Chapter Text
Liu Qingge has a lot to think about. He needs a good excuse to give to Liu Mingyan for not coming to visit her these past 2 months even though he had promised he would. He needs to make sure his disciples aren’t going soft and hopefully actually put up a good fight one day.
He needs to sort out a certain peak Lord’s meridians and strange shifty behaviour, and he needs to try and work out whether or not he can actually trust a different weaselly peak lord.
Shen Qingqiu says yes, but Shen Qingqiu (this Shen Qingqiu that makes him tea) is a kind hearted idiot who trusts too easily.
Also he still has absolutely no idea what a “psychic” is, nor why Shen Qingqiu would believe that Liu Qingge and Yue QingYuan believed Shang Qinghua to be one.
He hears word from one of his disciples that Peak Lord Shen is coming to visit and he hurries off to meet his fellow peak lord where Shen Qingqiu always lands.
“What’s the matter?” he asks. Do I need to fight something? Or some one , he thinks a little darkly. “Is it your meridians?” Shen Qingqiu is always useless about actually showing up before Without a Cure flares up, leaving him incapacitated in the worst of situations.
It makes Liu Qingge want to shake him a little, because doesn’t he know he could get hurt if Liu Qingge wasn’t around to watch out for him?
Of course it’s no problem for him to watch out for Shen Qingqiu, to be a sword if he needs him. But still, he’s a fellow peak lord, and as a Martial god it does make Liu Qingge a little ashamed to see Shen Qingqiu be incapacitated so often. Maybe he should offer to train the other man….
“Ah, no” Shen Qingqiu tells him, “No they are all fine today, you don’t need to worry about me- we can still have tea later if you wish though.”
A warm bubble starts to expand in his chest which he pushes down as he nods. He would wish for that very much, but it wouldn’t do to appear so fond. Not when there is so much other stuff going on that requires his attention.
“This woman requests your attention,” Shen Qingqiu informs him, but before his fellow peak lord can elaborate further the woman in question steps forward to interrupt.
“Are you the talentless hack of which Peak Lord Shen spoke most extensively?” she asks. Liu Qingge isn’t entirely sure what a “talentless hack means,” but he’s more caught up on the fact that apparently Shen Qingqiu talks about him. To strangers . He’s not sure whether to snap at the other man for being so careless to talk to random people about his life or to smile because Peak Lord Shen mentions him .
The moment is quickly broken by Shen Qingqiu rapidly interjecting and waving a fan.
“No, no no no, no, this is Peak Lord Liu, the war god who you asked to speak with. Very talented, not at all a hack. Not like Peak Lord Shang. His martial prowess knows no rival and I’m sure that if Liu-Shidid were to write a book it would be excellent!”
Emotions war in his chest. He wants to beam because hearing praise out of Shen Qingqiu’s mouth always makes him feel oddly happy. To be complimented on his literary skills by Shen Qingqiu of all people.
It’s probably empty flattery- this is the man who said that Luo Binghe was respectful - but he’ll take what he can get.
It wars with the displeasure he feels at the mention of Shang Qinghua’s name. He’s still not over his suspicions towards the other man’s seemingly endless font of knowledge that he should not know . Especially when in conjunction with it seeming that Shen-shixiong had actually been singing Shang Qinghua’s praises to random strangers, not that of Liu Qingge.
Has this woman said that this mysterious “Talentless Hack” is a god? And had Shen Qingqiu said that the Talentless hack was- Shang Qinghua .
An endless font of knowledge of which he should not know…
He tunes back into the conversation when he hears his name. He’s not sure whether to be more insulted by this woman’s lack of faith in him , or her lack of faith in Shen Qingqiu’s recommendation .
He wants this woman off his peak. “Peak Lord Shang is currently not here,” he interrupts. “He should return in a few days, good bye.” He stares deliberately at her until she leaves.
“You speak extensively of Peak Lord Shang?” he asks, and prays that it doesn’t come out bitter or jealous.
“Only bad things,” the other man replies with a wave, staring at something in the distance distractedly.
“Shang Qingua is a “talentless hack”?” he asks, just to confirm.
“Very much so. Never read anything the man has written, he manages to ruin perfectly good plots with unceasing porn and-” Shen Qingqiu replies, before cutting himself off with an awkward cough.
Liu Qingge prays to a higher power he doesn’t believe in and sincerely hopes doesn’t go by the name of Shang QInghua that he isn’t blushing at Shen Qingqiu mentioning reading porn .
He doesn’t quite trust his voice, so he just nods his agreement in having tea.
If Shang Qinghua is a god, and Liu Qingge still isn’t convinced, then he could see why he would take Shen-shixiong into his confidence. Liu Qingge would definitely bestow good fortune upon Shen Qingqiu if he were a heavenly official.
Though to Liu Qingge it very much looks like Shen Qingqiu has adopted Shang Qinghua instead of the other way around.
Liu Qingge has long suspected that something had changed in Shen Qingqiu. He’d originally thought possession, and even said as much but later he had changed his mind.
Whatever soul was in Shen Qingqiu’s body right now was not malicious. It was also not the old peak lord who had hated him.
Him and Yue QingYuan had fixated on Shang Qinghua as the leak, because it was well known that it was via Shang Qinghua that Shen Qingqiu obtained his knowledge. The man even said as much.
The whole matter requires more thought. He won’t share his thoughts with Yue Qingyuan. The man is perhaps unique in being the only person to have actually preferred whatever soul this current Shen Qingqiu had replaced. Let him live in innocence.
He does inform the Sect Leader about a random woman coming to ask Shang Qinghua for advice under the misguided assumption that he was a god. It could be a feeble front for a spy ring.
Yue QingYuan announces a sect leader meeting for the moment that Shang Qinghua returns to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect, he discretely informs Liu Qingge to ensure that Shen Qingqiu is not made aware lest the potential spy try to manipulate him.
Liu Qingge’s not entirely sure that whatever the relationship is between the two men can be called manipulation , especially not from Shang Qinghua’s side, but it wouldn’t do to disobey his sect leader.
Besides, Yue Qingyuan agrees that Liu Qingge should be the one to summon Shen Qingqiu from his peak for the meeting and ensure he has limited contact with Shang Qinghua. Yue Qingyuan promises to corral Shang Qinghua with a slightly alarming grin.
