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Yuan Ying is one step too late.
By the time he reaches Qingcheng Mountain, home ground of Chengyang Temple, what greets him is a crowd of martial artists, all from various sects, descending the mountain. Yuan Ying had expected to hike upwards in search of his shixiong, but now, a change of plan is inevitable. Especially because of the way a number of disciples are clearly hurt - some are pale, unable to hold their own weight without the assistance of their fellow disciples; others have visible wounds that are messily covered in bandages, a result of the hasty first-aid done before descending the mountain.
The distraught, exhausted faces tell Yuan Ying that the Sword Trial Tournament had been abruptly halted for a reason unknown to him. But it must be an extraordinary and expected one, for a mere tournament organized by the Liuli Palace would never produce casualties like these.
Recalling the purpose of his visit, Yuan Ying begins to trudge up the mountain path against the flow of disciples, hoping that Shen Qiao would be safe and sound. But he hikes up only for a short distance before he halts in his step.
“Shijie, where do you think Xuandu Mountain’s Shen Qiao went?” A curious disciple asks.
Yuan Ying’s ears perk up on hearing his shixiong’s name.
“Shh,” a young maiden clad in blush pink next to the disciple shushes him. “Is it any of your business? He was taken away by Huanyue Sect’s Yan-zongzhu, how would any of us know where they went?”
“Forget about that, come, let’s help the rest and hurry back,” she instructs, and the younger disciple nods obediently, following after her quickly down the mountain path.
Y-Yan-zongzhu!? Yuan Ying’s eyes widen, nearly flying into a panic, before he tries his best to steady his breath, willing himself to make sense of the situation.
It has been almost a month since he left Xuandu Mountain in search of Shen Qiao.
Because of how muted his presence had always been in Xuandu Purple Manor, it actually took a few days for the others to realize that he was missing.
The past month has been rough on Yuan Ying - not only has he been trying to escape the detection of the elders who have been sent down to get him back, his day-to-day survival has been a struggle because of how little money he had taken with him.
As someone who rarely descended Xuandu Mountain, Yuan Ying lacks the sensibilities and sensitivities towards worldly affairs. And that includes money and budgeting. Preferring to remain in his own bubble, Yuan Ying has spent most of his days practising swordsmanship or reading whenever he has no duties to carry out. Although he hates to admit it, Yuan Ying knows he’s dull and boring to the point that even Gu Hengbo, who’s closest in age to him, feels exasperated at times.
By now, however, Yuan Ying has long understood that he can no longer remain ignorant of the affairs surrounding Xuandu Purple Manor. Even if he believes himself to be the most incapable and the most useless disciple of the five of them, Yuan Ying is still a disciple of Qi Fengge, and if there is internal unrest that threatens the unity and future of Xuandu Purple Manor, how can he turn a blind eye?
He can never, not when this also concerns his beloved shixiong.
Speaking of Gu Hengbo, it was the letter she left behind that prompted Yuan Ying to leave Xuandu Purple Manor temporarily. The whole incident with the elder who had approached him, saying that he would support Yuan Ying to become the new leader was already suspicious enough. Then, his shimei’s note of caution about Yu Ai and his involvement with the Tujue people tipped the scales, and Yuan Ying found himself packing his necessities expeditiously while calculating the best time for him to sneak out of the premises.
He thought he had finally found a lead when he heard of the Sword Trial Tournament and had made his way here, confident that Shen Qiao would likely participate, or at least attend.
Yuan Ying was right, but the lead was now gone.
On his way here, Yuan Ying had already heard of the rumor spreading throughout the jianghu - that his shixiong was in some way involved with Yan-zongzhu, in ways that were unseemly, insulting even, of the dignified chief disciple of Qi Fengge. He had heard Yu Ai speak of Shen Qiao’s collusion with Huanyue Sect, but after reading Gu Hengbo’s letter, Yuan Ying is no longer sure what to believe and what to doubt.
Completely dumbfounded at the situation, he simply stands rooted to the ground as other martial artists whizz past him trying to get to safety. Yuan Ying sighs - he had been just this close to reuniting with his shixiong, but now…
Since there is no other choice, he would just have to continue camping out somewhere until he hears news of Shen Qiao’s whereabouts again. Having made up his mind, Yuan Ying spins around to descend Qingcheng Mountain, when -
“Hey, you.”
