Chapter Text
He handed his glasses to Shen Qingqiu, “Put these on, it’ll be just like when we were younger, right Didi?” As he spoke, he tried to keep the tears welling up in his eyes from falling. He can’t let him see him like this. He's the older brother, he has to protect Shen Jiu. He’ll make up for the years gone by. The years he was not with him, all those torturous years. He cleared his throat and started to speak again, “When we would play pranks on our Jiejies. They had such a hard time figuring out which were which!” He missed the brothel ladies.
Shen Jiu tried to glare at him, but the distinct wetness in his eyes revealed he wasn’t as mad as he looked, “I can’t, Ge.” He shoves the glasses back to their owner. As soon as they were in Shen Yuan's hand, he shoved them on his face. Shen Qingqiu's face scrunched up, either the glasses were too close or he was trying to get used to the newfound blurriness. He stood there as Shen Yuan removed both their outer robes and swapped them. He had always found a lighter, more saturated green more preferable to the dark muted greens his brother always wore. It helped in telling them apart. Only a few people learned their differences in the short three years he's been here.
Swiftly stealing the guan off Shen Qingqiu’s head, “Help me with my hair, please?” He pleaded with him. He was used to his ponytail, never having worn a difficult style with his long hair. Shen Jiu grumbled, but acquiesced, shoving him on the chair close by. The all white ribbon was replaced with one of the peak lords favorite.
Once having successfully swapped hairstyles, it was almost impossible to tell them apart. Shen Yuan stood up and roughly grabbed Shen Jiu, crushing him in a hug, “I’m sorry I was only here for what seemed like a few moments, but I have to make sure you survive.” He could feel the sobs that wracked through his dear sibling. He moved his hands up to his face and wiped the tears away, “A Jiu, live as happy as you can.” He tried smiling as bright as he could, but it seemed to make things worse. Like a koala, Shen Jiu clung on and wouldn’t let go.
“It's all that beast's fault! If he had died like he was supposed to, then none of this would've happened,” Shen Jiu yelled in his shoulder, “Why do you have to die for what I’ve done?”
Shen Yuan pulled away from their hug and stole XIu Ya, giving him his own sword, Tian Ji, “Go, leave through the back. Then run away, run till the end of the world if you have to.” He turned around and ruffled through his and Shen Qingqiu’s closet, and grabbed his old weimao from before and put it on Shen Jiu’s head, “Luo Binghe isn’t here yet, if you go west you won’t see him or any of the demons under his control.” He grabbed Shen Jiu’s wrist and dragged him out of the bamboo house.
After bringing him halfway across the peak, they both saw a little hole that had definitely not been there before Shen Yuan came. Shen Jiu gazed at him suspiciously, whilst Shen Yuan was avoiding his gaze.
They both stopped, looking at each other one last time, they were a mirror image of one another. Being identical in everything but personality. Shen Yuan grabbed Shen Jiu's hand and rubbed soothing circles into it, “Goodbye, Didi, I love you, please be happy.”
Shen Jiu looked away as he spoke, clearly his face has not grown at all since Shen Yuan came, “Goodbye, Ge,” Just as Shen Yuan was about to let go, thinking Shen Jiu wasn’t going to continue, he spoke, just barely above a whisper, “I love you, too, I will see you again, so don’t die.”
A small smile formed on his face. No you won’t, you may not know what will happen, but I do. Please don’t come try to see me. Instead of blurting out his thoughts, he uttered, “Please don’t do anything that will cause you harm.” Shen Yuan finally let go of his brother's hand and pushed him forward. Once Shen Jiu turned around, he finally allowed himself to shed a tear.
Shen Qingqiu left shortly after on Tian Ji. Stupid airplane, he never explained why twins could share spiritual swords. Their qi was completely different!
He's had a lot of practice being Shen Qingqiu. With changing the meals Qing Jing served to even lying to Yue Qingyuan. Shen Yuan was confident he could trick Luo Binghe, at least for long enough to allow Shen Jiu to change everything about himself.
Shen Yuan put on a cold facade and started to walk back towards his and Shen Jiu’s house. No one would notice that they lost one of them, as only the peak lords knew there were two peak lords of Qing Jing, and they’ll be dead soon. It was a shame he never got to meet Liu Qingge. It was whatever, he made Shen Qingqiu's reputation slightly better. The “murder” scandal never cleared up, though.
Luo Binghe had been building up his reputation in Huan Hua for a while, he is the palace master and trusted by everyone. It won’t be long after Shen Qingqiu gets taken into custody that he will reveal himself to be the saintly ruler of the demon realm.
As the bamboo house came into view, he saw Luo Binghe and two other Huan Hua disciples. He had never gotten to see Binghe before he blackened, he wished he came to his senses before Luo Binghe got thrown in the abyss! Alas, the past can’t be changed. Hopefully Shen Jiu will stop the cycle of abuse with his new life.
“Palace Master Luo.” He greeted with a sneer, “Am I to assume you will bring me to Huan Hua while I await my trial?” Luo Binghe looked so cool standing there, in all his blackened glory. If only they weren’t on opposite sides. Shen Yuan would love to study all the differences between PIDW Luo Binghe and real life.
Luo Binghe looked him up and down, assessing him, “Yes, Peak Lord Shen is right. This Master is here to take you to Huan Hua, it would be advised not to fight it.” Shen Yuan suppressed a shiver. He had read what happened to his brother, he can’t imagine living it!
He closed his eyes and exhaled, welp, here goes nothing, he has to try to bargain before giving himself away, who wouldn’t? He found himself looking Luo Binghe in the eyes, as if he was fearless, as if he really had lived as the Qing Jing Peak Lord for years, “This master will come without any resistance,” He paused for a second for dramatic effect, “But, there will be zero harm to any of the people who call Cang Qiong Sect home, or I will fight against it will all my might.”
Now, Shen Yuan wouldn’t call himself cocky, but he is confident. He knows he's strong. Stronger than Shen Jiu, in both cultivation and pure strength, but he's a shabby fighter. If he were to face off against Shen Jiu in a battle without any actual fighting, he would win.
He would be able to hold off against Luo Binghe for a good while, maybe even bring some harm to him. But he knows he will eventually have to go to the water prison. Even still, he has to try, to make sure that Cang Qiong survives, he's called this place home for 3 years! He’d hate to see it destroyed.
The protagonist seems to think about it for a few moments, casting glares towards Shen Yuan. He resists cowering, he can’t have his Didi thinking he's making a fool of his reputation! Finally, Luo Binghe nods, “Fine,” He grits out. Shen Yuan has to hold himself back from skipping over to Luo Binghe happily. Instead, he clasps his hands together and walks towards him.
Immortal binding cables are tied around his wrists and legs, and is dragged down the mountain. Aiya, Binghe, couldn’t you have saved him a little of his face? All Shen Jiu’s disciples are gonna see him like this, and think less of Shen Qingqiu! He’s sure Shen Jiu would want at least Ning Yingying to still think some good of him, he loved her like a daughter!
They get to where some horses and a carriage are. Shen Yuan stands there dumbly, unsure if he's going to be made to walk or get on a horse. A Huan Hua girl brings him over to a horse and, quite rudely, helps him up.
Once Luo Binghe is in the carriage and everyone else is on the horses, they set off towards Huan Hua.