Shen Qingqiu is not on Qing Jing Peak when he goes over to escort his fellow peak lord to the meeting. This does not put Liu Qingge in a bad mood because his happiness does not rely upon Literature Peak Lords or their decisions to spend time with incredibly suspicious potential spies instead.
He can’t see Shen Qingqiu betraying them- he doesn’t want to. But it seems that what Shen Qingqiu knows Shang Qinghua knows. And what Shang Qinghua knows he shouldn’t . He also can’t help but think about how free his two fellow peak lords act around each other- an openness that Shen Qingqiu barely even sees to have around him .
Shang Qinghua is a weasel who is afraid of everyone - how come he seems to feel most at home with someone who is constantly whacking him with a fan?
Qi Qingqi and Mu Qingfang don’t care enough about Shen Qinqiu or Shang Qinghua to have an opinion, and Yue Qingyuan is blinded by what he wants to see and guilt.
Liu Qingge can’t be blinded and he can’t not care- not because it’s Peak Lord Shen- of course.
Really.
It’s because taking your eyes off your opponent or letting your guard down gets you hurt . He’s got to analyse Shen Qingqiu’s moves. It had been born out of a natural suspicion of whatever imposter had resided in that body, and it’s continued because he needs to know if Shen Qingqiu is going to have another Without a Cure flare up.
Yeah, that’s all. You can’t care for people you can’t trust.
He makes it to the meeting hall before Zhangmen-shixiong returns, two peak lords in tow. An irrational surge of jealousy flares up when he sees that Shen Qingqiu had clearly been waiting for Shang Qinghua to return. It’s irrational because Shen Qinqiui clearly relaxes around Shang Qinghua’s company even if he’s a weaselly little man who everyone seems to hate.
It’s irrational because by this point if Shang Qinghua is a spy then Shen Qingqiu has clearly laid down his cards with the logistic peak lord- and Liu Qingge knows this so why does he care?
“So what is this additional meeting about then?” Shen Qingqiu asks with a small cough after Yue Qingyuan has dismissed Mu Qingfan and Qi Qingqi.
“Air-bleshgh” he mumbles out, still not entirely sure what the woman had referred to Shang Qinghua as.
“Air-?” and then that strange sound again, Shang Qinghua replies questioningly. He seems confused, but unconcerned as to how they knew that name. Then the man goes into a torrent of sounds that make absolutely zero sense. He would possibly think it a code except that he can’t make any recognisable words out.
He vaguely wonders if the smaller man is having a qi deviation of sorts, and whether or not that is actually a bad thing.
Shen Qingqiu would be sad, he supposes.
Then abruptly Shang Qinghua shuts up. He doubts Yue Qingyuan noticed, because all of the Sect Leader’s attention has been squarely focused on Shang Qinghua, watching for tells. Liu Qingge has been more focused on the other peak lord in the room, so he sees it when Shen Qingqiu reaches out and squarely, but subtly, pokes Shang Qinghua with a fan.
He suspected already, but it hurts something in him to see them be so easy with each other. To know that Shang Qinghua knows something about Shen Qingqiu- because that’s the only way Liu Qingge can see him opening up.
Whatever Shang Qinghua knows about Shen Qinqiu, Shen Qingqiu knows about Shang Qinghua that is clear. Liu Qingge would bet his victory in battle on it being to do with this Air- something business.
Liu Qingge hopes it’s not something that will sink them, and he’s not sure for who’s sake he’s scared.
“Uh, I mean what is this word Peak Lord Liu? Are you alright? Are you having a qi deviation? Should we summon help and-” Shang Qinghua resumes after a moment. THe only person having a qi deviation here is you , he thinks a little smugly.
“What did that woman want from you?” Yue Qingyuan cuts in, clearly having had enough of watching Shang Qinghua make a fool of himself.
Liu Qingge could watch it all day.
He catches a slight movement in the corner of his eye, but not enough to work out what it was. He wonders-
“Ow, Ow! Bro- Shen-Shixiong why would you do that? My poor foot, what happened to us being friends -”
Well, he guesses that question is answered. Except now it’s become obvious too Yue Qingyuan as well that they won’t get any straight answers out of Shang Qinghua while Shen Qingqiu is still in the room. Whatever happened to his soul has kept his slippery tongue.
Or maybe this new version just coincidentally has a smooth and silver tongue, patching over mistakes and always knowing the right thing to say and Liu Qingge could listen to this man talk for hours over the most inane babble- but nothing he says is really babble and-
Right, anyway. He coughs a little quietly to reorganise his thoughts. Yue Qingyuan has ordered Shen Qingqiu from the room.
“We have reason to think you’re a spy,” Yue Qingyuan says coldly once they’ve all waited for prying ears to leave.
The little weasel blanches, and then starts choking.
“Wh- why? ” he squeaks out, “Surely you shouldn’t think- I mean look at me!”
Shouldn’t, not wouldn’t. That’s interesting. But Liu Qingge has questions that he thinks will have more interesting answers. He doubts that Shen Qingqiu would get into bed with a spy- or at least one as incompetent as this. Not without a good reason at least.
Knowledge is useful, Liu Qingge knows his reputation as a stab-happy war god- and for the most part it is true. It doesn't mean that he can’t respect the importance of tactics, and subterfuge and words .
Shang Qinghua has a lot of knowledge, and that can be useful. The question is how is he getting it.
“You know things you shouldn’t,” Liu Qingge interrupts, “and normally that means someone is telling you- which means you’re a spy.”
“I- I just know things!” Shang Qinghua refutes desperately. “Maybe I’m a psychic!” again with that word , what does it mean? “I can read your mind, see! Right now you’re thinking, no you’re not psychic Shang Qinghua!” The man smiles, but it looks vaguely manic and shaky.
He sees Yue Qingyuan raising an eyebrow at him and Liu Qingge minutely shakes his head.
“I think both me and Liu-Shidi can confirm that was not what we were thinking.
Liu Qingge nods for emphasis.
“No one tells me things,” Shang Qinghua continues, slightly desperate, then a little more bitterly, “I wish they did. It would make filling in requisition forms a heck of a lot easier- would it kill you guys, especially you Peak Lord Liu, to be more specific than “some of that tea that tastes leafy ” like what the hell does that mean?!” he trails off but Liu Qingge thinks he hears mumbles of leafy , and something about someone called Iroh being ashamed.