Me…? Yuan Ying looks around, trying to identify the owner of the voice that had called out, before his eyes settle on a purple-clad young man in the distance.
“Yes,” the other man replies, when Yuan Ying points at himself.
Before Yuan Ying can say another word, the other party is already standing before him, having utilized what Yuan Ying notices to be top-notch qinggong . (Although it is still lacking compared to Shen Qiao’s, Yuan Ying notes.)
The other man has his hair pulled up into a high ponytail, and a beauty mark that adorns the bottom of his left eye. While Yuan Ying has not seen much of the world, he cannot deny that the person standing before him is definitely a beauty in his own right. (Although Yuan Ying thinks he is still a league below his shixiong.)
“...Who is Shen Qiao to you?”
When Yuan Ying hears this question directed at him, he doesn’t expect it to be the start of an unlikely friendship.
But just like this - by this stroke of fate - he makes the acquaintance of Yan-zongzhu’s second disciple, Yu Shengyan.
Yu Shengyan had just been descending the mountain once the sudden disruption to the Sword Trial Tournament came to a close when he noticed a lone martial artist making his way up against the flow of everyone else. This young man looked to be of a similar age to him and had an average appearance that Yu Shengyan would never notice. That’s a given, considering how disciples from demonic sects, Huanyue Sect included, encounter and interact with countless beauties often.
But the way Yuan Ying perks up and pays his full attention when Shen Qiao’s name is mentioned piqued Yu Shengyan’s interest.
So when Yuan Ying reveals that Shen Qiao is, in fact, his shixiong, Yu Shengyan scoffs a little internally. Shen Qiao is no peerless beauty, but even without crossdressing, he can easily put up a good fight against the prettiest concubines in the palace. Yet, this Yuan Ying can barely hold a candle to Shen Qiao, despite being his shidi. This amuses Yu Shengyan greatly, because when his Shizun takes in disciples, their potential and inherent aptitude for demonic techniques are not the only things his Shizun is picky about. Yan Wushi holds expectations towards their looks as well - after all, what use will demonic enchantment spells have, if the user doesn’t look captivating enough?
Well, Yu Shengyan thinks, it makes sense that appearance makes little difference to someone who practises Daoism, but Yuan Ying and Shen Qiao are basically worlds apart.
Not only that, Yuan Ying speaks with a stutter - no matter how much he tries, this speech impairment is something that severely diminishes his external confidence and the way he presents himself. No, perhaps it is the very reason why Yuan Ying does not seem anywhere near as confident and sure of himself as Shen Qiao did.
A part of him feels that Yuan Ying is nothing more than an easy target to tease and bully, but another voice inside Yu Shengyan tells him that he should never underestimate this gullible-looking martial artist before him. Afterall, he shared the same master as Shen Qiao. Any wise person will know to not belittle any of Qi Fengge’s disciples, no matter how isolated they are from the jianghu.
The display of martial ability by Gu Hengbo at the tournament earlier made that point clear enough.
His initial impressions of Yuan Ying aside, now that Yu Shengyan is left to his own devices without his Shizun around, he decides that the best course of action is to take Yuan Ying back with him to Huanyue Sect for the time being.
“Shen Qiao will be safe with my Shizun around, so we should just convene at Huanyue Sect,” Yu Shengyan explains when the both of them step into a restaurant.
Yuan Ying nods in response, easily agreeing with Yu Shengyan’s proposed plans. Having rarely travelled long distances from Xuandu Mountain, Yuan Ying is more than unfamiliar with the current area. Sticking with the Huanyue Sect disciple is the wisest decision he can make now. If, on the off chance, he is being deceived for whatever reason, Yuan Ying is confident that with his years of tutelage under Qi Fengge (actually Shen Qiao), he will be able to escape safely.
Everything seems to be going just fine, until Yu Shengyan tries to order a whole table of dishes for the both of them.
As he lists off various delicacies to the enthusiastic waiter - fish soup, marinated beef, osmanthus cakes and more - he had acquired some of his Shizun’s tastes after all - he doesn’t notice the way Yuan Ying’s eyes widen almost comically at the seemingly endless list.
