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Lucid Dreaming at the End of the World

Summary:

Despite the number of times he had experienced it, he was pretty sure dreams weren’t supposed to have an odor. Or a flavor.

Regardless of this belief, he felt his nostrils and mouth fill with the distinct smell of sulfur and the tang of iron. Casting a look around the bleak landscape, Shen Yuan brought one hand up to shield his vision from the sun beating down on him, eyes catching on the exposed skin of his wrist. He watched with detached interest as his skin blistered, peeled, and healed over, which only added to the bouquet of fragrances and tastes assaulting his senses.

Perhaps he would have been more concerned if this had been his first time falling asleep and then promptly opening his eyes to the blasted out, bleak landscape but, well…

Well, the thing was, he had been having some iteration of this dream for the past five years.

--

Luo Binghe was lost to the Abyss five years ago on a System assigned night hunt gone wrong. Shen Yuan knows this to be true as he was the one who caused this to happen. His waking hours are still filled with night hunts and headaches, but at least he can see Luo Binghe in his dreams.

At least that's what Shen Yuan thought he knew.

Notes:

Whew! This was written for the 2024-25 Scum Villain Big Bang!

I want to thank the two artists - Vik (wnyvik on Bluesky) and Pio (piosyne on Tumblr) - who have created incredible pieces of artwork for this fic! Their work will be embedded in the relevant chapters they relate to. Be sure to check them out!

Chapter 1

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Despite the number of times he had experienced it, he was pretty sure dreams weren’t supposed to have an odor. Or a flavor.

Regardless of this belief, he felt his nostrils and mouth fill with the distinct smell of sulfur and the tang of iron. Casting a look around the bleak landscape, Shen Yuan brought one hand up to shield his vision from the sun beating down on him, eyes catching on the exposed skin of his wrist. He watched with detached interest as his skin blistered, peeled, and healed over, which only added to the bouquet of fragrances and tastes assaulting his senses.

Perhaps he would have been more concerned if this had been his first time falling asleep and then promptly opening his eyes to the blasted out, bleak landscape but, well…

Well, the thing was, he had been having some iteration of this dream for the past five years. Truthfully, the first few times he had been terrified. The vivid realness and wrongness of it had horrified him. Worse, he hadn’t been able to wake himself. Instead, he was forced to experience an unreality that he apparently had no means to escape from.

No, this particular scene was not like a normal dream - or at least, that was what Shen Yuan thought those first few times. But now, after five years of variations on the same experience, he knew better.

Because what else could it be but something conjured up by his subconscious to give him what he wanted?

Putting his hand down and looking around him he spotted something on the ground.

Ah, there it is.

Bending over, he picked up the umbrella, opening it to shield him from the worst of the sun’s angry glare. He wasn’t sure why such a bizarre landscape would have an umbrella in it but after a half dozen times of finding himself here, it just appeared. Shen Yuan never thought to question why.

Trudging through sand as fine as dust, Shen Yuan looked around for the nearest landmark - a copse of gnarled trees about a half mile away. Turning in that direction, he knew it would only take him a matter of seconds to arrive there, time taking on an odd quality as he propelled his body forward. As he reached the edge of the trees, Shen Yuan shut the umbrella and placed it into the waiting stand (another addition, after he remarked out loud to himself once that it was a shame to just place it back on the ground). After ducking under the twisted, low branches and walking along a dimly lit path, it only took him another few seconds to emerge into a clearing.

A still, dark-water pond was situated in the center of the clearing and in its center stood a small island. In the middle of the island sat a structure illuminated by the wan sunlight. It was nothing special as far as Shen Yuan could tell - merely a little cottage, nestled amongst a stand of bamboo.

Shen Yuan liked this part of the dream. He could already feel anticipating thrumming through his body as he sat down on the soft, mossy ground. He enjoyed this little oasis and the shade the trees provided along with the gentle scent of dirt and greenery, which completely obliterated the odor of metal and death that permeated the wasteland beyond.

He settled in to wait. The first time he had been here - the first time he made it through the blasted out desert and didn’t lay down screaming as his skin peeled and healed and peeled, until he woke up screaming - he did not wait.

He panicked.

Retrospectively, Shen Yuan had to admit that he had been panicking the entire time but the panic he felt when he actually made it to the stand of trees had ratched higher and higher the closer he drew to the water, spiraling tighter around something deep in his gut. When he made it through the pathway lined with branches, desperation clawing at him because he had finally escaped the heat and the sun and the stink of rot, he had been so relieved to see the cottage and the water that he immediately waded into the pond, heart pounding with relief in his chest.

His heart began to pound for another reason as he began to sink into the bottomless depths of the deceptively still waters, plummeting like a stone thrown off a bridge. He woke up moments later covered in sweat, shocked awake and clawing at his sheets to try and rescue himself from his perceived drowning.

Shen Yuan did not make that mistake again. Really, there were a lot of mistakes he made early in his entry to this dreamscape. He had learned from those mistakes and now, he knew to wait.

Sitting in the clearing was actually quite peaceful, except for the anticipation from all of the waiting - each time, the wait felt different. Sometimes short, sometimes long, sometimes feeling like it shifted and bent and that he was winking in and out from where he sat his vigil. Shen Yuan knew, logically, that the amount of time he waited, however, had to have some level of regularity as he always woke up to his alarm at the same time the morning after such dreams.

Regardless, now Shen Yaun was waiting again, watching the little cottage, and wondering if this time he would appear. Last time he had seen him had been odd - in some ways terrifying and in some ways comforting - but not unwelcome. But now, Shen Yuan hadn’t seen him in so long - months he had estimated, but maybe longer. He had begun to lose hope, thinking that perhaps whatever this half-formed situation his mind had conjured up had fully run its course.

I hope it hasn’t.

Shaking his head to clear the creeping sadness, Shen Yuan looked quietly at the cottage across the water, reminiscing. As he sat there he convinced himself that he wouldn’t still be dreaming and wouldn’t still be waiting if there was nothing - or no one - to dream of or wait for.

Shen Yuan thought back to the last time he had appeared, so many months ago, and then the times right after. Shen Yuan would still wander through the sand, down the pathway amongst the trees, and would still sit. No matter how long he waited, no one would emerge from the cottage. Sometimes, Shen Yuan would fold his arms around his knees, quietly thinking of nothing at all. Other times, he would talk as if someone else were there, describing what was happening in his life, in the Sect, about night hunts. It felt good to speak, to pretend that someone was sitting next to him, head on Shen Yuan’s shoulder, listening and making little noises of assent or interest.

Shen Yuan pulled his knees close, sighing. Maybe I’ll wake up soon.

The air before him began to shimmer with heat and Shen Yuan shot up, eyes widening. He stared at the cottage in the middle of the island, wild hope ripping through him. As the waves of heat rose higher, he shut his eyes, only opening them when he heard the soft sound of footsteps moving towards where he was seated.

The first time this happened and he opened his eyes, he immediately closed them again, attempting to stave off the sudden wave of emotion crashing over him. The next time, and every time after, he opened them and stared up at the person before him in quiet wonder.

Luo Binghe. He had been gone for five years now and Shen Yuan hadn’t seen him in more than twice as many months. But now he was standing there, looking down at Shen Yuan, eyes crinkled at the corners and mouth pitched up into an amused smile.

It was funny. He looked different now - aged, but not in a bad way. Aged in the way he would have been if he hadn’t…well. Shen Yuan chalked it up to being a trick of the mind, his brain filling in features that would sharpen with time, limbs that would lengthen, muscles that would fill out. It almost wasn’t fair - Luo Binghe had been wildly attractive before but in the time since he had been lost, he had become devastatingly handsome.

The first time he saw Luo Binghe in his dreams, Shen Yuan made sure he told him so and the dream version of Luo Binghe had blushed so quickly and so prettily that Shen Yuan had laughed, patting the ground next to him and beckoning him to sit so Shen Yuan could wrap him in a tight hug.

This time, Luo Binghe didn’t wait for an invitation. He settled next to Shen Yuan, folding his long legs underneath him and making himself comfortable on the soft moss. Heart racing, Shen Yuan wondered what they would do this time - sometimes they just sat quietly, bodies pressed side by side, lost in their own thoughts, other times they talked and laughed, and sometimes they touched each other, time doing funny things as Shen Yuan took whatever he could get for the limited moments available.

Truthfully though, Shen Yuan actually didn’t care what they did. In his dreams, Shen Yaun was just ecstatic to see Luo Binghe, even if he was a conjured image composed of grief and guilt. Shen Yuan also didn’t care because his dreams allowed him the fantasy of what could have been if Luo Binghe were still alive.

Because Luo Binghe had died, and Shen Yuan knew this. He had been present when it happened and it had been his fault. Shen Jiu - never one to waste his words - had reassured him, time and time again, that there was nothing that could have been done to change what had happened. Shen Yuan - never one to listen to bullshit - did not believe this. In fact, Shen Yuan knew those reassurances to be patently false because he had been the one to let go and send Luo Binghe to his doom.

And why had he let go?

Shen Yuan let go because he had been scared.

Right now, however, that wasn’t the point. In short, Shen Yuan’s guilt ridden mind had constructed a very vivid and very detailed dreamscape so he could still see his friend (who he was maybe still mourning but he would never tell anyone that - least of all his older brother). His very dead friend who he had been nearly inseparable from while they had trained to be cultivators. Who he maybe had been privately in love with (a conclusion Shen Yuan had reached only after he had started to explore his feelings about Luo Binghe in his dreams and therefore much too late). And who, upon further reflection, Shen Yuan was pretty sure had maybe privately been in love with him, too.

His dead friend who he had kil…let die.

Next to him, Luo Binghe placed a gentle hand on his arm, cocking his head to the side. “A-Yuan?”

God, I’ve missed his voice.

“Hm?”

“Are you ok? Is something on your mind? You seem distracted.”

Patting Luo Binghe’s hand, Shen Yuan gave him a small smile. “I’m fine, Binghe. It’s just been a while and before you got here I was just…thinking again.”

Sighing, Luo Binghe laid back onto the moss, hands behind his head. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here in a while. I was dealing with some personal business. What were you thinking about?”

Shen Yuan studiously avoided his eyes, “Oh, nothing much.”

Reaching out and laying a hand on his thigh, Luo Binghe looked up at him, eyes gentle. “I’ve told you before that it’s fine. It’s not your fault - you reacted. In fact, you did exactly what we had been trained to do in that kind of situation.”

Ugh. So it’s going to be one of those conversations. Turning to look at him, Shen Yuan frowned. “You always say that but it doesn’t make me feel any better. I still did it, so just let me feel bad, ok?”

A hurt look passed over Luo Binghe’s face before it smoothed back into something gentle and pleasant. “I would rather you not, but if A-Yuan wants to dwell on something long in the past, who am I to deny him. Would you perhaps like to talk about something else to get your mind off of it? Tell me, how are you? Have you been on any interesting night hunts lately…?”

Huffing out a laugh, Shen Yuan laid back next to him. Ignoring the question, Shen Yuan turned to look wistfully at Luo Binghe, who was looking right back at him, the same serene expression on his face. “You know Binghe, I’m glad I can at least still see you like this. It’s been so long, too and I still miss you. It’s odd, I feel like I’m going to walk into the assignment office one day and I’ll see you sitting there, waiting for me…” He smiled at Luo Binghe. “I just wish that you were still alive so I could see you when I was awake.” Mumbling, almost to himself, he continued, “So we could touch when I was awake…”

Something dark and hungry settled behind Luo Binghe’s eyes, the air shifting around him, as shadows began to slide into the edges of Shen Yuan’s vision. Scooting himself closer to Shen Yuan, Luo Binghe placed a hand on his chest, propping himself up. Looking down at him, Luo Binghe murmured softly, a small smile on his face, “Mmm do you want me to touch you, A-Yuan? All you had to do was say so. And it has been quite a while, hasn’t it?” The darkness at the edges of Shen Yuan’s eyes began to whip around, twisting and writhing.

This feels like last time but something’s different? “Ugh…!” Shen Yuan shut his eyes tightly, temples throbbing. What…? But I’m asleep? Opening his eyes, he tried to jerk away, body reacting subconsciously to the warning signals softly chiming in his skull.

Above him, Luo Binghe was leaning further down, mouth drawing closer to Shen Yuan’s face. White hot searing terror seized him, diffusing throughout his body and burning into his meridians. Shen Yuan gasped as the darkness at the corners of his vision began to deepen.

This is all a dream, it’s fine. It’s fine. It’s fine.

Luo Binghe’s face fuzzed before him, shadows twisting and melting. Eyes wide, Shen Yuan settled back down, heart thumping, head aching, as something warm settled deep in the pit of his stomach. Right. I am dreaming. This is fine. I created this. Body thrumming with anticipation, Shen Yuan felt the tell-tale feeling of deep seated satisfaction he had experienced the last time he had seen Luo Binghe in his dreams. It was the feeling of being the center of focus of something so all-consuming and terrifying that it eclipsed the flight response that had seized him moments ago. It was also the knowledge that here, in his dreams, Luo Binghe couldn’t hurt him - that Luo Binghe wouldn’t hurt him - because Luo Binghe wasn’t alive anymore and this was all Shen Yuan’s own fantasy.

Breath hitching, Shen Yuan watched as Luo Binghe’s eyes flared red, demon mark flashing on his forehead before it started to spread down his face as his teeth sharpened and shifted. Shen Yuan moved slightly, pressing a palm between his legs as Luo Binghe’s face fuzzed and blurred. Shen Yuan’s head responded with a light thrum this time instead of a debilitating throb.

“You know, A-Yuan,” Luo Binghe’s voice sounded wrong, like a tape being rewound and played forward at the same time. “I’ve missed you…I’ve missed you so much.” Darkness poured off of him in waves, wrapping itself around him, caressing the exposed skin of Shen Yuan’s arms, contouring itself to to the curves and dips of his face and neck.

Cocooned by it, Shen Yuan continued to stare up at Luo Binghe, head finally quieting until it began to feel like it was full of soft cotton that muffled the throbbing and pulsing that had been plaguing him. As he began to relax, he felt a tickling in his ears and then the liquid slide of voices quietly undulating around him. Straining, the words coalesced and then became clear.

Minemineminei'llkeepyouiwon'tletyouleaveyoucan’tstopmepleasestaypleaseplease

Luo Binghe’s breath ghosted hot over his face, the smell of sulfur, ozone, and copper seeping out of his lips. In the dim light cast by Luo Binghe’s achingly intense, gentle eyes and blazing demon mark, Shen Yuan watched his face draw closer, and held his breath, waiting. When Luo Binghe’s lips touched Shen Yuan’s mouth, parting his lips as he slid his tongue inside, the voices merged again with a single, desperate plea.

Please.

Wrapping his arms around him, Shen Yuan sighed.

It’s ok, Binghe. I’ll keep coming back and we can at least have this. But…I would do anything to be with you.

Stomach clenching, Shen Yuan moved his hand down the hard planes of Luo Binghe’s back, fingers alighting on the smooth appendages twisting and thrashing as they emerged from his skin. Moaning as one of Binghe’s hands slipped under the waistband of his pants, Shen Yuan heard…

The sound of an air raid siren?

Shen Yuan woke with a start to the sound of his phone’s ringtone blaring, erection pressing insistently against the mattress he had apparently been in the process of frantically humping. The ringtone on his phone should not have been blaring because he, as a rule, kept his phone on silent during the day and “do not disturb” at night. The former was simply because he was terminally available via e-mail during the day and didn't need the interruption of constant texts from Shang Qinghua or, on occasion, his brother. The latter was because the last time he forgot to place his phone on “do not disturb” after hours, he had been engrossed in an intense online gaming session when his phone started to ring incessantly with spam calls. Shen Jiu, woken from his slumber in the room next door, had stomped into Shen Yuan’s room, picked up his phone, and promptly hucked it against the wall, smashing it into several dozen pieces.

This all occurred without Shen Yuan's notice - that is, until Shen Jiu ripped off his noise canceling headphones and hissed at him, "Go to bed, you little shit. We have to be up early tomorrow for work." Cowed by his brother's late night sleep deprived rage, Shen Yuan allowed himself to be dragged from his computer chair, tossed into bed, and aggressively tucked in. The next morning, he found an intact phone plugged into his charger, with silent mode enabled and “do not disturb” times already programmed in.

But now, his ringtone was blaring. Loudly and unendingly. Rolling over (and thankful that his nocturnal dream adventures hadn’t been as explosive this time like they had been the last time he had encountered Luo Binghe in his dreams - he had to throw out that set of sheets and flip the mattress), he looked muzzily at his watch on the bedside table. 2:19AM, it cheerily informed him. The blaring continued, seemingly growing louder in the quiet of the night.

From the room next door, Shen Yuan heard the telltale thump of his brother rolling out of bed, followed by the sound of feet stalking across the room, presumably to burst into his and destroy the source of the noise. Acting quickly, Shen Yuan shook off the remnants of sleep and grabbed his shrieking phone, taking a single look at the screen before dropping it to the floor.

As it hit the carpet with a soft thump, it finally stopped ringing. Seconds later, Shen Jiu burst into the room, eyes wild and hair mussed. "Didi." Shen Yuan shuddered at the level of malice infused into that single word. "What have we discussed about noise late at night?" Starting to sweat when faced with the force of nature that had just swept into his room in the middle of the night, Shen Yuan opened his mouth to offer some kind of half-assed excuse.

"I...!" Shen Yuan’s words were cut short by the renewed blaring of his ringtone, the tinny air raid siren screaming into the room as it signaled not only the imminent demise of Shen Yuan if he didn't answer, but also, in retrospect, provided foreshadowing for what the call would convey.

Quick as a snake, Shen Jiu slid into the room and snatched the phone up. Before he could cock his arm back to hurl it towards the wall, he stopped short. Even in the dim light streaming through his curtains, Shen Yuan could see his brother's face pale slightly and his eyes widen.

Why does Jiu-ge look scared...?

You’re about to find out.

It finally clicked when Shen Yuan watched his brother gingerly tap the "Accept Call" button, bringing the phone up to his ear. Straining to hear, Shen Yuan caught a few words floating softly from the receiver in a familiar voice. "...Cure...Jin Lan...clean up...urgent..."

Stomach sinking, Shen Yuan continued to stare as his brother looked straight ahead, stone-faced as he listened to the mystery caller. Nodding tightly, Shen Jiu responded in a clipped tone, "Understood. We’ll head out first thing in the morning."

Another pause, and Shen Yuan was sure he could hear. "Huan Hua...make contact..."

"Affirmative."

Shen Yuan heard the line click off and watched Shen Jiu place the phone gently onto the bedside table. Massaging his temples and letting out a sigh, Shen Jiu gave Shen Yuan a long-suffering look. “We have a job.” Shen Yuan opened his mouth to reply, “If you are about to say ‘Yes Jiu-ge we go there everyday we work in the same office’ I will make sure you never speak again.” Shen Yuan shut his mouth. Shen Jiu glared at him for a beat and then continued, “We have a night hunt and we leave tomorrow. I have to go talk to Yue Qingyuan. I assume you have your bag already packed?”

Shen Yuan nodded mutely. Yue Qingyuan, huh? So it’s going to be one of those jobs.

“Good. I’ll be back in a few hours to collect you.”

Settling back, Shen Yuan ventured to ask, “Um, Jiu-ge?” Shen Jiu turned around, cocking an eyebrow at him. “Can you at least tell me who made the call?”

Face shuttering, Shen Jiu turned back toward the door, responding in a clipped tone, “The System. Now go back to sleep.”

Shen Yuan sighed deeply, flopping back into his pillows. Ah. So it’s definitely that kind of job.



Humans were so simple. The System had been amongst them for so long now that they were still amazed at how easily humans listened and believed and acted. It was nearly comical how quickly they obeyed with just a nudge here, a whispered word there. Or how they proceeded when presented with an array, an Abbysal beast, a rift, and a conveniently summoned Demon.

It never ceased to amaze the System how eager humans were to take action with just a few thoughts and events placed in just the right order.

The System had been the System for a long, long time and to say they were old would be…well. It would maybe be an understatement. Certainly, if one was going by the concept of time as the human’s defined it. In that case, the System would be considered to be “up there in age.”

But then again, the System really didn’t keep track of such matters. They were busy, after all.

They hadn’t always been known as the System - that just happened to be one of their most recent monikers. They had been around since before conscious beings existed and humans just so happened to be the most recent group they had collaborated with during their long existence.

Really, humans knew so little about their own history, what with being such a self-centered species. However, this was also something the System knew and something they used heavily to their advantage.

The only other beings that fell within the same range of age and experience in the known (and unknown, at least to the humans) universe that were on par with the System and their brethren were the Demons and the System absolutely could admit that they avoided those creatures entirely where possible. Not only because they were general nuisances, but because the most powerful of their group, the Heavenly Demons, posed a legitimate threat to the System and their plans when given the right opportunities to do so. It was one of the reasons the System had left the Abyss so long ago - better to deal with the challenges of being in the Human Realm than face certain destruction in the Abyssal Realm.

But back to plans. What were plans but organized - or sometimes disorganized - chaos? Manipulating the humans into enacting the System’s plans proved to be almost too easy. Some of that could be attributed to experience and a millenia long campaign towards a singular goal (despite having been thwarted more than once by the aforementioned Demons, their Heavenly ilk included, and the followers of said Demons). The rest of it could just be attributed to the System themself - knew that these things took time, after all, and time allowed the System to ensure that their machinations were running smoothly.

Truly, the System didn’t really have many goals. In fact, they had just a single one. And the current generation of humans that listened to their commands and offered them deference was doing an absolutely excellent job propelling both the Human Realm and the Abyssal Realm towards that goal.

Really, the System didn’t want much out of their existence.

Just the apocalypse. And truly, these humans were working so hard to give the System what they wanted.

Notes:

The art in this chapter was created by Vik who can be found on bluesky @wnyvik.bsky.social!

Chapter 2

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Five years ago, they received a call for one of those jobs somewhere out in the styx - something to do with a tree yao terrorizing hikers and campers in the Jue Di Gorge area. A simple team job but one of the first that Shen Yuan had with Luo Binghe after their shared experience with the Skinner Demon the year before.

Their separation following that incident had clearly been courtesy of Shen Jiu. He told Shen Yuan it wasn’t a punishment but Shen Yuan knew the truth - which he later confirmed when he had sussed out Shen Jiu’s e-mail password. His brother had been so angry that he had appealed to Yue Qingyuan to try and kick Luo Binghe out of the Sect. In return, Shen Yuan threatened to leave the Sect and, after an explosive argument, Shen Jiu had dropped the issue publicly but still interfered enough so that Luo Binghe and Shen Yuan received separate night hunt assignments.

It didn’t matter - Shen Yuan still made sure he talked to or saw Luo Binghe everyday. Shen Jiu likely knew this but didn’t have much say in it beyond scowling at Shen Yuan when he would arrive home late or disappear from the apartment for hours at a time.

For the Jue Di Gorge night hunt, they were deployed in a team of four, with Shen Jiu as lead cultivator. Things had, admittedly, not been great from the start. In fact, they hadn’t been great from the moment Shen Jiu saw the team roster - shaking his head in dismay when he saw Shang Qinghua’s name. His expression had darkened further as his brows pinched inward and his mouth tightened when he saw Luo Binghe’s.

Shen Yuan didn’t understand exactly what his brother’s issue was with Luo Binghe. He was friends with Shen Yuan and he was an excellent cultivator. So what isn’t there to like, gege? Is it because when he started in the Sect he was slow to progress? It wasn’t his fault! He didn’t know that the manual he had been referencing was outdated. You of all people should be aware of that little fact. Thinking back to when he met Luo Binghe, Shen Yuan smiled. It’s a good thing he came to me for help or he would have never figured out why he was struggling. But now he’s caught up so much and surpassed so many others. I’ve read his night hunt reports, too. Outstanding summaries, as to be expected.

Reflecting back on the entire situation, Shen Yuan could now realize that sending out four cultivators, regardless of seniority or skill, on a one day night hunt to handle a simple tree yao was a bit odd. During the briefing, Shen Jiu let slip that this night hunt originated from the System. Perhaps that should have provided a clue about what that detail entailed to the Shen Yuan of five years ago.

Or perhaps not.

As soon as they arrived at the trailhead parking lot, Shen Yuan felt a dull throb in his temple. Ugh, not right now. Waving off Shen Jiu’s questioning look, he began to unpack his gear from the trunk of the car, holstering his side arm and fixing Xiu Ya to his waist. No need to worry about it, I haven’t had a flare up in a while anyway. Luo Binghe flashed him a quick grin as Shen Yuan tossed Zheng Yang to him. It seemed like it was going to be a warm day if the heat on the back of Shen Yuan’s neck was anything to go by.

They decided to split up - Shen Yuan would be scouting ahead with Luo Binghe while Shang Qinghua and Shen Jiu stayed back to monitor the area and run interference if they needed to jam communications to prevent non-cultivators from taking or sending videos of any potential confrontations. It wasn’t that they necessarily had to ensure nothing got out - it was just generally better for everyone, the Sect and the greater population, if these things were mostly kept on the down low.

Shen Yuan passively listened to Shang Qinghua’s impassioned ranting after Shen Jiu explained which frequency they needed their comms devices on. “Just so we can spend more time on the work, bro. You know how it is - too many people find out and then the Sect is caught up in interviews, and press releases, and documentaries, and it’s just too much! Too much, bro!! And besides, it doesn’t do anyone any good if non-cultivators are more aware of literal monsters in the woods, or in the cities, or on the highways, or in the rivers, or…Ok well you get the idea!!”

Shaking his head, Shen Yuan waited for Shang Qinghua to finish issuing the media advisory that trails in the area were closed due to unexpected maintenance. “Technically not a lie, right?” he tossed a wink at Shen Yuan after hitting a few keys on his laptop.

After Shen Jiu gave the go-ahead, Shen Yuan found himself walking side by side with Luo Binghe through a trail winding through the woods. Nudging his shoulder gently, Luo Binghe flashed him a small grin. “It’s so nice out here, isn’t it A-Yuan? We’ll have to come back when we’re not working. Maybe we could camp too, I bet the sky looks great at night this far away from any cities.”

“Mmm, yeah. This would be a great place for a da…Um, a great place to spend some time together!” Smooth, Shen Yuan. Peeking over at Luo Binghe, he noticed that his smile had broadened and that he was looking at Shen Yuan with an innocent expression. As they broke through the treeline, he grabbed Shen Yuan by the arm and pulled him towards him, eyes flicking down to Shen Yuan’s lips.

Oh.

Oh? This is happening now??

Before Shen Yuan's eyes fully slipped shut, he caught movement amongst the trees. Jerking back, he gave Luo Binghe a wide-eyed look, who nodded in agreement. Placing his hand on his sidearm as Luo Binghe did the same, they began to stalk quietly towards the area they had both seen movement.

It turned out that their careful approach didn’t matter, as seconds later a heaving abomination burst from the trees, barreling straight towards them. It took Shen Yuan’s eyes several seconds to focus through the thunderclap of pain that cracked through his skull. It then took several more seconds to recognize exactly what was charging towards them because Shen Yuan’s brain was solidly trying to reject what his eyes were seeing.

It was hideous in an incomprehensible kind of way - standing several feet tall, angular head crowned with undulating horns that made Shen Yuan’s stomach flip ominously, it fixed its puce colored eyes on him as it flared out the hood on its neck. The cracked leather texture of its skin creaked and groaned as it charged towards them, its static starshine hide glinting in the overcast light. It physically hurt to look at it for too long and Shen Yuan had to fight to keep his eyes open and focused through the pain and the throbbing in his temples.

The name came to him in a flash as Luo Binghe yelled for him to jump. Black Moon Rhinoceros Python. He had only ever read about such a creature (because it certainly wasn’t a beast in the traditional sense of the term) in one of the older encyclopedias in the rare collections section of the Sect library. It was also something that had no business existing in this Realm and which hadn’t been seen in hundreds of years, if the accounts were accurate (which they were, since Shen Jiu was the Sect’s head historian and archivist).

Jumping up from where he had rolled on the ground when he dodged, Shen Yuan yelped in alarm as the creature turned back to face him and Luo Binghe after having overshot its targets. In an attempt to stop its next oncoming charge, or at least distract it, Shen Yuan drew his gun, channeled his qi to activate the bullets, and squeezed out two shots in quick succession. The two spiritually charged bullets slammed into the creature’s rapidly approaching bulk. Rather than slowing the beast down, they had the opposite effect. With a grunt, the creature’s pace picked up as it approached them. Shit!

Grabbing Luo Binghe’s arm, Shen Yuan shouted, “We have to run!”

Luo Binghe nodded in panicked acquiescence and holstered his gun. They both pivoted and ran at breakneck speed for the trees. Breath coming out harshly, Shen Yuan’s mind began to reel as the sound of the thunderous charge of the creature drew closer. We just need to make it to the tree line, we’re so close!!

Over the din of the chase, Shen Yuan nearly didn’t hear the sound of popping static in his earpiece followed by Shang Qinghua’s frantic voice, “A-Yuan!...Comms…break down…! Shen Qing…DEMON RUN RUN! RUN! GET OUT!” The earpiece harshly crackled a final time and then fell ominously silent. Next to him, Binghe flashed him a concerned look, clearly having heard the same thing. They kept running, eyes trained on the trees that would afford them some cover.

They never made it to the tree line.

In a flash, the air temperature plummeted and the noise of the creature behind them ground to a halt. Turning to look back, Shen Yuan’s legs stuttered to a stand still. The Black Moon Rhinoceros Python was still there, hot air puffing out of its nostrils, but its legs were frozen to the ground. Before his eyes, a thin sheen of ice quickly encased the creature’s body. Several hundred feet behind the creature, near the edge of the gorge, the air was shimmering. Shen Yuan felt Luo Binghe tugging on his sleeve, pulling on him, “A-Yuan! We have to go. NOW!

No, stay. STAY!

Shen Yuan’s legs felt weak and his body rooted in place, frozen there just like the Black Moon Rhinoceros Python He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the air near the edge of the overlook - it looked alive, warping and shifting into different shapes, colors erupting in and around it as they rotated back and forth.

It looks lovely, doesn’t it?

Shen Yuan’s ears popped just before a harsh screech cut through the clearing. As pain lanced through his skull, Shen Yuan fell to his knees and clapped his hands over his ears. He bent at the waist to further shield himself from the growing harsh glare. Around him, underneath the high pitched screeching, he heard Luo Binghe’s frantic voice but couldn’t make out the words.

Then, just as suddenly as the noise started, everything fell silent. Opening his eyes, Shen Yuan looked up and around. He then immediately wished he had not.

Oh. My god.

The Black Moon Rhinoceros Python was completely frozen solid, crystalline body glittering in the sun like an ice sculpture. Behind it was…Something. Maybe a man? Maybe another creature? It was hard for Shen Yuan to decide as his eyes were not cooperating since they refused to focus on any one part of whatever it was for too long. One moment, he swore it was a man with long, dark hair and sharp eyes surveying the area, and then the next it would be shaped like nothing Shen Yuan had ever seen. Later, during debriefing with Yue Qingyuan and his brother, he would describe it as “cold shadows in motion.”

Beyond the figure, there was a Rift.

If the not-man was hard to look at, then looking into the Rift was like trying to see sound and hear color - if all of the sounds were dissonant and all of the colors were in a spectrum not visible to humans. The longer Shen Yuan looked at it, the dizzier he became. When his vision began to darken at the edges, he finally tore his eyes away. As afterimages of the Rift swam in front of his eyes, he felt a sharp, hot pain run from the top of his head, down his spine, and into the soles of his feet.

Crouched next to him, Luo Binghe had a hand on Shen Yuan’s arm and Zheng Yang in the other. His eyes were fixed staring straight ahead and his mouth hung open in shock. Shen Yuan tugged weakly at Luo Binghe’s pants leg as he fought to get his words out. “Binghe, run. Go get Jiu-ge, please…”

Flashing him a concerned look, Luo Binghe muttered, “No, I’m not leaving you.”

Please…

Yes, please stay.

Shen Yuan shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He had a disorienting moment where the shadows shifted around him and when he looked back at Luo Binghe, the dark haired, sharp eyed man was standing in front of him, shadows whipping around him in waves. His bright cerulean eyes focused on Luo Binghe’s face. A frown crossed his fine features.

“Why are you like this?”

Shen Yuan winced, not because the voice sounded wrong, but because it sounded so human.

Luo Binghe stood up slowly, eyes wide and mouth working. The man continued to stare at him, gaze narrowing. He repeated, “Why are you like this?”

“Like what?” Luo Binghe was standing rigidly before the man, hands fisted at his sides.

The man made a noise that sounded like wind through dry leaves. “Locked away.” He shrugged. “Well. Since I’m here anyway…That can be fixed.” Shen Yuan watched in horror as the man reached out a single clawed finger tip and touched it to Luo Binghe’s forehead.

For a few seconds, everything went quiet again. Shen Yuan felt something flutter against the flame of his consciousness. Its wings beat gently against it, a moth testing the light that it ran into but not committing to thrusting itself fully into the fire.

Then, the screeching sound returned with its full, all encompassing volume. Unprepared, Shen Yuan pitched forward so violently that his head collided with the ground as his senses were fully overcome by the horrifying cacophony.

Once the screeching died down to a humming din, Shen Yuan saw the man still standing in the same position. Before him, Luo Binghe’s body was still but there was something off about it - it was as if Shen Yuan was looking at him from underwater. Touching his face to make sure his glasses were still in place, he blinked hard, trying to clear the fuzziness from his vision.

The fuzziness remained and seemed to have been amplified. Luo Binghe’s edges shifted between sharp and hyper focused to blurred and smudged. Shen Yuan’s stomach clenched when he looked at Luo Binghe’s face. It was covered with a blazing red mark that spread down to his forehead, onto his cheeks, and along his neck until it finally disappeared into the collar of his shirt. Another spasm of pain wracked Shen Yuan’s body and he shut his eyes tightly before his vision whited out. Head reeling and stomach churning, Shen Yuan took a deep breath as he tried not to vomit.

As the noise began to crescendo, a frantic shout amplified by spiritual energy cut across the clearing. “A-YUAN, GET AWAY FROM HIM!” The sound of glass shattering rang out from next to Shen Yuan, sending a swoop through his stomach. His eyes flew open as the shadow man shifted out from before Luo Binghe and raced towards the miasma of color at the edge of the overlook. Luo Binghe remained rooted in the same spot, body trembling with each heavy breath as his unfocused gaze stared towards the Rift.

Standing up shakily, Shen Yuan finally recognized the voice shouting across the clearing - it was Shen Jiu. Shen Yuan watched as his brother burst from the tree line, gun drawn and pointed right at Luo Binghe. Without hesitating, Shen Jiu began to unload round after round of blazingly bright spiritually charged bullets into Luo Binghe’s back.

Shen Yuan watched in horror as each bullet hit home, minor explosions rocking the air around Luo Binghe’s body that first sent him stumbling forward and then crashing to his knees as Zheng Yang fell from his grip. Turning back to his brother, Shen Yuan saw him holster his spent sidearm and draw Junzi Buqi as he cautiously advanced.

No. No. NO!

“Jiu-ge, STOP!”

Shen Jiu shot him a dirty look. “No. Move A-Yuan.”

Shen Yuan leaped behind Luo Binghe and threw his arms out, making himself into a shield. “You’ll kill him!”

Shen Jiu scoffed, “Obviously.” He drew closer, eyes narrowed. “Now move. He’s not what you think he is.”

But…

Yes, but what, Shen Yuan?

Shen Yuan looked down at Luo Binghe helplessly, mind spinning - he was staring down at the ground, body curled up and trembling. Dropping to his side, Shen Yuan kept himself between Luo Binghe and his brother’s advance. “Binghe, please,” he murmured near his ear, “Please talk to me. What’s happening? Are you ok?”

Luo Binghe didn’t respond - either not hearing him or ignoring, Shen Yuan wasn’t sure. He cast another look behind him, eyes locking with Shen Jiu’s. He had paused a few feet from them and was now watching tensely, Junzi Buqi held at the ready.

“Please, Binghe. Please answer me, we need to go.”

Syrupy slow, Luo Binghe finally turned his head to the side. Shen Yuan’s breath caught in his throat as he took in Binghe’s wide eyes, the red and black depths of them swirling in hypnotic patterns. The blazing red pattern had overtaken his entire face and when Luo Binghe sucked in a gasping breath, Shen Yuan spotted rows of sharp teeth. The shifting and blurred edges were still present. The longer Shen Yuan looked at him, the less able he was to pick out individual features. With each second that passed, his head pounded harder, pulse hammering at his temples. Fighting to keep his eyes open as his vision started to coalesce to pinpoints, Shen Yuan saw Luo Binghe’s mouth - mouths - move. The words that came out sounded like they were on a delay, similar to a poorly synced audio track.

“A-Yuan, please. You…have to go.” Luo Binghe’s mouths closed and he blinked. His eyes flew back open and he stared blankly at Shen Yuan. “I don’t…know? I don’t know??”

Shaking his head and turning away, Shen Yuan grabbed Luo Binghe’s arm tightly, trying to haul him up. Why is he so hot? Sparing him another look, Shen Yuan’s eyes caught on Luo Binghe’s back. Luo Binghe’s usually solid, broad back was shifting and pulsing underneath his shirt. But, Shen Jiu shot him? Where’s the blood? Reaching out to touch, Shen Yuan pulled his hand back in alarm when the shifting coalesced into a tubular shape and reached towards his outstretched palm.

A throbbing, pulsing, heavy hum filled the air around them. Shen Yuan yelped as he felt himself sliding away from the trees and towards the overlook. He gripped Luo Binghe’s army tightly and shouted, “Binghe, we have to move! We’re getting pulled in!” Shen Yuan’s words must have reached him because Luo Binghe finally began to struggle, attempting to flee from the Rift’s pull. Together, they began to trudge towards the tree line and away from the pulsing tear marring the otherwise scenic overlook.

The arm underneath Shen Yuan’s grip writhed and twisted. Half focused as he placed one foot heavily in front of the other, Shen Yuan looked askance at Luo Binghe. Hot panic seized him tight around his ribs before his entire body went cold with fear. Luo Binghe was no longer smudged or blurred. Now, he was filled and overflowing with static. The shadows dancing in and around him roiled with darkness that was interspersed with bright pinpoints of light that expanded and collapsed with each breath Luo Binghe took.

Grip loosening, Shen Yuan glanced down at the heaving limb underneath his hand just as a sharp crack ripped through the air. Luo Binghe let out a high pitched groan as the air around him began to churn and thrum with energy.

Shen Yuan fully released Luo Binghe’s arm and unsheathed Xiu Ya, body acting on instinct and cultivation training. His brother’s voice reminded him from the back of his mind - When faced with an unknown, a spiritual weapon is the best method for defense.

I can stop whatever is attacking him. That’s what this must be - whatever that other creature did to him. Maybe a curse? Binghe’s so strong that it probably targeted him specifically.

But is that really true? You’ve been watching him this entire time.

The hum grew louder. Shen Jiu was yelling again. “A-YUAN YOU HAVE TO RUN, YOU’LL BE PULLED IN WITH HIM!”

It was too late though. The energy pulsing from the Rift became more insistent. Shen Yuan's feet slip along the ground, drawing him closer to the cliff’s edge. Luo Binghe reached towards Shen Yuan, trying to clutch at him like a lifeline, as his joints shifted and popped. Shen Yuan reached his hand out but abruptly stopped when he looked over at Luo Binghe. His heart hammered in his chest as he let his hand fall.

Luo Binghe was not next to him. And if it was Luo Binghe, there was something deeply, fundamentally flawed with him. Dark energy rolled off of the figure next to him as its joints moved in the wrong direction. There were too many limbs, too many shapes, too many teeth, too much everything, and it was all writhing and flickering in and out of focus.


Maybe if Shen Yuan had more time to stop and process this he wouldn’t have reacted the way he did. Maybe he would have been able to calm down and recognize that this was Luo Binghe. Maybe he could have even admitted he was curious about why Luo Binghe’s body took on this form.

But Shen Yuan did not have time to stop and process what was happening. Instead, head pounding, heart hammering, and the air around him heavy and thick with noise and chaotic energy, Shen Yuan reacted in the exact way he had been trained to.

As they both drew closer to the edge of the cliff and the mouth of the Rift, Shen Yuan jerked back as Luo Binghe’s long fingers tried to grasp his wrist. Spinning around, he thrust Xiu Ya forward. The tip of the sword hit something solid and as Shen Yuan pressed inward, it began to sink into what felt like flesh. His sword’s progress was halted by a pale hand wrapping itself around the blade.

Luo Binghe’s warm, brown eyes were full of confusion. Xiu Ya was sticking out of his chest. Blood ran sluggishly from the sword’s entry point. Shen Yuan’s head was swimming. He had stabbed Luo Binghe.

Shen Yuan had stabbed Luo Binghe.

“A-Yuan?” Luo Binghe whispered, voice lost and sad. Looking down at his chest in shock, he looked back up at Shen Yuan. In the blink of an eye, the red mark on his forehead pulsed back to life and flashed down his body like a switch being flicked.

NO!

Shen Yuan’s head hurt and his body felt heavy. Before he crashed to the ground, he pulled his arm back, tearing Xiu Ya out of Luo Binghe’s chest. As his body hit the ground, his brother’s voice rang out, followed by the faded sound of a heart-wrenching sob.

Then, everything abruptly fell quiet. When Shen Yuan looked up, eyes heavy and vision already fading, the rift and Luo Binghe were both gone.

Notes:

Shen Jiu's sword name (君子不器) is taken from Thousand Autumns. I thought it suited him, particularly when paired with Shen Yuan having Xiu Ya as his sword.

Chapter Text

In Luo Binghe’s defense, he always had a bit of an inkling there was something just a bit different about his origins. He had attributed most of those feelings to the fact that he had little to no memories of his life prior to his adoption. Then again, he had also been very young when his mother made him her son. He treasured those early memories - the ones of his mother in the kitchen, singing and humming as she prepared meals for him, hugging him, kissing him. Treating him like he mattered.

Unfortunately, it didn’t last and really, if he had to pin it down, the sense of otherness had started shortly after his mother died. Curled up on the bed next to her, skinny arms wrapped around her cold, stiff frame, he had cried himself to sleep and was woken up sometime later - hours, days maybe - by a kind-faced woman holding a manilla folder. She spoke gently to Luo Binghe, using words like, “Don’t worry, we just need to go get you checked out by a doctor,” and “It’s ok,” and “You have to let her go, Binghe.”

When she placed her dry, warm hands on his arm and tried to carefully pry him off his mother, his body had thrummed with hot, crackling energy. Luo Binghe pushed at her, channeling the energy into his palm and, seconds later, the woman was on the floor, the smell of ozone permeating the air.

She stood up on shaky legs, eyes wide and with an ashen face full of fear. Luo Binghe recalled that expression as well as he remembered how hard his heart had been beating in his chest as the look on the woman’s face switched from terror to calculating. Then, she had left. When she returned a few hours later, she was accompanied by a man holding a thin set of red cables. The man was not as kind as the woman.

After that, Luo Binghe was passed around from foster home to foster home, shuttled away from any type of permanency when he lashed out without meaning to at small inconveniences, unable to control the chaos that he sometimes felt running through his veins. He eventually ended up in a group home, bullied at first by his peers. Following a few outbursts, however, he began to be avoided and then ignored completely. Luo Binghe didn’t care - he knew there was something wrong with him just as the other children around him knew he was some kind of freakish outsider. He could feel it.

The second major event that tipped him off about his otherness occurred several months after he first came to the group home. One day, he was called into the office of the head administrator of the program.

“There are two people here who want to meet you, Binghe!” He said with fake cheer. “Isn’t that wonderful?” Luo Binghe could hear the tightness in the man’s voice but ignored it. The anxious excitement that someone - two someone’s might want him - overrode the uncertainty and suspicion he felt when he had been summoned.

The administrator showed him into the office and, leaving the door ajar and taking up a post on the chair outside, left him with two men - one with a face pinched tight, the other wearing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Luo Binghe sat down in the chair offered to him cautiously and eyed the two men while holding himself tightly under control as his anxiety built and the crackling, nervous energy within him thrummed.

The man with the placid smile spoke first. “Hello, Luo Binghe. My name is Yue Qingyuan and this is Shen Qingqiu.” He gestured at the pinch faced man, who looked down at Luo Binghe like he was a particularly unwelcome bug. “We’re cultivators. Do you know what that means?”

Luo Binghe shook his head. “It means you can do magic.”

Yue Qingyuan huffed out a laugh while Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes. “In a way. May I touch your wrist?”

He held his hand out. Luo Binghe eyed his palm with suspicion before holding out his wrist for him. Humming, Yue Qingyuan placed two fingers to the pulse point at his wrist and waited.

Luo Binghe felt a calm warmth spread up his arm that quelled his anxiety as it wound through his chest and into his stomach. The warmth continued to spread throughout his abdomen until it abruptly stopped, brushing against something and pulsing gently. It itched.

Giggling, Luo Binghe pulled his hand away. “Tickles.”

With an odd look on his face, Yue Qingyuan leaned back and regarded Luo Binghe thoughtfully. He then exchanged a look with Shen Qingqiu, who sneered at him, “You’re going to do what you want but I still think it’s a bad idea.”

“I’m well aware of your position, A-Jiu. But it’s best this way…” Luo Binghe coughed, discomfort growing again as the hostility between the two adults increased. Yue Qingyuan turned towards him, smile back on his face. “Binghe, would you like to learn how to cultivate?”

His heart thumped in his chest. Eyes widening, he leaned forward so eagerly that he nearly pitched off the chair. “Yes.” Yes, yes, yes. He wanted to cultivate! He wanted to become powerful, to have somewhere he belonged, to be accepted.

Nodding, Yue Qingyuan reached out and patted him on the shoulder. “Well then. That’s settled. You’ll be joining us when we head back to our Sect. You have the aptitude for it and we would be remiss to ignore this opportunity.”

Hopping out of the chair, Luo Binghe grinned up at him. “I don’t have much to pack!”

Huffing a laugh, Yue Qingyuan made a shooing gesture at him. “Shen Qingqiu and I will take care of the paperwork then.”

Dashing from the room, he heard the two men talking quietly behind him, the words not making sense at the time, but the meaning becoming clear much, much later when he dredged up the memories. “It’s not a good idea and you know it. We should just seal him now, this is ridiculous.”

“No. This makes the most sense in light of what happened. It’s just that…”

Luo Binghe was packed in less than an hour and sitting in the back of a car heading towards his new life.

Yue Qingyuan told Luo Binghe he had “aptitude.” Luo Binghe asked what that meant. He answered it with a question. “Binghe, have you ever felt like you’re different?”

Nodding, he thought about how he sometimes lost track of time staring into the shadows, distracted by the movement in their depths and the noises emanating from them. Or how when he looked in a mirror and saw the edges of his body fuzzing in and out. He didn’t tell Yue Qingyuan this - he had told some of the other kids at the group home and they had not been kind.

Instead, he said, “Yes. Sometimes when I get angry I can feel my body burning.”

Shen Jiu turned around and glared at him from the front seat of the car. “Explain.”

Leaning back, Luo Binghe avoided his eyes. “Sometimes my arms and legs get hot and then the heat explodes if I think about it hard enough.” He paused and then added with a grin. “Like when you put an egg in the microwave! I did that once and-”

Holding up a hand to cut him off, Shen Jiu stared at him for a few more moments, eyes narrowed. Finally, he murmured, “I see.” He cast a knowing look at Yue Qingyuan and turned back around with a huff.

“Ah, well. We’re going to help you learn how to control that, Binghe.”

Being taken to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect wasn’t the dream life Luo Binghe thought it would be - he learned to cultivate, yes, and he did have quite the aptitude for it. But everything else turned out to be more of the same - shunned, ignored, outright reviled. At least, until he met Shen Yuan, who stepped in and shielded him from Shen Qingqiu’s targeted ire, kept the other students away from him with his fists and sharp words, and befriended Luo Binghe. It was the first time since Luo Binghe had been taken from his mother that he felt that familiar sense of comfort. Much later, he recognized how it had changed from comfort to something much deeper and more profound.

Years later, after he started his cultivation training but before he committed himself to serving Cang Qiong Mountain Sect as a permanent disciple, Meng Mo appeared, making pronouncements to Luo Binghe about how “Your qi is different” and how he had “Grand power over dreams” and the ability to “Shift the minds of those around you in their sleeping hours.” Luo Binghe had listened to all of this quietly, thinking it another bizarre dream until Meng Mo launched into a description of Luo Binghe’s mysterious mixed heritage.

“I KNEW IT!” he shouted, stopping the monologue from the dream demon.

The long suffering look Meng Mo shot him did nothing to tamp down on the deep sense of satisfaction Luo Binghe felt wash over him as another missing puzzle piece about his early life slotted into place.

Meng Mo continued and told him the history of the Elder Dream Demons, waxing poetic about their former power and glory, and then bemoaned how many of his kind had been relegated to incorporeal bodies, doomed to haunt the Dreamscape. Oddly enough, while Meng Mo seemed more than content to expound on the provenance of Elder Dream Demons - and his own life history for that matter - he was surprisingly tight lipped when it came to Luo Binghe’s more pointed questions about his parents and his own bloodline. Luo Binghe did at least find out out he was not from the Elder Dream Demon Line.

The only question Meng Mo specifically answered was that he was of mixed human and Demon heritage. Despite Luo Binghe’s extensive questioning, he remained quiet about exactly what that entailed or how he came to be that way. If his constipated expression was anything to go by, Luo Binghe suspected that Meng’s Mo’s failure to respond to his inquiries could be attributed to a sense of self-preservation, as he would become shifty-eyed and twitchy whenever Luo Binghe asked specific questions regarding his origins.

Always a fast learner, it didn’t take long for Luo Binghe to master the Dreamscape - even Meng Mo expressed surprise at his aptitude. It also didn’t take long (literally minutes after finding out himself, in fact) for Luo Binghe to recognize that he needed to keep the Dreamscape and his mixed heritage a secret - specifically from his fellow cultivators and from the Sect if he wanted a future in that world.

It then only took him a few more nights before he made the decision to slip into Shen Yuan’s dreams, watching him quietly as his subconscious thoughts played out. Some of his dreams were mundane - forgetting to wear pants to an exam, replays of memories from childhood but with surrealist twists (usually in the way time worked or in how seemingly innocuous details presented themselves), and notably, a recurring dream involving riding in the back of a car that seemed to never move but still ended up at its destination just before Shen Yuan awoke.

Binghe’s favorite ones, however, were the ones where he saw Shen Yuan with him. Usually replaying scenarios from that day - sitting out on the grass, eating lunch across from each other, leaning against his shoulder, touching his hair, kissing…

Well, they hadn’t done that last one outside of the Dreamscape and maybe Luo Binghe woke up from that particular dream embarrassingly hard (in reality, he woke up and looked down at his crotch, willing himself to calm down. It was just a kiss it was just a kiss it was just a kiss. IT WASN’T EVEN REAL. It didn’t work and he had things to do that day so, rather than wait it out, he just dealt with it) but Luo Binghe wasn’t going to ever tell anyone that, least of all Shen Yuan. He kept each of those particular dreams stashed away, keeping them secret and hidden lest he slip up and ruin everything.

However, with the way many things had gone in Luo Binghe’s life up until that point - orphan, adopted, orphaned again, and then finally finding his way into cultivation training despite his background - Luo Binghe shouldn’t have been surprised when keeping his secret ended up not mattering much, anyway.

Chapter Text

In Shen Yuan’s opinion, one of the most entertaining parts of team night hunts involved the music selection. Unofficially, it had been established that whoever was driving had carte blanche control of the sound system. Officially, Shen Jiu had pushed through an honest to god handbook change that would make it so a quorum could overrule the music selection.

Shen Jiu had never been able to acquire a quorum on that one.

Shen Yuan wouldn’t say he thought it was funny to watch his brother stew because he had to listen to Luo Qingge’s “Hair Metal Get Yourself Hyped Playlist” but he wasn’t going to not say it either. Amongst Shen Yuan, Mu Qingfang, Shang Qinghua, and Shen Jiu, the only one who actually expressed their disapproval of the playlist was Shen Jiu himself. And if this was all coordinated by Shang Qinghua conspiring with everyone except Shen Jiu regarding the music selection for the drive to Jin Lan City, well, you would never get that information out of Shen Yuan.

Sometime between a Def Leppard song and a Twisted Sister track, Shen Jiu finally slammed his hands onto the center console, silencing the music as he ground out, “I think it’s time we discussed the objectives of this night hunt. How does that sound to everyone else?”

Silence reigned. In the back seat, Shang Qinghua flashed his phone screen at Shen Yuan and Mu Qingfang. “34 minutes and 38 seconds.” Shen Yuan shook his head in defeat while next to him, Mu Qingfang fist pumped, celebrating his victory.

Clearly not aware of the back seat happenings (or at least, very judiciously ignoring them), Shen Jiu flipped open the binder sitting on his lap and began to speak. “The System received a report of a plague in Jin Lan City. Apparently, the illness starts out as a rash, which then rapidly progresses to a late stage infection involving tissue death within 7 to 14 days. Once the infection has advanced to this stage, the affected tissue deteriorates and rots until only bone is left. At that point, the victim generally begins to suffer from sepsis and shock before ultimately succumbing to the illness. Thus far, there have been no survivors once one is affected by the disease. We have been called in to look into it as civilian medicine has not been effective and low level rogue cultivators have been unable to locate the source of the illness or a cure.”

Next to Shen Yuan, Mu Qingfang shifted forward. “Shixiong, are we aware of any reports involving similar situations in the past?”

Shen Jiu’s eyebrow twitched. “It’s funny you ask that, Mu-shidi, because we actually do have information on that front. Apparently, prior to the last major Abyss related incident five years ago there were similar reports throughout the country.”

Something in the tone of Shen Jiu’s voice tickled at Shen Yuan’s mind. As he leaned back against the seat, with the sound of Mu Qingfang’s voice asking questions about manifestations of symptoms and various comorbidities as background noise, Shen Yuan found himself musing about what his brother had just said about “the last major Abyss related incident.”

Before Luo Binghe was lost, Shen Yuan only had a cursory knowledge of a single major Abyss incident - specifically, the one involving Tianglang-Jun and nearly all of the major cultivation sects. During the debriefing from the night hunt where Luo Binghe disappeared, Shen Yuan finally received more insight as to what he had witnessed at Jue Di Gorge.

Shen Yuan had been in a coma for several days and had been awake for even less, so his brain was still feeling a bit tender. The harsh light from the windows forced him to squint at his brother as Shen Jiu spoke to him from across the room until Shen Jiu finally noticed Shen Yuan’s discomfort and drew the blinds abruptly shut. Across from him, Yue Qingyuan’s face (Qi-ge, his brain had helpfully supplied when he initially received the e-mail request for a meeting) had such a pitying expression on it that Shen Yuan felt his insides begin to bristle, body gearing up to fight or escape. Externally, however, his body felt like it had been run over several times by a steam roller, so Shen Yuan distantly recognized that jumping out Yue Qingyuan’s window in his current state - even with the assistance of spiritual energy - would likely not end well for him. Rather than act on his emotions, Shen Yuan stared back at him blankly, waiting for Yue Qingyuan to speak.

Good. You have enough sense to sit still, at least. And aren’t you curious about what they have to say?

As Shen Jiu sat down next to him, Shen Yuan straightened up in his seat. Shen Jiu looked at Shen Yuan and then back at Yue Qingyuan. “I believe Sect Leader Yue wanted to share some information with my brother in person. Otherwise, this meeting could have been an e-mail.” The look on Shen Jiu’s face was downright murderous as he continued, “Now, if he would be so kind, I believe my brother is still considered to be under the strict care of Mu Qingfang and it would not do him well to be away from his observation for too long.”

Sighing deeply, Yue Qingyuan leaned back in his chair. The springs groaned lightly as he ran his hands through his already disheveled hair. Shen Yuan just wanted to go back to sleep. His head hurt, his body didn’t feel much better, and there was a deep, empty ache in his chest as though he had been hit just hard enough to leave a nasty bruise, but not hard enough to kill him.

Just wait.

Flicking his eyes to Shen Jiu as he took a deep breath, Yue Qingyuan leaned forward, steepling his fingers. “Shen Yuan.” Shen Yuan looked at him tiredly, head starting to buzz. “I realize this is probably going to be a bit difficult to understand, but just hear me out before you ask any questions.” Shen Yuan raised his eyebrows slightly, curiosity bubbling up even through his exhaustion. Expression gentle and sympathetic, Yue Qingyuan continued softly, “I’m sorry about Luo Binghe. He was a good…asset. And I know you two were close.”

An asset? Shen Yuan thought darkly. And do you know? Looks like Jiu-ge has been running his mouth. Where is this going anyway, I could be asleep. Next to him, Shen Jiu made a disgruntled noise.

“I’m sure you recall the situation with the Skinner Demon some years ago?”

Blinking heavily, Shen Yuan shook his head. How could I forget? Out loud, he said slowly, “Sect Leader, I don’t see what the Skinner Demon has to do with what happened at Jue Di Gorge.”

Tapping his fingers against the desktop, Yue Qingyuan sighed again. “Unfortunately, it has everything to do with it because if it weren’t for the Skinner Demon, you wouldn't have been at Jue Di Gorge in the first place.”

Shen Yuan stared at him, mind blanking. “What.”

“Well it doesn’t have everything to do with the Skinner Demon - it’s more like the incident at Jue Di Gorge and the Skinner Demon are different pieces of the same puzzle.”

Rubbing at his temples, Shen Yuan closed his eyes and suppressed the urge to groan. Why won’t he just get to the point. I’m so tired…

Shen Jiu’s voice cut through Shen Yuan’s thoughts, “Qingyuan. Get to the point.”

“I’m trying, Qingqiu.” And why are they using their Peak Lord names? What the fuck Jiu-ge, why did you bring me over here?

Patience. They’ll get to the point soon enough.

Clearing his throat, Yue Qingyuan continued with more steam. “Both instances are connected because they both involved creatures that have been traced back to the Abyss. Shen Yuan, have you ever wondered why you became ill after you were attacked by the Skinner Demon?”

Ill was an understatement. Shen Yuan, body and mind shrieking in pain after the Skinner Demon ran its spiritual blade down his chest, had felt so disoriented that he had laid on the floor in shock, barely breathing. If it hadn’t been for Luo Binghe taking care of him, keeping him alive and passing spiritual energy to him, then he would have likely died. Luo Binghe treated Shen Yuan and his injuries until backup arrived after what felt like hours (but which he later found out was mere minutes). As Shen Jiu helped him up from the ground after he arrived, the world started to spin around him and Shen Yuan passed out, not waking for a month. When he did wake, he found that he would randomly suffer from sudden - and sometimes persistent - headaches.

The vivid dreams where he felt like something in his subconscious was observing him had come after as well, but he never told anyone about those. Shen Yuan kept them private from everyone, including his brother and Luo Binghe. He kept them from the former to avoid any unwanted questions and from the latter precisely because he was a prominent part of said dreams, which wasn’t really something Shen Yuan wanted to examine too closely, much less admit out loud.

To himself, Shen Yuan thought, I would hardly call it an attack - it just hypnotized me a little before it tried to peel my skin away from my body so it could use it to travel the world. Besides, Binghe took care of it - and then me - even though he was tied up before the Skinner Demon got ahold of me and hypnotized me. Never did figure that one out but who am I to complain.

Indeed - who are you to complain if Binghe wanted to save you?

Next to him, Shen Jiu was giving him an odd look, brows pinched. “Didi, you almost died - what are you talking about? Also, loathe as I am to admit it, the only thing that probably kept you from a total qi deviation and death on the spot was that little beast.” Shen Yuan shot his brother a warning glance. “Ugh. I mean Luo Binghe.” A sour look settled on his face as he grumbled, “I still don’t think he needed to use dual cultivation.”

Face flushing, Shen Yuan squawked, “WE DIDN’T DUAL CULTIVATE!” Across the desk, Yue Qingyuan gave him a bewildered look. Settling back, Shen Yuan petulantly crossed his arms. “Ok, fine. I mean, so maybe he kissed me but it was just to be more efficient as he passed me spiritual energy. He turned to Shen Jiu, pointing a threatening finger at him. ”But it wasn’t dual cultivation, Jiu-ge! He was just helping me out!” Breathing hard and clearing his throat as he willed the spots dancing in front of his eyes to dissipate, Shen Yuan continued, “It was the most efficient way to stabilize my meridians. Jiu-ge, you even said so yourself later.” Shen Yuan repressed a shudder about the part he wasn’t saying - the part about the hot, dark feeling that lodged itself into his Core as Luo Binghe sealed his mouth over his and frantically poured qi into him, stabilizing his meridians but dumping something else into them. And if it maybe did mean something to me, no one needs to know, especially since Binghe is…

Oh. Well, I guess it doesn’t matter anymore.

No, it doesn’t matter, does it?

Shen Yuan jumped at the light touch on his arm. He looked over at his brother, who was silently holding out the tissue box that had been sitting on the edge of Yue Qingyuan’s desk. Shen Yuan pulled one out and carefully scrubbed it over his face. Once finished, he balled it up into his hand, grip tight around the abused piece of material as though he could squeeze more comfort from it beyond just a fleeting soft touch.

Finally, Shen Yuan continued, “Mu-shishu told me that my continuing headaches were a direct result of lingering stress from the encounter with the Skinner Demon. He said the frequency of them after the attack is related to the trauma my body and Core experience and that they would eventually cease on their own.”

Shen Yuan didn’t miss the nervous look Yue Qingyuan shot Shen Jiu, who nodded minutely in return. Turning an assessing gaze at Shen Yuan, Yue Qingyuan said, “Mu Qingfang told you half of the truth - specifically at my behest.” He held up a hand to stop Shen Yuan’s question. “The headaches are a result of whatever happened when you were attacked by the Skinner Deamn, but, as far as Mu-shidi is aware, there is no way to stop them.” Yue Qingyuan pushed a redwell across the desk towards Shen Yuan. “These are the debriefing notes from the Skinner Demon. As you can see, Mu Qingfang wrote extensively about your condition in the days after. His conclusions are on the final page of that stack.”

Sliding the file closer and pulling out a sheaf of papers clipped together, Shen Yuan flipped through it, eyes catching on the bold lettering stamped across the top of each page.

CONFIDENTIAL AND CLASSIFIED

Shen Yuan thumbed through the sheets until he reached the final page, eyes widening as he read the words transcribed there in Mu Qingfang’s straightforward, clinical prose.

Shen Yuan’s illness is consistent with others who have been in close contact with creatures and objects from the Abyss. No cure is known for these symptoms once they manifest, as generally those who manifest symptoms succumb shortly after physical effects begin to appear. It is not clear as to why Shen Yuan has not succumbed to what can only now be labeled as an Abyss related illness - his continued survival is the longest recorded in a cultivator - or a human, for that matter - after direct injury from an Abyssal weapon. There have been recorded instances of survival after short exposure to Abyssal creatures but, as Shen Yuan was physically attacked and injured by a weapon that originated from the Abyss, his circumstances differ.

Interestingly, Luo Binghe has not manifested any lasting effects from the attack, but this is likely due to the fact that he was not physically injured. He was, however, in the presence of the Skinner Demon for an amount of time long enough that minor effects should have manifested. It is unclear as to why he has displayed no adverse symptoms.

It is likely that Shen Yuan’s survival can be attributed to Luo Binghe’s hastily administered dual cultivation. Further research is needed and Shen Yuan will need to be monitored closely on any and all night hunts involving Abyss related creatures or objects.

Shen Yuan looked up dazedly at Yue Qingyuan. “Sect Leader, I don’t understand…?”

“I’ll be blunt with you then, Shen Yuan.” Ah, here we go. “You should have died long ago. Any cultivators who have been exposed to the Abyss itself or injured by an Abyssal object without the proper shielding talismans have not survived.” He leaned forward, eyes intense and focused on Shen Yuan. “Based on Mu Qingfang’s report, however, it has been my understanding - and my own observations when you were found - that you weren’t left entirely unaffected as you and Luo Binghe were not equipped with those talismans when the Skinner Demon appeared and engaged with you.” Shen Yuan nodded slowly.

“Right. So.” Yue Qingyuan paused, staring at him silently. Shen Yuan stared back, willing himself to sit still despite the ominous feeling of constriction coiling around his ribs.

Yue Qingyuan continued, “After he examined you and wrote his report, Mu Qingfang was instructed to place warded Abyss related items in your vicinity and monitor your response. Each time he has done this, you have reported feelings of unease and headaches.”

Shen Yuan turned to his brother as the horror of what they had been doing on dawned on him. Shen Jiu was staring resolutely at a point behind Yue Qingyuan’s head. “Jiu-ge…Did you know about this?” Shen Jiu continued to ignore him, fingers drumming staccato against the armrest of his chair. Vice tightening around his ribs, Shen Yuan reached out, grabbing his shoulder and shaking him. “Shen Jiu. Did you know about this? Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“We couldn’t risk tainting the data.” Shen Yuan turned to look back at Yue Qingyuan and gaped at him.

Distantly, through the pounding of blood in his temples, he thought he heard the sound of someone laughing.

“The data?” Shen Yuan hissed. “Are you fucking kidding me? You’ve been treating me like…like a lab animal?”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the barest flinch from his brother. Face still placid, Yue Qingyuan replied, “In a word, yes.”

The pounding in Shen Yuan’s temples became more insistent.

“And we’re sorry for it.” Yue Qingyuan did not sound sorry - Shen Yuan knew when he sounded sorry and right now he just sounded detached, as though he were delivering a briefing before a night hunt. “But it was necessary as it appears your condition has some upsides.” The vice tightened and something cracked inside of Shen Yuan, opening a cold, dark pit in his stomach.

“You’ve been using me as a canary.”