Liu Qingge doesn’t blush because he’s not the one on trial here. It may or may not be the case that he felt “leafy” was a better- less embarrassing- description than “the tea that Peak Lord Shen is so fond of.”
“You say that nobody tells you things, and yet you have knowledge that you have no reasonable excuse to hold.” Yue Qingyuan says sceptically and Shang Qinghua is practically shaking under his eye.
“Exactly! Yes! It’s unreasonable!” the miserable Peak Lord nods emphatically while the rest of his body shakes. “Totally unreasonable, nobody should know this! Nobody could know this! So who would tell me!”
The weasely little man makes a good point. And the utter fear with which he makes his point instead of smugness sells it. They’ve just been trying to chase up the chain- Shen Qingqiu gets his knowledge from Shang Qinghua- who must get his knowledge from someone else .
Except who would he get his knowledge from, and where would they get their knowledge, and where would it end?
“I could tell you things about yourselves that nobody else knows!” Shang Qinghua says, the tone of the truly desperate, “Not even Cucum- not even Peak Lord Shen would be able to tell you this! Therefore I can’t be a spy right?”
Cucum ? Does Shen Qingqiu have some nonsensical name as well? Liu Qingge tries to play the sound over in his mind, commit it to memory. It sounds rather nice he decides. What was it again? Cu-cu? Cyuckum?
Liu Qingge is also rather sceptical of Shang Qinghua’s claim, but he’s also intrigued.
After all, why else would that woman travel so far to seek Shang Qinghua’s- Air-something’s - advice? There is definitely something between the two men, and even if this doesn't prove Peak Lord Shang’s innocence it could shed some light on the whole situation.
He watches as Shang Qinghua sidles up to Yue Qingyuan first and whispers something in his ear which makes the man pale somewhat, but otherwise his face remains impassive.
“Shen-shidi could have told you that,” their sect leader says, sounding perfectly calm, but his hands are clenching and unclenching.
“You know as well as I that Peak Lord Shen doesn’t… remember this anymore- and why on earth would he tell me ?” Shang Qinghua replies, and it’s clear the man has calmed down considerably. Something about the way he had said the word “remember” though casts doubt in Liu Qingge. Like it wasn’t the word he initially wanted to say.
If Liu Qingge was still trying to get his clearly fake Shen Qingqiu ousted as a malevolent spirit he would flag it up. Except he likes this man, who makes him tea and calls him Liu-Shidi and smiles indulgently when Liu Qingge tells him that he should do more sword practice.
Liu Qingge’s not wrong there though.
Yue Qingyuan nods, though he still looks slightly doubtful, “Liu-shidi?”
Liu Qingge casts Shang Qinghua a withering look and refuses to move, so the peak lord has to scurry over to speak to him.
“You’re- look don’t take this the wrong way, I am 100% chill with this, no outing here- okay? You’re trans, your birthname is- actually-”
Liu Qingge rears back. He has no idea what “trans” means, but he doesn’t want anyone using his birth name. It’s not the biggest of secrets, but he doesn’t tolerate it.
“Proceed with caution ,” he hisses, “And you’ve haven’t said anything to prove anything yet.”
“Oh, right shit. You don’t use that word here, do you? Hmm okay,” Shang Qinghua is still whispering in his ear, and he really doesn’t think Yue Qingyuan can hear, which is a small blessing. “Okay, how to phrase this. When you popped out everyone thought you were a girl?” Shang Qinghua says.
Liu Qingge’ stares at the- man?-creature?- (please no) god ? In front of him.
How would he know this? Why would he know this? His family would never tell.
By the time he’d entered the cultivation world he’d been telling everyone he was a man. Because he was .
“I’m not threatening you,” Shang Qinghua says after a while at a normal volume. Liu Qingge knows he’s shaking. But if Shang Qinghua is telling the truth he’s known for decades and he’s never done anything. Never treated Liu Qingge differently, or with any less fear than any other cultivator.
He can live with this.
He nods to Yue Qingyuan to let the other man know that Shang Qinghua had kept up his end of the bargain.
Beside him he’s aware of Yue Qingyuan looking at Shang Qinghua vaguely like he’s a demonic creature the sect leader would rather like to hunt and kill. Liu Qingge can't say he entirely disagrees.
“I can keep my mouth shut!” Shang Qinghua squeaks, “Well mostly, Shen Qingqiu can be very persistent when he asks and-” he quails under an extra strong glare from Liu Qingge, “-I’ll keep my mouth shut! Shen-bro’s already read the book so he basically knows anything so he won’t need to ask and-”
“Book?” Liu Qingge bites out, “You’ve written a book with all the ill-gained knowledge of our lives?!” and shared it, he doesn’t add. Has he told Shen Qingqiu? Does Shen Qingqiu think...
“Hahahaha,” the peak lord laughs unenthusiastically, “Well it’s really a chicken and egg dilemma isn’t it? What came first- the chicken or the egg? The book or your lives? It’s one of those answers without a question isn’t it? Just keeps going-”
Liu Qingge reaches for Cheng Luan threateningly- he wouldn’t do anything, but threats work well on men like Shang Qinghua.
“Okay!” he screeches, “The book came first! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to! I write something wonderful , very high brow about cultivation and stuff, and then next thing you know it all started coming true- I become a Peak Lord and Peak Lord Shen is asking questions like do I have to kick Binghe into the abyss ? and I’m like sure bro, I can tell you that! Then all of a sudden I’m being accused of being a spy! Why would I tell anyone any of this stuff! It sounds ridiculous, no one believes me!”
A pause,
“Wait you guys believe me right though? Peak Lord Liu? Zhangmeng Shixiong?”
“Yes, regrettably.” Liu Qingge says, and then he walks out.
He has too much to think about. He still needs a good excuse to give to Liu Mingyan for not coming to visit her these past 2 months even though he had promised he would. He needs to make sure his disciples aren’t going soft and hopefully actually put up a good fight one day.
He still needs to sort out a certain peak Lord’s meridians and strange shifty behaviour, and he needs to try and work out whether or not he can actually trust this weaselly Peak Lord- who may be a god who’s created this world.