Yuan Ying tries to interject repeatedly, but to no avail. So when the waiter leaves happily with the list of orders, he sighs and sits back dejectedly, wondering how he is going to break it to Yu Shengyan that he is, in fact, too poor at the moment to afford an entire table worth of delicacies.
“...What’s wrong with you?” Yu Shengyan raises a curious brow when Yuan Ying's jitters become more prominent.
“...Yu-xiong, this, this Daoist priest doesn’t have, have enough to pay for all, all that food…” Yuan Ying admits sheepishly, a little red in the face.
“What, you don’t have enough money?”
Yuan Ying shakes his head, avoiding eye contact. But Yu Shengyan does not share Yuan Ying’s concerns. He has more than enough to cover both of their expenses for the remaining journey. Plus, any cost incurred by Shen Qiao’s shidi will naturally be on Huanyue Sect’s tab - he is sure his Shizun will agree to that anyway. But for some strange, unexplainable reason, Yu Shengyan feels curious about Yuan Ying’s situation.
“...Then how have you been surviving until now? Didn’t you say you left Xuandu Mountain almost a month ago?”
“I just try, try to spend more, more time on the road,” Yuan Ying explains. “And eat as little as I, I can.”
“Huh? So you’ve just been going hungry pretty much the past one month?” Yu Shengyan probes, leaning forward as he realises how slim Yuan Ying’s face is.
Xuandu Mountain may not be as wealthy as Huanyue Sect, but presumably, he must have had a comfortable life while he was still on the mountain. Yet, there doesn’t seem to be any sign of that on his face, which, on closer inspection, only seems to show weariness that has accumulated over the past month. So far, Yuan Ying hasn’t only had to starve once in a while, but he also had to be on high alert in case the elders from Xuandu Mountain managed to trace down his tracks.
Oddly, Yuan Ying’s tenacity sparks some interest within Yu Shengyan, who starts to think that perhaps, Yuan Ying isn’t that different from Shen Qiao. He definitely has some admirable qualities that belies his plain, simple and innocent appearance.
"Well, it's on my tab, so make sure to eat up," Yu Shengyan says nonchalantly, his stare almost boring holes in Yuan Ying's face.
With Yu Shengyan closing the distance between them across the table, Yuan Ying feels that the other man is a little too close for comfort. Slightly confused at why heat is rising in his cheeks, Yuan Ying tries to lean sideways to put more space between them, but Yu Shengyan smirks a little, and only seems more hell bent on trying to get a closer look at his visage. That is when he realises that despite Yuan Ying’s plain appearance, his soft facial features aren’t actually that bad.
And more importantly, his reactions are… very amusing.
When the dishes arrive, the pair begin eating mostly in silence, occasionally discussing the latest developments in the jianghu, which means Yu Shengyan is the one talking more, sharing what he has heard, while Yuan Ying contributes his own opinion once in a while. Owing to his lack of worldly experience, Yuan Ying’s perspective is considerably narrow, much like when Shen Qiao was forced to take a good look at the reality beyond Xuandu Mountain after he was poisoned and fell off the cliff.
Yu Shengyan suddenly feels that he is sharing a table not with another martial artist, but an adorable, young puppy who has yet to see much of the world.
Feeling more comfortable with time, and appreciative of the fact that Yu Shengyan has not made fun of his speech impediment so far, Yuan Ying begins to speak up more and more. Much to Yu Shengyan’s interest, Yuan Ying relates his version of events to do with Yu Ai’s collusion with the Tujue people, which by now has already become common knowledge among martial artists after Shen Qiao’s confrontation with him that day.
Although Yuan Ying thinks that what he is saying must not be very fascinating or interesting, he is grateful that Yu Shengyan is paying attention to him, or at least, trying to. That is, until an outstretched hand approaches his face.
Yuan Ying cuts himself off mid-sentence and backs away, while Yu Shengyan’s hand stops in the air.
“You’ve got a grain of rice here,” Yu Shengyan says as his long fingers lightly brush Yuan Ying’s cheek. Yuan Ying has been cautious around Yu Shengyan, and while that is absolutely necessary in his opinion, that heightened vigilance is wearing him out gradually. It would be so much easier on both of them if they can develop some semblance of trust between them, at least on this journey, so Yuan Ying is visibly relieved that Yu Shengyan’s movement is no cause for alarm.
