I was a woman, I would have gotten pregnant already," Shen Qingqiu says. There's still a sticky mess between his thighs but he wants to keep it that way.

Tianlang Jun's dick is huge enough that Shen Qingqiu won't be surprised if he does get pregnant. And with how much he gets filled every time they do it, it's actually surprising that he doesn't have a bun in the oven already.

"I can arrange for- OOF"

Shen Qingqiu throws his shoe at the shameless pervert. Hmph. One shouldn't talk about something like that so openly. Even if it's just the two of them in a brothel room.

"I am not going to carry any brats. Now help me up."

Tianlang Jun grins proudly to himself and slides his arms under Shen Qingqiu's knees and back. Jiu'er will be feeling sore for days.

If the Qiu family were still alive, Tianlang Jun would have already sunk his claws into them. Especially that Qiu Jianluo. Tianlang Jun would have made it so that his soul would never be able to find peace.

The first time they had sex was when Tianlang Jun promised him to erase Qiu Jianluo's marks, to replace them with his own. The physical ones are long gone, both healed by a combination of Shen Qingqiu and Tianlang Jun's efforts. But the mental ones are the ones that are persistently haunting Jiu'er mind.

Shen Qingqiu should be heading back to his Qing Jing Peak. Staying too long in the Warm Red Pavilion doesn't bode well for the man. It would only lead to more scandals and rumors. What's more is if Shen Qingqiu stays out too long, that damn Sect Leader is bound to come for him himself.

"Hey," Shen Qingqiu called.

"Hm?"

"Shouldn't you have an heir or something?"

Tianlang Jun thought about it as he nudged the door open with his foot. One of the courtesans saw them and her face reddened immediately. The demon lord gave her a friendly grin and she quickly scrambled away. Ah, she must have heard them last night.

"Heavenly Demons like me don't really have to worry about heirs. My parents were considered Demon Lords as well but they didn't really rule over any of the borders. And it's not like I need to worry about cementing my legacy or whatnot," Tianlang Jun shrugged. Demon Lord or not, he's still going to be hailed as the strongest.

"So what, you're just gonna spend the rest of your life having flings and reading trash erotica?" Shen Qingqiu snorted. (Being carried in Tianlang Jun's arms feels nice.)

"Hmph. How rude, Jiu'er. I'll have you know that I'm a fully dedicated man! You're the only one for me!"

Shen Qingqiu raised a hand and smacked Tianlang Jun on the head.

"Shameless."

Shen Qingqiu watches with cloudy eyes. Something that big is inside of him. It actually fits somehow.

And his tummy is filled, so filled that every movement makes him aware of how stuffed he actually is. The human body is incredible.

Then Tianlang Jun lifts him by the back of his knees and slowly pulls out.

All the cum that's been kept inside of him and wonderfully plugged by Tianlang Jun's dick is pouring out of him. Almost pitifully, he moans at the way it gushes out of him.

Bubbly, he thinks in a daze.

Boring, Tianlang Jun thinks to himself. He can still see the appeal of these women and the way they dance and play music. Their bodies are gorgeous and their clothing is artfully wrapped around them to give them higher sex appeal. Nothing about them should be lacking. Not their appearance and not their skills.

But compared to Shen Qingqiu, everyone else just pales so much.

The way Shen Qingqiu carries himself, the way he looks, the way he dresses, the way he plays music and recites poetry. Everything about Jiu'er outshines everyone else. Even if there is someone who can outrank Jiu'er in any aspect, it just doesn't seem as appealing to the Demon Lord. Because it's not Shen Jiu.

"Junshang?" Zhuzhi Lang gives him a look.

He smiles reassuringly at his overly worried nephew. Good kid and very loyal, but he should worry about his own life more.

"Everything's fine."

From the way Zhuzhi Lang looked at him, his words weren't believed. But because it's Zhuzhi Lang, he doesn't try to interrogate him the way his sister might if she were still here.

Tianlang Jun gets off the throne and leaves discreetly, with Zhuzhi Lang following close behind. Let the other demons enjoy the banquet, they deserve that much at least for their services.

He looks at the wall of the corridor, then at the ceiling. His palace is huge and filled with riches that both demons and humans would covet.

Jiu'er had asked him about his heir, his legacy. Sure, usually only the highest ranking demons would have an heir to cement their legacy. Those heirs are nothing but strong and talented, ready to carry the weight of expectations and then some. There are also other peculiar tribes and clans whose successors are not determined by lineage but by strength. So if you're strong enough to overthrow the current leader, you'd become the new one.

Tianlang Jun had actually unified the Southern Borders himself and was hailed as the lord. He demonstrated his strength, made use of his generals and talents, and it wasn't long until everyone kneeled and bowed. His palace and legacy was built by war and blood, tears and screams, it was built by his own two hands.

"Nephew of mine," Tianlang Jun calls. Dutifully, Zhuzhi Lang makes a sound of affirmation that he's heard him. "Have you ever loved someone?"

"Junshang?"

"No, I suppose you haven't." His nephew is too busy serving him to go and find a cute spouse of his own.

"Junshang, is this about Master Shen?"

Ah. . .

Well it wasn't like he was trying to hide his attraction anyways.

Tianlang Jun smiles ruefully. What should have started as something like simple interest, has morphed into something he's not sure he can control.

"Jiu'er. . .I really do love him. But the truth is, I'm not a good person," Tianlang Jun says.

Zhuzhi Lang listens but stays quiet.

"Have you ever met someone you love so much that you can't help but want to cut off their strings so they would only rely on you? I have a lot of bad thoughts when it comes to Jiu'er. I thought about just cutting off his legs and making it so that he would only have to hold onto. I thought about burning down his Sect so that his suffering could stop. But then that would only make him sad and for a time, I didn't care that it would make him sad. I just wanted that Sect gone, and Jiu'er's attention on me," Tianlang Jun confesses. 

He's a demon. By nature, he's not a good person. For all the bullshit his people have to put up with, even they're aware that he isn't as big of a joker as he makes himself out to be.

Jiu'er, I'm not a good person.

Because under everything, under the layers and facades of being a perfect gentleman and sometimes a joker, he's a selfish, possessive, and despicable creature who won't stop once he's had a taste of something he can't help but crave more of.

Someone like him, someone who would only entrap Jiu'er, isn't worthy of saving Jiu'er.

Once he sets his eyes on something, he won't stop until he gets it. He won't stop until he's devoured everything, because he's a selfish, possessive, despicable creature.

"I'm a demon. Taking and hoarding is something that comes naturally to creatures like us," Tianlang Jun says. "As long as we have what we want, who cares about the means?"

"Junshang, Master Shen would hate-"

"I know," Tianlang Jun cuts in softly. He already knows how Jiu'er would react if he realized that the only man he trusted in the world is nothing more than another monster.

"I don't want to clip Jiu'er's wings. I don't want to cripple him. But. . .," Tianlang Jun trails off. "I just love him so much."

It kind of scares him, actually. Many times, he wonders if he actually does love Shen Qingqiu, or just the idea of Shen Qingqiu. And the thought that he might not actually love Shen Qingqiu scares him more than anything else.

Because that would mean he might end up hurting Jiu'er.

This feels nice. This feels comforting. 

Tianlang Jun rolls his head on Shen Qingqiu's lap. Those soft thighs are probably still littered with his marks.

"Jiu'er."

Shen Qingqiu not longer hits him when he says that nickname out loud. They've really come a long way, haven't they? From when Shen Qingqiu was still Shen Jiu until now. It's already been so long.

"Why do you continue to stay with me?"

What a stupid question. So stupid that Shen Qingqiu snorts with as much grace as he can. (Which is a lot.)

"A question like that. . .should be asked by me. Despite all my flaws and shortcomings, you're the one who still stays," Shen Qingqiu says. "So why are you asking a question as stupid as that?"

Why indeed.

He already knows the answer though.

"Aren't you afraid I might hurt you?" Tianlang Jun asks. "I'm a man, and a demon."

Shen Qingqiu scoffs. He lightly flicks the demon in the face.

"As if you would ever hurt me."

Something inside of Tianlang Jun clenches. Those words were spoken so causally, yet they were spoken with nothing by absolute trust and confidence.

"Jiu'er, you really are. . ."

He really is too much for him.

"Am I wrong?" Shen Qingqiu raises a brow. "You've never once hurt me in any way. And I'm trusting you to keep it up."

Tianlang Jun shuffles, head still comfortably seated on Shen Qingqiu's lap. He gingerly raises a hand to cup the Peak Lord's face. Bushing a strand of hair aside, he almost loses himself in his staring.

"Jiu'er, I'm not a good person," He says quietly. "And you know how I can get."

"Do you really think I'm any better?"

Yes.

A thousand times, yes.

Jiu'er is too good for him, that much he knows.

"It's not like I haven't committed any atrocities either. And I'm not good either," Shen Qingqiu says.

(From now on, never entangle  yourself with a creature such as Shen Qingqiu.)

"What if I'm too clingy then?" That's certainly a overly light way to say he's possessive. He has many thoughts about crippling the person he claims to love simply because he's greedy with Jiu'er's attention.

"You act as if I'm not a leech myself," Shen Qingqiu retorts. If there's one thing he fears most in this world, it's being abandoned.

He's already been abandoned before, he's not sure if he can handle it from Tianlang Jun as well. He'll cling onto Tianlang Jun with the vice of a snake, unwilling to let go.

Tianlang Jun smiles, it's not good either, then he pulls Shen Qingqiu down.

Su Xiyan is a peculiar woman. Their meeting is not a coincidence, Tianlang Jun knows this. She was specifically sent out to meet him. 

Very pretty, gorgeous even. Strong foundation, good meridians, high talent, everything about her sets her apart from her peers. There's no need to wonder why she's the favorite of the Old Palace Master.

"I'm but a humble poet, trying to sell my works so I can bring in enough coins for my lovely wife at home," Tianlang Jun says smoothly one day, when Su Xiyan asks him what he does.

"A wife?" The shock is evident on her face. Not that he can blame her though.

"My lovely wife is as beautiful as the heavens, as elegant as the ascended immortals. My wife can spin ballads with a single stroke of his brush and his paintings carry more livelihood than reality. My wife-"

Tianlang Jun continues to rave and rave about his "wife" while Su Xiyan stares at him. The look she gives him is less than complimentary but it's not like anyone can fault her.

This is the esteemed and venerated Tianlang Jun. His appearance, although dressed in commoner's robes, is still more than enough to live up the tales of regality. If she were not an esteemed cultivator herself, no, even average cultivators can tell that this man is someone dangerous.

That's why her Shifu gave her this important task. She was entrusted with the job of trying to seduce Tianlang Jun and get him to lower his guard around her.

But all he does is talk about his wife! He sings her praises and it's still going on! Just how much does this man love his wife?!

This wife of Tianlang Jun must be someone incredible. (And Tianlang Jun is a raging M for his wife! So his wife must be someone unlike any other!)

A brothel? She's not here to judge, but she didn't expect Tianlang Jun's highly praised wife to be a courtesan. She keeps a hand on the hilt of her sword, just in case.

This brothel looks like any other. And at night, she's sure that it would be lit up with red lanterns and the sound of music and pleasure. After all, this pleasure house only looks discreet in the morning, not the night.

Su Xiyan sees the most beautiful man she's ever laid her eyes on.

Sure, she's had her fair shares of eye candy. And the demon next to her is a league above any other. But his beauty is far more masculine and regal, giving off the airs of royalty and you can't help but want to kneel. That kind of charisma is dangerous for a demon to have.

But this green clad man has a more delicate sense of beauty. The way he moves carries nothing but grace and elegance. He has a slender build and the sash clinching his waist makes her jealous of a man's hips of all things.

If Tianlang Jun is described as handsome and regal, this man would be described as beautiful and elegant, a peerless beauty.

"Jiu'er~!"

"What?" The dancer huffs.

The dancer, Jiu'er, snaps his fan shut and regards Su Xiyan with a look. There's nothing hostile about it, just guarded curiosity. Su Xiyan is also a bit curious if she would say so herself. This dancer reminds her of someone.

"Did you kidnap the Old Palace Master's head disciple?" The dancer questions.

Tianlang Jun looks affronted. "Jiu'er! How could you think so little of me?! I would never kidnap anyone!"

"Sure."

The more Su Xiyan stares at this dancer, the more the gears in her mind begins to turn. Then it clicks, and she knows why this man looks so familiar. The voice, the guarded way he stood, the green robes, she understands now.

"Peak Lord Shen," She bows.

"Head Disciple Su," Shen Qingqiu nods.

Why in the world would a Peak Lord be here? Although she's heard many rumors about Shen Qingqiu being a lecherous man who frequents brothels, she didn't think that he would be a dancer. And she had mistaken him for a courtesan, a prostitute!

"Jiu'er~ Pay attention to me~"

Shen Qingqiu throws his fan at the demon for his blatant display of stickiness. And the demon laughs, then hands the fan back. The process of Shen Qingqiu throwing the fan then having it returned repeats.

Su Xiyan finds the entire situation to be out of the ordinary, so much so that it shocks her into silence. A part of her that she will not name is more than fascinated by this display from the two men. What is this stirring inside of her?

"You don't have to worry about anything," A prostitute tells her.

"?"

"This is rather common. Every time Jiu'er comes here, Junshang is here as well. This is how they spend their time here," The courtesan explains.

Su Xiyan nods, then turns her head back to see Tianlang Jun resting his head on Shen Qingqiu's lap. And Shen Qingqiu lets him! He even gives a few pats on the head! Her heart is racing and she may be staring with an unnatural level of concentration.

Su Xiyan couldn't tell if this was supposed to look like a reward or a punishment. She's pretty sure that this situation is meant to be taken as a punishment, but the shaking M in the middle of the room didn't look like he was in pain.

"You annoying piece of shit," Shen Qingqiu cracked the whip in his hand. He raised the whip up and brought it down. "Immoral! Perverse! Indecent!"

Each word was accompanied by a crack of the whip. The whip was created out of Shen Qingqiu's qi energy, made especially for restraining and fighting demons and ghosts. It's a rarely used weapon but once brought out, you can't help but look.

"Ah~"

"STOP MOANING!"

Su Xiyan concluded that while Tianlang Jun isn't a hardcore M, he certainly has some. . .tendencies. Of course, everyone has a limit of how much pain they can take. Tianlang Jun and Shen Qingqiu's pain endurance is outstanding, but Tianlang Jun seems to have a bit of a. . .fetish (?) with Shen Qingqiu. Everything the Peak Lord does, Tianlang Jun loves.

Shen Qingqiu himself is not a sadist, but he does seem to be very stressed. It kind of paints a different image from the aloof immortal that Su Xiyan has in her head. Shen Qingqiu is still elegant and indifferent to most things, but Tianlang Jun has a talent for making Shen Qingqiu whip him.

"Introducing me as your wife, how many times have you done this?" Shen Qingqiu asks. "I am not one of your consorts."

"Of course Jiu'er, you're the love of my life, the empress in my heart! I would never want any consorts- Ah~!"

"Disgusting."