Also he still has absolutely no idea what a “psychic” is, nor why both Shang Qinghua and Shen Qingqiu now seem to think it’s a reasonable thing for Liu Qingge or Yue Qingyuan to believe him to be.
Liu Qingge doesn’t want to be a pawn. He doesn’t want to think that everything he is, he does- everything Shen Qingqiu does is at the whim of Shang Qinghua. It feels cruel.
“Cruel and merciless” the woman had called Air- the talentless hack. He wouldn’t have ever dreamed of applying the description to Shang Qinghua before, but now he can’t help but wonder.
He goes to the training ground to tear through as many dummies and disciples as he can.
Shang Qinghua is possibly a god. Thwack.
And Shen Qingqiu probably knew. Thwish thwack.
And Shen Qingqiu is different - he’s special .
He stabs a dummy in the heart and all the others fall down around him.
Visiting Liu Mingyan is just going to have to wait.
At some point after he had confronted Shang Qinghua with Liu Qingge the other man comes to visit him on his peak.
“Peak Lord Liu,” the man says respectfully, and Liu Qingge narrows his eyes. He’s never particularly cared about the man until he ceased to trust him. He’s still not overly fond.
Also this weasely little man? This man who spends half his time shrieking, shirking, or acting utterly mad a god?
He can scarcely believe it.
If it were Shen Qingqiu he could see it maybe. He carries himself like knows something the rest of them don’t but he’s not smug about it. He’s pleasant, and friendly and beautiful and if Liu Qingge had to name one of his fellow Peak Lords as a god...
But Liu Qingge doesn’t really like thinking about this too hard. It makes him feel small, and insignificant and unworthy. He doesn’t want their relationship to change to fail.
“Did you require some assistance?” he asks Shang Qinghua as steadily and politely as he can.
“There’s this song,” Shang Qinghua starts, “a truly beautiful melody, Peak Lord Shen-”
“I’m in,” he responds- maybe a little too quickly if the slightly smug look on Shang Qinghua’s face is anything to go by.
“Great! It goes like this...”
Liu Qingge sends his disciples on raids to An Ding peak over the next few days. He tells them that their mission is to obtain enemy information. More literally- to learn the song.
He spends entirely too much time over the next few days trying to commit the words to memory himself.
It’s about a week later and Liu Qingge thinks he may have finally committed the song to memory. It’s not a particularly taxing tune, but the words are somewhat confusing. Perhaps more of that strange tongue that he’s heard Shen Qingqiu lapsing into when shouting at Shang Qinghua. He’s ready to be casually humming the song as Shen Qingqiu enters for his regular sessions with Liu Qingge to clear his meridians.
Of course that would depend on the other man actually showing up like he’s supposed to instead of constantly forgetting. He’s not sure why he’s surprised, he almost always has at least one of Shen Qingqiu’s fans on his peak if not his person at any one time.
He wishes that Shen Qingqiu would be more careful with his belongings and his health- if it only because it bodes ill as to Shen Qingqiu’s care for his person. Liu Qingge would tell Shen Qingqiu to take better care of- of everything - because he can't’ always rely on Liu Qingge to be there to look out for him.
But if Shen Qingqiu won’t change then Liu Qingge just supposes he will have to make sure that he always can.
This means that when it’s several hours past when Shen Qingqiu was meant to arrive Liu Qingge finally calls it quits with the on and off humming and mounts his sword to fly to Qing Jing Peak to force the other man to take good care of his health.
He can hear voices as he approaches the bamboo hut which makes him instinctually slow down.
“unfair that you can do that even though I’m the author.” he hears Shang Qinghua whine. Authour .
Liu Qingge holds his breath and decides not to announce his arrival. He peels his ears desperate for some information. He is still curious as to both the nature of the relationship between the two men, and the nature of the two men themselves.
Every time he thinks he’s got them figured something happens- something in this whole air/talentless hack nonsense- and throws everything off.
“Well perhaps if your novel wasn’t such a mess then the system wouldn’t be demanding I clean it up.” that’s definitely Shen Qingqiu.
“You’re not even meant to be in this world bro,” and Shang Qinghua says it so casually - like he knows , like he’s sure. He tries to imagine a world without Shen Qingqiu and everything comes up pale and cold.
He thinks of this new- and Liu Qingge can’t really call him new after all this time- Shen Qingqiu and thinks how different he is. Not just to whatever had been there before the spirit caves and the qi deviation, but to everyone else in this world. Shen Qingqiu is like a candle in the darkness.
Maybe Shang Qinghua’s right, but Liu Qingge is infinitely glad that the man is here.
“I’m pretty sure some of the changes you’ve made have created bigger messes not patched them up bro, like- Liu Qingge!” Shang Qinghua abruptly cuts himself as he finally lands eyes on Liu Qingge. Changes- he notes to remember that and makes to enter the hut.
“What about Liu-Shidi?” Shen Qinqiu calls out from where he’s- lying on a bed ?
He swallows a little, “Peak Lord Shang, Peak Lord Shen,” he greets the two men.
He watches as Shen Qingqiu rears up, looking utterly flustered. “Can we be of any assistance?” Shen Qingqiu asks, and watching him flail around attempting to regain his dignity both softens and tightens his chest.
Because of course, this relaxed state was only for Shang Qinghua.
“I have come to clear your meridians. Because you failed to show up, again .” He says a little pointedly. Just because he would fly to a forest 15,000 leagues away to spend time with Shen Qingqiu and help him it doesn’t mean that the other man should fail to show up and put his health at risk like this!
“I’ll just go,” Shang Qinghua squeaks and rather quickly sidles out of the hut. He gives Liu Qingge a rather meaningful wink as he leaves that Liu Qingge doesn’t really want to decipher. He’s just glad that the other man is gone.
Shen Qingqiu proffers his wrist and Liu Qingge gently takes it, imparting spiritual energy as he slowly curls his fingers around. It actually requires some concentration, and he simply enjoys being in Shen Qingqiu’s presence so he doesn’t say anything for a while.
“You are not the same Shen Qingqiu that I knew before the spirit caves,” he tells the other man at last. It’s not accusatory, it’s simple fact- everyone knows that he had changed. He’s just tired of dancing around the issue, of not letting Shen Qingqiu know that he knows, and that he doesn’t care. That he trusts him- loves him - and desperately hopes that this version stays.