Shen Jiu finally turned towards him, snapping, “And it’s saved dozens of people’s lives - civilians and cultivators alike. Stop acting like a victim, Shen Yuan. You knew what you were signing up for when you formally entered the Sect.”

“Fuck you, Jiu-ge! No one told me that we would be dealing with the Abyss! I don’t even know what the Abyss is!”

Voice dropping, Yue Qingyuan narrowed his eyes, expression going hard as he glared at Shen Yuan. “You’re not the only one who doesn’t know. No one actually knows what it is, but the best guess we have is that it’s some kind of pocket dimension that’s always just been there.”

Mind racing, Shen Yuan felt the pieces slot into place. The night hunts where I’ve had headaches, they were all given to us by…

Oh, so you finally got there.

“The System. What about them? Surely they know, right? They’re the one that keeps giving us night hunts and I’ve been sent on every single System night hunt since the Skinner Demon.”

“Ah, so you figured it out. Truthfully, it’s unclear to us what the System knows and, when pressed, it is not a piece of information that they have made us privy to. Regardless, they are the only ones who are aware of when a night hunt seems to have a potential link to the Abyss.” Yue Qingyuan shrugged. “And those night hunts have to be dealt with quickly due to the danger they pose to both cultivators and civilians.”

“Well then what do you know about it, Sect Leader? Would you care to inform me?” Jerking his head to the side to look at Shen Jiu, Shen Yuan spat out, “Or maybe you would like to inform me?”

Shen Jiu glared back at him, lips pursed, before he finally said, “Sect Leader Yue and I have dealt with the Abyss. You were still a child and Yue Qingyuan and I were junior cultivators. You may recall some stories about an intersect night hunt involving the suppression of a Heavenly Demon?”

Of course Shen Yuan knew the stories. When he became a formal member of the Sect, one of the first things he did was scour the library for information about the mystery shrouded battle with Tianlang-Jun. His research had come up woefully short on facts and any books or records that did mention it relegated it to a single line or two, all amounting to the same basic premise.

“The great sects banded together to banish the Heavenly Demon known as Tianlang-Jun. They were successful in this endeavor.”

“They’re not just stories. Well, at least what you know isn’t the entire story.” Shen Jiu paused, folding his hands in his lap. Shen Yuan leaned towards him in anticipation of the incoming information. “Twenty years ago, a rift in the Abyss allowed the passage of creatures from the Abyssal Realm into the Human Realm unchecked. One of those creatures, and the orchestrator of the entire debacle, was the Heavenly Demon Tianlang-Jun. Although,” Shen Jiu paused again, a pensive look on his face, “that label probably isn’t quite right, particularly if you had seen it…well. Seen him at the time.” Waving his hand back and forth in a dismissive motion, he said, “Regardless, Sect Leader Yue and I assisted in the banishment of the Heavenly Demon back to the Abyss and then worked with the other great sects to mend and secure the rift.”

“Then how are you two both still alive?”

Shen Jiu shot him a withering look. “If you’ll keep up, didi - we had the proper talismans. There were some consequences and injuries, however, but they were ultimately worth it to prevent chaos.” As Shen Jiu said this, Yue Qingyuan’s eyes flicked to Shen Jiu and then over to Xuan Su sitting in her stand in the corner of the room.

Shen Yuan leaned back and looked up at the ceiling, mind buzzing with this information. “So what does this have to do with me right now?”

“It has to do with you, my dear didi, because you have been exposed to multiple Abyssal creatures and you’ve seen an Abyssal rift first hand and you’re still alive. So we are trying to figure out why.”

Shen Yuan stared up at a stain shaped like a rabbit on the ceiling, tracing its contours with his eyes. “Well you just said so yourself. You don’t know why and yet you purposely sent me on night hunts you suspect are related to the Abyss.” He shrugged lazily. “Maybe I’m just built differently. This entire situation feels like a logical conclusion to that endeavor.” He lolled his head to the side, glaring at Shen Jiu.

“Besides, you saw the rift at Jue Di, too.”

Shen Jiu rolled his eyes so hard that Shen Yuan thought they might simply roll right out of his head and onto the carpet. He huffed out a laugh and Shen Jiu shot him a sour look. “And you still aren’t paying attention, didi - I’ve seen rifts before. Whenever I go on night hunts I am sure to take any precautions necessary so I’m not affected.”

Before Shen Yuan could sputter about being sent out without proper protection, Yue Qingyuan cut him off with a heavy sigh. “Right, but you also saw someone disappear into the Abyss. Who also happened to be the person who prevented you from dying due to Abyss-related exposure before. Which leads us to our current issue - why Luo Binghe?” Yue Qingyuan’s chair creaked ominously as he leaned forward, eyes intent. Shen Yuan thought he saw a knowing look pass behind eyes. He blinked and it was gone just as suddenly as it appeared. “So, what did you see, Shen Yuan? Qingqiu told me that he shot Luo Binghe with several spiritual bullets because he appeared to be possessed. He also told me that Luo Binghe didn’t seem to be affected by those bullets but that the details were also a bit too fuzzy for him to recall.”

Shen Yuan shut his eyes again as he tried to calm the uneasy roiling in his stomach. Swallowing down the sour feeling in the back of his throat, he opened his eyes and gave Yue Qingyaun a half-shrug. “It’s all a bit fuzzy for me as well, Sect Leader.” Yes, it is. Believe it and say it. “One minute Binghe was there and then the next he was gone.”

“Yes but what happened to him? Did you notice anything different about him before he disappeared? Shen Qingqiu reported that it felt like he couldn’t look at him for too long before he started to feel nauseous.” Yue Qingyuan’s eyes bored into him. “I wanted to know if you experienced anything similar.”

Yes. “No, Sect Leader. It all happened too quickly, I’m sorry.”

A complicated series of expressions crossed over Yue Qingyuan’s usually neutral face. Brows furrowed and eyes pinched, he opened his mouth again but was cut off by Shen Jiu’s sharp voice. “I told you he wouldn’t remember anything, Qingyuan. Now. Are we done here? I need to return A-Yuan to Qian Cao.”

Shaking his head in resignation, Yue Qingyuan pulled his keyboard close to him as Shen Yuan and Shen Jiu stood up. “We are done here. Shen Yuan, if you do recall anything, please let me or Shen Qingqiu know. Peak Lord Mu will be monitoring you for the next several days.” He reached out and pressed the button on his monitor, the glow of the screen illuminating his features a faint blue.

As Shen Yuan turned to leave, something tickled at the back of his mind. You should ask him. “Sect Leader?” Yue Qingyuan hummed in acknowledgment. “I did have one question. About when you and my brother dealt with the Abyss and Tianlang-Jun.” Yue Qingyuan looked at him curiously. “Do you recall if any cultivators were pulled into the Abyss?”

With a frown, he responded, “Well yes. We lost several dozen cultivators - both sect affiliated and rogue. Why do you ask?”

Heart hammering in his chest, Shen Yuan queried, “Did any of them come back out before the rift was sealed?”

A look of pity settled on Yue Qingyuan’s face as he gently said, “Ah. I see. A-Yuan…”

The churning in Shen Yuan’s stomach began to rush towards the cold pit that had opened, sucking the icy sensation away and leaving emptiness in its wake. Shen Yuan’s eyes burned as his mounting grief clutched at his throat, squeezing at it gently at first and then tighter when he tried to swallow it back down, willing it towards the pit. Before the heat behind his eyes could escape, a gentle touch pulled him back. Startling, he looked over at the hand Shen Jiu had laid on his forearm. “The ones that came back came back wrong,” he said quietly. “And they didn’t survive for long after re-emerging.”

The pit snapped shut like a trap door closing. The grief high in the back of his throat fell down his esophagus like a rock plummeting to the seafloor and coalesced into something dense and sharp in his gut. Taking a deep breath, Shen Yuan nodded tightly before turning back towards the door. “I see. Thank you for the information, Sect Leader Yue, Peak Lord Shen. Once I’m cleared by Peak Lord Mu, I will be sure to put in my official paperwork so I can return to field assignments.”


Behind him, he heard the sedate clack of typing on a keyboard and the sharp staccato of Shen Jiu’s footsteps following behind him as he slowly headed towards Qian Cao.

The memory faded away and Shen Yuan was back in the rear seat of the car listening to the sound of his brother’s voice. He tuned in to Shen Jiu quietly describing past reports of creatures called, “Sowers, which we believe are the cause of the plague in Jin Lan City.” Pausing to look at a picture of a weeping rash. Clearing his throat delicately, he finished, “As mentioned, there have been no reported instances of recovery once the rash has appeared and so now we have been assigned this night hunt by the System to deal with it before it can spread further.”

Shang Qinghua shuddered. “So there’s no cure?”

Mu Qingfang was staring down at his own set of notes. “Well, historically - at least in the two isolated incidents I found information about - the only cure that has been successfully utilized has been to eliminate the cause of the plague. But as far as treating those who are already infected? Unfortunately, nothing has been successful in the past.”

Shen Yuan looked from Mu Qingfang and then back to Shang Qinghua, waiting for the inevitable question and inevitable response.

“Soooo when Mu-shidi says ‘eliminate’ he means….?” Shang Qinghua asked.

Shen Jiu responded sharply. “It means eliminate. As you’re aware, Shang-shidi, that usually entails death or other means of permanent disposal.

Snorting to cover up a laugh, Shen Yuan leaned back as Shang Qinghua sputtered and cringed at the implications of those words. “Mu-shishu?”

“Yes, A-Yuan?”

“You said in the past nothing has been successful?”

Shen Yuan could hear the pride in Mu Qingfang’s voice, “Ah, yes well. I think I’ve managed to refine a cure but it hasn’t been field tested yet. It should be successful but initial deployment of it requires supervision.”

Liu Qingge, silent up to this point, grunted from the front seat. “And requires backup in case it doesn’t work and makes matters worse.”

Mu Qingfang chuckled, “Liu-shidi is also correct. Backup is also required if it is not successful and more direct measures need to be taken to eliminate the plague.”

Humming to himself, Shen Yuan leaned his head against the window, thoughts wandering back to the meeting in Yue Qingyuan’s office. After that conversation, a Sect meeting had been called wherein Shen Yuan was summoned and placed in front of the room (ok, so he was sat in Shen Jiu’s chair - which was at the front of the room with the other Peak Lord seats) while Yue Qingyuan and Mu Qingfang apprised the Sect - Peak Lords and disciples alike - about Shen Yuan’s condition and how it was related to the Abyss. The entire meeting was prompted by Shen Yuan informing Shen Jiu in no uncertain terms that he would leave the Sect if the other Peak Lords and the field cultivators weren’t informed about the actual dangers of night hunts involving the Abyss.

However, just because the meeting had occurred and his fellow Sect members had been informed of the more salient dangers posed by the Abyss, it didn’t mean that they actually 1) had listened or 2) had internalized any of the information. Shen Yuan had actually seen a few of the senior disciple’s falling asleep in the back of the room and, while he was aware that everyone at the meeting had a basic idea of the Abyss as a theory, not many of them had actually experienced it in practice or observed just how dangerous a threat it could be.

Lastly, Shen Yuan had also forced Yue Qingyuan and Shen Jiu to show him how to create the talismans used to shield against Abyss related injuries. “I know you still need me to be able to feel when I’m near the Abyss but I can at least try to avoid being injured,” he said flatly before either of them had a chance to open their mouths. Shen Jiu and Yue Qingyuan had both agreed without any further argument.

But now, speaking of individuals who had likely not internalized the information from that meeting…He may be one of my best friends but god is he an idiot. Shang Qinghua may have also been one of the individuals in attendance at the meeting who was sleeping in the back and who may have also snorted himself awake when Shen Yuan was answering a question posed by Liu Qingge about how the headaches presented. Shen Yuan may have also lobbed a balled up shock talisman at him, adding a bit of qi so it would hit him harder than it should have, when he fell asleep again.

Letting out a quiet whine, Shang Qinghua leaned across Mu Qingfang and poked his head between Liu Qingge and Shen Jiu’s seats. “Qingqiu-shixiong, you know I’m no good when it comes to combat or blood or violence or…OW!”

With a motion as though he were swatting a fly, Shen Jiu flicked his wrist back and smacked Shang Qinghua in the face with the folder, prompting a yelp as he sullenly flopped back into his seat. “You’re here to run communications interference and handle PR.” Looking over his shoulder at Shang Qinghua, Shen Jiu narrowed his eyes menacingly. “And don’t blow that smoke up my ass. I’ve seen you on the training fields sparring with A-Yuan and with Qinge-shidi and I know you’re proficient, even if you pretend not to be.” Mouth twisting into a cruel smile, Shen Jiu leaned further back to look at him as he lightly said, “Besides, if you’re not actually proficient well, it’s hardly my fault if something happens to you…”

Making an affronted noise in response, and muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, “Well it was worth a shot,” Shang Qinghua settled back into his seat with a huff.

“Now, are there any other questions?” Shang Qinghua opened his mouth. “Beyond those involving having to do your actual jobs?” Shang Qinghua immediately closed his mouth.

“What is the division of labor going to look like?” Liu Qingge ventured.

“You and Mu Qingfang will scout the area when we get there and collect information about the victims. You already have your credentials for both the hospital and the coroner’s office?” Both men shook their heads. “Good. Where you start is up to you. Shang Qinghua and I,” Shen Yuan heard a light groan spill from Shang Qinghua’s mouth. Shen Jiu flicked down the visor and opened the mirror to glare at him in it. Shang Qinghua flashed him a cheesy smile and a peace sign in response. “Shang Qinghua and I will be working on the administrative side of things to start.” Out of the corner of his eye, and while he was still being glared at by Shen Jiu, Shen Yuan saw Shang Qinghua pale slightly and mouth a “Noooooooo” at him. Shen Jiu’s glare became even more dangerous, prompting Shen Yuan to snort. Hmph, serves you right for being such a nuisance.

Realizing he hadn’t been mentioned, Shen Yuan tapped his brother’s shoulder. “And what about me?” Planning on letting me wander around until I go off like a signal flare so you can figure out where you all need to go?

Probably. You know how they are.

Mu Qingfang and Shen Jiu flinched at the implication of the question. It’s not Mu Qingfang’s fault but…Well he was involved too, now wasn’t he? It had been years since he found out about how the Sect had used him. Shen Yuan had found it in himself to mostly forgive his brother, Yue Qingyuan, and Mu Qingfang. That didn’t mean he was above reminding them of their past poor decisions.

“You’ll be meeting with two cultivators from Huan Hua Palace. They’ll be assisting us with this night hunt.”

Blinking in surprise, Shen Yuan’s mind finally caught up with Shen Jiu’s words. “Wait, is this an intersect job?”

Nodding, Shen Jiu responded. “Yes. And, as such, it would behoove all of you,” Shen Yuan looked over towards Shang Qinghua, who was studiously picking at his fingernails. He reached over and swatted him quickly, mouthing, He means you, bro. Shang Qinghua shot him a sour look in response.

Shen Jiu continued, pretending he didn’t see the interaction in the backseat in the still flipped down visor, “All of you,” he emphasized again, “to be on your best behavior. There have been some disturbances reported among some of the Sects lately, particularly with respect to Huan Hua and their willingness to provide support to other Sects.” He looked down at the file in his lap again, eyes roving over the page. “Recently, they’ve been absent from most joint night hunts but the System informed us that Huan Hua’s assistance in this matter is necessary.” He shut the folder and looked into the backseat again. “Does everyone understand their assignments?”

Three heads nodded back while Liu Qingge grunted in assent.

Well, at least I’m not just a canary this time, Shen Yuan thought quietly to himself.

No, I guess you’re not, are you?

Chapter Text

Shen Yuan had only the vaguest idea of who, exactly, he was supposed to be meeting. His brother told him the System had also been extremely vague about the “Huan Hua representatives,” except to say that there were two of them and that they were both men. The only other instruction he had received was that he needed to wait outside the Jin Zi Weapon Shop and that the two cultivators would meet him there.

No time, no descriptions, no nothing. What is this? The System is vague at the best of times but even this is ridiculous for them.

In a bid to pass time, Shen Yuan opened his phone and began reading the latest garbage Shang Qinghua had sent to him. His writing isn’t terrible but some of his plots - at least where they exist - leave something to be desired. Although that one about the half-human, half-fae he just started has some serious potential…

Absorbed in a swift thumb tirade as he typed out a message of his thoughts to Shang Qinghua, Shen Yuan barely noticed the faint pulse in his head as the barest hint of the scent of ozone and dry earth wafted past. A few moments later, he fully noticed when the person who had apparently sat down next to him gently cleared their throat.

Startled out of his comment frenzy, Shen Yuan turned his head to the side and was immediately hit with a feeling of vertigo as his eyes locked on the man sitting next to him. Buwaahh?

Blinking hard a few times, the vertigo started to clear until he could focus on what he now noticed were two generically handsome men - one sitting, one standing. They were also both dressed in a way designed to look inconspicuous but which, in Shen Yuan’s opinion at least, just ended up looking forced if you stared at them for too long. What was not inconspicuous, however, was the large talisman and cloth wrapped sword strapped to the back of the man sitting next to him. Shen Yuan craned his neck slightly so he could take a closer look at the ornate pommel peeking out from just behind the seated man’s shoulder.

The other man, who looked like he was doing his best to sink into the shadows even though he hadn’t moved, also had weapons on him - two knives to be specific - one not so well hidden and strapped to the inside of his boot and the other hanging from his belt. Tacticool, Shen Yuan thought wryly to himself.

Cocking an eyebrow at the man next to him with a Can I help you? expression, Shen Yuan stared them both down, waiting. Big Sword Guy stared right back, his mouth curling up gradually into a lazy smile. Shen Yuan could feel heat at the tips of his ears as he looked at the man’s deep brown eyes that seemed to twinkle as he smiled. He had the oddest feeling of deja vu the longer he looked at the man - it felt like he knew him from somewhere.

“Shen Yuan?” Startling, Shen Yuan straightened up and nodded, neck starting to feel warm after hearing the man’s rich voice. “Ah, good. Then we are in the right place. We’re here on behalf of Huan Hua. I’m Gongyi Xiao and this,” he gestured behind himself at the other man, “is Mobei.” Mobei grunted in acknowledgement, throwing his hand up in a lazy sign of greeting.

Just one name?

Shen Yuan relaxed as his mind shifted to “professional cultivator” mode. “I see. Well, it's nice to meet both of you. I’m sure I don’t need to fill you in on any of the details, correct?” They both shook their heads. “Excellent. The rest of my team will be meeting back up at our lodgings shortly and then we can all discuss the plans for tomorrow. Am I to assume you’ll be staying nearby?”

Gongyi Xiao’s eyes widened at the question. “Oh. Well, sort of? We think?”

“Hm? Did the System not arrange your lodging as well?”

An odd expression flashed across Gongyi Xiao’s handsome face and then disappeared just as quickly. Sheepishly, he said, “Ah, it did. But we were informed we would be sharing rooms with your team.”

A short-lived pause followed. We only have enough rooms for us though? The silence was broken when a pained expression took over Gongyi Xiao’s face as his eyes widened further. “I’m sure it was just an oversight. Maybe we can call the System and figure something else out, it’s fine.” He let out a small sigh.

Oh no, too pathetic! That won’t do. Shen Yuan waved a hand at both of them. “It’s fine, we’ll figure something out - we have enough rooms - we can just rearrange ourselves. No need to bother the System.” Then, muttering to himself, “It’s not like it’ll respond anyway.”

An odd looked passed between Gongyi Xiao and Mobei. To Shen Yuan, Gongyi Xiao said, “Well then, if you’re sure. Perhaps we can go and meet up with the rest of your team?”

Standing up and stretching, Shen Yuan turned and led the way.

Chapter Text

The day Luo Binghe fell into the Abyss started out well enough - he had even been excited about finally being assigned to a mission with Shen Yuan again. It was amplified by the fact that they had been dancing around each other for years - essentially since the time Luo Binghe had come to Cang Qiong and started the beginner cultivator courses, eventually matriculating as a teenager with Shen Yuan into the same class. All it took was for Shen Yuan to approach Luo Binghe after a particularly taxing lecture on talisman’s delivered by Shen Jiu (who Luo Binghe later found out was Shen Yuan’s older brother and the fact that he couldn't hold that against Shen Yuan should have been some kind of early sign to Luo Binghe that he was already heading towards “in too deep” territory).

Shen Yuan had approached him, notes clutched in his hands and a small smile on his face. “Jiu-ge…I mean Professor Shen doesn’t actually think you’re an idiot, you know that right? He’s just sort of like that.” He waved his hand as though that was enough of an explanation.

Luo Binghe had fled from the classroom and taken up residence crouched down behind the dumpsters to sulk about being called out in front of the class. He wasn't quite sure how Shen Yuan had found him but now the boy was standing before him, that small smile still lighting up his features.

“I know I’m not an idiot. I’ve been studying but it doesn’t seem to matter.” Luo Binghe tossed his cultivation manual at Shen Yuan. “I just don’t understand some of the explanations in here.”

Shen Yuan caught it and turned it over, eyes widening as he looked at the cover. “Luo Binghe, right?”

“Um, yes?”

Nodding to himself, Shen Yuan patted him on the head absently, “I’m Shen Yuan. Can I keep this?”

“Sure. Not like it’s doing me any good anyway.”

“Thanks.” Then he stomped off, body tensed, brows furrowed, and mouth set in a hard line.

The next day, Shen Yuan bounced up to Luo Binghe holding a different cultivation manual in his hand. “Here. I found this and I thought it might be more useful than the other one you had.”

Luo Binghe accepted it with a shy smile. His cultivation improved exponentially after that. To be fair, studying with Shen Yuan helped (at least when he wasn’t too busy counting his eyelashes and his freckles as he daydreamed about what it would feel like to brush his fingers along them).

As such, after they had been banned from working together after the Skinner Demon, when the night hunt assignment for a simple yao came in with both Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe on the roster, Luo Binghe would have been a liar if he didn’t admit that he was excited about the prospect of a night hunt where he could finally work alongside Shen Yuan again. He also knew his cultivation had become even stronger in the time they hadn't been permitted to go on night hunts together and he also looked forward to the opportunity to show off to Shen Yuan how strong he had become. Maybe even protect him a little or save him from an injurious blow (although Luo Binghe was well aware Shen Yuan could take care of himself. This fact, however, did not fit into Luo Binghe’s “save the damsel in distress” fantasies, so he studiously ignored it).

Obviously, none of that happened. The yao was not a yao - it was Black Moon Rhinoceros Python straight from the Abyss. Further, Luo Binghe’s demonic heritage was revealed in all of its horrible glory right in front of Shen Yuan thanks to…well. Luo Binghe wasn’t quite sure what the man shaped being was that had broken his demonic seal but, if he ever found them, he would be thanking them in the most violent way possible.

Then, Shen Qingqiu had fucking shot him several times (which in retrospect did make sense but it didn’t mean that Luo Binghe enjoyed the entire experience - he actually quite disliked it, in fact).

Finally, and worst of all, Shen Yuan stabbed him in the chest, face pained but eyes full of fear.

As he fell, underneath the shrieking, tearing noises engulfing him, Luo Binghe thought to himself, He had his reasons. Can I really blame him?

Luo Binghe didn’t so much as awaken in the Abyss as he did snap back to consciousness. Behind his tightly shut eyes, harsh, dry air caressed his skin, coupled with the weak warmth of whatever star was shining down upon him. He was also laying on a surface covered in a substance that was sharp, moreso desiccated grit than it was sand.

Head throbbing, he cracked an eye open and immediately regretted that decision. He was in some kind of wasteland hellscape, sky and ground blending together in shades of ochre, distant land masses - maybe mountains but the shape was off - rising in the distance. Sitting up, he shut his eyes again, trying to block out how everything he was observing felt slightly rotated and off kilter. Scrubbing a hand over his face, Luo Binghe opened his eyes again and looked down to take stock of himself.

Again, he wished he had not done that.

While it wasn’t exactly clear if there was something wrong with his surroundings or if it could be attributed to stress and shock, it was absolutely clear that something was wrong with his physical body. His hands were flickering in and out of focus - looking for a few seconds like the ones he had seen his entire life, and then shifting to something with sharp edges and too many joints. Focusing as he tried to circulate his qi - a difficult thing as it felt like sludge in his meridians - he eventually managed to force his hands back to their normal state. As he stood, Luo Binghe reached around to rub his aching, itching back and then paused. Is something from the ground stuck to me?

Oh. Nope.

Smooth, wriggling appendages - almost like tentacles but they lacked any distinct suckers or protrusions. They were on his back - not stuck, but literally emerging from his spine. As he felt at them, they rolled their tips against his questing fingers, nuzzling at his hands like cherished pets. Head swimming, he swallowed heavily and moved his fingers up higher until they touched something soft and leathery. Breaking out into hysterical laughter, Luo Binghe traced the tips of his fingers along the underside of the sets of wings that had sprouted from near his shoulder blades.

Dropping his hands to his sides, he took several deep, calming breaths. Ok. Well that’s fine I guess. He took another fortifying breath. I should get this over with then.

He looked down at his chest and the ragged hole in his shirt, eyes locking on the spot above his heart where Shen Yuan pierced him with his sword. Hand trembling, he swiped his fingers through the still slowly oozing blood leaking from the wound.

So this isn’t a nightmare. He looked at his surroundings again, the colors blending and twisting, the ground looking like it was shifting towards the horizon, tilting up and down on its axis. Laughter started to bubble up again from his chest, panicked and tinged with fear, as he ran his (Normal! Human!) hands over the rest of his body, checking for other wounds. At least the bullet holes are gone.

His laughter devolved into huge, wracking sobs, tears drying on his face as soon as they exited his eyes, immediately absorbed by the harsh environment. He could feel the edges of his vision growing dark, the recent events in his life - because he had no idea how long it had been since he fell - finally catching up with him.

You know what. I can’t deal with whatever this is right now.

Luo Binghe then promptly passed back out.

He was back in Shuang Hu City. The Skinner Demon was dead. In a moment of panic, and while the Skinner Demon was preoccupied trying to flay Shen Yuan’s skin from his body, Luo Binghe had wriggled out of the poorly tied Immortal Binding Cables, freeing his hands from behind his back and then sliding the cables off his body. Once freed, he flicked a well-aimed talisman at one of the ceiling beams.

Seconds later, it came crashing down on top of the Skinner Demon’s body with a sickening wet crunch. The wickedly sharp spiritual knife it had been holding skittered across the floor with a series of metallic clinks.

Before the demon’s body had stopped twitching, Luo Binghe was already dashing across the room towards Shen Yuan. He was lying on the floor, eyes open but unfocused, skin pale, blood sluggishly running down his torso, chest not moving. Pale. Chest not moving.

Alarm bells began to ring in Luo Binghe’s head as he crashed to his knees, mind racing as his thoughts jumbled together into a terrified mantra. No no no not him no no. Memories began to run through his head rapid fire. Shen Yuan standing next to him after he entered the Sect to receive basic cultivator training, before Luo Binghe even knew his name and just thought he was nice to look at. Shen Yuan shielding him from Shen Jiu’s foul moods and ensuring Luo Binghe had the proper materials for class. Shen Yuan smiling at him, laughing in the sunlight as they sat in the grass, pretending to study but really just talking while he ran his hands through Binghe’s long, fluffy hair, head cradled in his lap. Shen Yuan grasping Luo Binghe in a tight hug when they both found out they had been accepted into the Sect as permanent members and that they would both be doing field work.

We can go on night hunts together, Binghe! Won’t that be fun?

At the time, Luo Binghe’s heart thumped in his chest as his mind seized on that pronouncement with greedy hands, tucking it away with every other touch and word Shen Yuan had given him, banking them like currency that could be used on a rainy day.

Shen Yuan, moments ago, screaming as the horribly sharp iridescent blade sliced through his flesh, leaving in its wake a widening red strip from just above his collarbone to just below his navel.

Shen Yuan, bleeding out on the floor, face pale, chest not moving.

Crouching down and pulling him into his arms, Luo Binghe seized Shen Yuan’s limp wrist and pressed his fingers to the pulse point there, a wave of relief crashing over him as he felt the faint, hummingbird thrum of Shen Yuan’s pulse. Willing his own racing heart to calm, he began feeding qi into Shen Yuan’s meridians. Slowly at first, but then more quickly, more frantically as he felt it draining out of Shen Yuan’s still body just as quickly as he pushed it in.

The chest wound.

Panic gripping him tight, Luo Binghe tried to quell his racing thoughts, attention fixed on the man in his arms instead of his mounting anxiety. He began to run through any bits of information from the basic first aid classes all permanent members of the Sect were required to attend.

Mu Qingfang was standing in front of the room, a sigh sitting poised on his lips. In lieu of letting it escape, he tiredly said, “Yes, yes, I know it may feel uncomfortable but it could be the difference between someone’s life and their death. Dual cultivation in general has excellent benefits,” he paused to let the snickering die down, “but, in a pinch, it will stabilize someone’s meridians for long enough so more help can arrive.”

Dual cultivation.

Mu Qingfang had then continued on to inform them that the most efficient way to dual cultivate involved interc…Was something not available to Luo Binghe right now. The next best method involved creating a sealed pathway via other means.

Before he could dwell any further on it, Luo Binghe bent down and fixed his mouth over Shen Yuan’s cold, slack lips. He concentrated on his Core, and began to literally feed his qi into Shen Yuan. Pulse pounding in his head, Luo Binghe forced the circulation of his qi through Shen Yuan's meridians. As he did so, he felt something tight and insistent pulling within him. It was tugging at his Core - an unfamiliar type of energy fighting to work its way out so it could be sent forth.

It felt different - sharp, disorganize, heated - not like the gentle molten warmth he usually felt when he circulated his spiritual energy. It felt like jumping into a freezing lake and having his breath ripped out his body just before it stabilized, allowing him to surface and suck in a lungful of air.

The tugging at his Core loosened and the feeling started to coalesce around it and within it. It shifted and cycled, condensing into a storm front moving forward, tossing things out of the way with wind and rain but still marching inexorably in the direction it wished to travel.

Luo Binghe seized on this feeling, on the chaotic energy. He pushed, sending a pulse of it racing into Shen Yuan’s meridians. He wasn’t quite sure how long he kept this up - realistically, he knew it couldn’t have been for more than a minute or two - passing Shen Yuan energy, lips pressed to his mouth. Then he felt it - a faint puff of air from Shen Yuan’s nostrils, tickling at his skin.

In his scattered and exhausted mental state, Luo Binghe thought he heard the sound of a dry, sardonic laugh echoing from very far away as he continued to pass his energy into Shen Yuan’s meridians. He ended up barely thinking about the laughter as immediately after he thought he heard it, he was greeted with the feeling of Shen Yuan trying to suck air into his lungs.

Pulling away, he waited and watched intently as Shen Yuan took a shallow breath. Let it out. Then another breath, deeper. Let it out. And then a third breath, almost normal. Let it out.

The rhythm repeated, solid and steady, as Luo Binghe leaned back, hands shaking and sweat beading on this brow as he focused on the two energies now twining and flowing through his own meridians - the newly freed chaotic energy and his regular spiritual energy melding and twirling together until they were enmeshed. All the while he watched Shen Yuan’s face. The drumbeat thump in his chest quieted when Shen Yuan’s eyelashes fluttered open.

“Binghe…?”

Pulling him to his chest in a gentle hug, Luo Binghe rubbed his face into his hair and whispered, “I’m here.”

“Mmm, I can see that.” A pause. “Were you…kissing me…?”

Luo Binghe froze, mind reaching for an explanation.

Shen Yuan chuckled. “I must be dreaming.” His eyes slid shut again. “It was…nice though. Can you do it again…Just for a little while? Maybe until I wake up…?”

Rather than respond with words, Luo Binghe shifted Shen Yuan and leaned down to press mouth over Shen Yuan’s again, keeping the kiss chaste. Warmth bloomed in Luo Binghe’s chest as he gently moved his mouth over Shen Yua’s dry, warm lips. The sensation of the delicate touch burned away the remainder of the shaky panic that had gripped him when he first saw Shen Yuan lying on the floor, chest not moving.

Moments later, Shen Jiu, Liu Qingge, and Yue Qingyuan came crashing through the door, weapons drawn in anticipation of facing down a threat that was already dead.

The situation devolved from there, ending with Shen Yuan passing out shortly thereafter and falling into a coma for a month.

Luo Binghe recalled the warm smile on Shen Yuan’s face when he went to visit him shortly after he awoke. He also remembered holding Shen Yuan’s hand and sending a gentle pulse of qi into him. A cold tendril of fear gripped him at the feeling of something foreign lurking in Shen Yuan’s meridians - something nearly imperceptible - but also something that hadn’t been there before he saved Shen Yuan from death. Hidden underneath the bright veneer of Shen Yuan’s unique spiritual signature, it was something that was now intimately familiar to Luo Binghe

It was the chaos energy he had shared with Shen Yuan. It hadn’t cleared nor had it been refined. It had marked him. It was odd though, it seemed to be hiding - waiting for someone to pull at it so it could be revealed. When Shen Yuan asked Luo Binghe if everything was alright after he had been holding his wrist for a bit too long, Luo Binghe shook his head and replied he was just relieved Shen Yuan was awake.

Shen Yuan had smiled at him again and then asked him to sit with him and talk until he grew tired and needed to rest.

Now though, Luo Binghe knew what that strange energy was - he had asked Meng Mo about it shortly after Shen Yuan woke up. It was demonic qi. Demonic qi that he had somehow passed to Shen Yuan, which had taken up residence in him, riding through his meridians and tainting them.

Just like with Meng Mo, Luo Binghe never told anyone in the Sect about it - including Shen Yuan. He was terrified of what it would entail for himself. Of what it would entail for Shen Yuan.

It served as a reminder to Luo Binghe of what almost happened to Shen Yuan and that Luo Binghe had saved him, that he had given him a piece of himself.

It was also a stark reminder to Luo Binghe of what he was and what else he needed to keep hidden.

As the memory faded away and his mind reached back towards consciousness, he had fleeting thoughts about his partial demon heritage, wondering faintly if it even mattered in the long run as he was never going to see Shen Yuan again anyway.

Chapter Text

When he opened his eyes again, Luo Binghe still didn’t feel quite like himself. More accurately his body didn’t feel quite like itself - it felt simultaneously too big and too small, while also feeling too hot and too cold. Regardless, he determined that sitting around and staring at the foreign landscape that made his head swim wasn’t going to make his situation any better. So, lacking any other options, he did what seemed best.

He walked.

Luo Binghe soon discovered that the light source (A star? Another planet? He wasn’t quite sure because when he looked directly at it, regardless of where it occupied the sky, the brightness it threw off was so great that it would burn his eyes, forcing him to look away again) in this world was not one that ever disappeared fully. Rather than setting and rising, it moved across the sky, shifting from north to south, east to west (or at least what approximated to what he thought were the cardinal directions), ping ponging back and forth at a pendulous pace. It would dim as it reached the shifting horizons before moving back towards its zenith, where it would be even more searingly bright.

He also found that time didn’t act how he generally expected it to. When he was sucked into the rift, Luo Binghe had his phone and his watch on him. When he checked the phone shortly after he began to walk, it was still frozen on the display it had on its screen when he was pulled into the rift. The lock screen displayed a single, unread text notification:

A-Yuan: God, can you believe Qinghua? Everything has to be a dick jo…”

When Luo Binghe first read the message, he smiled as he recalled receiving it when he was sitting next to Shen Yuan in the back of the car on the way to Jue Di Gorge. The second time he read it, he felt unbidden molten tears run down his face and chin, burning his skin like fire before splashing to the ground and hitting it with a sizzling hiss.

His watch wasn’t in much better shape. Digital in nature, it didn’t have a time displayed on it anymore. Instead, shifting scattered static decorated its face. He kept it on at first, a sense of familiar comfort wrapped around his wrist. It became less comforting when his limbs and joints occasionally shifted and popped without warning. Whenever that happened, he could feel the watch band melding and bending to the shape his body was taking. He started to find the feeling the band digging into his sinewy tissue unnerving. He eventually removed the watch.

Even without his devices, Luo Binghe knew time wasn’t doing what it should. That didn’t matter much though. He didn’t have anywhere to be anyway.

He walked.

The landscape changed. It went from the dusty, silica coated, ochre colored landscape to a forest of dark, gnarled, twisted trees, undulating as he passed them. Luo Binghe was relatively certain trees didn’t actively respirate (or bleed for that matter), but he also wasn’t quite certain he was seeing things clearly.

The forest had been dark and quiet. It had been almost peaceful.

The peace was broken, however, when he brushed too close to one of the trees and accidently tore off some of its bark. A harsh cry erupted from the tree and the peace turned into chaos as the surrounding trees whipped their branches around to strike and tear at Luo Binghe’s skin. It had hurt but the attack also hadn’t done much more than cause lacerations that healed almost as quickly as they formed.

He continued walking.

He came across massive bodies of liquid. Certainly not water but, similar enough. Sometimes they churned, sometimes they were still still, and sometimes inhuman noises erupted from their depths.

Just once, Luo Binghe approached the banks of one of the bodies of water, thinking he could rest next to it or maybe even drink from it. He was proven wrong quite quickly when he neared the edge of the water and was greeted by a long, sharp, multi jointed limb shooting out from the murky depths straight towards him. The spindly, reaching digits at the end of the limb sank into the flesh of his leg like a vice. It pulled hard and nearly took off his entire leg, before Luo Binghe had enough sense to strike at it with his own multi-clawed hand, hacking away at the hold it had on him. The creature eventually let go, the limb retracting just as quickly as it shot out back into the hazy pool. Luo Binghe emerged from the encounter with a significant chunk missing from his thigh but otherwise mostly intact, albeit slightly bruised.

He noticed some time later, after he came upon an area of sepia grassland, that his injuries had disappeared and that the chunk had regenerated, skin and muscle having been replaced as though they were never missing.

The walking was odd.

Luo Binghe knew he had been moving for some significant amount of time - probably more than a few days, possibly less than a month - but without sunset and sunrise to tell him when a day ended and a new one dawned, things started to blur together. Occasionally, he would doze. Again, he was uncertain for how long - perhaps a few minutes, maybe a few hours. His rest was always fitful and sometimes he would end up in the Dreamscape, alone, no sign of Meng Mo. I wonder where he went

He called to him, the first time he dreamed. He was back in the small, dingy apartment he shared with his mother before she died. He called out to Meng Mo and was greeted with a quiet sigh. He called again and, as the apartment was swallowed with fog, he thought heard the Elder Dream Demon’s familiar voice saying, You're on your own now.

The Dreamscape didn’t offer the reprieve it had before he fell. It didn’t offer any reprieve, in fact. After that first dream in the old apartment, Luo Binghe’s dreams became dominated by copies of where he was in his waking hours, but tilted in the wrong direction.

Luo Binghe eventually decided that sleep wasn’t something he needed to truly indulge in anymore.

He also found he was never completely alone per se. The Abyss had other living occupants but when Luo Binghe drew near them, they either ignored him or froze in place, seemingly watching him (at least as far as he could tell - not all of them appeared to have readily discernible eyes). Once, mostly just to see what would happen, he approached one of the frozen figures. It towered above him, its orange and grey mottled hide glinting dully in the light streaming through the canopy of the forest he had been wandering through. It continued to stare down at him with wide, luminous eyes, still unmoving even as Luo Binghe approached. Curiosity getting the better of him, Luo Binghe reached out a tentative hand to touch, pressing his fingers gently to one of its many legs.

One moment, the creature was there, rough hide solid under Luo Binghe’s fingers. Though the texture was odd, a warm pulse of comfort ran through him at the prospect of not being fully alone, even if he couldn't communicate with the creature.

In the next moment, a violent pulse of chaotic energy erupted from Luo Binghe’s palm. The creature was gone. Luo Binghe’s hand was still suspended in the air and before him sat a pile of ash.

He blinked down at his hand as the last thrum of his qi quieted in his meridians. I…why did I destroy it? It was just standing there? It took him some moments to realize that his use of energy had occurred without much, if any, input from himself.

He continued to see other beings in his travels. They all fled before him.

He didn’t know when he last had food or water - truly though, he hadn’t found himself hungry or thirsty in what he assumed was a long time. Perhaps he last felt the pang of hunger or the need to drink when he had awoken in the Abyss. Perhaps not.

Rather than hunger, he found himself empty yet still full of a deep seated sense of longing. For what, he wasn’t quite sure. When the longing became too great, he would feel consumed by a yearning so strong that his limbs would jitter with it as his skin grew tight and split around him, chaotic energy howling out of his every pore, shrieking to be released. He wanted something - would try to call out to it but instead of words, all that would escape his jaws was a plaintive, pained cry. He would swing his head around, thinking he heard whispers of a familiar voice nearby, thinking he had caught a familiar, comforting form in the corner of his vision. Instead, he would be met with nothing save the surrounding scenery.

Luo Binghe found that running down the other beings in the Abyss, stalking them, chasing them, and then annihilating them helped the feeling dissipate. The brief flash of fulfillment these actions brought him temporarily knocked his thoughts back on track. When he could think again, however, he found his emotions in disarray as he tried to understand why the destruction felt so good.

One thing he understood without question, however, was his compulsion to continue his endless trek.

His body had long ago stopped feeling familiar. Now, it merely housed his consciousness, pulling him with it towards something that sometimes sang, sometimes cried out, sometimes cooed, as he moved through the shifting landscapes. When he looked down at his form, his eyes - all of them - took in the foreign planes of his limbs, the length of his torso, the features that were both new and familiar. As he stalked through the Abyss, he would stare down at himself, watching how the body housing him moved.

And while he no longer slept - or stopped moving, for that matter - he found that he would sometimes just fade away for a while, mind going blank and consciousness sliding away, the familiar feelings of longing and yearning twisting in the empty confines of his chest lulling him into darkness.

Chapter Text

He was drifting. It felt nice. Peaceful. The darkness wrapped around him like a heavy blanket, lulling him further into its depths as the tides of whatever unseen body of water he was floating on pushed him towards something. Something safe - something comforting.

He began to register sounds - a steady heartbeat, gentle breathing, intermittent humming. It was…comforting. Familiar. He moved towards the sounds, swimming forward, until his feet reached solid ground - Floor boards, his muddled brain helpfully supplied. He flexed his toes - all ten of them - and shook out his hands and arms as he surveyed his surroundings. He was in a room and before him stood a door, wan sunlight seeping in around its edges. He cautiously cracked it open so he could peek through the gap to look outside.

Luo Binghe’s heart paused at the sight that greeted him. On the ground, across a small stretch of land and water, sat Shen Yuan, eyes tightly shut but facing towards him. Luo Binghe stood in the doorway staring at him, drinking in his features, the gaping hole of longing inside him diminishing the longer he stared. Luo Binghe opened the door fully and stepped out. He rushed over to the edge of the water. He leapt over it and landed softly on the other side.

“A-Yuan…?” His voice felt rusty, flakes of material chipping away from his vocal chords as he cleared his throat and tried again. “A-Yuan is that you?”

Shen Yuan’s eyes flew open as he shot to his feet, expression raw and searching. Mouth working around inaudible syllables, he finally managed to desperately whisper, “Binghe?”

Tripping over his own feet, Luo Binghe threw himself at Shen Yuan, pulling him into his chest and wrapping him in a tight, bone-crushing hug. “IT’S YOU! IT’S YOU!!” Tears flowed freely down his cheeks, tracking to his chin and falling, only to land on the soft cotton of Shen Yuan’s t-shirt. “It’s you,” he mumbled into his shoulder. Pulling away, he stared at him, vision still blurry. “But…But how?”

Eyes dazed, Shen Yuan shook his head slowly and replied, “I fell asleep and then I was here.” He paused, tilting his head to the side to regard Luo Binghe curiously. “Actually, I’ve been here before. Several times, in fact. I’ve always thought about you - in my dreams, that is - but you’ve never showed up until now. But um…” He reached out and placed his hand on Luo Binghe’s chest, right above his heart. Luo Binghe suppressed a shudder, skin burning under his palm. “Is it really you?”

Luo Binghe’s mind whirred as Shen Yuan’s words sunk in. Several times?? I don't think I've been sleeping but…Several times? Tossing the thought away, he wrapped Shen Yuan up in another tight hug. “Yes. It’s really me. I’ve missed you.”

Chuckling wetly, Shen Yuan leaned into his embrace and patted his back. “I’ve missed you, too.” Shen Yuan squeezed Luo Binghe tighter. “I have so much to tell you.”

Reluctantly pulling away, Luo Binghe sat down. Shen Yuan immediately followed and pressed himself against Luo Binghe’s side. He cast Luo Binghe a side-eyed look and began to fidget, a nervous habit that Shen Yuan fell into when anxiety took hold. Reaching out, Luo Binghe gently took hold of his hand and pulled it to rest on his thigh, quelling its movement, just as he had done in the past. He already knew the answer to the question he was about to ask but…

”A-Yuan, what’s wrong?”

“It’s just…” Releasing a wet sigh, Shen Yuan turned to face him, eyes shining with unshed tears. “I just thought I wouldn’t ever see you again and now you’re here and I…” He wiped at his face before he continued, “I didn’t know what I was waiting for but I knew it had to be something important which is why I think I kept dreaming about this place and I just. I’m…” The tears finally spilled over. His voice broke on his words, “I’m just so sorry, Binghe. I’m sorry.”

Luo Binghe patted his hand and bumped him with his shoulder. “It’s ok. We’re both here now, right?” Shen Yuan nodded with a huge, wet sniffle. Smoothing his palm over Shen Yuan’s hand and lacing their fingers together, Luo Binghe shot him his sunniest grin. “Now, since we’re both here, let's make the most of it, hm? Remember how we used to sit in the commons and just talk? Why don’t we do that?” Shen Yuan nodded again, a small smile creeping across his face. Luo Binghe squeezed his hand in response. “Tell me, what have you been up to? How have you been? Tell me everything I’ve missed.”

Pulling in a shuddering breath, Shen Yuan let it out and then began to speak quietly, narrating to Luo Binghe all the things that had happened in the several months since he had gone missing.

Luo Binghe was torn out of the dream with so much violence that he had a disorienting moment where he thought he had entered another dream - or at least, a hellish nightmare. Body aching and head swimming, he ran the encounter with Shen Yuan through his mind as the landscape passed underneath of him.

Where is he? Why wasn’t Meng Mo there? Why wasn't it like any of the other times he had seen Shen Yuan in the Dreamscape?

Luo Binghe could feel him. Could touch him.

He wanted more.

The thoughts sank to the depths of his consciousness and Luo Binghe continued moving forward.

After that, whenever his mind would permit him to fade away from the driving need to be aware of his surroundings, he would see Shen Yuan in the Dreamscape. The anticipation for these brief respites would encourage Luo Binghe to continue onward when he had brief flashes of cognizance, feeling momentarily like he was still fully in control of himself. He didn’t know how long these “dreams” would last - maybe minutes, hours at most - but he didn’t care. He was greedy for them and would hoard them like a dragon with gold coins, saving them and replaying them in his mind - at least when he experienced enough fleeting clarity in his thoughts to do so - as he marched forward.

They would talk as though they hadn’t been apart. Or at least, Shen Yuan would and Luo Binghe would sit, listening raptly. He would expound on the happenings in the Sect, what he was reading or watching (and editorializing the plot points for Luo Binghe), and what he did during the rest of his free time to keep himself occupied. Almost without fail, however, their encounters devolved into Shen Yuan whispering quiet words of apology and regret. These last parts of their conversations were simultaneously Luo Binghe’s least and most favorite - it hurt to hear Shen Yuan choke around the words, mental self-flagellation evident and guilt leaking out of him in the tears on his face. But it opened up avenues for Luo Binghe - it allowed him the opportunity to fall back into the casual intimacy they had before he fell, easy touches on shoulders, resting his head on Shen Yuan’s lap, brushing his fingers on his hands, and wiping his tears off his cheeks.

It was funny - in the Dreamscape, when Luo Binghe touched Shen Yuan, he didn’t fidget or stiffen or make excuses like he had before Luo Binghe fell. Instead, he would quietly wrap his hand around Luo Binghe’s shoulder or weave their fingers together or lean against him. Sometimes, Binghe would hear Shen Yuan mumble to himself, “It’s ok, this is just a dream.”

Binghe never said anything in response. He was afraid if he did he would never see Shen Yuan again and somehow that was worse than lying by omission.

Shen Yuan had been talking to Luo Binghe about a recent night hunt - something involving Shang Qinghua, a garden rake, and a vengeful ghost. Luo Binghe sat enraptured, laughing quietly and looking at Shen Yuan, enjoying the manufactured suspense of the story.

With a flourish, Shen Yuan waved his hands in front of Luo Binghe’s face before letting them fall to his sides. “And then he fell in the mud. Turns out the ghost wasn’t actually a ghost. It was a vengeful radish patch.”

Leaning back on his hands and sinking his fingers further into the mossy ground, Luo Binghe smiled as he watched Shen Yuan laugh at the memory. Once his laughter died down, Shen Yuan lapsed into silence, a thoughtful look on his face. After several moments of quiet, he turned to Luo Binghe with an intense expression on his face. “Binghe, do you remember the Skinner Demon?”

Cheeks heating at the memory, Luo Binghe shook his head tightly, shifting. “Uh huh. Yup. Definitely remember it.”

The edges of Shen Yuan’s lips tipped up into a shy smile. “Would you be opposed to maybe um, exploring what we did again? The um…dual cultivation?” His eyes danced away from Luo Binghe’s face, looking askance into the dark trees. “I’ve just been thinking about it and since we’re here and it doesn’t matter anymore anyway, well…why not, right? Even if it’s only a dream, it’s ok right?”

Something poked at the back of Luo Binghe’s mind, nudging him to think. But it does matter. But you also desperately want this. But it's not just a dream…Is it? Outwardly, he nodded.

Smile widening, Shen Yuan leaned towards him, whispering, “Oh good, I was hoping you would agree.”

The soft, dry press of Shen Yuan’s mouth against his quieted his racing thoughts and then wiped his mind completely blank for several glorious seconds. Luo Binghe’s sense of his surroundings swam back to the forefront as Shen Yuan pressed gently against his chest, pushing him onto his back on the soft, springy moss. It wasn’t long before Shen Yuan was sitting astride his hips, tongue halfway down Luo Binghe’s throat as his hands carded through his hair, fingers catching on the curls. For his part, Luo Binghe was doing his level best to touch every part of Shen Yuan available as he tried to memorize the sensations assaulting him.

Sliding one hand under the back of Shen Yuan’s shirt to stroke at the skin of his lower back, Luo Binghe placed his other hand on Shen Yuan’s nape, holding him in place as he bit down on Shen Yuan’s lower lip. Tugging on it slightly elicited a sound so delightful that Luo Binghe did it again and again until Shen Yuan began to pant and squirm on top of him. Gasping, Luo Binghe froze as Shen Yuan continued grinding his hip against Luo Binghe's very interested cock. In the spirit of helping, and spurred on by his own need, Luo Binghe grabbed hold of Shen Yuan’s waist and pulled him down while thrusting his hips upward to provide more friction. They continued like this, Shen Yuan huffing out breathy moans while Luo Binghe kept an iron grip on Shen Yuan’s waist, setting a steady rhythm. Finally, Shen Yuan dragged himself across Luo Binghe one last time and froze, moaning lowly as he came in his pants.

Pulling away, Shen Yuan looked down at Luo Binghe with a dazed expression on his face. He was beautiful with his mussed hair, hazy eyes, and half rucked up shirt. Tensing his core, Luo Binghe managed to stop himself from coming untouched in his pants.

Before he could sit up, Shen Yuan popped the button on Luo Binghe’s pants open, tugged his zipper down, and set about removing them like he had been specially assigned to do so. “A-Yuan you don’t-UGH!” Luo Binghe’s words were cut off when Shen Yuan sealed his mouth around his cock and took it as far into his mouth as possible.

Luo Binghe clutched at Shen Yuan’s shoulders as he set a frenzied bobbing cadence. He went soaring for several glorious moments and then crashed back to earth as his orgasm slammed into him like a bomb detonating, relief flowing through him as his Core pulsed and qi flooded his meridians. He held Shen Yuan in place as he continued to come down his throat, groaning through gritted teeth.

When Shen Yuan finally pulled off, sputtering and coughing, eyes watery and face red, he shot Luo Binghe a satisfied grin. After catching his breath, he bent over and pressed his lips to Luo Binghe’s mouth, breaking away to whisper, “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”

Luo Binghe smiled drunkenly up at him. “Me too.”

And then, consciousness stole him away from A-Yuan, hurtling him back to his reality.

He kept meeting Shen Yuan in the Dreamscape. He would fade out and appear in the house on the little island and then he would emerge to see Shen Yuan, sitting and waiting. He never questioned it, but did often wonder exactly whose dream they were inhabiting - was Luo Binghe constructing these dreams as a temporary escape from the Abyss or was Shen Yuan creating them and Luo Binghe was finding his way there, like a lost ship seeking out a beacon? He suspected it was the latter, not only because the setup was always the same, but because of some of the things Shen Yuan had said before.

It’s just a dream. It doesn’t matter. I’m glad I can at least still see you like this, Binghe, even if you’re gone.

Luo Binghe wanted to shake Shen Yuan and tell him he wasn’t gone, that for him these dreams were his reality, that he needed him, that he missed him, that he was the only thing still sustaining the conscious part of his mind.

He never did. The risk was too great.

In the Dreamscape, Luo Binghe and Shen Yuan talked, which was nice. They also touched, which was even better. And, a few times when they were touching, Luo Binghe would feel that familiar chaotic qi burst forth from his body, driving him so high that when he fell back to earth, his body would be twitching with the force of it while next to him, or on top of him, or under him, Shen Yuan would be staring at him in a daze, body thrumming with that same energy from their dual cultivation.

Shen Yuan had brought it up once.

“Binghe, did you ever dual cultivate with anyone before you…Um. Before?”

Luo Binghe rolled onto his side and looked at Shen Yuan, noting the slight blush on his cheeks. “Besides you?” Shen Yuan’s eyes widened but before he could speak Luo Binghe quickly added, “I mean uh, besides that time when I helped you after the Skinner Demon, obviously.”

“Oh.” Scratching at his nose, Shen Yuan looked up at the grey canopy. “Yeah obviously.”

“Mmm no. There's been no one else.”

Shen Yuan poked at his chest, a sly smile on his face. “You know, hearing that makes me happy.” He flopped back on the ground with a deep exhale. “You were always so handsome and I was so worried that I just…” He laughed and said with a tone of self-deprecation, “Well, I just figured you had and it made me so jealous and sad. And I didn’t know why but now…” Chuckling again, he let his eyes slide shut. “Now I guess it’s fine, right? I was just so silly about it. I should have just said something to you - I wish I had, actually - but I was too scared.” His voice dropped low enough that Luo Binghe had to strain to hear the whispered, “And maybe a little bit in denial, too.”

Nudging him with his elbow, Luo Binghe murmured, “I was silly too, then.” Shen Yuan turned to look at him, eyebrows furrowed. “I was afraid I would scare you.”

Shen Yuan laughed again, a brighter sound. “Never! You could never scare me Binghe.” He leaned over to kiss him on the cheek, whispering, “Never.”

He didn’t ask about the fear he had seen on Shen Yuan’s face when he fell into the Abyss, mind instead latching onto that single word.

Nevernevernevernever.

The word repeated in his head the next time he dragged his legs and feet along the sucking, soft ground towards a shattered horizon.

Shen Yuan shot to his feet and set upon him with such ferocity as soon as Luo Binghe’s feet alighted on the ground before him that Luo Binghe barely had any time to reciprocate his frantic touches. He was able to at least break his fall backwards as Shen Yuan practically tackled him to the ground. He lay there moaning as Shen Yuan divested him of his pants and quickly worked him up to taking three of his fingers. After an agonizing amount of teasing and messy, open-mouth kisses that left Luo Binghe panting and near tears, Shen Yuan finally sank into him. After bottoming out, he pulled out and then set a pace so punishing Luo Binghe found himself unable to suck in enough oxygen to keep his mind lucid.

As Shen Yuan came inside of him, spiritual energy flooded Luo Binghe's body. It twined with the other energy in him as it ran through his meridians and right into his very being. The feeling made something deep and greedy sing within Luo Binghe - yesyesyesmineminemine. That litany ran through his thoughts as Shen Yuan’s hand pulled on his aching cock, driving

Luo Binghe to an orgasm so ferocious that it hurled him out of the Dreamscape like a bullet from a gun.

The soul shaking discomfort he experienced when his consciousness slammed back into his body as it was swimming through molten, brackish water was so great that if Luo Binghe could have cried from his many eyes, he would have. His body ached - not just from his joints cracking and shifting, but from the keen sense of loss he felt in his chest at being torn away from what was rightfully his. He wanted me. His dreams are about me. He’s mine. His body shifted around him, limbs sprouting into existence as he ruminated on his A-Yuan and how he needed him, how he would never be afraid of him, how he had pushed him into the Abyss but then brought him into his dreams.

If he’s there, I can keep going.

Each return to his reality became more jarring, the moments of cognitive dissonance throwing his mind into further disarray. The difference between the Abyss and the Dreamscape was so jarring that he would come back to himself without any knowledge of the contours of his body or sense of self. It became harder each time to connect who he was with what he was until he felt so utterly detached from whatever his corporeal form was doing that he would simply dissociate until he once again fell back to whatever uneasy unconsciousness would take him to Shen Yuan. It felt like each time he left the little clearing he would leave fragments of himself there, waiting for him to return.

The time they spent together started to feel shorter, their meetings becoming more frenzied. They were characterized with less talking and more doing. The pieces of Binghe that remained behind and pulled themselves together into a hazy shape sang with it. Those same pieces would meld together inside the cottage, eyes peeking out at Shen Yuan as he waited, pulling themselves into a semblance of a shape that felt familiar to Binghe. He found that the times his body felt the most like his own were when he was pressed against Shen Yuan as he wept and thrashed and screamed or as he held Shen Yuan down and showered his face with soft kisses.

Afterwards, every time, Shen Yuan would lay next to him in the moss wiping away his tears as he pressed gentle kisses all over his face, repeating, “I love you, I miss you, I love you, please don’t cry.”

The soft words and gentle touches would stop the tears but it didn’t stop the yawning emptiness and vast distance Binghe would feel between who he was in the Dreamscape and what he had become in the Abyss.

“Binghe?”

“Mmm?”

“What’s it like?”

Luo Binghe turned his head, taking in Shen Yuan's profile. He ran his gaze over his gently shut eyes, the long eyelashes brushing his skin, his parted lips, and the slight blush from exertion still high on his cheeks. “What’s what like?”

Shen Yuan opened his eyes and turned to look back at him. “Being gone.”

His heart thumped hard in his chest as he pulled in a long, shuddering breath. He tried to gather the proper words. Terrifying, lonely, isolating, horrible. “It’s strange.”

“Hnn?”

Turning his face back up towards the dingy sky, Luo Binghe reached out and laced his fingers through Shen Yuan's. “I feel like I’ve lost who I am and that I’m just moving aimlessly.” Something in the back of his throat kept him from describing the terror of moving through the Abyss, the ripping of his skin and joints, and pendulous motion of his steps. “But I also feel like I have to keep going forward.”

Humming again, Shen Yuan scooted over and laid his head on his shoulder. “I’m sure someday you’ll be able to rest.” He sighed. It was a small, sad noise. “Even if it means I won’t ever see you again.”

Luo Binghe tensed. Wait, what? You’re leaving? Where…?! “Why wouldn’t you see…?”

Something snapped. Air rushed around him as the horrible sensation of freefall gripped him. And then, from very far away, he could see himself, moving in the other direction, untethered, face stuck in a rictus of pain and grief.

He woke up, an inhuman noise cracking out around him. He realized it was coming from his jaws. It erupted from his body with such force that it shattered the planes around him.

Chapter 9

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Shen Yuan could always tell when Luo Binghe was about to show up - he had been having the same dream for so long that he had quickly picked up the patterns signaling his appearance. First, he would have the distinct feeling of being watched by someone unseen - similar to those dreams just after the Skinner Demon night hunt but more obvious. Next, the door would creak outward and then the air would shimmer with heat and Shen Yuan would have to scrunch his eyes shut against the sudden onslaught. Finally, when the heat in the air dissipated, he would open his eyes and Binghe would be there in front of him, bright and beautiful and seemingly alive. Shen Yuan knew it was his subconscious tricking him but he didn’t care - Luo Binghe looked and felt so real in his dreams that Shen Yuan clung to the moments he could have here.

Something had changed though. The last few times Binghe appeared he hadn’t seemed quite so bright. Instead, he looked tired, worn down, his edges blurring like an inkspot smudged on a piece of paper. When he moved, his body would shift in and out of focus like a hologram, leaving multiple images in its wake. It was jarring.

Once, Luo Binghe emerged from the cottage, shadows writhing around the contours of his body as Shen Yuan’s eyes struggled to adjust to what they were seeing. Too many limbs, not enough skin, so many eyes, teeth, teeth, why were there so many teeth?! His edges flickered and sputtered until finally Binghe’s shape settled into the familiar - still fuzzing but at least solid.

Shen Yuan figured that his mind was finally starting to force him to come to terms with the fact that something terrible had happened to Luo Binghe just before he fell into the Abyss. What Shen Yuan was seeing now in his dreams - Luo Binghe’s body, wrapped in shadow, phasing away and then back into focus, red demon mark spreading down his face casting a faint glow outward, limbs shifting and twisting in ways that were difficult to comprehend - was what Shen Yuan had seen so many years ago at Jue Di Gorge.

Back then, Shen Yuan had been terrified.

He had killed Luo Binghe and now he was being forced to face what had prompted his actions, involuntary though they were.

But in his dreams it was different. After days, weeks, months, years of seeing his dead friend (Lover? something asked softly in the back of his mind. Maybe if he were still alive, he responded quietly to his own question) in his dreams, he knew what he was seeing was a product of his grief and guilt and longing. So what if Luo Binghe looked older - Shen Yuan’s mind was trying to fill in the blanks of what Binghe would have looked like had Shen Yuan not killed him. And so what if his edges weren't so sharp or if he sometimes snapped out of Shen Yuan's dreams without so much as a farewell. It was still what he could get and Shen Yuan wasn’t going to let that go unless he was forced.

So when Luo Binghe started to show up changed, shifting and writhing and cloaked in shadow before his body settled into place, the Shen Yuan from years past asked him in his memories, Isn’t he terrifying? The Shen Yuan of now firmly disagreed with those prodding thoughts.

No, he’s not.

No, Luo Binghe wasn’t terrifying - even if he didn’t look like Luo Binghe. This Luo Binghe in his dreams - regardless of the hazy smudges of his form and the thrashing forms he cycled through sometimes - was the same one he knew before the Abyss. The same one he talked to and touched and loved - both in his dreams and out. These strange, shifting, flickering versions of Luo Binghe were just as real as Luo Binghe’s blood had been on Xiu Ya after Shen Yuan pulled his sword free from Binghe’s chest.

And rather than being terrified, Shen Yuan anticipated Luo Binghe’s appearance. He waited and watched and hoped for any version of Luo Binghe that emerged from the cottage, ecstatic to still have this piece of Binghe in his dreams.

Several minutes had already passed. Pulse racing, Shen Yuan sat still, waiting for the usual course of events to unfold. He had felt Luo Binghe come to the cottage so why hadn’t he emerged yet? He waited several more minutes. Frowning, Shen Yuan stood up and paced over to the water, peering at the cottage with mounting concern.

A flash of motion through the cracked doorway caught his eye, there and gone in the blink of an eye.

“Binghe? Are you inside?”

If he really isn’t there, it’ll be ok. I’ll just wake up and wait until next time.

Silence.

Focus trained on the door, Shen Yuan knew he saw something moving slowly a few seconds later, the motion distorting the light just so. A shimmer flashed by the door and Shen Yuan realized he was being observed.

Huffing a laugh, Shen Yuan called out again, “I know you’re in there. You know I can see you moving around, right? Come on Binghe, no need to be shy.” Smiling slyly he continued, “Or is this a game? Maybe you can come out and tell me the rules and we can start over?”

Silence again.

Frowning, Shen Yuan called out again, this time more softly. “Please come out? I’ve missed you. Please, Binghe…”

Finally, a sound from the cottage. A heaving groan, like the sound of a heavy door being forced open.

The door flew open, accompanied by a burst of hot, fetid air. Shen Yuan stumbled back and crashed to the ground with a quiet yelp, unable to withstand the burst of energy that slammed into him. Gathering himself, he opened his eyes as he shuffled to his knees and then immediately froze.

There was definitely someone - something? - in front of him but it did not look like Luo Binghe.

The figure looked like an amalgamation of things - too many teeth, eyes that shifted and multiplied then reconvergered, limbs that twisted, joints that rolled, bones that popped and bent under too thin, too thick, too wet skin. Wings and undulating appendages snaking out from behind it, reaching towards Shen Yuan as if they wanted to caress him, to grab him, to hold onto him tightly.

Shen Yuan sat frozen before the being, breath caught in his throat as his brain tried to catch up with what he was seeing. His thoughts, which had screeched to a halt when he opened his eyes and first saw the creature before him, kicked back in, pumping a frantic mantra into his head that lined up with the thumping of his heart in his chest. MONSTER MONSTER MONSTER NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE RUN RUN RUN.

He took a shuddering breath but found he couldn’t force himself to move. He was pinned in place, mesmerized by the sway of the chimeric image before him, eyes roving over its form as he tried to catalog its features.

It was no use though. His mind kept skipping like a broken record each time he tried to focus too hard on the whole. So, instead, he tried to focus on the individual.