Su Xiyan would say she's been friends with them long enough to know that in a few minutes, Tianlang Jun would be lifting Shen Qingqiu the same way one would to whisk away their bride. And whatever happens next involves turning Shen Qingqiu into a pile of putty and Tianlang Jun being the one who makes him melt.

Truly, Tianlang Jun is worthy of his title as the strongest Demon Lord. He may be a shaking M, but he's also a dominating presence. (She may be spending too much time with these two.)

"Lady Su, Lady Su! The new volume you released is absolutely amazing!" A bookclub lady praises. In her hands is the second volume of a novel that has been all the rage lately.

"I know, I have the best muses I could possibly get," Su Xiyan replies.

True happiness isn't ending up with the love of your life, it's watching your favorite couple take off.

"Why must you be so halfhearted with your sincerity?" Yue Qingyuan asks him.

But he isn't expecting a response, as if he already knows that no matter what, Shen Qingqiu cannot be sincere in any way.

Shen Qingqiu says nothing. Not because he can't, but because no matter what he says, there is no point if no one will listen. He's long since stopped talking and screaming on deaf ears. There's only so much a drowning man can do before he gives up.

Tianlang Jun watches, and he decides.

He is a demon, nothing more, nothing less. He is the Demon Lord of the South, the strongest demon to ever exist. He is a tyrant, a lord, and before all of that, he is a man in love.

"Look at yourself, you're miserable."

Stop it, he already knows.

"Why are you still staying?"

Living is hard. Breathing is hard. 

It hurts. It really hurts.

"I only, I," Shen Qingqiu mumbles. His throat feels hot, and it clenches painfully. "I'm tired. I've been tired for so long."

Tianlang Jun stands impassively, waiting. There's no judgement in his eyes, and that's what hurts most. A demon is more accepting of him than his own so-called family.

"I- I-," Shen Qingqiu crumbles. "Living is re-really hard. B-Breathing too, it's really hard to b-breathe sometimes. I want to run, b-but I can't. It hurts, it's painful, I'm in pain. It hurts."

His hands cover his face, ashamed. But no matter what he does, he can't hide it. Shameful tears spill from his eyes and wretched sobs escape his throat.

"I don't know what to do," He whispers.

He hasn't for a long time.

He looks at his torn wrists, and then at his bloodied robes. Everything is so, so red. Everything hurts. It's hard to breathe, it's hard to live.

The noise is too loud but this is the only way he knows how to live. Choked sobs break from his throat, and he claws at his hair. He screams, but there is no one who hears.

"Someone," He begs. "Someone help me."

The thing is, he never once dreamt of Yue Qi coming to save him. He always believed that Yue Qi would come for him so he never had to dream. He just waited.

And the worst part is that he knows Yue Qi wouldn't save him.

Tianlang Jun extends a hand, and with it, a promise.

Su Xiyan has never seen a wedding as grand as this, and she doubts she will ever see one as grand as this in the future as well.

It's almost like a festival, she thinks to herself. All the red, the gold, and the decorations. Everyone is cheering and happy, and with the way flower petals rain down, how could she not think this is a grand festival? It's captivating and entrancing. She almost thought that she entered a different realm with all this splendor.

She see the bridal sedan not too far away and Tianlang Jun stands outside, extending a hand. A far more delicate hand reaches out of the red curtains and takes hold of the offered hand. Then Shen Qingqiu steps out, dressed in red and gold and happy.

Su Xiyan thinks Tianlang Jun is right when he compares Shen Qingqiu to the heavens. He really is beautiful now that he's freed from any burdens. She can see why Tianlang Jun adores him so much.

She's not the only human here. The brothel ladies are here as well, but their faces can't hide the sheer happiness they feel. The pride and joy is evident on their faces as they watch Tianlang Jun lead Shen Qingqiu up the palace stairs and into the family altar.

The first bow is to the heavens and earth, the next is to their ancestors.

The final bow is to each other.

She watches, and sheds a tear.

They're happy.

And she can't wish for anything more.

Chapter Text

The first one noticed Shen Qingqiu's lack of presence is Ning Yingying. She doesn't voice her concerns, hoping they're nothing more than that.

Shen Qingqiu seldom makes himself a constant presence in the first place. He prefers his solidarity and doesn't go out of his way to socialize. He teaches his students, that much is true, but he wouldn't try to give them extra lessons. No, he leaves that to the hall masters.

And Ning Yingying has always saw her Shizun more than others, has always been favored more than others. So if her fellow martial brothers don't see that Shen Qingqiu hasn't been appearing lately, they can't be faulted. They all have their own things going on and thinking about their strict Shizun isn't part of it.

Ning Yingying sometimes wishes that her martial brothers can see how kind Shizun can be.

Unlike her, they don't worry as much. They still see Shen Qingqiu as someone untouchable so they don't worry. Only Ning Yingying has ever seen Shen Qingqiu in a moment of weakness, when Liu Qingge once broke his arm and pinned him to the ground in a spar. She was the only one who was there to witness it and only she had caught the flash of fear. It's not the fear of pain or the fear of something that might happen, it's the kind of fear that comes from something that already happened.

The first few days go by without anyone noticing. The first week goes by and Ning Yingying's concern grows. Then two, three weeks pass by and Qing Jing Peak notices. 

"Shizun. . .is going to be alright?" Hua Ming tries to convince his Shimei, but the unsure tone of his voice mixed with the slight fear makes it sound like he's trying to reassure himself.

"What if something did happen. . ."

"Take those words back! Don't say anything like that!" Ning Yingying yells.

Shizun is alright, Shizun is safe. Shizun isn't d-

Ning Yingying raises a hand and slaps herself across the face. Around her, her Shixiongs were shocked and even tried to calm her down. But the sting of the slap is what she needed to calm herself down.

She shouldn't think of such useless things. It won't do good and it would reflect badly on how they thought of their Shizun's ability to survive.

Shizun is going to be alright. He'll come back in a few days and when he does, he'll chastise them for being worried over nothing. Ning Yingying assures herself with this. Shizun is going to be alright. . .

Days turn to weeks and weeks turn to months. After the first three, Yue Qingyuan starts to worry. He didn't let it show when the female disciple and the head disciple from Qing Jing Peak came to him with tears in their eyes. He assured them the way a sect leader should. But that interaction caused something to take root in his heart.

Xiao Jiu-

He has no right to say that name. It's just Qingqiu-Shidi now. Nothing more, nothing less.

Shen Qingqiu has been missing and it's no longer just something they can brush off. A Peak Lord disappearing into nowhere is something deeply concerning. A Peak Lord disappearing for months without a single clue as to what happened is even more concerning. And for Yue Qingyuan, the person who disappeared is Shen Qingqiu, his beloved Shidi.

He's sent many of his disciples out to look for any clues that could tell him where Shen Qingqiu may be. They went to the towns near Cang Qiong Mountain, villages outside of their range, even to places under the territory of other Sects. Under their Shizun's order, they asked and interrogated countless people. But not a single one has seen hide nor hair of Shen Qingqiu.

And with every report back, Yue Qingyuan fell deeper and deeper in worry. 

How will Qingqiu-Shidi survive out there on his own? What if he's hurt and he's in need of help? What if he's dead? What if he offended some high ranking official? That's why he has to stay in Cang Qiong Mountain, it's the only way to protect him and keep him safe. The world out there is harsh and cruel and it won't be as forgiving as he is when it comes to Qingqiu. He has to get Xiao Jiu Qingqiu back here.

Even if it's just a body, he won't stop until he has Xiao Jiu Shen Qingqiu back.

Yue Qingyuan knows first hand how sharp and biting Shen Qingqiu is. He knows how someone with that strong of a personality will not be well received. As the Sect Leader of Cang Qiong Mountain, he is the only one who can make a place for Shen Qingqiu. Cang Qiong Mountain is the only place that will accept Shen Qingqiu, because he is the Sect Leader.

It's also because Cang Qiong Mountain is the only place that will accept Shen Qingqiu that makes Yue Qingyuan so sure that this is where his Xiao Jiu Qingqiu-Shidi belongs. No one else will accept Xiao Jiu Qingqiu-Shidi, so Yue Qingyuan is sure that sooner or later, Xiao Jiu Qingqiu-Shidi will return.

Shen Qingqiu needs to return.

Xiao Jiu needs to stay with him.

Who is he if he isn't Xiao Jiu's Qi-ge?

All he's ever known was how to be Xiao Jiu's Qi-ge. And that's all he's even known how to live.

"Sect Leader, disciple Huang reported back. Still no signs."

Yue Qingyuan dismisses the hall master. He buries his face in his hands and sighs heavily. He needs Shen Qingqiu back.

Liu Qingge has been noticing something for the past few times he's came back to Cang Qiong Mountain. It started with the deep line of worry on his Sect Leader's face and Shen Qingqiu's absence. Knowing them, Shen Qingqiu is probably off at a brothel and Yue Qingyuan just let him.

He said nothing at the time, just scoffed and shared a look with Qi Qingqi and Wei Qingwei.

He usually comes for the monthly meetings. Other than that, he doesn't stay at his Peak. But every time he comes back for the monthly meetings, it looks as if Yue Qingyuan is just. . .declining. His face looks more gaunt and tired. He's losing himself over something and that something is clearly Shen Qingqiu.

It's not just Yue Qingyuan that's worried over Shen Qingqiu's mysterious disappearance.

His own disciples are worried. His martial brothers and sisters didn't really express any concern, save for worrying about Yue Qingyuan's health. And Liu Qingge would admit that he isn't caring as much as he should. He and Shen Qingqiu never had a good relationship so while he is irritated and maybe even a bit worried, he isn't caring as much as he should be.

"Shizun, you're going to go out anyways, right? Then you can help us, right?" A disciple asks him.

Liu Qingge gives him an unimpressed look. They're supposed to be fighting back, not trying to negotiate with him. And yes, he grunts, he is going to leave later.

"Then you can search for Peak Lord Shen too!"

What? Why would he do that? Shen Qingqiu can take care of himself.

"You should learn how to dodge a punch before trying to make such a ridiculous request," Liu Qingge says flatly.

The disciple doesn't relent even though he fell onto the ground. One of his martial brothers helps him up while another tries to plead with him.

"The Qing Jing disciples look like they're about to collapse." Since when did his disciples care about those scholars? "They're one step away from passing out from exhaustion."

"And?"

"They haven't really been responding to our pranks and challenges for the past few months. We thought they were only ignoring us. But now, they look like they. . ."

"Please Shizun! Help us find Shen-Shibo!"

Liu Qingge clicks his tongue, but he makes a mental note that if he comes across any traces of Shen Qingqiu, he'll go and tell his disciples. And the moment he gets his hands on Shen Qingqiu, he'll make sure that bastard pays for putting all this extra work on him.

It's one thing if Shen Qingqiu goes around and his own disciples get worried, but it's another if it starts to worry other Peaks as well. Yue Qingyuan and his own disciples, how is Cang Qiong supposed to maintain its image now? It won't do if the disciples of Bai Zhan Peak, Cang Qiong's frontline defense, gets distracted when something important happens.

But before Liu Qingge can get to that, he has to attend a meeting. Even with Yue Qingyuan, it's difficult to deal with Huan Hua Palace.

When it comes to extravagance, Liu Qingge is no stranger to it. He's from a well distinguished noble family with ties to the government and other cultivation sects. His branch families have several renowned cultivators and as the first born son of the main family, he is no stranger to extravagance.

Qi Qingqi and Mu Qingfang were also used to the more satisfying part of life. But even they would agree with him that Huan Hua Palace is far too gaudy with all that gold. Always trying to make a statement of how they're the richest sect.

A disciple wearing gold and white with the Huan Hua insignia leads them to where the Old Palace Master is. Liu Qingge clicks his tongue distastefully. Shen Qingqiu wouldn't really be allowed out of the Sect much but if he were still here, he would have been fanning himself and frowning in disgust.

"Old Palace Master," Yue Qingyuan greeted. Behind him, Qi Qingqi, Mu Qingfang, and Liu Qingge saluted him as well.

"Sect Leader Yue, Peak Lords," The Old Palace master returned the gesture and held a hand towards the seat opposite of him. Yue Qingyuan took the seat while the three other Peak Lords stood behind him.

Diplomatic meetings such as this are nothing more than pleasantries in front, and trying to keep the other in check through thin smiles and paper-like compliments from behind. Liu Qingge is honestly glad he's not the Sect Leader, or else he would have to deal with playing nice with old coots like the Old Palace Master. 

"Our Huan Hua Palace is very fortunate to receive so many distinguished figures on such an auspicious day," The Old Palace Master says smoothly.

One corner of Qi Qingqiu's lips stretch in disdain. Internally, she was probably rolling her eyes. Such false pleasantries are tiring but always a part of the whole diplomatic game.

"And Cang Qiong Mountain is very fortunate to be received by such a gracious host," Yue Qingyuan responds pleasantly.

How he does this without breaking out of character is a miracle. Dealing with the Old Palace Master is like dealing with a nasty and annoying slimy creature.

Mu Qingfang notices something weird while the Old Palace Master and Yue Qingyuan are busy returning praises and going over territories and other issues that he wouldn't have to deal with.

Just like the three of them are standing behind Yue Qingyuan, there are two senior disciples standing behind the Old Palace Master. This part is not unusual, but the unusual part is that the Old Palace Master's favorite head disciple is not here.

Su Xiyan, a well known cultivator who's known for being a cold and sharp tongued beauty (kind of reminds him of his missing Shixiong actually) and another thing she was known for was that the Old Palace Master would bring her with him everywhere. It would be easy to see his affections for her as nothing more than fatherly love. But the Old Palace Master always did give off certain vibes.

Mu Qingfang sends a discreet look towards his martial brother and sister. They turn their attention towards him and he points a look at where the missing Su Xiyan is supposed to be.

Qi Qingqi, who couldn't help but speak up; "Old Palace Master, where is your Head Disciple?"

The Old Palace Master shakes his head in dejection and exasperation.

"A few months ago, I sent Xiyan out on a mission. It's a dangerous one and one that ended up in failure, sadly. I fear that she's going through a rebellious phase," The  Old Palace Master explains.

But there's something about the way he spoke that made it sound extremely condescending. Su Xiyan is one of the most accomplished cultivators of their generation, not someone to be taken lightly. But the Old Palace Master spoke of her like a misbehaving child who simply does not know better. It's irritating.

"What was the mission you assigned to Head Disciple Su?" Yue Qingyuan asks. The others thank him in their head for asking the question in their own minds.

The Old Palace Master, "As you know, Tianlang Jun is a threat to humanity. Demon like him are known for their insatiable greed and it wouldn't be long until he'll want to sink his hands in the human realm."

All of them knew who Tianlang Jun was. What cultivator wouldn't? His name is like a bane of their existence as righteous cultivators.

"So you sent Su Xiyan to try and infiltrate the southern demons?" Qi Qingqi gave a sharp glance at the Old Palace Master who didn't even flinch.

The Old Palace Master shakes his head.