“My qi deviation changed me greatly,” the other man says, avoiding Liu Qingge’s eyes. Is he afraid of Liu Qingge? Does he fear retribution? He doesn’t want Shen Qingqiu to think he ever has anything to fear from him. But trust is earned, not taken, he will just have to work extra hard to ensure that he earns it.
“I have long since suspected,” Liu Qingge says pointedly because he’s trying to seem non-confrontational. He still hasn’t let go of Shen Qingqiu’s wrist but he’s careful to keep his fingers light though, not bruising, “That whatever happened was not a mere qi deviation.” He lets go and begins to stand up. “You are my Shen-Shixiong, I do not care for whatever happened. You should not blame yourself that your disciple was cast into the abyss.”
Shang Qinghua had said that Shen Qingqiu had sought to avoid it, the Peak Lord should not blame himself so much.
Shang Qinghua had also said that Shen Qingqiu had kicked him, but Liu Qingge trusts that he would have had his reasons.
“Besides, you are the literature peak lord, Shang Qinghua is in charge of logistics, I’m sure that whatever story you wind up writing will be far more beautiful.” It seems obvious to him, but he is careful to say it, remembers Shen Qingqiu mentioning trying to fix a novel and Shang Qinghua implying his attempts had been inferior.
He has always wanted to ask to read some of Shen Qingqiu’s writings- he’s long been sure that they will be as beautiful as the literature peak lord himself. It feels oddly intimate to ask though, and that’s why he’s held off for so long. Not because he fears that intimacy- rather he craves it- but because he fears a rejection.
He takes his leave, there is no need to inform Shen Qingqiu of so many of his suspicions in one night. Besides, he still has questions but those can wait. There ought to be another (inferior) peak Lord who can help him in his inquiries for now.
He corners Shang Qinghua almost immediately after. He’s rarely ever been to An Ding peak, he’s never really seen the point of it- never having had to say anything to Shang Qinghua that couldn’t be said in a meeting or via a requisition form.
It’s rather disappointing he muses, quite dull. It’s nowhere near as practical as Bai Zhan Peak or as peaceful as he finds Qing Jing Peak.
He makes a beeline for the Peak Lord’s office, doing his best to avoid encountering any disciples along the way. He doesn’t want to give Shang Qinghua any warning . Shang Qinghua jumps when he barrels in.
“Liu Qingge!” Shang Qinghua calls after the man has recovered from his coughing fit. “Why are you here?” he laughs nervously, “But really, because I thought you’d still be with Cucu- Shen bro, you know. On his bed, cuddling and-”
Liu Qingge goes bright red and it’s possible that he growls a little. Shang Qinghua has ducked under his desk, but he’s also smirking a little, it switches to a consoling look.
“It’s hard falling for someone who never seems to notice isn’t it? For all he claims to be so smart he’s surprisingly stupid and-”
“Shen Qingqiu is not a fool,” he says heavily, and here he thought that the two men were friends.
“Not a fool! Not a fool!” Shang Qinghua quickly nods, throwing his hands up in the air, “You wouldn’t fall for anything but a man of quality I’m sure.”
“I’m not- I don’t-” he says, because fallen for - sure sometimes he thinks but- well
“Don’t sweat it bro- ah Liu-shixiong- totally cool here with Air-bresgh?-bro.”
“What is the name that he calls you?” Liu Qingge says instead, anything for a distraction, he thinks his face might catch alight. “Not the Talentless Hack, the other one. Air something?”
“Ohhhh, ahah, right” Shang Qinghua nods again- he does that a lot Liu Qingge’s noticed, “Air plane . Air plane .” He says it twice, stressing the second syllable both times.
“You two speak a separate language, don’t you.” He’s suspected for a while, but with his new revelations he’s become more sure.
“Uh yeah, well, kind of. Is slang a language? I mean we both speak English- kind of- except Cuc-Shen bro’s wayyy better than me, but we can’t all have private tutors and be wealthy. Some of us have to write books and you don’t actually care about any of this do you?” Shang Qinghua finally finishes after Liu Qingge glares a little at him.
“I think,” he says heavily, “I think that I may wish to learn. Maybe just some words.”
An unholy glee lights up in the Logistic Peak Lord’s eyes that Liu Qingge is not sure that he should trust.
“You know the song I taught your peak right?” Liu Qingge nods, “Yeah totally go up to him and do that. It’s a classic song in our language, I know you only made your disciples learn it, but you should sing it to Shen Qingqiu too! I think he’d love it.!
Liu Qingge will not admit to this man that he has already learnt the song, but he can’t think of an excuse to learn other words. Instead he simply nods his head and says nothing on the basis that it might incriminate him.
“Thank you,” he says politely, because he can be polite and it’s always better to lure in your prey with a little kindness first before going for the final strike.
“What do you mean that Shen Qingqiu has been making changes to your “book”?” He’s careful to make the air quotes audible in his voice.
Shang Qinghua pales a little, “Ah, so you did hear that.” the man mutters something inaudible. “I don’t think I can tell you much about the book. I don’t even know if I should .” Shang Qinghua stops, sighs. “Come on a walk with me. I’m not meant to be cooped up, I’m a free spirit, it makes me antsy. We can talk freely, don’t worry, my disciples don’t really care what I say.”
Shang Qinghua sweeps out the door and beckons for Liu Qingge to follow which he does.
“He really likes you bro, and if he gives you any shit about- well you- which he won't! I'll fight him,” Shang Qinghua tells him once they’ve walked for a little why. Liu Qingge wants to have answers, but the only way he’s really used to getting them is shaking them out and that doesn’t feel quite right. He ignores the bit about Shang Qinghua defending his honour, because he can defend his own honour.
“I know he’s like, chronically oblivious, but he likes all those little side-quests you guys go on. He also likes to tell me that you’re better than anyone else I’ve ever written- which rude but like I’ll tolerate it because-”
Liu Qingge is distantly aware that Shang Qinghua is still talking but he can’t make his brain listen.
Shang Qinghua has written Liu Qingge. Sure, he’s maybe been vaguely aware of it for a while, but now he’s been confronted with it again and it’s terrifying. He feels small and worthless in all the ways that he hates. It makes him feel like his life and his body aren't even his own.