The shifting mass before him began to solidify and Shen Yuan remained still, terror and fascination warring within him, as he tried to decide where to look. Staring up wide-eyed at the being towering over him, he reached out a hand towards one of the appendages (Vines? Tentacles??). His fingers made tentative contact with its cool, smooth tip. He caressed it gently, barely touching it with the pads of his fingertips as he focused his eyes on just the appendage before him, stalling for time as he gathered his bearings to look again at the heaving body it was attached to.

Shen Yuan continued to caress the appendage. As his fingers danced over it, it shifted colors, not unlike one of those octopuses he had seen in a nature documentary he had watched with Luo Binghe so long ago. Smiling, he gently wrapped his hand around it. The air around him rippled as another heaving sigh fell from the maw of the creature. The slim appendage twined around Shen Yuan’s fingers, wrapping them up in a loose grip as it snaked up his wrist and traveled up his forearm. It came to rest by his elbow, wrapping itself around it twice and tickling at the crook of it. Shen Yuan shuddered as goosebumps raced down his arm.

Shen Yuan stared at it the appendage for another moment and then looked back up. He blinked and the being in front of him flickered like a hologram glitching. As it shifted between forms, he noticed a familiar face that kept flashing through.

“Binghe?” Shen Yuan whispered.

He received another groan in response.

“Ah. I…see.” Another sound, this time more desperate and almost mournful. It reverberated through his skull, seeping into his brain and then taking a path down each of his vertebrae like someone running down the dilapidated steps of an old house until it eventually settled somewhere underneath of his ribcage.

It hurt.

Slowly, Shen Yuan reached out his other hand towards where he thought he had seen Luo Binghe’s head hanging forward, hair a curtain over his face. He was met with leathery cool skin and odd movements under his fingers as he ran his hand down Binghe’s altered features. “Shh, it’s ok. I’m not going to leave. I just wanted to make sure it was you.” The noise this time was still mournful but did not leave pain in its wake. The dull throb pressing against Shen Yuan’s diaphragm loosened slightly. Huffing out a laugh, he tickled at the appendage wrapped around his forearm while leaving his other palm pressed to Binghe’s face. “You’re such a crybaby, you know that? Unbelievable.”

Binghe made a wet, petulant, grumbling sound. Smiling slightly, Shen Yuan leaned back, pulling his enwrapped arm with him and tugging Binghe downwards until he had settled Luo Binghe’s strangely contoured bulk on top of him. When he looked up, Binghe’s many eyes were looking at him. They looked as they always did - large, warm, gentle.

“You know, I think I should be scared and well…I was at first.” A sad sound. “Hush, I’m not done.” He swatted at the appendage on his wrist and it quivered theatrically. “Hmph. Anyway. I know I should be scared but…This is a dream right? And this is how I’m seeing you in the dream - my dream - right?” Binghe shifted his head to the side, eyes narrowing with a low trilling chirp, as though he were responding with a question of his own.

“What I’m trying to say is that this is all in my head so I have nothing to worry about! Also, it’s you, Binghe.” He absentmindedly ran his hand down Binghe’s torso, fingers catching on ridges, Above him, Binghe shuddered. “Obviously, this is all in my head! No one else did this…It’s just my mind cooking up new things based on snippets of memories…” Memories of when Luo Binghe fell into the Abyss flashed through his mind - how strange he looked, how his body shifted, what form he took - and he had a quiet, internal revelation. Oh. So this is what I saw. Well, I guess finally adding it here makes sense. Especially because this is why I stabbed him.

A sharp, sad laugh erupted from Shen Yuan’s mouth and he scrubbed at his face, eyes feeling hot. Vision slightly hazy, he looked back at Binghe’s face and tentatively raised a hand towards his mouth. “May I?”

Binghe shook his head.

“Mmm.” Shen Yuan reached forward and carefully ran a single finger along the sharp lower row of Binghe’s teeth, shivering as the serrated edges scraped across his skin. When he reached the middle of the row, a puff of hot air tinged with the odor of sulfur and the tang of metal warmed his fingers.

“But this is all ok. I don’t have to be scared since this is my dream and you’re still here - even if you don’t look like you normally do.” Binghe whined, eliciting an eye roll from Shen Yuan. “You keep not letting me finish before pouting - typical, Binghe.” He could swear the expression on Binghe’s face actually shifted into a pout - or what accounted for one with his current visage. Patting him gently, Shen Yuan continued, “I was about to say that even though you don’t look like you normally do it’s well,” he paused, trying to arrange his words.

Hovering over him, Binghe stared down at him in anticipation of whatever Shen Yuan was about to say. Despite his own mental reassurances that this was just a dream version of the man who had died years ago, Shen Yuan still felt the need to avert his eyes, embarrassment overcoming him at his own degenerate thoughts. Taking a deep breath, he let it out along with his words, “You’re quite attractive like this. Not that I’m surprised that is! I’ve told you time and again how handsome you usually are! But, it’s just like this.” He squirmed, darting a glance at Binghe, meeting that same pair of familiar eyes and then tracking down the odd contours and shapes of his current form. One of the tendril-like appendages stroked along his thigh. Suppressing a shudder, he continued quietly, “You’re awe-inspiring. You’re beautiful.” Binghe hummed happily, rubbing himself against Shen Yuan, lighting up his nerves as Binghe’s shifting, sharp edges ran across his body.

Now that he had started speaking, the words continued spilling out of him. “Actually, I feel like this is familiar? Like I’ve seen it?” Binghe stilled, movements stopping entirely. Shen Yuan looked up at him again and saw his own face reflected in the depths of Binghe’s eyes. Shen Yuan’s expression was serene but the eyes he was gazing into were clouded with fear. “No, no, don’t worry! It’s not bad! But the way you are now - you look like you did when you fell. I think this is how I saw you? I was scared back then because it was unfamiliar and well, the everything going on.” He shook his head and coughed. “So I guess maybe that’s what these dreams are? My brain pulling together all of the pieces of you that I remember and fitting them in place.”

He laughed, a small, sad thing. “This is the last piece though, isn’t it? It’s taken me a while but you’re still here for now so I guess…”

A wave of melancholy, damp and cold, surged within him, seeping through his body and settling in his bones. Binghe was here - Shen Yuan was looking at him but the events from when he fell kept replaying on horrible repeat - backwards, forwards, sped up, and slowed down. Tightness gathered in his chest, starting around his ribs and then squeezing until his lungs felt compressed and his heart was beating hard enough to set a staccato rhythm that pounded in his skull as he tried to draw air into his body.

He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t think.

A sob bubbled up and spewed out of his mouth, hot and desperate, as tears started to flow down his face. “Binghe, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

With a pained noise, he pulled Binghe towards him, clutching him tightly to his body in as close an embrace as he could manage. This time, the shifting and writhing of Binghe’s body made him shake with something near panic. Wrongwrongwrong!

He found he didn’t care. Not in the slightest. Fighting against the guilt and combined panic racing through him, Shen Yuan dug his fingernails into Binghe’s back, holding him in place. Something parted against him. Please don’t leave me again. The thought had barely formed before Shen Yuan felt himself being pulled forward, the movement and caress of smooth and rigid joints and appendages wrapping themselves around him and pulling him relentlessly inward. Binghe clamored against him, rolling his body and twisting himself around to maintain as much contact with Shen Yuan as he possibly could. The alien touch reignited his body’s fear response, crying out for him to RUNRUNRUNGETAWAY.

Shen Yuan couldn’t move anymore, not around the grip Binghe had on him. When he thought about it though, through the haze of adrenaline clouding his through, he found that he really didn’t want to.

This is all fine. I did this.

Binghe’s movements became more frantic in their urgency, touch running over Shen Yuan’s skin and leaving lines of oversensitive fire in its wake. It left Shen Yuan wanting to writhe in pain. It made him want to scream for more. Nervous system at war with his emotions. Shen Yuan decided to simply let go. Forcing himself to bonelessness, he sank further into the sensations overwhelming him as klaxons blared in his skull.

A sound like a satisfied sigh rang out in the little clearing, breaking through Shen Yuan’s cottony thoughts.

Oh. That was me.

Binghe paused. He stayed still for several long moments until Shen Yuan cracked open his eyes and met his gaze. A soft noise like a question greeted him, accompanied by a concerned squint. Fingers twitching where it was wrapped around one of the tendrils holding up his torso, Shen Yuan took in a slow breath and then whispered, “It’s ok. Keep going.”

Shen Yuan had the oddest sensation of time speeding up like a video being played at two times the speed - everything running fast forward until someone hit play and the action returned to normal speed. The recommenced onslaught of sensations forced a groan out of Shen Yuan, lighting his meridians up and sending molten heat running through them. His heart beat faster and faster, head pounding in time with it as he sucked in air. The atmosphere around them pressed inward, heavy and ominous. He waited for the headache that usually accompanied such a shift, but it never came, his body instead wrapped up and protected by Binghe.

Binghe moved over him, around him, inside of him. Uncertain of how long he had been bound up in Binghe’s clutches riding the sea of sensations, it now occurred to Shen Yuan that at some point he had been divested of most of his clothing. He was also now quite aware that several of the appendages that had been wrapped around him and holding him close to Binghe had snuck their way inside of him, had wrapped their smooth, slippery surfaces around his cock, and had found their dry, sharp way into his mouth to stroke along along his tongue, his teeth, his uvula, as though they wished to be swallowed down into his stomach.

The blaring of the alarms in his head had stopped. Shen Yuan found himself not minding this turn of events. Quite the opposite, in fact. Privately, he admitted to himself that it felt good. Binghe was holding him, keeping him cradled close and safe. Binghe was also consuming him from the inside out, seemingly starting at the atomic level as he rubbed himself into each molecule and cell, making indelible marks that Shen Yuan desperately hoped would remain seared into him even after he awoke. He let out a pathetic moan at the latter thought, shutting his eyes tight as warmth pooled in his groin and abdomen.

His core pulsed, pumping qi through his meridians in time with the metronome pounding of his heart as Binghe’s movements became more desperate, as his touch became less coordinated. Shen Yuan squirmed as the sensations went from pleasurable to overwhelming to tipping into pain as Binghe began to move faster, stroking and thrusting speeding up until they moved out of sync. Sharp teeth grazed over Shen Yuan’s neck, down his shoulder, and raked across his chest. A wet, tearing sound rang. The area Binghe raked his teeth over seconds before throbbed as something wet and tacky ran down Shen Yuan’s stomach, towards his groin, and then down his hips to drip on the mossy ground below him. The air smelled heavy and thick, suffocating him like a wet blanket as a low, thunderous sound of crashing waves and distant thunder rumbled out of Binghe.

Hurtshurtshurts.

Shen Yuan didn’t care. It hurt. It didn’t hurt. He was terrified. He was in love.

He was overwhelmed.

He missed Binghe. But Binghe was dead.

And he had killed him, because he was a monster.

A pained, wet gasp escaped his lips as Binghe continued to push himself into Shen Yuan, filling his entire body as blazing hot spiritual energy ripped through him with the same force as an explosion, leaving charred destruction in its wake.

ITHURTSITHURTSITHURTSDON’TSTOPPLEASE.

Shen Yuan shot straight up in bed, screaming himself awake, brain muddled, throat raw, and body sore. Casting a wild-eyed look around his room, it took him several disorienting moments to regain his bearings. Once he had them, he shifted around to settle back onto his pillows and then paused, wrinkling his nose. Sighing and rubbing his temples, he slowly got out of bed to survey the mess he had made.

He ended up not only having to strip the bed in its entirety, but he also had to flip the mattress. While he was up, he also cleaned up the blood from the scratch marks he had apparently made all over his chest and down his back while he had been thrashing around. Once he had a new shirt on, he crawled back into bed.

As Shen Yuan lay in the darkness, waiting for sleep to overtake him again, he felt a pang in his chest accompanied by a quiet thought.

What if?

Notes:

The art in this chapter was created by Pio, who can be found on Tumblr at piosyne!

 

This chapter wraps up the 1/3 mark for this fic! I'll be posting the rest of this over the next several weeks. Posting may be sporadic until after the main Big Bang posting schedule has run but, expect this fic to be fully posted by mid-May at the latest!

Chapter Text

Luo Binghe came back to his body howling, cries shaking the mountains. Rock and debris crashed around him as the earth shook. He was still moving. He didn’t know how far he had traveled or how long he had faded out this time, with his mind somewhere his body wasn’t.

He found he didn’t actually care. He knew he couldn’t see him again. He knew this, despite his inability to form any other coherent thoughts. It was a fundamental truth for Luo Binghe that if he saw Shen Yuan again in the Dreamscape as he was now then Luo Binghe would kill him. Perhaps not physically, no, but in a way far worse. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from seeping into every piece of Shen Yuan, knew he wouldn’t be able to resist pulling at Shen Yuan’s mind to try and unravel every thought and feeling it contained. He would, quite literally, rend Shen Yuan apart so he could keep him trapped with him forever. He was too greedy, too needy, too possessive. He missed Shen Yuan too much and he wanted him too much.

Binghe knew he couldn’t see Shen Yuan again because if he did, Shen Yuan would cease to exist as he was. And that would defeat the purpose of seeing him in the first place.

Cold agony seized him. He continued to walk. As he walked, he howled and screamed and cried and shrieked in the Abyss. He moved forward, pulled inexorably towards the unknown. All the while, thoughts of Shen Yuan and how Binghe couldn’t have him ran on repeat through his clouded mind.

He was being called to something. After what seemed like an eternity of wandering through countless different terrains, some fantastic, some horrifying, some indescribable, he finally came upon a cave. An actual cave. Not some shifting, diaphanous simulacra of a familiar structure. The mouth was framed by deep, gray rock shot through with bloodstone. The interior was dark, light penetrating just past the entrance before being swallowed up by the depths within. Nothing shifted or moved inside. No sounds, otherworldly or familiar, drifted out.

It was just a cave.

But there was something inside of that cave, and Luo Binghe needed it.

Scenting the air as he peered into the darkness, Luo Binghe didn’t detect anything within. Grumbling as he shambled forward into the darkness, the idea of light occurred to him and seconds later a flash illuminated the path before him Hunching over so his bulk could fit through the corridor, Binghe lurched onward, following the twists and turns of the cave as they wound deep into the earth.

He came to a chamber and stopped. A flush of excitement - true, genuine excitement - gripped him. Before him, thrust point down into the earth, dark purple light spilling off of it and casting a bruised hue over the walls of the chamber, was what he wanted - what had been calling to him.

Luo Binghe hadn’t wanted anything in so long.

Wait. That wasn’t true. He had wanted something before. Someone?

Whispering broke out around him, low and sultry. But now you want us, don’t you?

Yes. He wanted this. He wanted the sword his eyes had immediately locked on when he entered the chamber. The longer he stood before it, the less it became a want and the more it became a desire so deep that he ached with it. The desire violently shifted into the realm of need so quickly that, even with his muddied senses, Luo Binghe’s head began to spin.

The whispering grew louder until it broke through the mud clogging his thoughts. You’re OURS Binghe.

Like the sound of a hammer against sheet metal, the voice reverberated in his skull with a clang. Shrieking in pain, Luo Binghe brought his hands up to his head and pressed them against his ears. The clanging noise continued ringing out in his skull, bypassing his efforts to muffle it.

He wanted the sound to stop. It grew louder and more dissonant as the shadows shrouding the sword undulated and pulsed. Luo Binghe felt so small. The energy rolling off the weapon made him want to shrink and contract until he could collapse in on himself just to quiet his mind. He knew if he grabbed the sword that it would stop its cacophonous song but he couldn’t move closer to it while it was actually singing, the noise preventing him from placing one foot in front of the other.

The cavern fell silent and the pulsing malevolence of the sword retracted, shadows withdrawing into the blade. Just as their tendrils began to ooze out again, Luo Binghe saw his chance and lunged forward, arm extended. He seized the sword, tearing it out of the cave floor. Like a tidal wave on a calm shore, the noise crashed back into his skull. As he fully wrapped his hand around the hilt, the metallic crashing sounds stopped.

The whispering, however, did not. It cooed at him as he hefted it before him, testing its weight, Ours!OurBinghe!Youfoundus!We’vebeencallingyouforsolong.You’regoingtohelpusescapefromthisplace!

He inspected the blade, mind buzzing as energy flowed into his palm and up his arm. The pitch black blade was horrifically beautiful, even as it sucked in the light cast from Luo Binghe’s simple illumination spell. The light waned and then winked out, plunging the room into darkness save for the pulsing, violet shadows wrapping themselves around the sword. The shadows grew larger until they fanned out and circled Luo Binghe’s body. They twined around him, caressing his skin gently before abruptly sinking into him. Cold, raw energy filled him. It pushed into his marrow and crawled along his meridians. It coursed through him and sent a shiver running up his spine as it overwhelmed him.

He now understood why he needed this sword. He understood why it needed him. He was the only one who could have it. No one else. It belonged to him and it was his right to possess it.

The sword began to sing again, creating a harmony of high and low pitched noises that thrummed together, building into a crescendo that ejected every other thought from Luo Binghe’s head that wasn’t about the sword and how it was his and how no one could have it.

In the cave, Luo Binghe began to scream.

Underneath his ragged cries, hundreds of voices overlapped and coalesced into one before bursting apart again.

Weareyours.

Fornow.

Chapter 11

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Mobei-Jun was not having a good day, at least as far as days existed in the Abyssal Realm. First of all, Tianlang-Jun had been in rare form when he asked (i.e. ordered) him to find out exactly who or what was pouring out such large quantities of chaotic energy, essentially broadcasting themself like a beacon to anyone who knew what to look for.

“Mobei, I can’t possibly go myself, you see. My corporeal form is in no shape to actually move around.” He paused, a smile brightening up his face. “Hah - get it Mobei, shape? Because I could take a different shape but you know how distasteful and tiring I find that entire process.” Lurking behind the stylized coffin Tianlang-Jun lounged in, Zuzhi-Lang shot Mobei-Jun a long-suffering look, which Mobei-Jun silently returned.

On top of the “not so good day,” he couldn’t actually find who or what was sending out the now sporadic energy signals. One moment, it would pulse and writhe, cutting through the ether and filling his body with crackling energy only to disappear in the next moment. It would then pop up in a completely different subscape like a Rotten Plains Groundhog, rearing its head for one moment to apparently survey the atmosphere and then dive back to whatever depths it emerged from.

Needless to say, this entire trek was starting to become less of a mission that he begrudgingly needed to handle and more of an irritation that would likely result in the disembowelment of whoever or whatever he found at the end of this wild chase. Mobei-Jun was also distinctly not enjoying all of the hulking around that he needed to do as he moved through the landscapes and liminal spaces. Tianlang-Jun wasn’t the only one who hated to assume his other forms, after all. The varying climates didn’t help either - especially the more heated ones - and only served to further annoy him.

Finally, and perhaps worst of all, Mobei-Jun’s mood had been stuck in a low level of “terrible” since the day he had thought some Huan Hua fool had summoned him to Jue Di Gorge. He would recognize their hateful summoning array signatures anywhere and he thought it quite bold that they would try to call him again after what happened the last time. When he arrived at the gorge and taken a look at the two humans - neither of them from Huan Hua Palace - and the partially emerged half-Heavenly Demon who eerily reminded him of Tianlang-Jun, he shrugged to himself, cracked the rest of the halfling’s seal (might as well finish what had already been started), and then followed the halfling through the oddly convenient rift and back into the Abyss.

Thinking that perhaps the entire situation had been a Tianlang-Jun special (it wouldn’t have been the first time the man cooked up a scheme out of boredom and not told Mobei-Jun about his role in it until after the fact), Mobei-Jun had cast about for signs of the halfling once he materialized in the Abyss. Visual inspection of the surrounding landscapes hadn’t revealed any signs of life, nor any remains.

When he returned to Tianlang-Jun’s palace, Mobei-Jun reported the entire ordeal, telling Tianlang-Jun that the halfling had likely been torn asunder during the fall - probably as a result of his half-human heritage.

After informing Tianlang-Jun of his suspicions, the man stared at him for a few moments before quietly asking, “And why would I have anything to do with this, Mobei-Jun?”

Mobei-Jun stared back, waiting for Tianlang-Jun to continue. With a sigh, Tianlang-Jun propped his head onto his hand. “It seems my Xiyan managed to have our child afterall.” Humming, Tianlang-Jun flashed Mobei-Jun a lopsided smile, “I bet he’s handsome, isn’t he? Probably takes after his mother.”

Nodding cautiously, Mobei-Jun responded, “He’s not unattractive, no.”

Barking out a laugh, Tianlang-Jun’s smile fell. “And you said you didn’t find any remains?” Mobei-Jun shook his head. Tianlang-Jun shrugged. “Ah, well, what can you do?” Then, in the next breath, “But when you were in the Human Realm, did you have time to pick up any souvenirs? Perhaps some of those little candies…?” Grunting in response, Mobei-Jun tossed him a bag full of hard caramels with more force than necessary. The bag whacked Tianlang-Jun firmly in the chest, dislodging one of his recently attached arms and eliciting a small laugh from the man himself. “Falling apart at the seams it seems.”

Mobei-Jun stared blankly at him for another moment. He then promptly turned around and left.

As a result of that entire debacle a few years past, it hadn’t occurred to Mobei-Jun that perhaps the individual he was seeking was the same one that he thought long gone had, quite literally, returned to the stars.

So, when he heard the very human-sounding scream from the cave Xin Mo had been sealed in for countless centuries, he shut his eyes for just a brief moment, took what counted as a breath for him, and then stalked ponderously towards the sound.

His day then became exponentially worse.

He found the halfling. In fact, he found him standing at the mouth of the cave, Xin Mo clutched in one hand, dark shadows swirling around him as his form flickered between his corporeal one and his other ones. Usually, this behavior wouldn’t give Mobei-Jun a headache - it wouldn’t give him anything except maybe a mild blink of interest and then moving about his business. Today though. Today, ominous squirming throbbed within his skull. He resignedly stomped towards the halfling, shadows and ice crystals rolling off of him in sheets, coating the surrounding landscape in crystalline cover.

I’ll just grab him and drag him back to the Palace.

Mobei-Jun did not just grab him and drag him (perhaps by the hair but he wasn’t picky at this point) back to the palace like he fully intended to. Instead, Mobei-Jun had, as his Human would say, his cosmic ass completely handed to him. In fact, and again, as his Human would say, he had his ass kicked so hard by this toddler of a half Heavenly Demon that he was forced to assume one of his corporeal forms so he could try and communicate with the halfling, simply due to the fact that Mobei-Jun’s roaring hadn’t managed to pierce through whatever haze of madness the halfling had fallen into.

He was glad no one else was around to see his shame - one moment, Mobei-Jun was striding forward, tearing ice spears into existence, aiming them and letting them fly towards Xin Mo and the halfling. The next, he was flat on his back, sputtering as his corporeal viscera spilled out on the ground around him. From his vantage point flat on his back, Mobei-Jun pieced together that the halfling had somehow managed to swing Xin Mo right into his midsection (which was almost seven feet above the little creature in this particular corporeal form - How???). Mobei-Jun then ended up toppling backwards, crashing towards the ground with an unceremonious boom.

Summarily defeated, Mobei waited for the crazed little halfling to deliver his finishing blow. Why today? Out of all the days. And how did this kid even find Xin Mo?? The cave the sword resided in had so many spells and arrays woven around it that even Mobei-Jun had forgotten where it was until he saw the halfling standing outside the cave with the damnable sword. Although in all fairness, Mobei-Jun had also studiously been ignoring the sword’s existence since it had been sealed.

Silence reigned for several moments and, when he didn't find himself dissipated into cosmic dust, Mobei-Jun tilted his head up, knitting his body back together as he did so, and looked around for any signs of the halfling.

Mobei-Jun spotted him a dozen yards away, curled up in an unmoving ball. Knitting himself back together didn’t take that much effort but it did feel less awful when he could take his time with it. Once he was mostly whole, Mobei-Jun expanded himself back into his natural form, taking up the space he needed. He stared down critically at the half-human laying on the ground, Xin Mo still clutched in his hands.

He squinted suspiciously at the sword for a few moments, waiting. Finally, a thin, dark tendril snuck out from Xin Mo to caress down the halfling’s face.

Sighing like a bellows, Mobei-Jun hefted the halfling up and into his clutches, carefully avoiding any contact with Xin Mo. He then walked into the darkness of the now empty cave and winked out of sight.

__

When Luo Binghe swam back to consciousness, he was in a bed. This was odd in and of itself because he wasn’t in a bedroom, at least not in the traditional sense. Rather, it looked like a bedroom set up by someone who had only had a bedroom described to them in a foreign language and via pantomime.

A sink shaped object stood in the middle of the room, there were several random mismatched chairs and chair shaped objects (one looked like a broken coffee table) scattered about, and, sat off in a corner stood a single overstuffed bookcase. It had an overabundance of paperbacks smashed into the shelves haphazardly, some barely clinging to their perch via their opened pages and bent spines.

The bed itself felt normal enough. The walls surrounding the room, not so much. The shifting and warped colors running along the walls like flowing water made it difficult for Luo Binghe to focus on one spot for too long, nausea building in his gut until he was forced to look away. When the feeling subsided and he glanced back at them, he noted that the colors were shifting over sharp, hard planes that slowly undulated in time with the movement of the colors.

Shutting his eyes with a sigh to try and stem the vertigo seizing him from the visual overload, Luo Binghe fought to recall how he ended up in this fun house of a bedroom. He had been walking - well, moving - for what felt like a very long time, his limbs and joints jerking and shifting in ways that felt alien but also vaguely familiar. He had been called to something - a cave. No, a weapon. It sang out to him, drawing him forward as though it possessed its own gravitational pull. As he hurtled closer towards it, the urge to fall into its orbit grew more frantic, gnawing at the writhing core of his being like an excitable dog with its favorite toy. When he finally laid eyes on the sword, something calmed in him, quieting the unease that had been gripping him since he began his seemingly endless trek.

It had been terrifyingly beautiful and Luo Binghe, possessed by something outside himself, had reached out and grabbed it.

Then his world went dark and when he returned to the light, he found himself in this strange, off-kilter bedroom, head pounding and with a mouth full of the taste of metal and grime as though he had been chewing on a pocketful of change.

Across the room, a door creaked open and then closed. Casting his eyes about wildly, Luo Binghe failed to spot the potential exit before it was swallowed by the shifting walls. He did, however, spot the individual who entered the room through the aforementioned door.

After several moments of open staring, Luo Binghe finally came to two potential conclusions. He was either 1) dreaming or 2) still somewhere in the Abyss because there was no way that the creature standing before him was something that would be casually wandering about in Human Realm. The creature in question had paused in its slithering approach when Luo Binghe spotted him.

He looked mostly human - well, his upper half at least. He had a face and a clothed torso that appeared to be in the shape of a man (except for the extra set of arms, but at least they were arms and not something else like tentacles, fire spewing spikes, thorn tipped appendages, or any other number of options Luo Binghe had hazy memories of seeing while he walked). However, instead of a pair of legs just below his waist, his lower body was comprised of a thick tail covered in glinting, iridescent scales.

Exhausted as he was, Luo Binghe wasn’t so much shocked as he was bewildered. Not because of how the snake man looked, but rather because clutched in his upper pair of hands was a lacquered tray with an honest to god tea set made of delicate bone china balanced on it. Squinting at it, Luo Binghe also spotted several bowls of snacks and what appeared to be a few delicate pastries lovingly arranged in a small pile.

After placing the tray down on a wobbly table near where he entered the room, the snake man began to move towards him slowly, eyes trained on his face as his head slowly swayed from side to side. Luo Binghe felt his eyes growing heavy as he drew closer. The stranger stopped short, curiosity evident on his face when he noticed Luo Binghe’s heavy lidded stare. He tilted his head to the side as he regarded Luo Binghe, tongue darting out from between his thin lips in a questioning gesture. “Luo Binghe is awake?”

The soft, dry voice knocked Luo Binghe out of his trance, mild surprise running through him at the fact that this creature knew his name. “Um, yes? And you are?”

“Ah. Forgive this one.” He sketched an imitation of a bow. “This one is Zhuzhi-Lang.”

“Uh…Huh. Ok.” As he sat up and scratched the back of his head, his hand paused, fingers dancing over the intricate patterns braided into his hair. Who…? When he looked back over at Zhuzhi-Lang, he took in the complicated series of small braids radiating from the front of his head, weaving around each other and eventually cascading down his back.

“Well Zhuzhi-Lang, would you mind telling me where I am?” He rubbed his temples, pain in his head having dissipated to a mildly unpleasant fog.

“You’re in the Abyssal Realm.”

With a tired sigh, Luo Binghe leaned back, propping himself up against the headboard. “I figured. But is this a specific place in the Abyss…um…the Abyssal Realm?”

Furrowing his brows at the question, Zuzhi-Lang seemed to lose himself in thought for a moment. Expression loosening as he caught whatever thought he had been chasing, he fixed Luo Binghe with wide, bright yellow eyes. “Yes! This is the Southern Palace. Uncle is the sovereign of this Realm and he has been convalescing here since he was sealed.”

What.

Luo Binghe’s head thrummed ominously, pressure mounting against the confines of his skull. Rubbing harder at his temples, he shifted around to swing himself into a seated position at the edge of the bed. Zhuzhi-Lang slithered back over to the forgotten tray and gingerly picked it up. He approached more hesitantly this time, the tray held out in front of him like a shield. Whatever human part of Luo Binghe that had been slumbering for however long he had been in the Abyssal Realm roared back to life - right in his stomach, apparently - as the scent of tea and sugar filled his nostrils. Zhuzhi-Lang froze when Luo Binghe’s stomach grumbled loud enough to be audible despite Luo Binghe’s attempt to use a cough to cover up the sound.

Zhuzhi-Lang stared at him for a moment, fingers tightly clutching the tray. In the next moment, and quicker than Luo Binghe thought possible, Zhuzhi-Lang slipped towards him and practically shoved the tray in his lap. Just as quickly, he drifted back and out of range. Clearing his throat, he looked away, fingers toying with the end of one of his braids. “Mobei said that you suffered some kind of qi deviation. If you’re anything like us, you probably don’t need to eat here.” He paused and looked back at Luo Binghe with his uncannily luminous eyes. “But since you’re half-human, it probably won’t hurt.”

Luo Binghe sat and contemplated the bun he had picked up in silence for several moments before tentatively asking, “What do you mean ‘like us?’”

A panicked expression overtook Zhuzhi-Lang’s face right before he whipped around and rapidly moved towards the door. “Oh, um, well. I don’t think I…uh.” He paused, still turned away from Luo Binghe as his hand reached out and ran along the wall where he had entered. “When you’re done eating, you should come to the main hall to meet Uncle!”

With that, he was out of the room, the camouflaged door shutting with a cracking noise behind him.

“I don’t even know where the main hall is…” he muttered to himself. His stomach growled again. Sighing, he picked at the food on the tray, pleased to find it was indeed quite edible despite his surroundings. He ate slowly, eyes tracing the odd furnishings and contours of the bedroom as he tried to wrap his mind around his current circumstances.

Notes:

MBJ after getting his ass beat by LBH - I don't get paid enough for this.

TLJ's voice echoing around him in the Abyss - But you don't get paid at all!

Maybe he could negotiate for a vacation or something. He would have to take TLJ and ZZL with him but who doesn't love a wacky beach episode?

Chapter 12

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

The main hall was directly down the corridor right outside of Luo Binghe’s room. In fact, it was the only room the corridor led to. How this was possible, Luo Binghe didn’t know. Frankly, he didn’t really care to find out at this point, brain too overstimulated and tired to accept any new information. Rather, all he cared about in the moment was discovering some answers - specifically about how to escape the Abyssal Realm.

As he stepped through the wide archway into the main hall, Luo Binghe was struck by the appearance of the room. It was so normal.

Wood and stone walls surrounded him. Golden sunlight warmed his skin as it filtered through long windows lining the walls at even intervals. The hall itself was nothing remarkable in its layout. To Luo Binghe, it appeared as though it had been pulled out of one of those tropey fantasy novels Shen Yuan would thrust upon Luo Binghe, expounding about how they’re “all the same, story and setting” but consuming them at breakneck speed regardless.

Something tight clenched in Luo Binghe’s gut at the thought of Shen Yuan. It was replaced with a sense of ominous confusion when his eyes alighted on the dais at the end of the long tiled room. Upon the dais sat a coffin - really though, it was closer to a recessed divan - and in that coffin sat a man, propped up and exuding an air of casual disinterest as his eyes flicked over the pages of the paperback held loosely in one of his hands. Behind him, Zhuzhi-Lang milled about looking harried, eyes darting over to Luo Binghe as he approached and then returning to whatever objects he had been arranging on the low table before him.

As Luo Binghe walked towards the dais, footsteps ringing out in the otherwise empty hall, the man in the coffin looked up from his novel. When his eyes landed on Luo Binghe, excitement bloomed on his face. Dropping his book to the side, he shifted forward, greedily assessing Luo Binghe, eyes flicking over his form as they absorbed his features.

Luo Binghe experienced the eerie feeling that he had seen the man’s face somewhere before. His curly black hair, deep brown eyes, and blazing demon mark were all remarkable enough but there was something vaguely familiar about the arch of his eyebrows and the tilt of his mouth as it tipped up into a mischievous smile.

When he locked eyes with the man, the realization slammed into him like a sack of dried cement - this person (creature? demon?) looked like Luo Binghe.

Feigning confidence to mask his shock and confusion, Luo Binghe stopped at the foot of the dais and crossed his arms. “Are you the sovereign of this palace or do I need to keep looking?”

The man let out a dry chuckle as he leaned back, placing his chin in one of his hands. Peering closer, Luo Binghe realized there was something distinctly off about the man. For one, his left arm appeared to be completely missing. He found out where it was moments later when Zhuzhi-Lang turned from where he had been bustling around. He slithered over to the coffin with the limb and a wickedly long needle strung with thick thread. Further, the longer Luo Binghe looked at the man in the coffin, the more it seemed like he didn’t quite fit in his skin. It almost looked like his bones were trying to poke through, shifting against the thin layer of his dermis, giving the impression of something lurking under the surface.

“That’s me!” the man cheerily replied.

Rolling his eyes, Luo Binghe asked, “And does the sovereign have a name?”

The strange man’s mouth broke into a sunny smile, waving the arm Zhuzhi-Lang wasn’t stitching back on in front of his face in a clearing motion. “Oh, well. I’ve had so many names. Yan Wang, Lucifer, Chernobog…you know, all those fellows. One group of humans called me Hades which I found quite novel - wild mythology they had too. I enjoyed their stories….Oh! Oh!” He laughed wryly, grin stretching wider and words changing cadence and volume of his voice dropping as though he were about to share a particularly funny joke. “There was a time where a few humans thought I was the Heavenly Emperor.” Leaning forward, he whispered conspiratorially, “That one almost offended me. I know the guy who most humans actually believe to be the Heavenly Emperor and he’s a prick. Styles himself to be benevolent but secretly likes to torture the humans who believe in him with plagues.” Pausing, he grimaced and then murmured to himself, “Nasty stuff and a right bastard.”

His rambling continued for several more minutes. Luo Binghe tuned him out and looked around the hall silently until the man finally paused, fixing him with a sidelong look. “But I’ve always liked to call myself Tianlang-Jun.” A sly smile lit up his features.

“However, you my boy can call me daddy.”

Luo Binghe’s mouth fell open, aghast. “What.”

Laughing loudly, Tianlang-Jun settled against the back of the coffin. “You heard me, son. I’m your father. Did you think your mother had a half-demon child via immaculate conception? Or perhaps you thought you hatched from an egg. Honestly, who knows what you humans tell each other about your origins.”

Luo Binghe’s head throbbed again. This time, it wasn’t due to the strangeness of his surroundings but because of the ramblings of this crazy person claiming to be his father - a father he had never even heard of as his mother had been the only parent he had ever known. “I don’t have a father. And my mother didn’t give birth to me - she adopted me.”

A look of concern flashed across Tianlang-Jun’s face. “Excuse me? Your mother didn’t give birth to you…?”

“No.”

Muttering to himself, Tianlang-Jun looked down, stroking his chin. “Well, that makes no sense based on what little I know about human biology. I mean, I know our type can just kind of,” he waved his hand and made a “poof” noise before continuing, “but Xiyan told me how all of that mess worked. I even found a few books on it simply because it’s so fascinating…”

Sighing heavily as he rubbed his temples, Luo Binghe took in a calming breath. “That’s not what I meant. I was obviously born but the mother who raised me isn’t the one who birthed me.”


“Ah! Well, why didn’t you say so, my boy?” Tianlang-Jun’s features momentarily fell, reality sinking in. “But I suppose that means Xiyan really has passed from the Human Realm.” Sighing, he shut his eyes. “You do look just like her, too.” If Luo Binghe hadn’t seen Tianlang-Jun’s mouth move, he would have missed the barely audible, “I’ll just have to find her when she returns, then.”

A pang of pity bloomed in his chest for Tianlang-Jun. He did seem genuinely upset at the loss of this “Xiyan.” Perhaps she was like Shen Yuan…Nope! Don’t think about it, don’t think about it, don’t think about it. You’ll see him again, you will. Luo Binghe shut his eyes and took several more slow breaths in an attempt to ease the vice that had tightened around his ribcage.

Opening his eyes, he glanced back up at Tianlang-Jun. “I have some questions.”

Waving a hand at him to proceed, Luo Binghe took one last deep breath, held it, and then released it. “What am I?”

Eyes narrowing, Tianlang-Jun responded with a question of his own. “What do you think you are?”

He hadn’t expected the question to be turned back around on him, but perhaps he should have. After a moment of thought, Luo Binghe responded. “A human. At least…Mostly? I'm also a demon, at least according to Meng Mo, but he never explained what that actually meant.”

Tianlang-Jun cocked an amused eyebrow at him. “He's still around?”

Luo Binghe squinted at him. “He was until I fell into the Abyss. But I know I'm something else. Particularly if I’m to believe you.” He scrutinized Tianlang-Jun, eyes picking out his strange, shifting features, which were becoming more salient with each passing second. “Because you are most certainly not human.”

Tianlang-Jun grinned lazily at him. “And what makes you believe that, exactly?” Whispering echoes chased after his words as they died away. Behind him, Zhuzhi-Lan paused for a moment in his suturing, wide, unnatural eyes flicking from Tianlang-Jun to Luo Binghe before quickly he set back to work.

Luo Binghe shook his head to clear the remnants of the echoes still filling the wide hall. “Well for one, Zhuzhi-Lang just stitched your arm back onto your body, you have a demon mark, and you live…” He gestured around him, arms flung wide to indicate the palace and the outside world at large, “You live in this hellscape.” He put a foot onto the lowest step of the dais, drawing closer to Tianlang-Jun’s elevated position. “So.” He put his other foot forward, now a single step separating them. “What. Am. I.”

Zuzhi-Lang finished tying off the sutures on Tianlang-Jun’s arm. The smile on Tianlang-Jun’s face stretched further, sharpening to a fine, toothy point. “Thank you, nephew.” Zuzhi-Lang offered him a small bow and then slithered slowly towards the work table behind the dais. He placed his tools down with a quiet clinking sound. He looked nervously over his shoulder and then turned back around, busying himself with his accoutrements, back straight and shoulders tight.

Tianlang-Jun turned his knife-point smile back to Luo Binghe. “You said I had a ‘demon mark.’” He cocked his head to the side, angle just slightly too horizontal. “Do you recall those names I mentioned that humans have called me?” Luo Binghe shook his head. “‘Demon’ is one of the more widely known and used ones. It seems Meng Mo at least gave you a hint about what you are, even if the old coot refused to tell you more.” He paused and rolled his shoulder tentatively. “Demon, however, is not the most accurate description.” Stitches popped as Tianlang-Jun brought the hand of his newly reattached left arm up to stroke his chin.

“Many humans have tried to categorize us. Actually, if my memory is correct, there was one human in particular who wrote more than a few stories about us. His ‘fictions’ became quite popular. Bit of an ass though, even by human standards. Extremely unlikeable.” Tianlang-Jun turned his eyes skyward. “So what we actually are is rather close to what humans have described us as throughout their own short history when they've sought to do so. They've told stories of how we're unknown, allegedly ‘terrifying,’ ageless,” the smile returned, stretching towards Tianlang-Jun’s ears. “Monstrous.” Sitting up with a sigh, he continued, “Not all completely true but also not completely false, if you know what I mean.”

Luo Binghe, in fact, did not know what he meant and he was certain his face reflected as much. With a bemused expression, Tianlang-Jun sighed again. “I see. Well, to put it more simply, most humans would consider us gods but it’s a bit more complicated than that. We don’t really fall into any specific classifications known to humans. We’ve just always sort of been here.”

“But why are we like this?” Luo Binghe gritted out, frustration mounting.

Barking out a laugh, Tianlang-Jun looked up at the vaulted ceiling, amusement clear in the lines of his face. “Well, we weren’t always like this. I suppose the best approximation of what we were before would be chaos - moving around as we wished, when we wished.” He wiggled his fingers in a diffusing motion. “But at some point humans came along and started worshiping us in their little groups. They didn’t give us any power - we already had that.”

Tianlang-Jun’s voice started to crackle at the edges, words still discernible but less solid. “They did hmm…” He snapped his fingers and the static cleared. “Ah! They made us more corporeal.” Gesturing at himself grandly, he asked, “So you see this appearance that I have, yes?”

Sighing, Luo BInghe rubbed his temples tiredly. “Yes. Like I said, you look like me.”

Tianlang-Jun smiled smugly. “Well that’s because you’re my son.” Luo Binghe rolled his eyes as Tianlang-Jun continued, “But I have this form because this is the avatar I’ve cultivated.”

Eyebrows near his hairline, Luo Binghe said, “Wait. You’re a cultivator?”

“Well,” Tianlang-Jun picked at some invisible dirt under one of the fingernails on the hand of his reattached arm. Voice tinged with amusement he said, “In a sense, I suppose so. Where do you think the humans got the idea from? You think they came up with it on their own?”

Luo Binghe’s head was starting to spin. “Oookay, uh…”

Slapping his hand on the side of the coffin, Tianlang-Jun smiled genially. “So! As I was saying. Humans believed in us and began to worship us - made up cults, religions, etc., etc. You get the idea. Some of us decided we didn’t mind coexisting with the humans - especially when they worshiped us or paid us tribute. It wasn’t such a bad deal, really.” Luo Binghe nodded along, not missing the thoughtful look that flitted across Tianlang-Jun’s face before the smile returned. “I would say I fall into the category of those of us that didn't mind coexisting with humans. Fascinating creatures. And their trinkets! I especially enjoy the books - such fun!”

At the back of the dais, Zuzhi-Lang let loose a long-suffering sigh.

“Others of us though…Well. They don’t appreciate humans in the same way.”

Shaking his head to clear some of the fog caused by the influx of information, Luo Binghe ventured, “How so?”

“Ah, well they used humans for their own ends, regardless of the price. We don’t need humans to exist but it certainly doesn’t hurt if we want to travel between the Realms.”

Luo Binghe’s heart thumped hard against his ribs. “We can travel between the Realms?”

A placating expression, similar to one that someone would direct at a child who had asked a foolish question, took up residence on Tianlang-Jun’s face. “Obviously. How do you think you ended up here? Just paid a toll and found your way into the Abyssal Realm?” He laughed lightly at his own bad joke.

Rolling his eyes, Luo Binghe crossed his arms over his chest. “I was pulled in.” Muttering, he added, “Unwillingly.”

“Indeed. But you’re still alive. Didn’t get ripped to shreds during your inter-Realm excursion?”

“Not ripped to shreds, no.” Binghe pursed his lips, thinking. “But waking up here and traveling through the Abyss wasn’t exactly comfortable.”

Lazily waving a hand in front of him, Tianlang-Jun replied, “Mmm experienced some growing pains did you?” He laughed again, louder this time. Zuzhi-Lang placed a hand on his face, shaking his head mournfully. After gaining control of himself, Tianlang-Jun fixed him with a curious look. “That can happen when a seal breaks. You appear stabilized for now. Although, when Mobei-Jun found you - the state you were in when he dragged you here.” He shook his head and tsked.

As if on cue, a large imposing figure melted out of the shadows. The figure was holding something out at arms-length, similar to the way one would hold a rotten piece of meat away from their body lest it drip on them or touch them more than necessary. The object was not only quite long, but it was also wrapped in talisman covered cloth and bound with a length of Immortal Binding Cables. Tianlang-Jun’s eyes lit up when they landed on the hulking form holding the object, “And there he is now!”

Grunting at him in greeting, the man - Mobei-Jun, apparently - dropped the wrapped object next to Tianlang-Jun’s coffin, similar to the way a cat might drop a dead mouse as an offering before its owner. “Here. I’ve sealed it as best as I can manage.” He cast a side-eyed look at Luo Binghe, expression unreadable. “But it seems to have bonded with him so I’m not sure how stable the seals are.”

Mobei-Jun’s words were barely audibly, nearly drowned out by the sound of blood rushing in Luo Binghe’s ears as he stared at the talisman wrapped object. It sang to him, low and sweet. Pulled forward, he mounted the last step of the dais and approached the object as Mobei-Jun and Tianlang-Jun eyed him curiously. The singing was muted but it was there and it made something hot and horrible crawl around in his stomach, winding its way up into his chest to settle just behind his rapidly beating heart.

“My boy?”

With a start, Luo Binghe snapped his head up, eyes darting from Tianlang-Jun and then back down to the talisman covering object. He realized the talismans looked familiar - too familiar. The gentle slope of the writing, the form of the radicals, the thickness of the lines. Luo Binghe’s breath caught in his throat.

“Where did you get these talismans?” he asked shakily.

“The Human Realm. I have a source.”

Mobei-Jun took a step back in alarm when Luo Binghe swiveled his head to look at him. “What source,” he gritted out, skin feeling too hot and too tight.

Clearly enjoying the drama, Tianlang-Jun propped himself against the side of his coffin. “Ah. So that’s it.”

Luo Binghe turned to glare at him. “What is?”

Smiling placidly, Tianlang-Jun responded, matter-of-fact, “You want to go back.” He flopped backwards and lolled his head back, resting it against the back of the coffin. “Well, that can be arranged.”

Standing up to his full height, Luo Binghe leaned over the edge of the coffin, urge to shake the man lying there increasing by the second. “How? You have to tell me.”

“Psh. Why should I?” Pouting, Tianlang-Jun said, “You won’t even recognize me as your father after all…”

The hot, wretched thing that had curled itself within Luo Binghe’s rib cage pulsed, unwrapping itself so it could seek out his meridians and send its oozing touch throughout his body. It writhed and whipped beneath his skin and the low hum that had been buzzing in the back of Luo Binghe's mind swelled, words of the song now ringing clearly in his thoughts. Take what is yours, force him to tell you, he has to and if he doesn’t you can make him.

Tianlang-Jun rested a hand on his arm and quietly said, “Binghe.”

The voices dissipated back to the low hum as his meridians contracted, as his heart rate slowed, as whatever had seized him twitched and withdrew. “Huh?”

Smiling obsequiously, Tianlang-Jun gestured to the object on the floor, “Why don’t we talk about what’s wrapped up in that bundle over there and how you can get back to your pers…to the Human Realm.”

Nodding his head with a sigh, Luo Binghe settled in to listen.

Zhuzhi-Lang gestured to the array he had drawn on the stone floor of a side room in the palace. “And so you see, that’s why we need an anchor human on the other side to bring us over.” He eyed Xin Mo, still wrapped in all manner of wards and talismans but now firmly strapped to Luo Binghe’s back. “But then again, you could always use…” He waved his hand at the sword, avoiding eye contact with it.

The whispers pricked at his ears, sultry and low. Memories of blood and the feeling of unfettered power flashed through his thoughts.

Youcanyoucanuseususeusyoufounduswebelongtoyounowandyoubelongtous.

Luo Binghe gritted his teeth and taking a fortifying breath through his nose. Shaking his head, he smiled ruefully at Zhuzhi-Lang. “I would prefer not to.  I can use it for the basics but never did really get the hang of the whole rift thing.” Mobei-Jun snorted in amusement behind him. Luo Binghe shot him a dirty look. “Besides, it’s already enough of a pain to rewrap it when I want to seal it.” He shuddered internally before quickly pushing away the memories of the toll it took on him when he attempted to harmonize with the sword so he could utilize it to its full potential. It wasn't worth going down that path when there were other, less destructive options. “Best if we just try it this way.”

A slow, too wide smile stretched across Zhuzhi-Lang’s face. “Very good. Mobei-Jun?”

Mobei-Jun stepped up next to Luo Binghe, nodding down at him. The two had come to an understanding - mostly as a consequence of the aforementioned harmonizing practice with Xin Mo since Mobei-Jun and Tianlang-Jun were the only two individuals Luo Binghe had encountered in the Abyssal Realm who weren’t immediately obliterated after exposure to the sword.

Nodding, Zhuzhi-Lang turned back to the array and spat into the middle. A thin tendril of smoke wafted from the center point of the array, growing larger until finally engulfed them like fog rolling off the sea and towards the shore.

Seconds later, they were standing in the deep woods on the edges of an array. At the other side of the array stood a young man, wide-eyed stare fixed on them. Quick as a flash, Zhuzhi-Lang swept the man up in his arms, waved at Luo Binghe and Mobei-Jun, and then promptly disappeared back into the center of the array, the pressure in the air shifting down and then rising back up as the smell of ozone filled their nostrils.

Sighing, Luo Binghe picked up the qiankun bag the man had dropped before he was taken away. Peering inside, he poked around at its contents, finally locating a new cell phone and a wallet. Pulling out the identification card inside, Luo Binghe smiled to himself as he flicked the phone on and found a rock to sit on. Mobei-Jun watched him curiously, arms crossed over his chest.

“What are you doing? Don’t we need to get going?”

Luo Binghe smiled. “Soon. But first I need to do some research.” Grunting, Mobei-Jun leaned back against a tree, shutting his eyes.

As Luo Binghe’s eyes ran over the files Gongyi Xiao had filled the phone with, his mind raced, hungry to absorb every detail before him.

Xin Mo’s voices caressed his mind, seeping into the cracks between his thoughts.

Wecangiveyouwhatyouwantwecanhelpyoujustuseususeususeus.

Notes:

ZZL - I don't get paid enough for this.

TLJ - But you don't--!

ZZL, cutting him off with the world's biggest sigh - I know Uncle, I know. Maybe I could take a vacation though?

TLJ - Excellent idea! I love the beach!

ZZL looking at MBJ who is pretending he didn't hear any of this but is also doing his best to convey big "you did this to yourself energy and I refuse to be involved" energy.

The next set of chapters will be up next Friday!

Chapter 13

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

“Absolutely not.”

Shen Yuan sighed, running his hands through his hair. “Jiu-ge, please. It's not their fault the System forgot to tell us we would be sharing rooms. Besides, we have to work with them and Qi-ge…Yue Qingyuan confirmed it. They don’t have anywhere else to stay and we have three suites reserved anyway. It won’t cause a problem.”

Gongyi Xiao and Mobei Jun stood behind him, playing with their phones as they studiously pretended not to listen to the tense conversation being whispered mere feet from them.

“They can go find rooms somewhere else. I’m sure that with all the wealth that Huan Hua has they have a generous per diem. Besides,” Shen Jiu sniffed disdainfully, “they can always submit for reimbursement from the System later.”

With a groan Shen Yuan poked his brother’s arm. “There are no other rooms because this stupid night hunt came up during conference season and there are three in the city right now.” He poked Shen Jiu again and was readying himself for a third assault when Shen Jiu fixed him with a look that informed him he might lose his finger if he tried it again. Dropping his hand, Shen Yuan muttered, “Get over yourself and share with me.” Pausing, he pasted a fake smile on his face. “C’mon Jiu-ge, it’ll be just like old times. You can spoon me.”

Shen Jiu reached out and pinched the thin skin near Shen Yuan’s tricep, drawing out a yelp. After a moment of brow furrowed thought, Shen Jiu finally spat out. “Fine.” A beat. “But I get all the extra pillows.” Deeming the conversation finished, Shen Jiu spun on his heel and marched towards the elevator.

Shaking his head as the elevator doors closed on Shen Jiu’s stormy countenance, Shen Yuan glanced over at the two Huan Hua cultivators, who were now regarding him curiously. A buzz from his pocket drew his attention away from them. Checking his phone, he was greeted with a text from Shang Qinghua.

Shang Qinghua: BE THERE IN TEN!!!

Smirking to himself, Shen Yuan started to piece together the words he would use to break the news to Shang Qinghua that he would be rooming with Mu Qingfang and Liu Qingge. He chuckled privately to himself, a frisson of glee running through him as he thought about the face Shang Qinghua would make when he told him about his fate.

As Shen Yuan tucked his phone back into his pocket, he looked up and was met with a wall of chest before him. Gongyi Xiao smiled down at him softly. “Everything ok?”

Ears feeling a bit hot, Shen Yuan removed his glasses, cleaning the lenses on the hem of his shirt just for something to do with his hands. “Oh, yes. Everything’s fine. Just um…ignore Shen Ji…Er.” He cleared his throat. “Shen Qingqiu. Ignore him. He gets this way sometimes, it’s nothing personal.” False. It’s always personal but no one ever wants to hear that, he thought silently.

As he replaced his glasses, Shen Yuan could have sworn he saw a flash of anger behind Gongyi Xiao’s soft brown eyes as his own eyes tricked him into thinking he saw something like shadows blinked in and out of existence around him. Shutting his eyes against the throbbing pulse in his temples, Shen Yuan took a few calming breaths to quell the dull pain. When he opened his eyes again, Gongyi Xiao was still in front of him, smile gentle and face clear.

Must have just been a trick of the light.

He dug in his pocket and held out a card key. “You and your colleague will have to share. Sorry about that.” Gongyi Xiao took the card, fingers brushing against Shen Yuan’s. The heat from Shen Yuan’s ears started to make its way down his neck. Laughing a bit hysterically, Shen Yuan quickly drew his hand back. “There are two beds though!!”

Smooth, Shen Yuan.

Gongyi Xiao was staring at him oddly, eyes dancing. Fortunately, he still had a small smile on his handsome face. “Oh, it’s not a problem. Logistics have been a bit chaotic lately.”

“Mmm, so I’ve heard.” He leaned forward, muttering under his breath conspiratorially, “You know, it’s been a while since anyone from Huan Hua has assisted with a System assigned night hunt. I heard that the Old Palace Master has gone into secluded cultivation recently and that he may be thinking of stepping down.” He shifted his eyes from side to side, checking to make sure no one else was listening in.

Crossing his arms over his chest and cocking an eyebrow at him, Gongyi Xiao said slowly, “Oh? Really?” He then also glanced from side to side adding, “I can’t speak for the Old Palace Master’s plans but we’re here now, aren’t we?” Leaning forward and matching Shen Yuan’s posture, he whispered playfully, “Do you not want us to be?”

Maybe I should see if I’m coming down with something. Laughing awkwardly as he pretended to scratch at the back of his neck so he could wipe some of the sweat beading at his hairline away, Shen Yuan replied, “Oh, well. Um. No, that’s not what I meant. Uh! I mean! I’m happy you—I mean! We’re happy you’re here!! I was just, you know, making conversation, ahahahahaha…” Shen Yuan was going to need to change his shirt after this because the lower back of the one he was wearing was rather damp.

Gongyi Xiao was looking at him oddly again. Shen Yuan cleared his throat, trying to arrange his face into something cool and neutral - two things he was not feeling as he tried not to stare at Gongyi Xiao’s oddly familiar eyes. “What I mean to say is that it is nice you’re here to help - it’s nice working with other sects, sometimes. Broadens horizons and all that.”

Lips curving into a broader smile, Gongyi Xiao smoothly replied, “Oh, I couldn’t agree more.”

A commotion from the direction of the door interrupted them. Turning their heads in tandem, they watched as Liu Qingge and Shang Qinghua burst out of the revolving door, arguing about the merits of long range weapons versus short range weapons. Mu Qingfang trailed after them, talking animatedly on his phone and seemingly oblivious of the debate raging before him.

With dawning horror, Shen Yuan watched as Liu Qingge pulled out a magazine of spiritual bullets Wei Qingwei wanted him to test out. As he began waving it in front of Shang Qinghua’s face while expounding on the merits of sniper rifles, Shen Yuan decided that the heated discussion had gone on for long enough and loudly cleared his throat. Both Shang QInghua and Liu Qingge’s mouths snapped shut as they turned to look at Shen Yuan sheepishly. Mu Qingfang, however, continued to chatter away on his phone, wandering around the lobby absentmindedly.

Shen Yuan turned around to offer his apologies to Gongyi Xiao and paused at the hard look on the man’s face. When he noticed Shen Yuan staring, his expression melted back into something politely neutral. “Well. I think it’s about time we go and get some rest. We’ll see you all tomorrow to discuss next steps.” Nodding, Shen Yuan raised a hand in farewell and staunchly convinced himself that he was watching Gongyi Xiao retreat towards the elevators out of a sense of concern and not because of how tight his pants were. Or how familiar his gait seemed. Or how interesting the sword strapped to his back was and how it vibrated beneath the talismans and cloth wrapping it or the voices that seemed to be whispering to him from across the lobby. Youcanhearusweknowyoucan.

Gongyi Xiao turned around in the elevator to punch the button for his floor and just as the elevator doors closed, he flashed Shen Yuan a dazzling smile that provided a stark contrast to the ominous throbbing in Shen Yuan’s temples. Shaking himself, Shen Yuan spun around to hand over the key to the last room. He found himself face to face with Shang Qinghua looking up at him with his mouth hanging open like a fish, eyes wide and panicked. Poking him in the arm, Shen Yuan asked curiously, “Bro, you ok?”

Jolting out of his stupor and pasting on a cheesy, fake smile, Shang Qinghua replied just a bit too loudly, “Oh YUP! Sure AM!”

Beside him, Liu Qingge shot him a disgusted look before glancing back at Shen Yuan. With a small smile on his face as he asked, “Do you have our room keys?”

Shen Yuan looked up at the ceiling, scratching at the back of his head. “About that…”

Liu Qingge and Mu Qingfang had taken the news that they would be sharing a room with Shang Qinghua in stride. (Bro, it’s because they’re already sleeping together. They were never going to use the second bed anyway!). Shang Qinghua, however, and as expected, had his own protests. Which he voiced to Shen Yuan loudly. And at length.

As Mu Qingfang and Liu Qingge trailed over to the elevators, having a vague conversation about “showers” and “multi-step skincare routines,” Shang Qinghua seized Shen Yuan’s arm with a crazed look and dragged him to the hotel bar. Throwing him into a shadowed corner booth, Shang Qinghua slid onto the seat across from him, eyes still wide and panicked. Grabbing two menus, he stood them up, creating a flimsy, laminated paper wall that blocked their faces.

Shang Qinghua leaned over the table and stared Shen Yuan in the eye for several long seconds, clearly trying to sort out whatever he wanted to say. Finally, after more gratuitously intense eye contact, Shang Qinghua leaned back and said, overly casual, “So. Who were those two guys?”

Why is he acting so weird about this?

What a good question! He knows something.

Aloud, Shen Yuan answered, “Oh, they’re cultivators from Huan Hua. We’re going to be working with them for this night hunt. They seem nice - especially the curly haired one.” He is quite nice. And that sword? Interesting, isn’t it? Blinking hard, Shen Yuan continued, “I met up with them earlier. Jiu-ge isn’t too thrilled about it but you know how he gets whenever we have to collaborate.” He pitched his voice up to mimic Shen Jiu, something that Shang Qinghua was always happy to play along with, and continued, “;A-Yuan, you know that working with other cultivators and other Sects introduces bureaucratic issues. I don’t know why Yue Qingyuan keeps insisting on it when I’ve told him repeatedly that…’”

Shen Yuan trailed off upon realizing that Shang Qinghua still had the same intense expression on his face, now accompanied by a slight tremor in his hands which he had resting on the tabletop. Shakily, Shang Qinghua asked, “Bro, did you just say Huan Hua?”

“Yeah, why? What’s wrong with Huan Hua? Not like we haven’t worked with them before. I mean, I know it’s been a while and the Old Palace Master hasn’t been seen recently but I have heard he’s been in secluded cultivation so maybe that’s why they’ve been so quiet recently.”

Shang Qinghua shut his eyes slowly and took a deep breath. After letting it out just as slowly, he opened his eyes and said, “Yes. I know. I scrape the internet every day for media notifications. It’s literally my job to know this and it isn’t new information.”

Shooting him a sour look, Shen Yuan grumbled, “Ugh, ok fine. Well you don’t have to be so shitty about it. What is your problem? You’re acting weirder than normal.”

Shang Qinghua reached across the table, grabbing Shen Yuan by the front of the shirt. “Shen Yuan.” Blinking in surprise at the address, Shen Yuan stared back at him owlishly. “Those two are not from Huan Hua. Or at least one of them isn’t.”

He blinked again, wondering if this was just one of Shang Qinghua’s weird “things” he did sometimes, which generally manifested in the form of being cryptic, knowing more than he should, and referencing things that hadn’t happened yet and then pretending he hadn’t referenced them when they happened almost exactly as he said they would. Shen Yuan asked him about it once when they were both half in the bag after sharing several bottles of wine. Shang Qinghua had sobered up almost immediately and replied, deadly serious, “If I told you, I would have to kill you.” He then gave Shen Yuan a narrowed eyed look before a wobbly expression overcame his features. This was immediately followed up by a spectacular amount of vomit projecting out of his mouth and into the bushes outside Shen Yuan’s apartment.

Sighing, Shang Qinghua released his shirt and flopped back in his seat. “The other guy - the big one?” Before Shen Yuan could mutter that they were both big, Shang Qinghua quickly added, “Not the curly-haired generic pretty boy. The other one - Mobei Jun.” He rolled his eyes and huffed a laugh. “He’s not from Huan Hua. Ok well…He’s been there before - a long time ago - but he’s not a cultivator.”

“What? What are you talking about? Then where is he from since you know so much.” Shen Yuan crossed his arms over his chest, waiting.

Fidgeting with a sugar packet, Shang Qinghua glanced away and replied, “Ok, so you can’t get mad and you have to let me finish before you ask any questions.”

Oh god. “Shang Qinghua, what did you do?”

Waving his hands in his face, he nearly shouted, “NOTHING!” Slapping his hands over his mouth, Shang Qinghua peeked over the makeshift menu barrier to check if they had attracted any unwanted attention. None of the other patrons in the nearly empty bar so much as glanced their way, too absorbed in their own worlds to care what was being discussed across the room. Turning back to Shen Yuan, Shang Qinghua rubbed at the back of his neck. “Um, ok so I haven’t done anything…Uh. Recently at least. Kind of?”

Sighing, Shen Yuan rolled his eyes. “I feel like I’m going to regret this but please indulge me.” Leaning forward and glaring at Shang Qinghua over his glasses, he bit out, “What. Did. You. Do.”

Hands covering his face, Shang Qinghua mumbled into his palms, “So you remember how I once mentioned to you that after I completed my basic cultivation studies - but before formally joining Cang Qiong as a Sect cultivator - that I had a bit of a crisis about what I wanted to do with my life?”

Shaking his head, and then realizing Shang Qinghua couldn’t see him doing so because he still had his face buried in his hands, Shen Yuan replied, “Yes. How could I forget? You told me you were trying to choose between becoming a writer,” at that Shang Qinghua made a pained sound. Shen Yuan continued, “A rogue cultivator, or a cultivator for Cang Qiong in a formal capacity.”

“Soooooooooooo ahaha.” Dropping his hands, Shang Qinghua said, “Ok, only part of that is true. Really, I was only considering the first two - and truthfully only the first one! But then…well…”

Shen Yuan steeled himself, knowing intrinsically that whatever Shang Qinghua was going to say would be 1) extremely stupid, 2) extremely dangerous, or 3) both, in varying degrees and maybe at the same time.

Finally meeting Shen Yuan’s eyes with a resigned look, Shang Qinghua sighed. “I’ll tell you why I ended up becoming a member of Cang Qiong even though it wasn’t really something on my radar. It just uh…it seemed like a good fit when the other two options didn’t seem like they would pan out.”

“Uh-huh. But being a rogue cultivator is literally the easiest route there - get your license and boom! You could have lived that freelancer lifestyle.” Shen Yuan narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “So why did you need to be connected to Cang Qiong?”

“Uuuuuuugh. Because I needed access to information and materials AND a steady paycheck! Not to mention it seemed like a safe choice, all things considered!” Running his hand down his face again, Shang Qinghua tipped his head back and looked up at the ceiling. “So. Mobei Jun the cultivator from Huan Hua? Yeah, that’s not who he is. Well. Ok, not what he is. His name is Mobei-Jun but he’s a demon. Pretty powerful one, too.”


Shen Yuan gaped at him. “Excuse me?”

Letting out a huff, Shang Qinghua continued, “Keep up bro. He’s a demon - you know, big powerful creatures? Come from the Abyss? Cause all kinds of problems in the Human Realm if they somehow make it here.” Eyes a bit wild again, he stared at Shen Yuan, “You know, those demons?”

“I know what a demon is,” Shen Yuan snarked. “I just don’t understand how you know he’s a demon.” Hm, curious. The only ones who have the current list are the Sect Leader and his second in command. Shen Yuan’s head pulsed lightly and he removed his glasses to rub his eyes.

With a casual air of feigned disinterest, Shang Qinghua flapped a hand to the side. “Oh well, you know. I summoned him once and maybe kept in contact with him. It’s not a big deal ahaha…aha…ha…”

“WHAT?!?” Shen Yuan shrieked, this time drawing the attention of a man nursing a drink at the end of the bar.

Shang Qinghua popped his head above the menus, offering the man a sheepish smile and making a motion to indicate Shen Yuan had been drinking. Glaring at him after the man shrugged and turned his attention back to the television hanging on the wall, Shang Qinghua hissed, “Bro, shut up. Geez. You said you’d let me finish.”

“I never said that,” Shen Yuan grumbled petulantly.