"Xiyan and Tianlang Jun had a good first meeting, even making friendly conversation with each other. When Xiyan reported back to me, I thought that I would be able to make good use of this opportunity to find a weakness in that demon." The way the Old Palace Master spoke of Tianlang Jun sounded like he was holding himself back from something. "Xiyan would get closer to Tianlang Jun and try to get more information out of him."

As begrudging as it is to admit, the Old Palace Master knew when to strike when an opportunity presented itself. To be friendly enough to even enjoy a conversation with one another, it surely is an opportunity that can lead to creating a moment of weakness.

"It's certainly hard to imagine that Tianlang Jun would discover Su Xiyan's intentions," Mu Qingfang comments neutrally.

Once again, the Old Palace Master shook his head. "It wasn't that Xiyan was discovered. It was that Tianlang Jun simply turned her down."

In his heart, the Old Palace Master raged at someone having turned down his beautiful Xiyan. Who would turn down his favorite Head Disciple?! His Xiyan is without compare!

"So what? Did Tianlang Jun hurt her pride by turning down her advances?" Liu Qingge questioned bluntly as always. He's been quiet for quite a while now, but this whole conversation sounds pretty pointless. "She's a cultivator, not some succubus. Who cares if she looks ugly to demons?"

The polite and "can't do anything about it" smile on the Old Palace Master's face became strained and tense. He coughed into his fist, but he screamed a thousand curses at Liu Qingge inside.

"Xiyan has reported to me that it would be impossible for her or anyone to try and seduce Tianlang Jun."

"Oh?"

A demon such as Tianlang Jun is not celibate. There have been stories of how Tianlang Jun would pull many maidens into his bed with merely a smile on his face.

The Old Palace Master didn't elaborate anymore on that, letting the Cang Qiong cultivators form their own conclusions. Instead, he gestured for a disciple to hand him something.

'Reports?'

"Please take a look for yourself. These are reports from my disciples and included are also copies of first hand accounts from cultivators outside of Huan Hua Palace," The Old Palace Master makes a hand for them to read and inspect whatever they wish.

These reports and first hand accounts spanned for several months. All of them mention Tianlang Jun at least once and they're all about his regime. First hand witnesses and maps being drawn and detailed in colored ink. Liu Qingge is no novice to maps and can easily tell from first glance that it's a map detailing the expansion of one's territory even if he doesn't understand it fully.

"The small parts of Tianlang Jun's empire that could have been counted as weak spots have all been covered and strengthened. The trade roads have been improved to better transfer soldiers and goods. It's been said that Tianlang Jun seldom stays in his own palace. But for the past few months, his empire has been strengthening itself and expanding at a pace that is rather concerning. I can't say I feel safe at night," The Old Palace Master says.

Liu Qingge tosses the papers back on the table. An empire as unified as this and still continuing to expand is something to be both terrified of and in awe of. Especially considering how this was all accomplished in a few months. Such terrifying progress. . .

"Old Palace Master, please say what you have to say," Yue Qingyuan tells him.

The old coot smiles in a way that sends shivers down the spine. It's gross. "I'm simply saying that we should prepare for the worst."

"This one thanks you for your advice," Yue Qingyuan bows, and then leaves.

The three Peak Lords follow closely behind after exchanging pleasantries one last time with the Old Palace Master.

"I don't trust that old creep," Qi Qingqi says.

"None of the papers were faked. Tianlang Jun was already enough of a menace before, strengthening his empire and expanding his borders is something that is worth concern," Mu Qingfang tells her.

"Doesn't mean I have to like listening to that old creep! And who hasn't heard that Tianlang Jun's empire is expanding its borders?"

Yue Qingyuan isn't paying attention, Liu Qingge notices this. So he coughs loudly.

"Sorry," Yue Qingyuan smiles placidly.

"Are you still thinking about Shen Qingqiu?" Of course he is. How could he not be?

"I'm telling you. Just forget about him already. If he's dead, he's dead! If he's alive, he's a scumbag for worrying his disciples like that!" Qi Qingqi scolds him.

"I'm not even sure anymore. . ."

"Just focus on your duties as Sect Leader!"

Mu Qingfang cuts Qi Qingqi off before she can say anything that might give Yue Qingyuan the wrong idea. Shen Qingqiu never did try to form relationships with anyone so the fact that he went missing took them several months to realize, it's honestly a bit embarrassing to Cang Qiong's image.

Shen Jiu dips a brush in black ink and then uses it to circle several areas of a map.

"For each of these areas, station a force of about 1,500 soldiers," Shen Jiu says.

"Isn't that a bit excessive?" Tianlang Jun asks.

"You're squashing a civil war. These areas are homes of the demon nobles funding the civil war. You're the Lord of the Southern Borders but you've never really tried to squash civil wars that aren't a direct attack on you. Just kill these nobles and replace yourself as the new figurehead," Shen Jiu shrugged.

"I see."

"It's just another noble trying to establish his territory and he ended up ruining the somewhat stable peace that area had. As long as you can give the other demons there what they want, they'll fall into line and give you their support."

What those demons would want would probably be food and stability. Shen Jiu makes a note to have more sowers infest a town that won't be missed. The civil war that's taking place in the southwest borders has been going on for quite some time. It's been nothing more than a stalemate between the two sides and at this point, the people and the soldiers there should be pretty tired of all the fighting.

So Tianlang Jun would just have to get rid of the nobles there and establish new ones. And then he can assimilate that area into his own territory.

"My feet hurts," Shen Jiu complains as Tianlang Jun removes his shoes and socks.

"Should we just stay home then?"

Ah, Jiu'er's feet really do look more delicate and dainty than they let on. Tianlang Jun smiles to himself. He's very privileged to be able to manage such adorable feet. Then again, he's privileged to touch any part of Jiu'er.

"No. We promised Lady Su that we'll go with her to watch that play. If we miss it, you'll probably cry," Shen Jiu says.

Tianlang Jun pouted. "I won't cry!"

"You cried when I said I forgot to get you a gift for your birthday. . ." Shen Jiu deadpanned. He wanted to keep his gift a surprise. He didn't think that it would make the Demon Lord cry.

"I had every right to!"

Shen Jiu rolled his eyes and tapped him on the nose with his fan. Such a sentimental man his husband is. His husband's love and fascination of human beings, his husband's stubbornness and sentimentality, Shen Jiu find them all to be part of the good side of his husband.

Tianlang Jun slides his arms under Shen Jiu's knees and behind his back. Then with a single move, he carries the smaller man in a bridal hold.

"You know, Jiuzhong Jun said that the other demons are starting to worry," Tianlang Jun said.

Shen Jiu scoffs. "It's because they know the power dynamic is starting to shift."

Tianlang Jun has been hailed as the strongest demon but his kingdom was never something that other demons had to worry too much about. But now that Tianlang Jun's empire is strengthening and expanding at an alarming rate with much success, it's going to be concerning.

Tianlang Jun pulls Shen Jiu closer and squeals. "I have such a smart wife~!"

"Ack! Stop trying to eat my face!"

Shen Jiu nodded solemnly as he listened to Su Xiyan. He held the tea cup in his hands tighter and took a long sip from it. The comfort from the warm fragrant liquid was exactly what he needed.

"When I thought of helping Tianlang with his empire, my only goal was to help make it better," Shen Jiu says. That was his intention. But as expected, every time he tries to do something good. . . 

"Don't worry about it. Shifu tried to tangle Cang Qiong in with Huan Hua's suspicions and whatnot, but Sect Leader Yue didn't agree to anything," Su Xiyan assured him. It's not like Huan Hua Palace has enough power on its own to try and attack the Southern Borders in the demon realm. The cultivation world already had to walk on eggshells when dealing with Tianlang Jun alone, anymore and it's too much.

Shen Jiu sighed. The reassurance did little to help him with his internal worries, but he was grateful nonetheless for the thought. His husband's empire is strong enough to continue standing even with its leaders going to the human realm to frolic around and watch drama plays. So Shen Jiu doesn't have to worry about something happening whenever he's out with Su Xiyan.

"Righteous cultivators claim to hate demons and want nothing to do with them, but it's the most self-proclaimed righteous cultivators who are always thinking of demons," Shen Jiu shakes his head.

Su Xiyan nods. "You'd think Shifu got his heart broken by a demon or something with how much he obsesses over them."

Pfft. Laughable, and if true, then pathetic.

Deciding to change the subject to something else, Shen Jiu turned his head towards the stage down below.

"This pipa player is not bad. Quite underrated if I were to say so myself."

"That's some high praise coming from the scholarly master himself."

Shen Jiu flipped his fan open, and smiled behind it. The fan is a gift from Tianlang Jun. Every time Tianlang Jun goes out into a human market, a fan would catch his eye and he would gift it to his dear wife. There's a literal room dedicated to being Shen Jiu's fan collection room. It's quite impressive actually.

A servant lady comes into their private booth and behind her are other waitresses carrying their ordered dishes. Su Xiyan thanked them after they set down every plate. The food looked amazing, far better than whatever monstrosity Tianlang Jun could come up with. There was a time when Tianlang Jun wanted to make some tangyuan but instead of yummy balls of glutinous rice flour with sweet red bean paste inside, it looked more like demented crying eyeballs. Horrifying. It moved too. . .

Shen Jiu picked his chopsticks up and dug into a piece of tender dongpo pork. He hummed, delighted with the taste of the savory meat. The tender fat and the easy to chew apart meat, mixed along with the braised wine, Shen Jiu should ask for the cooks to serve some dongpo pork for dinner. But before that, there are more important things for him to worry about.

"Lady Su," Shen Jiu addressed. "What do you plan on doing with Huan Hua Palace?"

Su Xiyan paused her in her eating at the question. What does she plan on doing with Huan Hua Palace? It's her home and she's been the Head Disciple for many years there. She's met countless friends and foes as the Head Disciple of Huan Hua Palace and it's a place where her adorable younger martial siblings are.

"To be honest, I don't actually know. So all I've been doing is avoiding my Shifu while looking like an unfilial or wayward disciple."

Shen Jiu understood, probably more than anyone else could. Su Xiyan wants to leave Huan Hua Palace, more specially, the Old Palace Master, but she is unable to because there are people in Huan Hua Palace who still look up to her and rely on her and she can't bear to ruin such an image for them.

He knows how it feels. To want to leave but unable to.

"Just rip it off like a scab and be done with it. Once you leave, you can come to the Southern Borders in the Demon Realm. You'll always have the option," Shen Jiu tells her. He didn't have the choice to leave for many years, so he wants to give the opportunity to her the same way Tianlang Jun did to him.

"I'll keep it in mind."

A wondrous sight, almost breathtaking in fact. Shen Jiu, she means. A year ago, he looked so miserable. It would be hard to tell but after being friends with him for so long, she could see the signs so clearly. What must it have felt like for Tianlang Jun, to see someone he loved so much so miserable? But Shen Jiu, he looks so much more free and content, truly content.

Tragic and heart breaking ballads are always a good tear jerker. The desperation, the feeling of helplessness, it captures the audience well. But it's a different story when it's no longer a ballad or a play. She really does respect Tianlang Jun. To be so desperate for a single person but always making sure to still put that person first. Shen Jiu really is lucky. He deserves it though, a little bit of good to reward him for all that he's gone through.

Speaking of which, Su Xiyan pulled out a pad of paper and a brush.

"Senior Shen! Please tell me more about your honeymoon!"

Information right from the source himself! A brand new chapter! A brand new volume! Tianlang Jun pays a lot of money for published copies and the book club-

"ACK!"

This first hand experience of being hit with a fan is exactly what she needs to write about how many times Tianlang Jun gets smacked!

A disciple wearing gold and white disappeared into the shadows.

Being a street rat is already hard enough, being a slave is the same but with an owner and you're nothing more than property, a long term investment.

"Stupid Qi-ge, what did I say about giving your portion away?!" Xiao Jiu raged. His face was all read from anger and there was also a blooming bruise on his left cheek from his most recent fight.

Yue Qi laughed it off. Cheng Yi needed the food more than he did so it wasn't that big of a deal.

Shen Jiu huffed, and plopped down right next to the other. He unfolded the paper wrappings to reveal a pork bun. It would have tasted a lot better if it was still warm or if it wasn't so old. It wasn't old enough to grow mold on it so it should be safe to eat.

"Here," Shen Jiu pushed the bun into Yue Qi's hands. The older boy fumbled around and tried to give the bun back, but to no avail.

"Just eat it! You gave your food away like a stupid fool and you're going to be hungry! Why else would I try to feed you?!" Shen Jiu yelled. He pulled a small wooden bottle with water inside and threw it at the older boy as well.

"B-But, what about you. . .?"

Shen Jiu scoffed. Stupid fool. Worrying about others even when he's hungry. If he was a young master, Yue Qi would be praised for his kindness. But kindness has no part in the lives of slaves. It's merely a weakness for others to exploit.

"I already ate. If I didn't, I would have eaten the pork bun. So go ahead and just eat already."

He actually didn't. He hasn't eat for the past two days. He gave his food to Yue Qi so the older boy would have something in his stomach while his own is empty. But seeing how satisfied Yue Qi is with the pork bun, he doesn't need it.

Shen Jiu took the time to look down at his hands while Yue Qi ate. His hands still had blisters from the time when the slavers had chicken and mushroom soup. It was scalding hot and they said they'd give some to any who had a bowl. It was only because they had a lot and they thought it would be funny if poor little slave children went around trying to find a bowl.

Shen Jiu used his own hands as a bowl because he knew for a fact that by the time the other slaves would find a bowl, the owners would already have thrown out the leftover soup. It was scalding hot and it burned his hands painfully, but Yue Qi had something to eat that night and that's all that matters. His hands were horribly injured as a result from Yue Qi not eating fast enough. But at least it got them a lot of pity points the next day when they went to beg.

After the pork bun was finished and the wooden water bottle emptied, the two boys went to sleep. When Shen Jiu woke up, it was to Yue Qi shaking him.

"What?" He said. Shen Jiu would have preferred to sleep longer. When he's asleep, he can't feel hungry. But if he sleeps for too long, who would make sure Yue Qi is eating and taking care of himself?

Yue Qi looked strangely excited. Did something good happen? Or did some bastard try to swindle this foolish friend of his?

"Xiao Jiu, look!" Yue Qi exclaimed happily. He held a stick of candied hawthorns in his hands.

Immediately, Shen Jiu shot right up and pulled the older boy closer. How did Yue Qi get his hands on something like this? Many times, all they could do is watch as other children ate this cheap sweet. And many times, he wished and longed for a taste of that cheap sweet.

"What did you do? Did someone do something to you? Tell me and I'll go after them!"

Shen Jiu may have fantasized about eating tanghulu many times, but he could care less for such a useless treat if Yue Qi, his Qi-ge, had someone do something unforgivable to him just so he could get his hands on something like candied hawthorns. Damn useless adults, probably laughing at a slave's misfortune. They're all like that. They'll feel bad for the poor unfortunate little slaves but they won't lift a hand to help!

"Don't worry," Yue Qi tried to calm down the younger. "I used the extra copper coins to get this. I didn't do anything."