“So there is a book?” He asks to clarify, and he tries to make sure the fear doesn’t show in his voice. The idea of his entire life, his entire fate being written out on a whim by a man terrifies him.
That it was this man terrifies him even more. This awkward, timid fool who’s both utterly irreverent and occasionally scarily serious.
“Oh, uh yeah. Forgot you’d left by that point of the conversation with our Sect Leader. It’s the talk of the towns really. People keep blaming me for all their misfortunes- which maybe kind of fair? But anyway, yeah there’s a book.”
“You said you Shen Qingqiu changed your book?” He asks, putting the issue of Shang Qinghua’s reputation spreading to towns aside for now.
“Look, I’m not really sure if I should be the one to tell you,” Shang Qinghua pauses meanfully, “But if you want to know about changes so badly maybe you should ask Shen-Shixiong about what he did.” Shang Qinghua grins and winks again, “I think you might like some of them.”
Shang Qinghua remains infuriatingly closed lipped on the subject, just giving out a few, paltry comments. I’m doing you a favour, something about drama.
When they eventually get back to Shang Qinghua’s office Liu Qingge hasn’t calmed down at all . His stomach is still in knots, in fact the silence has given him more time to think on the matter and made everything worse . Is he just a pawn? Is Shen Qingqiu real? Does he even enjoy spending time with Liu Qingge, or did the Talentless Hack just think it was funny ?
His fears are not fixed any by Shang Qinghua waving him off with an enthusiastic “Go get him Tiger!” followed up by an enthusiastic kissing sound.
The man then very, very quickly ducks back into his office as if fearing retribution. Maybe Shang Qinghua has some wisdom. But why would he need to fear? Does he control Liu Qingge or doesn’t he?
He doesn’t visit Shen Qingqiu that day. Instead he finally goes to face the wrath of a neglected sister.
He does see him a few days later when he’s gone off to deal with the infernal Without a Cure curse once more.
“You should come and visit for tea, Liu-Shidi, it’s been such a long time since we last talked, I almost feel like you’ve been avoiding me!” Shen Qingqiu says kindly, and Liu Qingge feels his gut clench guiltily.
“You have been spending a lot of time with Peak Lord Shang,” he responds, not a little bitter. Because he’s used to being the main person Shen Qingqiu spends time with, and Airplane scares him. He doesn’t mention the other reasons he hasn’t been around though.
That he sees Shen Qingqiu and wonders if any of it is real. Wonders what changes are- and what that means about what Shen Qingqiu is .
“Mmm, I have, because we’ve been needing to sort out this whole,” Shen Qingqiu abstractly gestures, “Airplane mess. But still! You are free to come and visit me at any time!”
“Am I though?” Liu Qingge asks, finally breaking and spilling his thoughts at last “Or am I only coming here because Shang Qinghua wrote it? Are you poisoned by Without a Cure because he thought it would be fun ?” he growls.
Shen Qingqiu reaches for his arm.
“Nobody controls fate Liu-Shidi,” he says softly, “Not even Shang Qinghua’s stupid book. I have you here for tea because I want you to be here and I enjoy your company. I was poisoned by the without a cure because I made a stupid mistake, not because of Airplane’s trashy writing. And you most certainly did not come here in the novel,” he laughs a little as if recalling something fond, before his face abruptly sobers up.
Laughter looks good on the other man, he could watch it for hours.
“How would you know?” he asks a little aggressively, but Shen Qingqiu’s words have already done a lot to ease his fears. If the other man is so certain that they control themselves then maybe he believes him.
But maybe that’s just true for him . For Shen Qingqiu because he’s special , and not just in the way that Liu Qingge’s thought for a while, but in the way that he’s so relaxed and easy around Shang Qinghua.
“When we met in the spirit caves,” Liu Qingge sees the other man wince a little and he wants to reach out but it’s gone as soon as he moves, “When we met in the spirit caves you almost died of your qi deviation,” he says gravely, “Had I been…” how to phrase this delicately? “Had I acted differently chances are you would have died. We control our own fates Liu-shidi.”
What? That rat weasel bastard, and to think Liu Qingge was possibly starting to respect him, maybe daring to believe that the man was not just playing with him and-
“Are you saying that the weasel wanted me dead?!” he shouts, feeling utterly enraged.
“No! No, he didn’t, I think he actually quite liked you. He just uh-” Shen Qingqiu desperately tries to assure him, “He complains a lot, but I think he mostly likes the changes I’ve made. It just confuses him.” Confuses him ?
Well that’s rich .
“So why not change it so that your disciple never fell into the abyss? If you can change the writings of a-” he scowls, he still doesn’t want to believe that Shang Qinghua is a god , “-a possible god, then why not go back and change this. Surely you have the ability to cross things out?”
It’s something he’s wondered about. Shen Qingqiu had always seemed so fond of his disciple- even if Liu Qingge had found him unbearably clingy. Shang Qinghua had even mentioned that Shen Qingqiu had questioned this aspect. So why let it happen if fate was fluid and not fixed in some cursed stack of paper?
He’s not expecting a snort in response but it’s what he gets. It’s incredibly inelegant, he finds himself liking it greatly anyway.
It’s not- there’s no physical book for me to change.” Shen Qingqiu tells him, shaking his head “It doesn’t exist on this plane of existence. All I can do to change things is to act in whatever way I wish. If Airplane bro had written that I solely eat bland food then I couldn’t go and change what he has written. But I can drink this delicious tea with my Liu-Shidi instead, and ask for snacks.”
“Is that just true for you?” He asks, unsure. “You’re like the weasel. You understand that odd language he speaks and you know what he’s written. But the rest of us, are we just pawns , doing exactly what he ordered?”
Shen Qingqiu is special , and if anyone could fight fate it would be him. Liu Qingge has long suspected he may be more than a mere immortal- and now-
“To be perfectly honest,” Shen Qingqiu interrupts Liu Qingge’s spiralling thoughts, “Shang Qinghua really only cared about one thing when he was writing- Luo Binghe. He won’t have written much for you.”
That’s both oddly offensive and assuring. But the little beast ?
