Chapter Text
Luo Binghe was so furious. It was just those people’s fault. They created this miserable situation. He wanted to destroy them all, to murder them in cold blood, to hear their screams.
“Luo-shizhi, please calm down. There certainly must be a way to bring Cu-, I mean Shen-shixiong back.” Shang Qinghua tried to placate the other before some kind of war would erupt. Of course there were more ways to do the deed. If the protagonist wanted something, it was achievable.
Yes. He will bring Shizun back. The spy was right! He’ll find a way, even if would have to search in the whole world.
“Shang-shishu, tell me, where is Mobei-jun?”
“That...”
“Now.” Luo Binghe said coldly, his eyes fleshing with killing intent.
The so called righteous cultivators flinched when they saw Luo Binghe standing up. Ha, so they still knew what fear was? It would take a few seconds to destroy them all, to make them perish in hell, but Shizun would be disappointed certainly by such action. They will have to wait, he still had more important priorities.
Luo Binghe took out Xin Mo and cut a rift into space, waiting first for Shang Qinghua to pass through and then fallowing, stopping just for a few second to throw a murderous glare towards the crowd.
Everything was dark. Seconds, minutes passed, but it was still a deadly silence. This was how death was like? No third chance? No new life? Just an eternal darkness, just a void? Maybe this world had been all just his imagination, maybe he was in a coma and finally died for real. He didn’t feel anything at all, didn’t feel cold.....he didn’t even feel his own weight, just like a feather floating towards the earth. He closed his eyes, contemplating. Suddenly, from the distance, the man started to discern sounds, hear voices, whispers, reassurances.
Shen Qingqiu opened his eyes, staring at a white ceiling, in an unknown room. He was trying to recall what has happened, when he thought he heard Luo Binghe’s voice shouting at someone. The Archangel stood up from the bed and hurried towards the direction from where the noise was coming. He felt strange, his head hurt and everything seemed to shine, the bright colors hurting his eyes.
“My Lord, this one doesn’t think the dead can be brought back to life.” A somehow familiar voice spoke. Was this... Mobei-jun?
A loud bang. Something shattered.
“They can. And this Lord will save Shizun. There must be a way, and I shall find it.” Luo Binghe said, his hand griping tightly the demon’s collar, his eyes red and full of fury.
Shen Qingqiu entered the room a little puzzled. Why were they fighting?
“This master is fine, what are you two talking about?” Shen Qingqiu said, but no one looked at him, like they didn’t even hear his voice.
The Archangel slowly approached his disciple. “Binghe....?” He tried calling while putting his hand on the other’s shoulder, to make him calm down, but that was the moment when Shen Qingqiu saw that his hand was....translucent? What?
“Binghe? Can you hear me?” No reply.
Shen Qingqiu’s hands started trembling and he swallowed the lump in his throat. So...he was dead? A ghost? Oh. He finally recalled the moment he died, in his disciple’s arms.
Luo Binghe let the icy demon go and took a breath to calm himself.
“This Lord will save him.” He repeated calmly, as if this was a normal fact.
“Now that you swore your loyalty to this Lord, tell me....why did you attack Cang Qiong Mountain a few years ago?”
“It was an order.” Mobei-jun replied.
“From whom?”
“This one doesn’t know. A powerful demon. He sent his subordinates to negotiate.”
“Negotiate?” Luo Binghe asked, raising an eyebrow.
“This one had some difficulties with his territories and that demon promised military reinforcements in exchange of my help with that little invasion.”
Luo Binghe just nodded, tapping his chin and analyzing the new acquired information.
Shen Qingqiu listened carefully to the discussion, trying very hard to not think too much about the fact that he was dead. So this was exactly how he believed initially, a very well made plan. First, the invasion, Ning Yingying’s kidnapping, then the trap from the Immortal Alliance Conference and finally the accusations against them. It seemed the target was Luo Binghe, the attacker trying to defame the boy and hinder his plans the become the Emperor. From the very start the person knew about Binghe’s heritage. He tried to make the protagonist lose his support by showing to the Archangel he was a demon and when they saw it was unsuccessful, they also tried to slender him by creating all those ugly rumors and make him choose between the sides.
Shen Qingqiu suddenly had a very bad premonition, a kind of realization hitting him. He must tell Binghe! But he couldn’t do anything. Despite his shouting, his touches.....no one saw him.
When the boy left, Shen Qingqiu fallowed him because he didn’t have anything better to do. It was a total silence. Binghe sit down near a bed, looking at someone. Approaching, he realized that someone was....him. Better said his dead body.
“Shizun....I’m sorry.” The boy whispered, tears falling down his cheeks.
Shen Qingqiu wanted to somehow console him, to say something reassuring, but he just couldn’t. The Archangel approached the small table and looked at the pile of papers that were standing there. If he could just....somehow move them....like in the movies...He tried once to move his hands, to push them down, but the hands just went right through. Ah. One more time, another failure, and another. He just wanted to move a fucking paper. Was this too much? But despite his efforts, they still didn’t move even an inch. He was powerless, he was nothing.