Almost like a crumble leaf, Shen Jiu calmed down. So Yue Qi didn't get hurt then. That's good.

"You made me worried! What if stupid Shi Wu saw this and wanted it? Those fucking ingrates would harass and bully you!"

"Xiao Jiu! Don't say those kinds of words."

Hmph. He could curse a lot more. But he keeps it to a minimum because it'll make Yue Qi sad. Shi Wu is a no good, useless, replaceable son of a bitch who should have had his hands cut off and looking at his ugly snake fucker face is already enough of a cruel and unusual punishment. Him dying is going to be a blessing to the world!

Yue Qi tugged on Shen Jiu's hand and placed the stick part of the tanghulu in his hand. 

"Here. Xiao Jiu should eat it!"

This fool. . .

His fool. . .

Shen Jiu pulled one of the candied hawthorns off the stick and handed the rest of the stick back to Yue Qi.

"I'm fine with this alone. You eat the rest."

Yue Qi fumbled around and in the end, they managed to split the last hawthorn in half. The tanghulu was good, despite it just being candied hawthorn. Yue Qi got some juice around his face and his fingers became really sticky.

To two street rats, tanghulu was like a priceless treasure to them. An indulgence they're not sure if they'll even get to taste ever again.

And in a few years, when Qi-ge and Xiao Jiu died and are replaced by Yue Qingyuan and Shen Qingqiu, Yue Qingyuan would find a stick of tanghulu on his table. To a sect leader, something as simple as tanghulu will no longer be viewed as priceless treasure.

Su Xiyan is clearly lying.

Liu Qingge very rarely ever spoke to the Huan Hua Head Disciple. He's met her before from one of the immortal Alliance Conferences, and he would say that he respects her strength as a powerful cultivator. Other than a few greetings to each other, they never actually had a proper conversation with each other.

"I've already told Peak Lord Liu that I have not seen nor heard from Peak Lord Shen," Su Xiyan says seriously.

"You're lying," Liu Qingge tells her bluntly. It's almost been a year, and this is his first clue as to where Shen Qingqiu could have disappeared off into.

He knows that Shen Qingqiu wouldn't just defect to the Old Palace Master's side, he hates the old coot with a burning passion that almost rivals his own hatred for Liu Qingge.

"Peak Lord Liu shouldn't just make random accusations. It's a horrible habit," Su Xiyan narrows her eyes. There's something about the way she said it that was alluding to something else.

"I'm not. The sword tassel you have isn't yours."

Alarmed, Su Xiyan's hand went towards the hilt of her sword and covered the sword tassel. But it was already too late, Liu Qingge recognized the tassel. The jade pendant and the red threads used to form this particular tassel was something Liu Qingge would never mistaken. He knew how to recognize Shen Qingqiu's own embroidery and handiwork. Not to mention this tassel was something he's seen Shen Qingqiu make himself so there's no way for him to mistaken it.

"Shen Qingqiu," Liu Qingge began, voice leaving no room for interruption. "Where is he?"

Chapter Text

Su Xiyan calms herself down before she goes and reveal anything else. The sword tassel was a gift that Shen Jiu made for her before his marriage. No one paid the sword tassel a second thought other than the fact that it was well made so they just assumed that it was a fancy high class gift she got thanks to her standing as the Old Palace Master's favorite.

Inside her head, she cursed at both herself and the Peak Lord. She didn't think anyone would recognize it but it turns out that someone did. A moment of carelessness and it could cost Shen Jiu greatly.

"Peak Lord Liu must not have been paying much attention to forget that Master Shen personally made this for me. This one had no intention of throwing away such a precious gift," Su Xiyan says diplomatically.

Liu Qingge didn't relent. "So you're close enough for him to make a personal gift for you. You should at least know something about where he is. So where is he?"

"Master Shen gifted me this sword tassel year ago."

"Fine then. Tell me the last time you saw him," Liu Qingge crossed his arms. There was also something about the way she referred to him and Shen Qingqiu, calling him by his title as Peak Lord while addressing Shen Qingqiu as something else.

Su Xiyan felt a vein throb. Did this man only listen to things he wanted to hear?! Did he not understand what social cues were?! How can someone be this thickheaded as to not realize that this is an unwanted conversation?

No, she'll just have to play with her words the way she's seen Shen Jiu do.

"I'm afraid that Master Shen is no longer in the human realm." She's not lying, she's just not elaborating further. "So I'm sorry to disappoint Peak Lord Liu."

Something uncomfortable settled in Liu Qingge's stomach. He couldn't detect any lies from the other cultivator. So Shen Qingqiu really. . .

No. He still had to bring something back to Cang Qiong Mountain, even if it's going to be a corpse.

"Tell me where his body is." She should know that as well. If she knows that Shen Qingqiu is. . . then she should also know where his body is. If she perhaps held a funeral for Shen Qingqiu out of respect for him, then she should also tell him where Shen Qingqiu's body is so he can bring it back to Qing Jing's tomb.

Su Xiyan shakes her head, face indiscernible. It's true that Tianlang Jun whisked Shen Jiu away, just not in the context that Liu Qingge might be thinking of. "I'm afraid that Master Shen's body has been made off by a demon." 

It would make sense for demons to feed on human cultivators to further their own strength. And eating the golden core of a Peak Lord, no matter how shaky the foundation, is bound to be something akin to a delicacy.

Tch.

"Who is this demon then?"

"Someone Peak Lord Liu won't win against." This, Su Xiyan is absolutely sure of. Tianlang Jun wouldn't let anything happen to Shen Jiu.

Liu Qingge bristled. Then he drew Cheng Luan and dropped it where it started to float midair. So he was leaving then. Fucking finally. Su Xiyan wasn't sure how long it was going to take before she would just try and escape on sword herself. 

(If Liu Qingge had decided to fight her right then and there, she would not have gotten out of it unscathed.)

The first decision Shen Qingqiu made after his marriage was to change his name back to Shen Jiu. It seemed a bit lackluster compared to what other married couples would do first, maybe even a bit stupid, but Shen Qingqiu really wanted to cut ties with his past.

"I could just give you a new name in general," Tianlang Jun offered. "I did name my nephew after all."

Shen Qingqiu shook his head. No, it had to be Shen Jiu.

"Both Shen Qingqiu and Shen Jiu were miserable, but at least Shen Jiu wasn't always miserable. I don't want a new name, I want to be happy as Shen Jiu."

Also, he met Tianlang Jun when he was Shen Jiu, not Shen Qingqiu. And Tianlang Jun calls him "Jiu'er" too.

"Okay then." Tianlang Jun stretched his arms and wrapped them around Shen Jiu. He hummed contently and sighed happily. This isn't the first time he held Shen Jiu in his arms, but most of those times weren't good times. Most of them were spent consoling a hysteric Peak Lord who didn't know what to do anymore.

"What are you doing?" Shen Jiu asked the demon lord who seemed to be quite content with snuggling the back of his neck.

"We're married now. So can you call me that?" Tianlang Jun grinned.

Shen Jiu's face burned a bright crimson. If his fan wasn't so far away, he would for sure hit this shameless man! Shameless! Absolutely shameless!

"You-!"

Tianlang Jun pouted, looking incredibly sad. But Shen Jiu knew him too long to fall for this face. Even if it's the same face Tianlang Jun uses and even if it's the same face Shen Jiu falls for every time, he won't anymore! He won't fall for this act anymore!

But then he felt Tianlang Jun press closer to him and he couldn't help but sigh.

Who the fuck is he trying to lie to?

No matter how many times, he would just give in in the end.

So with much difficulty, Shen Jiu said in a tensed voice barely louder than a whisper,

"Husband."

Tianlang Jun's face split into such a happy and satisfied grin. He turned Shen Jiu over so he could face him properly and eagerly kissed every part of his face. Shen Jiu's eyelids, cheeks, jawline, forehead, Tianlang Jun peppered every part with kisses.

"Wife."

Shen Jiu spluttered, face red with anger and embarrassment. It was already embarrassing enough before! And for him to be called something like this, of course he'll be even more embarrassed! 

"You're going to get my face all wet!"

Tianlang Jun laughed out loud in a way that Shen Jiu always liked to hear. Finally done with all the kissing and letting out a deep breath that carried fondness with it, Tianlang Jun stared deeply at Shen Jiu.

"What. . .?"

"Nothing, it's nothing. I just. . ." Tianlang Jun buried himself in Shen Jiu's shoulder, and nuzzled his face in his hair. "I really adore you, Jiu'er."

He really does adore this person, so much so that he can only imagine a future with him in it.

A disciple wearing yellow and white made its way over to a set of large grand doors.

Behind those walls revealed an old man dressed in fine robes and staring at a scroll, a portrait, in his hands. Around him were many things. Old dresses, old uniforms, hairpins, hair ribbons, combs, shoes, sleepwear, sashes, and so much more. What made it disturbing, was that all of those things belonged to a woman, not an old man.

"Well?"

Head Disciple Su continues to visit Peak Lord Shen. Head Disciple Su is the only cultivator whom he still meets up with.Peak Lord Shen has been spending most of his time with his husband, Tianlang Jun. Head Disciple Su visits whenever she can.

"Annoying pest. He is corrupting my sunset."

This is why he didn't want his darling sunset to ever make friends. That despicable Shen Qingqiu is a prime example of bad influences! Going around and spreading his legs for a demon, utterly disappointing for a cultivator. Demons are trash that must be purged from the world. It was already bad enough that Shen Qingqiu is married to one, but to influence and corrupt his Su Xiyan is something unforgivable!

"You may go."

The disciple in yellow and white nods its head, then leaves. 

It's a good thing that Su Xiyan went to consult Tianlang Jun about Liu Qingge instead of Shen Jiu. Had Shen Jiu known, he would have just started to stress himself out not for Liu Qingge, but for his disciples. And as much of a facade Shen Jiu tries to put on, he does care to some extent when it comes to his disciples. Even if not every single one of them can appreciate Qing Jing Peak, thinking of it as something weak and time consuming, there are still many who Shen Jiu cares about.

"What do you think of this one?" Tianlang Jun holds up two earrings, both different.

One is blue with jewels and silver, while the other is gold with red threads. He holds them next to Shen Jiu's ears, one on each side. Then he pulls them away so Shen Jiu can see them.

"I like the blue one better. Less tasteless," Shen Jiu made his verdict. The craftsmanship on the gold earring looked well enough to pass off as buyable, but compared to the blue one, it looked too gaudy with how shiny the gold is and how cheap the red threads looked to be.

Tianlang Jun pulled out a few silver taels and handed it to the earring vendor. Then he hung the new earrings on Shen Jiu's ears. Good, they look really good on his darling wife.

It's not rare that the two of them would come to the human realm for something such as shopping. They've done it multiple times since their marriage and they've never lingered too long.

"Let's go to that one!" Tianlang Jun pointed towards another vendor selling pretty hair ornaments. This was a wealthy city and he finished his paperwork too, he should spend as much as he wants.

Shen Jiu lets himself get dragged. Externally, he sighed as if he was a mother dealing with a troublesome child, but internally, he was giggling at the childish face of joy on his husband's face. To look so happy over something so simple, well, it wasn't like he didn't feel the same way. He knew how much Tianlang Jun enjoyed dressing him up and pampering him. And he himself would get happy when he saw the happy face of his husband.

The hair clips were all beautifully crafted and embedded with metal flowers and jewels. And the jade hairpins looked really eye catching as well! Shen Jiu picked one up and the woman next to them complimented him on his eye for good choices.

Tianlang Jun noticed a flash of white that he didn't like and saw Liu Qingge a good block away. Still too close if he's somehow in the same city as Jiu'er. It really was a good thing that Su Xiyan told him about this troublesome brute.

Tianlang Jun stood more firmly behind Shen Jiu instead of next to him, and he raised a sleeve to cover Shen Jiu when he turned over to ask him about one of the ornaments. Before any questions could come out, Tianlang Jun kissed him.

Narrowing his eyes at Liu Qingge's direction, he was satisfied to see that the Bai Zhan War God had went away.

"D-Don't kiss me in public you shameless bastard!"

"Sorry, I couldn't resist~"

The fan whacking him on his head was totally worth it though. Although, he would have enjoyed it whether Shen Jiu hit him out of embarrassment or not.

Those from Cang Qiong didn't see a need to include Shen Jiu in anything of theirs, always excluding and isolating him as if his very existence is a sin. Their so called family is just a lie, an air they put on so they could continue patting themselves on the back for being "good". 

Tianlang Jun would be damned if anyone from Cang Qiong took Shen Jiu away from him, even if it's just stealing a glance. He's not going to share his most precious treasure with Cang Qiong.

"You're acting weird," Shen Jiu comments. He holds a hair stick up to the light, mildly admiring the way the gloss of the wood shines.

"It's nothing you have to worry about," Tianlang Jun replies. He's not exactly a good person, keeping secrets like this from the one person he cherishes the most. He'll tell Shen Jiu eventually.

Shen Jiu nods. He trusts Tianlang Jun enough to know that the demon would never do anything to intentionally hurt him.

Liu Mingyan couldn't understand Ning Yingying at all. She was a sweet little girl who was the youngest female disciple of her peak. She was doted on by her martial brothers and even her Shizun, Shen Qingqiu, was rather lenient. Ning Yingying was also rather naive and sheltered.

Rumors of Shen Qingqiu being a lecherous perv who preyed on his youngest female disciple were not new and have been known for quite some time. Ning Yingying is probably just oblivious to it all, that's what Liu Mingyan concluded.

Qi Qingqi told her that once Shen Qingqiu is declared dead, Xian Shu Peak can have Ning Yingying and the Qing Jing instruments. Liu Mingyan herself isn't quite sure if Sect Leader Yue was the one who said that they could have those but Qi Qingqi told her that the other Peak Lords were already discussing what they would take from Qing Jing Peak later on.

If the other Peak Lords were already going to divide Qing Jing Peak and lay their hands on books, instruments, scrolls, paintbrushes, artifacts, disciples, then Liu Mingyan won't say anything.

Bringing Ning Yingying to Xian Shu Peak was supposed to help integrate her as one of the Xian Shu disciples. Talking and gossiping about Shen Qingqiu's lecherous ways isn't something uncommon in Xian Shu Peak, but apparently it was enough to set Ning Yingying off. Not only her but her martial sisters from Qing Jing Peak as well. Qi Qingqi wanted to bring as many girls as she could into her Peak.

"You stupid harpy! Take that back!" Ning Yingying yelled. It was shocking, to see the little sweetheart of Qing Jing Peak yell like so.

Ai Ming, the Xian Shu disciple who was telling Ning Yingying to quickly leave Qing Jing Peak, took a step back, then she took two steps forward. She was just yelled at in public for expressing her concerns over a fellow martial sister of the same sect. Of course she would feel a little humiliated and foolish.

"I won't! Your Peak Lord is nothing but a conniving and lecherous man and you're the one who's too stupid to see it!" Ai Ming yelled back.

Ning Yingying's face was reddened with anger. There were angry tears in her eyes and it's only because of her stubbornness that she refuses to let them fall.