Rolling his eyes again, Shang Qinghua continued, “As I was saying. Right before I formally joined the Sect, I didn’t have an idea of what I actually wanted to do with my life. I mean, I have the necessary training to be a cultivator and I could have gotten my rogue cultivator license but I wanted to do more with my life than travel around, exorcising ghosts and dealing with minor yao. Which isn’t to say that isn’t a nice goal! But it doesn’t pay the bills consistently, y’know?”

Shen Yuan nodded in understanding. When Shang Qinghua didn’t continue quickly enough, he grunted, “Get to the point, bro.”

“Ugh, fine. So before I formally joined the Sect, when I was still on my journey to find myself…”

“You mean writing shitty porn and posting it on the internet?”

“Hey man, fuck you! You read it all AND you commented on everything!” Looking smug, Shang Qinghua added, “You even said you liked my worldbuilding.”

Grunting again, Shen Yuan motioned for him to continue, ignoring the latter statement.

“So as I was exploring my options as a writer, I ended up doing some research on how to incorporate different character archetypes into one of my stories.”

From across the table, Shen Yuan muttered, “You mean your derivative, lazy, trash prose.”

Shooting him a dirty look, Shang Qinghua said, “I came across a website about demons and maybe I got a little bit invested in it. So invested that I might have become a contributing writer and maybe came up with some lore.” Shen Yuan knew that his face was locked into the most unimpressed stare he could muster based on the feelings of incredulity in the tense muscles of his eyebrows.

“Don’t look at me like that!” Shang Qinghua squawked. “It was a thriving and vibrant community and I thought it was just a crowdsourced worldbuilding forum! And honestly, if I showed it to you I bet you would think it was great, too. I eventually became one of the editors and moderators for the section describing the different levels of demons, how to summon them, what they looked like, and their powers! There was so much information, bro! So much to use and build off of!”

Pausing, Shang Qinghua fidgeted with the abused sugar packet from before, crinkling it further. Shen Yuan cocked an eyebrow at the small tear in the packet and the few grains of sugar that had dropped onto the otherwise clear tabletop. Gathering himself, Shang Qinghua murmured, “So um. Anyway. On a lark.”

“Were you drunk?” Shen Yuan asked flatly.

Ears reddening, Shang Qinghua muttered, “Shut up.” Voice slightly louder, he continued, “I decided to maybe try one of the summoning rituals on the website? Just to see what it was like! I was just messing around, bro, you have to believe me.” Shang Qinghua’s cadence picked up in the face of Shen Yuan’s unimpressed stare. “And maybe if I was a bit bored and maybe a little bit lonely and maybe if one of the demons on the site was described as my ideal type and perhaps I was just…I don’t know. Hopeful it would work? I mean…Don’t look at me like that!! The site had testimonials on it from people who had encountered some of the demons and yeah, most of those encounters sounded horrifying and also completely fake but some of them sounded kind of nice?? And I know it sounds like bullshit and I honestly didn’t think anything would actually happen anyway since the entire website was supposed to be full of made up information!! For storytelling purposes!!!!”

Shen Yuan silently placed his head in his hands. Shang Qinghua continued to babble, undeterred.

“So I tried it and well my Ki-erm. Mobei-Jun? Yeah, he showed up. And he um…” The flush at the tips of Shang Qinghua’s ears had migrated to his face, coloring his cheeks a vivid red. “He um, wasn’t unhappy to be summoned? And maybe he stuck around in my apartment for a while? And then would just show up? Sometimes? Without me having to do anything except sort of think about him?”

Hands dropping from his face, Shen Yuan glared across the table at Shang Qinghua, disbelief coloring his expression as he allowed all of this to sink in. Finally, he took a deep breath and asked, very slowly, “Shang Qinghua?”

“En?”

“Did you fuck a demon?”

Shang Qinghua’s neck looked hot enough to cook an egg on. “I mean, he just…” With a noise of frustration, he groaned, “He started it!”

“Oh my god, bro. Are you fucking serious right now?”

Face meeting the tabletop, Shang Qinghua moaned. “Ok, fine. Yes. He used to show up all the time. Not on any kind of schedule. He would just walk out of the shadows in my room with at least some level of frequency. BUT! He hasn’t been around for a while - even when I did try to summon him! - so I figured he just got bored with me. WHICH IS FINE OF COURSE!” Shen Yuan wasn’t quite convinced it was fine for Shang Qinghua based on his mournful tone. He decided to table that conversation for later.

Shang Qinghua continued to ramble, “But that guy out there is him and I don’t know why he’s here and the last time I saw him was a few years ago when the Abyss opened and Luo Binghe disappeared and I juURK!!”

Shaking him by the front of his shirt as he pulled Shang Qinghua across the table, Shen Yuan hissed, “What did you just say?”

Eyes bugging out, Shang Qinghua managed to choke out, “The last time I saw Mobei-Jun was right before the Abyss opened?”

“When.”

“Um…the night before?”

Throwing Shang Qinghua back onto his side of the table, Shen Yuan sagged back in his seat, head spinning. Mobei-Jun - a demon, and a powerful one, apparently - traveling with a cultivator from Huan Hua who had eyes that looked achingly familiar and who was kind and polite to Shen Yuan. Who had taken to Shen Yuan in the few hours he had known him like they were old friends.

A sharp ache throbbed at Shen Yuan’s temples. He brought his hands up to massage them, shutting his eyes tightly. He knew having any hope was ridiculous. The pulsing in his head grew more insistent.

Eyes still shut, Shen Yuan asked quietly, “You mentioned that this Mobei-Jun had a history with Huan Hua?”

“Ah, yeah. He once told me that when he was younger another demon helped Huan Hua summon him. They locked him in a prison array and eventually tried to kill him - he didn’t know why and he never tried to find out. It didn’t work, obviously, and he escaped after uh…Well. Remember that old news story about the faulty array that reversed spontaneously and killed a few cultivators at Huan Hua. The one where the investigation into it called it a freak accident? Yeah. So.”

Something tickled at the back of Shen Yuan’s mind, still preoccupied with thoughts of Gongyi Xiao and why he seemed so familiar. An image of the weapon he had on his back flashed into his mind just as the throbbing in his head started to subside. Where did he…?

“Did you ever give him any of your sealing talismans? Or any Immortal Binding Cables?”

A thoughtful look crossed Shang Qinghua’s face. “I mean…Maybe the cables? But I didn’t exactly give them to him ahaha…ha…”

Shen Yuan had to do everything in his power to not soar across the table and clobber Shang Qinghua. Instead he shot him an icy look, muttering, “I don’t want to hear about your weird sex life.”

Squawking, Shang Qinghua grumbled back, “At least I have one.”

Shen Yuan was already leaning forward again, hand poised to make a sword seal. “What was that??”

“Ahaha nothing!!” Clearing his throat, Shang Qinghua pondered out loud, “He may have kept the Immortal Binding Cables but I never gave him any talismans. I mean, why would I do that.” He paused, expression taking on a distant look, “Although…” Shang Qinghua’s eyes widened and he snapped his fingers. “So I guess that’s where they went!”

Idiot. “So he took them?”

Sighing, Shang Qinghua said, “Yeah, he must have. It was right before we went to Jue Di Gorge. I had prepped several hundred sealing talismans just in case and when I woke up the morning of the night hunt, Mobei-Jun was gone and so was the stack of talismans. At the time, I figured I had just misplaced them - and don’t give me that look bro, you know I have a smaller apartment than you and I like to spread out! - but he had to have taken them because I looked around after and still couldn’t find them. I chalked it up to being exhausted from lack of sleep because I was working on that novella, remember?”

Something clicked into place. Eyes narrowed, Shen Yuan asked, “Oh, you mean that one about the Northern Kingdom Ice Demon and his weaselly little retainer getting together and ruling the Demon Realm, hand in hand?”

Face still flaming, Shang Qinghua laughed awkwardly as he avoided meeting Shen Yuan’s eyes. “Ahahaha, so you do remember. You said you liked that one though!”

“YEAH BEFORE I KNEW IT WAS YOUR OWN RPF, YOU DEGENERATE!”

“DOESN’T DEFEAT THE FACT THAT YOU ENJOYED IT, BRO! NO TAKE BACKS!!”

The man at the end of the bar was staring blearily at them again.

Flashing him an apologetic smile, Shen Yuan lowered his voice and turned back to address Shang Qinghua, “Ok, so we know Mobei-Jun is a demon but why is he traveling with a Huan Hua cultivator if he hates them so much?”

Sighing, Shang Qinghua shrugged. “I’m not sure. I don’t think he saw me before he left the lobby so I guess the best course of action is to keep an eye on him during the night hunt? I can avoid him in the morning when we go over the briefing - I have to head out early anyway to deal with surveillance logistics and civilian diversion.” After a brief pause, Shang Qinghua added nonchalantly, “Besides, if he wanted to harm us, he already would have. Trust me.”

Cryptic asshole. “Fine.”

But he’s your friend, so why be cryptic? Why hide the truth if he knows something?

And what about that other Huan Hua cultivator?

As they slid out of the booth, Shen Yuan cast a look at Shang Qinghua, pressure behind his eyes causing his vision to fuzz momentarily.

You’ll need to keep any eye on him - just in case.

Notes:

SY is still absolutely going to keep offering his editing and commenting services to SHQ by the way - even if he now knows that all of the stories featuring demons and demon-like characters are thinly veiled RPF. Is he also going to weaponize this information to rip on SQH whenever he can? Yes. Is SQH going to take the bait every time and just make the teasing worse for himself? Also yes.

Chapter 14

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

There had been a plan.

Keyword - had.

Shen Yuan even knew of the plan - they had all talked about it! Shen Jiu had even forced Shang Qinghua to stay for the briefing - not buying his “needing to go set things up early” excuse. They met in a group in Shen Jiu and Shen Yuan’s room. There had been diagrams! Maps! A chart!! Shen Yuan even managed to pay attention despite being acutely aware of the way Mobei-Jun was blatantly staring at Shang Qinghua, who was studiously avoiding his gaze and really focusing on taking down notes (which Shen Yuan could see were just random curlicues and scribbles). Shen Yuan also had the pleasure of seeing Shang Qinghua look up, lock eyes with Mobei-Jun, turn white as a sheet and then red so fast that Shen Yuan was surprised he didn’t qi deviate on the spot. He had to hide his smirk behind a cough when Shang Qinghua then not so casually returned to adding to the mess of scribbles on the page in front of him.

Shang Qinghua’s antics had also not been lost on Shen Jiu, apparently. As he poised his pen to start writing again, Shen Jiu whacked him on the back of the head with a hissed, “Pay attention and keep it in your pants,” before he launched right back into a discussion of lines of sight and positioning.

Serves him right, Shen Yuan had thought darkly, his own eyes traveling over to meet Gongyi Xiao’s intense stare.

The plan was supposed to proceed as such: they would stake out near the hospital - which is where the sower plague had originated according to Mu Qingfang. Liu Qingge and Mobei-Jun would be on the rooftops around the entrance, rifles loaded with spiritual rounds at the ready. Mu Qingfang would be on the ground. He would wait near the entrance to the hospital, relaying information via an earpiece regarding the individuals entering and exiting the main doors, on the lookout for any sowers lurking around. The day prior, Mu Qingfang had watched as a group of sowers, disguised as clipboard holding surveyors, wandered around the area in front of the doors, touching people as they signed onto whatever made up petition they had with them to spread their plague. Seeing who the sowers infected the day prior had the added bonus of giving Liu Qingge the identities of the people that needed to be rounded up so Mu Qingfang could provide them with the treatment he had come up with. Shen Yuan decided not to ask about where those individuals were being held but he was sure he would find out later if he needed to know.

Shang Qinghua and Shen Jiu had been assigned to be nearby backup, just out of view in an alley at the side of the plaza where Shen Yuan would, once again, be used as bait. Which honestly, he wasn’t even surprised about anymore due to his uncanny ability to draw demons and their ilk to him like moths to a flame. Shen Jiu had pulled a sour face when Shen Yuan put up a cursory protest before Mu Qingfang stepped in and calmly explained that as long as he didn’t let any of the sowers touch his bare skin that he would be fine. Mu Qingfang then handed him a hoodie to cover his arms and nodded approvingly at the slacks he was already wearing. “I've been working on a treatment, too. It should be effective but just in case,” Mu Qingfang murmured to him reassuringly.

And where was Gongyi Xiao in all of this? Well, he specifically volunteered to keep an eye on Shen Yuan at all times. Shen Jiu had clearly not been happy about it if the stormy look on his face was anything to go by. After a sharp look from Shen Yuan that cut off whatever comment he was about to make, Shen Jiu begrudgingly stated that it would be wise to have a single person who could step in quickly should things get out of hand. Particularly since they had the option of utilizing an extra body for that exact task.

Once awarded his assignment, Gongyi Xiao turned to Shen Yuan with a lazy smile of acknowledgment. Cheeks pinking, Shen Yuan’s conversation with Shang Qinghua from the night before came crashing back over him as he averted his eyes from the radiant look on Gongyi Xiao’s face.

As they headed out of the hotel, Shang Qinghua caught up with Shen Yuan, a worried look on his face. “Um, so bro, he definitely knows who I am ahaha…and he uh. Yeah he definitely noticed me yesterday.” Rather than deck him in the face, Shen Yuan ignored Shang Qinghua’s suggestive eyebrow waggle. IInstead, Shen Yuan reached up and pressed down, hard, on the massive hickey poking out from just under the collar of Shang Qinghua’s shirt.

“OW!”

Shen Jiu turned around with a murderous glint in his eye, immediately halting Shang QInghua’s protests.

“Ow, bro, that’s tender,” Shang Qinghua grumbled. Shen Yuan brandished his thumb again. “Ok, ok, geez. Anyway, Mobei-Jun told me everything would be fine today. He said the sowers are just some ‘low level garbage’ and they shouldn’t be a problem. We didn’t really get into the details of it before I had to go back to my room but you know ahaha. Oh! And he told me that we can trust Gongyi Xiao.” Nodding his head proudly at delivering what he clearly thought was stunning intel, Shang Qinghua sped up so he could keep pace with Shen Yuan, who had started to lengthen his strides.

Shen Yuan shot Shang Qinghua a flat look once he caught up. “Uh-huh. And was this before or after he dicked you down in a supply closet?”

Face pinking, Shang Qinghua slumped forward and grumbled, “It was the utility closed on the pool deck and there was a lounger chair, thank you very much.” Shen Yuan’s expression became even more unimpressed. He brought his hand back up, ready to prod the bruise on Shang Qinghua’s collarbone. Catching the movement, Shang Qinghua sidestepped away, clearing his throat as his face grew serious. “Listen, you can do with that information what you want but Mobei has never lied to me before.”

He may have never lied to you, but can he really be trusted?

Out loud, Shen Yuan muttered, “Maybe not but he also might not be telling you everything you needed to know.”

My, my. Doesn’t that sound familiar.

Something clenched in Shen Yuan’s stomach. He nearly missed the dirty look Shang Qinghua directed at him, “To be fair, I never asked, either.”

Rolling his eyes, Shen Yuan made a beeline for the bench in the plaza they had just entered, flopping himself down onto it once he reached his destination. It provided him a clear view of the main doors of the hospital while also offering a clear line of sight for the rest of the plaza. “Ok, fine. So, at least according to you and your source, I don’t need to worry. Is there anything else I should know?”

Fidgeting with something in his pocket, Shang Qinghua looked up at the sky, lips drawn into a thin line. “I mean…Ok, yeah so Mobei didn’t say anything super specific but he did say something about Gongyi Xiao's sword and how he uses it.” Curiosity piqued, Shen Yuan waited.

Shang Qinghua’s face broke into a lascivious smile. “You know, his sword…” Instead of finishing that statement, he made a gesture with his pointer finger into a circle he had created with his thumb and forefinger.

Shen Yuan kicked his leg out, clipping Shang Qinghua in the shin. He received a gratifying yelp for his troubles. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Shen Yuan sighed. “I hate you so much. You know that, right?”

Hopping on one foot as he rubbed his leg, Shang Qinghua asked in an injured tone, “Do you though, bro? Do you? Aren’t we friends??” Shen Yuan started to stand up, poised to kick Shang Qinghua somewhere other than his leg.

Before he could try to land another blow, Shang Qinghua flashed him a lopsided grin and speed walked across the open area in front of the main hospital entrance. He then disappeared into the alley where Shen Jiu had already set up. Rolling his eyes and with a faint smile of his own, Shen Yuan sat back down, anticipation and anxiety bubbling through him as he waited to feel the telltale throb of a headache that would indicate the presence of a creature from the Abyss.

As he waited, he thought of warm brown eyes and soft smiles. Gongyi Xiao’s face flashed through his mind and was then immediately replaced with Luo Binghe’s. A stab of longing and sadness panged sharp and cold in his chest. Prodding at the hurt, Shen Yuan thought back to the hazy details of the last dream he had about Luo Binghe - all of those eyes, soft and tender under their intensity, gazing at him from Luo Binghe’s shifting, incomprehensible form. But none of that had been real.

Chest aching, he shifted around, eyes glancing to and fro, looking for Gongyi Xiao. When he failed to spot the man, he channeled his qi so his hearing was sharper. Then, he raised his arms above his head, stretching just so in a way that he knew would bare the slightest hint of his midriff as his shirt rode up.

From somewhere to the left and behind him, interrupting the early morning quiet, he heard a quick, short inhale.

There he is.

Settling back with a self-satisfied smirk, Shen Yuan pulled out his phone and pretended to be distracted while he half paid attention to his surroundings.

Foot traffic picked up as time passed and more light spilled into the plaza. In the lazy bustle and din of morning commuters heading to work and people getting off their shifts at the hospital, Shen Yuan spotted a figure wearing a dark jacket with the hood pulled up out of the corner of his eye. It shuffled towards his bench, clipboard clutched to its chest. Their eyes, however, remained hidden in the shadows of their hood. Shen Yuan casually observed them approaching without looking directly at them. Settling back further into the bench, he splayed his legs in front of him and buried his chin into the collar of his hoodie. His head pulsed with a dull ache with each step the figure took towards him.

As the sower approached, Shen Yuan poised his body for action by circulating his qi, but kept his thumb moving idly along his blank phone screen in a facsimile of someone scrolling mindlessly through social media. The creeping tendrils of the headache at the base of his skull started to crawl upward, wrapping themselves around his temples and settling their tips near his forehead and behind his eyes as the demon drew closer to him.

Light burst behind his retinas, stars clouding his vision as the sound of a thunderclap rang out inside of his skull. With a small cry of pain, Shen Yuan shut his eyes as he doubled over, taking in deep, sucking breaths to stave off the sudden onset of nausea.

In retrospect, Shen Yuan should have known that something would go wrong. Case in point - he was prepared for the approach of the sower in front of him but was absolutely not prepared for the attack from the sower behind him. In short, he had failed to miss the crucial detail that there were two sowers - one approaching from the front, apparently acting as a decoy, as the second one approached from behind him, both drawn to him like moths to a particularly bright flame on a dark night. Fortunately for Shen Yuan, someone had been paying attention and before the sower behind him could lay its other hand on him, a booming voice cracked out a warning.

“SHEN YUAN, BEHIND!”

Head spinning, Shen Yuan jumped to his feet and whirled around, vertigo nearly sending him pitching to the pavement. The sower that approached him from behind was hastily shuffling around the bench, limbs jerking underneath the overly baggy clothing covering its body.

Summoning Xiu Ya to him with a shaky sword seal, Shen Yuan gripped the hilt and tore it from its sheath, white light glowing along its blade. He thrust forward, muscle memory taking over through the shrieking pain in his skull. The blade sank into the sower’s chest, stopping the creature in its tracks. Shen Yuan kicked it in the stomach none too gently. It slid off the blade and fell to the ground like a sack of bricks, putrid blood leaking from the gaping wound in its chest.

The sound of a scuffle behind him drew his attention. With Xiu Ya still held tight in his shaking hands, he fixed his wavering vision on Gongyi Xiao grappling barehanded with the other sower. Fear gripping him, he shouted out, “Don’t let it touch your bare skin!!”

Grunting in acknowledgement, Gongyi Xiao seized the sower by the elbows and lifted it up, making to throw it onto the ground. The creature wriggled around and, quicker than it had been before, tried to spin, causing Gongyi Xiao and the sower to topple to the ground in a jumbled heap. They rolled around on the pavement, fists raining blows on each other until Gongyi Xiao managed to put the sower into a headlock.

Across the square, rushed footsteps rang out. Tensing, Shen Yuan turned and looked over his shoulder. He spotted several dark figures shambling towards the alleyway where Shang Qinghua and Shen Jiu were stationed. Over the sounds of a scuffle, he heard his brother’s voice shouting out commands.

Before he could send a sword glare towards the figures closing in on the alleyway, a pained exhale drew his attention back to Gongyi Xiao. The sower had managed to wrest an arm free and Gongyi Xiao was dodging his way around the elongated, thrashing limb, doing his best to avoid its claws as it tried to sink them into the meat of his arm.

Eyes darting around as he searched for an opening, Shen Yuan called out, “Draw your sword!”

Gongyi Xiao shot him a quelling look, taking his attention off the sower for just long enough that the creature rolled out from underneath him and rushed towards Shen Yuan, dagger sharp claws aimed towards him. Yelping, Shen Yuan staggered back a step. He crashed to the ground when the sower collided into Xiu Ya torso first. It pressed forward, burying Xiu Ya into its body up to the hilt, and bore down on Shen Yuan until its hands and grimy claws made contact with Shen Yuan’s face. Screaming as the creature’s talons dug into his cheek, Shen Yuan released his grip on Xiu Ya and pressed on the creature’s shoulders. Holding it at arm’s length, the sower’s movements weekend until its hands finally fell to its sides. Blood poured out of its mouth and the wound in its gut onto Shen Yuan’s chest. He would have been disgusted had his face and head not been throbbing with white hot pain. Finally, the sower twitched one last time before going limp. Shen Yuan heaved it off of him. He sat up unsteadily, tearing Xiu Ya out of the corpse as his thoughts raced. He wondered how deep the scratches on his face penetrated, how much contact with a sower was required for infection.

The sound of a rifle cracked out through the air, startling Shen Yuan out of his thoughts. A shadow fell over him. Gongyi Xiao crouched down next to Shen Yuan, warm hands gently pulling Shen Yuan’s fingers away from his face and holding his chin in place to examine him. Something warm and wet was running down Shen Yuan’s face and it wasn’t until blood mingled with salty, clear liquid splashed down onto his pants and the pavement beneath him that Shen Yuan realized he was crying.

“A-Yuan, it’s fine. I’m here. It’s fine, it’s fine.” Gongyi Xiao repeated the words like a mantra, seemingly trying to convince both Shen Yuan and himself of their truth. With a pained noise, Shen Yuan’s eyes caught on Gongyi Xiao’s exposed forearm and the vivid red rash that was already darkening his skin.

If they manage to break the skin, the plague carried by the sowers can manifest in mere moments. There have been no successful instances of recovery once symptoms manifest. Mu Qingfang’s voice echoed calmly in his skull. Shen Yuan shut his eyes and took several deep, shuddering breaths around the spiky feeling in his chest.

Seizing Gongyi Xiao’s arm, Shen Yuan stared at the marks, eyes round and frantic. “You’re infected.” Pulling himself to his feet, Shen Yuan tugged at Gongyi Xiao’s wrist. “We need to find Mu Qingfang - he’ll know what to do.” I hope. He said he had developed a treatment but he needed to test it out.

But what if he doesn’t know what to do? What will you do then?

Shen Yuan took a step forward but was immediately stopped in his tracks. Looking behind him, he found the source of the impediment to his movement - Gongyi Xiao had grabbed his wrist, fingers locked around it vice tight. “I’m not the one you should be worried about.” He gestured with his chin at Shen Yuan’s hand closest to the side where he had been scratched, which was already a much deeper shade of red than Luo Binghe’s.

With a faint, hysterical laugh, Shen Yuan tugged at his arm, trying, and failing, to free himself. “It’s fine, this is fine.” The headache that had burst forth when the sower attacked him pulsed, constricting around his skull as the adrenaline in his body petered out. Sagging, he took another look at Gongyi Xiao, whose expression had hardened.

“No need to get anyone else involved” Shen Yuan watched with detached interest as Gongyi Xiao pulled out a pen knife and sliced open his palm. “I can take care of this,” Gongyi Xiao muttered to himself.

Without another word, Gongyi Xiao reeled Shen Yuan in towards him, grip firm on the back of his neck to hold him in place as he raised his hand towards Shen Yuan’s face. With a final, desperate burst, the remaining adrenaline in Shen Yuan’s body surged forth as Shen Yuan struggled to avoid contact with Gongyi Xiao’s bloody palm, sounds of protest falling from his lips but landing on deaf ears. The grip on the back of his neck tightened as Gongyi Xiao’s expression flickered oddly. For a moment, it looked almost as though another face was superimposed on his.

Gongyi Xiao’s hand clapped over his open mouth with an air of finality. Shen Yuan froze in shock as wet copper flooded across his tongue and dripped down the back of his throat. After several tense seconds, he jerked his head back and bit down on the meat of Gongyi Xiao’s hand. Grunting in pain, Gongyi Xiao withdrew his hand, eyes wild, as Shen Yuan staggered away from him, preparing to turn and run.

He stopped, eyes catching on Gongyi Xiao’s arm and hand. The wound on his palm was already knitting itself shut and the rash had disappeared.

Oh? Is he back? Hmm.

Shaking his head and blinking, Shen Yuan managed to ask, “What…?”

Gongyi Xiao reached out and grabbed him again, formerly injured but still blood smeared hand wrapping itself around one of Shen Yuan’s comparatively clean ones. “I’ll explain later!” Shen Yuan only stumbled slightly as Gongyi Xiao began to drag him towards the alleyway and the sounds of fighting.

They reached the mouth of the alley quickly and then both stopped and stared as Mobei-Jun picked up a sower and threw it head first into a brick wall with a crash. Shen Yuan winced at the sound the remnants of its shattered body made as it slid to the ground. He then noticed the other still bodies scattered in the alleyway. Anxiety bubbled up into his chest when he realized that one person in particular was missing.

He did, however, spot Shang Qinghua, who was holding his sword in front of him like a machete and waving it back and forth threateningly at the two sowers boxing him in. “Qinghua, where’s my brother?!”

Slashing at the sower to his left, Shang Qinghua grunted in satisfaction as the creature’s head parted from its body. “Little busy right now!” Three more sowers shambled up the alley, heading straight towards Shang Qinghua, who let out a yelp of surprise as they drew closer.

A voice that cracked and rumbled like the sound of thick sheets of ice breaking before they opened up into icy water boomed through the narrow alleyway, “ENOUGH!”

The temperature dropped suddenly. Gongyi Xiao seized Shen Yuan and thrust him behind his bulk, shielding him from the biting cold whipping around the alleyway. View obscured, Shen Yuan’s eyes fixed on the sword in front of him. The sounds of fighting around him died away and beneath the cloth and the talismans, Shen Yuan could see the sword vibrating gently. Between his ears, he heard a purring noise that steadily grew louder as its timbre pitched lower until it was rumbling with enough force that Shen Yuan could feel his brain shaking. The headache that had been bearing down on him felt like it was resonating with the sound, synching up to offer him a few moments of glorious clarity as a voice like chimes whispered to him under the thunder rumbling in his skull.

Why hello there. Fancy meeting you here.

The sound of breaking glass erupted around him. Blinking hard, Shen Yuan’s thoughts fuzzed over, the words fizzing out and being forgotten just as quickly as he perceived them. Eerie quiet greeted him as he poked his head out from behind the body in front of him.

There was glitter everywhere. Fine, shimmering particles coated the ground, the walls, the detritus in the alley. There was even a sparkling sheen covering Shang Qinghua, who was crouched down with his hands over his head with something large and hulking hovering in the shadows around him. It looked mostly human shaped but was much broader and sharper. Squinting, Shen Yuan blinked and then surmised it must have been a trick of the light or his overloaded brain because when his eyes finally focused, he saw Mobei-Jun standing in the shadows, a ferocious expression on his face as he headed in Shang Qinghua’s direction.

Raising his head and letting out a surprised sound, Shang Qinghua lost his balance on the balls of his feet and fell hard on his ass into the rapidly melting glitter scattered on the ground. Mobei-Jun slowed his steps as Shang Qinghua scooted himself back, eyes trained on the larger man’s face. Shang Qinghua’s feet and hands scrabbled at the ground until his progress was stopped by his back hitting one of the walls fencing in the alley. Plastering a forced smile on his face, Shang Qinghua asked, voice high-pitched and tinged with anxiety, “Ahahaha and what brings you over here um…” Shen Yuan watched Shang Qinghua try to cover for the fact that he knew exactly what Mobei-Jun was - intimately - and sighed to himself. Shang Qinghua, you moron.

With a quiet huff, Mobei-Jun hauled Shang Qinghua up by the arm and started patting him down, the ferocious expression on his face melting into one of concern - or maybe constipation, Shen Yuan wasn’t quite sure. From his vantage point, he couldn’t hear the words that were now being spoken to Shang Qinghua, pitched low enough so they wouldn’t travel. Whatever Mobei-Jun said to him prompted Shang Qinghua to sigh and shake his head, face falling and exhaustion clouding his features.

“And you?”

Startled out of his not so covert spying, Shen Yuan gaped at Gongyi Xiao and, in his opinion, very eloquently said, “Huh?”

“Are you ok?” He was looking at Shen Yuan intently, eyes tracking down his cheeks, pausing at his mouth for what Shen Yuan thought was an oddly long amount of time, and then flicking over the rest of his face. He reached out and grabbed Shen Yuan’s arm, critically observing the clear skin on his hand as he turned it this way and that.

Oh.

The last several minutes came crashing over Shen Yuan’s head like a cold bucket of water. Sowers, being attacked, the blood…wait. SHIT!

 

Pushing Gongyi Xiao away from him, Shen Yuan looked around frantically, hot panic pooling in his gut. Shen Yuan knew he hadn’t seen him among the bodies on the ground and he wasn’t standing around glowering at anyone. Rushing over to Shang Qinghua, Shen Yuan grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him to face him, pulling him away from his quiet conversation with Mobei-Jun.

“Where is he?”

Shang Qinghua’s eyes widened before his mouth started to work around syllables that he knew Shen Yuan wouldn’t want to hear. Shaking him, Shen Yuan asked again, “Where is my brother?!”

He heard a low voice behind him answer his question. “He was taken.”

Turning around, Shen Yuan tamped down on the urge to scream at Mobei-Jun. “OK?! But how? And by who?”

He shot a glare at Shang QInghua over his shoulder. “And what were you doing while all of this was going on?”

Shang Qinghua held his hands up in front of his chest. “You saw what I was doing, Shen Yuan. He was taken while I was trying not to, you know, die.”

Mobei-Jun chimed back in, answering his initial question. “Not sowers. They looked like they were from Huan Hua Palace - or at least they had Huan Hua’s crest on them. Possibly hired rogue cultivators, though.”

Eyes narrowing, Shen Yuan blurted out, “But aren’t you and Gonygi Xiao Huan Hua cultivators?” He knew it wasn’t the truth because Shang Qignhua had told him the night before. Still, he needed to hear the truth himself.

They lied to you and you already know it, so why waste your time? Do you really need confirmation that everyone hides things?

Mouth flattening into a tight line, Mobei-Jun glanced away silently. He felt more than heard someone step up next to him. His ears popped and then a familiar voice, one Shen Yuan thought he wouldn’t hear in his waking hours ever again, said gently, “We’re not. And I think you already knew that, A-Yuan.”

Behind him, Shang Qinghua gasped. Heart pounding in his chest, Shen Yuan took a deep breath, counted to three and turned around.

Luo Binghe was standing there, mouth tight and eyes pinched at the corners in concern.

Bracing himself, Shen Yuan reached out a tentative hand, placing it on Luo Binghe’s arm. He gave it a gentle squeeze. Muscle, his brain helpfully supplied. Then, Solid. Warm. Alive.

Luo Binghe was alive. And he was standing in front of Shen Yuan.

Luo Binghe cocked an eyebrow at him, a small smile twitching at the edges of his lips. Emboldened, Shen Yuan skated his hands down Luo Binghe’s arms. He ran his fingers over the tops of his hands before placing his palms onto Luo Binghe’s sides. He brushed the flats of them up Luo Binghe’s abdomen and pressed them against his chest. Beneath his shaking hands, he could feel the steady, regular thump of Luo Binghe’s heartbeat.

Slowly glancing back up, he met Luo Binghe’s warm, brown eyes, concern gone and replaced with soft, gentle amusement. The smile at the edges of his lips had grown more broad and he opened his mouth, lips forming around the syllables of Shen Yuan’s name.

Before he could actually add noise to those words, however, Shen Yuan channeled his qi and drew his fist back. He then punched Luo Binghe right in the gut as hard as he could. With a pained “OOMPH!” Luo Binghe doubled over, wheezing as he tried to recover from the hit straight to the diaphragm.

Shaking his hand out and straightening up, Shen Yuan asked, very calmly, “Hey Luo Binghe?” He received a pained moan of acknowledgement.


“What the fuck was all of this?”

Notes:

LBH, thinking the big reveal that he wasn't dead was gonna go great - SY is gonna be so surprised and excited to see me alive ᕕ( ᐕ )ᕗ

What actually happened - Who could have possibly predicted this would not work out the way I thought it would (ㅠ﹏ㅠ)

Chapter 15

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

The Old Palace Master hadn’t always been known as the Old Palace Master. He had a name once - years ago, decades, centuries, eons?? No. Too far back. But at one point, he did have a name that was his, one that he had answered to. He had grown with it, trained with it, cultivated with it.

And then he became the Huan Hua Palace Master. He was still his name, sometimes. But increasingly, as the years wore on, his name was used less and less until soon he was only “Palace Master.” Privately, he still knew his name. Most of the time. But sometimes the whispering would become too loud, telling him he didn’t need it, that he wasn’t that name, that he was the Palace Master, that his position and power were what identified him - not some series of words and syllables someone else had chosen for him.

Eventually, he stopped referring to himself by those tired letters and fully assumed his title as his identity. They told him it was good - and for the Old Palace Master it was good. Not just good - it was right. He had been in his position for nearly a century, cultivation slowing his aging but not stopping it entirely. He had watched generations of cultivators come and go - had trained some of them himself. He started involving his Sect in night hunts given by the System - they told him it was a good thing to listen to them. They told him after each successful night that he was ensuring that unknown forces didn’t terrorize the Human Realm. They told him his power and position were important - that he was important. The Old Palace Master sent countless cultivators and disciples on these night hunts. When they returned, he supported them, praised them, and sang their accomplishments to the other Sects. But none of those disciples had stood out, although many had been competent, yes, and quite good at their jobs, in fact.

None of them were special.

But then, she came along.

Beautiful, gentle, precious Su Xiyan. She had shown up after she finished her basic cultivation training, opting to become a Sect affiliated cultivator instead of going rogue. Huan Hua accepted her immediately - her foundation was excellent and she scored top marks on the official assessments. Already known as the Old Palace Master by then, he had taken one look at her deep, brown eyes, twinkling with mirth and spirit, and he immediately knew he needed to make her his head disciple.

He knew he needed to be as close to this woman as possible.

And he did become close to her. For a time, anyway. Su Xiyan was a phenomenal cultivator - she trained new classes of cultivators, was proficient on night hunts, and was well liked by her peers. She never strayed from the path of righteousness in suppressing demons, defeating yao, or exorcising ghosts. Su Xiyan was the sparkling jewel at the apex of the crown of Huan Hua Palace. It only made the Old Palace Master want her more.

Su Xiyan rose through the Sect’s ranks, eventually obtaining the position of head disciple on her own merit. After that, the Old Palace Master was confident that she would one day reciprocate the attention he lavished on her - that she too would want him in the way he wanted her.

When she became head disciple, he redoubled his efforts. He was delighted when she didn’t push him away, instead seeming to keep herself at what the Old Palace Master would describe as a “respectful distance.” But he knew it for what it was - he saw the glances she threw his way when she thought he wasn’t watching.

She was just so good. Clearly she didn’t want any of her martial siblings to think she was the subject of favoritism - even if, unbeknownst to her, she was. The Old Palace Master knew that she was just uncomfortable with his advances as her superior.

So he came up with a plan - he would elevate her to co-Sect Leader. Indeed, it was a position that was unheard of but who would challenge him or Huan Hua Palace? Once Su Xiyan was his equal, he could tell her she no longer needed to hold back and that they could start formally courting. The Old Palace Master knew it was the perfect plan and that Su Xiyan would be thrilled.

At least, that had been his plan until she met that demon.

He recalls exactly when he found out about the demon. Su Xiyan told him she was investigating high levels of Abyss related phenomena far in the North. She had been out of contact for months and then, all of a sudden, she sent a correspondence out of nowhere. A single, short e-mail.

I need some down time. I’ll be available for low-level night hunts but will not be returning to the Sect for several months - perhaps a year. I am, however, available via e-mail or phone.

Anxiety had gripped the Old Palace Master. His Xiyan had been gone for nearly half a year and now she would be gone for even longer? It was unacceptable. It was awful. It was…

There was only one explanation for it. She must have been in danger.

He sent several of his most trusted inner disciples to find Su Xiyan. It took them weeks to locate her. The grainy photos came first and then the frantic phone call.

“We found her. She’s been shacking up with a demon. She’s pregnant.”

The Old Palace Master placed the phone down gently - so gently - onto the receiver. He sat in his office and stared at the wall for several long, slow minutes. An idea began to percolate. The idea whispered in the dark recesses of his mind, smooth and sultry, reminding him that he was the Old Palace Master of Huan Hua. He had power, he had prestige, and he would never come second to some filthy demon.

The whispering became more insistent, louder as the voices overlapped. It bit at the neurons that fed his obsession and filled him with nervous, static energy.

You can have what you want. And we can show you exactly how to get it.

When the cultivation world went fully public several decades ago, the System decided it was the perfect time to reemerge. Public relations campaigns, marketing, advertisements, word of mouth - the major Sects used every tactic available to convince the public of their usefulness. In the hustle and bustle and chaos, it wasn’t difficult for the System to establish themself as some kind of authority for handing out night hunts to rogue cultivator groups and cultivation Sects. A few thoughts whispered to a Sect leader here, a few nudges towards a particularly nasty Abyss related occurrence there and all of a sudden when the System sent out a call for cultivators, the Sects and rogue agents came flocking.

Better, the reemergence of the cultivation Sects after centuries of being semi-shrouded in the shadows meant that it wasn’t difficult for the System to sell the story that they were just anonymous powerful cultivators - rogue, Sect affiliated, or otherwise - who had been tasked with ensuring the cultivation world worked together to ensure peace in the Human Realm by protecting it from otherworldly threats. Keeping their identity a secret was just a matter of placing a few pieces of false information around about the need to remain anonymous lest they become the target of those that would see the downfall of the Human Realm.

It was almost too easy.


Naturally, the System used all of these factors - the marketing, the night hunts, the ignorance of the cultivation world regarding the System’s own power - to their advantage. It was a simple task for the System, weakened as they were at the time, to keep track of rifts between the Realms, keep tabs on minor beings, and to keep watch on the Heavenly Demons and their retainers.

The System knew that if they waited and watched for long enough that an opportunity would present itself.

And then, of course, one fell right into its lap. Well, two actually. But the first one had been easier to massage for the System’s purposes. The Old Palace Master was so pathetic as to be amusing with how easy it was to manipulate him into taking action against the Heavenly Demon via the use of his obsession with that human woman.

The System particularly enjoyed how the human woman spurned every advance of the Old Palace Master.

The System used every advantage and tactic available to them to press forward and move the proper pieces into place until the Old Palace Master figured out why the object of his obsession went missing so often. Convincing him to track her down was a simple feat. When he finally captured her, he threw her into the Water Prison beneath Huan Hua Palace under the auspices of “keeping her safe while in her delicate condition and protecting her from further harassment by ‘that demon.’”

After just a few more weeks of whispering into his thoughts, the Old Palace Master finally reacted to the other part of the System’s cajoling. It had been beautiful - the entire cultivation world had banded together with the Old Palace Master at their head crowing about an “inter-realm threat.” The System watched as the cultivators forcefully banished Tianlang-Jun back to the Abyss. They sat by, victory humming through them, as the cultivators celebrated their triumph with awards and accolades.

The System reveled in the Old Palace Master’s plan to poison the human woman, which would ensure the death of the hybrid she was growing within her body. That plan had been going very well and the System was quite pleased, the unborn threat all but guaranteed to be destroyed. After the woman took the poison and as the tiny body within her weakened, the System had assured the Old Palace Master that she would be fine - that the Old Palace Master was taking the proper course of action because he knew what was best for her.

But then, she escaped. Her dying act had been absorbing the poison fully into her own body and then giving birth to her bastard, hybrid child, sending him out into the world to be raised as a human with no knowledge of his own heritage.

To say that the System was upset would be inaccurate. However, it would be unfortunately accurate to say that the System had not anticipated this snarl. Fortunately, for the System they were, if anything, resourceful and well versed in handling unexpected hiccups in their plans.

It took some time - the Old Palace Master mourned the human woman for far too long in their opinion, but such were the ways of how humans worked. Eventually, they were able to convince the Old Palace Master that Su Xiyan could be brought back.

“Summoned back from the dead?” The old fool had asked.

Yes, they replied. But we would need access to the Abyss.

Shaping a human mind by utilizing their own myths wasn’t difficult. A few dropped hints about the “underworld” here, a few insinuations about the “afterlife” there, and then a comment about the ability to recover souls and the Old Palace Master fully allowed the System to take as much control as they needed.

Of course, the hints and insinuations had some kernels of truth to them - with the right arrays and power sources, particularly if one were inside of (or at the very least, close to) the Holy Mausoleum, such rituals could work to tear a soul out of the cycle of reincarnation. But, the System hadn’t been able to harness that level of power in over a millenia. Besides, they didn’t intend to use any of their power to bring some pathetic old fool’s object of obsession back from the dead. They had other plans.

Years later, through research, discussions with other cultivators, and a hefty dose of conspiracy, the System planted the seed in the Old Palace Master’s mind that he needed a living human who had been affected by the Abyss in order to act out the soul summoning ceremony. Luckily for the System, the push towards the final necessary puzzle piece didn’t need to come from them. The Old Palace Master knew of one such human: Shen Yuan from Cang Qiong Mountain Sect, a young cultivator who had been in contact with the Abyss and had survived to talk about it.

If the System were able to appreciate irony or had a sense of humor, it would have laughed itself stupid. They were quite familiar with Shen Yuan. They were also familiar with the fact that Shen Yuan had been in contact with the missing hybrid - Luo Binghe as he was called by the other humans - and that the hybrid had passed some of his Heavenly Demon qi to Shen Yuan when he was on the verge of death. Funny enough, this occurred during the exact night hunt that the man had been attacked by a creature from the Abyss.

The fact that the Old Palace Master thought he was revealing this information as though it were some grand secret to the System is what truly made it amusing.

The System had thought when he sent the night hunt out for the Skinner demon that it would be a way to dispose of some cultivators. Instead, it proved to be quite beneficial. In fact, perhaps the System should be thanking the hybrid - his foolish actions were a boon, affording the System the opening it needed to slither into the human’s thoughts and nestle there comfortably. It also gave the System the opportunity to observe the hybrid which later contributed to the hybrid falling right into the System’s trap of a night hunt at Jue Di Gorge. This served a dual purpose as it not only disposed of the hybrid, but also widened the cracks in Shen Yuan’s mind even further, affording the System the opportunity to burrow itself even deeper into the human’s waking subconsciousness.

Now, years later, the System was ready to act. However, they still needed the human in their physical custody for their plans. Otherwise, the array wouldn’t work, the connection between the Realms too weak without one who had been touched by both.

It was the Old Palace Master’s idea to pull the sowers out of the Abyss utilizing one of the secret arrays Huan Hua had developed in the past few decades. It was the System, however, who ordered them to go to Jin Lan City. After that, it was a simple matter to orchestrate the presence of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect and Shen Yuan. The System had even urged the Old Palace Master to send two of Huan Hua’s more easily swayed lower level cultivators as a means to “show solidarity and offer aid to their fellow cultivators” or some such nonsense.

The plan had been going well. Shen Yuan had been left open and vulnerable, ready to be picked off and carried away. But, once again, lack of foresight threw a wrench into the System’s scheme.

Luo Binghe had apparently found his way out of the Abyss, intercepted the Huan Hua cultivators and incapacitated them, and was pretending to be sent from Huan Hua along with another demon. The System didn’t know how - the little bastard had been shrouding himself, body and face assuming the shape of a Huan Hua disciple who had gone rogue that the Old Palace Master had high hopes for before he disappeared. One good that came of this debacle, however, was finding out the hybrid had Xin Mo in his possession. Even better - the hybrid didn’t seem to want to use the weapon. The System assumed it was likely due Xin Mo’s proclivities and how they affected the user. That was something the System could use - they just needed to work it into their plans, which would be a trifling matter as it appeared the hybrid was already feeling the effects of the blade, even in its talisman-wrapped state. It would be an easy task for the System to adjust accordingly and formulate a way for Xin Mo to become theirs, even after all else was said and done.

As for the situation with the sowers though, the System knew that things would be difficult, even without the presence of the hybrid. As such, they were pleased to later receive correspondence that Shen Yuan had been captured. It was strange though. The last time they had checked, Shen Yuan had been staring at Xin Mo and his thoughts after that hadn’t been those of a human being taken somewhere against their will. As the System was dealing with the Old Palace Master and making preparations, they didn’t have time to spare to reach out and take another look about why that was the case, instead assuming that in the confusion that followed the sowers attack that Shen Yuan had been seized.

The System found out why when the small group made up of some of the more pliable Huan Hua cultivators tasked with the job of spiriting Shen Yuan away returned from Jin Lan City carrying a tied up man with a burlap sack thrown over his head. The spitting and cursing was the first hint. The second hint - or rather, the reveal - came after they had subdued the man and the System got a look at his features.

Really, the System probably shouldn’t have been surprised to find that the Old Palace Master’s minions had seized the wrong person.

Shen Jiu awoke with a splitting headache, the taste of blood in his mouth, a cramp in his neck, and with his arms and legs trussed up like a turkey. After taking a few moments to orient himself as he rolled from side to side, he finally realized he was lying on some kind of platform situated in the middle of an artificial lake. He tried to channel his qi to break free from his bonds and hissed sharply at the stinging pain that he was met with where the Immortal Binding Cables cut into his skin. Sighing, he rolled onto his side, thoughts jumbled as he pieced together what had happened.

He had been waiting in the alley with Shang Qinghua, eyes trained on the sower making its way towards Shen Yuan. He only noticed the second figure creeping up behind his brother when it was nearly right on top of him. He had yelled and Shen Yuan had reacted as he hoped he would, jumping up from his seat and going on the defensive.

Then, something came crashing down on his head. The last sound he recalled was that of a rifle cracking nearby.

At least I didn’t get shot. I have Liu-shidi’s decent aim to thank for that…

Footsteps echoing at the far end of the room roused Shen Jiu into squinting towards where he thought the sound was emanating. A thin sliver of pale light disappeared as the sound of a door shutting rang out. Mechanical whirring and clunking accompanied the appearance of a walkway connecting the area near the doorway to the platform.

Rolling his eyes when he noticed who was walking towards him, Shen Jiu spat out, “Oh, well look who it is. So nice to see you, Old Palace Master.” He shifted around to peer up at him, eyes narrowed. “You know if you wanted to have me over for tea you could have asked.” He left the next part unsaid - Not that I would have shown up, you rotten old shit.

The Old Palace Master flashed him a withering look, undeterred by the irritation rolling off of Shen Jiu. He stared at him in silence for several seconds until Shen Jiu finally grumbled up at him, “I suppose we won’t be having tea. Well in that case, perhaps you would be so kind as to let me know what the fuck is going on here?”

Scoffing, the Old Palace Master paced back and forth, eyes still trained on Shen Jiu’s bound form. “My disciples are idiots - that’s what’s going on here. They were supposed to take your brother, not you.” He stopped and paused, head cocked to the side as though listening. Lips barely moving, he muttered, “Mmm, yes, yes, that’s true. He can still be useful.” Another pause. His eyebrows rose in interest. “Oh? And that will work?” A breath. “Well then.”

Shen Jiu peered up at him, curiosity easily disguised behind a cold mask through years of careful practice. “What?”

Smiling, the Old Palace Master said, “It should be fine. We can just use this to our advantage to lure him here. Even better if that dog follows after him.”

What is he on about? Furrowing his brow, Shen Jiu asked, “Why do you need my brother? What did he do to you?”

The Old Palace Master crouched down, leveling Shen Jiu with a starry eyed look. Oh my god, he’s mad.

“It’s not what he did. It’s what he can do. Specifically for me.” Standing up again, he prodded at Shen Jiu with his foot, smile widening. “And you’ll be my bait!”

Shen Jiu thrashed uselessly at his bindings, lips curled back in a snarl. “Touch him and I’ll kill you.”

Chuckling and prodding at him a final time, the Old Palace Master turned and retreated towards the walkway, “Oh, you won’t. But that’s fine.” He shot Shen Jiu an intense look over his shoulder. “I have the support of some very useful friends.” Flashing him another wide, sharp smile, the Old Palace Master strolled across the walkway. The sound of machinery rang out momentarily again and, as it receded, it was punctuated by the slamming of a door.

Notes:

(Livin' on a Pray plays in the distance) This officially marks the halfway point for this fic - at least chapter wise!

The next set of chapters will be up next Friday!

Chapter 16

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

As Shen Yuan fled from the alleyway, he ran face first into Mu Qingfang and Liu Qingge. After assurances of his safety and a tense conversation about Shen Jiu, Shen Yuan went directly to the hotel. Once he reached his room, he stomped inside, flopped down on the bed, buried his face into a pillow, and screamed.

Five years.

Five years.

FIVE YEARS! Luo Binghe had been presumed dead - maybe actually dead? - Shen Yuan couldn’t be sure - FOR FIVE YEARS! He had haunted Shen Yuan, gone but never forgotten. During his waking hours, Shen Yuan was distracted with thoughts of Luo Binghe. When he slept, he saw him in his dreams. In his dreams where they had…where Shen Yuan had…Where.

Where they had talked and done…other things.

But those were just dreams. The man that he had gut punched in the alleyway was distinctly not a dream - he was solid, warm, alive.

He was real. Luo Binghe was real and he was alive and Shen Yuan had just punched him in the stomach and fled.

After the briefest of examinations - followed by another round of screaming into his pillow - Shen Yuan found he had mixed feelings about the whole thing. On the one hand, there was a certain amount of giddiness and joy fizzing through his veins, bright and searing. On the other, he was not exactly thrilled that Luo Binghe had decided the best way to inform him of his return was by disguising himself as a cultivator assigned to help with a night hunt and then feeding him his blood - What the fuck Luo Binghe!? - and then revealing himself and acting like this wasn’t an earth-shaking emotional blow for Shen Yuan.

One the other, other hand, Shen Yuan was also worried about Shen Jiu but he knew that until the scene of the sower attack had been cleaned up - and presumably until Yue Qingyuan showed up since the entire mission had turned into such a cluster - that there wasn’t much he could do.

Several minutes passed as Shen Yuan continued to breathe into the lumpy stuffing, scent of cheap, bulk laundry detergent filling his nostrils and doing nothing to assist him in straightening out his feelings. A not unexpected quiet knock pulled him back to reality. Without thinking, and with the pillow still clutched to his chest like a lifeline, Shen Yuan mechanically walked over to the door and flung it open. He then immediately tried to slam it shut again but failed when a booted foot shot out and stuck itself between the door and the jamb.

Shen Yuan kicked uselessly at the steel-toed boot, grunting in pain when the soft front of his sneaker collided with the sturdy leather. The foot withdrew slightly and Shen Yuan pulled the door harder, leaving an even smaller crack.

“A-Yuan, please.” Binghe whispered tiredly, achingly familiar face close to the crack.

Shen Yuan’s heart clenched tight in his chest. He wanted to hear Luo Binghe speak again. He needed to hear him. He needed to see him.

He needed to know this wasn’t another one of his dreams.

Sighing, Shen Yuan let go of the door and about-faced towards the bed. Sitting down heavily, he watched Luo Binghe slowly enter the room and look around before his eyes landed on Shen Yuan’s face. He stared at Shen Yuan, studying him, expression open and awed as he flicked his gaze up and down his body, pausing every so often to stare at one part in particular - his hands, his pants-clad knees, his lips - before tracking all over him as though he too were trying to confirm that Shen Yuan was also not a figment of his imagination.

Shen Yuan stared right back, the air heavy between them as he looked right into Luo Binghe’s eyes, daring him to break eye contact first. When he didn’t, instead blinking slowly at Shen Yuan, Shen Yuan averted his gaze, back of his neck heating. He looks exactly like he did in my dreams.

“Um, so…” Luo Binghe murmured. He shifted from foot to foot, looking around the room again as he tried to muster up something else to say.

Too emotionally and physically exhausted to wait for Luo Binghe to figure out how speech worked, Shen Yuan decided to put Luo Binghe, and himself for that matter, out of their misery. Leveling Luo Binghe with a stern look, he mimicked back, “‘Um, so?’ I think you owe me an explanation, Binghe.” With a shaky breath, Shen Yuan leaned forwards, crushing the pillow in his lap towards his thighs as he pressed his chest downwards. “Binghe, you died. I was there. I saw it happen. ‘Um so.’” He repeated the words and then paused, eyes narrowing. “How are you here right now?”

Luo Binghe’s eyes were fixed on the shirt Shen Yuan had slept in the night before. It was draped over the back of the single desk chair in the room. Meandering over to it, he stroked his hand down the fabric, attention focused firmly on his fingers.

With an irritated huff, Shen Yuan mused out loud, “Well you’re definitely alive. You don’t have the resentful energy of a ghost and it’s clear everyone else saw you too.” He peered up at him, glasses slipping down to the tip of his nose. “And you seem to be corporeal.” Images of the earlier sower attack flashed through Shen Yuan’s mind - warm, strong hands holding him up, a palm clapped over his mouth forcing him to taste the blood smeared on it, a comforting bulk protecting him from flying shards of ice.

Luo Binghe picked up the shirt and held it in his hands, balling up the fabric and releasing it, twisting it to and fro, flattening it out and then crumpling it up again. “Stop that, you’re stretching out the neck.” Startled, Luo Binghe nearly dropped the shirt and, with a sheepish look, folded it and laid it on the seat of the chair. Straightening up, Shen Yuan asked quietly, “Where were you? And why have you been masking yourself?”

He received an inaudible, mumbled response.

Rubbing his temples. Shen Yuan said none too gently, “What? Binghe, I can’t hear you so unless you’re going to speak up and explain yourself, you can just leave. It’s been a long enough day and I’m pretty sure once Yue Qingyuan arrives it’s only going to get longer.”

Luo Binghe’s eyes snapped over to him at the words “you can just leave,” pulling him off whatever train of thought he had been riding. Shen Yuan’s breath caught in his throat as his lungs constricted at the hurt reflected in Luo Binghe’s eyes. He looks so scared. Static blinked in and out of existence around Luo Binghe, leaving an echo of fuzz in its wake that slowly cleared the longer Shen Yuan looked at him. Blinking hard to clear the remaining haze, Shen Yuan took in the look of trepidation on Luo Binghe’s face.

What happened to you, Binghe?

Leaning back against the wall, Luo Binghe ran a hand through his hair and finally spoke. “I had to.” He halted, brow furrowing. “I was in the Abyss. Well. The Abyssal Realm.” A shocked noise of confusion escaped from Shen Yuan which Luo Binghe waved off. “Semantics. It doesn’t matter. Anyway, I was stuck in the Abyss. I didn’t make it out until about three months ago and then I was just um…around. For a little bit. Before I came to find you.” A shifty expression crossed his face and Shen Yuan rolled his eyes, interpreting the unsaid meaning.

I was doing sketchy and illegal shit.

Looking as though he’d read Shen Yuan’s mind, Luo Binghe offered him a small, awkward smile. “You know, I was gone for years and I had to reorient myself - find out what had happened in the cultivation world, collect supplies, that sort of thing.”

Shen Yuan wanted to ask why Luo Binghe was being so cagey. Tamping down on that desire, he instead asked flatly, “Around where?”

Picking at a hangnail, Luo Binghe responded airily, “Oh, near Huan Hua Palace. That’s where the array connecting the Human Realm and the Abyssal Realm was constructed.”

“The what.”

Sighing again, Luo Binghe crossed his arms over his chest. “The array. Someone on this side - in the Human Realm - constructed an array to uh…” He stopped again and ran a hand down his face, muttering, “This sounds ridiculous.” Continuing, he said, “Someone constructed an array to summon a Heavenly Demon and the Heavenly Demon in question was generous enough to allow me to tag along when he was pulled through the temporary rift it created.”

Shen Yuan’s head throbbed as his thoughts spun. There are more Heavenly Demons? Arrays can create rifts? Summoning? Like what Shang Qinghua did with Mobei-Jun?

My, isn’t this a big day for you.

“A-Yuan?”

Removing his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose, he responded, “I’m fine. Go on, please.”

Directing his words to the ceiling, Luo Binghe continued, “There’s not much else to tell. Well besides masking myself and pretending to be from Huan Hua.”

Shen Yuan glared at him, waiting for him to explain.

“Listen, I’m sorry. I am! I wanted to come and find you right when I reentered the Human Realm but I just…I masked myself and stayed away because I panicked! I couldn’t just return to the Sect after being gone for so long, especially since I’m a…” Luo Binghe looked away and swallowed heavily before continuing. “I just couldn’t go right to you - not when you were always at the Sect, at least. Then the call for a joint night hunt went out so I kept the mask up when I heard there would be other Cang Qiong cultivators here.” His eyes flicked towards Shen Yuan and then away again.” I also knew there was a chance you might be here too because of your…” He gestured at Shen Yuan as though that was an explanation.

With a sinking feeling, Shen Yuan asked quietly, “My what, Binghe?”

“I may have looked into your personal files before I came to Jin Lan City…”

Shen Yuan felt a stab of rage and panic run through him. You can’t trust anyone. They’re keeping tabs on you. You knew they were but look - anyone, even Luo Binghe, can find out about you.

Luo Binghe continued, “I read about your condition with regards to creatures from the Abyss.”

The confirmation sent ice running through Shen Yuan’s veins. “Oh? So you hacked into my medical records to read up on me while I had no idea you were even back?” Luo Binghe winced and had enough sense to look slightly embarrassed.

“I didn’t know before I looked and I just wanted to make sure that you were still with the Sect and that you were still…” He trailed off.

Alive? Around? Not living in some remote cabin in the woods, wallowing in grief?

With a hangdog expression, Luo Binghe looked at him, eyes wet and shining in the yellowish light of the room. Sighing, he shut his eyes and thumped his head back against the wall, body slumping as a single tear tracked down his cheek.

Dread seized Shen Yuan as he watched that single, fat tear run towards Luo Binghe’s chin and then drip off the end of it. The fight drained out of him just as quickly as it overtook him.

Foolish. It was all foolish and there was no sense in being angry. But was Shen Yuan really angry? No. Frustrated was more like it. But did it matter right now? Shen Yuan stared at Luo Binghe, picking apart his handsome features. He traced the lines of his broad form, eyes catching curiously on the sword strapped to his back. When he finished his assessment, he met Luo Binghe’s now open eyes.

No, the frustration wasn’t worth it. It had been five years and Luo Binghe was back and he was in the same room as Shen Yuan. He had changed, that was quite clear in his features and bearing alone, but he still radiated that familiar, comforting presence.

The knot in Shen Yuan’s chest loosened. A small, shy smile pitched up one corner of Luo Binghe’s mouth when he caught Shen Yuan looking at him from across the room. Before Luo Binghe could ruin the moment with some not so smooth words and prod Shen Yuan back towards his recently dispelled irritation - he may be pleased Luo Binghe was back but he was still human, after all - Shen Yuan asked, “So what now?”

Pushing off the wall, Luo Binghe approached him slowly, similar to how one might approach a stray cat they were trying to earn the trust of. “Is it ok if I try something?”

Shen Yuan’s heart thumped hard in his chest, cheeks pinking as freeze frame images from his dreams ricocheted through his head. Outwardly, he cocked an eyebrow at Luo Binghe before nodding at him.

Luo Binghe took the last few steps necessary to close the gap between them and stopped in front of Shen Yuan. After digging around in the qiankun pouch hanging off his belt for a few seconds, he produced a faintly glowing piece of iridescent stone that was as lovely as it was mesmerizing. The colors swirling around in the dark core of it shifted and throbbed each time Luo Binghe tilted his palm, flashing through a pantheon of hues but never settling on any one in particular. The longer Shen Yuan looked at it, however, the more difficult it became for him to focus on it. It flickered and fuzzed, too hazy one second and then sharp enough in the next that if he looked at it too long the sight of it alone seemed like it would gouge his eyes out. A tingling sensation between Shen Yuan’s shoulder blades alerted him to the keen sense of dread that was suffusing into his chest. It was accompanied by rapidly building pressure behind his eyes.

Shutting his eyes tight and taking a deep breath, Shen Yuan gritted out around the pulsing in his head, “Binghe, where did you get this?”

The sound of rustling greeted his question followed by a soft reply, “It’s from the Abyss.”

Ah, well then.

Opening his eyes slowly and blinking up at Luo Binghe’s much closer face, Shen Yuan furrowed his brows. His head hurt but it felt…Hm.

Something wasdifferent.

Luo Binghe’s expression was carefully neutral as he studied Shen Yuan. The feeling of a brewing storm faded from behind his eyes. Pursing his lips, Shen Yuan asked tentatively, “Binghe.” Luo Binghe’s carefully neutral expression cracked slightly, a hint of worry shining through. “You know about the headaches then?” Luo Binghe shook his head. “So can you explain why I was able to even look at that stone for more than a few seconds?”

Luo Binghe quietly responded, “My blood.”

Shen Yuan shifted away from him, eyes widening. “Um?”

The neutral look on Luo Binghe’s face shattered like glass, shards rearranging as his expression became one of worry tinged with desperation. “My blood, A-Yuan. It…If it’s ingested it can have some curative effects…?” Shen Yuan startled slightly and Luo Binghe rushed to add, “But don’t worry, I can control it!” He paused and then tentatively added, “The efficacy of it is amplified by dual cultivation.”

Mind whirring and temples pulsing for a completely different reason as heat gathered in his cheeks, Shen Yuan narrowed his eyes and scooted further away from Luo Binghe. When wetness started to gather at the corners of Luo Binghe’s eyes, Shen Yuan stopped his tactical retreat, sighing softly as his heart thumped in sympathy. “Dual cultivation?” Wait. Something clicked into place. “Like when we dual cultivated after the Skinner Demon? When you saved me? Remember? Like that?” He paused and glanced shyly at Luo Binghe. “But that was so long ago…?”

And in my dreams, too, but those weren’t real.

With a high-pitched laugh, Luo Binghe nodded, “Yup! Yeah! That’s what I meant! The Skinner Demon! When we did that low level dual cultivation and cycled my qi with yours. That dual cultivation!” He murmured something under his breath that Shen Yuan didn’t catch but sounded suspiciously like “Technically.”

This was getting to be a little too much for Shen Yuan. Stalling, he rolled his neck and shoulders, trying to work out some of the tension that had gathered there. He brought up a hand to massage his trapezius, shoving his fingers through the neck of his shirt to get more leverage. He caught Luo Binghe staring at him, eyes wide.

Frowning, Shen Yuan said, “Ok, fine. So you escaped the Abyss, masked yourself so no one would recognize you, joined this godforsaken night hunt, apparently did something to me with your blood - which by the way I’m still upset about because, ew Binghe. Ew.” Luo Binghe’s face fell and Shen Yuan knew it was only a matter of seconds before the tears returned. Locating a knot, he pressed and groaned slightly. Luo Binghe’s face reddened and Shen Yuan continued rapidly, knowing he was working off limited time to head off the waterworks, “But it’s fine, particularly if it can help with my…issue.” He grimaced as he released his trapezius and withdrew his hand. “And now you’re here.”

Luo Binghe nodded again, tears miraculously gone and face clear. Shen Yuan breathed an internal sigh of relief and leaned back on his hands, waiting.

Fiddling with the qiankun pouch on his belt, Luo Binghe murmured, “I can help with them but I can’t get rid of them completely.”

“What?” My muscle knots??

Sighing, he clarified. “The headaches. I’ve tried.”

You’ve tried?? Shen Yuan’s eyebrows marched towards his hairline. Luo Binghe continued, “It’s hard to explain. Clearing up the sower poison was easy. I just moved my blood around and cleaned it up. But there’s something blocking me when I try to get up here.” He tapped a finger against his temple. Shen Yuan frowned, preparing to protest before Luo Binghe hastily added, “Not to read your thoughts! I can’t do that! But just to see if I could maybe get rid of the headaches too?”

Shen Yuan made a noise of interest. It would be nice.

No. It wouldn’t.

Binghe regarded him contemplatively, “It’s like there’s a wall of static? Or maybe a thick fog. But every time I push against it, it feels like something might break - like it won’t give way without something shattering.” He met Shen Yuan’s eyes again, worry evident in the downturn of his lips. “I did what I could and just left the rest alone. It’s why you could look at that stone for so long. I would have done more but I couldn’t risk…” he trailed off, eyes cast towards the floor.

Shen Yuan heard the unspoken part of that sentence. I couldn’t risk hurting you. He understood that sentiment intimately. Luo Binghe’s crestfallen explanation touched something deep in Shen Yuan. He knew how it felt to be helpless in the face of an unknowable force. To watch someone you lo…had affection for suffer and disappear.


Shen Yuan knew that feeling quite well.