“Thank y-” Yuan Ying freezes up as he feels warm fingers press against his skin and give his left cheek a pinch.
W-wha--
If this were more than a decade ago, he wouldn’t have much of a problem letting his Shizun or his shixiong coddle him and pinch his chubby cheeks, but..
But he was already in his twenties, a grown man - why the heck would anyone pinch his cheeks!?
He desperately swats the hand away, while Yu Shengyan just bursts into laughter at the blush creeping up Yuan Ying’s neck. Meanwhile, the Daoist priest flashes Yu Shengyan an indignant glare before looking away so he no longer has to watch the other man’s satisfied laughter from teasing Yuan Ying.
“S-sorry, haha," Yu Shengyan says somewhat unapologetically between tears.
“I won’t do that again,” he promises Yuan Ying half-heartedly. He’s lying, of course. Now that he has seen how hilarious and entertaining Yuan Ying’s reaction can be, Yu Shengyan tells himself that this is just the start.
Like master, like disciple. Yu Shengyan is someone who does as he wishes, whenever he wants to. If he wants to make another person’s life hell, he will. And if he wants to tease another person to no end, there is nothing stopping him either - he will continue to push the boundaries further and further each time.
Yuan Ying glares at Yu Shengyan again, although not very effectively, because the latter, while mostly composed now, is shaking ever so slightly trying to suppress a snigger as he picks up his chopsticks again.
Steam nearly pours out of Yuan Ying’s ears.
So was there a rice grain on his cheek or not?!
Once they part ways for the night and head into their own rooms, Yu Shengyan decides to start circulating his qi in an attempt to heal the internal injuries he had sustained during the tournament. His provoking choice of words had led to a short altercation with Sang Jingxing. Shen Qiao had helped him deflect part of Sang Jingxing’s amplification spell, but the latter had exerted a significant amount of strength on it. So even though Yu Shengyan isn’t too badly hurt, he still has to pay special care into recovering as quickly as possible.
As he makes himself comfortable in his room, Yu Shengyan recalls that he nearly had to cross swords with Yuan Xiuxiu, but Shen Qiao ended up taking up the battle instead. With that, he managed to avoid a major battle, but who knows what kind of punishment his Shizun is going to dole out to him later. He had indeed failed to follow Yan Wushi’s instruction to “block any sort of inconvenience to Shen Qiao”...
“Sigh, I’ll just forget about that for now,” Yu Shengyan mutters to himself in resignation as he settled into a cross-legged position next to the bed.
But just as his eyes are about to flutter shut, a knock resounds on his door.
“Who’s there?!” Yu Shengyan demands as he rises from his sitting position while his eyes remain focused on the door.
In the next second, the door creaks open slowly, revealing a very awkward Yuan Ying at the entrance to the room. Yu Shengyan exhales, relieved that it is not an ambush, but Yuan Ying takes him by surprise right after when he presents a small ceramic bottle he is holding in his pale, slim hand.
“Medicine,” he explains. “I’m not, not sure if you, you were injured at, at the tournament just now, but here,” he extends his outstretched arm to the other man, “just, just in case.”
Astonished, Yu Shengyan looks at the bottle, then at Yuan Ying. As a member of a demonic sect, he rarely gets treated with kindness. This is the second time, and it is again by a disciple of Qi Fengge’s.
He stares at the bottle, a little dazed, then shakes his head in response.
“I believe the medicine you have can only work on external injuries, but what I’ve sustained is an internal injury. I don’t presume you have anything on hand that would work for that?”
“No," Yuan Ying replies dejectedly, "since our cores are, are of different natures, Xuandu Mountain’s medicine would not work on, on you."
"But! I can help you, you with circulating your, your qi,” Yuan Ying adds enthusiastically as he slips the bottle back into his sleeve. Yu Shengyan can only guess that the Daoist priest is desperate to make up for his share of the expenses. But it is not his money Yuan Ying owes, and Yu Shengyan can handle the recovery process on his own. So there really is no need at all, Yu Shengyan muses to himself, but the way Yuan Ying is trying hard to do so is kind of…
Cute.