To call her Shizun, the man who nurtured and cared for her and her martial sister, a conniving and lecherous man, isn't a slight she was going to forgive. Her Shizun doesn't even like girls!

"You're the one with your head stuck up your ass!" Ning Yingying raised her hand and slapped Ai Ming clear across her face. "You stupid little girl! Who gives you the right to badmouth my Shizun like that! You mother would punch her womb in shame seeing how much of a dumb sheep you are!"

The last line was something she learned from her Shizun and Bai Rong advised her to not say it out loud. But she's just so mad that she couldn't help but say it. Her hand stung, but Ai Ming's face looked lopsided with one cheek swollen. Shizun would be proud, she thinks, and that alone is enough to push her through any punishments she might receive.

"Disciple Ning!" Liu Mingyan reprimanded. Her voice was stern and in any given situation, her Shimeis would lower their heads and listen. But none of the Qing Jing female disciples looked down in shame for what would be their youngest's disgraceful behavior.

While one went to pull Ning Yingying into a comforting embrace, another walked right into her face with a wronged expression. If Liu Mingyan was not so appalled by such behavior, she would have been confused as to why Li Yuxin looked wronged of all things. She should be happy to be given a chance to escape from someone such as Shen Qingqiu.

"Your Shimei is the one who's wrong, not ours." Li Yuxin was firm with her words, leaving no traces of doubt.

"What Disciple Ning said was uncalled for and unnecessary. Ai-Shimei was just expressing her concern," Liu Mingyan said calmly. "Yet it was Disciple Ning who overreacted and lashed out for no reason."

The Qing Jing girls wondered for how long their Shizun must have felt like this, to have his every emotion be undermined and overseen. They all wondered how much their Shizun bottled up inside because his own martial siblings would say he's overreacting and lashing out for no reason. This was the first time they had gotten so mad and for all the right reasons too, their Shizun disappeared for nearly a year now and everyone is just acting as if it's a blessing, and their own martial sisters from another Peak is telling them that they're overreacting for no reason.

"If Ai Ming had focused on cultivating the righteous path rather than spend her time gossiping, this wouldn't have happened in the first place."

Ai Ming glared with blushed cheeks of embarrassment. These Qing Jing girls are the worst. Ungrateful and unappreciative of those who are trying to help them and even going so far so to bite and growl at the offered hand, no wonder their Shizun is Shen Qingqiu. Only someone so awful could raise and nurture such awful girls.

A glare from Ning Yingying challenged her to say something. Ai Ming's face was still swollen and her pride was at stake. But Liu Mingyan gave her a look that told her to stand down.

"Disciple Li is from a prominent family and is the second child and only daughter. So Disciple Li not understanding because she was raised sheltered is perfectly understandable-"

"Disciple Liu is also from a prominent family, is the second child and only daughter, and also the younger sister of the Bai Zhan War God. So Disciple Liu not understanding and being biased towards us because of her brother is perfectly understandable," Li Yuxin turned her nose up.

Liu Mingyan narrowed her eyes and Li Yuxin returned the same gesture. Hmph. Did she understand how it felt? To have someone put words into your mouth and tell you how you're supposed to feel and act. Could this little young mistress understand even a tiny piece of what their Shizun had to deal with?

(They themselves didn't actually know how much their Shizun had to go through. They were still just disciples and the eldest of them has only ever attended one Immortal Alliance Conference. 

But there would be times where Shizun would bring them along with him and there would be unfortunate times where they would witness how his martial bothers and sisters spoke to him. They couldn't do anything, not with Shizun's reputation on the line, and not with how little they understood.)

"Xian Shu has been nothing but courteous to you Qing Jing disciples, yet you would treat my girls like this," A resounding voice said. Ai Ming smirked while the other Xian Shu girls present seemed to beam slightly.

The disciples from Qing Jing Peak tensed, but their own anger was intensified as well. They wouldn't forget this woman, not for all she had said and done against their Shizun.

"Li Yuxin greets Peak Lady Qi," Li Yuxin salutes. The way those Xian Shu girls looked so smug, it's annoying.

"So Shen Qingqiu taught you some manners at least."

Ning Yingying bristled and the Shijie who was comforting her, Bai Rong, bristled as well. 

"Shizun taught us more manners than you ever taught yours," Li Yuxin commented. Then she quickly fixed her face with a faux look of correction. "I meant no disrespect to Peak Lady Qi. That was merely an observation."

Qi Qingqi was not used to being disrespected like this by a mere disciple. And not even a head disciple or a hall master, just one of the seniors.

"Do you have a bone to pick with me, little child? Shen Qingqiu clearly didn't raise you right if you turned out like this. If you had been a Xian Shu disciple, you would have turned into a proper lady," Qi Qingqi says.

"Shizun raised me well enough to know that a righteous cultivator should be cultivating immortality. I've only ever seen these Xian Shu fairies engage in pointless gossip and their own Shizun seems to enjoy the same hobby."

When Li Yuxin said fairies, it was said with a sarcastic edge and it made several girls flush in humiliation. Their Peak Lady is no different, looking at Li Yuxin as if she were a stain.

"Shen Qingqiu is nothing more than a lecherous man who preys on your youngest. He visits brothels more often than not and who knows what other outrageous activities he engages in? He would stab his martial brothers in the back without a second thought and has attempted to take the life of my head disciple's brother before. He's unreasonable and ungrateful for all that Zhangmen-Shixiong has done for him but you would still defend a man like that?" Qi Qingqi scoffs.

Foolish little girl. She's still rather young, so her opinions are still biased from her youth. If this little girl was there during her disciple age, she would have known better.

"You know nothing of Shizun," Li Yuxin bites.

Qi Qingqi raises a perfectly groomed eyebrow. Her, not knowing Shen Qingqiu? Laughable. But she'll forgive this little rebellious sprout simply because these girls in green will eventually have to wear the purple of her peak.

Ning Yingying felt her hands grow hotter and hotter as she listened to Qi Qingqi rant on and on about all these "flaws" of Shen Qingqiu. Not a single one of them are true. They're all nothing more than self-made delusions by some harpy who is all too happy to listen to her own voice. Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore and pushed herself out of Bai Rong's arms.

"SHUT! UP!"

Qi Qingqi glared, cold and unforgiving.

"Excuse me?"

The space they share actually carries traces of Shen Jiu's room in the Warm Red Pavilion. Instruments, half finished paintings, books, sewing and embroidery supplies, tea sets, fans, and of course, books. Being literate is something Shen Jiu was incredibly proud of. As a street rat, he's heard stories of how even poor nobodies can rise through the ranks of the imperial court if they're smart enough to take the exams.

Shen Jiu is a renowned scholar and despite his horrible reputation, there have been one or two advisors of the emperor who would consult him for advice. Being heard is something he relished in. Being genuinely asked his opinion is something he valued.

"Your taste is still trash," Shen Jiu shakes his head. His lips curl distastefully upon seeing the open yellow books strewn across the floor and bed. So messy.

Tianlang Jun pouts even though it's not the first time Shen Jiu tells him his taste is horrible. At this point, it's a routine.

"I'll have you know it's very educational."

"As if you need to learn from something like those books."

"Is that a compliment~?"

Shen Jiu throws a green embroidered slipper at the man. Another routine in their marriage from when he was still a disciple. Playful smacks here and there and maybe a fire talisman thrown in for fun. Even now, the once Peak Lord can still remember setting Tianlang Jun on fire for trying to run towards him naked in a lake.

"If it's not unrealistic porn, then it's shitty romance." Shen Jiu sighs. Honestly, what kind of author would spend an entire chapter describing how sexy and desirable the female lead's body is? Not to mention half of the romance novels Tianlang Jun reads are just cheap excuses to write porn without it actually being porn.

"You just don't like happy endings," Tianlang Jun rolls over to his sides and flips to another page. You can do it, protagonist gege! That busty jiejie is well within reach and their happy ending has already been guaranteed! Go! Go! This demon lord will cheer you on!

Tianlang Jun was making more of those idiotic faces he usually makes when he's talking to a character in a book. There would even be times where he squeals and just rolls around on the bed or on the floor. Shen Jiu would have been concerned over this. . .fangirling(?) but it was also pretty amusing to watch.

"I prefer consistent plot," Shen Jiu corrects.

Tianlang Jun boos and receives a flick to the forehead. "What's wrong with using a little imagination and divine intervention?"

"It's a problem when the female lead's breasts are somehow bouncy enough to deflect a spiritual sword." He can't believe he had to explain this. With how much details the book went into describing the scene, the scholar is confident that he can find the buoyancy of her chest should she fall in a lake.

"It's part of the plot, Jiu'er."

"What plot?!?!"

Then Tianlang Jun closed the book and gave Shen Jiu an enigmatic smile. It looked both contemplative and wishful at the same time. When his husband looked like that, Shen Jiu can't help but think of how young and boyish he can look.

"But wouldn't a happy ending be better?"

He hummed, then looked out the window. Seeing where he is now and seeing all that he's accomplished in his life, thinking of Cang Qiong and the Southern Borders, he would say that yes, a happy ending is more enjoyable.

(But he already has his happy ending. So there's no need for him to wonder and wish anymore.)

The newest talk in Cang Qiong Mountain Sect was the punishment of the Qing Jing female disciples. Everyone talked about how Shen Qingqiu's (his name was whispered in hushed voices, no one spoke of him louder than necessary) favorite disciple had disrespected Qi Qingqi and was punished with confinement and twenty lashes. This sparked a lot of interest seeing as this would be the first time Ning Yingying would be punished with something like lashes.

The other girls didn't get away either. They too were punished with confinement and had to kneel in the afternoon sun for an entire day. This was a total loss of face for not only Qing Jing Peak, but also for Qi Qingqi and her Xian Shu Peak as well.

"Ge, are you really leaving so soon?" Liu Mingyan asked. She knew of her brother's habits, but to really leave so soon? Surely he can at least stay for tea.

Liu Qingge nodded. He was only here to replenish his supplies after all. So there would be no reason for him to stay any longer than he had to. Shen Qingqiu is still not found yet and not just Qing Jing Peak, but Cang Qiong Mountain is starting to decline.

In order to pick up Shen Qingqiu's duties and burdens, Shang Qinghua was the one who had all of it dumped onto him. No, the elders and hall masters of Qing Jing Peak were also busy trying to carry out Shen Qingqiu's duties. A little less than a year and Shang Qinghua fell bedridden from overworking and the hall masters were all exhausted.

While it's true that Shen Qingqiu is prickly and not very well liked, he was still acknowledged as the Qing Jing Peak Lord outside of the sect. So when he suddenly disappeared, many thought that it would be a chance to try and gain some kind of advantage, thus leading to many of the problems the Qing Jing hall masters had to face. From the start, almost all of the Qing Jing disciples are from rich and influential families. Seizing opportunities and being power hungry is how they got to where they are.

The sooner they get Shen Qingqiu back, even if only a corpse, the better.

"You should at least stay to train your disciples this time. You don't even do that anymore," Liu Mingyan says.

"No need. They'll manage."

He's stocked up on rations and water. He doesn't have to worry much about money either.

"I'll get going then."

Liu Qingge didn't even wait for his sister to utter another word before he already began to set off. At least she's not rushing to try and stop him. Instead, it's Ji Jue who informs him that he no longer needs to go searching for Shen Qingqiu.

Liu Qingge storms into Yue Qingyuan's office, demanding an explanation as to what his Zhangmen-Shixiong could mean.

A troubled and concerned look is on Yue Qingyuan's face. So then Shen Qingqiu is dead then, that's gotta be it. What other explanation could there be for why Yue Qingyuan would look like-

"Qingqiu-Shidi has been taken captive by Tianlang Jun," Comes the simple answer.

Liu Qingge nearly recoiled in shock. Such an absurd answer that almost sounds fake, but it's true. There's no way that Yue Qingyuan would lie about Shen Qingqiu's safety and well-being in any way. Then he understands why he couldn't find Shen Qingqiu despite searching far and wide for so long.

Shen Qingqiu was not in the human realm, simple as that. It's impossible to search for someone when they're not there in the first place. Of all the places Liu Qingge thought to look, he didn't go to the demon realm. 

Where is he now?

Is he still stuck with Tianlang Jun?

What did he do to get himself involved with Tianlang Jun of all demons?

How did this even happen?

Why aren't you going if you already know?

"Who told you this?" Liu Qingge asks calmly. Cheng Luan rests on his hips and his hand ghosts over it, ready to draw it at a moment's notice.

Yue Qingyuan doesn't say anything, he's just silent, then he points to a parcel on his desk. Upon seeing it, the Bai Zhan War God wonders how he didn't notice it sooner. The parcel is basically a letter of invitation and a fan.

Liu Qingge's eyes widened.

The fan is unlike any other, and it's only ever been in the hands of one person. The wood comes from a pale ghost birch tree and is carved by only the best craftsman so intricate designs ran across the spine of the fan. On the paper of the fan is an image depicting the bamboo grove of Qing Jing Peak and near the base of the fan is a tassel that was blessed and crafted by the previous Qing Jing Peak Lord. A single glance is all one would need to tell the difference between this fan and any other.

"I received a letter from the Old Palace Master along with this fan. Read it for yourself," Yue Qingyuan gestures his hand towards the letter.

Skimming over the contents of the letter, Liu Qingge felt himself becoming more suspicious. He didn't trust the old coot and it set his nerves bristling when he saw that the Old Palace Master somehow got his hands on Shen Qingqiu's most favored fan.

(The man rarely uses the fan, keeping it safe like previous treasure. It is, and instead of parading around with it, he would only look at it and reminisce memories of a previous Peak Lord who is no longer there.)

The letter basically said that the Old Palace Master knew of Shen Qingqiu's whereabouts and safety, and requested a personal meeting with Yue Qingyuan. A meeting without any disturbances or outsiders. . .

"What did he say?" Liu Qingge was one step away from growling.

Yue Qingyuan sighs, then he sits down. Like this, he doesn't look like the indomitable Sect Leader that everyone praises and applauds. He just looks tired and worn out. Maybe he is, An Ding Peak and Qing Jing Peak certainty is. 

A quick glare is all it took for any faux salutes and welcomes to stop.

"I see Sect Leader Yue received my letter," The Old Palace Master states. There's a disgusting smile on his face, the kind that would raise goosebumps and make court ladies cover the mouth with their sleeves.

"How did you get Shen Qingqiu's fan?"

No one but Shen Qingqiu should be touching it. It should have still been in the Bamboo House waiting for its master to come back to reclaim it.

"Sect Leader Yue is being too hostile."

"You know where Shen Qingqiu is." Yue Qingyuan completely ignored whatever the Old Palace Master just said.

The Old Palace Master nods, affirming the suspicions and promise of the letter. At this, Yue Qingyuan bares his teeth and his hand hovers over the hilt of Xuan Su. Ah, that's no good. The Huan Hua Sect Leader can't risk anyone else finding out about this conversation.

"He's been captured by Tianlang Jun."