“The little beast ? Was that why you were so- so lenient on him?” He asks, both enraged and horrified. “But he’s dead now?” he finishes confused, does this mean the book has ended ? Or was he not meant to die?
“Sometimes I dream that he’s still alive,” Shen Qingqiu tells him, and Liu Qingge feels a spark of jealousy curse through him. But the expression on his friend’s face isn’t wistful .
“It scares me- Binghe scares me. He always has,” Shen Qingqiu tells him, and it’s easier to place that expression now- it’s fear . Liu Qingge’s never been particularly acquainted with fear on a personal level because he doesn’t have time for it when fighting.
He will destroy Luo Binghe to make sure that expression never appears on Shen Qingqiu’s face ever again.
“He won’t hurt you,” He says determinedly, “I’ll tell you why, because I’ll look out for you.” He puts all the force of multiple vows into his statement. He would sign this oath with his life if he could.
He shifts a little closer to Shen Qingqiu, and reaches out to put his arm around the other man’s shoulder, to hug him, reassure him. Let him know that he can always count on Liu Qingge.
There’s a bang and sudden shouting, and he jerks away like he’s been banned, whipping his hand back.
“Cucumber bro! Cucumber bro!” A bundle of limbs and energy bursts into the hut. Damn Shang Qinghua, “I’ve just had a genius ide- Oh,” he stops and attempts to straighten his robes, “Hello Liu-Shixiong. I, uh, was coming to speak to Peak Lord Shen, but I can see that you’re… busy so I’ll just-”
He very deliberately tries not to flush at the emphasis Shang Qinghua puts on busy . He’s also not happy about the changes now that he’s discovered them and Shang Qinghua is in front of him.
“Peak Lord Shen has told me about the changes you said he made,” he says pointedly, glaring daggers into the other man. Whether he just wants him to leave them both in peace again or explain why he had apparently decided to kill Liu Qingge originally he’s not sure.
“Ahahahah,” the talentless hack, Airplane, false god, laughs nervously, “Good good. You’re not mad right? It was nothing personal I swear- just that well it was because your sis-”
His sister ? He feels his eyebrows fly up.
“Anyway, I’m just going to leave, see you later.” Shang Qinghua waves, “Hit me up later to talk about vaccinations bro,” then he takes off just as quickly as he had come. What is it with that word “bro”? He’s even called Liu Qingge that a few times.
“Where were we?” Shen Qingqiu asks, and hardly daring to believe it Liu Qingge starts to shift back towards him, to where they were with their shoulders almost touching.
You are perfect, he thinks. And no one could have ever written you.
“Right!” Shen Qingqiu snaps his fingers and he feels disappointment flood through him, “You were promising to protect me from Binghe, which will be completely unnecessary I’m sure,” he coughs a little, “Please don’t. Somehow I feel that if you were to fight him then you wouldn’t come out on top. Even you the undefeated War God.” He finishes with a smile, which almost makes Liu Qingge ignore the rest of that statement.
Protecting Shen Qingqiu will never be unnecessary. And is Shen Qingqiu suggesting that he run from a right because he might lose? That he should just let bad things happen to the other man out of cowardice?
“Of course he’s dead though! So it doesn’t matter!” Shen Qingqiu follows up, somewhat unconvincingly.
He’s about to interject when all of a sudden Shen Qingqiu starts choking and Liu Qingge slaps him on the back hard, greatly alarmed.
“You said we control our own fates,” Liu Qingge says slowly once Shen Qingqiu’s finished choking, he slows his slaps to gentle rubs and slowly starts humming soothingly.
It’s the song Shang Qinghua had taught him, the one in his and Shen Qingqiu’s shared language.
Shen Qingqiu stares back at him with undisguised shock, mouth open, and rather than looking honoured looks utterly confused.
Is his singing that bad? Or is it the song? He suddenly regrets singing a song when he has no idea what it means.
He blushes and takes his exit as quickly as he can, kicking himself all the while.
He spends some time thinking about Shen Qingqiu’s words over the next few days
Once he’s gotten over his mortifying embarrassment at least.
If he doesn’t trust Shang Qinghua to give him free will then he trusts Shen Qingqiu when he assures him that he- Liu Qingge- has it.
He is not a pawn.
None of them are.
Shen Qingqiu is scared of Luo Binghe- and Liu Qingge doesn’t believe that the other man thinks he is dead for a moment . There is no reason to be paranoid about the future when you’ve read ahead.
Shen Qingqiu is probably scared of Luo Binghe because of what he’s read- what Airplane’s written, and by the sounds of it there is a lot of it.
If he wasn’t sure that this Shen Qingqiu was different this confirms it. Firstly the other Shen Qingqiu would never have thought to be scared, he would have simply killed Luo Binghe.
Secondly Shang Qinghua would never write his friend into trouble.
But Shen Qingqiu may be afraid because of what Shang Qinghua has written, but Liu Qingge is afraid for Shen Qingqiu because of what he knows about Shen Qingqiu’s formal disciple.
Knows that he’s clingy, and obsessive and had a cruel streak he would lash out upon some of Liu Qingge’s disciples.
All is fair in training, but it had been somewhat alarming when his disciples had reported back how happy the little beast had seemed to be.
The point he is trying to make is this:
Shen Qingqiu and Shang Qinghua may think that Luo Binghe coming back angry and vengeful is inevitable, and Liu Qingge agrees.
But it shouldn’t be. Shen Qingqiu says they can all control their fates, and Liu Qingge sees no reason why Luo Binghe should be let off.
He’d always felt that Shen Qingqiu had been too soft on him.
But if Luo Binghe likes to cling to the easy excuses, if he doesn’t want to change his fate, to take control of his actions then no matter.
Liu Qingge will ensure that he does. He’ll do anything to make sure that Shen Qingqiu is safe.
News reaches the Sect from a small town reasonably nearby about a terrible illness ravaging the town. Naturally Shen Qingqiu offers to go, and Liu Qingge immediately steps up to go with him in the case of a flare up of Without a Cure.
He hasn’t spoken to the other man much, ever since he embarrassed himself so profusely in the bamboo hut.
Much to his displeasure Shang Qinghua is tagging along as well, something to do with his and Shen Qingqiu’s continued project apparently.
He’s still rather annoyed at the Airplane because he strongly suspects that the man may have just been messing with him when he taught him the song and it hurts .