Reaching out slowly and laying a gentle hand on Luo Binghe’s forearm, Shen Yuan said, “It’s fine, Binghe. Whatever you did helped a bit. I’ve been dealing with this for long enough that I know how to handle it. For the most part anyway.” Shen Yuan looked up, offering him a small smile.

Luo Binghe was staring at his hand, arm frozen in place and eyes intense. Oh, oops. Pulling his hand away sheepishly, Shen Yuan cleared his throat. “So. Why are you here?”

Luo Binghe was still staring at his forearm, eyes trained on the spot Shen Yuan had been touching seconds ago. Shen Yuan frowned - maybe Luo Binghe hadn’t heard him?

“Binghe?”

“HUH?”

Head swiveling up to meet Shen Yuan’s gaze, Shen Yuan noted the slight flush on Luo Binghe’s cheeks. He must be upset I touched him. It has been a long time and maybe he just…Doesn’t like that anymore. Smiling to cover his trepidation, Shen Yuan repeated, “Why are you here?”

Scratching at the back of his head, Luo Binghe responded, “Well I couldn’t get out of the Abyss until recently so…”

“Binghe. That’s not what I meant and you know it. Why didn’t you…” He trailed off, stomach tightening into a knot, unsure if he wanted to ask the question. Voice dropping to a murmur, he asked, “Why didn’t you come find me first?” Before Luo Binghe could again offer the excuse about concerns over entering the Sect, Shen Yuan rushed to add, “We both know you could have contacted me if you wanted to and that the Sect arrays wouldn’t have been a problem for you to sneak through.”

Sighing and finally sitting next to him on the bed, Luo Binghe scooched close enough that Shen Yuan could feel his body heat rolling off of him. “I didn’t know if you wanted to see me.”

Whipping his head to look at him - and again realizing that Luo Binghe was much closer than he thought - Shen Yuan said aghast, “What? Why not?”

Luo Binghe eyed him intently. “Shen Yuan.” Shen Yuan blinked in alarm at the use of his full name. “I just.” Luo Binghe sighed and looked away, staring at a point on the wall. “You do know I’m not fully human, right?”

Cocking an eyebrow at him, Shen Yuan scoffed. “Obviously. Do you think I’m an idiot?” Luo Binghe winced and Shen Yuan softened the blow by bumping against him with his shoulder. “You were pulled into the Abyss and somehow made it out alive. Based on every report I’ve read, no human has ever come out alive…well. Or alive long enough to provide any accurate information about it.” He didn’t add the last thought - Or mentally intact enough. Memories of classified files Shang Qinghua had provided him with after that meeting with Yue Qingyuan and his brother years ago flashed through his mind. They comprised of notes and memoranda about cultivators who lived just long enough after being exposed to the Abyss to be observed for short periods of time. However, they also detailed how these individuals had been changed so fundamentally by their experiences that it would have been a blessing had they not survived at all.

Binghe sat and stared at him for a moment, eyes lost in thought as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. With a quiet inhale, he finally said, “I’m a demon, A-Yuan. And not a regular one. I’m a Heavenly Demon.” Shen Yuan cocked his head curiously. Luo Binghe continued matter-of-factly, “My father is Tianlang-Jun.”


Startling, Shen Yuan placed a hand on Luo Binghe’s shoulder, turning Luo Binghe towards him. “I thought he was dead?”

“Aha, no. I can assure you he is very much alive.” With a roll of his eyes, Luo Binghe added, “He’s also a pain in the ass.” Shen Yuan blinked at him. “Anyway. He’s in the Abyss. He can’t really do much but he did explain my heritage to me.”

Shen Yuan knew Luo Binghe was adopted - they had talked about it before…Before. “But…So your mom…?”

“Ah, well.” Luo Binghe offered him a wry look. “The woman who raised me will always be my mother but the woman who gave birth to me is long dead. She was a disciple at Huan Hua Palace.”

Shen Yuan’s head began to spin. He had heard the rumors and read the archived reports - scrubbed of information as they were - about how the discovery and banishment of the Heavenly Demon Tianlang-Jun had played out. Allegedly, he had gone insane with grief when the woman he had been in love with betrayed his confidence and worked with the major Sects and the rest of the cultivation world at large to lure him into a trap with the intent to seal him into the Abyss. The fighting had been intense and many had died. Shen Yuan knew for a fact that both his brother and Yue Qi had nearly lost their lives as well but, somehow before the rift to the Abyss grew to world-ending proportions, Yue Qi had drawn his sword and sent the Heavenly Demon careening back to the Abyss before forcing the rift shut.

It had been assumed that the banishing blow had killed Tianlang-Jun. Apparently, that had not been the case.

I wonder if they knew and that’s why the reports were scrubbed?

Probably. Not like they would let anyone else in on that information, now would they? But now you know the truth.

Shen Yuan rubbed at his temples, working to banish the last traces of the dull headache lingering there. “So” he said, “You’re a Heavenly Demon.” A nod. “But you’re also half-human.“ Another, less confident nod. “And you were in the Abyss for five years but you made it out alive.” One more nod. “How did you make it out?”

Luo Binghe opened his mouth. Shen Yuan quickly cut him off and amended, “And I don’t mean the array. I mean how did you even find an array to escape?”

Binghe quieted again and after a moment’s thought said, “I found a weapon. A sword. That’s how Mobei-Jun found me.”

Shen Yuan cocked an eyebrow at him and gestured at the talisman wrapped and Immortal Binging Cable bound object strapped to his back. Luo Binghe nodded tightly in response. “It can be used to tear holes between the Realms but um…” He gestured at it again, as though that explained anything.

“Binghe you need to explain with words because I don’t understand.”

With a slightly aggrieved noise, Luo Binghe said, “I never really got the hang of the whole ‘rift making’ thing so we had to rely on an array and hope that all three of us could pass through.” Three? Shen Yuan mouthed. Luo Binghe continued undeterred, “The sword takes a toll on my qi even when I’m not wielding it so I need to keep it suppressed.” He paused, eyes shifting to the side, “I tried to leave it in the Abyss but it wouldn’t let me.”

“Wouldn’t let you?”

Luo Binghe shook his head again, eyes distant. The same low whispering Shen Yuan heard during the fight with the sowers echoed around him, words indiscernible as they blended together. Shen Yuan reached out to touch the sword, hand moving slow as it passed through the thick, heavy air.

So close…Maybe just a touch?

Yes, go on then.

Luo Binghe’s hand darted out and seized his wrist, eyes wild. “Don’t,” he snarled.

Perhaps not then.

Jerking his hand away, Shen Yuan cradled it against his chest as he looked at the number of talismans fixed to the sword and then back at Luo Binghe’s horrified face.

“A-Yuan I…I’m sorry I don’t know what happened.”

Shen Yuan dropped his hand, cotton between his ears already clearing. “It’s fine, Binghe. It’s clear you have it wrapped up like that for a reason.” He grimaced and muttered to himself, “I don’t know what came over me.”

Luo Binghe’s eyes slid away from him. “Right. Yeah.”

Shen Yuan patted Luo Binghe’s leg with a quiet huff. “So. You’re back. Which is…” Was he happy? Relieved? Wanting to cry? Maybe all three? “I’m…glad.” A small smile broke across Luo Binghe’s face as he turned back towards Shen Yuan.

Smiling gently, Shen Yuan admitted quietly, “Honestly, I thought you were gone. I missed you, Binghe.”

Scooting a few inches closer and placing his hand over the one on his thigh, Luo Binghe whispered, “I missed you too A-Yuan.”

With a cough, Shen Yuan glanced down at his feet, squirming only slightly at the next admission. “Ahaha, you know,” he said casually, “I dreamed about you.”

Luo Binghe tensed next to him. Oh, he’s probably curious. Best to be vague.

“Um, nothing too weird, don’t worry!” Why would there be anything weird, Shen Yuan?!? Why would you say that?! Taking a deep breath, he let it out and then continued, less frantically, “You were in my dreams. Pretty often, actually. It was…It was nice to see you.” Shen Yuan’s smile widened as looked askance at Luo Binghe. “You know, you aged in my dreams, too. Last time I saw you, you actually looked just like this.” He reached out a tentative hand and cupped Luo Binghe’s cheek softly. “It’s almost like we didn’t spend any time apart,” he murmured. He caught himself stroking Binghe’s cheek and pulled his hand away, red hot embarrassment coursing through him and coalescing on the back of his neck.

It’s fine. We’re still friends! I think? And friends touch each other’s faces all the time!!

Shen Yuan tried to stamp out the flashes of images from his dreams where he touched Luo Binghe’s face with his fingers, his hands, his mouth. Around the heat burning on his cheeks, he kept his smile locked firmly in place.

“What did you dream about, A-Yuan?” Luo Binghe leaned against him, gaze brimming with intense curiosity.

His face and neck felt like they were about to spontaneously ignite. In an effort to deflect Luo Binghe’s searing gaze, Shen Yuan waved a hand around and said, “Oh, you know. This and that. I would wait for you and then when you showed up, we mostly just sat and talked.” And, uh. Did other things.

“Did we?” Luo Binghe’s face seemed to be drawing closer but it was probably just a trick of the light.

“Mmmmmmhmmmm!! I would see you and tell you about what was happening in my life - you know, what I was up to - movies, games, books, night hunts, that kind of thing! And you would talk to me about…” About your feelings. “About memories you had of us together.”

Playful sparks danced in the depths of Luo Binghe’s eyes. “Mmm, you know.” He smirked slightly. “I’ve dreamed about you before, too.”

Was it getting hotter in here??? Maybe it’s just Binghe’s breath tickling my face that’s making me feel so warm! Yeah, that’s probably it!

Out loud, he said, “You have?”

Binghe closed the rest of the gap between them, eyes so close Shen Yuan could see bright amber flecks nestled in the deep brown of his irises. “Mmm, yes.” The exhalation tickled Shen Yuan’s mouth. “I also had some dreams with you where we would just sit and talk.” He blinked slowly. “I have to agree - those types of dreams are very nice.”

Shen Yuan’s face was on fire. If Luo Binghe had been a marshmallow, he would have been well crisped by that point with how close he was. Mind blank, Shen Yuan provided the only words that came to mind, “Oh yeah, so nice.”

“Do you know what else I dreamed about doing with you, A-Yuan?” Luo Binghe’s voice rumbled around him in the darkness. It was then that Shen Yuan realized he had closed his eyes in anticipation.

Barely cracking them open, he was met with Luo Binghe gazing at him with such intensity that he slammed them shut again. Mind full of white hot static, Shen Yuan whispered, “No?”

He felt the word breathed out on his parted lips, drying some of the wetness that Shen Yuan had transferred there when he licked them seconds before. “This.”

Truthfully, the kiss wasn’t unexpected.

What was unexpected was how familiar it was, how well practiced Luo Binghe was at pressing his mouth with just the right amount of pressure against Shen Yuan’s lips, how he expertly ran his tongue along the spot on the side of Shen Yuan’s lower lip that made him sigh, how Luo Binghe’s tongue dipped inwards and danced with his. It felt exactly like those lazy kisses they had shared numerous times in Shen Yuan’s dreams. It also felt incredible. With another quiet sigh, Shen Yuan snaked his arms around Luo Binghe’s neck and pulled him closer just as a sharp canine nipped at his parted lips.

It felt so good and for a few brief moments, Shen Yuan forgot that he was in a hotel room kissing the real, live Luo Binghe and not interacting with some hyperrealistic figment of his imagination.

He was rudely reminded of the former fact when the door flew open and slammed against the wall with a bang, startling both of them apart so quickly that Luo Binghe flopped off the bed and onto the floor with a loud grunt.

Just as Shen Yuan threw the pillow he had been torturing before back over his lap, Shang Qinghua came sailing into the room, laptop in hand and mouth running at a mile a minute.

“Ok, so remember a few years ago after Binghe was lost to the Abyss and we decided we needed to have trackers put on all of the field cultivators going out on night hunts and your brother was all like ‘absolutely not I refused to be microchipped like a dog’ and then he and Yue Qingyuan got into that huge fight where they didn’t talk and wouldn’t even be in the same room with each other for two weeks - God that was weird right?? - and then you had to eventually step in and deal with it but even then your brother was still like ‘I’m still not doing that,’ and then you cried and made it into a whole thing about how worried you would be if something happened and - I remember the exact words too because it was so amazing - you said, ‘Jiu-ge what if something happens to you and I don’t have closure?? I would be unable to mourn you properly. Please, do it for me,’ and he acted like he wasn’t going to get one of the trackers and then well…” He finally stopped so he could take a deep breath.

Shen Yuan jumped up, need for the pillow now back in limp hibernation mode after the information onslaught. He clapped a hand over Shang Qinghua’s mouth before another syllable could escape. “FIRST OF ALL! I did not cry! Second, that’s not exactly what happened and you know it. And third - EW BRO!”

Tearing his hand away from Shang Qinghua’s face and his still questing tongue, Shen Yuan wiped his spit covered palm off on his pants. He shot Shang Qinghua a dirty look which was met with a broad grin. Taking another, less deep breath, Shang Qinghua continued, “Ok well whatever. The point I’m trying to make is this - Shen Jiu did eventually agree to having a tracker placed on him so now we know exactly where he is.”

“WHAT!”

Wincing slightly, Shang Qinghua flipped his laptop around, screen displaying a map with a signal on it, which lazily pinged every few seconds. “He gave the tracker information to Yue Qingyuan and apparently told him to ‘keep it secret under pain of death unless you really need to find me.’” Shen Yuan shot him a sour look. Shang Qinghua rolled his eyes, “Yeah like I wouldn’t find out. Anyway, doesn’t matter. Yue Qingyuan knows Shen Jiu is missing by the way - Mu Qingfang called him and he should be here soon.”

Shen Yuan peered at the screen, eyes narrowed. “So where is he?”

Luo Binghe made a noise of concern, attracting Shang Qinghua’s attention. Eyes wide, he stared up at him and gaped. “He…hey Binghe! Fancy seeing you here!! Ah hah…ahahaa..aahhh.”

Cocking an eyebrow at him, Luo Binghe delicately took the laptop and looked at the map, brows furrowed. He then looked back at both of them and said quietly, “He’s at Huan Hua Palace.”

Notes:

SQH, bursting into the room like the Kool-Aid Man - HEY BRO WE FOUND YOUR BROTHER!

SY and LBH desperately trying to act like they didn't just have their tongues down each other's throats - Ha ha wow really what great news 😶

SQH - ? ?? ???

Chapter Text

Yue Qi stared at the screen, after image of the ping floating in front of his vision when he finally tore his eyes away. He turned to look at Shen Yuan at the man sitting next to him.

Luo Binghe had stared at him, expression blank but eyebrows raised when he entered the room. Rather than deal with that particular situation right now, Yue Qi had simply nodded at him before striding over to stand behind Shang Qinghua’s shoulder.

“And neither of you saw who took him?” Both Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe shook their heads.

He turned to look at Mobei-Jun. He stared back silently. Shang Qinghua squeaked out, quietly, “I didn’t see who but there were at least five of them. And Mo- um we think they were from Huan Hua! Based on their clothing…” Yue Qi turned around to look at him, a frown on his face. Shang Qinghua held his hands up and quickly added, “It would make sense too, especially since he’s in Huan Hua’s territory. Or at least he should be based on the last ping.”

“Does he have his phone on him?”

Shang Qinghua shook his head as he glanced at his laptop. He then peered back up at Yue Qi, ever present dark circles under his eyes made more stark by the glow of the screen. “His phone last pinged about five hours ago - shortly after he was taken. The tracker last pinged about an hour ago but then went silent.”

Yue Qi’s stomach clenched at the implication. Immortal Binding Cables would certainly make the signal weaker, but they wouldn’t fully suppress it - the trackers had been tested thoroughly under such conditions. And unless the tracker had been removed by force, a body’s lingering qi could keep it pinging for hours after - no. Best not to think about that yet. There were certainly other explanations. Fists gripped tight at his sides, he said calmly. “Where did the last tracker ping occur?”

Shang Qinghua blinked up at him and then turned back to his laptop, hitting a few keys as he zoomed in. “Hmm…Well.” He looked harder at the screen. “Somewhere in the palace but…”

A low, deep voice cut through the tense quiet. “But the palace is full of maze arrays. They also have electrical and spiritual signal blocking jammers set-up.”

Yue Qi spun around and fixed Mobei-Jun with a glare. “And how do you know?”

With a snort, Mobei-Jun crossed his arms over his chest and shrugged. “I’ve been there.”

Gritting his teeth together behind tightly closed lips, Yue Qi took a calming breath through his nose. Behind him, Shang Qinghua murmured, “Sect Leader Yue, Mobei-Jun has been there. And besides, Huan Hua’s maze arrays are well known.”

“And the signal jamming?”

Shang Qinghua shrugged in response. “Makes sense if they’re trying to keep secrets. Which uh…”

Shang Qinghua jerked his head towards Luo Binghe, who scoffed at him. “You know I’m not actually from there right? And that I don’t know anything about their arrays?”

Yue Qi tamped down on the urge to roll his eyes. “We know. Shang Qinghua.”

“YES!?”

“Has Huan Hua used signal jamming before on any of their night hunts?”

Sighing, he pulled up a spreadsheet and gestured at it. “Yes, but nothing powerful enough that would be able to block the signal of one of the trackers. They’re connected to spiritual energy so unless there was also something suppressing the individual’s energy such that they wouldn’t…” He paused, eyes widening and then he smacked his forehead. “Oh.”

Humming in response, the snarl of anxiety in Yue Qi’s gut dissipated slightly. He glanced at the screen again. “Oh indeed.”

Shen Yuan finally spoke up, “Immortal Binding Cables?”

He flashed Shen Jiu’s brother a tight smile. “Indeed.”

“Ah.” Shen Yuan paused and looked up at the ceiling. “He’s probably pissed.”

Yue Qi couldn’t stifle the strained chuckle that burst out of his mouth. “I’m sure he’s livid.” As am I.

But no one would ever know the depths of that. Yue Qi had worked too long and too hard for anyone to be able to see that - except for maybe Shen Jiu.

Turning to looking mildly at Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe - and wryly noting how close they were standing to each other - Yue Qi addressed the latter. “You’ll assist us?”

Luo Binghe regarded him silently for a moment, before saying. “He shot me, you know.”

Yue Qi did know. He had listened to Shen Jiu deliver his entire report. He also knew why Shen Jiu had shot him with his entire magazine of spiritual bullets.

Yue Qi would have done the same. But he wouldn’t have stopped there given what Shen Jiu also told him about what had happened at Jue Di Gorge that day.

“I know,” he said quietly.

Snorting out a laugh, Luo Binghe cocked a single eyebrow at him, tilting his head. “Tell me why I shouldn’t just let him rot in whatever dungeon Huan Hua has thrown him in then.”

Mouth in a tight line, Yue Qingyuan stared him down. This boy - this man - that he had convinced Shen Jiu to allow him to take into the Sect so they could keep an eye on him. And they had up until five years ago. After Jiu Di Gorce, they both thought the problem of dealing with Luo Binghe had neatly resolved itself.

Clearly, it had not. So when Yue Qi walked in the room and locked eyes with Luo Binghe, he had been surprised. But he was also curious.

Well, he must know what he is now.

And Yue Qi was, if nothing else, practical when he needed to be. He had made mistakes in the past by not using weapons available to him. But now? He wouldn’t let that happen again. Not when what he was trying to save was so important.

He could explain to Luo Binghe that if he didn’t help them, Yue Qi would personally be his executioner. Or that he would cast him back to the Abyss so he could be with his father for an eternity - or until someone recalled him to the Human Realm. He could explain to Luo Binghe that he would ensure that someone wouldn’t be able to do that, tell him that no one would dare to call him back as long as Yue Qi lived and breathed.

There was just one single person though that he wouldn’t be able to keep from pulling Luo Binghe back from the Abyss if he found out it was possible - even under threat from Yue Qi himself. Yue Qi knew that Shen Yuan was just as stubborn as Shen Jiu, if not more, and he would do anything he could to get what he wanted.

He looked at Shen Yuan, who was staring at Luo Binghe, eyes wide and expression clouded with worry. With a small smile, Yue Qi replied, “I don’t think I can convince you. But perhaps you would be willing to help if someone else asked you.” He gestured at Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan placed a gentle hand on Luo Binghe’s forearm and stood up so he could murmur into his ear. The half-demon’s face immediately softened as he listened, eyes still hard but the tightness around his mouth dissipating until he nodded. Looking back at Yue Qingyuan, he said begrudgingly, “Fine.”

Yue Qingyuan offered him another small, benign smile, which was offset by the steel in the depths of his cool, grey eyes. With an incline of his head, he said, “Cang Qiong Mountain Sect thanks you.”

If he was privately relieved that he wouldn’t have to draw Xuan Su against the son of Tianlang-Jun, then that was perhaps something he could share with Shen Jiu once they recovered him.

When Yue Qingyuan showed up and gave Luo Binghe a single, calculating once over, Luo Binghe wasn’t surprised. He had figured the Sect Leader knew something about his background, but his behavior as they planned Shen Jiu’s rescue confirmed it. Apparently, the other members of Cang Qiong weren’t aware of Luo Binghe’s colorful heritage if the surprised looks on Liu Qingge and Mu Qingfang’s faces were anything to go by as he rounded the corner from the alleyway to chase after Shen Yuan. Truthfully, the reactions of the latter two staring at him open-mouthed with eyes agog would have been funny if he hadn’t still been trying to catch his breath after being punched in the stomach by Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan though. He had been surprised, yes. But he didn’t seem to be afraid of Luo Binghe’s mixed heritage.

You were in my dreams. I would wait for you.

Luo Binghe turned these words around, mind reeling as he came to the conclusion that it was possible Shen Yuan hadn’t just been pulled into his own dreams. Rather, Luo Binghe was now beginning to think it was Shen Yuan who was pulling him in, yanking Luo Binghe into his own personally constructed Dreamscape. It would explain why they always started the same way for Luo Binghe. It would also explain why they felt so different from when he was in control of the Dreamscape.

He wasn’t the one creating the setting, wasn’t the one manipulating it to his will. Rather, Luo Binghe was being pulled into someone else's Dreamscape. Someone who, apparently, had mastered at least a low level of control over the Dream Realm. Which, at least with regards to Shen Yuan, would make sense as Luo Binghe had dual cultivated with him and given him some of his demonic qi all of those years ago. He didn’t quite know the exact mechanics of it but, if Shen Yuan continued to have the same dream over and over again, then it was possible he could have mastered a small portion of the Dreamscape from sheer exposure alone. If he had done so - even if it wasn’t intentional - then Shen Yuan would be able to exert influence on anyone who came into contact with that portion of the Dreamscape.

The more Luo Binghe thought about it, the more it made sense. If his suspicions were true, then for all intents and purposes Shen Yuan had been inviting Luo Binghe to materially infiltrate his dreams and Luo Binghe had enthusiastically accepted. While in the Abyss, Luo Binghe had been willingly submitting himself to the small portion of the Dreamscape that Shen Yuan had carved out for himself. He had opened himself to the power Shen Yuan had over him and let it drag him in and hold him in the Dreamscape until the dream ended. At least Luo Binghe had allowed this to happen right up until he forced himself to put an end to it utilizing the remnants of his fraying rationality for fear of harming Shen Yuan due to his own lack of self control.

Erring on the side of caution, Luo Binghe didn’t say anything on the subject, opting to remain vague instead. Indeed, his words hadn’t been lies - he had dreamed of Shen Yuan, certainly before the Abyss and then solely of him in the Abyss. So rather than mentioning that the dreams Shen Yuan described were the same ones Luo Binghe was talking about, he had kissed Shen Yuan in some desperate attempt to force him to bring it up. To force Shen Yuan to acknowledge that Luo Binghe had come into his dreams - had been called to Shen Yuan - and had kept coming to him like a ship called to shore during a tempest. Luo Binghe had kissed Shen Yuan because he wanted to kiss him and relieve the feelings of those dreams. He had also kissed Shen with the desperate hope that the action would somehow force Shen Yuan to realize all of these things.

And then Shang Qinghua had burst into the room, Yue Qingyuan had shown up, and Luo Binghe had been pulled into a plan to recover Shen fucking Jiu.

Now, seated at a table in one of the hotel’s conference rooms, Luo Binghe continued sneaking glances at Shen Yuan, who was staring intently at the map in front of him as Yue Qingyuan quietly outline the plan to infiltrate Huan Hua Palace. His fingers itched with the desire to reach out and touch Shen Yuan, to see if he felt the same as he had when Luo Binghe wrapped his arms around him in the dreams. His mouth burned with the thought of running his lips along his skin, to see if he tasted the same. He yearned to lean towards him and scent him, to see if the soft smell of soap and laundry detergent would fill his nostrils like it had when he had laid his head on Shen Yuan's lap in the moss carpeted clearing. As his thoughts spiraled and the urges grew, an oily, gnawing sensation tickled at him from behind his ribs.

Tellhimtellhimtellhim.Hehasnoideawhatyou’vebeenthrough. Betteryetyoucouldshowhim. Makehimseewhatyouare. Wecanhelpjustuseus. Letusfreeandwecanhelpyoukeephimallforyourself.

The muted whispers filled his head, converging and splitting until his thoughts were full of white noise. Next to him, Shen Yuan elbowed him - hard. Blinking rapidly, Luo Binghe met his wide, worried eyes. He then realized Yue Qingyuan and Shang Qinghua were also shooting him concerned looks from across the table. Luo Binghe cleared his throat and sat up straighter, studiously avoiding anyone else’s gaze as he concentrated on the map laid out on the tabletop.

Behind him, Mobei-Jun cleared his throat. Leaning forward, he tapped his finger against one of the maps. “This is probably the best spot to enter. The arrays here aren’t as complex.”

Yue Qingyuan cocked an eyebrow and peered at the map before turning to look at Mobei-Jun. Mobei-Jun stared back at him, eyes cold. Shang Qinghua shifted uncomfortably in his seat, eyes darting between the two men.

Yue Qingyuan gave Mobei-Jun a scrutinizing look and then nodded. He looked back down at the map and the radicals peppering the area Mobei-Jun had pointed to. After a few tense, quiet moments, he made a low noise of approval. “You’re right,” Yue Qingyuan murmured. He turned to Shang Qinghua. “And you can deal with the security system?”

Shang Qinghua shook his head rapidly. “Naturally.”

Nodding, Yue Qingyuan sat back and glanced at the others in the room. “Liu Qingge, Mu Qingfang and…” He paused, eyes narrowing, and then continued, “and Mobei-Jun will all offer outside support along with Shang Qinghua.”

Yue Qingyuan turned to look at Luo Binghe and Shen Yuan. “And we will be going in.”

They adjourned and stood up, filing towards the door to prepare for departure. Luo Binghe paused as Mobei-Jun passed him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Mobei-Jun turned around to face him, confusion etched in his features.

“Why were you at Huan Hua Palace?”

The confusion cleared and was replaced with a shuttered expression. “I was trapped in their Water Prison. In short, sometimes the humans who summon us and get close to us have ulterior motives.”

Luo Binghe cast a glance at Shen Yuan, who was bickering with Shang Qinghua near the doorway. Catching his eye, Shen Yuan flashed him a small smile before he turned back around and pinched Shang Qinghua’s arm, causing the shorter man to yelp. Mobei-Jun swung his head around and, with a sigh, stalked towards Shang Qinghua, placing a hand on his back and herding him out of the room.

“Binghe? Are you ready?”

“Of course.”

The quiet murmuring pressing against his thoughts flowed smooth and slow. Areyouareyouareyou?

Chapter 18

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

He had been waiting for hours. He knew the exact moment the Cang Qiong cultivators crossed into Huan Hua territory and, yet, he did nothing. He didn’t want to ruin his chances of luring in the one he actually needed. Not when he was so close.

The Old Palace Master had been waiting for years and a few more hours were nothing to him.  Soon, he would be able to bring back his Xiyan.

The door to the Water Prison swung open. The Cang Qiong Sect Leader entered first and the Old Palace Master froze. He hadn’t seen Yue Qingyuan in years but he was still well-aware of what the man was capable of. Mild mannered, calm, peacekeeper.

Stalwart. Powerful. Not to be crossed.

In the shadows, he held himself still, memories of the banishment of That Demon to the Abyss running through his mind and the force of nature that Yue Qingyuan had been at the time. The Old Palace Master knew he should have anticipated him coming but he had been…distracted.

Indeed, you have been. But don’t worry - Yue Qingyuan won’t be a problem. He’s only here for one thing.

The man that followed behind Sect Leader Yue looked so much like the one trussed up on the Water Prison platform that the Old Palace Master nearly did a double take. Upon closer inspection, he realized this was the one that his disciples had failed to properly seize. He was younger, less sharp, and far less angry looking than Shen Jiu. It was obvious to him why the mix-up had occurred but that was also the precise reason the Old Palace Master had supplied those tasked with capturing Shen Yuan with a photo of the man.

He shifted, preparing to step out from the shadows, cloaking talisman already active. Before he had the opportunity to pull out the binding talismans he had prepared, he froze, breath caught in his lungs.

She was here.

How??

He blinked and swallowed heavily. No - it wasn’t her. But he looked like her, the resemblance so uncanny that the Old Palace Master had to shut his eyes against the sudden onslaught of emotions that washed over him.

Curly dark hair, fine features, face flitting through expressions that he ached to see after so many years. Even the way he walked and carried himself. This man was like his precious Xiyan.

Yue Qingyuan spotted Shen Jiu and rushed towards him. The Old Palace Master remained stuck in place, eyes locked on the not-Xiyan lookalike as he followed sedately behind the man he knew to be named Shen Yuan. His mind was spinning. Did they lie to him? Was she still alive?

She’s dead. We would never lie to you. That is her son.

That is their son.

The Old Palace Master’s mind blanked, vision flashing white to red and then back to the stark colors of reality as the implications of their words sank in. That Demon. The one who had taken his Xiyan away from him. Yes, she had been pregnant with his spawn. The Old Palace Master had done what was best for her and then she had left him anyway. Apparently, the child had survived while his Xiyan had perished.

And he looked so much like her. Perhaps…Perhaps he could have what he wanted another way?

You can have her, too. You can have them both.

Yes. Two of them. That would be quite nice.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, the Old Palace Master watched as Yue Qingyuan sliced through Shen Jiu’s bonds with a short, sharp knife, murmuring lowly to him as he checked over the worst of the cuts and bruises he had sustained when the Old Palace Master let his disciples loose on him. They had told the Old Palace Master Shen Jiu had put up a fight and they wanted to pay him back in kind.

He was only bait anyway. The Old Palace Master let them do as they wished.

He took a single step forward and was stopped in his tracks as they reminded him of the plan.

Wait until Shen Jiu is removed. Yue Qingyuan cannot be here. Make sure Shen Yuan is stuck.

Then, make your move.

With a dark look on his face, Yue Qingyuan gently ran his hands over Shen Jiu’s nearly unconscious form, still checking for injuries and whispering to him. Shen Yuan bent over and spoke to him, hand motioning towards the door. With a tight nod, Yue Qingyuan lifted Shen Jiu gently into his arms and strode away.

Before he reached the door, Shen Yuan called after him, “Sect Leader, once you’re out of the prison array, activate the talisman! Luo Binghe and I will be right behind you!” Shen Yuan then turned to Luo Binghe and began to wave his hands around, gesturing at the prison platform. Cocking his head, Luo Binghe motioned towards the door and they both turned towards it to follow in Yue Qingyuan’s footsteps.

Luo Binghe.

The Old Palace Master turned it over in his mind, rolling it around, inspecting it from every angle. He stared at the man walking slowly next to Shen Yuan, shaking his head and smiling as the latter rolled his eyes. Yue Qingyuan had already disappeared out the door.

He should have been yours. Just like she should have been yours.

And she will be. We will get her back for you.

The two men were drawing closer to the walkway. Two more steps. One more.

The Old Palace Master slid out from his hiding spot and slammed down the switch controlling the pathway. Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe startled as the walkway began to sink, slowly at first and then speeding up. They both broke into a run when the mechanical noise of the walkway receding kicked in but stopped up short when they came to the edge of platform, eyes trained on the still waters below.

Flicking off his cloaking talisman, the Old Palace Master stepped out from the alcove by the control panel. “You made this too easy, you know.”

Shen Yuan glanced over at him from across the room, eyes narrowed and expression irritated. “We have talismans and weapons. You can’t keep us here.”

“Oh, but I can and I will. And you know that, don’t you? It’s why you had to come here on foot to rescue your brother. You even reminded Sect Leader Yue as much before he ran out of here.” The Old Palace Master took a few more steps along the walkway that bordered the perimeter of the room, peering curiously at the two men.

Yes. Keep them there - keep them talking.

Rolling his eyes, Shen Yuan huffed and looked away. In the meantime, Luo Binghe stalked around the platform, eyes flicking to and fro as he measured the distances between the platform, the perimeter walkways, and the door. Shen Yuan crossed his arms and met the Old Palace Master’s curious gaze. “We still have our swords. We can just fly out of here.” Shen Yuan cast a considering look at Luo Binghe, who was now staring down at the floor, lost in thought.

Tutting, the Old Palace Master leaned forward on his walking stick. “I think you also know that won’t work. The Immortal Binding Cables that your Sect Leader so rudely cut apart were just a precaution.” Across the room, Shen Yuan looked over at the discarded bundle and snorted. “There are spiritual suppression arrays down here as well that block even the lowest forms of qi expenditure.” He paused, then added. “Well, unless you have the right artifacts.” He fingered the ring on his thumb, the gentle hum of its power buzzing through him.

“You are, effectively, trapped.”

Silence rang out as Shen Yuan glared at him, face caught in a frustrated expression. After several more seconds of quiet, Luo Binghe finally looked up and locked eyes with the Old Palace Master.

“Nah.”

The Old Palace Master stared at him, confused. “What?”

“We’re not trapped,” Luo Binghe said matter-of-factly.

The air around the Old Palace Master shifted, density increasing gradually.

Well. Isn’t this going to be interesting.

The Old Palace Master shook his head, pulse ticking up up the longer he stared at Luo Binghe. “You can’t escape from over there with your cultivation suppressed and the water surrounding the platform will dissolve you in an instant if you touch it. So unless you sprout wings and start to fly then I don’t see…how…”

Hollow, metallic laughter burst out within the Old Palace Master’s skull. Rubbing at one of his temples, he squinted across the room at Luo Binghe and Shen Yuan. He gasped, other hand tightening around his walking stick.

The shadows surrounding Luo Binghe had lengthened while he had been clearing his mind of the cacophonous laughter. They warped and spun and billowed behind him, twin points of red set deep in his face pulsing in time with the now visible Heavenly Demon mark cascading across his forehead and down his cheeks.

The words crowing into his thoughts were unintelligible to the Old Palace Master but from their tone alone it was obvious that they were noises of victory. The Old Palace Master stumbled away from the control alcove as sweat started to prickle along the back of his neck.

The darkness around Luo Binghe bent inward, encompassing his body before it hurtled back out. The motion reminded the Old Palace Master of a bellows - pulling air in and then pushing it back out, fanning the room in unnatural heat. With each outward pulse, Luo Binghe’s figure grew incrementally, at first barely noticeable but after the third exhale, it was clear his height and breadth had increased in an alarmingly short period of time.

“Binghe…” A soft voice cut through the haze as the air shifted again, pressure dropping along with it as though a storm were about to break loose.

Between one breath and the next, Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe were standing next to the Old Palace Master on the walkway, both looking distinctly human and distinctly pissed off. Shen Yuan had his sword trained on the Old Palace Master’s neck and he was staring down the blade at him, eyes as cold as the steel pressed to his throat.

“How…?”

“Qiankun pouch. No need for a sword seal and I don’t need spiritual energy to stab you.”

He swallowed, delicate skin of his neck kissing the sharp tip of the blade. This wasn’t supposed to happen. You said it would be easy to keep him here so I could bring her back!

Shhhh…Patience.

“Why did you take my brother?”

He barked out a laugh in response. “Why would I tell you that?”

The blade pressed against him and he felt a thin trickle of warmth run downward and pool in the hollow at the base of his neck.

“Because if you don’t, I actually will stab you.” Luo Binghe glared at the Old Palace Master from behind Shen Yuan’s shoulder, demon mark having receded to a single, pulsing point in the center of his forehead.

He won’t stab you. It’s a bluff.

The Old Palace Master’s thoughts became more frantic as Shen Yuan’s wrist twitched, sending another trickle of blood rolling down his skin. How do you know that?!

We just do. Tell him what he wants to know.

Feigning indifference, the Old Palace Master said, “I was originally trying to bring you here but it turns out the disciples I sent to extend the invitation weren’t as intelligent as I thought.”

The contours of Luo Binghe’s body fuzzed and shifted, accompanied by a low creaking sound. The Old Palace Master watched, entranced, as his beautiful face was once again taken over by the demon mark, this time washing further down his cheeks and towards his neck. It lit up his dark eyes and delicate cheekbones.

They began to hiss, voices rolling together in their excitement. A-Luo. Call him that.

“Oh? You don’t like that, do you, A-Luo?”

Luo Binghe drew in a sharp breath, body firming back into the space it had previously occupied. “Don’t call me that.”

Keep going. Do it again.

Wide grin splitting his face, the Old Palace Master continued, “Oh, I think I will.” He shifted his weight back, eyes trained on Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe. Shen Yuan failed to notice his movement as he was preoccupied looking over his shoulder at Luo Binghe. “I knew your mother, you know. She was my head disciple. So much promise but then, well…” He sighed heavily, shrugging as he took a small step backwards.

Luo Binghe was looking at him strangely, head tilted to the side. “Then what?’

“Well, then she threw in her lot with that Heavenly Demon and look where it got her.” Lowering his voice, he said directly to Shen Yuan, who was looking at him with a frown, “You know what happened, don’t you?”

Tell him this… The exact words floated before his mind’s eyes, clear and firm, as they fed them to him.

“She had to run. The Heavenly Demon - Tianlang-Jun,” he spat the name out, “was out of control - well, he was on his way to it at least. She knew it was only a matter of time until he was taken over by his true nature. I’m sure you know how That Demon’s banishment played out…” He shook his head. “Such a pity about Xiyan though…She had so much promise but she had to throw her lot in with that wretched creature.”

Shen Yuan’s expression was unreadable. He stared at the Old Palace Master and asked quietly, “What happened to her?”

The Old Palace Master cocked an eyebrow at him. “What do you think? She had relations with that wretched beast and then her half-demon spawn sucked the life out of her. She died shortly after bringing him into this world.” His smile widened as he gave Luo Binghe a once over. “But it looks like her son - Luo Binghe was it? - did just fine for himself, now didn’t he?”

Luo Binghe’s eyes burned like twin flames, boring into the Old Palace Master’s face. Next to him, Shen Yuan continued to glance back and forth between the Old Palace Master and Luo Binghe, expression tense.

Just a little more, then we need to move.

“Now it seems Tianlang-Jun’s son is trying to taint a human of his own if the way you two act around each other is any indi–UGH!”

The Old Palace Master’s ears popped and his vision fuzzed as the pressure in the room increased and slammed into his body from all sides. In the next instant, his back crashed against the wall, air rushing out of his lungs as he was pinned in place by innumerable limbs emanating from the man before him.

With a hysterical laugh, he strained against their hold, shaking his head as he tried to clear the fog in his skull. “Oh A-Luo, A-Luo. Just like your mother!” Luo Binghe’s face flickered and the force pressing him against the wall grew. “Such passion! Such devotion to your beloved!” He heard a strangled noise. The shadowy, shifting figure before him wavered and then expanded, darkness rolling off of it in waves.

The Old Palace Master gasped as a tendril of darkness wrapped itself around his neck and began to squeeze. “Maybe you’ll be able to meet her soon! Or perhaps your little A-YuaAAHH!”

The slick appendage wrapped around his neck tightened, stealing the remainder of his words away as it cut off the flow of air into his lungs. The Old Palace Master kicked his legs out and clawed at the iron grip around his neck to no avail.

Thoughts churning and vision growing dim at the edges, he called out, This isn’t how it’s supposed to go! You said you would help me! You said together we could bring her back.

We did. But now you must make your choice.

Do it then! As long as I get her back, I don’t care.

Of course.

The sound of a tinkling chime rang out, followed by a soap bubble soft pop.

They blinked hard, wheezing around the vice constricting their neck. Dropping one of their arms, they tucked their hand into their sleeve and pinched their fingers around the small piece of talisman paper deposited there.

They had seen the Old Palace Master tuck it up his sleeve before he entered the usually impenetrable Water Prison. It was a transportation talisman, specially made as a contingency by the old fool so he would have an emergency escape option.

The shadows holding them down grew darker. Their vision started to cloud. Gritting their teeth, they channeled a burst of qi into the talisman.

They blink and when they opened their eyes they were no longer in the Water Prison. Sucking in a breath, they looked around. A memory bubbled to the surface, a familiar voice calling out, This is the forest outside of Huan Hua Palace. The voice paused. They cocked their head, waiting.

You promised

Ah, the old fool sounded so forlorn as his voice echoed around in their skull.

They laughed, the sound the same as that of dry leaves catching fire. Oh, you old fool. The voice made a sound of distress. You of all people should know that promises are made to be broken.

The noise of distress morphed into one of despair as the old fool tried to regain control. Their fingers twitched minutely before they tamped down on the excess motion. They knew he wouldn't try again - he wasn't strong enough for that.

They shook out their limbs and stretched as the Old Palace Master’s voice continued to cry out and wail, growing softer and softer by increments until it disappeared.

Lifting their arms above their head, they hooked their fingers together and pressed upward, relishing in the feeling. It had been a long time since they had fully possessed a human body. Best to be sure they knew what this one was capable of. They already knew beforehand that it had a well-developed Core, which would certainly be useful while they inhabited this form.

Not that they would need it for very long. Even with the minor kidnapping hiccup and the added complications of the hybrid, they had other ways to maneuver Shen Yuan to where they needed him.

Notes:

That's all for this update! As usual, next set of chapters will be posted next Friday 💜

Chapter 19

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Minds were a funny thing.

Shen Yuan had watched Luo Binghe’s body twist and shift as the light around it bent in odd ways. He saw his limbs double, then triple, and then burst into an uncountable number as they elongated, reaching towards the Old Palace Master.

He had stared at the sword on Luo Binghe’s back right before these changes overtook him. He noticed how the shadows leaking out from underneath the talismans and wrappings thickened and grew before they wrapped themselves around Luo Binghe’s body, caressing it and crashing into it such that they eventually obscured it entirely from Shen Yuan’s vision.

When the shadows dissipated, something that was Luo Binghe but that did not look like Luo Binghe remained. Shen Yuan’s eyes ached, but the throb was dull rather than sharp and jagged. The conversation with Luo Binghe about his blood flashed through Shen Yuan’s thoughts just as the pressure in the air shot up. It then dropped just as suddenly, like a quick inhale of breath followed by a sharp exhale.

When his vision cleared, he looked over at Luo Binghe. The space behind his eyes gave another ominous throb but he could at least see Luo Binghe even if his mind was trying to work out what he was seeing.

Mmm, you can see him, can’t you? Isn’t that interesting.

Isn’t he terrifying?

Shen Yuan took several steps back as Luo Binghe grew, the shadows wrapped around him growing darker again as more appendages shot forward, wrapping themselves around the Old Palace Master. Shen Yuan fought to absorb the finer details of what he was seeing - Luo Binghe was just so big, taller than Shen Yuan by at least a foot, if not more, and he was so broad and maybe he was covered in scales? Some kind of armor? Whatever it was that covered Luo Binghe’s hide, it shifted and danced before his vision as the appendages - because that was the best word Shen Yuan could come up with for them - reached out and held the Old Palace Master in place. Shen Yuan blinked and when he opened his eyes, Luo Binghe had shifted again. Wings - so many wings, hair cascading down his back, over his body, sharp teeth, skin? No - fur. Downy fur.

Another blink. Another change. Another blink, another change. Feathers, claws, undulating vines, oozing liquid, dry sandy textured skin.

Shen Yuan had no idea exactly what he was looking at, but each iteration of Luo Binghe he saw - because it had to be Luo Binghe because Luo Binghe had entered the Water Prison with him, had been standing near him, and was the only other person left in the Water Prison besides himself and the Old Palace Master - still had something about it, some kind of aura, that was so distinctly Luo Binghe that it would be obvious to anyone else seeing him as well.

And honestly, even though he couldn’t quite wrap his mind around the mechanics of what was happening to Luo Binghe - or even the reality of it - Shen Yuan did know one thing.

It was awesome.

Not awesome in the way he might describe a book, or a movie, or a video game to someone. Not in that manner at all.

No, Luo Binghe was awesome. As in - awe-inspiring, amazing, phenomenal to behold.

Shen Yuan’s heart was beating fast in his chest because the Luo Binghe before him was indeed something to behold, even through the light throbbing that had spread from behind his eyes to his temples. Luo Binghe continued to shift and warp as Shen Yuan watched him squeeze the Old Palace Master’s neck. As the man’s face purpled, the words that the Old Palace Master said mere moments ago tickled at Shen Yuan’s thoughts.

He said you were Luo Binghe’s beloved.

Cheeks heating, Shen Yuan bit his lip as he parsed through the short series of events that had followed that statement. Specifically, Luo Binghe’s reaction to that statement.

Shen Yuan didn’t have much time to reflect on this as, seconds later, the sound of chime rang out in the Water Prison. It was followed by a muted pop. Then, the Old Palace Master disappeared into thin air.

Luo Binghe whipped around to face Shen Yuan, eyes blinking and shifting as they cast about the room for any signs of their target. The sword on his back emitted a faint vermillion aura that pulsed in time with the demon mark on Luo Binghe’s forehead. Shen Yuan stood pinned by his gaze, frozen and unable to move as Luo Binghe approached him in fits and starts until he stopped and stood towering over Shen Yuan, body flickering and contorting as it desperately tried to figure out which configuration it needed to assume.

Familiar features settled onto Luo Binghe’s face but his body appeared to be having a more difficult time locking into a definitive shape. Something about the situation prodded gently at the back of Shen Yuan’s mind, the familiarity of it bubbling to the surface and heating his skin.

He had seen Luo Binghe like this before in his dreams. Not only that achingly familiar face - expression terrified and lost - but each undulating, odd, part of him. Shen Yuan had seen Luo Binghe change, had witnessed the twisting, twitching, and writhing of his skin as his joints, muscles, and bones moved and popped.

Just like in his dreams, once he realized that the being before him was Luo Binghe, Shen Yuan found that he didn’t hate this form of Luo Binghe. Quite the opposite in fact. It also made him distantly wonder if Luo Binghe would let him touch him, if Luo Binghe would let him draw close to him to feel the energy and heat rolling off of him.

A pathetic, rusty whine interrupted his thoughts. “A-Yuan…”

Luo Binghe's height diminished before his eyes as the extra limbs and appendages reduced themselves to the standard amount. His skin shimmered and shifted along with his hair and then he was…Well, he had always been Luo Binghe. But he was the form of Luo Binghe that Shen Yuan was most well acquainted with.

He regarded Shen Yuan for a moment and then cast his eyes down, a forlorn expression sweeping across his face. There were still a few thin, shadowy tendrils whipping lazily behind Luo Binghe. One of them caught Shen Yuan’s eye as he reached out to grab Luo Binghe’s arm.

The thin tendril snuck forward shyly, extending itself towards Shen Yuan. When it was mere centimeters from him, it retracted quickly, peeking around Luo Binghe’s bulk.

Huffing out a laugh, Shen Yuan beckoned at it with his fingers. Luo Binghe flicked his eyes towards the tendril and frowned, mouth setting itself into a tight line. Before he could swat the tendril away, Shen Yuan said, “It’s ok, Binghe. You can let them come over.”

Luo Binghe made a small noise in the back of his throat as one of the braver tendrils inched forward until just the tip of it was resting on Shen Yuan’s outheld palm. Smiling, Shen Yuan stroked his fingers along the tendril as it wound around his wrist and tickled at his arm.

Shen Yuan took a step forward and rested his unoccupied hand on Luo Binghe’s waist, drawing him in so that they were nearly embracing. Luo Binghe crumpled against him, head resting on his shoulder as he panted against his neck. Shen Yuan wasn’t surprised when his shirt began to feel damp underneath Luo Binghe’s cheek.

Wrapping his arms around Luo Binghe, Shen Yuan pulled him closer and held him until the pulsing light emanating from the sword on his back fully dissipated. When he drew back, he looked for the tendril that had wound itself around his arm. He caught the tip of it retracting behind Luo Binghe’s back. Ah, it was rather cute…Maybe later.

He looked up at Luo Binghe’s cloudy-eyed, wan colored face. Patting Luo Binghe on his still wet cheek, Shen Yuan received a slow blink and a strained noise of acknowledgment.

“Binghe, can you walk? We just need to get outside of the array and then we can use a talisman.”

Several seconds passed before Luo Binghe mutely shook his head. With a nod in return, Shen Yuan wrapped his arm back around Luo Binghe’s waist, threw one of Luo Binghe’s arms over his shoulders, and began the steady march towards the exit of the Water Prison.

After turning it over in his mind for several days, Shen Yuan still could not figure out why the Old Palace Master had wanted to kidnap him. According to Shen Jiu, the Old Palace Master had told him that he had intended to take Shen Yuan, not Shen Jiu. He had also informed Shen Jiu that he knew Shen Yuan would show up to collect Shen Jiu at some point so he could still “use” him.

It all struck Shen Yuan as extremely odd. Why him?

Debriefing from the entire rescue mission had also been exceedingly weird. First of all, Yue Qingyuan was still acting like Luo Binghe showing up after being presumed dead for five years wasn’t anything to discuss. In fact, when they reconvened outside of Huan Hua - after meeting little to no resistance leaving, as the Palace seemed to be mostly deserted anyway - Yue Qingyuan had taken one long look at Luo Binghe before asking him what he thought the Old Palace Master wanted with Shen Yuan.

Luo Binghe had given him a hollow eyed stare before offering him a shrug. “I’m not sure but I know it can’t be good.”

Before they returned to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect, it was already determined that, at a minimum, the Old Palace Master needed to be located quickly. His actions were not only bizarre, but could also be considered dangerous, particularly since the kidnapping of Shen Jiu amounted to a direct attack on another Sect.

Which led to Shen Yuan’s current situation - hunched over behind Shang Qinghua while they both looked intensely at the laptop in front of them while Mobei-Jun lurked in a corner and Luo Binghe sat staring at Shen Yuan from across the desk.

“Bro, that’s not how computers work and you know it. Those stupid shows always have some guy saying ‘COMPUTER, ENHANCE!’ but actual electronics don’t function that way!”

Rolling his eyes, Shen Yuan replied, “I know that. But.” When Shen Yuan paused, Shang Qinghua glanced at him, eyes narrowed. “I also know that you have access to technology that you probably shouldn’t have access to.” Shang QInghua squawked and Shen Yuan poked him in the shoulder. “Stop that, you know I’m right.” He was met with a sound of begrudging agreement.

“So.”

Shang Qinghua sighed.

Maybe just this once you can let me say it….”

Groaning, Shang Qinghua ran a hand down his face and then leaned forward, typing in a command. “Ugh, fine. But just this once.” He tapped a few more keys and pulled up an image file that looked like nothing but white noise and greyscale translated into the photo equivalent of the most basic of human shapes.

Vibrating with the novelty of the entire experience - and with the fact that he was seizing on an opportunity to annoy Shang Qinghua - Shen Yuan crowed gleefully, “COMPUTER, ENHANCE!”


With a soul deep sigh, Shang Qinghua hit another key and the image cleared up, sharpening to reveal a clear depiction of the Old Palace Master leaving a convenience store located somewhere in the outer limits of Huan Hua Palace’s territory.

Shen Yuan made a noise of consternation. “That’s weird.”

Shang Qinghua leaned back and looked up at him. “Yeah, he bought a whole gallon of milk. What the hell is a guy on the run going to do with a single gallon of milk?”

“Ok, yeah the milk is weird but I thought the Old Palace Master used a walking stick.” Shen Yuan pointed at the image and Shang Qinghua frowned. “See? He looks like he’s moving just fine here.”

The man depicted in the image definitely had the same countenance as the Old Palace Master but not the man’s hunched over posture. In fact, he looked practically spry striding out of the convenience store with his shoulder back and head held high.

Shang Qinghua squinted at the image and shook his head. “You’re right. And he definitely needs it because at the last Intersect Conference he couldn't walk around for any extended period of time without it.” Shang Qinghua pulled up another grainy photo as he muttered to himself absentmindedly, “Maybe it’s all the milk…”

A muffled chuckle drifted over from where Mobei-Jun had stationed himself. It was followed by a gentle snort from Shang Qinghua. Sighing, Shen Yuan sat back and stretched, glancing over at Luo Binghe. He was staring back at Shen Yuan with a dreamy expression on his face. Slowly raising an eyebrow at him, Luo Binghe’s cheeks pinked and he coughed. Looking down, he made his hands busy rearranging the documents spread out before him.

With a smirk, Shen Yuan looked back at the screen over Shang Qinghua’s shoulder. Since returning to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect a few days ago, they had been tracking the Old Palace Master. They spotted him on surveillance and trail cameras in Huan Hua Palace’s territory, moving about with seemingly no set destination. Today, however, was the first time they had seen him so close to the borders of Huan Hua’s territory. They hadn’t been able to get a read on exactly what he was up to. In fact, it didn’t seem that he had really been doing anything, which only added to the overall air of confusion and frustration. He would literally seem to disappear for a few days and then reemerge miles away from where he had last been seen, looking no worse for wear.

It was bizarre.

What was also bizarre was Huan Hua Palace itself. Yue Qingyuan had sent out a team of disciples to check in on what had happened since the Old Palace Master had disappeared. What they found had been relatively grim. Before they entered, they discovered a handful of dazed disciples milling around the perimeter of the compound, blinking slowly and asking where the Old Palace Master went between rambling about special objectives and nonsensical rewards. Mobei-Jun identified these individuals as the ones who had taken Shen Jiu. They were summarily taken into custody to be questioned when - or rather, if - they ever recovered from their disoriented ramblings.

Once the Cang Qiong cultivators entered the Palace itself, they thought it to be mostly deserted - just as it had when Shen Jiu had been rescued.

They soon found out, however, that this initial perception was not the case. The maze arrays inside the Palace deactivated when the Old Palace Master disappeared and, with them, the locking arrays on the disciples quarters. Three of the disciples that had been locked away - Qin Wanyue, Qin Wanrong, and the Old Palace Master’s daughter - who went by the moniker “Little Palace Mistress” - were in decent enough shape to tell the Cang Qiong disciples what had happened.

The Old Palace Master had slid into some kind of madness over the past handful of years, becoming more paranoid and obsessed with some “secret project.” Whenever a disciple or one of his deputies would question him, he would either lock them away in their quarters lest they spread their “lies” to other Sect members or they would outright disappear. Those that retained a modicum of freedom were utterly loyal to the Old Palace Master, willingly doing whatever the man asked them and not questioning any orders they received.

The Little Palace Mistress had been particularly upset when she described the behavior of her father, as she had noticed his deteriorating condition, particularly over the past year. In a misguided attempt to preserve the Old Palace Master’s dignity while she and a group of senior disciples tried to work out a solution, she failed to inform anyone outside the Sect of the Old Palace Master’s condition, even when other disciples started disappearing.

The Little Palace Mistress told the Cang Qiong disciples they never did find out what happened to the disciples that had disappeared. When the Cang Qiong disciples who had searched the lower levels of the palace asked her and the remaining Huan Hua disciples if they wanted to know what happened to those disciples, they mutely shook their heads and allowed themselves to be escorted off to be looked over by Mu Qingfang.

The Cang Qiong disciples also discovered that Gongyi Xiao, the former head disciple of Huan Hua, had also disappeared, albeit more recently. Upon hearing his name, Luo Binghe and Mobei-Jun both turned to look at each other, some kind of silent communication passing between them. Shen Yuan noticed it and later asked Luo Binghe if he knew something about what happened to the former head disciple whose identity he had stolen.

Luo Binghe offered Shen Yuan a slight smile and told him that the man was fine - that he was with some “old friends” of Luo Binghe’s. Shen Yuan had meant to ask further questions about Luo Binghe’s cryptid answer but had been distracted by the search for the Old Palace Master.

Now, they were in a holding pattern. Huan Hua Palace was going through a major reorganization and they had no idea what the Old Palace Master’s future plans entailed. Shen Jiu, who was briefly lucid when they were heading back to the Sect, had mentioned he heard snatches of single sided conversations about rifts, the “underworld,” and demons. He also, however, had been delirious and suffering from a minor head injury that made him promptly pass back out after relaying the Old Palace Master’s disoriented ramblings.

Thinking of Shen Jiu made Shen Yuan frown. I wonder if he’s found out about Binghe yet. Once Shen Jiu had been treated by Mu Qingfang and cleared for visitors, it hadn’t been lost on Shen Yuan that Yue Qingyuan very politely asked Luo Binghe to wait outside of Shen Jiu’s room while Shen Yuan visited him. Luo Binghe begrudgingly agreed, leaning against the wall, the beginnings of what Shen Yuan knew to be a pout on his face as Shen Yuan disappeared through the door.

It also hadn’t been lost on Shen Yuan that Yue Qingyuan made no mention of Luo Binghe to his brother when they were discussing the events of the past few days.

Shen Jiu agreed they needed to find the Old Palace Master. Not only so he could “personally ask him some questions” (that tone of voice had made Shen Yuan shudder and almost feel bad for the Old Palace Master - almost) but, more generally, because it was unclear if his erratic behavior made him a danger to others, particularly with his strong cultivation base and knowledge of the operations of the other major Sects.

Thinking of his brother made Shen Yuan sigh. He had left their shared apartment just as the sun was peeking over the horizon to visit Shen Jiu, who was still recovering under the care of Mu Qingfang. Afterward, he immediately went to An Ding and had been there ever since. Through the blind covered windows, Shen Yuan could see the peach and light violet tones of the late afternoon sky. It had been a long day and Shen Yuan’s eyes were starting to ache from staring at documents and computer screens.

With one last look at the laptop screen over Shang Qinghua’s shoulder, Shen Yuan stretched his arms over his head, groaning lightly as his joints and spine popped and cracked with the movement. Shang Qinghua looked up at him with a wince as he sat back, rubbing at his eyes. “I guess it would be a good time to take a break, huh? It doesn’t look like he’s really going anywhere that fast but I’ll still set up pings on the CCTV and trail cameras I have access to just in case.”

Shen Yuan nodded. “Just let Qi-ge know so he can keep an eye on them, too.” He paused, then added, “And maybe A-Jiu, too. You know how he gets when he’s bored.” Both men shuddered.

“Yeah, good point,” Shang Qinghua muttered as he opened his e-mail and clacked away at his keyboard.

Laying a hand on Shang Qinghua’s shoulder, Shen Yuan said, “Alright, well. Call me if anything comes up.” Shang Qinghua’s mouth opened. “Yes, I’ll have my phone on this time.” He received a slow thumbs up while Shang Qinghua’s other hand continued to tap at the keyboard.

Shen Yuan looked at Luo Binghe, who was still sitting at the desk, an uncertain expression on his face. As Shen Yuan drifted past him and towards the door, he called over his shoulder, “Binghe?”

Luo Binghe’s head swiveled around to look at him, “Hmm?”

“Aren’t you coming with me?” Shen Yuan then had the gratifying experience of watching Luo Binghe’s face light up as he shot out of his chair and bounded towards him. Two muffled laughs drifted over from the other side of the room. Shen Yuan studiously ignored them as he led Luo Binghe out of the office and in the direction of the apartment he shared with Shen Jiu.

Notes:

The System bought that gallon of milk and drank the entire thing because even though the body they are in could practice inedia, the System is also aware that milk "does a body good." And they need this one to be in good shape for their purposes.

Chapter Text

They walked in silence across the Cang Qiong Mountain Sect campus, reaching the Qing Jing area in about ten minutes. The ride up the apartment building’s elevator was also quiet, but Shen Yuan noticed Luo Binghe glancing at him in the reflection of the doors. The third time Shen Yuan caught him looking, he smiled widely at him, face reflected back in the polished metal and Luo Binghe flicked his eyes away so quickly that Shen Yuan was surprised they didn’t keep going and fly right out of his head.

They entered the apartment and took their shoes off, setting them by the door. Without asking, Shen Yuan went into the kitchen to make tea, leaving Luo Binghe in the doorway as his eyes bounced around, absorbing the sparse, utilitarian furnishings in the living room and kitchen area. Peeking at him over the kitchen island, Shen Yuan motioned towards his bag and the now innocuous seeming sword that was still strapped to his back. “You can put your bag in my room. Last one on the right.” Luo Binghe shot him a distinct deer in headlights look at finally being addressed after so much silence. Shen Yuan’s face felt hot all of a sudden.

Smiling around the warmth on his cheeks, Shen Yuan added, “Make yourself comfortable. The tea will be ready soon.”

Luo Binghe blinked at him and smiled back, before nodding. He dropped the talisman wrapped sword by the door and then wandered down the hallway. When he reemerged, Shen Yuan gestured towards the couch and Luo Binghe took a seat, back ramrod straight as he positioned himself at the edge of the cushions, legs pressed together at the knees and hands resting on his thighs.

Shen Yuan handed Luo Binghe his tea and sat down across from him on the couch, back propped on the far armrest with his body angled towards him.

After several seconds of silence, Shen Yuan took a long, fortifying sip of his drink. He placed the cup down on the coffee table and said, “So.”

Mug still cradled in his hands, Luo Binghe looked over at him. “So.”

With a deep breath, Shen Yuan ventured, “Would you like to tell me what happened to you?”

Posture crumbling as the tension bled out of him, Luo Binghe leaned back against the couch cushions. He took a slow sip of his tea. A contemplative look overtook his face as he stared down at the liquid in the mug. Looking back up at Shen Yuan with a determined expression, he responded.

“Ok.”

Luo Binghe told him everything - well, almost everything - as best as he could while glossing over the more horrific parts. In short, Luo Binghe spent quite a while talking while Shen Yuan sat there, eyes intently focused on him.

While Luo Binghe related what had happened to him since he fell into the Abyss, Shen Yuan watched him silently save for occasional small noises of concern or interest. Having Shen Yuan’s undivided attention felt…Good. It made him recall the times before he fell into the Abyss when Shen Yuan would ask Luo Binghe to explain something they had been studying together and Shen Yuan would stare at him, a small smile playing at the edges of his lips, as Luo Binghe talked.

When Luo Binghe described how his body felt after it changed - “morphed” as he had said to Shen Yuan during his monologue - Shen Yuan’s cheeks flushed a deep pink as he momentarily averted his eyes. When Luo Binghe described the loss of time in the Abyss, Shen Yuan frowned, eyes worried, and reached out a hand to pat Luo Binghe’s arm while he continued.

He told Shen Yuan how sleep wasn’t so much sleep as a lapse into what felt like unbeing - disappearing from his body for chunks at a time and then coming back to it leagues away from where he had left it. Shen Yuan gave him a strange look when he described the sensation, teeth weathering at his lips. Luo Binghe thought Shen Yuan would finally interrupt him with a question or a comment but instead, he pressed his mouth into a thin line and waved at Luo Binghe to continue.

Luo Binghe did not tell him about the dreams. Not yet.

Once he finished telling him about meeting Tianlang-Jun and his efforts to master the use of the Xin Mo sword, Shen Yuan finally said something.

“So you can’t make rifts with it but you can otherwise use it when it’s wrapped up like that? With the talismans and everything?”

“Yes, but its power is limited and I can’t use it for extended periods of time.” Luo Binghe suppressed a shudder at the memory of destroying a herd of chittering cattle shaped monsters in the Abyss with a single swing of the sword before he figured out how to quiet it's shrieking in his head. It hadn’t been an easy learning process but he could at least manage to use the sword in its suppressed state before it started to take a toll on his thoughts.

Shen Yuan was still looking at him, waiting, so he added, “And even then, I prefer to only use it in combat if I absolutely have to.”

Shen Yuan cocked his head to the side. “So what’s it like when it’s not suppressed?”

Luo Binghe grimaced at him, shaking his head. Shen Yuan blinked at him, his expression tightening. Nodding, he sat back and waited for Luo Binghe to finish.

“...So Zuzhi-Lang helped us with the array to return to the Human Realm and well…” Luo Binghe shrugged, glancing down at his hands.

Shen Yuan sat still and quiet, tea long since finished. At some point he had settled back against the couch cushions and tossed a thin blanket over his legs. Luo Binghe shifted and realized Shen Yuan had tucked his feet underneath his thigh, toes gently digging into his hamstrings. Luo Binghe glanced at him hesitantly, waiting.

He had an odd, calculating look on his face, brows pinched and mouth in a flat line. Shen Yuan’s fingers drummed against the couch, the only sound for several long seconds. He shifted around, his toes flexing and jabbing into the meat of Luo Binghe’s leg.

“So.” He straightened up, withdrawing his feet to sit cross-legged as he leaned towards Luo Binghe. Luo Binghe internally mourned the loss of contact. “Before you fell, did you have any idea you were well…a demon?”

Luo Binghe shifted uncomfortably. “Um…Well…” He looked around the room, eyes unfocused on the furnishings as he avoided Shen Yuan’s gaze.

Shen Yuan prodded him with one of his feet. “Binghe.”

With a sigh, Luo Binghe cast him a guilty look. “When we were still in training together - before we became full Sect disciples.”

“Ah.” A pause. “How?”

Luo Binghe seized the foot that was poking at him again, hand wrapping loosely around Shen Yuan’s ankle. He idly stroked the delicate bones of Shen Yuan’s ankle through the fabric of his socks. “Meng Mo.”

“Who?”