Before Yu Shengyan is able to reject his offer, Yuan Ying is already seated on the floor by the bed, patting the space before him adorably, an eager expression on his face. Feeling somewhat defeated by Yuan Ying’s puppy-like demeanour, Yu Shengyan lets out a soft chuckle and settles comfortably in front of Yuan Ying, who immediately gets to work, placing his two palms against Yu Shengyan’s back.
Truth be told, Yu Shengyan has had his guard up against Yuan Ying this whole time. Just because Shen Qiao has been extremely altruistic in his treatment towards people in Huanyue Sect does not necessarily mean the rest of Xuandu Mountain will be equally tolerant of those from demonic sects.
Case in point, Yu Ai.
Probably many others on Xuandu Mountain as well. Well, that’s no surprise, considering how the demonic sects do not have the best reputation in the jianghu.
But Yuan Ying’s lack of hostility and his gracious attitude towards Yu Shengyan makes the latter’s unfounded worries dissipate. Just after a day of interaction, and it is clear as day that Yuan Ying shares the same temperament as his shixiong. (Yu Shengyan remembers how Yuan Ying’s anger had dissipated much quicker than expected after he had teased him earlier in the day.) Yu Shengyan considers himself to be a decent judge of character, and he is 99.99% sure Yuan Ying is not the kind of person who would rashly provoke others or intentionally cause harm.
With that, he no longer finds it a problem to let his guard down around this well-natured Daoist priest, but the same time, this brings about a peculiar itch in Yu Shengyan’s heart to tease Yuan Ying. It is not only because the Xuandu Mountain disciple has a personality that makes him an easy target, but somewhere along the way, a small flame of desire had emerged within Yu Shengyan.
A desire to elicit all sorts of reactions from Yuan Ying.
He already saw a preview when he pinched Yuan Ying’s cheek earlier, but Yu Shengyan is curious and wants to see more .
When they are done, the internal injury is already so much better that Yu Shengyan barely even finds it a bother anymore. He turns around to thank the Daoist priest, only to face a Yuan Ying who, having exerted a little too much qi, is panting ever so slightly.
With his eyes fixated on Yuan Ying’s slightly agape mouth and the soft blush on his cheeks, Yu Shengyan instantly moves to grip the edge of the bed, caging the other man with his arms.
Shocked by the sudden movement and the vulnerable position he is caught in, Yuan Ying tries to back away, but to no avail as his back hits the wooden bedframe. Yu Shengyan inches forward - closer and closer - so close that Yuan Ying feels puffs of hot breath on his cheeks. Yu Shengyan’s eyes trace the soft contours of Yuan Ying’s face - although not that eye-catching, his looks are truly quite pleasant on the eyes. The latter’s fists are already clenched tightly, fingers digging into his palms, while he lets out quick, shallow breaths.
By the time Yu Shengyan zeroes in on Yuan Ying’s slightly chapped lips, Yuan Ying’s lips are already pressed together in a thin line as he gulps nervously. His face feels hot under Yu Shengyan’s gaze, and he doesn’t know why.
Since he has never been in a situation like this before, Yuan Ying is at a loss at how to react, with anxiety and confusion taking over his being. Yu Shengyan has been kind to him this whole journey, but as the seconds tick past, his fists unclench just a little to allow for some qi to gather in his hands.
He doesn’t want to hurt Yu Shengyan unnecessarily.
But in such a situation, being caught between the bed and the other man with nowhere to run - Yuan Ying can no longer suppress his fight or flight instincts. Yu Shengyan’s eyes are still on him, and Yuan Ying musters up enough courage to respond daringly to that burning gaze.
He looks back in Yu Shengyan’s eyes. The concentrated qi grow in intensity, circulating within the area of his palms -
Any time now.
But when Yuan Ying suddenly feels the press of warm lips against his own, the fiery energy in his hands dissipates in an instant.
Trapped by the gentle, caressing movement of the other’s lips over his, Yuan Ying’s arms flail around helplessly, trying to break his way out, yet feeling powerless in a situation like this. His hands finally find themselves on Yu Shengyan’s shoulders; his fingers dig into the fabric as he tries to ground himself because Yuan Ying feels as if his soul is about to leave his mortal body anytime.