A sucked breath, a beat of silence, and then the audible crack of the table. A shame too, the table was expensive.

"When I first sent my Xiyan out on that mission," They both knew which one he was talking about. "I thought that Tianlang Jun had somehow managed to see through my Xiyan's performance and rejected her advances. I see now that he had already set his eyes on another."

A feeling that somehow both chilled Yue Qingyuan to the bone yet burned his blood settled inside of him. The implication of the Old Palace Master, he understood it although he wished he didn't.

"I'm not doubting Peak Lord Shen's abilities, but it must not be easy to escape the infatuation of a demon lord, especially one such as Tianlang Jun."

Despite how slimy the Old Palace Master's voice sounded, it was actually very grating to listen to.

His Qingqiu-Shidi, his Xiao Jiu. . .

He must have been held captive against his will in the demon realm all this time while everyone else was searching in the human realm.

There's no way the aloof and prideful Peak Lord would ever accept the advances of a demon. But what if. . .

The Old Palace Master shakes his head sympathetically.

"Peak Lord Shen's strength isn't something to be slighted against. But even so, he is no match for Tianlang Jun. Demons are vile creatures who would resort to any underhanded means necessary to get what they want. You understand what I mean, right?"

He did.

"You're saying Qingqiu-Shidi is. . ."

"Brainwashed, yes."

Chapter Text

Shen Qingqiu is brainwashed.

He doesn't know any better.

Xiao Jiu is not at fault for being tricked.

He must be saved.

It's always like this. Xiao Jiu would get himself in trouble, either by attracting the attention of unsavory people or by his own sheer recklessness. Whatever Xiao Jiu did to attract the attention of a creature such as Tianlang Jun, he does not deserve to be held in the demon's clutches.

Qi Qingqi scoffs when Yue Qingyuan announces their second in command's situation, huffing under her breath about how they should just leave him. She's ignored but others did agree with her that Tianlang Jun is too big of a threat to be left alone. Brainwashing a Peak Lord and using the Peak Lord to expand his rule isn't something that can be ignored. They wouldn't stand a chance against Tianlang Jun with a unified Demon Realm. It's already difficult enough to make sure their homes won't be set ablaze while Tianlang Jun is still only ruling the Southern Borders.

Shen Qingqiu is brainwashed.

And he is being used.

So they have no choice but to retrieve their wayward Shixiong back.

The Old Palace Master reminds Shen Jiu of Qiu Jianluo. The disgusting look in their eyes are eerily similar. A mix of lust and possessiveness, and wrapped in a nice little package of condescending ego. It's the worst combination for a man with power to have.

The Qiu estate is meant to burn. Killing all the men while sparing only the women and children was the only way to put the Qiu estate down. Otherwise, those filthy men would only sink their talons into other victims. Corrupted men with power are the worst. Shen Jiu hates them more than anything else. Their disgusting touches and leers still lingered in the back of his mind on certain days.

"Don't go," Shen Jiu says. He holds the letter over a lit candle, watching with thinly concealed disgust as the letter burns.

Su Xiyan's eyebrows pinched together. She has a complicated look in her eyes. She's troubled.

"That disgusting old creep is only going to lock you up. Trust me."

She does. More than anyone else, Shen Jiu would know so she trusts his judgement. The letter was sent to her by her Shifu and the messenger who somehow tracked her down had even tried to grab her arm by force. Of course, he was no match but the thought that her Shifu would try to quarantine her and actually experiencing it are two separate things.

Under her skin, she feels uncomfortable. This gross slimy feeling that makes her mouth sour with bile isn't something she likes.

"I'll stay here then," Su Xiyan states. (It's not like she has anywhere else to go. The human realm isn't safe for her, not if her location can be tracked so easily.)

Shen Jiu nods, approving of the decision. "I'll have the servants prepare a room for you then. It's not safe for you to go and get your belongings right now."

Su Xiyan hums in response. She understands. She's not that much younger than Shen Jiu, only by a few months. But the life experience that separates the two of them is as vast as the heavenly river that separates Zhinu and Niulang.

Is it wrong to distrust her own Sect like this? Seeking refuge from her own Shifu in the abode of a demon is not something that can be easily forgiven. Even with the Old Palace Master's less than savory intentions, he still raised her to be the woman she is today. She still owes him for all that he's done for her.

"Don't worry about others if you can't even worry about yourself," Shen Jiu's cold voice cuts whatever inner monologue she had in mind.

"Huh?"

"Don't go thinking you owe someone like that anything. That kind of thinking will only lead you to rot inside."

Shen Jiu understands, he really does. To a certain extent, the Old Palace Master is to Su Xiyan as Yue Qingyuan is to him. A shadow of a figure that he feels as if he owes his life and loyalty to. To cut someone out like that is not easy. But keeping people like that in their lives will not do them any good. If they want to live a life where they won't die a miserable death, they have to get rid of that shadow. Shen Jiu has already done that. Su Xiyan needs to as well, less she dies a miserable death.

Out of the blue, Su Xiyan takes hold of Shen Jiu's hands. On her face is a small, somewhat remorseful smile that's also somehow positive.

"Thank you, Senior Shen."

"Hmph. I simply don't want to see such a promising young lady waste away."

"Zhu-Zhu, Jiu'er would like this right? Green always does look best on him but this shade of blue isn't bad either," Tianlang Jun remarks.

Each of his hands held their respective ribbons, both different shades of blue.

"Master Shen would be happy with whatever you get him. But yes, that shade of blue would look nice on Master Shen." Zhuzhi Lang needs a raise. He doesn't even get paid in the first place but he deserves something for all the shopping and commissions that his lord has done.

Shen Jiu may say that some gifts are too gaudy or offensive to the eyes, but he would still hold onto each and every one of them as if they were priceless treasures from the emperor himself. Not once has he ever thrown away a single gift that Tianlang Jun has gotten him.

"No!" Tianlang Jun whines. "It has to be the perfect shade of blue! If it isn't, then Jiu'er won't wear it!"

Then a demon appears. One of their spies. Almost like a switch, their demeanors immediately go something more imposing and regal.

"Well?" Tianlang Jun raises a brow.

The spy salutes to Tianlang Jun then to Zhuzhi Lang. Then he pulls out a letter from his sleeve and presents it to the lord. Tianlang Jun unfolds the letter to read the contents. An amused lopsided smile makes its way onto his face as he read.

"So the humans are planning to group up and attack?" Tianlang Jun waves the letter at his nephew who takes it into his hands. "What else?"

The spy shakes his head.

"This lowly one couldn't find anything else regarding the matter. A letter like this was given to each of the Four Major Sects by Huan Hua Palace already. This letter was simply addressed to another sect in hopes of adding more manpower."

Tianlang Jun cups his chin with a hand and nods. He sees, he sees. So Huan Hua finally can't stand him any longer and needs to rope in the other sects because they alone aren't strong enough to take him on. There's probably more to that, there always is when regarding that old coot. The shitty bastard is both cunning and sly, always crafting a plan in his mind to benefit himself.

"You may go," Tianlang Jun dismisses the spy.

Once gone, Zhuzhi Lang speaks up.

"Junshang, this kind of movement from Huan Hua seems rather sudden."

"No, this kind of timing may be rather quick and sudden but it's pretty on point too. Huan Hua has hated my guts for generations. Me turning down Lady Su was a blow to the old pig's ego. Lady Su is a remarkable lady, but I already have my own empress. The pig probably couldn't accept that his disciple was turned down so easily."

He's been stepping on that wrinkly pig's pride for quite some time. Add that to Huan Hua's generational hatred towards demons and it's no surprise that the Old Palace Master is trying to kill him. No, killing him is not possible. So sealing him is their best bet at getting rid of him.

(But he's not going to be sealed away. Not when there's someone who relies on him so much.)

Jiu'er is not someone who is happy. He's miserable and he's dying inside. But despite all of that, it's in his nature to survive no matter how painful and meaningless it seems.

"Living for myself is not something I can do," Shen Qingqiu tells him. The vacant look still lingers in his eyes.

(No matter how many times Tianlang Jun has seen it, he's still terrified that one day, Shen Jiu's eyes really will go dull with death.)

Jiu'er meant everything for Tianlang Jun. Living a future without him is not something imaginable. So he smiles as brightly and reassuringly as he can and holds Shen Qingqiu's hands, swearing a promise.

"Live for me then. Live for me and I'll make sure you won't hurt anymore."

A bold promise but the little smile on Shen Qingqiu's face was everything that Tianlang Jun could've wanted.

Yue Qingyuan personally negotiates with the Old Palace Master on how everything should be executed. The first step is to capture Shen Qingqiu and ensure he is away from any demons. He had expected to put up more of a fight, thinking that the Old Palace Master would prioritize attacking Tianlang Jun first. But the Huan Hua sect leader agrees to retrieve Shen Qingqiu first.

The plan seems simple enough.

Because Shen Qingqiu is brainwashed, he will most likely put up a fuss even in the faces of his old martial brothers and sisters. So it's best to knock him out with something Mu Qingfang will procure.

Yue Qingyuan argued for Shen Qingqiu to be detained at Cang Qiong Mountain because he is one of their own. But the Old Palace Master had reasoned that Shen Qingqiu is currently seen as a brainwashed defector so it wouldn't look good on both the sect and the man himself if he were to be detained in his own home rather than a more suitable place. It would look too lenient.

And plus, Shen Qingqiu would be returned to Cang Qiong Mountain once everything is finished. Once the brainwashing wears off, he'll be back to himself and he can be given back to the Peak Lords.

("He'll be treated with the respect he deserves," The Old Palace Master smiles. Yes, that braindead whore will be treated exactly as he deserves.

"Then I'll leave my Shidi in your care."

It'll only be a bit uncomfortable for a while, but it's nothing Shen Qingqiu can't handle. Just wait and Qi-ge will have you back home.)

The second step is to have the entire cultivation world attack Tianlang Jun. Yue Qingyuan finds the plan to be rather lackluster and straightforward. Would something so simple really work on Tianlang Jun? It's a chance, but it's a chance they'll take. An all-out attack doesn't really sound too much of a surefire way to win. A trap to lure Tianlang Jun into letting down his guard would yield better chances. But it's not like they have a way to ensure that. So an all-out attack is probably their best bet.

"With Tianyi Overlook finally giving their agreement, the rest of the other sects are voicing their agreements as well. This is all going very well."

Yue Qingyuan gives an affirmative nod to show that he heard him.

"As long as Shen-Shidi is returned safely, then Cang Qiong Mountain will spare no efforts."

Inwardly, the Old Palace Master stifles a laugh at the behavior of who is supposed to be the world's strongest cultivator. He's like a deluded dog, too busy chasing and barking after something that isn't there. Blind too, he adds as an afterthought.

"I assure you. Peak Lord Shen will be kept in the Water Prison merely for thematic purposes. It's only to appease the people's minds. He will be treated fairly," The Old Palace Master assures.

Once Tianlang Jun is sealed away and that snake nephew of his is dead, Shen Qingqiu will be given back to Cang Qiong Mountain. But before that, he will be treated exactly as he deserves. A thousand deaths for spreading his legs for a demon and a thousand more for deceiving his dear Xiyan. It's just a simple rebellious phase, but that filthy traitor must pay for encouraging it. Who knows what other lies and filth that whore spread.

And of course, the Old Palace Master would never disclose all information. 

"Shen Qingqiu is brainwashed, so any of his words must not be trusted. He's not in the right state of mind," The Old Palace Master says.

Once again, Yue Qingyuan nods.

"You shouldn't let his predicament cloud your goal. Remember, everything you're doing is for his benefit."

"I understand."

"Shen Qingqiu will be better. But until then, he'll be spouting nonsense."

Yue Qingyuan is a fool, the Old Palace Master concludes. A very easy to manipulate fool who would much rather listen to everyone but the one who he "values" most.

Absolutely beautiful, that's what Tianlang Jun thought. Shen Jiu is very attractive. Not just his face, but the way he is so expressive with his anger and spite, while still holding true to his loyalty, is very attractive. You would think that someone such as Shen Jiu would have a pure black soul with no redeeming qualities. But Tianlang Jun would disagree. He would say with all his heart that his lovely wife has a beautiful, albeit cracked, soul.

And he's going to fix every one of the cracks until Jiu'er will never have to experience pain.

"It seems that the cultivation world is finally making a move," Tianlang Jun remarked. He rubbed his chin in thought.

Shen Jiu sighs as he shakes his head. "It's only a few small pillages for now. But it'll get out of control soon enough if nothing is done. Doing nothing will only encourage them to become bolder."

"Jiu'er is wise."

"Hmph. I'm simply pointing out the obvious."

Despite there being two thrones on the elevated platform, Shen Jiu would sometimes choose to stand on the ground below as he addresses the generals in person or if he just felt like pacing around. Tianlang Jun doesn't mind. It allows him to see his beloved walk with elaborate red and black robes trailing behind him, marking him as his.

Tianlang Jun rises from his throne and leaps down the flight of stairs in one go. His spouse only raises a brow as he grasps his hands. Still so smooth thanks to the blood parasites that took care of every blemish. Delicate, slender fingers that can weave the most beautiful tunes.

"Your husband is going off to war, shouldn't my lovely wife give me a kiss and wish me farewell before I go?" Tianlang Jun grinned. He pressed Shen Jiu's hands against his chest.

Shen Jiu scoffed, the tips of his ears red.

"Why should I kiss you off? Why should I wish you farewell? This shameless husband of mine is merely trying to vie for affection," Shen Jiu said.

Tianlang jun nodded animatedly.

"Your shameless husband denies nothing. But how can one blame this shameless husband of yours? You shine so spectacularly and this one is a demon. Our kind can't help but covet priceless treasures."

Dramatic man-child.

Scoffing once more, Shen Jiu turned away from his husband. He took his hands out of Tianlang Jun's hold and off his chest so he could cross them over his own.

"Go and serve your duties as emperor already," Shen Jiu says.

"Of course, of course~"

Tianlang jun was just about to go when he felt someone's hand grasping onto his. Amused, he turned around to his lovely wife blushing a light pink. 

"Does my darling wish for me to stay after a-"

Then he felt a pair of soft lips against his, and his movements stilled to a complete stop.

Oh. . .

Now even redder than before, Shen Jiu quietly muttered under his breath,

"Go and quickly come back for me."

Tianlang Jun smiled softly and held Shen Jiu's wrist against his lips.

"Of course."

Not too long after Tianlang Jun had left, Shen Jiu had left for the human realm as well. There was something there that he needed to attend to, not as Tianlang Jun's empress and tactician, but as a friend.

Su Xiyan can easily hold her own and then some. The only one who'd probably pose a threat against her will would be the Old Palace Master. But Shen Jiu would say he's counting on the old coot's disgusting affections to not hurt her.

No, Su Xiyan is not who he's worried about at the moment.

"Where are they?" Shen Jiu asked in a tone that left no room for jokes. He's impatient, but he can't let the conniving bastard in front of him know. Any sort of weakness will be taken advantage of.

The Old Palace Master smiled wryly at him. It sent shivers down Shen Jiu's spine.