Luo Binghe pulled Shen Yuan’s foot onto his lap. “He described himself as an Elder Dream Demon? I guess he found me? I never actually asked. He just appeared in my dreams one night and told me that I was special. That I could use the Dreamscape to influence those around me.” Shen Yuan tensed up and pulled his foot back, suspicion flashing behind his eyes. Luo Binghe glanced nervously at him, realizing he may be treading too close to information he had omitted when he told him about his time in the Abyss.

“I learned from him. How to use the Dreamscape.” He paused and made a considering noise, then added quietly, “I suppose calling it the Dream Realm would be more accurate though.”

Shen Yuan leaned closer to him, eyes intense. “Tell me more about this Dream Realm.”

Luo Binghe looked at him. Shen Yuan stared back, refusing to break eye contact. He knew it was a trap - something on Shen Yuan’s face, something behind the glint in the depths of his pupils told Luo Binghe he had put it together. Maybe not all of it, but enough to realize that he knew exactly what the Dream Realm was and that he had absolutely stumbled into it in his sleeping hours.

And had found Luo Binghe there, too.

With a deep breath, Luo Binghe walked into the snare. “I can enter people's subconsciousness while they sleep and see their dreams. I can shape them too, influence what’s happening, change the surroundings - that kind of thing.” He bit his lip before continuing. “When you sleep it’s…You don’t just disappear. If you dream, you end up in a separate Realm - separate from the Abyss and from the Human Realm. It’s like a combination of both, but also in between? It can also influence your waking hours if you become aware of it and Meng Mo told me that there have been instances where physical side effects have manifested when awake after particularly intense dreams where the Dream Realm is involved.” Shen Yuan’s eyes narrowed and his gaze sharpened to a fine point as the last bits of understanding filled the cup that already had enough information in it to be close to overflowing.

Luo Binghe’s mouth went dry as he whispered the words that would snap the trap shut. “And when I find people in the Dream Realm, I can interact with them as though they were awake…”

Shen Yuan was on his knees and had a hand on the back of the couch, face drawing close enough that Luo Binghe could clearly see the freckles running across the bridge of his nose. “How?”

The back of his neck heated as the trap slammed closed, squeezing him lightly around the base of his lungs, filling his chest with pressure. “I can enter their dreams and see what they’re seeing. It’s…” He swallowed heavily, flicking his eyes away from Shen Yuan, not wanting to see his disappointment or disgust when he said it, “It’s almost like I’m physically there. Not in the Human Realm sense but I can see them, touch them, talk to them.” Kiss them. “I can go into whatever their reality is for their dream and be there.” He paused before shakily adding, “And it has recently become clear to me, sometimes I can be pulled into someone else’s Dreamscape. It seems when they call to me, I’ll answer and when I find them I’ll then be subject to the power of the dream they have constructed.”

Luo Binghe shut his eyes and waited for Shen Yuan to say something. There was a shuffling noise next to him - Probably Shen Yuan getting up and walking away in horror. A hand fell upon his shoulder, squeezing it gently.

“Binghe, can I ask you a few questions?”

He opened his eyes and looked up at Shen Yuan, who was studying him from above, lips parted and cheeks flushed. Luo Binghe nodded.


“You said you’ve dreamed of me before.” Luo Binghe shook his head.

Shen Yuan regarded him for a moment before quietly asking, “When you were in the Abyss, did you dream of me?”

Luo Binghe froze, every muscle going rigid as icy anxiety raced through him. He knew the question was coming but he still felt woefully unprepared to actually answer. Or at least answer truthfully. So, he didn’t.

“Not as such…”

Shen Yuan squeezed his shoulder, harder this time. “You know what I mean but if not, let me clarify. Did you enter the Dream Realm? Specifically, did ‘someone,’ as you put it, ‘pull you in’ to their Dreamscape?”

Swallowing and darting out his tongue to wet his lips - a motion he noticed that Shen Yuan tracked with narrowed eyes - he mulishly responded, “Maybe.”

Rolling his eyes, Shen Yuan sat back on his thighs and reached out both hands to cup Luo Binghe’s cheeks, stroking them gently with his thumbs. “Be honest, Binghe.”

Leaning into the touch with a shiver, Luo Binghe’s eyes slid shut again. “Yes,” he whispered.

“And whose dream were you pulled into?”

Luo Binghe squeezed his eyes shut tighter and pressed his lips together.

Shen Yuan huffed in annoyance. “Mmmm, I see.” One of Shen Yuan’s hands danced to the back of his neck, finding its way under the fall of his hair so his fingers could slide into the soft curls at his nape. “Let me ask this then - what did you see there?”

Luo Binghe remained silent, heat thrumming under his skin at Shen Yuan’s touch warring with the disgust at himself that was seated low in his belly, gnawing at his insides whispering that this was it. Shen Yuan is going to know I took advantage of him in his dreams, that I was pulled to him and that I watched him and wanted him and took from him and then it will all be over. Behind his eyelids, Luo Binghe’s eyes began to sting. I’m so stupid. He squeezed them shut tighter and a trickle of moisture escaped out the corner, tracking down his cheek until it ran into the roadblock of Shen Yuan’s thumb. But I was so lonely…and I missed him…And it felt like he was calling to me and I just…

A slow tug on his hair pulled Luo Binghe out of his thoughts. “Luo Binghe.” Shen Yuan’s stern voice cut through the miasma of roiling anxiety pulsing against Luo Binghe’s skull. “Tell me what you saw in the Dream Realm.”

He cracked his eyes open and looked up at Shen Yuan’s face through the haze clouding his vision. Blinking hard to clear them, he saw Shen Yuan before him with his bright eyes, his shining lips, the blush high on his cheeks, and his…Oh.

Luo Binghe took a deep breath to calm his racing thoughts. On the exhale, he quietly sighed, “You.”

A smile as dazzling as the sun reflecting off clear water broke out across Shen Yuan’s face. He stroked Luo Binghe’s cheek again as he leaned forward, eyes intent on his mouth. “Ah. Well then.”

He didn’t have the time to make another noise before Shen Yuan’s mouth crashed into his, hand in his hair tightening and pulling him forward. Luo Binghe groaned, mouth opening enough to allow Shen Yuan’s tongue to slip inside. He leaned forward like a flower seeking the rays of the sun that was Shen Yuan, eyes sliding shut. When Shen Yuan pulled away, a forlorn whine escaped Luo Binghe’s throat as he tried to chase his mouth.

Crawling into his lap, Shen Yuan gave him a fond look, lips curved up in a smile as he tilted Luo Binghe’s head back, forcing him to maintain eye contact. “You could have just told me, Binghe.”

Brain full of cotton and the soft scent of Shen Yuan’s shampoo, Luo Binghe blinked owlishly at him and then very eloquently replied, “Eh?”

With a small laugh, Shen Yuan dipped down and placed a gentle kiss against his lips, holding the contact long enough that Luo Binghe sagged back against the couch, pulling Shen Yuan with him as he did so.

Shen Yuan broke the kiss but kept his mouth close enough to Luo Binghe’s such that they were sharing the breath. “I said you could have told me.” He leaned farther back and Luo Binghe tightened his grip where his hands had come to rest on Shen Yuan’s waist. Running his free hand along one of Luo Binghe’s forearms, Shen Yuan said, “I dreamed about you so much and it felt like it was just…Like I had called you there and then when you started showing up I never thought more about it beyond how happy I was to see you. I just thought the dreams were because I missed you - and I suppose they were - but it also seems that I brought you to me.” He expression turned contemplative. “I also had a hunch when we first talked back in Jin Lan City but then when I saw you in the Water Prison…” An odd look passed over his face, clouding his eyes before he turned to look away, color that had been high on his cheeks spreading throughout the rest of his face.

The loss of eye contact sent a thrum of anxiety through Luo Binghe, throwing cold water on the heat that had been building underneath his skin. He had thought…but no. Shen Yuan couldn’t even look at him. Why had he kissed him? Maybe as a courtesy? To soften the blow?

Luo Binghe tensed as Shen Yuan shifted back. This was it. This was the part where Shen Yuan said, You’re a monster. I had a hunch and then I saw you and I just wanted to let you know that I know.

Soft, hateful voices prodded at the back of his mind, muddling his thoughts. I kissed you to soften the blow. Now get out.

His eyes began to burn. Shen Yuan shifted again, thighs flexing against Luo Binghe’s sides. He’s going to get up and leave.

No no no no.

Wetness tracked down Luo Binghe’s cheek. A gentle hand came up and wiped it away. “Oh, oh, Binghe. No, no.” Gentle, fluttering kisses rained down on his forehead, his cheeks, his eyelids. Another tear was brushed away - this time from the other cheek. Luo Binghe took a shuddering breath as a kiss landed on his temple. He cracked open his eyes, He was met with Shen Yuan’s concerned, gentle face.

Still there. Right in front of him.

Tucking an unruly lock of hair behind Luo Binghe’s ear, Shen Yuan cocked his head to the side and asked, “Do you remember what I told you? When you came to me in my dreams?”

Luo Binghe blinked damp eyes at him, mind whirring as he tried to pull at the blurred, muddled memories.

With a chuckle, Shen Yuan rested his hands on Luo Binghe’s shoulders and gently tugged him forward into a loose hug. He pressed his head against Shen Yuan’s chest, rubbing his cheek against the fabric of his shirt and inhaling a shaky breath. After a moment of silence, Luo Binghe shook his head minutely.

“It’s you,” Shen Yuan whispered into his hair. “It’s you, Binghe.”

He ran a hand down Luo Binghe’s back, fingers dancing along his spine. “I meant it, you know. It’s you - all of you. And I did miss you and…” Shen Yuan jerked back all of a sudden, eyes wild and face flushed bright red. Luo Binghe startled in response, pulling him close so he wouldn’t tumble off of his lap and onto the floor. With a groan, Shen Yuan sagged forward and rested his forehead on Luo Binghe’s shoulder. “Oh my god,” he grumbled, “I told you everything.”

Bewildered, Luo Binghe wrapped his arms around Shen Yuan and squeezed. Memories bubbled to the surface, clamoring to the forefront of his mind thoughts. Shen Yuan had told him everything. Luo Binghe’s heart thumped in his chest and he took a slow, deep breath before tentatively asking, “You meant all of it?”

Shen Yuan picked his head up and fixed Luo Binghe with an exasperated look, which was followed up with a huffed out laugh.

“Yes.”

Luo Binghe waited for the follow up, pulse racing and heart thundering in his chest and pulse. For the “and” or the “but” or the “well…” The silence between them drew out, syrupy thick. Shen Yuan kept his gaze trained on Luo Binghe, face clear and open. Instead of his mouth opening to release the follow up words that Luo Binghe expected, Shen Yuan’s lips spread into a broad grin. The gears in Luo Binghe’s head turned, teeth locking into place and then finally snapping to a halt, releasing a wave of relief so strong that Luo Binghe had to shut his eyes against the renewed moisture that had sprung into their corners.

“Oh,” he whispered, only a small amount of shame coloring his words at not trusting Shen Yuan in the first place.

Shen Yuan moved forward, warm exhalation ghosting over Luo Binghe’s lips as he said, “Oh.”

Things went a bit hazy after that for Luo Binghe. He knew that at one point, he stood up with his shirt hanging off one arm, fly on his pants undone, with Shen Yuan held up in his arms as he lavished attention on Luo Binghe’s neck. He also knew that after he stood up, he carried Shen Yuan, whose clothing was in a similar state of disarray, the short distance down the hallway to Shen Yuan’s bedroom.


He knew all of this because his thoughts apparently cleared enough for him to realize that he should try to stop his forward momentum so he didn’t crush Shen Yuan into the bed after unceremoniously dumping the latter there. Shen Yuan, for his part, laughed as he watched Luo Binghe overcorrect and nearly pitch into the bedside table as he tripped over his sagging pants.

Standing up straight, Luo Binghe pulled his shirt off of his arm and then kicked his pants off, flinging them to a corner of the room. He stood there, stripped to his underpants and looked nervously at Shen Yuan, who was propped up on his elbows, eyes hungrily tracking the lines of Luo Binghe’s exposed body.

They stuttered when they saw the scar on Luo Binghe’s chest, still ragged around the edges where Xiu Ya had stabbed into him so many years ago. “You…” Luo Binghe looked to the side, fidgeting. He almost brought his hands up to his chest to cover the scar but instead settled for clenching his fists at his sides, nails digging into his palms.

Shen Yuan swallowed heavily. “You didn’t heal it?”

Luo Binghe looked to the side and shook his head. He could have. Maybe not immediately but once he knew he could regenerate entire limbs and fix flesh wounds in less than the blink of an eye he absolutely could have erased the scar, smoothing out his skin like it had never been there in the first place.

With a laugh, Shen Yuan locked eyes with Luo Binghe again and smiled up at him. After a beat of staring at each other, he cocked an eyebrow at Luo Binghe in challenge and waited. Luo Binghe was on him in the next moment, pressing Shen Yuan down into the mattress as his fingers and hands worked to tear his clothes off until he was writhing around underneath Luo Binghe, stripped completely bare.

Luo Binghe’s head was swimming. The heat rolling through his body began to coalesce underneath his skin, seemingly right near the surface. He felt like he was going to fly apart at the seams as Shen Yuan flipped them over so he could straddle Luo Binghe. The tightness gathering in his core pulsed and zinged throughout his body when Shen Yuan smirked at him before hooking his thumbs in the waistband of Luo Binghe’s briefs and pulling them down.

Luo Binghe nearly screamed when Shen Yuan situated himself between his thighs and, without further ceremony, took Luo Binghe’s cock in his mouth, humming around it in pleasure as he bobbed his head up and down. It took everything in Luo Binghe’s power to stop himself from thrusting upward with reckless abandon. Instead, he settled for placing a shaking hand on Shen Yuan’s head, carefully twining his fingers in the softness of his hair.

His powers of self-restraint failed him when Shen Yuan pressed his face forward and swallowed around him, throat fluttering around the head of Luo Binghe’s cock. With a cry he muffled with the palm of his free hand, Luo Binghe thrust up and then froze almost immediately, guilt flooding through him when Shen Yuan pulled off sputtering. Luo Binghe probably would have felt worse if he hadn’t been so enraptured by the drool running down Shen Yuan’s chin.

When his hacking subsided, Luo Binghe gave Shen Yuan a sheepish look as he ran his fingers through his hair in apology. After wiping his mouth off, Shen Yuan looked up at him, “Well that was…” His words trailed off as his eyes widened. Luo Binghe blinked at him as Shen Yuan remained still, mouth hanging open and gaze focused on something just over Luo Binghe’s shoulder.

“Um…Binghe?”

Concerned by the odd look on Shen Yuan’s face, Luo Binghe sat up, pulse racing for a different reason, “Everything ok?” Had he done something wrong? Had he hurt Shen Yuan without realizing it?

Shen Yuan sat back, eyebrows high. “I…Actually. I don’t know. I think I need you to tell me if everything is ok.”

Luo Binghe stared at him until Shen Yuan nodded his head towards Luo Binghe’s shoulder. Looking askance, Luo Binghe sighed. Ah. He shut his eyes tight, willing his body to cooperate and hoping that when he opened them, they would be back where they belonged - wherever that may be anyway.


When Luo Binghe opened his eyes again, the thin, color-shifting tendrils were still whipping around in the corner of his vision, radiating from his back as they shyly snuck forward. Rolling his eyes, Luo Binghe reached out a hand and ran a finger down the back of one, exasperation huffing out in a quick breath as the tendril twined around his finger and vibrated against it. He heard Shen Yuan make a sound of amusement and, shaking the tendril off, flicked his eyes back to his face, worry clutching at his gut.

Shen Yuan smiled wide at him, eyes dancing with mirth as he reached out a hand. “It’s ok,” he cooed. Luo Binghe wasn’t quite sure exactly what he was cooing at - whether it was him or his irritating extra appendages - but the quiet tone loosened some of the tension that had formed a heavy, spiky knot in his abdomen.

Two of the braver tendrils slid forward and began to wrap themselves around Shen Yuan’s open palm, twisting and rolling against each other as they fought for his touch. Shen Yuan’s smile gentled as he murmured, “They’re kind of cute, aren’t they?”

A stab of jealousy knifed through Luo Binghe. Were they? He didn’t think so but…

But as the tendrils wrapped themselves between the gaps of Shen Yuan’s fingers, Luo Binghe shuddered. “Binghe, what are they?”

“Nice…” Luo Binghe muttered, shifting around on the bed.

“Huh?” Two more tendrils snaked out and caressed Shen Yuan’s palm, blinking through various colors until they settled on a deep pink blush tone.

“It…” Shen Yuan closed his palm around the appendages and Luo Binghe groaned. “That,” he choked out, “feels nice.”

Humming Shen Yuan squeezed gently. Tossing his head back with a hitched exhale, Luo Binghe tried to refocus and answer Shen Yuan’s original question. “They’re me. They…” Shen Yuan squeezed his hand again, harder this time. Luo Binghe bit the inside of his cheek to stifle the noise that tried to escape. “They manifested after my seal was broken…in the Abyss.” Shen Yuan cocked his head and hummed. Luo Binghe took a deep breath and finally managed to eke out an explanation. “I can usually keep them suppressed but they show up when I lose control. Like when I’m stressed or in danger or…” His words cut off as Shen Yuan began to slide his closed hand up and down the tendrils in his grasp.

“Ah.” Shen Yuan gave him a sly look from underneath his eyelashes. “And you can feel when someone touches them?” Luo Binghe nodded slowly as Shen Yuan did something sinful with his fingers, dancing them up and down in a steady rhythm. Humming again, Shen Yuan brought his other hand up to seize one of the thicker tendrils. After wrapping it in a loose grip, he began to squeeze it with a steadily increasing, relentless pressure. Sparks of heat flashed to life, dancing low in Luo Binghe’s core. He moaned quietly, body shuddering.

He looked down between his legs and caught Shen Yuan’s wondrous expression as he began to move his hand up and down the thick tendril in a facsimile of what he had been doing with his mouth before Luo Binghe had almost choked him. As his speed picked up, Luo Binghe let his head flop back against the pillows, eyes squeezed shut around the onslaught of sensation.

They flew back open when a shout erupted from his lips as something warm and wet began to lave at the tip of the tendril Shen Yuan had been stroking. The sparkling heat that had been simmering low in his gut threatened to immediately ignite into a roaring blaze. Luo Binghe’s thoughts raced as he began to mentally plead for…for something. He wasn’t sure what, but he knew Shen Yuan could give it to him if Luo Binghe could just tell him. If Shen Yuan would let up for a few seconds, Luo Binghe could find his words and then he could…!

Shen Yuan sucked on the tip of the tendril in his mouth, hard, while squeezing around the part just below his lips. With a sharp cry, Luo Binghe’s back arched off the bed, fire blasting through his veins and meridians as he shook through an orgasm so intense his face went numb with it. When the fuzz in his mind started to clear and he was able to crack his eyes open, he was greeted by the sight of Shen Yuan watching him intently, the tendril in his mouth lax.

Shen Yuan’s lips parted from the tip of the tendril with a quiet pop. Smirking down at Luo Binghe, he said, “Well, that explains a few things.”

“Huh?” Luo Binghe’s skin was still on fire and his hearing was still a bit fuzzy. What was Shen Yuan talking about? Why had he stopped? Luo Binghe could go again, it was fine! He was still hard - that didn’t count, he didn’t come, not really!

Shen Yuan laughed at him, a hand coming up to rest on his hip as he rubbed his thumb gently against it. Luo Binghe watched, mesmerized, as one of the tendrils - one of his appendages, part of him, a part that Shen Yuan liked - wrapped around Shen Yuan’s wrist and rubbed itself against the top of his hand. “Oh, nothing.” Amusement was written all over Shen Yuan’s face. It was at that point that Luo Binghe had the distinct impression that he had been voicing his thoughts out loud. Face heating, he turned his head to the side to avoid Shen Yuan’s gaze.

“So” Shen Yuan said casually, “If you’re not stressed or in danger, then why are they out right now?”

Luo Binghe blinked at him, trying to figure out why this question mattered. Slowly, his words from a few minutes ago echoed through his thoughts.

Luo Binghe bit the inside of his lip, squeezing his eyes shut. A sharp finger prodded at his chest. “Binghe.” He grunted in response. “Focus.” Luo Binghe exhaled heavily and cast Shen Yuan a doleful look. “You’re not in danger so why are they,” he squeezed one of the tendrils for emphasis, “here right now?”

He thought this question was extremely unfair under the circumstances. He had been trying to tell Shen Yuan before that sometimes this just happened but Shen Yuan had cut him off with his mouth and his hands and…

Shen Yuan pinched his hip. “Binghe.”

Furrowing his brows and pouting, Luo Binghe grumbled, “I don’t know.” Shen Yuan made a curious noise. Sighing, Luo Binghe batted away the tendrils that had been snaking their way towards his own hands. “I assume it’s subconscious on my part - probably something to do with how I’m feeling? And if I’m really trying to suppress them or not? Sometimes…” He paused, taking a shaky breath at the memory of waking up in the Abyss after one of the dreams where he had been with Shen Yuan, “Sometimes after I saw you, they would be out. When I was…Moving through the Abyss. They would just be around.” Pausing, he added as an afterthought, “Along with some other features too…”

As Luo Binghe spoke, Shen Yuan’s expression shifted from pensive, to slightly mournful, and then back to keenly interested until it settled onto something akin to quiet, constrained delight. “I see. Interesting…” Shen Yuan began to lean towards his bedside table, hand reaching towards a notebook there. “Let me just write that down…”

NO!

The tendrils that had been lazily stroking along Shen Yuan’s arms and legs responded to his desperate thoughts, thickening and shooting out to wrap themselves around Shen Yuan, stopping his progress. Shen Yuan made an aggrieved noise, head whipping around to face Luo Binghe, “Enh?? Binghe, what is this??”

Luo Binghe blinked innocently at him, a slow grin spreading across his face at the realization of what he had done. “They’re me.”

Shen Yuan rolled his eyes at him, “Obviously. But why did you make them do this.” He wriggled for emphasis. In response, the tendrils wrapped around him tightened in warning.

Wiping the grin off his face and opening his eyes wider, Luo Binghe said innocently, “A-Yuan, I didn’t make them do anything. Subconscious movement and emotional responses and well, you know how it is.” Luo Binghe had an inkling, now that he had put them accidently to the test, that it wasn’t just subconscious movement on his part, however. Without saying anything else, he concentrated and one of the tendrils loosened and stroked its tip down Shen Yuan’s cheek.

Shivering at the touch, Shen Yuan relaxed, eyes drooping slightly. With a thought, Luo Binghe willed his appendages to bring Shen Yuan closer as Luo Binghe scooted towards the headboard until his back made contact with it. Once there, the tendrils gently deposited Shen Yuan into Luo Binghe’s lap, affording Luo Binghe the perfect vantage point to pepper small kisses along Shen Yuan’s chest, thoroughly distracting him from his inability to move.

Luo Binghe trailed his hands down Shen Yuan’s sides before running them down his lower back so he could cup his ass. With a grumbled noise, Shen Yuan tipped himself forward, burying his face into Luo Binghe’s neck as he shifted forward so he could brush his own erection against Luo Binghe’s still hard cock. “Top drawer, on the left.”

Luo Binghe reached out and fumbled with the handle on the drawer. Yanking it open, he dug around until his fingers brushed against the bottle of lubricant. He tried to open the bottle one handed but instead nearly dropped it. Fortunately, one of the smaller tendrils had snuck out to investigate the movement and whipped out to grab it before it could fall. It then helpfully deposited the bottle into Luo Binghe’s hand. While dumping the lube on his fingers, Luo Binghe watched the little tendril slide its way down towards Shen Yuan’s crotch, stopping near the joint of his thigh and groin to stroke along the skin there.

With a pained noise, Shen Yuan gasped out, “Binghe, next time.” His eyes snapped guiltily to Shen Yuan’s flushed face. “Your fingers this time, please.” The tendril withdrew from where it had been worming its way between Shen Yuan’s legs and cast Luo Binghe what he could have sworn was a pout. Luo Binghe rolled his eyes at the theatrics and reached his lube coated fingers around Shen Yuan’s back.

He started slowly, teasing at the ring of muscles, waiting for Shen Yuan to relax so he could push a single finger into him. Pressing his finger inward, Luo Binghe was rewarded with a gentle sigh as Shen Yuan leaned against his chest, hands still held loosely to his sides by the tendrils wrapped around his body. Face pressed against Shen Yuan’s neck, Luo Binghe took a shuddering breath as he worked a second finger into Shen Yuan. The twining appendages loosened further as Shen Yuan began to rock himself slowly back onto Luo Binghe’s fingers, perhaps finally recognizing that their quarry wasn’t going to escape and grab a notebook to write down observations. Rather, it now appeared said quarry was exactly where he wanted to be.

At least that was the wild thought that flitted through Luo Binghe’s head as Shen Yuan began to press open mouthed kisses against his neck as he ground down on his fingers, groaning loudly when Luo Binghe finally brushed across his prostate. He continued his lazy pace, scissoring his fingers and brushing against that same spot until Shen Yuan finally pulled back, eyes fluttering open.

He fixed Luo Binghe with a hazy look before muzzily demanding, “More, Binghe. We don’t have all night.”


“Impatient in your dreams and out of them,” Luo Binghe muttered, heart soaring at the petulant demand. Shen Yuan made a disgruntled noise but didn’t offer further comment. Pulling Shen Yuan closer so they were chest to chest, Luo Binghe had a thought and smirked against Shen Yuan’s neck. A second later, a single, thin tendril snaked down his arm. It wrapped around Luo Binghe’s wrist, extending itself so it could press into Shen Yuan beside Luo Binghe’s other two fingers, stretching him further. When Shen Yuan’s grinding picked up, the tendrils that had gone loose and pliant tensed around him, holding him still as Luo Binghe opened him up.

Once Shen Yuan’s moaning and heavy breathing started to coalesce into near sobs, Luo Binghe withdrew his fingers and the thin tendril. After coating his hand in more lube, he wrapped it around his cock and began to stroke it, smearing it in the slick substance. Shen Yuan watched his face, eyes half lidded, body supported by Luo Binghe’s extra appendages. With a smirk, Luo Binghe took Shen Yuan in hand with himself and jerked his hand up and down, pumping them both in time.

With a loud groan, Shen Yuan’s body tensed up. Luo Binghe pulled his hand away quickly and Shen Yuan sobbed, shooting him an aggrieved look. “BINGHE!” With a frustrated noise, he pitched himself forward and latched his mouth onto the meat of Luo Binghe’s trapezius, biting down meanly.

“OW!”

Kissing the bite mark, Shen Yuan grumbled, “You deserved it for that.”

“Sorry,” he murmured as he focused on the tendrils wrapped around Shen Yuan, bidding them to move. With his hands and other appendages, Luo Binghe drew Shen Yuan up and then slotted his cock against him before slowly pulling him back down, gritting his teeth in concentration.

As he sank into Shen Yuan’s tight warmth, Luo Binghe’s mind went gloriously, blissfully silent. He tightened his hands around Shen Yuan’s waist, pushing him down further. Fortunately, the tendrils were present and apparently more aware of what was happening than Luo Binghe at that particular point in time as they prevented him from slamming Shen Yuan down onto his lap in one movement. Groaning at the slow slide, Luo Binghe leaned back against the headboard, adjusting Shen Yuan in his lap.

It felt so good. They had done this so many times before in the Dream Realm - in a sense at least - and it had felt real but this…

This was so much better.

Shen Yuan was hot against him, breathing the air around him, pressing himself against him as his body shivered with want. Shen Yuan was alive, awake, his - and he wanted this - he wanted Luo Binghe. All of him. Every awful, writhing, monstrous piece.

The tendrils tightened around Shen Yuan’s waist again, holding him up as Binghe made an effort to jerk him down. Yelping, Shen Yuan fixed Luo Binghe with a dirty look. One of the bolder tendrils reached out slowly and stroked at his hand. Looking down at it, Shen Yuan’s face softened as he sighed out a whispered, “Thank you.”

Nuzzling Shen Yuan’s chest, Luo Binghe breathed slowly through his nose as he slowly eased Shen Yuan down into his lap. Shen Yuan groaned lowly when he was fully seated, panting open mouthed as he minutely shifted his hips, adjusting to the stretch.

Luo Binghe ground Shen Yuan down into his lap. Moaning through parted lips, Shen Yuan’s face went slack as his eyes slid shut. Shifting his legs so his knees were pressed into the mattress, Shen Yuan lifted himself up and then dropped back down onto Luo Binghe’s lap, another punched out sound falling from his mouth. With Luo Binghe’s assistance, Shen Yuan set a steady pace as he rode Luo Binghe, fucked out noises growing in volume and desperation as he sped up.

The tendrils wrapped around Shen Yuan loosened again, some falling away completely so they could run themselves along his torso, his thighs, his back, his face. Luo Binghe watched Shen Yuan move, fully enraptured. He pulled Shen Yuan into a kiss as Shen Yuan tightened around him. As his movements went erratic, Shen Yuan bit down on Luo Binghe’s lower lip, moaning.

Mine.

The voice bubbled up from the back of his mind. Shen Yuan wanted him. Luo Binghe wasn’t going to hurt him, he could control himself now. Luo Binghe wanted Shen Yuan. The voice prodded at his thoughts again, more urgent.

Mine!

Squeezing his eyes shut, Luo Binghe’s body heated, skin going taut. Wrapping his hands around Shen Yuan’s waist, he rolled Shen Yuan onto his back. Grunting at the impact, Shen Yuan’s hazy eyes looked up at him, brows pinched. His expression cleared and his eyes widened as he stared at Luo Binghe.

Luo Binghe couldn’t stop himself from slamming into him again. His skin writhed. His arms felt too long and then too short. His face contorted - in pleasure, in pain. All the while, Shen Yuan watched him, eyes wide and bright, expression awestruck. Hands wrapped around his back and ran down the sharp ridges of his spine. They pressed at the exit points of the tendrils erupting out of his skin. Delicate fingers grabbed hold of the short wings sprouting out of his back, growing steadily in time with the hands that were open palmed petting along them.

A low pitched rumble filled the room and the lights flickered. Luo Binghe thrust into Shen Yuan, jostling him up the bed. With one hand pressed low on Luo Binghe’s back and the other cradling his face, Shen Yuan urged him on, gasping around each heavy thrust.

“Binghe, please…Look at me.”

His eyes were tightly shut. Luo Binghe forced them to open, the sound of their membranes parting clear even through the sounds of skin on skin and noises of pleasure. He locked his gaze onto Shen Yuan’s bright, flushed face and whined, the noise falling from his maw.

PrettyprettyprettyAYuanpretty.

The hand resting on his haunch slipped between them. Seconds later, Shen Yuan tensed up, face scrunching up and then going slack as a punched out sound fell from his lips as his body jerked underneath Luo Binghe. The noise traveled straight to Luo Binghe’s Core. It lit him up from within, sending heat racing through his meridians.

With a quiet sigh, Shen Yuan wrapped his arms around Luo Binghe’s neck. He ran his hands through the ruff there, murmuring quiet words of encouragement. Seconds later, with Shen Yuan’s voice, his scent, his touch surrounding him, Luo Binghe’s release detonated inside of him, rushing out hard and fast. As he collapsed on top of Shen Yuan, skin cooling and eyes feeling heavy, a single thought ran through his mind, so low as to almost be a purr.

Minemineminemine.

Chapter 21

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

They had only been inside of the Holy Mausoleum once. It had been long before it had been called the Holy Mausoleum, but no matter - it was still the same place. A millenia ago, they had found their way into that strange space and seen what they needed.

They tucked away the knowledge of the Soul-Summoning Array, burning it into their collective consciousness like every other useful piece of information they had ever come across. But this piece - they knew this piece was special.

They could use it. They could weaponize it to reach their goals.

Then again, they had been weaponizing their collective knowledge for nearly their entire existence. In fact, they had first weaponized their knowledge of the Soul-Summoning Array to deal with Tianlang-Jun. It hadn’t been difficult. All it took was planting the seed that an array existed that could open rifts between the Human and Abyssal Realms. With the threat of a Heavenly Demon breathing down their necks, the cultivators had seized on the idea, none the wiser that they had walked right into the System’s plan. Adjusting the array to deal with the Heavenly Demon had been simple - all it had taken was switching a few radicals so the array only pulled from the Human Realm instead of also pushing from the Abyssal Realm and BANG! The System’s Heavenly Demon problem, at least at the time, had been solved.

This did, however, present the problem of how to continue weaponizing this information, particularly now that the System knew the array worked in reverse for their purposes.

Fortunately, the Old Palace Master himself created the perfect opportunity for the System to target their efforts. It had been a simple affair to whisper the information about the Soul-Summoning Array into the old fool’s subconsciousness after convincing him it could be used to bring his obsession back from the dead.

And it could be used for that - at least in the right hands. It required a complex series of sigils that needed to be constructed in a location with optimal spiritual energy to be successful. Specifically, the Array would create at its center a localized merge between the Realms that would draw a soul’s remaining latent dispersed energy and condense it into at least a former shadow of itself. When oriented and constructed correctly, it was successful, but always - always - at a price. Something lost, something gained, something destroyed, something created - always causing consequences for the one utilizing the Array.

Those fools who previously utilized the Array believed that whatever price they had to pay was a small thing when they could capture the soul of their loved one and forcefully drag it back into the world of the living humans.

They usually found out later that the price was always higher than they had anticipated. That the initial payment or gain was just a temporary loan. Later, much later, their own soul would be consumed, destroyed slowly and pulled into the ether in bits and pieces.

The lucky ones - truthfully, the smart ones, who came few and far between - would figure out what was happening and find a way to stem the flow of their essence, usually by working out a way to capture and seal the pieces they were losing.

The unlucky ones. Well. The System enjoyed watching them reap what they sowed.

Sometimes though, if the Array was constructed incorrectly, it would annihilate both parties. They would first merge together and then pull apart, like cells dividing rapid fire. Finally, they would collapse into each other like a dying star and the very atoms making them up would disperse.

The System liked these ones the most. They gathered the remnants of these pathetic creatures and absorbed them, retaining their memories and knowledge and using them for their own machinations.

The Old Palace Master would never experience how the Array could be used to reach his foolish goal, nor would he experience the consequences associated with it. He was gone now - well, about as gone as those fragmented souls the System took in. He was certainly still somewhere but he would never be the Old Palace Master - or anyone else, for that matter - ever again.

He was now a part of the System.

His knowledge was quite useful for their plans, though. The old fool specialized in arrays - the System had watched him for a long time before making their move and then had worked on him for even longer before his mind was so addled and obsessed that it was an easy thing to wait for a moment of weakness to jump in and take over. He barely even bothered to try and fight back and absorbing him had taken a mere thought once they had control of his body.

The System had theorized long ago - after watching countless humans use the Soul-Summoning Array with varied levels of success - that the Array could be utilized in other ways. Success on a small scale with the sealing of Tianlang-Jun had supported this theory. Manipulating the Old Palace Master and delving into his consciousness had revealed the final puzzle piece needed to implement the System’s plan.

If the Array was created on a great enough scale, and, with minor adjustments to some of the grounding radicals - specifically those that kept the merge contained to the center of the Array - it could be utilized to effect a large-scale merge between the Human and Abyssal Realms. Instead of the array creating a roadway from one Realm to another, the System could arrange the Array such that both Realms would be forcibly brought together until they converged into a single Realm.

It just so happened that in order to accomplish this task, the System needed human cultivators to activate the Array. Specifically an array specialist and one who had survived contact with Abyss creatures. Two cultivators whose qi could be utilized in tandem to force the array to link between the Realms.

Therefore, manipulation and possession were the clear options. It hadn’t taken long - a few decades of planting ideas, stoking the obsession, gaining undeserved trust, and then snapping the trap shut on the first pawn the System needed. And then the hybrid had unknowingly made his little human into the last piece the System needed for their plan, which not only saved the System time, but quite a bit of effort on their part.

With an appropriate vessel and the final pieces of knowledge required for their plan, all the System had to do now was construct the Array. Specifically, they needed to create the Array where the barrier between the realms synchronized the best.

And now that they had a body capable of constructing the Array, they could focus all of their energy on the other half needed for their plan.

Once the key was fully cast, all they would have to do is wait for it to show up to unlock the door between the Realms.

Notes:

That's it for this week! More to come next Friday 💜

Chapter Text

Shen Yuan blinked his eyes open. He was…Nowhere. Hm.

Hello, Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan spun around, looking for the source of the voice. He was alone in a sea of gray.

You may as well stop looking because you won’t be able to see us here.

“Where am I?”

Oh, nowhere in particular. You could say you’re with us, if that would make you more comfortable.

His surroundings were bleak. A flat, lifeless landscape where the ground and horizon ran into one another greeted him as he continued to turn in a slow circle. Squinting into the distance, Shen Yuan thought he could see a barely discernible line that was just slightly darker than his surroundings where the two planes met up.

“Why did you bring me here?”

Just to see if you were ready. You seem to be since you let us pull you here for this little conversation.

“Huh? Ready for what?”

The voices laughed. Shen Yuan wanted to shudder but his body refused to obey. The laughter cut off abruptly.

Ask about the System when you have your next little Sect meeting. We think it will make things more interesting. For us at least.

“What?”

Laughter rang out in the gray nothing. Shen Yuan couldn’t move. He tried to open his mouth to scream his frustration.

It remained shut.

Shen Yuan jolted awake with a muscle cramp in his neck and a warm, solid weight pressed up against his back. Blinking against the weak morning light filtering into his room, he rolled over and was met face to face with Luo Binghe. Who was in his bed. And drooling all over his pillow.

The memories of the evening before crashed into his like a wrecking ball slamming into a brick building. Stomach fluttering and face flaming, Shen Yuan reached out slowly and pressed his palm against the side of Luo Binghe’s face. When he didn’t stir, Shen Yuan moved his hand along his jaw and towards his hairline so he could push a wayward curl behind his ear.

With a shudder and a snuffle, Luo Binghe blinked his eyes open, bleary gaze focusing on Shen Yuan. With a huge, jaw cracking yawn, Luo Binghe smiled at him softly. Turning his face, he placed a gentle kiss on Shen Yuan’s palm. “Good morning,” he rumbled, voice still thick with sleep. Shen Yuan’s ears felt like they were fit to ignite as he withdrew his hand.

Clearing his throat, Shen Yuan replied. “Good morning to you, too. Um…Did you sleep well?”

The smile on Luo Binghe’s face widened as his eyes cleared. They were dazzling in the morning sunlight. “How could I not when I was next to you?”

Shen Yuan burrowed down into the comforter and pressed his face against Luo Binghe’s broad chest, mumbling, “It’s too early for this.”

With Luo Binghe’s laugh vibrating around him, Shen Yuan burrowed further under the comforter, throwing it over his head completely. “What’s that, A-Yuan?” he asked playfully. “Did you say something?”

Squirming around, Shen Yuan brushed against something else that felt it wasn’t too early to tease him. Popping his head back out from under the blankets, he shot Luo Binghe an aggrieved look. “Really, Binghe?”

With a sheepish smile, Luo Binghe wrapped his arms around Shen Yuan and crushed him to his chest. “I can’t help myself,” he mumbled into Shen Yuan’s hair.

Huffing out a laugh, Shen Yuan pressed his thigh against Luo Binghe’s morning affliction. He was rewarded with a drawn out sigh as the arms around him tightened. Perhaps they could just spend a little bit more time in bed. Not like they had anywhere to be until they located the Old Palace Master anyway…

Approximately six and a half minutes later, just as things were starting to become interesting (and quite loud, as Luo Binghe’s soft sighs had started to become blatant moans) in Shen Yuan’s totally unbiased opinion, the apartment door creaked open. It slammed shut a few seconds later. They both froze at the same time as footsteps stomped from the entryway down the hall.

A different kind of pounding issued from behind the shut door. “A-YUAN!” Shen Jiu’s voice cut through the walls. Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe winced in tandem. “I know you’re up! Shang Qinghua found him!”

Unfreezing to poke his head out from under the covers where he had been comfortably situated between Luo Binghe’s legs (who was actually pouting at him oh my god Binghe my brother is outside the door!) Shen Yuan called out weakly, “Ok! Uh…Just give me a minute!”

A pause. Then, suspiciously, “A-Yuan.” Uh oh. “Whose shoes are next to yours?” Another pause, less suspicious this time and certainly bordering on aggravated. “And where did that sword come from?”

Thinking frantically, Shen Yuan held his finger up to his lips. Luo Binghe nodded quickly in understanding, expression still stuck in a grand pout. Shen Yuan then convincingly responded, “UUUH? No one!!”

Silence.

When Shen Jiu spoke again, his voice had dropped in volume. Despite how low he was speaking, the dangerous tone still cut through the wood of the door separating them. “A-Yuan, do I need to come in there or do you want to tell me who is in our apartment? Presumably in your room as I know you’re quite aware of how thin the walls are. You know, even if one happens to be standing outside the apartment door they can still hear what’s happening, even if the room it's happening in is down the hallway from the front door. If I do need to come in there, so help me…”

“OK, OK!” Shen Yuan dragged a hand down his face. “Luo Binghe’s! They’re both Luo Binghe’s!”

The silence this time was so deafening that it reversed course and could have rattled eardrums with how hard it rang out. What followed after several long, slow seconds was a despaired, resigned sigh. “You know what.” Shen Yuan winced. Shen Jiu hadn’t sounded that disappointed in…well. In a very long time. “I’m not…Just. Ugh. Put some pants on and come out here.”

Sitting up, Shen Yuan rubbed his face again and reached out and grabbed his glasses. “Alright…” he weakly responded.

“And bring Luo Binghe, too. He might as well hear this since I assume he and his…compatriot are going to be involved.”

As Shen Jiu’s footsteps receded down the hallway, Shen Yuan swung himself out of bed with a gentle grunt. So much for that. Luo Binghe’s hands shot out, grabbing his wrist.

Shen Yuan turned to look at him and nearly choked. Clearly, Shen Jiu’s appearance hadn’t exterminated Luo Binghe’s amorous ideas if the pout on his face and his half hard cock were any indication. How he could make a half hard erection look pitiful, Shen Yuan wasn’t sure, but he figured it could be something he could explore later. Specifically when my brother isn’t within a 10 mile radius.

Luo Binghe tugged pathetically at his wrist, mouth drawing down into a moue, eyes damp. “A-Yuan…”

NOPE!

Shooting Luo Binghe a severe look, Shen Yuan shook his head. “Later, Binghe.” The dampness became damper. “We need to figure out what’s going on.”

Sighing, Luo Binghe sat up, running a hand through his messy hair. “Ok, fine.” He looked askance at Shen Yuan, “But maybe five more minutes?”

Shen Yuan whacked him on the thigh and received a surprised squawk as a reward. With a snort, he stood up and went into the en suite bathroom to brush his teeth.

Ten minutes later, fully dressed and mostly presentable, Luo Binghe and Shen Yuan emerged from Shen Yuan’s room. They were immediately met with the sight of both Shen Jiu and Yue Qingyuan sitting on the couch, sedately drinking tea.

Well, at least they were holding tea cups. Shen Jiu, however, was not drinking his. Instead, he was actively glaring at both of them, probably trying to conjure up qi activated daggers with his eyes every time his gaze flicked over to Luo Binghe. Yue Qingyuan was also not drinking his tea as he was busy staring into the middle distance. Occasionally, his intense interest in the blank television screen would be broken when he would glance surreptitiously at Shen Jiu before quickly averting his gaze again to return to his silent vigil.

“Um…Hello, Sect Leader!” Shen Yuan injected every ounce of fake morning cheer he could musted into his greeting. “When did you arrive?”

Yue Qingyuan’s head swiveled towards him. He had his usual small, polite smile plastered on his face - the one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Oh. I came in with A-Jiu.”

The fact that Shen Jiu didn’t immediately correct Yue Qingyuan’s form of address did not bode well for Shen Yuan’s future. He then remembered Shen Jiu’s words from before. I know you’re quite aware of how thin the walls are…

OH. MY GOD. Neck hot, Shen Yuan laughed awkwardly. “Ahahaha, well! Always good to see you. Thank you for walking my brother over from Qian Cao.”

The smile shifted and became more genuine. Dipping his head, Yue Qingyuan responded, “Oh. It was my pleasure. He was discharged last night and you kn-OW!”

Shen Jiu’s hand was retracting from where he had reached out and pinched Yue Qingyuan’s arm, eyes furious and ears aflame. “That’s quite enough,” he hissed. Yue Qingyuan for his part didn’t look nearly as chastised as he could have, eyes dancing even as he murmured a quiet apology before primly sipping his tea.

Shen Jiu turned back towards them, shooting both Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe a glare hot enough to peel wallpaper. “Sit. Now. We all need to talk.”

Tossing himself into the loveseat, Shen Yuan leaned back, arms crossed and expression flat. Luo Binghe glanced at him and then at the narrow, empty seat between Yue Qingyuan and Shen Jiu on the couch. With a barely suppressed shudder that Shen Yuan caught out of the corner of his eye, Luo Binghe wisely opted to take what was clearly the path of least resistance - and least likely to result in a puncture wound. He motioned for Shen Yuan to scoot over and then proceeded to smash himself into the love seat next to Shen Yuan with only a minor amount of grunted protests and awkward shifting on both their parts.

Yue Qingyuan set his tea cup down on the coffee table in front of him. “So, as you two are now aware, the Old Palace Master has been located and we have some concerns. Namely, he has drawn some kind of array near the Luo River. Specifically into the surrounding landscape.”

Luo Binghe tensed alongside Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan placed a hand gently on his forearm, prompting a curious look from Yue Qingyuan before he continued, “It bears some resemblance to the array that was used to seal Tianlang-Jun in the Abyss nearly two decades ago but it’s not quite the same. There’s something off about it.” Gesturing at Shen Jiu, he said, “Qingqiu, if you will.”

Shen Jiu opened up a notebook and placed it on the coffee table. A complicated array was drawn on it and the longer Shen Yuan looked at it, the more it seemed that the radicals and symbols making up the drawing were spinning on the page. His head throbbed gently and he squeezed his eyes shut before his brother’s voice cut through the darkness behind his lids, prompting him to open them.

A long, delicate finger was tracing the lines forming the array. “This is what I can remember from when we…” Shen Jiu gave Luo Binghe an odd look, “dealt with Tianlang-Jun.” He pointed at two sigils - one on the top and one on the bottom. “These are the two grounding sigils needed to open a rift between the Human Realm and the Abyss.” He turned the page, revealing a drawing of the same exact array.

Shen Yuan narrowed his eyes, trying to spot the difference like in one of those children’s magazines, where the difference was usually something like an upside down dog or a tree without leaves. He didn’t spot the difference in the drawing itself, but he did notice that this drawing seemed to have an odd kind of odd depth to it, as though it was being projected off the page as it too spun lazily before his eyes. Blinking against the tightness in his temples, Shen Yuan looked at Shen Jiu.

Shen Jiu shot him a sour look, clearly having noticed his failure to figure out the dissimilarity. He tapped on the top and bottom symbols again. “These two sigils are different in the array that the Old Palace Master has drawn.” Pausing, he looked up at Shen Yuan expectantly, eyes narrow.

Before Shen Yuan could respond that he really couldn’t see the difference, Luo Binghe leaned forward, gaze shrewd. “The top one is the same but the bottom one is reversed.”

His brother’s eyes snapped to Luo Binghe in surprise. After a beat, he begrudgingly admitted, “That’s correct.”

Shen Yuan looked from Luo Binghe then back to Shen Jiu, thoughts cloudy.

Ah, no fair Jiu-ge. It was a trick.

That’s right. It was a trick. How typical… The familiar voice trailed off. When the echoes of its words had faded, a memory of gray nothing flashed through Shen Yuan’s thoughts.

Shaking away the image, Shen Yuan settled back with a huff. “Ok? So we have an array with one sigil that’s reversed from the sigil that can open the Abyss. So he’s not trying to open the Abyss?” Shen Jiu nodded tightly. “So what is he trying to do?” Shen Yuan murmured under his breath.

Sighing, Shen Jiu turned the notebook towards him and tapped the reversed sigil. “Look at the bottom sigil more closely.” His grim tone startled Shen Yuan into leaning forward so he could better scrutinize the drawing.

His eyes traced the radicals as they slid around the page, tracking their movement. When he realized what the reversed symbol meant, his eyes widened. “It’s the sigil for the Human Realm? But,” he squinted at it, “since it’s reversed it will what, open a Rift that flows in the opposite direction? So instead of the Rift pulling from the Human Realm, it will go in the opposite direction?”

“Mmmmhmmm. Finally got it.”

Shen Jiu snapped the notebook closed. “He’s drawn an array that was used to seal a Heavenly Demon in the Abyss and has changed one grounding sigil. So now, we have one grounding sigil for the Abyss and one reversed grounding sigil for the Human Realm.”

Luo Binghe sucked in a breath. Shifting forward, he looked from Shen Jiu to Yue Qingyuan, who were wearing similar grim expressions to the one on Luo Binghe’s face. Finally he turned to Shen Yuan. “He’s trying to open a rift to pull the Abyssal Realm into the Human Realm.” Shen Yuan blinked at him, horror dawning at the implication. “He’s trying to merge the Realms,” Luo Binghe muttered quietly.

Quiet tittering laughter filled Shen Yuan’s head. Shaking it off, he looked back at Luo Binghe, eyes wide. “But why?It made no sense. Why would the Old Palace Master do this?

Why wouldn’t he?

It. Makes. No. Sense!

Are you sure?

Yue Qingyuan’s calm, deep voice cut through his thoughts, “We don’t know. But if it works.” He trailed off, mouth set in a tight line.

Shen Jiu finished the sentence for him. “If it works, we’re all dead along with everyone else in the Human Realm.”

Shen Jiu waved Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe off after dropping that bomb on them, terminating the conversation with them by turning towards Yue Qingyuan to speak with him in low urgent tones.

Dismissed, Shen Yuan wriggled away from Luo Binghe. He levered himself out of the loveseat, mind whirling and trying to piece together everything that had happened in the past few days. The Abyss. Merging Realms. Binghe had been in the Abyss. He came back. He was a Heavenly Demon? How? Why the Old Palace Master?

Was it all actually connected? How though?

Do you think it is?

Huh?

Do you think it’s all connected? Say it is. What then?

Well, if we can figure out the way everything is connected then maybe we can come up with a solution.

Indeed. Maybe.

Or…maybe not.

“A-YUAN!” A sharp knuckle dug into his ribs.

“HEY OW!” Rubbing his side, Shen Yuan cast Shen Jiu a hurt look. “What was that for?”

Shen Jiu grabbed Shen Yuan by the wrist and dragged him down the hallway to his room. Shutting the door, he spun around and crossed his arms over his chest. “We need to have a chat.”

Oh no, we absolutely do not. Shen Jiu’s eyes narrowed. Ah said that out loud. “Oops,” Shen Yuan muttered, not really meaning it. Sighing, he sat heavily onto his unmade bed. “About what?”

You know exactly what it’s about, don’t you?

Shut up.

“I think you know what it’s about.” Laughed echoed in Shen Yuan’s head. Shen Jiu continued, “You brought that…that beast into our home. And you…!” Shen Jiu’s words cut off as his face steadily reddened, the only indication that he was righteously pissed off at Shen Yuan and that he disapproved of whatever “bad choices” he thought his little brother had been making.

Frowning, Shen Yuan glared at him. “So?” So indeed. “Why do you care?”

Shen Jiu’s mouth opened and then shut quickly. After taking a deep breath, he finally managed to choke out, “He’s a half-demon Shen Yuan! A half Heavenly Demon! Do I need to remind you what happened with Tianlang-Jun?”

Shen Jiu’s eyes momentarily went faraway. Voice dropping to a whisper, he said, “I was there A-Yuan. You were just a child still working on forming a Core but I was there and I’ve seen what those monsters can do.” Shen Jiu went silent, eyes clouded over by the past.

Hmmm. Interesting.

Shen Yuan coughed awkwardly and Shen Jiu’s gaze sharpened. Quietly, Shen Yuan said, “I know, ge. I read about it. Everything I could find, in fact. It was horrible.” He sighed, “So many people died. But…But Binghe isn’t like that.” Shen Jiu scoffed. Shen Yuan glanced up at him, brow furrowed. “He’s different.”

Mmmhmmm, is he now?

Shen Jiu regarded him, mouth set in a grim line and eyes narrowed. “I fail to see how.” Shen Yuan stared back at him, refusing to break eye contact.

The two stared each other down for one silent minute, until Shen Jiu finally sighed and put a hand up to massage the bridge of his nose. “But.” Shen Yuan shifted, waiting. “We have other things to worry about right now.” Shen Jiu uncrossed his arms and poked Shen Yuan in the chest, warning him darkly, “You will be responsible for him.”

Fine with me.

Of course it is.

Shen Yuan’s head throbbed gently. “Fine. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Shen Jiu poked him in the chest one more time and then nodded curtly. “This conversation isn’t over. I can’t believe you would…With that…Ugh!” Rubbing his temples, Shen Jiu shut his eyes and took a deep breath.

Opening his eyes, Shen Jiu cast Shen Yuan a tired look. “Get your things packed and then head over to Qiong Ding. We need to discuss what we’re going to do about the Old Palace Master and his array.”

Shen Jiu opened the door and slipped out without a second look back. Sighing, Shen Yuan began stuffing his qiankun bag full of supplies. When he walked back to the living room, Yue Qingyuan and Shen Jiu were gone. Luo Binghe, however, was standing awkwardly in the living room, fidgeting. He had his sword on his back and a strange look on his face.

Shen Yuan reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. Luo Binghe startled and then looked down at Shen Yuan, eyes crinkling in a smile. “Ready?”

Smiling back, Shen Yuan poked him in the arm, “Yup.”

Shen Jiu stared across the conference table, eyes burning holes into Luo Binghe’s face. Luo Binghe stared right back at him, expression stormy and eyes narrowed. In the background, Yue Qingyuan was just wrapping up the assignments for the night hunt to track down the Old Palace Master.

“...And Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe will be on the ground. Liu Qingge will be with them as well.” Liu Qingge grunted in acknowledgment, pulling Shen Jiu out of his staring match.

“No.”

Several pairs of eyes turned to look at him. Yue Qingyuan regarded him curiously from the head of the table. “No?”

“No.” Shen Jiu cleared his throat, sweeping a look around the room. “I will be with Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe. Liu Qingge can take my position in the command room.”

Yue Qingyuan sighed and shook his head. “I’m afraid I can’t allow that, Qingqiu.” Shen Jiu narrowed his eyes while opening his mouth to spit out a response. Yue Qingyuan kept speaking. “You’re still recovering from your injuries.”

Through clenched teeth, Shen Jiu asked, “Oh, so you think I’m too weak?”

Someone behind him shifted uncomfortably in their chair, the legs of it scraping across the linoleum floor and practically shrieking in the awkward silence. Shen Jiu kept his eyes trained on Yue Qingyuan’s face, waiting.

It took twenty eight seconds before Yue Qingyuan sighed again and brought a hand up to the bridge of his nose. When he lowered it, he had a placid smile on his face. “Liu-shidi?”

“Hmn?”

“Would you mind switching places with Shen Qingqiu?”

“Fine.”

“Thank you.”

Shen Jiu continued to stare at Yue Qingyuan, taking note of the pinched skin at the corners of his eyes and the tightness of his lips. Good.

Clapping his hands together, Yue Qingyuan looked around the room one last time. “Well. I suppose this means we’re ready then? The other Sects - except Huan Hua, obviously - have also sent cultivators to offer support and they should be here within the day. Are there any questions?”

Movement across the table caught Shen Jiu’s eye. Yue Qingyuan's smile softened. “Yes, A-Yuan?”

“Um.” He paused and looked around the room with a curiously blank expression on his face and then asked, “Has the System been in touch about this?”

“No,” Yue Qingyuan replied. “In fact, the System hasn’t been in contact since we received the Jin Lan City night hunt.”

Shen Yuan was looking at Yue Qingyuan with that same strange expression. “What about the other Sects? Have they been sent on any System night hunts?”

Brows furrowed, Yue Qingyuan leaned down and tapped something out on his laptop. He looked back up and shot Shen Yuan a pensive look. “It appears not. At least there aren’t any System assigned night hunts in the InterSect database.”

His brother continued to stare silently at Yue Qingyuan, that odd look still on his face. Finally, he sai, “Well the Old Palace Master clearly has some connection to the Abyss if he’s able to summon creatures like Sowers to do his bidding, correct? So shouldn’t the System be involved?”

Shen Jiu cleared his throat and addressed Shen Yuan directly. “It’s not unusual for the System to not be in contact for weeks at a time. Why are you asking?”

Shen Yuan glanced at Shen Jiu and blinked, eyes clearing. “Oh, just curious is all.”

From the other end of the table, Liu Qingge grumbled, “Is this really something we need to be worried about right now? Perhaps the System hasn’t been in contact since the Sects are already working together to deal with the Old Palace Master?”

Shen Jiu shot Yue Qingyuan a look. Yue Qingyuan nodded back almost imperceptibly in understanding that he was thinking the same thing. It was just like when they had sealed Tianlang-Jun all those years ago. The System hadn’t been the one to assign that night hunt, either, even though the System always assigned the night hunts that involved any Abyss related activity.

The request for assistance all those years ago had come from the Old Palace Master himself, a cry for help to seal the Heavenly Demon who had abducted his head disciple and who would, allegedly, stop at nothing to destroy the Human Realm so he could keep her captive. Maybe it was all just a coincidence - maybe the System hadn’t bothered to issue any formal assignments because the Sects were already working together just as they had with Tianlang-Jun.

But then again, the break from the norm was concerning, particularly in light of what happened the last time an Abyss related ordeal was undertaken without being assigned by the System. Shen Jiu wracked his brain, reaching for other examples to ease his mind but came up with none. He flicked his gaze back to Yue Qingyuan, who was still looking at him, silent warning scrawled across his face in the set of his mouth and the tightness of his brow.

Tread with caution.

Shen Jiu glanced back across the table and caught Luo Binghe looking at Shen Yuan, uncertainty and concern written on his features. Shen Jiu cocked an eyebrow at his brother and then turned back towards Yue Qingyuan. “Are we done here, Sect Leader Yue?”

“Mmm, yes. You’re all dismissed for the day. Be sure to get some rest.”

Scraping chairs and softly murmured conversation ensued. Shen Yuan stood up and was immediately accosted by Shang Qinghua, who was muttering something in his ear that made Shen Yuan’s ears flame red before he pulled his collar up higher, hiding what Shen Jiu had already clocked as a very obvious hickey. Rolling his eyes, he turned to Luo Binghe, who was staring at him again.

“What?” he asked sharply.

Luo Binghe stood up and stretched languidly. “Oh, nothing. I just wanted to make sure we wouldn’t have any problems working together.”

Hands tightening into fists, he asked, “And why would we have a problem?”

Cocking an eyebrow at him, Luo Binghe shrugged. “Oh well, you know.” He leaned across the table, fixing Shen Yuan with a vicious look. “You did shoot me so I just wanted to be aware if you would be trying that again.”

Shen Jiu scoffed at him and rolled his eyes. “Why would I waste my spiritual bullets a second time? Clearly they didn’t kill you and besides, you know how hard Wei Qingwei works on them.” He glared at Luo Binghe. “Now, is there anything else you wanted to speak to me about you little…-”

He caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Shen Yuan hard turned around and was watching them, eyes narrow and focused on Shen Jiu specifically. Shen Jiu swallowed the last word, took a deep breath, and said, “Is there anything else, Luo Binghe?”

Smirking at him, Luo Binghe shook his head. “No.” He brought his hand up to scratch at his cheek, hiding his lips. Dropping his voice lower he said, “But if you do try anything…”

Shen Jiu mirrored his movements, hiding his mouth with his hand. “Likewise.”

The threat hung heavily between them until Shen Yuan wandered over and placed an arm on Luo Binghe. He cast a look between the two men. “Everything ok?”

Luo Binghe smiled down at Shen Yuan. “Of course, A-Yuan. Shen Jiu and I were just talking about logistics.”

Shen Yuan gave Shen Jiu a curious look. “Ge?”

With a roll of his eyes, Shen Jiu snatched up the notepad in front of him. “Indeed.” He turned around and stalked towards the door, sniping over his shoulder, “I’ll see you two tomorrow morning.”

As soon as he exited, he collided with Yue Qi, who was standing just outside the door waiting. Taking a step back, Shen Jiu tilted his head and glared at him. “Did you also want something?”

Yue Qi flashed him a dazzling smile. “I just wanted to ask if you would like to join me for tea.”

Shen Jiu stared at him, mouth hanging open. He clicked it shut and then leaned forward, hissing, “We are in public.”

Smile still on his face, Yue Qi responded. “And I am inviting a colleague to tea. A colleague who has valuable insights about strategy and who will be involved in the upcoming night hunt as one of the cultivators working on the ground.”

He didn’t need Yue Qi to say what he actually meant out loud because Shen Jiu already knew. Please. I’m worried.

Breezing past him, Shen Jiu called over his shoulder, “Fine. But we’ll be going to yours since I know you just bought more of that loose leaf darjeeling that I like.”

Behind him, Yue Qi snorted as he followed Shen Jiu down the hallway.

Chapter Text

The forest surrounding the Luo River was lush in a way that calmed Shen Yuan’s senses. Paired with the morning mist rising from the ground, the soft sunlight filtering through the canopy the entire area an ethereal quality. It was pleasant. Peaceful.

Something deep inside of him wanted to revel in it, keep it held close. Maybe even stay a while and forget about the Old Palace Master or arrays or cultivation. Something else, however, was drawing him deeper into the trees, eyes trained on the trail in front of him looking for…

He was snapped out of his daydreaming by Shen Jiu’s harsh voice. “Watch where you’re going, beast.”

Whipping his head around, he saw Luo Binghe and his brother glaring so hard at each other that he could practically hear the energy crackling between them. Sighing deeply, he took a few steps towards them. “Can you two please stop? We need to find the array and disassemble it as soon as possible.” Particularly since Shang Qinghua said his reconnaissance indicated it was close to completion.

Grumbling, Shen Jiu said, “Then tell your be-erm. Tell him to watch where he’s going.”

Sighing again and rolling his eyes, Shen Yuan grabbed Luo Binghe’s forearm and pulled him in front of him, placing his body between the two men. “Binghe, why don’t you lead the way? You have better eyesight than me anyway.” He gave him a small smile and watched with satisfaction as the disgruntled look on Luo Binghe’s face smoothed out into something more relaxed.

“Of course, A-Yuan.” Casting one last sour look at Shen Jiu, he set off, eyes darting about as he looked for any signs of unusual activity.

Really, acting like children. We have a job to do and this kind of behavior…

This kind of behavior seems about right for both of them doesn’t it?

Shen Yuan’s vision went temporarily blurry, causing him to stumble. It had been happening more often in the last day or so and had only become worse when they entered the woods. He would have lapses in his thoughts where he would be in a gray landscape and would forget what he was saying or doing before snapping back to reality.

Behind him, Shen Jiu grabbed a hold of his shoulder and hauled him upright. “Watch where you’re going, you dolt,” he sharply admonished.

“Ah, thank you ge…I just missed that root.”

Continuing onward, but with his vision still fuzzed around the edges, Shen Yuan focused on the sword strapped to Luo Binghe’s back as he followed him deeper into the woods.

Shen Jiu heard the change in the woods before he felt it in the air. The sounds of nature - birds singing, small animals running through the foliage, the wind in the trees - had followed them all morning as they trudged through underbrush and down deer paths.

Then, it had all suddenly gone quiet.

Walking behind Luo Binghe and Shen Yuan, he saw the moment the two men noticed it as well, bodies tensing and shoulders straightening as the silence bore down around them.

When the air pressure around them changed rapidly, Shen Jiu felt it.

He choked on a breath as a harsh wave of hot, thick spiritual energy hit him in the chest, sharp and pointed like a nail being driven in by a hammer. Shooting his hand out, he caught it on the trunk of a tree to keep himself from falling to his knees as he gasped harshly.

Pulling himself up, Shen Jiu’s eyes caught on an array line. He traced it until the pattern became more clear. A barrier array. One that had been clearly erected to keep out lesser individuals and those who were not prepared for it. Easy business to tear a hole through for even the lowest level cultivator. For himself and with the assistance of two other culti-...one other cultivator and a half-demon, it wouldn’t be any trouble at all.

Still, it was concerning that all three of them failed to notice it before they literally walked right into it.

A cracking sound echoed throughout the woods and Shen Jiu’s ears popped. Wincing, he whipped his head up and looked around.

A few feet away, Luo Binghe was supporting Shen Yuan, one arm slung around his waist, a hole in the otherwise smooth, shimmering light blue surface of the barrier in front of the two. In his other hand he held the massive, still partially suppressed sword that up until that point he had been carrying on his back. Some of the talismans had been torn off - or had fallen off - when Luo Binghe slammed the weapon into the barrier. Their tattered and torn remnants were already scattered on the forest floor.

Shen Jiu glanced back up at Luo Binghe and his eyes caught again on the weapon clutched in his hand. Less than a dozen talismans still covered the cloth wrapped around the weapon but he could see the crossguard and the hilt - both black with silver accents. A feeling of unease washed over him.

At first, Shen Jiu felt as though he were staring into something dark and endless, like a cave where light failed to penetrate, not seeing anything inside but knowing that there was something lurking in its depths. Shen Jiu’s vision tunneled as he stared at the sword and his stomach swooped as though he were entering freefall, tumbling, rolling, mouth opening to scream-!

Shen Jiu tore his eyes away, blinking hard. Without looking back at Luo Binghe and Shen Yuan, he called out, “You two alright?”

“We are, ge. Just a bit…surprised is all.”

Sighing in relief, Shen Jiu said, “Well, we need to keep moving. It appears we're getting close if this barrier is any indication.”