It also briefly makes his mostly submerged fears about Shang Qinghua being a cruel overlord who messes with them for fun reemerge.
Also he thinks he’s allowed to be a little mad at a man who had apparently written for him to die!
That’s how he finds himself walking around the small town, glaring at Shang Qinghua all the while.
“Why don’t you two go off and look for the sower together?” the weasel rat author offers, after about half an hour of this. “Just you two, I’ll go… well I’ll go do something else,” he shrugs and Liu Qingge could scream at his lack of subtlety.
“How do you know it’s a sower?” he asks suspiciously though, is this just some ploy ? Or maybe he is in fact a spy and Liu Qingge can report him to Yue Qingyuan and he’ll finally be left alone and in peace.
“I’m Airplane-bro!” the talentless hack responds cheerfully.
Damn him, because that actually is entirely true. “Airplane the Talentless Hack knows all, of course. How could I forget.” Liu Qingge knows he doesn’t sound pleased at all.
“You should use your full heavenly title more often Airplane bro,” Shen Qingqiu says a little cheerfully to which Shang Qinghua scowls, and there’s a joke there he doesn’t understand..
“And here’s me trying to be nice and give you two some time to hang out but you bully me!” Shang Qinghua shouts, waving his hands.
Liu Qingge internally scoffs. He could do without Shang Qinghua’s help . It just makes things worse . He thinks back to the song and scowls. Still, anytime spent with Shen Qingqiu is a blessing. Especially if it’s without the other man. He walks up to the Literature peak lord, so close that he could just reach out and hold his hand.
“Liu-shidi and I can’t go off together though.”Shen Qingqiu says, sounding regretful and shaking his head. Liu Qingge feels himself go rigid. “Who would look after your useless being? No, Liu-Shidi, will you look after Shang Qinghua for me?”
He doesn’t particularly want to, but he can’t say no. Not when Shen Qingqiu has asked him a favour. He silently nods and resigns himself to an evening of misery.
“Thank you! Maybe we can go get food once Airplane the Talentless Hack has gone to his peak and doesn’t need babysitting.” Shen Qingqiu tells him gratefully.
That improves his mood considerably, and it’s with a lighter step that he goes with Shang Qinghua to search the town.
“Look at you go!” Shang Qinghua tells him cheerfully once they’ve left Shen Qingqiu behind, “You’ve got a date this afternoon bro! Go treat him well and make my cucumber-” cucumber?? “- bro happy okay?”
“I do not need anymore of your advice!” he bites out, “You said he would appreciate that song! You claim not to be cruel and then you mess with me!”
Shang Qinghua for his part looks apologetic, “Okay yeah, sorry about that bro. It’s just I love that song bro, and like I thought it would be funny and yeah-” he squeaks like a rat when Liu Qingge glares extra hard.
“Sorry, sorry, shutting up bro!”
A blessed moment of silence, “But like for reals bro, I think he actually does like you. He’s just been stressed about things lately and-”
“About Luo Binghe?” he’s suspected, ever since Shen Qingqiu told him about his fears of his disciple. Maybe it’s paranoia on his friend’s part to think that Luo Binghe is still alive, but Liu Qingge trusts the other man’s instincts.
“ How do you know about that?!” Shang Qinghua gasps, “Shen Qingqiu told you?! Wow, he must be more serious about you than I thought and- anyway. You don’t need to worry about it. We’re working on it. You just keep being you .”
“Somehow the words of someone who thought it would be narratively convenient to kill me don’t give much reassurance.”
“Fine okay but-”
Whatever Shang Qinghua might have said is cut off as Liu Qingge is distracted by a great deal of commotion.
The sower has been destroyed, Shen Qingqiu is responsible!
For causing it ?
Shang Qinghua swears, Liu Qingge runs .
He sees Shen Qingqiu standing in a square, a young man in black with a rather angry looking sword standing across from him.
“That’s Binghe,” Shang Qinghua whispers, as if Liu Qingge had any doubt.
He supposes Shen Qingqiu wasn’t being paranoid- but why be paranoid when you had read a book which tells the future.
He won’t let Luo Binghe hurt him. He won’t.
Shen Qingqiu might believe that Luo Binghe is stronger, and that in the book he always wins.
But Liu Qingge has done a lot of thinking on fate and free will recently.
“Said enough bullshit yet?” He sneers at Binghe, scarcely believing what the Palace Master and all the rats which have crawled out of the woodwork are saying.
Liu Qingge lands on Shen Qingqiu’s left and sees Shang Qinghua flock to his right.
“The dream master is just messing with you and the old palace master just wants to use you!” Shang Qinghua blurts out for seemingly no reason, drawing the little beast’s attention away from their friend.
“Really now,” Luo Binghe says cruelly, “I’ve heard talk about you, Airbrush . I never thought you were particularly interesting, but I guess there must be a reason that Shizun thought you were worthy of his company. You may have written this world, but I assure you that you will never be able to predict me . Would you have ever predicted th-”
The little beast can’t even get Shang Qinghua’s name right.
He coughs, and hears Shang Qinghua and Shen Qingqiu do the same.
“Actually I wrote the most about you so I probably understand you the best and-” Shang Qinghua pipes up before shutting up with a squeak as Luo Binghe takes a step forward.
Out of the corner of his eye Liu Qingge sees Shen Qingqiu drag the idiot behind him and that’s one less issue to worry about.
He takes a step forward to match the beast.
“There is no fate ruling over us,” he says, drawing Luo Binghe’s attention towards him.
There is no fate so he isn’t destined to lose no matter what Shen Qingqiu says.
“We make our own choices by deciding our own actions,”
If he dies it is his own losses and mistakes, no one made him do this and no one is to blame but him.
He doesn’t dare take his eyes off Luo Binghe for a moment, knows this beast is perhaps the most dangerous creature he will ever fight.
“Tell me that you wrote this , Airplane Talentless Hack.” He says flatly, because he knows the man hasn’t. Liu Qingge is a free man who makes his own choices.
So is Luo Binghe no matter what the other two men believe. He cannot be allowed to live and terrorise.
If he survives he will tell Shen Qingqiu that he loves him, he vows.
The familiar clash of blades fills his ears and the fight begins.