"It seems that even if Master Shen turned his back on his own kind, he still reserved some kindness for these prostitutes," The Old Palace Masters says.

Shen Jiu narrowed his eyes. His hands were itching to pull out a sword. Or maybe one of his hairpins so he could gouge out those nasty beady eyes. Whatever game the Old Palace Master was playing, he wasn't interested. And to include his friends in this is something unforgivable.

"You make it sound as if I had done something atrocious," Shen Jiu says. "But you're not answering my question."

"Those prostitutes are fine. There is nothing to worry about."

Tch.

"Then why include them in the first place? Is Huan Hua Palace's master so low that he would have to resort to using courtesans? Cowardly, but expected."

The Old Palace Master twitched, and Shen Jiu let himself smirk in his heart at this little victory.

Then the Old Palace Master quickly masks himself with a disarming smile that just oozes his hatred for Shen Jiu. You can cover a pig in fine clothes and status, but a pig is still a pig. And the Old Palace Master is nothing more than a lecherous scummy pig.

"Apologies but using those brothel whores was the only way to lure out a traitor such as yourself."

"You should watch yourself."

This was when Shen Jiu felt something was wrong, so very wrong that the hair on his neck stood up.

"I believe Master Shen is the one who should watch himself."

Shen Jiu turned around just in time to avoid a palm strike. He twisted his body and jumped to put some distance between him and his mysterious assailant. Whoever the old coot hired for this job-

"You!"

To think that this person of all people would attack him. (His heart twanged slightly in pain.)

"Xiao Jiu, please believe me when I say that I'm only doing this for you," Yue Qingyuan begged as he condensed his qi in his palm.

Shen Jiu's eyes widened as his body began to shake uncontrollably.

H-He. . .

This goddamn bastard!

HOW DARE HE?!?!

Black and red robes do not suit Xiao Jiu. Neither do the ornate gold hairpins with their dripping beads and shining jewels. It makes Yue Qingyuan frown at the sight.

So he removes the gold hairpins and the rings in Xiao Jiu's hair while he sleeps. He carefully takes out the pins and smoothens the silky black hair. At least Xiao Jiu has been treated well under Tianlang Jun's thumb.

But who knows what Tianlang Jun could've done to Xiao Jiu? He's heard small stories of how Heavenly Demons such as Tianlang Jun have a special constitution. Their blood is much different compared to other demons, something unique to only them. And even the full extent of capabilities that their blood entails is still unknown.

"Sect Leader Yue understands that Peak Lord Shen must remain in the Water Prison, correct?" The Old Palace Master reminds him.

"How could I forget?" Yue Qingyuan responds.

Soon, Xiao Jiu will be well again soon. He just has to wait until then.

Cultivation blocked off and probably some kind of muscle relaxant too. Just enough so that his limbs feel sluggish but not so much so that he is completely paralyzed. Looking down, his bonds aren't like the simple lock and manacle. It's also as if the iron was just melted around his wrists.

He could dislocate his wrists to break out of the manacles, but with whatever muscle relaxant he's been fed, he can't even lift his arms. Only twist his body and neck around. That old coot really is prepared then.

Shen Jiu glared distastefully at his helpless state. He can only count on the blood parasites inside of him to tell Tianlang Jun of his predicament. But until then, he'll have to rely on getting through it alone.

Even if he did somehow manage to get past the drugs and the bonds, he still wouldn't have a method against the wall of acid or even how to find his way out.

The rushing sound of the wall of acid stopped, signaling a visitor. Shen Jiu clicked his tongue in distaste. Whoever would visit him is going to be the Old Palace Master or a certain someone that Shen Jiu would rather not see at all.

"Master Shen, I'm glad to see you're awake and well," The Old Palace Master crooned with clear mocking intent under his tone.

Sure, he was doing fine. His body is sore all over from the previous fight he just engaged in and he's at a major disadvantage right now. The Old Palace Master made little to no intention of hiding how pleased he is with his helpless state. It reminded Shen Jiu a lot of how Qiu Jianluo would beat him into the ground then feel smug about beating up a helpless child slave.

Shen Jiu refused to speak. He had more dignity than that.

"You have a visitor. I'm sure after a year of lost contact, you two would be dying to reconnect."

The footsteps of the old man faded away as he walked.

"Xiao Jiu," Yue Qingyuan said beseechingly.

Shen Jiu turned his nose away. He refused to speak to the Old Palace Master and Yue Qingyuan even more so. 

"You'll get better soon. Everyone is doing their best to help cure you of whatever enchantment Tianlang Jun put you under. You have to stay in the Water Prison for now, but once you're cured-"

"YOU'RE DELUSIONAL!"

Screw not saying anything, he was too pissed for that.

So him being happy meant that he was under enchantment in the eyes of the cultivation world then. Or was it just Yue Qingyuan? Did Yue Qingyuan think that it would be impossible for him to be happy? Tianlang Jun may have been a demon, but he wouldn't use something as pathetic as enchantment to woo someone.

"Xiao Jiu," Yue Qingyuan reprimanded in a familiar tone, a tone that Shen Jiu hated more than anything else. "These outbursts are just a cause of what Tianlang Jun has done to you. Just wait and Qi-ge will fix it."

"Just how lost in the head are you?! What kind of lies are you feeding yourself that you actually think this?!" Shen Jiu demanded.

(A small part, a very small part, is actually quite scared of how deranged Yue Qi looks. The Yue Qi he knew, the Yue Qi in his memory, wouldn't ever look so demented. Yue Qi has always been someone calm and collected, generous with what little he had. But the Yue Qi in front of him looked so covetous.

It's not the Yue Qi he knows anymore.)

Yue Qingyuan's face darkens into something unpleasant. The way his lips curl downwards, the way he looked so troubled, that kind of face didn't suit the man who never spoke an ounce of truth to Shen Jiu.

"But I'm not lying to Xiao Jiu," Yue Qingyuan said as if he heard what was going on inside the other man's mind. That would certainly be concerning. "I am only doing what is best for Xiao Jiu. Qi-ge has only ever acted in Xiao Jiu's interest."

"If you've only ever acted in my interests, you would have told me why you abandoned me so many years ago!" Shen Jiu shouted, uncaring of whatever old scars he may be bringing up. It wasn't fair. He's given Yue Qingyuan so many chances to explain himself, but all that's ever happened was him getting dismissed. "Just a simple answer and it would have been enough, but you can't even give me that! You could've just told me you wanted to leave your stained life behind but I'm not even worth that much to you!"

Yue Qingyuan's finger twitched. He didn't let any of the hurt show on his face. It's been so long since he's experienced Xiao Jiu's acerbic words. Not to mention the Old Palace Master warned him of how Xiao Jiu wouldn't be in his right mind. So all these words are only being said because his Xiao Jiu is being tricked.

"Xiao Jiu is the most important person to me. I'm only doing what I have done for years," Yue Qingyuan stressed. A little bit of his anger is starting to steep through. "Whoever Xiao Jiu caused trouble, it was your Qi-ge who came and helped pacify the situation. Xiao Jiu does not get along well with our martial siblings so stirring a ruckus is common. That's why Qi-ge is always trying to help you better your relations. Please listen, just this once at least."

This man!

This man really-!

Causing trouble? Stirring a ruckus? Cang Qiong has brought him nothing but pain and for Yue Qingyuan to just go and water down his experiences to something as childish as that, did this man really think so little of him? That he will forever be a ruffian slave who doesn't know better?

What help has Yue Qingyuan been? He's only ever encouraged their so-called martial siblings to turn their noses up at Shen Jiu, to undermine his efforts and laugh behind his back and in front of his face. Even if not intentional, being dismissed like a child certainly cemented their viewpoints that he is just a spoiled noble son who never had to work a single day in his life.

He's worked harder than anyone else trying to make a place for himself in a hellhole. Not once was he seen as a Shixiong, only as the topic of petty gossip.

Shen Jiu never asked for much. For so long, he's only ever wanted to live a quiet life with someone he loves. Like many others, he dreamt of marrying someone who would stay by his side. Sharing a bed with his loved person, eating a stick of tanghulu while they held his hand, he's never asked for much.

"It seems that no matter how much I scream or plead, I will never be heard," Shen Jiu says quietly to himself.

How laughable, to think that maybe Yue Qingyuan would change in the year of absence. Perhaps some things will just stay the same forever. He will always be a misbehaving rambunctious child and Yue Qingyuan will always be the calm and gentle pacifier who has to clean up his messes.

Shen Jiu locks eyes with Yue Qingyuan. But no matter how hard he searched, he can't find Qi-ge, only this person who wears his face.

"Yue Qingyuan,"

The man himself flinched.

"Have you ever thought, that just maybe, you needed me more than I needed you?"

After nearly a year of disappearance, there was finally some new gossip about Shen Qingqiu. Most of which Liu Qingge already knew.

Tianlang Jun had taken an interest in Shen Qingqiu and bewitched him so he could get his hands on Cang Qiong's secrets as well as the secrets of other sects. The Old Palace Master was the first to take notice and even found an opportunity to use this. Luring Tianlang Jun to a secluded area with an ambush of over a thousand cultivators.

As for Shen Qingqiu, even if he was bewitched, he was still seen as a traitor to his kind. So there would be a trial.

Liu Qingge is quite sure that it will turn out well. After all, Shen Qingqiu has Yue Qingyuan's favor and that man would sooner lose a limb than let his previous Qingqiu-Shidi get hurt.

"Did you hear, the trial is to happen today," A disciple from who knows which peak gossips.

The one he was conversing with gasps in shock.

"I thought Shen-Shibo's trial is to happen tomorrow?"

"Word is, Zhangmen-Shibo was the one who pushed for it to happen as soon as possible!"

"No way! And the Old Palace Master agreed? Just like that?"

"Yep. I think it's supposed to be a public trial though. So clear Shen-Shibo's name as fast as possible or something."

Liu Qingge could confirm the public trial. He was given an invitation by Huan Hua Palace confirming that Shen Qingqiu would be given a trial and it will be held today.

Yue Qingyuan must have pushed for it to happen as soon as possible with all his strength. Liu Qingge could only think of what favors his Sect Leader now owes the old coot. He shakes his head in exasperation. Even now, Shen Qingqiu is still causing trouble for Yue Qingyuan.

Su Xiyan gasped for breath, body ragged and tired. She pulled her sword out of a Huan Hua disciple's abdomen. Her hands are shaking, but she's not exactly sure from what.

Is it because she had to turn a blade against her own martial brothers and sisters? Or because they turned a blade against her?

Shen Jiu is in danger.

She's the only one who knows what her Shifu, no, the Old Palace Master has in mind. And she doesn't have enough time to contact Zhuzhi Lang or Tianlang Jun.

That meant she herself will have to go and save Shen Jiu before something really bad happens.

Another Huan Hua disciple comes at her, sword raised upwards. She sidesteps him and delivers a quick blow to his temple using the edge of her own sword's hilt. Immobilized, the disciple doesn't fight anymore so Su Xiyan runs as quickly as possible.

It was only by chance that she was able to intercept the letter meant for the Old Palace Master's spy.

The trial, the ambush, everything is just a farce.

Su Xiyan's body protests as she rushes towards Huan Hua Palace. She can only hope that she's not too late.

Chapter Text

When Shen Jiu was young, he did not truly fear dying. Death was a natural part of life, and for slaves, dying is a release. The slaves who suffered too much in both mind and body will eventually start wishing for death. What's the point of surviving if the next day will only bring you pain?

Shen Jiu had survived through hell and back. He crawled his way through and made something of himself. He couldn't die, not when Yue Qi depended on him so much.

They were slaves but Yue Qi was the first to show him genuine kindness. But as kind and naive as he was, Yue Qi is a fool. So Shen Jiu had to pick up his slack for him, had to keep an eye out. Shen Jiu would be willing to do whatever it took as long as Yue Qi could live a kinder life.

Yue Qi may have been a fool, but Shen Jiu is an even bigger one.

For so many years, why did he continue to live a life he didn't want? Why did he have to live for someone who always expected the worst of him? It would have been easier if Yue Qi just said he didn't want a dirty slave clinging to his robes. Because at least then, there would be none of that disgusting suffocating guilt that always seemed to make Yue Qi out as a victim.

He is the wrong one, he is the cruel one. He is the ungrateful dog who should have died if not for the gracious Sect Leader's generosity. Fine, Shen Jiu is the one who is at fault. He won't say anything anymore.

Shen Jiu is a fool for following Yue Qi's shell. That thing that dragged him to Cang Qiong is not the Yue Qi he once knew. Yue Qingyuan always claimed to love him and always begged for his forgiveness but also expected the worst of him. Did Yue Qingyuan truly want his forgiveness? Or did he only say it to make him look good? Shen Jiu does not know anymore. He would have forgiven Yue Qingyuan of any transgression if he would just listen.

"I want to hear you play."

Those had been the first words his husband spoke to him, asking him to play a song. The day Tianlang Jun offered his hand and took him away had been the day he truly felt free.

The little slave who had been waiting for freedom was still somewhere inside of him. Yue Qi never came back. Someone else did instead and Shen Jiu would never regret taking that hand. Of his many mistakes in life, marrying Tianlang Jun is not one of them.

And now that Shen Jiu has experienced such happiness, he is scared of dying. He would lose his happiness and it's terrifying. He wants to continue living with Tianlang Jun more than anything else.

He only has to wait until his husband comes. Shen Jiu has waited all his life and only one person ever saved him. He had full trust that his husband will come for him.

'Tianlang, you better come back soon,' Shen Jiu whispered in his mind.

It hadn't even been that long since he saw his husband off. He could still remember the words he spoke, telling Tianlang Jun to go and quickly come back for him.

"Xiao Jiu, you need help," Yue Qingyuan says.

"And you need to open your eyes."

Yue Qingyuan has no right to look like he is at his wits ends. He is not the one being told is delusional and brainwashed.

"Xiao Jiu, why can't you just listen?" Yue Qingyuan begs. Of course Xiao Jiu needs him. What kind of absurdity would it be if Xiao Jiu no longer needed him. The very thought is ludicrous.

Shen Jiu sighs, shoulder sagging. He looks worn out.

"Yue Qingyuan, my greatest mistake was ever believing you."

He closes his eyes and no longer says anything.

For too long, he had indulged Yue Qingyuan's demented image of him. For too long, he had played the villain that Yue Qingyuan needed. He no longer has anything to say to this man.

"Xiao Jiu, you don't mean that. Please say something," Yue Qingyuan begs. He couldn't stand this silence.

What for? It's not like anything he says will have value.

Shen Jiu doesn't even turn his head, just keeps his eyes closed and lips shut. This man, Yue Qingyuan, doesn't deserve anything from him. Not his affection or anger, simply nothing.

"I'll be back," Yue Qingyuan tells him after a period of silence. "And you'll be saved this time."

No, Shen Jiu knows he wouldn't be saved by Yue Qingyuan.

"Zhangmen-Shixiong, are you done?" Qi Qingqi asks.