With a grunt, Luo Binghe released Shen Yuan and stepped through the barrier, Shen Yuan following behind and Shen Jiu bringing up the rear.

Shen Yuan’s head hurt. It had been mostly fine - just a dull ache really - when he walked into the woods but the further they trekked, the worse the throbbing became. Worse, the talking hadn’t ceased. Normally, it would stop after a few comments here, an observation there. Shen Yuan had been dealing with it for years at this point - it had started right around the time the headaches had, after the Skinner Demon. He just chalked it up to some kind of side effect of the headaches - some piece of his internal voice that had been loosened itself free when the headaches had first manifested. He figured it would go away after time.

It did not.

Most of the time, he didn’t mind it. Welcomed it in fact. It had become a well-known companion, especially in the years Luo Binghe had been gone, when he had been lonely and just needed someone to talk to. Even if that someone was himself.

Because who else could it be but his own subconsciousness answering him, keeping him company, running commentary on his day to day life? Who else could tell him all the thoughts he had that went unsaid? Could agree with him in his less charitable moments when he was dealing with others?

But the chattering had started to become more insistent since the Jin Lan City night hunt, its frequency and volume especially increasing in the past few days. After he woke up the previous morning with Binghe next to him, it had been louder than usual. He had tried to tune it out during the briefing for the night hunt to track down the Old Palace Master, but the voice insisted on reminding him to ask that single question it had mentioned in that horrid grey landscape - the one about the System. Shen Yuan thought that if he indulged the voice, it would quiet. He was sorely mistaken as, by the time he walked out of the briefing room after receiving his assignment, it had become a near constant stream of words and suggestions.

Fortunately, it quieted later that night when he fell into bed with Luo Binghe. He chalked that up to his body and thoughts being focused enough on other matters to largely suppress the murmuring.

After, however, as he had curled up against Luo Binghe’s chest, the voice had been harder to ignore. He had given it some perfunctory responses - agreeing that the night hunt to track down the Old Palace Master was an odd one since it hadn’t come from the System despite the implications that it involved the Abyss. He disagreed with the voice that it wasn’t that strange that his brother asked to be grouped with him - Shen Jiu just worried was all. Some other odds and ends before he drifted off to sleep.

It had been mostly quiet that morning, only offering cursory observations. Easy enough to brush aside as he hopped onto Xiu Ya, flying towards the trailhead where they would disembark to start their search for the array lines and the Old Palace Master.

Shen Yuan thought that the voice had maybe tired itself out. That happened sometimes - it would be gone for hours or days at a time, only to reemerge later with some cutting observation or question. He figured that even he could get bored with his own thoughts, so why wouldn’t that internal voice that lived with him also sometimes lose interest?

But no. Shen Yuan had been wrong. Because now? Now, he couldn’t think properly because the voice would not shut up.

Oh it’s fine. You like having me here. We talk all the time so why is it a problem now?

Because I’m trying to work!

Psh. Are you though? Really? You know they only put you on the ground team because of how you react to anything that originated from the Abyss.

Oh nothing to say to that? They’ve been using you for years - your brother, Yue Qingyuan, your entire Sect. And they’re going to keep using you. And you, Shen Yuan, are going to let them.

That’s not…I…

You know we’re right. But you don’t have to let them use you anymore, you know. You can do as you wish and they can’t stop you.

Shen Yuan blinked hard, rubbing a hand against his temple. He wished the voice would stop talking but he never had experienced any luck forcing it quiet. He heard Shen Jiu’s voice from somewhere behind him, telling him to walk faster.

What did you say?

Don’t you want something for yourself, Shen Yuan?

I have what I want. I…I have my brother. And Luo Binghe is back!

Ahhhh, Luo Binghe. You do have him, don’t you? You know, you two could be together.

But…But we are?

Really? Is that what you think? You really think after your Sect has used you and Luo Binghe for this “mission” - the voice scoffed - that you’ll be allowed to remain together? You think that your righteous Sect will allow a half Heavenly Demon to remain a member?

Shen Yuan paused, eyes open but not seeing the forest around him. Shen Jiu ran into him, sending him stumbling into Luo Binghe’s back. “A-YUAN!”

Looking over his shoulder, Shen Yuan murmured under his breath, “Sorry.”

The voice laughed. Well?

It’s… Shen Yuan thought about it - really thought about it. Yue Qingyuan hadn’t seemed surprised when he saw Luo Binghe in Jin Lan City but he didn’t seem happy about it either. Shen Jiu clearly hated Luo Binghe - that was more than obvious. And it was true - Cang Qiong had a reputation as one of the top righteous Sects in the cultivation world. And what would happen after all of this was resolved? Luo Binghe’s heritage was undeniable. But they wouldn’t kick him out, no if he helped them…Right?

Are you sure? Your brother shot him. There were no efforts made to recover him from the Abyss. He hasn’t exactly been “welcomed back” after being gone for so long.

Well yes, but we’ve been busy - what with Jin Lan, and then my brother being kidnapped, and now all of this.

Hah. Well, if that’s what you really think. But I think…Hm. Well nevermind.

Silence. One foot in front of the other. Shen Yuan’s head ached.

Well what??

Oh. Well I think you know we’re right.

And he did know. There was no way that Cang Qiong would allow Luo Binghe to stay. It would not only be unorthodox, but it would also be directly against what the entire Sect stood for. Their job was to suppress creatures from the Abyss. To…To suppress demons? Is that what…What they did?

It is what they do. Look how they’ve used you for night hunts involving the Abyss. They’ll do anything and use any means necessary to reach their goals. Of course they’re using Luo Binghe for this “night hunt.” It suits their needs.

And, they’re using you. They’ve been using you. And they’ll continue to use you.

The voice was right. This had been going on for years. It wouldn’t stop.

And what if you run out of usefulness? What if you stop reacting to things from the Abyss? What then?

They wouldn’t get rid of me.

Once again Shen Yuan - are you sure? Really, what good are you to the Sect anyway?

He had the same training as anyone else. He was excellent with his sword, he could make talismans, arrays, his knowledge of beasts was unparalleled, he-!

But your brother can do all of that, too. And as long as he’s around then you’ll be expendable.

There are other members of the Sect that are just like me though!

Are there?

Shen Yuan’s thoughts raced - there had to be. Others that were just like him, that had proficiency but were…

Mediocre?

Shen Yuan had been one of the top student in his graduating class and had received stellar evaluations when he became a formally affiliated cultivator. He was good - he knew it! He was just as good as Luo Binghe.

And Luo Binghe is never going to be welcomed back into the Sect. Now we’re back to where we started. So what does that say about you?

They…you really think they would kick me out?

Of course. Besides, you’re with Luo Binghe now, aren’t you?

It’s not like that!

It’s not?

Well…Ok. Yes…it is like that.

That’s what we thought. You don’t want them to take Luo Binghe away, do you? Separate him from you again? Remember how it was when he was missing?

Shen Yuan did remember. His head throbbed as his vision blurred. He stared ahead, eyes trained on Luo Binghe’s back and the sword pulsing with dark energy.

Yes.

And you can’t let that happen again, can you?

No.

His vision split - the sword went from one to two - and then reconvened. Luo Binghe glanced back at him, brows furrowed. “A-Yuan?”

“‘M fine,” he murmured.

Luo Binghe hesitated. “We need to keep walking, Binghe.” Eyes clouded with concern, Luo Binghe nodded tightly before he turned back around.

Shen Yuan couldn’t lose him again. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t let them take Luo Binghe away. The voice was right. He had been lied to, he had been deceived. But not by Luo Binghe.

What do I need to do to make sure I don’t lose him?

Power.

Power?

Indeed. You need power, Shen Yuan. More spiritual energy. More qi. And we can get it for you.

Shen Yuan thought about this. If he had more power, he wouldn’t have to deal with his brother not telling him the truth, with losing Luo Binghe again, with the Sect using him as bait.

He could do whatever he wanted if he had more power.

How?

Soft laughter echoed in his head. Just listen to us. We will help get what you need.

Chapter 24

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

They had been walking down a deer trail for fifteen minutes when Luo Binghe spotted it - the tell tale signs of a large array etched directly into the dirt beneath their feet. The lines visible from his vantage point glowed and shifted between a sickly yellow color and a malevolent green. He eyed the outer edge of it critically before turning to speak to Shen Yuan.

He paused. The concern that had been brushing at the back of his mind as Shen Yuan stumbled along behind him muttering intermittently to himself burst into full bloom.

Shen Yuan stood behind him, feet frozen in place, eyes blown wide and expression hungry as he stared at the array.

“A-Yuan?”

Startling, he looked at Luo Binghe as though he had just woken from a nap. “Yes?!”

“Are you ok?”

“Oh…” His voice trailed off before he flashed Luo Binghe a weak smile. “Oh yes. Just a bit of a headache, haha.”

Brows furrowing, Luo Binghe delicately moved the blood parasites inside of Shen Yuan’s body. The wall of static he ran into before was still there. Gently pushing against it, Luo Binghe frowned further when Shen Yuan’s face momentarily twisted in pain. “Ach!”

Luo Binghe laid a hand on Shen Yuan’s arm. “What’s wrong?”

Shen Yuan tapped his head.

“Ah,” Luo Binghe nodded in understanding and released his hold on his blood parasites, worry still clutching at him.

Both of them spun around when they heard a wordless shout from Shen Jiu. He was several yards behind them, side arm lying on the ground where it had fallen from his hands. Luo Binghe caught him forming the motions for a sword seal that were cut off prematurely when a whip shot out from the trees and wrapped itself around his forearm, jerking him forward.

The Old Palace Master tugged on the handle of the whip again and Shen Jiu fell to his knees with a grunt, eyes full of fury. Startling into movement, Shen Yuan tore his gun out of its holster and pointed it at the Old Palace Master. “Let him go!”

Turning wide, pupiless eyes towards Shen Yuan, the Old Palace Master tilted his head to the side. When he spoke, the voice that issued forth was distinctly not the one Luo Binghe remembered from the Water Prison. In fact, it wasn’t a voice at all.

It was several voices, all overlapping, the layers upon layers of sound coalescing into words.

“Or what? You’ll shoot me?”

Finger squeezing on the trigger, Shen Yuan replied, “Yes, in fact.”

Flicking his wrist again, the Old Palace Master laughed as Shen Jiu shot out a hand to prevent himself from face planting. The Old Palace Master’s lips started to move, forming words that were covered up by the crack of a gunshot.

The qi infused bullet flew through the air, a single streak of vibrant orange energy left in its wake. A sighing groan accompanied the impact of the bullet slamming into the Old Palace Master’s chest.

Slowly looking down at the wound in his chest and then back at Shen Yuan, the Old Palace Master cocked an unimpressed eyebrow. “Is that it? Really?” He looked down at Shen Jiu and smirked at him. “This is what you cultivators have been up to? This is what you send out for your night hunts?”

Something about the Old Palace Master’s words tickled at Luo Binghe’s thoughts. Before he had any time to dwell on them, the Old Palace Master twitched his wrist and withdrew the whip from Shen Jiu’s arm. In the next second, it lashed out towards Shen Yuan, tip tinged with glowing red sparks.

Without a second thought, Luo Binghe jumped into the whip’s trajectory, taking the brunt of the hit across his torso. With a grunt, he doubled over, breathing hard. One of his hands shot behind his shoulder. He wrapped his hand around Xin Mo’s hilt and pulled it off his back.

At least a dozen talismans left. It should be fine if I take a couple more off.

Tearing off two talismans, Luo Binghe swung the cloth wrapped sword in a wide arc, sending a black, curved sword glare hurtling towards the Old Palace Master. He didn’t wait to see if it hit home. As soon as he reached the end of the motion, Luo Binghe turned around and bundled Shen Yuan into his arms.

The deafening boom behind him sent bark and clods of dirt flying. Shen Yuan went lax, face pressed to Luo Binghe’s chest, breaths short and panting. Luo Binghe’s heart clenched. He must be terrified.

Gently letting Shen Yuan go, Luo Binghe checked him over for any injuries from the explosion. Finding none, he patted him on the shoulder. Shen Yuan rewarded him with a wan smile and a muttered, “I’m fine.” Luo Binghe continued to watch him as he made a sword seal to summon Xiu Ya.

When Luo Binghe turned back around, the Old Palace Master, or his remains for that matter, was nowhere in sight. Shen Jiu, however, was laying on the ground groaning. Shen Yuan rushed towards him.

Shen Yuan pulled Shen Jiu to his feet and held onto his arm until he was steady. Once he could hold himself upright without wobbling, Shen Jiu pointed a finger towards one of the pulsing array lines leading further into the woods. “That way.”

Nodding, Luo Binghe cast Shen Yuan one last look before seizing his hand and dragging him in the direction Shen Jiu pointed. His eyes are a bit clearer - probably just too much happening at once.

The thought didn’t do anything to tamp down on the mounting concern that had been simmering within Luo Binghe all day.

It’ll be fine.

Shen Yuan’s head hurt. It hurt earlier, yes. But now it was a different type of pain. A flavor so sharp and grating that it made him want to lay on the ground and wait for the dirt to cover him up.

As he stumbled and jogged after Luo Binghe - who still had a tight grip on his hand - he tried to arrange his thoughts into some semblance of order.

He let his mind wander.

In his thoughts, he was trying to navigate a small boat through a vast lake with thick fog all around him. There was no wind for his sails and there were no available paddles in the bottom of the boat. Above him, the sky was so grey and murky that the fog blended into it, like he was stuck in a soup of haziness so potent that if he held his hand too far out in front of him, he knew he would be able to barely see his fingers. When he looked down at the water it was so dark and so cold that it physically pained him to stare at it for too long. Shen Yuan began to fade, his thoughts muddled and twisted as his vision tunneled.

Luo Binghe pulled him forward, jerking his arm just hard enough that it snapped Shen Yuan out of his thoughts and back to reality.

The pain in his skull started to become tortuous the longer they followed the path paved by the sickly, pulsing array line. Shen Yuan recalled that he had felt better when they entered the woods - there had been sounds, wind, smells, sunlight. His thoughts had felt more clear - more sharp.

Were they? You seem to be thinking just fine right now.

But they hurt.

We know.

Shen Yuan had the sudden realization that the ache in his head had started its steady march to whatever crescendo it would eventually reach as soon as they crossed through the barrier array.

But it will stop.

It will?

Yes. Remember what we discussed.

A loose talisman floated off Luo Binghe’s sword and the pain spiked. Shen Yuan blinked hard - the pain was becoming worse with every talisman Luo Binghe pulled off of the massive sword strapped to his back. He had been focusing on the sword as his vision started to blur, a lighthouse leading him forward even when he couldn’t make out his surroundings. It pulsed and throbbed, energy shimmering the air around it. Shen Yuan looked back at Shen Jiu at one point and noticed his brother had also been looking straight ahead. He didn’t seem to notice the sword’s odd features. When he turned back around, the sword was blurring and fuzzing. So was Luo Binghe.

Static gathered around Luo Binghe’s edges, blurring his outline. It sharpened back to clarity right in front of Shen Yuan’s eyes. Shen Yuan knew it was fine - he knew about Luo Binghe. He knew it would be ok. Luo Binghe was strong, he was powerful. Shen Yuan had felt that power in the Water Palace. Luo Binghe had even explained it later to him.

Instead of comfort, however, the longer Shen Yuan looked at Luo Binghe’s back, the worse the pain became.

Horrifying, isn’t he?

No.

But he’s hurting you.

It’s not him - it’s…It’s just my head. I’ve been like this for so long I must be having some kind of flare up.

But you’ve never had one like this.

Well…No.

And Luo Binghe is here. And now you’re in pain. Seems like you shouldn’t be near him.

But…But you said we…

Said what?

What had the voice said? It said that Luo Binghe would be kicked out of the Sect - that Shen Yuan would be kicked out too? But…Luo Binghe would be kicked out because he was a half-Heavenly Demon. But Shen Yuan wasn’t a demon so why would he be kicked out too?

Because look at you. You can’t even make it through a night hunt without having issues. Why would they keep you?

The voice had said they could be together though? Him and Luo Binghe. Or maybe it said the Sect would kick out both him and Luo Binghe.

That had to be it.

Seems you’re putting some things together.

Shen Yuan didn’t answer. He just shut his eyes against the blurriness and took a deep, shuddering breath.

What if you hadn’t been there?

What…?

When Luo Binghe attacked your brother.

He…He didn’t attack Shen Jiu.

He didn’t?

It had been the Old Palace Master. The Old Palace Master had a whip - he had attacked Shen Jiu with it, wrapping it around his arm, pulling him to the ground. Luo Binghe had used his sword to chase the man off. And then Shen Yuan had helped his brother up…Right?

Is that how it went? Well…

Shen Yuan’s temples ached as another gnawing, clawing, spike of pain lanced through his skull. Memories bubbled up from the dark, murky water, emerging and floating towards the sky in iridescent orbs. One of them paused right in front of Shen Yuan, floating close enough in the hazy air that he could make out the details.

It had been the Old Palace Master holding the whip. He heard his brother’s cry as he crashed to his knees. Shen Yuan’s chest clenched at the look of rage on Jiu-ge’s face, as his brother’s lips curled back from his teeth.

“Let me go, beast.”

Shen Yuan flicked his eyes back to the Old Palace Master but…

But it wasn’t the Old Palace Master.

It was Luo Binghe.

Luo Binghe was holding the handle of the whip, eyes burning, expression cruel. “No,” he sneered.

A dark wave of qi burst forth from Luo Binghe’s arm, traveling up the whip. With a quick motion, he jerked the whip back. The scream that burst from Shen Jiu’s lips sent Shen Yuan’s blood running cold. His cold blood turned to ice in his veins at the sight of his brother’s arm, detached from his body, laying on the forest floor as Shen Jiu thrashed next to it, blood pouring from the ragged socket it once occupied

The sound of Luo Binghe’s harsh laughter filled his thoughts. It combined with his brother’s screaming, forming a horrible cacophony until the orb popped.

So. Do you see how it could have been?

What?

But the voice said that’s what happened? Did it…That isn’t it?

Of course not. But it could have. Couldn’t you see it? Look at him.

Shen Yuan glanced at Luo Binghe, at his bulk and the limbs and his height. He pulled his hand out of his cold grasp abruptly and paused in his tracks.

It could have been. But it didn’t happen.

A horrible thought crossed Shen Yuan’s mind, the sound of Shen Jiu’s agonized screaming still echoing in his head. But what if?

Yes. What if indeed.

A warm hand reached out and gripped his palm again. Shen Yuan looked at Luo Binghe’s clear face, thoughts reeling. He wouldn’t though.

He would. He hates Shen Jiu. After all that he did to Luo Binghe doesn’t it make sense? But if Luo Binghe did try anything, we could help you stop him. You just need to do as we say so he can’t hurt your brother.

“A-Yuan? Is it your head again?”

Shen Yuan gently extracted his hand from Luo Binghe’s palm. “Yeah.” Luo Binghe shot him a concerned, hurt look and reached out again, hand twisting and writhing as it reached for Shen Yuan’s arm.

Let him. He’ll take you where you need to be. But be wary and do not trust him.

He allowed Luo Binghe to grab hold of him and lead him forward.

He glanced over his shoulder and caught sight of Shen Jiu - with both arms attached - who shot him a concerned look, the expression an odd sight on his brother’s usually cold features.

The System hadn’t run in a very long time. They hadn’t really needed to. Nor did they ever feel like it.

In their original form eons ago, running wasn’t really something they had done. It was more akin to a slithering, shifting, crushing movement.

But, details. Running or slithering or shifting still got them from point A to point B quickly so the term didn’t really matter much to the System.

Running in a human body was a bit of a novelty though. Possessing humans was another action they did not take very often. Too constricting, too inconvenient. Too fragile.

But, circumstances compelled it so the System acted accordingly.

The air rushed past their face. Underbrush and branches scraped and scratched across their current vessel's delicate flesh, rending small cuts and tears in it along the upper appendages. They tripped over a protrusion at one point but prevented themselves from crashing to the forest floor with a well directed and well-timed burst of qi.

They ran because the two similar humans and the hybrid were pursuing them. They ran because they couldn’t let the hybrid and the human they needed catch up to them until they reached the center of the array. They ran, leading the three fools on, knowing that as they drew closer to the center of the array that their power and ability to influence would only increase and their power over those around them would only become easier to weaponize. In fact, based on their influence over the human they needed, it seemed the amplification arrays they had set up leading to the center of the array were already working quite nicely.

On a more basic level, they ran because they had worked too hard and too long and should they meet the trio again before reaching the center of the array - well. They had accounted for that - what, with the amplification arrays they had already placed - but they would rather not risk failure at this point. Even if their power was increasing exponentially as they led the humans and the hybrid forward, the System knew that they couldn’t guarantee something wouldn’t go awry.

But that extra human. The one the old fool had taken instead of the one the System wanted. The System supposed he could make do with that one in a pinch if they needed to - the extra human did seem rather susceptible, at least to certain thoughts. Best to keep that one distracted if possible though and use the younger one they had been working with. The one called Shen Yuan.

It would be cleaner. Simpler.

And the hybrid. He would go wherever that little human went. He would follow the little human, jump in front of whips and swords and talismans and bear the brunt of any attacks directed at the human. His obsession was something the System was familiar with - at least as a concept. It was also something that they could use against him, something they could mold and shape to reach their goal.

Besides, Xin Mo was tethered to the hybrid and the weapon’s call had clearly started to reach its zenith - the hybrid seemed to be less hesitant to use more of the weapon’s power, despite having previously bound it with talismans and wards to muffle it. Certainly, had the sword been bonded to a more stable user - one that wasn’t concerned with harming others or the surrounding realm - it would have presented an element to the entire affair that the System would perhaps have issues with.

But, as it stood, that was not the case. Rather, it appeared the hybrid was none the wiser of just how much influence the sword’s sultry words and whispered commands had over him. And, if the System’s plan worked - which it seemed on track to do - he never would. Even better, it appeared that none of the fools - neither the humans nor the hybrid chasing after them - had figured out the full extent of Xin Mo’s power.

Pity for them but all the better for the System.

They knew that when everything was complete - when the Realms were merged, when the System could reign over all, could speak to all, and influence them - that Xin Mo would remain. The System wanted the sword - had wanted it and the power it conferred for ages. And when they saw that it had been conveniently delivered to the Human Realm on the back of that half-breed fool?

Well. They were never one to pass up an opportunity to augment themselves. They could make Xin Mo part of them. The sword would welcome it. The System would welcome it right back. They did have a similar way of doing things, after all.

But the System had to deal with the hybrid first. The sword only took a single master at a time - forcing its influence onto them until they became a fundamental part of the weapon, fully unable to be separated except through their own corporeal destruction.

Fortunately, Xin Mo could also take care of that little detail for them. All they had to do was give the hybrid a little push to overuse the weapon’s power and wait until his mind was taken over by the sword’s song. Keep him distracted while the System used the hybrid’s little human to merge the Realms. After, when the world was whole, Luo Binghe - his mind distracted and full of Xin Mo’s hymns and wails - would be easy to dispose of and then Xin Mo would be without an owner. At least until the System claimed it. Then they could do as they pleased without impediment.

As the System dashed through the woods, dodging trees, and ducking under branches, their thoughts raced at all the possibilities. At what their success would bring.

At what they would become.

Notes:

Thanks for reading so far 💜 Next update will be next Friday!

Chapter Text

It wasn’t just Shen Yuan’s headaches that were bothering him. There had to be something else. Luo Binghe was sure of it. But what that something else was remained a mystery. Shen Yuan had been declining since they entered the barrier and the further they walked, the more he could feel Shen Yuan’s qi fluctuating wildly. Sometimes short blasts of it would jump off of him, like a livewire arcing. Other times, it would dissipate to just a trickle, the flow of it within his meridians weak and slow. Each time Luo Binghe felt it burst forth or slow to a sluggish crawl, he would squeeze Shen Yuan’s hand, channel a small amount of his own qi into him, and put his blood parasites to work calming Shen Yuan as best as he could. He took extra care in controlling his work so as to not spook him. He would then surreptitiously glance at Shen Yuan and breathe a sigh of relief as his eyes momentarily cleared and as his expression went from slack to determined.

He kept an eye on Shen Yuan as they continued along the recently travelled upon deer trail. The further into they went, the closer the trees pressed together, forcing their pace to slow. Above them, the foliage became so thick that it plunged the woods into a steady state of gloom. Shen Jiu had pressed to the front, taking the point position. He kept his eyes trained on the ground and the array lines they were following.

Luo Binghe glanced down, eyes tracing the thin, yellow line Shen Jiu had been using as a guide. “Do you know how much longer?” he asked, voice cutting through the deep silence around them.

With a tense shake of his head, Shen Jiu responded, “No.” He pulled his phone out, flicking it on. A frown overtook his face, the pale blue light of the screen illuminating his features in stark relief. “We have to be getting closer if our estimates about how the array is laid out are correct.”

Something seized Luo Binghe’s arm. Startling, he looked to the side and felt a clench of anxiety in his gut. Shen Yuan stared back, eyes wide and dazed. In the low light cast from Shen Jiu’s phone, Luo Binghe watched Shen Yuan’s pupils slowly contract and dilate. Gently, Luo Binghe wrapped his hand around Shen Yuan’s wrist and fed him another slow trickle of qi, pressing it into his meridians as though he were pouring water into a narrow opening.

With a slow blink, Shen Yuan shook himself and looked around, eyes more focused but movements still sluggish. Luo Binghe squeezed his wrist gently. “A-Yuan? Do you need to rest?”

“No,” Shen Yuan glanced at him, expression pinched. “No, I’m fine.” He shook Luo Binghe’s hand off and strode ahead. “You heard my brother. We’re almost there.”

Luo Binghe gnawed on his lip, trepidation building in his gut as he followed Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan stumbled into the clearing after Shen Jiu, eyes immediately locking onto the center of the brightly pulsing array.

Pretty.

He took a step forward, legs moving without his input. Before he managed to take another, someone seized the back of his shirt, yanking him back. Thrashing, he tried to bat away the hand holding him back.

“SHEN YUAN!” Shen Jiu pulled harder on his shirt. He heard several seams pop as his brother shook him like a scruffed kitten.

Turning around in indignation, Shen Yuan met Shen Jiu’s stormy countenance. “What do you think you’re doing? Didn’t you hear me tell you not to go any further?”

Nodding absentmindedly, Shen Yuan looked back towards the center of the array. “Mmhmm.”

Something moved in the dull yellow light in the clearing. Or, more correctly, someone.

Shen Yuan’s stomach swooped. The Old Palace Master. It was him. He was the one standing in the middle of the array.

He can help you get what you want, Shen Yuan. You need to go to him.

“What I want…” Shen Yuan mumbled to himself.

The voice said he could have power. Power to keep his brother safe. Power to keep Luo Binghe.

…Or was it power to escape from Luo Binghe?

Regardless, the voice said Shen Yuan could have the power to do what he wanted without anyone controlling him or using him.

A hand seized him again, this time around his arm. Shen Jiu pushed Shen Yuan towards Luo Binghe. “Keep him over there.” Shen Jiu glanced back at the center of the array. “There’s something wrong here.”

Luo Binghe nodded grimly. Shen Yuan wanted to shake off the clammy, soft hand wrapped around his side. He wanted to struggle away instead of being pulled close to Luo Binghe’s too warm chest.

Don’t fight him…

Yet.

There was absolutely something wrong with Shen Yuan. Shen Jiu couldn’t quite pin what that something was, but he knew Shen Yuan well enough to recognize that his brother wasn’t focused or entirely present. He also knew that Luo Binghe had been feeding his brother short bursts of qi as they had gotten closer to the array and that each burst had appeared to temporarily snap his brother back to the present. Shen Jiu decided that it was best to not intervene in that little display because they had more pressing matters to deal with. He also had to begrudgingly admit that it seemed to help Shen Yuan, at least for the time being.

Then, they had reached the clearing and Shen Yuan had nearly broken into a run when he spotted the center of the array. Shen Jiu had reeled him back in, irritation rising. Shen Yuan tried that same stunt again seconds later and Shen Jiu, again, stopped him.

It was the second time that made Shen Jiu’s stomach clench around the sharp knot of fear that had been growing there as they approached the clearing with the array. The look on his brother’s face had been that of a man entranced. He had looked possessed.

Shen Jiu realized as he pushed his brother towards Luo Binghe’s waiting arms that Shen Yuan had like the Old Palace Master. Specifically the way that man had looked when he had ranted and raved at Shen Jiu in the Water Prison.

When Shen Jiu turned back towards the array, he spotted what - or rather, who - his brother had been looking at. Stepping forward, Shen Jiu drew Junzi Buqi, the blade shining like a beacon in the dim clearing.

The Old Palace Master’s head swiveled towards him. A cold, cruel smile twisted his features. Standing in the center of the array, sallow light enveloping him, the man looked inhuman.

“It took you long enough.” Shen Jiu winced at the harsh, scraping sound of the Old Palace Master’s voice - voices. Shen Jiu brought Junzi Buqi up before him and stopped several yards away.

“Oh? Well, perhaps if your array lines hadn’t been so shitty we would have been here sooner.” Shen Jiu rolled his eyes, squaring his shoulders and projecting a confidence he wasn’t feeling. “Did you even try to make them straight?” He shuffled forward another few feet, sword held in a loose grip.

The Old Palace Master laughed, the sound like metal grinding against metal, warping itself as it collided. “You’re one to talk now aren’t you?”

Shen Jiu narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

Holding his arms open in a shrug, the Old Palace Master responded. “About how to properly draw arrays.” His arms dropped and he fixed Shen Jiu with a curious look. “Specifically defensive ones.”

The spiky knot of fear in Shen Jiu’s stomach disappeared as it fell into the yawning pit that had just opened. No.

The wretched smile on the Old Palace Master’s face broadened. “Oh. I see you know what I’m referring to. Good to see you can remember your own mistakes, Xiao Jiu.”

The pit widened, filling him and stealing the oxygen from his lungs. The fear didn’t claw back up from the pit - it became the pit, gnashing its teeth and shrieking for attention as it pulled in all other emotions and thoughts. Hands shaking, Shen Jiu lowered his sword. “How do you know that name?”

The Old Palace Master gave him a wry look. “I know many things about you, Xiao Jiu.” Shen Jiu shuddered at the sound of that name coming from those voices. The Old Palace Master took a step outside of the middle of the array, eyes intent. “I know about your past.” He took another step towards Shen Jiu. “I know how you lived before you joined the Sect - impressive, by the way.” The man scoffed. “‘Running away’ from home as a teenager? Caught up with the wrong crowd? Reunited and then joined one of the most renowned Sects in the cultivation world?” The Old Palace Master stopped in front of him, smile splitting his face open. “Impressive, Xiao Jiu. Very impressive.”

Shen Jiu tried to force his heavy arms to pull Junzi Buqi back up in front of him. Tutting, the Old Palace Master reached out and placed a cold hand on his wrist, keeping the sword down. “Now, now. None of that.” He looked at Shen Jiu contemplatively. “Do you want to know what else I know, Xiao Jiu?”

He was frozen. His arm was so heavy. He wanted to shut his eyes. He wanted to block the words out. He knew what was coming. Shen Jiu tried to circulate his qi but it wouldn’t move. It was just like…Just like….

“I know what you did to Yue Qi.” The Old Palace Master cocked his head, one way and then the other like a curious bird of prey, before shooting him a playful look as though he was about to let Shen Jiu in on a secret.

“He almost died, you know.”

Shen Jiu’s head throbbed. The hand touching his wrist grew colder.

Images exploded in front of his eyes, running rapid fire in the air before him. Memories of the time he spent homeless after he left his parent’s house when Shen Yuan had been a toddler were the first ones. Shen Jiu hadn’t meant to be homeless - he thought he would be fine on his own, that he could live the way he wanted to live. But being without a home had…it had just happened. And he couldn’t go back, couldn’t fail after he had left so explosively. Poor planning, poor budgeting, lack of foresight, and essentially still being a child himself - and a foolish one at that - had all worked against him.

The next memory that played, grainy but bright - meeting Yue Qi. They had kept each other afloat, supporting each other. Cold nights were warmer, being hungry didn’t hurt as much.

Then Shen Jiu had gotten into debt with the Qius. Yue Qi had left him. He said he would come back and…and….

And he did. But not before Shen Jiu had suffered.

He at least had some rudimentary cultivation training at that point - what he had learned in school before he had run away. With that and the skills he had picked up as a vagrant, Shen Jiu had managed to weather most of the abuse and the harsh working conditions inflicted on him. Still, the toll had been taken.

The fire.

The memory was so bright that Shen Jiu could almost smell it. The sounds, the chaos. He had done what he needed to. And then he ran again. Those images were hazy, multicolored frames of uncertainty. The fear pit swallowed them whole, growing larger as each image flashed rapid fire through his mind.

Yue Qi’s gentle, concerned face bubbled up before him. Righteous cultivator, full member of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect. The fear pit contracted and then exploded as the visual of their fight when Yue Qi found Shen Jiu was replayed in front of Shen Jiu’s eyes. He had kicked and bit and screamed and Yue Qi had stood there and taken all of it, eyes sad. After Shen Jiu tired himself out, Yue Qi had looked down at him, grabbed his hand, and literally dragged him back to the Sect for treatment.

The memory of his acceptance into the Sect wasn’t awful but it also did nothing to quell the shaking that had overtaken his body as he watched his life continue to play out in front of him. He hadn’t wanted to be there. He hadn’t wanted to be anywhere. When he rid himself of the Qiu’s, Shen Jiu had thought he would be alone until he just wasn’t anymore.

But he remained in the Sect. Then, a year after he joined, the Sects banded together to seal Tianlang-Jun in the Abyss. Shen Jiu saw himself - his younger self, still desperate to live long enough until he could end himself on his terms - thrown himself forward, sword in hand as he pressed Tianlang-Jun’s massive bulk towards the rift. The memory blurred as Tianlang-Jun lashed out, demonic qi exploding from his body as he expanded and shifted. Shen Jiu watched his own limp body fly through the air like a rag doll, sword slipping from his fingers and clattering to the ground.

He saw Yue Qi frantically screaming his name. Just before Shen Jiu’s body slammed into the ground, there was a violent flash of white light followed by more screaming from - this time it sounded like in pain - and then silence.

The Shen Jiu of the past shakily climbed to his feet. He staggered over to the crumpled, blood soaked heap that was Yue Qi. Xuan Su was grasped in the unconscious man’s hand, sheathed and innocuous looking. Shen Jiu’s head whipped from side to side as he shouted for help but no one came.

No one came. Shen Jiu continued to scream.

His throat felt raw. Junzi Buqi had, at some point, fallen to the ground. The Old Palace Master was still staring at him with a terrible, toothy smile on his face. His hand was like ice where it touched Shen Jiu’s skin. He removed it but the remnants of that cold touch still lingered.

“So you do remember. He wouldn’t have been so injured if you hadn’t been there.” Shen Jiu closed his hands into fists, trying to will them to stop shaking. “You probably would have died but really, Xiao Jiu,” the Old Palace Master moved closer and gestured lazily at him, “would that have been so bad?”

He started to circle Shen Jiu. Shen Jiu shut his eyes, breathing harshly through his nose. “You know,” the Old Palace Master continued somewhere to his left, “your parents didn’t look for you.”

But Shen Yuan had told him…Before…Before Shen Jiu had joined Cang Qiong their parents had contacted the Sect and Shen Jiu had reunited with them. They welcomed him back…They said they missed him…?

“Lies!” Shen Jiu gritted out.

The Old Palace Master chuckled. “They were too busy with your little brother to worry about their older son. They just loved Shen Yuan so much.” He bent down and picked up Junzi Buqi, inspecting the blade. “But you? Their delinquent child who left home because he thought he knew better? And then who ended up on the streets?”

It wasn’t true it wasn’t true it wasn’t true. The memories were back, playing forward and backwards, sped up and slowed down, in fragments, in a linear format. His parents had been worried. They had tried to find him. They had hired people to look for him.

They had lost track of him when he ended up in what amounted to a situation that was nothing less than slavery. They had put out notices, flyers, pictures - Shen Jiu had seen them. It wasn’t true.

“Are you sure though? Why would they tell you the truth? Easy to lie to someone when they have something you want.”

Another memory. His parents meeting him with Shen Yuan in tow. They hugged him, cried over him, told him they missed him.

And then they had asked him how to train Shen Yuan to become a cultivator. But…But they waited to ask him for that. It was years later, wasn’t it?

The memory he was seeing though - it was so fast.

“That’s right, Shen Jiu. They knew they could use you. They just wanted the best for Shen Yuan and you were a means to an end.” The Old Palace Master drove the tip of Junzi Buqi into the ground like a stake. “Yue Qi didn’t look for you either. After he left you, he saw an opportunity to make something of himself.”

He told me he looked for me. He went to the Qiu’s compound. He…He said he cried. He’s told me since then that he lo–

“Ah, yes. He did cry, didn’t he?” The Old Palace Master clapped his hands and then rubbed them together like he was dusting dirt off of them. “All a ruse. You see, Yue Qi also knew he needed you. He needed you to stay behind, Shen Jiu. And then he needed you around to take the fall if anyone found out what happened to the Qius.”

Shen Jiu’s stomach swooped. He stared at the Old Palace Master. “What do you mean?”

Laughing harshly, the Old Palace Master said, “You think that fire was a coincidence? You think that you were the one that caused an entire locked compound to go up in flames?”

Blood running cold, Shen Jiu gasped out, “No.” Eyes burning, he blinked and shook his head. “He didn’t come back though,” Shen Jiu whispered. “He…He didn’t come back for me. I never saw him until the Immortal Alliance Conference and then he dragged me back to the Sect.”

The Old Palace Master shot him a pitying look as he laid a sharp clawed hand on Shen Jiu’s shoulder. The touch burned like fire. “And you believed him? Really Xiao Jiu, you should know better than to trust what anyone tells you.”

Falling to his knees, head clutched in his hands, Shen Jiu bent over and struggled to breath. “It’s not true. I would have seen him. He would have found me. He left me just like everyone else and he never came back and…and…” Shen Jiu swallowed and fell silent, memories of the time after he left the Qiu’s flashing before his eyes. Of who - of what - he became so he could live.

“And what?”

“And I had to survive,” he breathed out, wetness tracking down his cheeks.

“Well, you did.” The Old Palace Master crouched down and looked at him, eyes dancing. “But isn’t it interesting? Yue Qi, coming back to find you without you ever knowing. Why do you think he never told you?”

He said he reached the compound after it had burned to ashes. He didn’t lie, he wouldn’t lie…But…but…

Shen Jiu stared at him, lips parted as he tried to force his throat toproduce a sound, “I…”

“Right. It seems you don’t know then.” The Old Palace Master sighed, voice sympathetic as he continued, “He didn’t want you to know he was there - that he could have saved you. That he could have made sure you didn’t have to be alone on the streets again.” He paused and then continued, murmuring low, “Or maybe he was hoping you would be caught in the fire, too. Get rid of all evidence of the old Qi-ge. Have a life that was cleansed of those artifacts that haunted him.” The Old Palace Master hummed. “It’s likely, isn’t it? But then he found you and discovered his plan failed. So he took you in and trained you to trust him.”

Shen Jiu’s head throbbed. Did Qi-ge come back for me? Did he want me dead? Then…then why did he help seal Tianlang-Jun if he could have just left me there to die? If he could have just ran and saved himself? Maybe…

Maybe he thought I was already dead. And maybe that was his plan all along.

The memory played again, slower. Shen Jiu’s limp body crashing to the ground. Yue Qi screaming and then gritting his teeth. The flash of light. Two bodies on the ground. Then, Shen Jiu crawling shakily to his feet…

Eyes crinkling in glee, the Old Palace Master’s face broke into another huge grin. “Now you’re getting there! Yue Qi - apologies - Yue Qingyuan. Righteous cultivator, sailing to the top on the backs of those that trust him. Using you as a diversion so he could seal Tianlang-Jun - so he could be the one to get credit for it. He’s so unassuming, isn’t he?” The Old Palace Master looked up at the sky contemplatively. “I wonder what he’s up to right now?”

Snapping his fingers, the Old Palace Master flashed Shen Jiu one last smile. “Well, I guess you’ll find out soon, won’t you?”

Shen Jiu’s surroundings went dark. He blinked hard several times, trying to clear the aching in his head and the pain in his chest. Then, like a switch being flipped, he was back in the clearing and the Old Palace Master was gone. The place the Old Palace Master had been standing was now occupied by the familiar form of Yue Qi.

Shen Jiu’s vision blurred. Had…Had he been there the entire time? But he was back at the Sect? He had…Oh!

Fumbling in his pocket, Shen Jiu pulled out his phone and hit the redial button for the last call he made. A familiar, chiming tone sounded from the pocket of the man standing in front of him.

Yue Qi looked down at his pocket and reached in, silencing the ringing. He had a hard expression on his face - one that Shen Jiu had seen but that had never been directed at him. Shaking, Shen Jiu pocketed his phone and stood up, legs unsteady. “Is it all true?”

Crossing his arms, Yue Qi shot him a sardonic look. “What do you think, Xiao Jiu?” His voice sounded…it sounded wrong. It sounded like too much.

Shen Jiu rubbed at his temples. Yue Qi continued to glare at him. When he spoke again his words were clearer, his voice correct. “Do you really think the Sect - no, that I took you in - a cultivator with a half-baked and damaged core - out of the kindness of my heart?” He laughed harshly, shaking his head. “I think not.”

“But…You said you looked for me. In the rubble.”

Rolling his eyes, Yue Qi asked incredulously, “And you believed that?” He approached Shen Jiu, hand loosely thumbing at Xuan Su’s hilt. “Seriously, Xiao Jiu?” He looked like Yue Qi, he sounded like Yue Qi but…But he couldn’t be. This wasn’t real. It wasn’t real. It wasn’t him.

Yue Qi stopped, pursing his lips and then made a tsking sound. “I can assure you this is real. Besides, if I wanted to have found you, I would have.” He tilted his head, eyes narrowing. “And I did look through the rubble of the Qiu compound. I found quite a few sets of human remains too.” With a shrug, he said, “I figured some of them had to be yours - just an unfortunate casualty of an ‘out of control fire.’ But then you had to go and show up at the Immortal Alliance Conference, grubby and broken. So what was I supposed to do? Let you go so you could talk?”

A hot tear ran down Shen Jiu’s cheek, falling off his chin. It spattered onto the dirt beneath him. “But why?” he rasped. “Why not just kill me then? Why did you let me…” Another tear fell. Shen Jiu took a shuddering breath as he looked at Yue Qi’s cold expression.

“Why did I let you think anyone wanted you?” Cocking an eyebrow at him, Yue Qi shook his head and sighed. “Xiao Jiu, Xiao Jiu...That’s just how you saw it.” In a flash, Yue Qi was right in front of him, his face too close, his breath too hot. Sharp fingers reached out and seized Shen Jiu by the chin. “I never wanted you Shen Jiu. I just needed to keep an eye on you. Best to train a dog not to bite lest it rip your throat out.”

Shen Jiu gaped at him. He shut his mouth and swallowed heavily. Whispering, he said, “But what about the Water Prison? You came for me. You rescued me.”

Yue Qi’s eyes widened. In a flash, his expression morphed into a sneer. “Are you stupid?” He let go of Shen Jiu’s face. “Your brother was there and the entire Sect knew what had happened to you. I couldn’t leave you there without causing problems for myself.”

It’s not true.

…Is it?

“But…Everything else? It’s all…?” He couldn’t say it. The word stuck in the back of his throat like a thorn, tearing at the soft, sensitive tissue and lodging itself deep.

With a harsh laugh, Yue Qi stood up and turned away from him. Over his shoulder, he said, “Fake? Obviously. It was all just an entertaining diversion for me. It does get so dull being the Sect Leader, you know.”

Pain burst behind Shen Jiu’s eyes, clouding his vision. Yue Qi’s form hazed and fuzzed. Something was wrong. His fingers itched, his body burned, his head ached. He needed to do something. He needed this to stop.

Yue Qi turned around several yards away and spat, “Oh what, thinking of actually stabbing me in the back, Xiao Jiu? You wouldn’t dare.”

The light in the clearing pulsed around him, painting the familiar planes of Yue Qi’s face and body in a sickly yellow.

Scrabbling for Junzi Buqi, Shen Jiu’s hand found the hilt. Clasping the sword, he stood up and rushed forward.

Chapter Text

Luo Binghe stood and watched as the Old Palace Master approached Shen Jiu and spoke to him for a few moments before moving away. He left Shen Jiu standing still, eyes vacant and mouth sometimes moving around words that couldn’t be heard across the clearing. Luo Binghe remained frozen as Shen Jiu picked up his sword and charged towards nothing with an agonized cry.

He gripped Shen Yuan tighter, pulling him towards his chest. Shen Yuan flopped against him, and Luo Binghe glanced down at him. His unfocused eyes were fixed on the center of the array. Gut clenching, Luo Binghe shook him, calling out, “A-Yuan?” When he received no response or acknowledgment he raised his voice and tried again. “Shen Yuan?”

Shen Yuan looked up at him, expression vacant. “Oh, hello. Aren’t you interesting…” He smiled and reached out a hand. His fingers slowly traced along Luo Binghe’s lips. He dipped one of them into the seam and pressed against Luo Binghe’s teeth. “Oh! There’s so many!”

Luo Binghe's mind raced with how wrong this was. He would let Shen Yuan do whatever he wanted but this…Something wasn’t right.

Suddenly, Shen Yuan tensed. His eyes widened, pupils contracting to pinpoints. He pulled his hand away and began to struggle, expression pinched and desperate. His gaze was still locked on Luo Binghe’s face but instead of curiosity in the depths of his eyes, they were filled with terror. “NO!”

His shout prompted Luo Binghe to grip him tighter as Shen Yuan began to babble, words garbled and nonsensical. After several seconds, he finally caught snatches of what Shen Yuan was saying between pained noises and frantic shouts. “Please, no. Let me go…! It hurts…Don’t!...Let me go!! It burns, it burns, IT BURNS!”

With a single well timed hit backed up by a not inconsiderable amount of spiritual energy, Shen Yuan punched Luo Binghe directly in the stomach and managed to wriggle free. Grunting in pain, Luo Binghe doubled over. Why does this keep happening?

When Luo Binghe looked up, Shen Yuan had already dashed towards the center of the array, too far out of reach to be stopped. “SHEN YUAN!” he called out. Shen Yuan didn’t pause, nor did he turn around, focus single minded as he reached the outer edge of the lines etched into the earth. Luo Binghe took a single step forward and then drew up short so he wouldn’t run into the Old Palace Master, who was now standing before him.

The man smiled, sharp teeth peeking out from behind too thin lips.

“Hello, Luo Binghe.”

Shuddering at the high pitched squeal of the Old Palace Master’s voice, Luo Binghe placed his hand on Xin Mo. “What do you want?”

The Old Palace Master’s smile widened, continuing until it was spread from one ear to the other. He opened his arms in a placating gesture, extending them further than seemed possible. “I just want to talk.” His gaze momentarily flicked to Xin Mo, undisguised interest evident even with his inhuman features. “That’s an interesting weapon you’ve found.”

Xin Mo sighed. Luo Binghe moved his hand away from the sword’s hilt; it didn’t stop the low hum of voices clamoring for his attention from picking up in volume. Clenching his teeth, Luo Binghe wrapped his hands into tight fists at his sides and tried to quiet his thoughts. He glared at the Old Palace Master. “Thanks.”

Pointing at the weapon, the Old Palace Master asked, “But why is it still so heavily warded? Seems a waste, doesn’t it? Chasing me all the way here just to not use all of the tools at your disposal?”

YeswastewastewastepleasepleaseletmefreeuseuseusepleasepleasePLEASE.

Luo Binghe shook his head. Steeling himself, he took a fortifying breath and stood to his full height. He leveled a glare at the Old Palace Master. “Stop that.”

“Stop what? I’m not doing anything.”

He looked around, skin starting to feel tight. “I know you’re doing something.”

“Oh?” The Old Palace Master chuckled. “Am I?”

Xin Mo’s voices became louder. Luo Binghe looked around again. “You’re making it talk.”

Teeth glinting, the Old Palace Master asked, “What am I making talk?”

Shutting his eyes, Luo Binghe ground out, “You…You don’t hear it?”

“Hear what, Binghe? You and I are the only two talking.”

Pleasepleasewecanhelpweareyourswecangiveyouourpowerjustuseus.

Luo Binghe’s blinked his eyes open. One of them caught motion to the side. Shen Jiu had fallen to the ground, sword lying next to him, head clutched in his hands. The Old Palace Master followed his line of sight, sparing Shen Jiu a quick glance. He made a clicking sound with his tongue and then looked back at Luo Binghe with an amused expression.

“Has that sword served you well, Luo Binghe?” The Old Palace Master took a step towards him, shadows drawing tight around him. Luo Binghe braced his core and then relaxed as his body lengthened. “Have you even used it before?”

He glared down at the Old Palace Master, waiting.

The man drew himself up taller to meet Luo Binghe eye to eye. “Have you?”

Luo Binghe had. Or, he had tried to use Xin Mo.

The memory bubbled to the surface, slow and dark like molasses, clarifying into visibility as it warmed up.

After he met Tianlang-Jun, he hadn’t escaped the Abyss right away. Oh, no, not at all. He had to wait until he was summoned or until one of the other demons in the palace - Zhuzhi-Lang or Mobei-Jun specifically - were called on from the Human Realm.

Tianlang-Jun had, of course, told Luo Binghe about his other option. “You can use the sword, you know.” Luo Binghe had asked him how. Tianlang-Jun told him.

Rifts. Xin Mo could tear rifts between the Realms. All Luo Binghe had to do was master the sword’s full power and he would be able to travel between the Abyss and the Human Realm at will.

He tried to do just that. It had been awful. The first time he had tried to tear a rift in the Abyss to return to the Human Realm, he remained in the Abyss but ended up far away from Tianlang-Jun’s palace. When he tried to tear another rift, Luo Binghe found himself too exhausted to control the sword. Instead, the sword started to scream and when Luo Binghe woke up, he was covered in what appeared to be blood - some his own but most not - and missing half an arm. From several yards away, Mobei-Jun was glaring at him through the blood dripping down his face. He stalked over to Luo Binghe, hauled him up by his torn collar, and dragged him into the shadows of a nearby rock formation.

When he returned to the palace, Tianlang-Jun tutted at him. “We are powerful, my boy. But it doesn’t mean we can’t be hurt.” He paused and chuckled dryly. “Of course, we’ll heal. It just may not be…pleasant.”

Luo Binghe tried again and again to use Xin Mo to tear a portal back to the Human Realm. In doing so, he found out how unpleasant being hurt and healing could be. He watched the boiling memory with a racing heart as he was eviscerated, torn limb from limb, battered and bruised by all manner of creatures when he was in the grips of Xin Mo’s power, and, once, fully exsanguinated. Each time, he lost control of himself and Xin Mo stepped in to pilot his body. Xin Mo always led him to victory over whatever found him and caused him harm, but that victory was always at a cost to himself.

Each time he healed himself, no matter how terrible his injuries. He reattached limbs, pulled his blood back by force and screamed as it slammed into his veins. Luo Binghe set broken bones, pushed out projectiles that had been launched into his flesh. Through all of it, the sword sang to him, sighed at him, screamed with want for more. More carnage, more blood, more of Luo Binghe.

Throughout it all, even when the sword took shrieking control of his body, it had been invaluable. It had also driven Luo Binghe to the brink of madness. Each time he came out of whatever haze the sword induced, his mind would be foggy and he would feel like something was missing, the gaps filled with quiet murmuring and flashes of violence that hadn’t been there before. He eventually found he could utilize at least a fraction of the sword’s power if it was wrapped with talismans. Unfortunately, rift creation required the sword to be completely unfettered.

And yet, he still tried. Luo Binghe had been desperate to return to the Human Realm, even if it was at the cost of his own mind and body.

Eventually, his failures and inadequacies caught up with him when his unconscious form was, once again, hauled back to the palace by Mobei-Jun. After waking up in the same room he had woken up in months - maybe years - ago, Zhuzhi-Lang greeted him quietly and finally provided him with some good news.

“There’s an array we can use.”

Xin Mo grumbled in irritation. Luo Binghe breathed a sigh of relief.

As he sat up, Zhuzhi-Lang handed him a stack of talismans and a cloth embroidered with sealing wards, eyes drifting towards the far corner where Xin Mo was wrapped in shadows. Luo Binghe shook his head in thanks and set to work wrapping the sword, stomach twisted into knots at the prospect of finally escaping the Abyss. Underneath the heavy anticipation in his gut, however, was also a spike of anxiety in guilt at his failure to find a way out through his own efforts.

The memory went shiny, like a soap bubble floating in the wind. It popped with a snapping sound and Luo Binghe was back in the clearing, looking at the Old Palace Master. His grating, screeching laughter filled Luo Binghe’s senses. “So you have used it! Wonderful!” He regarded Luo Binghe thoughtfully. “But it seems you had some issues with it - the amount of power to open rifts can be quite tricky to harness, after all. Happens to the best of us.” He smirked at Luo Binghe and clapped his hands together, forming a sword seal. “Well. Not all of us of course.” A sword winked into existence next to the Old Palace Master, its sharp edge gleaming dully.

With a flick of his hand, he sent it sailing through the air towards Shen Yuan’s still form standing in the center of the array. Holding a hand up, the sword hovered above him with the point facing downward. Luo Binghe took a step towards the Old Palace Master, trails of dark qi starting to pour out of him. The Old Palace Master eyed him critically. “You may not want to move any closer.” Luo Binghe froze as the Old Palace Master twitched his fingers. The sword dropped suddenly and then came to a juddering halt. “I wonder what would have happened to your friend over there if I had just let it fall.”

The sword dipped a few inches lower. Shen Yuan didn’t move, eyes vacant and expression slack. Luo Binghe’s hand traveled to Xin Mo. He wrapped his palm around the hilt and pulled it off his back. The Old Palace Master’s smile widened, face fuzzing into pixels. It snapped back into sharp clarity seconds later.

“Stop.” Luo Binghe commanded. Xin Mo sang to him, repeating the word back until it was bouncing around his skull, multiplied and echoing.

“No.”

Luo Binghe watched the sword fall. It drove into Shen Yuan’s body and sent him crumpling to the ground. With a scream, Luo Binghe tore the remaining talismans off Xin Mo and leapt forward, snarling. He slashed at the Old Palace Master, sending an arcing sword glare at the man.

It hit home and the Old Palace Master dispersed into thousands of specks of dust.

Luo Binghe blinked. He swung his head towards Shen Yuan, blood pounding in his ears.

Shen Yuan was still standing. There was no sword. There was no blood. Shen Yuan was fine.

The Old Palace Master’s laugh rang out from behind Luo Binghe. Lurching to the side and then turning around, Luo Binghe gaped at the man standing above him. “You know, I expected more from the son of Tianlang-Jun. Although, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised since he couldn’t save his human either.”

What…?

Luo Binghe lifted Xin Mo and rushed forward. The Old Palace Master watched his approach and, just as Luo Binghe came within range, twisted his fingers into another sword form. When Luo Binghe spun Xin Mo in his hand so he could swing the sword forward, the Old Palace Master nimbly jumped away. He phased out, reappearing on Luo Binghe’s other side.

“Tch.” A small, pained sound issues from the center of the array. Spinning back around, Luo Binghe saw Shen Yuan doubled over. His hands were grasped around the blade of a sword, the tip of which was already pressed against his stomach.

“A-YUAN!” Shen Yuan didn’t look over. The sword pressed forward. With another pained sound, his form wobbled. Blood was running down his hands and dripping on the ground beneath him.

Skin heating, Luo Binghe hefted Xin Mo. With a quick turn, he threw another sword glare at the Old Palace Master. The dark slice of energy sailed towards him. It did not hit him because he was no longer there.

Luo Binghe swiveled his head around wildly. Xin Mo screamed. “STOP IT!” Luo Binghe roared.

The Old Palace Master was right behind Luo Binghe, lips so close to his ear he could feel his breath, could taste the static coming out of his mouth. “And why should I?” The Old Palace Master was in front of him. Behind his shoulder, Luo Binghe could see Shen Yuan.

He was fine. He was alive. There was no blood on the ground.

Luo Binghe shut his eyes and tried to silence Xin Mo’s calls to him. The sword had perked up as soon as he had torn the last talisman off. Luo Binghe could feel its killing intent racing through him, clouding his mind.

Usemeusemeusemekillhimuseme.

When he opened his eyes, the Old Palace Master was still in front of him. His body wavered as heat rose off of him. The air billowing towards Luo Binghe was very cold. The Old Palace Master brought his hands up and formed another sword seal. Before he could complete it, Luo Binghe thrust Xin Mo at him.

The sword pierced his shoulder and the Old Palace Master grunted. “Oh. So I suppose you’re going to keep trying to make me stop, then?” He put a hand up and pulled the blade out of his shoulder with a jerking motion. He was taller now. The wound on his shoulder oozed sluggishly. The substance coming out of it looked like an oil slick.

He formed another sword seal. Luo Binghe was not fast enough this time. The Old Palace Master disappeared again, reappearing several yards away. From the other side of the clearing, Shen Yuan screamed. Luo Binghe turned and saw him fall to the ground as a sword hacked at him.

Another sword materialized. It pierced Shen Yuan through the stomach, pinning him to the ground. Shen Yuan’s scream turned into a horrible, wet, gurgling thing. Luo Binghe rushed towards him, heart beating frantically as his vision blurred.

The Old Palace Master was right in front of him. Luo Binghe tried to push past but a well aimed kick at his chest sent him sprawling.

Shen Yuan screamed again, weaker this time. Luo Binghe looked over at him and watched as he tried to thrash.

Luo Binghe’s head ached. The array pulsed around Shen Yuan’s still body. Luo Binghe shut his eyes, a cry of anguish falling from his lips.

When he opened them again, Shen Yuan was fine. He was standing. There was no blood in the center of the array.

Staggering to his feet, Luo Binghe leaned on Xin Mo and looked around the clearing. The Old Palace Master was gone. The array pulsed. Xin Mo hummed. The dark blade of the sword thrummed in time with the array - bright, dim, bright, dim.

Shen Yuan was fine.

The Old Palace Master flickered into existence in front of Luo Binghe, smile on his face, hands already moving into place to form another sword seal. Behind the Old Palace Master’s shoulder, Shen Yuan screamed.

Luo Binghe shut his eyes. He couldn’t watch. Xin Mo called to him, pulsing and shuddering. When he opened his eyes, the Old Palace Master was grinning at him, face hungry and feral as he formed another sword seal.

Shen Yuan shrieked. Luo Binghe saw a spray of blood out of the corner of his eye. He couldn’t look. His head hurt. Xin Mo wailed. The Old Palace Master formed another sword seal.

The man’s movements were becoming faster. For Luo Binghe though, time slowed. He took a step back and looked at Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan was fine.

Luo Binghe blinked.

Shen Yuan was on the ground screaming in agony dozens of swords pierced him.

He blinked again.

Shen Yuan was dead.

The array pulsed.

Luo Binghe blinked again.

Shen Yuan was fine.

Something sharp drove into Luo Binghe’s chest. He looked down, eyes wide.

A sword. A real one. Driven into his chest where Shen Yuan had stabbed him with Xiu Ya before he fell into the Abyss.

Not just where Xiu Ya had stabbed him. The sword was Xiu Ya. Horror dawning on him, Luo Binghe looked up.

Shen Yuan smirked at him, expression cold. Mouth working, heat welled up in Luo Binghe’s eyes. “Why are you so surprised, Binghe?”

But you said…You…

Shen Yuan’s face blurred and began to fuzz. Time returned to normal. Shen Yuan was not holding the sword. The Old Palace Master was holding a nondescript blade. It was still buried in Luo Binghe’s chest.

He looked over at Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan was fine.

Luo Binghe was not.

His eyes danced back to the Old Palace Master. His smile filled Luo Binghe’s vision. His horrible laughter lurked underneath Xin Mo’s shrieking.

Luo Binghe started to uncoil, the tight control he had been keeping in place starting to unspool, slowly at first and then speeding up. Xin Mo made a questioning sound. Luo Binghe answered it.

Go.

The sword shot out of his hand in a dark flash.

Luo Binghe coldly regarded the impaled body of the Old Palace Master. The man’s hateful eyes were still dancing, colors shifting and warping and blurring as a piece of Luo Binghe whipped out and wrapped itself around his neck.

The Old Palace Master choked out a rasping laugh. Blood accompanied the sound, a thin stream of it sliding out the side of his mouth and down his pale cheek. “Oh. You did it.” Another horrible rasping laugh burst forth from the Old Palace Master’s lips. Luo Binghe tightened the hold he had around the man’s neck.

“Ahhh, you fool.” He murmured, voice strong and echoing in Luo Binghe’s head. “Nothing like your father, now are you? Much too preoccupied with distractions.”

The Old Palace Master’s lips had not moved. His face was pale and his eyes were dim. Luo Binghe’s skin shifted as he lifted the Old Palace Master’s body in front of him and shook it. The Old Palace Master flashed him one last, bloody smile and then his head fell forward. Xin Mo slid out from his body and hovered in front of Luo Binghe, preening and celebrating.

The body of the Old Palace Master gave a single, long, shuddering twitch. The sound of crackling static snapped throughout the clearing as the array lit up. The space temporarily filled with a blinding yellow light.

Xin Mo wailed. The Old Palace Master’s body was lying on the ground before Luo Binghe. It was still. Luo Binghe looked at Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan was fine.

When he looked back down at the Old Palace Master, he staggered back, nearly tripping over his own feet.

The Old Palace Master’s body was phasing away, pulsing in time with the array. Another rumbling crack echoed in the clearing and the blinding light from before returned.

When Luo Binghe opened his eyes again, blinking the spots out of his vision, the Old Palace Master’s body was gone and in its place was a rift. Blood running cold, he screamed and hefted Xin Mo as the creatures pouring out of the rift set a course for Shen Yuan.

His body felt too small and too hot. Luo Binghe blinked. When he opened his eyes, he had changed. Around him, the shadows undulated and twisted. In one of his hands, Xin Mo sang.

Luo Binghe was not fine.

Chapter 27

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

The world cracked and split with a groaning, shuddering cry. Shen Yuan opened his eyes and tried to move.

He couldn’t. He was frozen, body standing still in the center of the array they had stumbled upon after running through the woods after the Old Palace Master.

His limbs refused to respond. His skin was too tight, his blood was too hot. He looked around - gaze flicking to and fro, neck moving at a grindingly slow pace. It took his eyes several long moments to adjust to the pulsing light surrounding him. His brother was swinging his sword, motions erratic as he fought…nothing. Shen Jiu was fighting nothing. Shen Yuan tried to call out but his lips refused to obey.

Frantic movement caught his attention from across the clearing. He saw Luo Binghe. Or, at least he thought it was Luo Binghe. It had to be him because who else could look like that? With too many teeth, too many eyes, too tall, too long, too blurry, too much, too much. TOO MUCH.

Shen Yuan couldn’t look away from him or the massive, dark bladed sword whistling through the air around him. He didn’t look right - even though Shen Yuan had seen him like this, had known him to be this. There was just something else in that moment that made Shen Yuan feel repelled by him.

But still, his gaze remained fixed on Luo Binghe. His eyes tracked every shifting, jerking movement of the man - the creature - across the clearing. It made Shen Yuan’s head throb and his skin burn. He blinked, hoping to clear the blurring lines of Luo Binghe. When he opened his eyes, he couldn’t get them to fully focus.

He blinked again.

Luo Binghe was there, holding Xin Mo double handed as he slashed at the air. Body distinctly human again, he continued to hack away at unseen foes. Shen Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and shut his eyes. He’s at least alive and he’s back.

When he looked at Luo Binghe again, it was not the same one he had seen seconds before. It was the other one - the one with gnashing teeth situated in an undulating body with too many eyes. Luo Binghe’s maws opened as Xin Mo sliced through nothingness. The sound of metal rubbing together erupted from the depths of his body. Luo Binghe blurred and fuzzed and then he was standing there again in his human form, eyes wild, holding Xin Mo aloft.

He watched as Luo Binghe ran his sword through the Old Palace Master’s body. The Old Palace Master’s face twisted in glee as he placed his hands on Xin Mo’s blade, pulling the sword out. Seconds later, he crumpled to the ground and stopped moving.

Luo Binghe, however, did not stop moving. He pressed Xin Mo forward again, form treading over the still Old Palace Master. The pressure around Shen Yuan dropped as the air began to shimmer and the light in the clearing dimmed before becoming painfully bright.

Another rumbling, tearing sound rang out around him.

Shen Yuan’s throat tightened as the pain in his temples reached a crescendo. Falling to his knees, he buried his face in his hands and tried to breath around his hammering heart.

The aching in his head pulsed. It spread down his neck, eased down his spine, infused its way into his arms, dripped into his torso, and slipped down his legs. It felt as though a heavy weight were pressing against him from all sides. Another crack sounded out - this time like the sound of a thin piece of glass breaking under too much strain.

Shen Yuan screamed as the crack became a gap within him. The weight around him shuddered and then slammed into his body, threatening to send him flat on his face. Just before he pitched forward, the weight settled, wrapping itself around his Core and then gently caressing it.

He breathed a sigh of relief. The sigh became a choke as the weight pressed inward on his Core, rolling itself around it as it prodded at it. It slid into his meridians and twisted. His mouth continued to scream as he tried to frantically circulate his qi to clear the invader.

It seized on something and pulled, wrapping itself tighter. Then, the weight settled. The pain in Shen Yuan’s head cleared, gone so quickly that he sobbed in relief.

He tried to stand. His body failed to obey. His Core pulsed and Shen Yuan concentrated as he tried to circulate his qi.

What…?

Dark fire flashed sharp and brightly hot through his meridians. Something was wrong. He felt wrong.