Suddenly, the man had an idea. What if he would infuse a little qi? He tried once more, this time using his weak qi and the papers finally moved, a few of them flying through the room. Luo Binghe suddenly looked towards him, as if he has felt his presence.
“Shizun?” his voice was weak.
Shen Qingqiu nodded, even though he knew he couldn’t be seen.
“Shizun doesn’t need to worry, this disciple will bring you back.” The boy said smiling while sobbing uncontrollably.
“I know you will.” Shen Qingqiu murmured, not even realizing when he also started crying. Could ghosts even cry? It seemed in this world no logic applied.
The next day, Shen Qingqiu saw Luo Binghe looking at something in the distance, near a pond and he went next to the boy. A gust of wind blew some leaves.
“Shizun, I’m not sure if you can hear me. I.....I have an idea. Are you here?”
In response, Shen Qingqiu slightly controlled a leaf, making it to land on the boy’s nose. Binghe smiled.
“So Shizun is here.” He said as he took the leaf and tightened his grip on it.
“Because Shizun’s spirit is still around, it will be easier to bring you back. Last night, this disciple has found a ritual which could summon the soul back into the body. But first we need to repair Shizun’s body and restore his cultivation.” Luo Binghe turned around as if trying to see the Archangel, but with no success. He sighed.
“The only problem would be Shizun’s wings....this disciple has no other way. I hope Shizun won’t hate me when he wakes up because of this.”
“Who are you talking to?” A voice suddenly interrupted the boy. Mobei-jun.
“To Shizun.”
The demon opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but then closed it, deciding it was not his problem.
“Have you find it?” Luo Binghe questioned.
“Yes, my Lord.”
“Good.”
He has put Mobei-jun to find a rare flower which bloomed every one thousand years. This plant would help him restore Shizun’s cultivation and repair his Golden Core. Now that he had everything he could finally start the ritual. If Shizun wouldn’t have made his appearance the previous night who knew how long it would have taken to bring him back? That ritual worked only if the soul was completely unharmed. If Shizun’s soul would have scattered, the ritual would do irreparable damage. But now that he had the confirmation that the Archangel’s soul was in perfect condition, he could begin.
Shen Qingqiu watched Binghe as he slowly started to repair his spiritual veins, Golden Core and finally restore his wings. Now he understood what the boy meant by saying the wings would be different, not only different.....they were entirely black!
As if Binghe has heard his thoughts, he started explaining. “Because this disciple’s blood is the one that keeps the wings alive....they suffered a little change, they developed a more demonic nature....”
“It’s ok. They are just wings. In my world I didn’t even had them.” Shen Qingqiu answered, more to himself.
The ritual looked as strange as the ones you could see in the movies. With candles and blood and complicated diagrams.....
“Shizun, I’ll start now.”
Shen Qingqiu just nodded as he waited for what was to happen next. The symbols started to shine, pulsing in the same rhythm with Binghe’s demonic mark. Soon enough, the Archangel started to become tired, his eyelids being more and more heavy. Once again he was swallowed by the well-known darkness...
“Shizun?” Shen Qingqiu heard a voice calling him, feeling two warm fingers tenderly caressing his cheek. Did it work?
The Archangel slowly opened his eyes, waiting for the image to focus. Two eyes were staring intensely at him.
“Binghe?” The man murmured, his voice hoarse.
“Shizun, you are back, you are finally back. This is all my fault. I’m so sorry.” Binghe said as he tightly embraced the man, sobbing continuously.
“Mhm. It’s okay.” Hearing the usually calm and warm voice again, the boy started crying even harder, his tears damping Shen Qingqiu’s robes.
“Shizun, this disciple is also sorry about the wings. Now people will talk ill of Shizun and it’s just this useless disciple’s fault.”
Shen Qingqiu sighed. “This master doesn’t care. They are just wings. And anyway the others didn’t seem to like me very much. Aren’t you too big to still cry like this?” The man slowly wiped the tears that were falling continuously.
“Shizun, you don’t hate me? All the harsh things I said and what I’ve done....”
“I don’t hate you.”
Binghe raised his head and smiled, looking right into the man’s eyes.
“Shizun, I’m so happy. I’m so happy that you are alive. That you.....don’t hate me.”
They stayed like that for a while, neither of them speaking, just enjoying the moment.
Shen Qingqiu didn’t want to ruin this beautiful reunion so soon, but there were still pressing matters to solve.
“Binghe, this master thinks you are not the only one who has reincarnated.”
The boy suddenly became serious. “This disciple also had this suspicion.”
“This master believes it’s the time to tell me exactly why and how you reincarnated. How you died.” Shen Qingqiu said as he furrowed his brow into contemplation.