Yue Qingyuan looked tired, but then again, he always did look like he was at his wits end after dealing with Shen Qingqiu. She clicked her tongue in distaste. If it were her, she would have just left the scholar on his own. Who cared if he was being brainwashed by a demon or not? As long as he isn't causing anyone trouble, why should they care?

"Qingqiu-Shidi will be better soon."

He better fucking thank them after this. Going through all this trouble just to save him from whatever spell Tianlang Jun has him under isn't an easy task. At least they'll finally deal with Tianlang Jun.

"It's almost time, we have to go soon," Liu Qingge says.

"Tian Yi Overlook has assembled and already started making their way to Tianlang Jun. A third of Huan Hua Palace will be left behind to guard the Water Prison in case any demon forces try to come and retrieve Shen Qingqiu," Mu Qingfang gives his report. Then he pulls out a talisman with the characters on it glowing. "The teleportation array has been set."

Yue Qingyuan nods and thanks the healer for his report.

"Get Shen Qingqiu out of your head for now. Tianlang Jun is a threat unlike any we've ever faced," Liu Qingge says coldly. They'll be lucky if they come out of this alive. All the cultivators in the realm are risking their lives against Tianlang Jun and his empire and if they can win this, it'll be a thousand years of peace.

No more demons terrorizing innocent mortals. They can finally attain peace. But even still, Liu Qingge feels his finger shake. He forces them to stop. He won't live up to his moniker if he shows his fear so easily. He glances at Yue Qingyuan, noticing his stormy face. He really does pity his Sect Leader. As respectable as Yue Qingyuan is, he has horrible taste.

"Shen Qingqiu wouldn't ever marry a demon unless it was against his will. Don't let it go to your head."

Yue Qingyuan smiles, albeit a weak one, and thanks him. He grips Xuan Su and tells Mu Qingfang to prepare the teleportation array. This battle is all for Xiao Jiu.

"Let's go."

The Old Palace Master's plan was to attack Tianlang Jun while he's in the middle of surprising an uprising. Traps will not work on the demon lord so all they have is a direct all-out attack. It isn't the most elegant plan but Shen Qingqiu is probably the only strategist who could've came up with a proper plan. It's a shame that he is indisposed right now.

Yue Qingyuan had been informed that the trial would take place at the same time as the siege against Tianlang Jun. The Old Palace Master told him that Tianlang Jun would interfere with the trial given any opportunities so the attack unit must suppress him for as long as they can. And if possible, eliminate him.

"So it seems that the cultivation world finally deems my existence to be a threat," Tianlang Jun musses with a grin full of sharp teeth.

Many of the younger, less experienced cultivators already dropped their swords. They cannot be blamed. Imagination does not give justice to experience. Actually standing in front of Tianlang Jun's oppressive demonic aura is dangerous. The itch in the back of their head is there, telling them that they're going to die.

"Today is the day of your downfall!"

Tianlang Jun merely tsks and shakes his head like they're a bunch of screeching animals. Many black armored generals around him have their weapons coated in blood. So far, not even a single scratch has appeared on the overlord's skin.

"How many times do you think this venerable one has heard those words? Human cultivators truly do have the largest egos out there, always somehow thinking they're the blessed one. What makes you think you are special?" Tianlang Jun berates.

He should deal with this army of cultivators as fast as possible.

Tianlang Jun grips his hand, digging his claws into the palm of his hand. Then once he feels something wet running down his fingers, he holds his fist out and flings the blood off his fingers. The blood turns black midair, then once they hit the ground, a giant black mass begins to grow from where they landed.

About four or five monsters had been formed. All of them were enormously huge, sparking a feeling of hopelessness in the cultivators. How were they supposed to fight against not only the demon generals but also these beasts? Not a single one of the creatures belonging to any beast tamer could hope to compare.

Tianlang Jun laughed as he watched a few Cang Qiong disciples get squished. He held a grudge, he never denied it. There weren't any green clad Qing Jing disciples so that meant the rumors of Qing Jing Peak being under house arrest must be true.

Tianlang Jun stepped out of the way as a blade came down on where he just stood. The blade didn't stop and aimed to cut off his head which Tianlang Jun dodged as well with annoying ease. When the blade came down again, Tianlang Jun kept it down with the heel of his boot.

"Liu Qingge, the War God who ruined my wife's disciple days," Tianlang Jun stated. He can't say he's pleased with this man.

"Don't refer to Shen Qingqiu as your wife."

Tianlang Jun didn't deign it with an answer. Instead, he propelled himself into the air and kicked Liu Qingge away. The man flew a good distance away despite blocking the kick. Tianlang Jun quickly turned around the moment he landed and caught the edge of a blade between his fingers just as it was about to hit. This one actually took some effort.

"Yue Qingyuan."

"Undo whatever spell you put Xiao Jiu under!"

Tianlang Jun clicked his tongue in immense displeasure. Previously, he had been given the pleasure of not meeting Yue Qingyuan. But now that he's forced to meet the man who ruined his Jiu'er so, he can't say he's willing to hold back.

"Jiu'er truly is burdened to know a man such as yourself."

Yue Qingyuan glared, face darkening even more at the demon who stole his Xiao Jiu.

"Covetous demons should learn their place."

Tianlang Jun laughs, covering the top half of his face with his free hand. He laughed and laughed at this stupid fool who seemed to be living in his own world. Then he moved that hand towards his hair, shoving some locks away as they moved to reveal glowing red eyes.

"Covetous humans truly are the biggest hypocrites out there." Tianlang Jun was no longer laughing.

Yue Qingyuan quickly covered his face with his arms. Just like Liu Qingge, the force of the blow was still more than enough to send him flying. But unlike Liu Qingge, Tianlang Jun wrapped onto his ankle and slammed him into the ground. The crunch of his bones resounded loudly, even with his cultivation already trying to repair the injuries.

"My beloved empress had cried because of you. His tears don't come at a cheap price," Tianlang Jun says. 

Yue Qingyuan growled, and gave the spiritual sword he had been using an annoyed glance. He truly didn't want to resort to using Xuan Su, but given that his opponent is Tianlang Jun, he would have no choice but to use it.

"Let Xiao Jiu go."

Tianlang Jun's face was a complete blank, then his lips stretched into a pleasant looking smile. His sharp and profound red eyes were accentuated even more by the demon mark on his forehead, pulsing and glowing a bright scarlet.

"From the bottom of my heart, I truly thank you for being the person you are."

This way, he won't have any regrets about killing these cultivators, especially Yue Qingyuan.

After Yue Qingyuan had left, Shen Jiu had no other visitors. All he had was anxious anticipation for his husband. He knew that Tianlang Jun was strong, the most gifted and blessed demon to have ever been born. In his mind, Tianlang Jun was always an infallible figure when in battle. So he did not need to worry about his husband's wellbeing. (He still does. No matter how many wars, no matter how many battles, he still worries.)

The drugs of whatever had been administered into his system should mostly be cleared now. He can even move his arm and legs, but only simple motions. Once the drug is fully cleared from his system and he has complete control over his body, he's getting out of these bonds. He hated being chained and shackled, bad memories of his past. So he taught himself how to pick locks and dislocate his joints if needed.

But Shen Jiu didn't have to wait for anything to wear off because the curtain of acid water came to a halt. Two disciples in Huan Hua Palace's uniform came in and roughly pulled him up by his arms. Shen Jiu growled, clearly showing his dislike for Huan Hua.

They dragged him over until he came face to face with the Old Palace Master.

"Master Shen's trial will be starting soon," The old bastard said simply.

Shen Jiu glared very harshly. If looks could kill, the Old Palace Master really would have already been dead. The Old Palace Master made a gesture for the two disciples to have Shen Jiu follow him.

"Yue Qingyuan pleaded for a trial for you," The Huan Hua Palace Master started. "He begged for you to have a lighter sentence. Quite a character I would say."

Shen Jiu had already decided to not waste his breath on Yue Qingyuan. But he was still disappointed to realize that even if there was an outrageous possibility that he had been brainwashed, he would still be seen in the wrong and would still be sentenced to some kind of punishment.

"Except there won't be a trial," Shen Jiu stated matter-of-factly.

The Old Palace Master smiled disgustingly. Shen Jiu really hoped that Su Xiyan would never have to come back to this disgusting lecherous creep.

"Master Shen has to understand that consorting with demons is still consorting with demons, even if it's believed that you were brainwashed. Many would not take lightly with this offense."

"So you don't believe I'm brainwashed then?"

The Old Palace Master shrugged. But Shen Jiu is not so easily fooled. The Old Palace Master is a cunning and sly old fox, always fanning the flames towards his favor and always trying to gain the upper hand no matter how low the standards were. A disgusting old lecherous pervert who lusts after his own disciples and wouldn't hesitate to betray his martial family. Shen Jiu knows that the old coot killed many of his own students for trying to form relationships with Su Xiyan.

Shen Jiu inwardly sighs. All the things that he's accused of are the actual character traits of many respected cultivators. He doesn't lust after his disciples but he's blacklisted and shamed for something he didn't do. Yet the Old Palace Master is praised for being a respectable figure.

They're nearing the exit now. Unlike with other prisoners, Shen Jiu didn't have his eyes blindfolded to preserve the secrecy of the Water Prison's labyrinth. So either the Old Palace Master is underestimating him, which is unlikely, or this would be the last time he'll ever step foot into the Water Prison. 

Oh.

"So this is why you sent the army of cultivators after Tianlang," Shen Jiu says. His stomach drops, mind coming to a blank. It's like he's having trouble processing what's happening right now.

"As always, I can count on Master Shen to understand. You truly have been a thorn in my side, getting in the way of my plans and even going as far as corrupting my precious Xiyan." The old man's face is downright vicious now. "I never had a legitimate reason to eliminate you, not until now."

Shen Jiu is led to an elected platform. From the view above, he can see many cultivators from various clans and sects. His hair is grabbed roughly by the Old Palace Master and he is forced to kneel.

The cultivators who all held their differences are united in the one thing they're cheering for. All of them are cheering for Shen Jiu's death.

This wasn't his trial, it's his execution.

The only advantage the human cultivators had compared to the demons were their numbers and that was dwindling quickly. Many of the cultivators here were senior cultivators with years of experience, elders with knowledge only the enlightened may access. But in the face of the black armored generals under Tianlang Jun, the skills they cultivated seemed so inadequate in comparison.

While Liu Qingge and Yue Qingyuan were barely holding their own against Tianlang Jun, Wei Qingwei, Qi Qingqi, and two other elders from Zhao Hua Temple were holding Zhuzhi Lang off.

Zhuzhi Lang looked worse for wear compared to his uncle but was holding himself quite well considering how many opponents he had. He had been driven far away from Tianlang Jun, nearing the outskirts of the battlefield. 

Qi Qingqi had been the first to notice the beautiful woman dressed in tattered golden garments. She was an easily recognizable figure, the missing Head Disciple of Huan Hua Palace.

"Su Xiyan," She murmured under her breath in astonishment. What could have caused the famed Su Xiyan to look so haggard?

But instead of addressing her or any of the other righteous cultivators, she barreled into Zhuzhi Lang, grabbing at his arms in frantic desperation.

"Thank fucking god that I encountered you. You have to follow me! Huan Hua is going to- going t-!"

"Lady Su need to calm down and steady herself-"

"Shut! Up! There's no time! If we don't hurry, Shen Jiu, A-Jiu, he's going to-"

Zhuzhi Lang couldn't just abandon this fight and he's sure that he won't be allowed to either. But hearing Shen Jiu's name and seeing Su Xiyan's appearance and her panicked behavior was starting to concern him. Glancing wearily at the Peak Lords and Elders, he ordered one of his snake subordinates to inform Tianlang Jun of Su Xiyan's warning while he fended them off.

"Su Xiyan, where have you been?" Qi Qingqi questioned.

"There's no time, what don't you understand?! Zhuzhi Lang, come with me to Huan Hua right now! The sooner we make it-"

"Su Xiyan, explain yourself!" Qi Qingqi yelled.

But the other woman merely glared at her with such force that she resembled a demon for a moment.

"SHUT! YOUR! MOUTH! IT'S YOUR FAULT THAT JIU'ER IS GOING TO DIE AND EVERY SECOND WE WASTE IS JIU'ER TAKING ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO DEATH!" Su Xiyan screamed.

"What?"

Tianlang Jun stood not too far away, Cheng Luan and Xuan Su held in his grip.

╱                                                                  ╲

"For a demon, you enjoy happy endings far too much."

"Hm. But wouldn't a happy ending be more satisfying?"

╲                                                                 ╱

From the very beginning, he already knew that he would die a wretched death. After all, those with wretched beginnings die wretched ends. Yet, he still took that outstretched hand with the promise of happiness.

Shen Jiu stared at the mass below him. Everyone was cheering for him to die. Whether they understood the situation or not, he was going to be the villain either way. In the end. . .

(Staring up at the winter sky, beaten and starving, Xiao Jiu realizes something.

I want to die.)

From far, far away, he could spot someone barging his way through. The person was injured and didn't care for the wounds that were being dealt onto him. There was only one thing his eyes were focusing on and it was Shen Jiu, bound onto the platform.

Hope arose in Shen Jiu's chest. He never once doubted his husband. Behind him, the Old Palace Master started to act.

(Staring far into the distance, bound and helpless, a desire resonates deep within Shen Jiu.

I want to live.

Living with Tianlang Jun, being happy, he doesn't want to die.)

He had been so close. If he had been three steps faster, if he had used his brain to think, he could have-

Su Xiyan could only watch with a constricted heart as Tianlang Jun gently pulled Shen Jiu into his arms. The smaller man could no longer move. If not for the thin trail of blood down his chin, he would look like he was sleeping.

She watched as Tianlang Jun pressed a kiss against Shen Jiu's forehead, hiding his beloved away from the world. Tianlang Jun tilted his head towards the sky, shadows covering his eyes. His lips stretched and his body convulsed.

Loud laughter echoed through her ears. It was the sound of unbearable grief, the grief of a man who lost his dearly beloved and he himself to his insanity.

Su Xiyan couldn't do anything to control the chaos. In the end, she was too late to save anyone. And her failure would cost the world. Tianlang Jun lost his most precious beloved and what's left is a broken man holding onto a cooling corpse.

It was only later, surrounded by flames and blood, that she understood the sight.

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. 

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"Jiu'er, Jiu'er, won't you open your eyes?"

.

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"I don't like this game. I promise I won't be worried if you open your eyes?"

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"Jiu'er. . .I promised I would come save you. . ."

"I'm here now."

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"Jiu'er, don't leave me."

Tianlang Jun is not laughing, he's crying.

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The emperor took languid steps as he followed the enchanting music. He found himself at the door of a brothel and made his way in, all while following that music. There was a certain tug about it, something that stirred his heartstrings.

Pushing the door open, the emperor saw the most beautiful courtesan he ever laid eyes on.

The strum of the strings stopped and the magic of the music ended with it. Yet the emperor could still feel his heart soaring.

"What do you want?" The courtesan asked, voice distant but so distinctly familiar that the emperor's heart ached.

"I want to hear you play."