Something slid through his meridians, coiling into his veins. It brushed against the outside of his thoughts.

Someone else was there.

Who is it?

“Tch.” Shen Yuan’s mouth was moving.

Shen Yuan had not spoken.

“Took you long enough.” He felt his face slide into a slow, lazy smirk as his body stood up. His hands brushed off the dirt and dust caked to his pants.

Shen Yuan tried to move again. Searing pain lanced through him, tearing at his mind and ripping at his Core. His body failed to respond.

“You should probably stop that. You’ll injure yourself, you know. Well. Not that it will matter all that much.”

Shen Yuan tried to frown. He could not. He tried to speak, to ask who was controlling him. His mouth didn’t move.

Finally, he settled on focusing inward.

What are you talking about?

His mouth laughed.

How am I laughing? What is this? WHO is this?

Shen Yuan tried to again move his hand so he could pinch himself, hoping he was dreaming.

An echoing, pained cry ripped through the clearing. The sound of a sword meeting flesh followed shortly after.

Shen Yuan could not move his hand. He was not dreaming.

His head shook from side to side and then his face was tilted upward at a sky full of sickly chartreuse colored clouds. They moved and twisted as pinpoint bursts of light illuminated them from within. One of the spots of light shook and pulsed ominously before a shattering noise rang out.

A rift was opening - a massive one, the seam of which appeared to spread across the entire visible sky. Shen Yuan smiled.

Shen Yuan wanted to scream.

“You know,” his voice said sedately, “we thought you were smarter than this, Shen Yuan. Although, we do suppose it makes sense that you’re not, what with your human limitations and all. Even with the influence of that hybrid.” His voice spat the word as though it were poison.

What are you talking about? Why can’t I move??

Shen Yuan’s eyes rolled and his grin widened, broader than it should have been. His tongue ran over his myriad rows of sharp teeth. “Why, we’re you now, Shen Yuan.” He laughed, his voice like but unlike his own, amplified and echoing in his skull. “Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that you are us now.”

Shen Yuan’s thoughts sputtered around the words he sought to convey without using his voice. Even with the false confidence he was trying to project, Shen Yuan could tell he sounded afraid.

What the hell does that even mean??

A shriek and a thunderous boom sounded off to the side. Shen Yuan’s head slowly turned towards the noise. His mouth sighed. Shen Jiu was on his knees, sword still gripped in his hand, face stuck in a rictus of terror and agony as huge sobs wracked his body. The splintered remains of a tree lay before him.

Shen Yuan’s heart stuttered. I need to help him!!

“Oh shut up, he’s fine. Physically anyway. As far as the rest of him, well. Nothing to be done for that right now.” Shen Yuan’s hand flicked out and Shen Jiu crumpled to the ground.

NO! He felt a single finger twitch in response. His hand quickly curled into a fist as his mouth tutted at him.

“Ah, now, now. None of that.” His hand relaxed. Shen Yuan tried to move his finger - any of them. They did not respond.

“We didn’t kill him. It would be a waste of time at this point.”

Waste of time? And who is ‘we?’

Shen Yuan’s arms crossed and his head cocked to the side in amusement. “Mmm, still haven’t guessed? And you’ve known us for so long, too,” his voice chided. “We would be ‘hurt’ if we were capable of it.”

What are you talking about?

“You’ve been listening to us and talking to us for years now, Shen Yuan. While it’s hard to believe, we aren’t really surprised - what with how humans generally are.” His arm waved around in a lazy, flapping gesture as though this statement made any sense whatsoever.

Shen Yuan wanted to suck in a sharp breath but found he couldn’t. The voice. It…They? What were they?

“We are the System.”

His mind ground to a halt as a cacophony of voices washed over him, sending a shot of searing hot pain lancing through his mind as they began to overlap and converge. Once the voices faded away, the System was laughing.

The System? As in the one that…that sends us on night hunts? I thought…I thought you were cultivators? Why are you here? Why are you inside of me?

The System laughed, louder this time. “We needed a body with a connection to the Abyss. And you just happened to survive an injury from an Abyssal weapon. We’re sure you remember the Skinner demon? Your little hybrid dog saved you which just so happened to put you into the right place at the right time for our needs.” They made a considering noise before continuing, “And we are cultivators, in a sense - much like the rest of our kind. You humans would call our cultivation method ‘manipulation.’” They smiled. “We, however, have been ‘cultivating’ with this method for millenia.”

Shen Yuan could feel the undisguised mirth in the System words. The light around his body pulsed ominously. He felt something creeping through his veins. Once it filled them, it seeped out into the surrounding tissue. He wanted to scream but he knew it would be futile.

The System looked down at the array and then over at Luo Binghe. Shen Yuan’s thoughts swirled anxiously as his eyes locked on what was happening across the clearing. Luo Binghe had thrust Xin Mo into one of the array lines and was in the process of wrenching the sword’s tip out of the ground. He staggered back as the sword pulled free and then stabbed it again, burying the sword deeper than it had been before. The array line throbbed and the light surrounding Shen Yuan’s body blazed around him. Through the brightness, Shen Yuan could see shadows soaring out of Xin Mo and into the array line.

“Ah. Excellent. It won’t be long now.”

The array thrummed around them as a low pitched hum filled the air. Shen Yuan’s thoughts raced as he frantically tried to access his Core. Until what? Deep in his abdomen, he felt a barely discernible twitch. He seized on it and asked again. Won’t be long until what??

The System crossed their arms and shut their eyes. “For the merge. Now, be quiet.”

Shen Yuan wanted to flee. Instead, he focused on the fading twitch he had felt and thought as loudly as he could. NO! YOU CAN’T!

The System opened their eyes. Shen Yuan’s skin felt tight. He took a deep shuddering breath that was cut off with a disgruntled noise. “Do you really think your protests matter to us? Your struggling will get you nowhere.” Shen Yuan wanted to struggle more - that single breath had felt like coming up for air after being underwater for too long.

But what about the Old Palace Master?? Surely he tried to stop you? He tried to inhale another breath. He was halfway through the motion when his chest seized as a crushing pressure bore down on him.

“That fool? Psh. No. He was quite amenable to working with us.” Shen Yuan tried to inhale again, this time with no success.

“It seems you humans don’t do well with words.” His body stood still even as his thoughts screamed in pain. “So we’ve learned that sometimes other methods are effective.”

His ribs creaked and began to bow inward. “We also don’t need you to be fully intact for this. Just mostly.”

Shen Yuan quieted his thoughts and pulled himself inward. The vice around his chest loosened.

How.

“What?”

How did you get here?

The System paused and then burst into sharp, caustic laughter. “Humans, obviously. Your kind have been doing what we have for ages - manipulating each other, lying, influencing each other to act.” Shen Yuan sent a solitary thought back to the spot in his abdomen that twitched. The energy hiding there gave him an aching sense of familiarity. Gently, so gently, he pushed his will towards it.

So why now?

The System stared at Luo Binghe as his mouths opened in a silent scream while Xin Mo’s shadows spun around him. A small rift had opened near him and beasts poured out of it and took flight, or went careening through the woods, or disappeared in a wink. “Because we can. Because we want to. Because we wish to be able to have power such that none - Heavenly Demon or otherwise - will be able to challenge us.” They huffed out a laugh. “It is convenient though.”

What is? Shen Yuan pressed further forward, slowly, so slowly.

“The hybrid. His foolish mother and that Heavenly Demon obsessed with her made it convenient for us, delivering us the perfect carrier for Xin Mo.” The System cocked their head. “She died and we thought he had too, but well…” They gestured at Luo Binghe, who was filling more space than seemed reasonable across the clearing, “Obviously not. We thought it would be more of an issue for us, but it turns out the hybrid’s half human nature is just perfect for our plans.”

Why? Shen Yuan had a feeling he knew why but he knew he needed to keep stalling. He pressed more of his thoughts towards that little spot that was starting to pulse gently. He could just feel his meridians starting to respond. He just needed a little more time

“Oh, well humans are easier to influence. You know, ‘manipulate,’ that sort of thing.” The System chuckled. “For example, you all so handily walked into our array and well, we did design it so our power would be amplified. Shocking that none of you realized it, actually. You are such powerful cultivators after all.” They snorted before continuing, “Once you all passed through the outer edges of the array, it was an easy thing to influence the hybrid, what with his poor control of Xin Mo and apparently poor control of his non-human self.” The System was still staring at Binghe.

Shen Yuan was still looking at Binghe.

It hurt to look.

He couldn’t stop.

The sky rumbled and Shen Yuan paused, pulling his focus away from his Core as his thoughts spiraled. He needed to act faster. This wouldn’t work. It was taking…

“We can hear you, you know.” The System crouched down and pressed their hands against the lines array. “Your thoughts are irritating and we don’t need you awake. You just need to be in this body to serve as a conduit.”

What does that mean?

“We’ll show you.”

The pulsing light from the array started to coalesce around him. It twined against his arms and caressed his skin as it hissed and whipped around him. Shen Yuan could feel his skin tightening as his thoughts raced. The light sank into him, entering through his pores, sliding down his throat, filling his nose with its choking heat.

The System stood still as Shen Yuan tried to struggle. He wanted to scream, he wanted to tear at the air around him. Instead, he thrust his thoughts inward and towards his Core, racing to it before the energy pouring into him could reach. He slammed his consciousness against it.

The flow of energy stopped and the System shook its head. “What are you doing?”

Shen Yuan didn’t respond, using all of his attention to try and crack his Core. If he could self-detonate then…

“Oh, absolutely not, little human.” His thoughts were shoved back. Mind scrambling, he tried again, throwing himself towards the weak hum deep within him. His eyes rolled as the System pushed him back again, harder this time, sending his resolve scattering.

“We don’t have time for this.” With a sigh, they said, “We didn’t want to have to do this but we suppose it will be easier.”

A crushing weight pressed down on Shen Yuan. What are you doing?!

“Since you refuse to cooperate with us, we’re just going to send you away for a while until we need you.”

His heart rate kicked up. The System frowned and forced it to slow.

Are you going to kill me?

They paused. They began to laugh. “Oh no, Shen Yuan. That would defeat the point of all of this.” They smiled, slow and oily. “No, we are just going to send you to sleep for a while so we can finish our preparations.”

The array lines twined back up his body, leaving a trail of heat followed by burning cold in their wake. The crushing pressure increased. Shen Yuan tried to grasp at something - his Core, the sight of Luo Binghe crouched over Xin Mo with his teeth bared and his eyes squeezed shut, the trees around him - but it was useless. No sound accompanied him as he slipped off into darkness.

The air shifted. Luo Binghe looked up from where his eyes had been fixed on the tip of Xin Mo towards the center array.

Shen Yuan wasn’t there anymore.

His body was there. But Shen Yuan wasn’t there.

Xin Mo wailed at him to keep his hands grasped around it. Shen Yuan’s body slipped out of the array. It glided towards him, movements too quick, too smooth.

“Well, well. Look at you, Luo Binghe.”

He glared at the not Shen Yuan before him, teeth bared. He needed to stand up. He needed to find Shen Yuan. “Where…” he managed to croak before Xin Mo sent a backlash of energy into him, stealing the air from his lungs.

“Where is he?” The not Shen Yuan smiled at him, eyes dancing. “He’s gone.

Gonegonegone??Where?Goneforever??

Not Shen Yuan looked down at him, head cocked. “You can see him again though.”

A pitiful noise slipped out from the back of his throat. He gripped Xin Mo and took a deep breath, fighting back the screeching in his skull. “How?” he gritted out before his mouth shifted and his throat warped, making him incapable of speech.

“Why, if you just give in to that sword of yours.”

Luo Binghe jerked his head up. He couldn’t…He knew…

Butyoucan.Surrendersurrenderletususeyou.

He…could? Yes.

The not Shen Yuan crouched down and stared at him, those familiar eyes still shining behind Shen Yuan’s glasses. “Yes, Luo Binghe. Surrender. Just let go.”

Luo Binghe let his eyes slip shut. He could see Shen Yuan. Besides, what use was there in keeping himself here if Shen Yuan was gone?

“Yes,” the not Shen Yuan cooed. “Just let yourself rest and let Xin Mo take care of everything. Haven’t you suffered enough?”

Xin Mo chattered around him, calling out, reassuring him that he had done enough and that he should go see Shen Yuan.

Luo Binghe let out a heaving sigh. Xin Mo howled in triumph as Luo Binghe let himself fall away.

Shen Yuan was pissed. When he woke up - which he now knew was not waking up - he was in the desert and the umbrella was there next to him.

“What the fuck,” he grumbled to himself, picking the umbrella up and opening it before his skin could start to peel and char. He knew how this went. With a glance towards the copse of trees, he took a step forward and was there in seconds.

Why was he here? Why now? And what the hell had happened to his body? He wasn’t dead - probably.

But then again that might not be true for long if the System had anything to say about it.

At least he was in control of this body. He reached the clearing and flopped down on the mossy ground, waiting. He…He didn’t know what he was waiting for though. Luo Binghe was back in the Human Realm, hands gripped around Xin Mo, fighting countless horrible creatures in that clearing near the Luo River.

Shen Yuan was alone. That thought sank in and the irritation he had been feeling faded away into an aching emptiness.

He was alone, the world was ending, and Luo Binghe was…

Shen Yuan pulled his legs close to his chest, resting his cheek on them. He needed to wake up. But how?

Or…Maybe…

The System had said it needed him and that it would bring him back when it was done with its “preparations.”

Maybe he just needed to stay asleep. At least until he could think of something else.

With a quiet sigh, he laid down on the moss and stared at the sepia sky, eyes wandering.

He startled back to a seated position when he heard a light creaking sound. The pressure in the clearing dropped as heat crowded around him. He blinked and when he opened his eyes Luo Binghe was standing in front of him, face pinched and mouth drawn tight. Shen Yuan gaped up at him. Luo Binghe stared at him for one silent second and then dropped to his knees with a quiet sob.

“A-Yuan!”

Shen Yuan wrapped his arms around Luo Binghe pulling him close. “Binghe…? How did you get here?”

Luo Binghe buried his face into Shen Yuan’s shirt. “I thought you were gone.”

Frowning, Shen Yuan pulled back and looked down at him. “Gone?”

Eyes damp, Luo Binghe looked up at him. “You…Um.” He paused and furrowed his brow. “The not you told me you were gone and I just…Assumed.”

Sighing, Shen Yuan pulled Luo Binghe towards again, wrapping him in a tight hug. “No, I’m not gone. They put my consciousness to sleep.”

“They?”

“The System.”

Luo Binghe took a startled step back, “What?!”

Nodding, Shen Yuan said, “They took over my body - long story, but it has to do with uh…ok. Remember when I was injured by the Skinner demon and you saved me?” Luo Binghe nodded. “Apparently surviving the injury from the Skinner demon’s Abyssal weapon gave me a connection to the Abyss and when you saved me, well it sort of made it a permanent thing I think? And so now I just…have that? In me? Or maybe as part of me I’m not exactly sure.” Luo Binghe blinked at him and then looked away, cheeks having pinked when Shen Yuan mentioned the Skinner Demon. Clearing his throat, Shen Yuan continued, “Anyway, they needed me for the Realm Merge and well.” He shrugged.

“The merge…” Luo Binghe looked at him, eyes wide. “Oh…”

Shen Yuan watched his face cloud and darken. Luo Binghe looked around wildly. “We need to get out of here.”

Shen Yuan stood up and dusted himself off, alarm from Luo Binghe spreading through him like sludge. “But how? I was just going to wait until they called me back. I figured I had some time to work out a plan while I waited.”

Luo Binghe was making a slow circuit of the clearing, eyes darting around. “That would be fine except for the damage…”

“Damage?”

Luo Binghe turned around, a tight expression on his face. “I gave up control to Xin Mo.”

“YOU DID WHAT?” Shen Yuan shouted, voice cutting through the clearing.

Luo Binghe winced and held up his hands, “I thought…Um.” He dropped his hands, mumbling, “I thought you were gone…”

Shen Yuan started walking over to Luo Binghe, hand reached out. He took four steps before he froze.

He could feel the System trying to pull him back. He stood still, eyes wild. Tensing, he pulled himself tight and waited.

They tried again. Shen Yuan gritted his teeth. “Binghe,” he ground out.

Luo Binghe was next to him already, a steadying hand on his arm. “The System?”

Shen Yuan nodded tightly, eyes squeezed shut. “They’re trying to pull me back.” Tension coiled around his Core.

His Core.

The System needed him intact. He had tried it while he was awake and they had stopped him. But these dreams were so real. And Binghe had said that things done in the Dream Realm could affect the individual’s body - that there could be “physical side effects” that manifested once the individual awakes, especially after particularly intense dreams. And if this wasn’t an intense dream, then he didn’t know what would actually qualify as one.

So maybe…

“Binghe, I have an idea.”

“No.”

Luo Binghe shook his head, backing away. Shen Yuan glared at him, face pinched and teeth clenched together. He was holding Xiu Ya in his hand - it had appeared shortly after Shen Yuan had ground out that he had an idea, summoned into being by a mere thought.

“No, Shen Yuan.”

“Binghe, please,” Shen Yuan clenched his free hand into a fist, body tensing. The edges of his form blurred. His eyes widened, desperation clouding their depths.

Please.”

Luo Binghe shook his head frantically. “I can’t.”

Shen Yuan’s entire body flickered and then resolidified. He locked eyes with Luo Binghe and gave him a small, sad smile. “Alright,” hee sighed. “Then I’ll do it.” He held Xiu Ya out in front of him as far as his arms would reach, the tip pointed towards his abdomen.

Eyes wide, Luo Binghe tried to rush over, he tried to stop him. “NO!”

“I’m sorry, Binghe,” Shen Yuan murmured.

Before Luo Binghe could lay his hands on him, Shen Yuan thrust the sword into his abdomen, right where his Core was located.

Notes:

Got a bit behind with posting because of life stuff! The next update will take this through the end and it should be up within the next two weeks! Thanks for reading so far!

Chapter Text

The System screamed as intense pain ripped through their body. This wasn’t right! They had been trying to call back the little human! He may have been willful but the System knew they were more powerful than him.

A cracking sound boomed around them. It was followed by an intense blast of heat.

Luo Binghe’s previously unconscious form stood before them, eyes blazing, Xin Mo gripped in one of his hands. “You,” he growled.

A weak laugh echoed in the System’s head. They shook it back and forth, trying to clear the sound. The laugh grew louder then cut off. It was followed by a pained, shuddering sound.

Shen Yuan’s voice followed soon after, barely a whisper. Seems you don’t have much time to finish your plans.

Luo Binghe took a lurching step towards them. The array pulsed.

“What did you do?!” The System shrieked across the clearing.

The laugher was weaker this time. Just decided to make sure you can’t use me in your plans.

Pain lanced through the System’s abdomen, sending a flood of molten qi rushing through their meridians. Luo Binghe’s footsteps echoed throughout the clearing as he drew closer. The array pulsed again. The Rift in the sky widened.

The System could work with this. This would be fine. The Rift wasn’t quite large enough but they could force it. Their plan could still work.

Can you though? Do you have enough time? The System’s body convulsed with a wracking cough. I suppose I didn’t get a direct hit but it's kind of hard to do that when you’re stabbing yourself.

“WHAT?!”

Oh? You didn’t ‘figure it out?’ Their muscles seized up and then relaxed. Luo Binghe swiped at them with Xin Mo. They danced back - more of an inartful stumble - and narrowly missed being hit by Luo Binghe’s dark tipped claws.

You sent me to sleep. You sent me to my dreams.

“Dreams?” They spun, heel catching on a root. Crashing to the ground, the System rolled out of the way as Xin Mo came crashing down next to them. Scrambling to their feet they dashed across the clearing.

Yes. My dreams. Shen Yuan’s voice had faded further. Or perhaps it would be better to say you sent me to the Dream Realm?

“Dream Realm? How did you end up there?” Luo Binghe swung Xin Mo again. The blade whistled through the air and a dark sword glare came racing towards them. The System was too slow this time and just missed having their arm sliced completely off. Hissing in pain, they clapped their hand over the deep gash the attack had left behind.

Binghe.

The hybrid. Again. How had that creature…Oh. Oooh. Now they understood.

Meng Mo. That old fool. The System knew he considered himself a neutral party but hadn’t realized that the hybrid had met him or learned his techniques.

No matter. They could find whatever hidey-hole he had retreated to and deal with him later.

Luo Binghe loped across the clearing, a jagged cry falling from his mouth. The System turned again to run and then crashed to their knees, body starting seizing. Oh, I suppose that would be my Core breaking apart. Turns out when you harm your form in the Dream Realm you can do some real damage to your waking one. A wheeze. So, what do you think? Sucks, right? The wheezing words broke off into a pained chuckle.

“YOU…!” Two of Luo Binghe’s arms seized them by the shoulders and slammed them back against the ground. Xin Mo hovered impatiently nearby, howling as energy swirled around it, singing and crying out to the hybrid.

You’re trying to destroy our Core??

Shen Yuan’s weak voice made a smug sound. Indeed I am.

WHY.

Well, why not. If you succeed, the world ends. And honestly, I don’t really want that. So I decided that I would choose another path - for myself at least - since everything would be destroyed anyway if I didn’t. Besides. Another weak sound of pain. It’ll stop you from getting what you want.

What about your…! Luo Binghe picked them up, a long clawed hand wrapped around their neck. They tried to suck in a breath but found that they were unable to.

Binghe? Shen Yuan sighed. I… He paused. I wish it didn’t have to be like this but maybe if the Realms don’t merge he can control what he is.

Ahhhh, this little fool. The distraction had afforded them enough time to think through how to deal with this minor set back. Easy enough when the tool they could use to fix it was right there in front of the.

Luo Binghe’s grip tightened as he drew his face close to the System’s. They began to laugh, a reedy wheezing sound. “Oh, you think that will stop him?”

What?

They infused as much satisfaction as they could into that word. Thank you for letting us know what you did while we still have time to fix it.

WHAT?! The System took a deep breath and went limp in Luo Binghe’s grasp. They then began to shudder and jerk, playing up the motions. After several seconds, they let all of the tension drain out of their body as they raised weary eyes to gaze at Luo Binghe’s features in all of their inhuman glory.

Luo Binghe tilted his head and blinked, eyes narrowing as they glared at him. The System smiled at him gently and slowly raised a trembling hand, placing it on the huge paw holding him by the throat. “Binghe…” The voice that came out of their mouth - gentle, soft, adoring - made the hybrid’s hand loosen further. “Put me down, Binghe. It worked. They’re gone.” A spark of clarity returned to Luo Binghe’s eyes as he began to lower them.

What are you doing?!

Dealing with your mistake.

“Good boy,” they crooned as their feet touched the forest floor. Gritting their teeth against the sharp pain in their abdomen they pitched forward. Luo Binghe caught them.

“A-Yuan…?”

BINGHE NO.

“I got rid of them…of the System. It worked,” they murmured into Luo Binghe’s chest, a slow smile spreading across their face even as Shen Yuan’s weakening presence tried to seize control of their body. If they could just convince the hybrid to feed them some qi…

“Binghe…Can you…” They held a wrist up weakly. Luo Binghe took it, movements delicate.

BINGHE DON’T!

“A-Yuan, I thought you were gone…” Luo Binghe murmured as he pressed a long, sharp clawed digit to the System’s wrist. The System kept its face pressed against his broad chest, holding themself still as the bones and tendons underneath their cheek popped and split. A soft lick of qi flowed into them and they relaxed as it made its winding way to their damaged Core. With a soft sigh, they waited.

Shen Yuan wanted to howl. He could feel his Core knitting itself back together, the cracks fitting against each other like jagged puzzle pieces, as Luo Binghe dazedly fed his body qi. He could hear the qi running through his thoughts as Xin Mo chattered underneath of it, prodding it along as his meridians filled with the mix of spiritual and demonic energy.

No.

He was weak and knew he had caused some real damage to himself. Luo Binghe knew, too, if the care with which he was treating Shen Yuan’s body was any indication. But, with Xin Mo screaming at him, Luo Binghe couldn’t see that it wasn’t Shen Yuan he was actually helping.

All of that for nothing. All of that just to fail because the System once again played someone's desires in a way that turned those same desires into a weapon.

The Systems continued to calmly murmur to Luo Binghe that they were beginning to feel better, that Binghe was helping them, that soon they could return to the Sect, that everything would be fine. Binghe made noises of assent, increasing the flow of energy as he held Shen Yuan's body like it was something precious. Xin Mo was still screaming, the noise bouncing around Shen Yuan like echoes in a cave.

Shen Yuan’s frustration clouded thoughts raced. There had to be a solution. Low, soothing words continue to spill from Shen Yuan’s mouth, lies spat by the System to convince Luo Binghe that Shen Yuan himself was still controlling his body. Luo Binghe whined. Xin Mo shrieked.

The System was paying attention to Luo Binghe. Luo Binghe was paying attention to the System.

No one was paying attention to Shen Yuan.

Hey… Shen Yuan ventured. No response.

Distracted. The System was distracted, thinking they had quelled Shen Yuan, that he had given up since he was no longer struggling or fighting or yelling. Shen Yuan could work with this. Sure, if they caught on he would probably be absorbed by the System fully but…well…

But if it didn't work, at least he had tried. Not that it would matter at that point anyway but he could spend the last moments of his independent existence with that knowledge, knowing that he had fought and didn't give in.

Shen Yuan had been serious when he told the System that he wanted to choose how he would cease to exist if it was going to happen anyway. The System had, apparently, failed to consider that Shen Yuan had truly meant it.

He steeled himself. Then, Shen Yuan let go. Not only did he let go, he opened his thoughts and sank into the System, allowing it to pull him in.

Funny enough, it didn’t hurt. Rather, it felt like sinking into deep, motionless fog. It wrapped around him and drew him downwards, warm and stifling and ever present. It didn’t feel bad but it certainly didn’t feel good either. Still, Shen Yuan knew he needed to keep some of himself separate, solely so he could carry out his plan.

If he couldn’t end this in the Dream Realm, he would end it here. He told himself it would work. It had to work.

Either the world would end - taking Luo Binghe and everyone else he loved with it - or Shen Yuan would end. There were no other options.

The body around him jerked and then in a flash, his thoughts were inundated with a cacophony of voices. They battled with each other, asking him who he was, where was he from, why was he here, how long had he been here, when would they be able to leave.

Shen Yuan tried to shut them out. He tamped down on the urge to let their questions wash over him, to let their questions consume him. He focused on his meridians, letting the System race through them, allowing the voices to run free and fill him. His body twitched, tensing and relaxing. He felt the sense of self-satisfaction thrum through his veins as the System caught on to Shen Yuan’s actions.

While the System was still distracted with what it thought was victory and with Luo Binghe, Shen Yuan delved deeper into the voices, mixing with them, letting them brush against him and buffet him towards his goal. When he reached his Core, he paused and waited.

Nothing. It wasn’t silent around him but no one - the System or one of their many voices - was talking to him. No one was paying him any heed. He was just another part of the System.

Or at least, that’s what Shen Yuan hoped the System believed.

Slowly, he pressed against his Core, pushing aside other souls and voices. He channeled what was left of himself against it, battering with his weakening strength against his Core as he tried to break through the still closing cracks.

One of the voices near him made a curious sound. Another one echoed it. A quiet chorus of voices began to question what he was doing, how he was doing it, why was he doing it.

Shen Yuan ignored them and pushed harder, still fighting the urge to fully join the voices in their endless murmuring. He felt the edge of a crack give and then a soft chiming sound rang out, quieting the voices around him. A silky, thin thread of qi leaked out of his Core and Shen Yuan seized it, focusing on the feeling of gripping something tight and wrapping it around himself like a lifeline.

He pulled on the tendril of qi and sensed the moment the System snapped its attention to him.

What do you–!

Shen Yuan focused and pulled harder. Some of the delicate scaffolding that Luo Binghe had constructed to knit his Core back together collapsed and more qi bled out.

He opened their eyes and jerked back from Luo Binghe.

The System frowned and tried to lean back against Luo Binghe. Shen Yuan pulled further away, forcing them to take a step back. What are you doing?

Ending us.

You tried that already.

Yeah but not like this. Not from the inside. He yanked on the thread of qi and the System gasped.

STOP IT. It won’t work! I’ll just make him fix your Core again!

Luo Binghe stared at them. “A-Yuan, are you ok?”

Shen Yuan’s heart thumped in his chest. He wanted to rush to Luo Binghe, he wanted to hold him and tell him that yes, he was.

But he knew he couldn’t. And he knew that he wouldn’t be ok - not for long at least. He could already feel the grasping, desperate claws of the other souls the System had absorbed tearing at him, siphoning off his will so he could join them - fully and permanently this time.

The System looked at Luo Binghe. Shen Yuan looked at Luo Binghe. He wanted to apologize again.

The System wouldn’t let him. Instead, they howled as they reached out towards Luo Binghe, arms open. “Binghe, come here.”

Luo Binghe took a lurching step forward and fell atop them, his bulk pressing them to the forest floor. “Binghe,” Shen Yuan murmured, hand moving up to cup his chin.

“A-Yuan?”

The System pushed the hybrid off of them. “Get off of me, beast.”

Luo Binghe pulled away with a noise of distress, expression wild.

They snarled at him. “You heard me.” Shen Yuan tried to force his arm to move. The System fought him. He grasped at the line of qi that was now a steady stream and wrapped it tighter around himself. He dropped his hand just as the System took control of his mouth.

“Binghe, come back.”

“Binghe, don’t!”

Luo Binghe blinked at them. “What…?”

The System scrabbled away, their back hitting a tree. “Why won’t you give up?”

Shen Yuan managed to shrug, “I already told you. No reason not to.” He grimaced. The System wiped the expression off their face. Shen Yuan managed to eke out, “Besides, it’s too loud and too crowded in here.”

Shen Yuan cast his eyes up to Luo Binghe. “Binghe. You have to kill me.”

Luo Binghe shook his head. “No. I already told you I…I…” Xin Mo jumped into his hand, the promise of blood making it glow bright.

“BINGHE, PLEASE!”

The System grinned. “Yes, Binghe. Please. Kill us.”

“Stop trying to buy yourself time.” Shen Yuan grit his teeth together.

“No.” The System opened their eyes wide, schooling their expression into one of desperation and said again, “Binghe, please. End us.”

“Us…?” Luo Binghe’s brow furrowed as the shadows around him billowed outward. “You said you were Shen Yuan.”

The System put its hands up in a placating gesture. “I am.” The expression of concern on Luo Binghe’s face cleared.

“NO!” Shen Yuan managed to grit out. “They’re not me Binghe!”

Shut up.

Shen Yuan tried to gain control again. He couldn’t. The rope of qi he had wrapped around himself slackened and began to slip away. The chattering of voices around him rose. They were so loud. He wanted to join them.

But first he needed to make Luo Binghe see the truth. At least Shen Yuan could give him that. Then he could slip away. Maybe it would be like falling asleep.

Ah.

“Binghe, ask me about what the dream looks like,” he managed to force out in a tight whisper.

The System clamped their mouth shut, staring mutinously at Luo Binghe. Luo Binghe cocked his head to the side warily. Yes Binghe, ask them. ASK!

“A-Yuan…” Luo Binghe leaned forward, eyes intense. “What does your Dream Realm look like?”

The System prodded at Shen Yuan. He forced his thoughts to remain blank save for a repeated litany of bland words and even blander visuals. White space. All white. Populated with nothing. Nothing but Luo Binghe. He’s always there. Always himself.

“White space.” Luo Binghe frowned. “You’re always there, Binghe. Always yourself.”

“Myself?” Luo Binghe said. “What do you mean?”

The System regarded him silently. The Luo Binghe before him looked like a human - two arms, two legs, two sets of eyes, one mouth. “Why, you look like you do now.”

The air crackled around them. “Always?”

The System smiled gently. The voices pulled Shen Yuan deeper. Shen Yuan was so tired. His grasp on the thin line of qi was slipping, its warmth dissipating around him. Shen Yuan began to slide towards the crowd of voices.

“Always.”

A rending sound tore through the clearing. Luo Binghe shifted. Xin Mo raced forward, burying itself into their abdomen. The System coughed and began to shriek as the sword poured energy into them, filling their meridians with dark fire.

“You. Are not. A-Yuan.” Luo Binghe pressed the hilt of Xin Mo in further.

The System continued to scream, their voices shifting and writhing. Shen Yuan’s body twisted and blurred as his Core expanded rapidly. Shocked at the sparking pain shimmering around him and the sudden screeching of the voices, Shen Yuan fought to keep his weak hold on the waning stream of energy.

Feeling like he was made of lead, Shen Yuan tore off the grasping stickiness of the voices of the System. Racing forth, he bashed into his Core. A flood of qi erupted from the now open cracks and he seized it, spinning it together with the thread he was already holding. Once it was large enough, he proceeded to wrap the rapidly heating rope of energy around himself again, tying it tight as he slipped through one of the wider cracks in his Core.

The voices around him coalesced and pulsed. They flowed into his Core alongside him, riding along his meridians and sailing inward. Shen Yuan tried to stop them, tried to block them.

He didn’t want them to have him. Not yet.

The System hummed around him, mouth still shrieking but inner voice calm and detached. Enough, Shen Yuan. Remember what we told you.

Shen Yuan tried to scream as a different kind of pain ripped through him. It sparked and arced like a livewire, lighting him up and fizzing through him. Flashes of memories shot through his mind. Promises were whispered directly into his mind by the myriad voices that had flowed into his Core with him and surrounded him like a cocoon.

You can have whatever you want, you can be powerful, no one can use you.

He killed Luo Binghe. Luo Binghe came back. Luo Binghe would kill him.

Shen Yuan could have the world. Shen Yuan just needed to give in.

Shen Yuan fought against the words and struck at the voices enveloping him. It wasn’t true! It was all lies!!

But it is true. We can give you whatever you want.

Xin Mo hummed him as Luo Binghe grew, as tendrils of shadow flew around him and filled the clearing, as the sky darkened. Shen Yuan screamed and the voices screamed with him as he ignited his Core. He shut his eyes, waiting for the inevitable.

The voices around Shen Yuan reached a fever pitch in their volume, overwhelming him. Fire raced throughout his very being, filling him, tearing him apart. It felt like it went on forever, like he would burn and be surrounded by the shrieking. The voices pressed close, dampening the flames.

Let go, Shen Yuan. Give up.

Shen Yuan gasped as the pain, the sound, the memories, the promises overwhelmed him. His grasp on the lifeline of energy weakened and he let go with a sigh. Pressure enveloped him and then his world went momentarily dark.

When Shen Yuan opened his eyes, he found himself face to face with Luo Binghe. When he looked down, his form had dissipated and he was…

Oh. They were standing there. Static shifted in the air around him as Luo Binghe drew Xin Mo back with a shriek. The sword hummed in delight as it thrust into Shen Yuan’s body again, rending part of him open. The System howled in ecstasy as it brought a hand up and wrapped it around the hilt of Xin Mo.

“Well,” they gasped. Shen Yuan’s face smiled, “That wasn’t a good idea, was it?” We told you we only needed you mostly intact, Shen Yuan. Did you think your body couldn’t be adapted for our purposes once we had it?

Luo Binghe grunted as he pulled Xin Mo out and then barreled into the System. Shen Yuan gasped as he was driven back. With a thought, he halted his movement and phased out and then back into the clearing behind Luo Binghe. Before Luo Binghe could turn around, Shen Yuan was on him, pressing his great body against the forest floor and pouring spiritual energy into him to quell his thrashing.

The System laughed. Good job, Shen Yuan. Now, kill him. He has served his purpose. His eyes flicked to the Rift in the sky, which had grown and was starting to split downward, forming a pillar as it stretched towards the array.

Soon the array will connect to the Rift and then the Realms will be ours, Shen Yuan.

Ours. Shen Yuan thought with elation as he pressed down against the back of Luo Binghe’s neck. The beast underneath him whined in terror as Shen Yuan’s fingers drove into its flesh. Ours. He could have whatever he wanted. He didn’t need to answer to anyone. He could do whatever he wanted.

He could leave with Binghe.

Shen Yuan loosened his grip, shaking his head. He…

No. He wants you to die. Remember, he stabbed you?

He did remember. It had hurt.

Yes. And he did it because he doesn’t want you.

Luo Binghe whined underneath of him, one large, wide eye swivelling up to look at him. Some part of Shen Yuan ached at the sight.

But…But Shen Yuan had to convince Luo Binghe to stab him. So he could…

Could what?

So he could get rid of you, Shen Yuan. He wanted the power you could have for himself.

Shen Yuan shook his head. Power. Yes. Luo Binghe had power. The System had power. But Shen Yuan…

He had been trying to fight?

No. You gave up.

Gave up?

Shen Yuan had never given up before. That…That didn’t make sense.

Something was wrong. Shen Yuan’s body felt wrong. His thoughts were a jumbled mess, his memories trying to sort themselves into some semblance of order. The low hum of hundreds if not thousands of voices interrupted his efforts to think clearly.

What had he tried to do?

Luo Binghe groaned in pain as Shen Yuan pressed him harder against the forest floor.

“A-Yuan…” he rumbled. Shen Yuan tilted his head curiously. Luo Binghe continued to stare at him, eyes growing moist. “I’m sorry.”

Shen Yuan’s grip loosened. One of the voices - no, all of the voices cried in unison. NO!

Shen Yuan released Luo Binghe and staggered back. His mind raced. His body, Luo Binghe, his Dreams. His head pulsed. The System drew in a sharp breath.

Oh.

The System.

Shen Yuan’s body contracted and he was sitting on the forest floor, eyes fixed on Luo Binghe. Everything hurt. He looked at Xin Mo. It frantically circled Luo Binghe, screaming at him. He could hear it.

The System could hear it.

Gogogowecanhavetheworlddon’tlettheriftclose.

A whisper of warmth brushed against his Core, pressing between the voices surrounding him, pushing through the gaps. Shen Yuan focused on it and reached out, fingers twining around it.

His mind quieted.

He hadn’t been lost for long, but it had been enough.

Shen Yuan pressed against the warmth. It bloomed, aching and sweet like a fresh bruise.

He gasped as the realization hit him. The System had taken him over. He had sank into it fully. Shen Yuan had given up.

But now, Shen Yuan was pulling his memories back into place, slotting them where they belonged, recalling just what he had been doing before he conceded.

Xin Mo hummed. The voices of the System tried to reach Shen Yuan, to overwhelm him, to crush him with their insistency.

The System used people. It used what they wanted, tapping into their memories and rearranging them, using their insecurities or their desires to maneuver them into a position where the System could take control. They had done it to Shen Yuan. They had done it to Luo Binghe.

But, for all of its power, the System couldn’t act on they own. The System could only take and use what they already had. Who they already had.

And the System needed Shen Yuan.

And they had needed Shen Yuan to open the Rift but they had also needed Shen Yuan to deal with Luo Binghe, who was bonded to Xin Mo.

The realization crashed over him. The System wanted power. And what was Xin Mo if not power incarnate?

Therefore, the System wanted Xin Mo.

But the System couldn’t use Xin Mo. They needed to be rid of Luo Binghe for that, which is where Shen Yuan again came in.

Unfortunately, the System underestimated both Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe. Words that Luo Binghe had told him bubbled up as his memories bobbed in their proper places on the surface of his thoughts. It can be used to tear holes between the Realms.

Xin Mo could open Rifts. Xin Mo could close Rifts.

If Xin Mo were destroyed now, it would ruin the System’s plans. Not only would they not be able to take possession of the sword, the Rift would seal itself from the backlash.

The System knew this. Shen Yuan was part of the System. He knew what the System knew.

The System could have destroyed Xin Mo long ago but they wanted Xin Mo. They wanted its power.

The System was a greedy, selfish fool, but Shen Yuan wasn’t.

Or at least, not about this.

Pushing the tendril of qi into himself, Shen Yuan opened his eyes and frantically looked around. He scrambled to his feet and seized Xin Mo from where it was floating in the air by Luo Binghe with both hands. The sword froze and then began to wail, prompting Shen Yuan to grip it tighter. As Xin Mo alternated between screaming, crying, laughing, whispering, and whining, Shen Yuan released the tendril of qi, shooting it through the wall of voices around him and out of his Core, rupting it further. He then slammed as much spiritual energy into the sword as he could force through his meridians.

The System screamed. SHEN YUAN, STOP!

“No,” he ground out, driving the tip of the sword into the ground as he continued to draw on his damaged Core and flooded the sword. Next to him, Luo Binghe stirred and rolled over, eyes roving over him. Xin Mo called out to him and his head jerked up, gaze sharpening as he staggered to his knees. Shen Yuan frantically passed more qi into the sword. The dark blade blazed white. “Luo Binghe, NO!”

The sword quaked in his hands. Shen Yuan needed to destroy it. Luo Binghe shimmered before him. The Rift tore wider.

The System shrieked.

Shen Yuan pushed hard. Spiritual energy went careening out of his Core and blasted into his meridians.

Xin Mo cracked.

Gasping with the effort, Shen Yuan pushed one final time. The sword howled in his hands.

It exploded into thousands of shimmering fragments around Shen Yuan.

Silence fell over the clearing.

A second later, the backlash of energy from Xin Mo’s destruction blew through his meridians and the last thing Shen Yuan saw was Luo Binghe’s tear streaked face as a scream erupted from his throat.

Chapter Text

Everything was dark. Shen Yuan knew he was somewhere. Or at least, part of him was. With a sigh, he lifted his arm in the darkness and pinched his side. “Ow.”

Grimacing, he sat up and looked around. He was inside of something - four walls, wooden floor, a roof over his head. A house maybe? Across the room, he could see light weakly streaming in underneath the crack of what looked like a door. A soft sound had him swinging his head to the side and then he saw another light - faint but certainly there in the darkness.

As his eyes focused, he realized it wasn’t a light. It was a person.

An old woman, hair curly, face kind. “Shen Yuan,” she rasped out.

Shen Yuan squinted at her. “Who are you?”

The old man across the room rolled his eyes, his pale face conveying his disgust. “We’re getting tired of that question, you know.”

“...the System?”

The child smirked at him. “Got it in one.” They stood up and ambled over to him. Their slight, pale blue body was giving off a faint light that waxed and waned as though it were slowly pulsing. When the child drew closer, Shen Yuan realized they were made up of millions of tiny pinpoints of fizzing, dancing light.

The tall, middle-aged woman stared down at him. “You ruined everything.”

Shen Yuan stood up and stretched, towering over the young girl. “So it worked then?”

They crossed their arms. “For now.”

He cocked his head to the side and did a slow circuit around the System, eyeing them up. “What do you mean, for now?”

The portly gentleman in front of Shen Yuan guffawed. “Do you think this is the only time our plans have been thwarted?”

Shen Yuan crossed his arms. “Well you clearly can’t do anything now.”

The System glared at him. “How do you know that?”

He shrugged. “Because you already would have,” he said simply.

The System wavered and the million points of light rearranged themselves. In the next second, the Old Palace Master was standing there, brow pinched. “You’re not incorrect. But you can’t leave here unless you make a choice.”

Shen Yuan rolled his eyes. “And what would my options be?”

A smile slid across the Old Palace Master’s face. “You can choose to die - your body is barely hanging on to life, by the way. Xin Mo’s backlash detonated your Core and burned through your meridians.”

Shen Yuan felt something tight clench around his chest, squeezing at his ribs and making it difficult to breathe. “Did it stop him?”

The System narrowed their eyes. After a moment of silence, they mumbled, “The hybrid will live and he will be able to keep himself under control, should he choose to do so.”

The tightness released a bit. “And the Rift? Did it work?”

They snorted in irritation. “We already told you that you ruined our plans. Keep up, Shen Yuan.”

“What’s my other choice?”

“Ah, well. You can fully merge with us. You almost did before - didn’t it feel nice? You seemed to think so at the time.”

Shen Yuan frowned, a thought occurring to him as the System’s words from seconds ago sank in. “Wait. You said Luo Binghe ‘will be able to keep himself under control, should he choose to do so.’ What is Luo Binghe doing right now?”

A feral grin split the System’s face. “He’s on his way to destroy your Sect.”

“What?!” Shen Yuan reached out. He stopped his hand before he touched the System and then withdrew it.

“You heard us. He’s on a rampage. Quite tragic really. He could have been pushed back into the Abyss before the Rift fully sealed but the only one around to do so,” the System gave him a pointed look, “decided that he needed to keep the Realms from merging and decided to destroy himself.”

With a groan, Shen Yuan passed a hand over his face. He had to get back. He had to stop Binghe. He dropped his hand and said, “Merge with you?”

The System nodded. “Indeed. You would permanently become part of us. You would be us. Then you could stop Luo Binghe’s path of destruction. We have the power to do so. We also have enough chaos in us to fix your body and keep ourselves comfortable for a long, long while.” Shen Yuan narrowed his eyes, waiting. The System stared back.

The System had fought so hard to keep Shen Yuan in his body. To keep him somewhat conscious as they tried to merge the Realms and fought with Binghe instead of pulling him down and smothering him. But why?

Why let Shen Yuan have any power if the System could just absorb him and use his body as intended? They had said they didn’t need him fully intact.

But…

A thought occurred to him.

“You need me.”

They scoffed at him. “You’re convenient.”

Shen Yuan circled them again, assessing them. The lights that composed their body were dimmer. They hadn’t shifted forms in the past few minutes. They looked nervous.

“You need a body to survive.” Shen Yuan continued his slow circuit. They were less opaque and growing more translucent before his very eyes. “And you can survive and absorb the soul of the body you’re in if the body is already strong enough.” That would explain how the System took over the Old Palace Master’s body and piloted it as though it were their own.

But now, the System was stuck. And Shen Yuan knew exactly why.

“You didn’t have anyone you could jump to before the backlash.”

The System turned to glare at him. “We tried,” they hissed. The face of the Old Palace Master distorted, muddling into several overlapping expressions before it cleared.

“Who…?” The System glared at him, expression mutinous. “Who else would you be able to jump into? It would have to have been someone in close proximity if you were acting quickly. And it couldn’t be Binghe, obviously - he would have destroyed you.” Shen Yuan paused and then said, “Oh.” He began to laugh. “My brother? Him?

“What’s wrong with him?”

“You think you could possess him? You’ve been with me for years and it took you this long to finally wear me down enough to take control - and you couldn’t even do it fully!” He snorted in amusement. “You might have been able to cloud his mind temporarily but Shen Jiu is a stubborn asshole.”

Shen Yuan took a breath and fixed the System with a sly look. He had fought too hard to throw in the towel now.  Years of waiting and wanting and he finally had Binghe back in his life and now someone else was going to try and ruin that?  Having someone else in his head was nothing new anyway  so the adjustment wouldn't be difficult.  And well, he had made several “last bids” to survive so why not try one more? Besides, how else would he ever see Binghe again?

“And so am I.” Quick as a flash, he reached out and pulled the System towards him.

He had figured out where he was as the System had talked. It smelled the same, the air felt the same. It had slotted into place like a perfectly pressed key fitting into its lock.

He couldn’t see it but he was in the clearing. Specifically, he was in the little cottage on the island. The System must have latched on to where Shen Yuan consciousness drifted to as his body gave up on him and followed him there.

If Shen Yuan really was back in the Dream Realm, he had some control over it. Which meant he had some control over the System.

He squeezed the System by the arms and yanked it towards him. He had done this with Luo Binghe once - it had been intimate, warm and comforting, albeit terrifying. Luo Binghe had sank into him willingly as Shen Yuan had sank into him. Shen Yuan had felt safe with Luo Binghe.

With the System, however, he only felt enraged. It was different, forcing another entity into himself. It did not feel like the same warm, foggy feeling that had enveloped him when he gave in and sank into the cacophony of voices that were a part of the System.

Instead, it was violent, painful, and shocking. Shen Yuan’s very being felt like it was about to light up and explode just as his Core had done as he bundled the System close to him. The System struggled as Shen Yuan tightened his hold. “What are you doing?!”

“Availing myself of a third option,” Shen Yuan grunted. One of the System’s arms slipped into him, lighting his nerves up. Several more appeared, whipping around and out of the System’s shifting torso.

“You…!”

“Oh stop it. You did this to yourself.” Shen Yuan stomped on one of the System’s feet and felt the fuzzing particles sink into him. The fire spreading through him burned hotter.

“We’ll kill you!”

Shen Yuan sighed through his gritted teeth as he felt another limb - another arm and then half a leg - sink into him. “You won’t. Because you’ll be me.” He gasped around the molten heat bubbling in his chest. “And besides, isn’t this what you wanted? To merge with me?”

NOT LIKE THIS! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BECOME OURS! ALL OF IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BECOME OURS!” The System shrieked, voices overlapping as they filled Shen Yuan’s skull. His head throbbed. He shut his eyes against the pain and clenched his teeth together around the bile threatening to rise up the back of his throat.

The System tried to shriek again but it was cut off as Shen Yuan took a deep, shuddering breath and hugged what remained of their body tight to his chest.

Heat expanded and condensed in his abdomen. Shen Yuan squeezed his eyes shut tighter, weathering the storm of pain and fire. The hot, thorny feeling contracted then solidified. Shen Yuan took another slow, deep breath, forcing the voices down as they clamored for attention.

They belonged to him now. It wasn’t good, nor was it bad.

It just was.

Shen Yuan’s body was the only one left in the little cottage. The voices had quieted. They were whispering, asking him where he wanted to go, what he wanted to do next.

Smiling to himself and blinking the static out of his vision, Shen Yuan murmured to them, “I want to go back.”

He turned around, opened the door, and stepped out of the cottage, the sounds of his voices gently chittering away.

Chapter Text

The first thing they…No.

The first thing Shen Yuan saw was the blurred white tile of the ceiling. When he turned his head, the next thing he saw was his brother, dozing in a flimsy chair, hand propping up his chin. His mouth was partially open and a single tendril of drool was running out the side of it.

Holding in a laugh, Shen Yuan struggled himself into a seated position with only a small amount of wincing at the aching in his muscles. The noise startled Shen Jiu awake and, seconds later, his brother had his hands on both of Shen Yuan’s cheeks. He was peering at his face intently, eyes wide and worried.

“Ge…” Shen Yuan rasped. He cleared his throat and gently pushed Shen Jiu’s hands down. “Ge.”

Shen Jiu’s face went through a complicated series of expressions before settling on a scowl. Turning away, he swiped Shen Yuan’s glasses off of the side table and pressed them into his hands. “You’re awake,” he said.

Obviously we’re awake. What else would we be?

Shen Yuan frowned. Stop that. He wanted to roll his eyes at the petulant grumbling echoing through his thoughts but settled for putting his glasses on and glancing around the room.

He was in one of the private rooms in Qian Cao. One of the nice private rooms. Huh.

Shen Jiu was talking. Shen Yuan was not listening. Someone else was however. “Right, right. So how long have I been asleep?”

His brother narrowed his eyes. “What was that?”

Whoever had spoken tried to open Shen Yuan’s mouth again. He forced his teeth shut with a click and bit his lip, hard. He was greeted with more grumbling. Enough.

No.

Shen Jiu tilted his head. “Shen Yuan.”

Shen Yuan blinked at him. “Uh? Yes?”

His brother’s eyes narrowed. Shen Jiu stood up smoothly, heading towards the door. “I’m going to get Mu Qingfang.”

Just as Shen Jiu reached the door, Shen Yuan had a thought. “Ge?”

He paused but did not turn around. “Um…Where’s Binghe?”

Shen Jiu snorted and recommenced his trek to the door. “Oh, him. He’s gone.”

Something in Shen Yuan’s chest cracked. His head pulsed. They began to mutter and writhe, saying they needed to do something about this. Destroy something. Use their power to get what they want. One of the more enterprising voices opened their mouth but was cut off when a figure burst through the door just as Shen Jiu was pulling it open.

“A-YUAN!”

Shen Jiu took a step back with a yelp. The crack in Shen Yuan’s chest zipped shut. Luo Binghe came bounding into the room looking…He looked fine.

He looked safe. He looked like Luo Binghe.

Oh oh oh! Hybrid! It’s him, it’s him! We can use him! We can use his power - !

“ENOUGH!”

Luo Binghe and Shen Jiu both shot Shen Yuan startled looks. Shen Yuan pulled his glasses off his face with a sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“A-Yuan…?”

He held up a finger, indicating that Luo Binghe needed to wait. Without replacing his glasses, Shen Yuan shut his eyes tight and focused. Enough.

Nononono!

He took a deep breath and let it out. He heard the rustling of fabric and then the sound of someone seating themself in the flimsy plastic chair next to his bed.

If you don’t stop…

The voices cut him off mockingly, You’ll what? Self-destruct?

They laughed. And leave him?

Shen Yuan opened his eyes and saw that Luo Binghe was looking at him, gaze trained on his face. He offered him a small smile and reached out a hand. Luo Binghe looked down at his palm with an uncertain expression before slowly placing his own hand into it. Shen Yuan laced their fingers together and then shut his eyes again.

That won’t be necessary.

“Binghe?” Shen Yuan asked, eyes still shut.

“Hn?”

“Can you dual cultivate with me?”

He heard a strangled sound from across the room followed by his brother’s tight voice, “Shen Yuan-!”

Cracking open an eye, Shen Yuan peered at Shen Jiu. “Get your mind out of the gutter, ge.”

Luo Binghe cocked his head to the side. “How do you want to…?”

Shen Yuan opened his other eye and tipped his face towards Luo Binghe. “Like we did after the Skinner demon.” Luo Binghe’s cheeks pinked. Shen Yuan smiled gently at him, tilting forward. “Kiss me.”

The grumbling of the voices pitched up as Luo Binghe’s face drew closer to Shen Yuan. This time when Shen Yuan shut his eyes, he let them slide shut in anticipation. When Luo Binghe’s lips touched his - dry, warm, familiar - he sighed against them. Luo Binghe deepened the kiss and slid his fingers up to Shen Yuan’s wrist. He started to pour a steady stream of his mixed qi into Shen Yuan.

STOP IT!

Shen Yuan smirked against Luo Binghe’s lips. In response, Luo Binghe made a questioning sound. With a gentle squeeze, Shen Yuan urged him on.

No.

That hurts!

Warmth spread through his body, rolling through his meridians, pooling in his Core.

Huh, feels nice to me.

It…We can’t think!

Shen Yuan smirking widened as he huffed out a laugh. This time, it didn’t phase Luo Binghe. Shen Yuan opened one of his eyes and saw that Luo Binghe’s eyebrows were raised high. Still, he continued the task at hand, focus unwavering.

Can…Can he hear this?

I can.

Startling, Shen Yuan pulled away. Luo Binghe smiled at him gently, hand still on his wrist. “I can hear them.” He tipped forward and placed a chaste kiss on Shen Yuan’s cheek. “And I can hear you.”

HAH!

Shut. Up.

Out loud, Shen Yuan said, “Binghe, can you please give me a bit more?”

Smile broadening, Luo Binghe nodded. “Of course.”

Warmth filled him, dazzling and bright, as Luo Binghe continued to feed him spiritual energy. The voices wailed and moaned and thrashed in his thoughts but, each time one of them would bubble up and try to seize control, Luo Binghe would frown and the lines of his body would fuzz and blur. The stream of warmth enveloping Shen Yuan would twist and writhe, rushing forth momentarily before it returned to a steady flow. The rogue voice would be subdued, falling back with a pathetic noise of protest to join its brethren.

This continued for several minutes until Shen Yuan’s thoughts were his own - well, mostly. He could still occasionally catch a wisp of something tickling at the back of his mind but it didn’t feel bad. Just new. Different.

“Better?”

Nodding Shen Yuan flopped back with a quiet grunt. Luo Binghe kept his hand clasped in his palm, expression pinched. “I’m fine, Binghe.”

Luo Binghe stared at him for several long moments before bringing their joined hands up to his mouth. “I know.” He gently kissed where their fingers were interlaced.

Shen Yuan patted his arm and Luo Binghe smiled slowly. “So…Um.” He cleared his throat and finally asked, “What happened?”

Luo Binghe took a breath and opened his mouth to speak. Before he could get anything out, however, movement in the doorway caught their attention.

“The world almost ended.” Shen Jiu said, arms crossed over his chest. Rolling his eyes, Shen Yuan levelled him with a dry look as Yue Qingyuan and Mu Qingfang entered the room behind him.

“I know, ge. I was there.” Luo Binghe nodded in agreement next to him. “I meant more…Um…”

He left the rest unsaid. This time, Shen Jiu rolled his eyes and huffed. “Yue Qingyuan found us after the Rift closed. After you…” He paused, eyes clouding over momentarily before continuing, “After you destroyed that sword.” Luo Binghe shifted uncomfortably. Shen Yuan patted his hand.

To Luo Binghe, Shen Yuan asked lowly, “What happened to you?”

“Blacked out after Xin Mo was destroyed. When I woke up…” He shrugged. Shen Yuan frowned and looked back towards the door.

Standing next to Shen Jiu, Yue Qingyuan smiled not unkindly at Shen Yuan. “You were all in rough shape when we found you.” Shen Yuan didn’t miss the way Yue Qingyuan’s eyes flicked to Luo Binghe when he said the word “shape.” Yue Qingyuan also didn’t ignore the glare Shen Yuan shot him, meeting it head on.

“But you were all alive. So we brought you here to recover.”

Nodding, Mu Qingfang pressed on Shen Yuan’s wrist, brows furrowing. “Huh.” Sitting back, he looked at Shen Yuan curiously. “You’re feeling like yourself?

No. He’s ignoring us.

I’ll do something worse than ignore you.

Mu Qingfang was still staring at him. Shen Yuan nodded. “As much as I can right now.” The answer was vague enough that Shen Yuan didn’t feel bad about the slight lie of omission. He had a feeling Mu Qingfang realized that he was lying anyway.

Fortunately, he didn’t comment on it. Instead, Mu Qingfang regarded him for another few seconds and then nodded, satisfied with his answer. He then turned to Luo Binghe and gave him a considering look before nodding to him as well. “Thank you for stabilizing him when he woke up,” he murmured just softly enough so that only Luo Binghe and Shen Yuan could hear him. Standing up, he turned to Shen Jiu and Yue Qingyuan.

“Shen Yuan can be released today as long as someone stays with him. Specifically, someone who can match his cultivation.” Mu Qingfang glanced down at Luo Binghe, cocking an eyebrow. Across the room, Shen Jiu made another sound of disgust followed by a sigh from Yue Qingyuan.

Once Mu Qingfang left, Shen Jiu elbowed Yue Qingyuan.

Shen Yuan cocked an eyebrow at them, waiting.

Clearing his throat, Yue Qingyuan crossed his arms behind his back. “We have one more matter to briefly discuss.” He paused and let his gaze rove over Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe. “We’re allowing you both to stay in the Sect. If you wish to, that is. If not…” He trailed off, expression clouded.

Shen Yuan sighed and fixed him with a wry look. “It’s fine, Qi-ge.” He cocked his head to the side. “So how long did you two know about Binghe?”

Both Yue Qingyuan and Shen Jiu had the sense to look momentarily contrite. “Um…” Yue Qingyuan murmured.

Shen Jiu recovered first and a scowl descended on his face. “Since before he came to the Sect,” Shen Jiu said acerbically. He glared at Luo Binghe, mouth pursed as though he had just sucked on a lemon. “For the record, I didn’t think it was a good idea.”

Shen Yuan glared at his brother. “Well, maybe it was a good thing he was here. At least with him here we had a chance against the System and its plans.”

“What?” Shen JIu ground out, shock evident at Shen Yuan’s comment.

“Yes, ge. Because clearly this could have all happened anyway but at least we could stop it. If he hadn’t found Xin Mo then we wouldn’t have been able to close the Rift.”

“Well if Luo Binghe hadn’t botched the Skinner demon night hunt then you would have never had a connection to the Abyss and this would have never happened!”

Ah. Binghe must have told someone - probably Mu Qingfang if he had to guess - about how the System had exploited that connection in its favor. Well then.

“He didn’t botch that night hunt!”

“Well he was there wasn’t he?”

“WELL IF YOU HADN’T ALL LIED TO ME FOR YEARS ABOUT MY CONNECTION TO THE ABYSS THEN MAYBE WE COULD HAVE DEALT WITH IT BEFORE WE ALL ALMOST DIED!”

“YOU–!”

Luo Binghe observed all of this silently, eyes wide. Yue Qingyuan exchanged a look with him and then placed a hand on Shen Jiu’s arm, cutting off whatever words he was about to shout at Shen Yuan. “We specifically sought Luo Binghe out. Not because we knew what would happen but as…”

“Insurance.” Luo Binghe mumbled.

With a sigh, Yue Qingyuan agreed. “Insurance.”

Shen Yuan shot Yue Qingyuan and Shen Jiu a dirty look and then leaned forward, whispering to Luo Binghe. “What do you want to do?”

Luo Binghe blinked at him, eyes wide and expression blank. “I…” He paused, took a breath, and then continued. “I want to stay with you.”

Shen Yuan regarded him. The blank expression on his face, his deep, dark eyes, the vestige of a flash of red on his face, writhing shadows…wait. Narrowing his eyes, he focused on Luo Binghe. He blinked.

Oh.

Luo Binghe was still there. Shen Yuan reached out and squeezed his hand before turning back to Yue Qingyuan and Shen Jiu. “We’ll think about it.”

Shen Jiu opened his mouth but before he could say anything, Yue Qingyuan began to speak. “Please do.” His eyes sharpened, bening expression hardening. “It would be unfortunate if we couldn’t come to some kind of understanding. We’re happy to work with you, even should you choose to become rogue cultivators or leave the profession altogether.”

Shen Yuan stared back at him, letting some of the voices that had been prodding at his thoughts speak louder. With a slow smirk, he shut his eyes and let the energy boiling in his Core seep out. As the lights in the room dimmed and the sound of static filled the air around him, he waited. He knew it was probably not a good idea but he needed to find out now how Yue Qingyuan would react and…

He received a sharp inhale for his troubles and nothing more. Next to Yue Qingyuan, Shen Jiu stood frozen, eyes wide and fixed on Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan didn’t need to flick his eyes over to Luo Binghe to know that his current appearance would be reflected back at him in the depths of Luo Binghe’s gaze. Seconds later, he clamped down on the energy he had allowed to seep out of him. With a full body shudder, he flopped back onto the pillows.

“Right.” Yue Qingyaun murmured. “Please do let me know what decisions you both make.”

With a single glance back, Yue Qingyuan exited the room, hand grasped firmly around Shen Jiu’s arm. The sound of their hushed voices filtered back in through the door as their footsteps receded down the hallway.

With a sigh, Shen Yuan tipped his head back. It thumped dully against the headboard.

“A-Yuan?” Shen Yuan opened his eyes, Luo Binghe’s expression was tight with worry. “Do you really want to leave?”

Shen Yuan sighed. “Not really. But they’re going to have to agree to some conditions if we’re to stay.” Specifically that we be treated as members of the Sect and not hostages.

Luo Binghe blinked at him and then shyly released his hand. “Um…Yes. I agree.”

Startling, Shen Yuan peered at him. “Ah. You can uh…”

“Yeah.” Luo Binghe scratched the back of his head. “Only when I’m touching you though? Apparently? I think it has something to do with how our demon…um.”

“With how our demonic qi works together? Yes, Binghe, I know.” After stretching, Shen Yuan held out a hand. Luo Binghe regarded it curiously.

“Well,” Shen Yuan asked with a tilt of his head, “Don’t you want to help me get out of here?”

Smiling, Luo Binghe grasped his hand and pulled him forward.

Chapter 31: Epilogue

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Luo Binghe sat on the mossy shore, waiting in anticipation. He had fallen asleep - maybe minutes, maybe hours ago - with Shen Yuan wrapped around him.

He thought he wouldn’t see him again until they both woke up together the next morning. Apparently, Shen Yuan had other ideas.

The pressure in the clearing dropped as an icy cold blast of air hit Luo Binghe full on, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut. When he opened them again, Shen Yuan was standing above him, eyes crinkled at the corners. Shen Yuan was also standing next to him. And behind him. And…Oh.

“That one’s new,” Luo Binghe murmured, reaching up to run his fingers along the fuzzed lines of the Shen Yuan above him, face down.

They all smiled simultaneously. “We’re getting better at controlling ourselves,” they murmured in unison. Their expression fell, shuttering slightly. “Do…Do you like it?”

Luo Binghe shifted to his knees and placed a gentle kiss on the lips of the Shen Yuan hovering over him. “I do.”

Each of the figures shuddered. Shen Yuan arranged himself in Luo Binghe’s lap, a small smile tipping his lips up. “I’m glad.”

Luo Binghe shivered as hands found their way to the nape of his neck and squeezed there gently. Just as Shen Yuan leaned down to mouth at the side of Luo Binghe’s neck, Luo Binghe managed to squeak out, “A-Yuan?”

“Mmm?”

When Luo Binghe failed to respond immediately, Shen Yuan pulled off, concern written across his face. “Binghe?”

Looking askance, Luo Binghe cleared his throat, fingers massaging the meat of Shen Yuan’s thighs. “Maybe…Uh. Maybe you could just let a few of them stay out this time?” Shen Yuan stared at him silently. “Maybe just one! Or…or two!”

Huffing out a crackling laugh, Shen Yuan laid a gentle kiss on Luo Binghe’s head. Another body pressed itself against Luo Binghe’s back as another pair of arms, opaque but twinkling as though they were constructed of stars, wrapped around him. Luo Binghe sighed and let himself fall back against the chest cradling him. When he tipped his head back, Shen Yuan was smiling down at him, eyes dancing. The sound of softly murmuring voices filled Luo Binghe’s mind as his eyes slid shut while gentle hands caressed along his own shifting, growing form, holding the shadows around him close.

“All you have to do is ask and I’ll give you whatever you want, Binghe.”

Notes:

And that's all :)

Thanks to everyone who read along and for all the folks who supported me while working on this (with special mention to the SVSSS BB discord crew)!

This was quite the ride so I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it 💜