"Mmph–"
With his eyes scrunched shut, every sensation Yuan Ying feels is markedly intensified. Yu Shengyan’s close proximity, the warmth radiating from his person, the experienced slide of lips against his own, and a soft, slippery tongue that threatens to pry open his mouth -
They say there is a first time for everything, and this is the first time Yuan Ying has zero clue how to react, or how to process what exactly is going on. When he finally collects himself and pushes Yu Shengyan off him without using his inner qi for fear of hurting him, he doesn't realize just how debauched he looks.
“What, what are you doing!?” Yuan Ying’s face is completely flushed as he glares at Yu Shengyan's gaze, which appears hazy under the candlelight. What Yuan Ying doesn't realize is the other man's downward gaze. Yuan Ying's reddened, glistening and swollen lips are… enchanting.
In the next moment Yu Shengyan snaps out of his trance and flashes him an innocently puzzled look, but Yuan Ying notices the way a small smirk tugs at the corner of his lips.
“...What are you angry for? It’s just a kiss, is it such a big deal?” Yu Shengyan is apathetic about the situation, and simply finds amusement in the way Yuan Ying has gotten so flustered just from a light kiss.
“Since you’re already much, much better, I’ll leave now!” Yuan Ying declares lividly. The lively and vibrant red on his cheeks has yet to recede.
He gets up hurriedly and heads for the door, slamming it shut, but not before choking out a displeased ‘good, good night!”. Yu Shengyan’s mouth forms a small ‘o’ at Yuan Ying’s display of anger, before he breaks out into uncontrollable laughter.
How is it that Yuan Ying looks even more adorable when he’s mad?
Yuan Ying had contemplated parting ways with Yu Shengyan by leaving the inn early in the morning, but he remembered that it was not even his own money that was spent on the food and accommodations. He couldn’t possibly just leave like that.
More importantly, he still needs to make it to Huanyue Sect. Without Yu Shengyan to guide him on the journey, Yuan Ying is not sure if he will ever find his way there, given how shrouded in secrecy the location of Huanyue Sect’s temporary base is.
He is still on guard - in fact, more than ever before, for different reasons now - but fortunately, to Yuan Ying’s relief, what happened the day before does not repeat itself. Yu Shengyan, strangely, behaves appropriately and is treating Yuan Ying like a normal person does.
Unlike his Shizun, Yu Shengyan knows when to pull the brakes before he gets himself into trouble. He may have mastered the Fundamentals of the Phoenix-Qilin to the fourth level, but Yu Shengyan is still mindful of the fact that Yuan Ying’s martial arts are by no means weak.
The day before, when Yuan Ying had channelled the streams of qi into him, Yu Shengyan had noted their sheer power - to think that such a modest, dull-looking person was hiding so much strength within him. Are all of Qi Fengge’s disciples like that? If both of them are to clash, Yu Shengyan is not sure he will be able to hold his ground completely against Yuan Ying. Although, the possibility of that happening is extremely low, considering how Yuan Ying will probably never initiate a fight.
Anyway, Yu Shengyan decides it would be wise to put a pause on the teasing on this short journey so he doesn't end up incurring Yuan Ying's wrath. Now that he has left Xuandu Mountain, and is going to convene with Shen Qiao, it seems likely that Yuan Ying is going to be at Huanyue Sect, or at least in the area, for the unforeseeable future.
Which means that Yu Shengyan has plenty of time to resume his teasing later. When he looks at Yuan Ying from the corner of his eye, the latter’s funny reactions from the day before surface in his mind, forcing Yu Shengyan to suppress a small smile that threatens to develop into full-blown laughter. Yuan Ying feels like something is up and eyes Yu Shengyan suspiciously, who feels as if his sides are already in stitches as he holds himself back from cracking up under Yuan Ying’s scrutiny.
Yuan Ying should have known that he had to be careful around people from the demonic sects.
After all, they are not bound by rules prohibiting them from sexual promiscuity or fooling around (especially at others’ expense). The Dao was about behaving ethically and morally; the way of the demonic sects was everything but.
A worrying thought suddenly occurs to Yuan Ying, sending shivers down his spine as he hastens his footsteps, earning a confused look from Yu Shengyan.
If… If demonic sect people are like this, and Yan-zongzhu is the leader of one of the demonic sects, and zhangjiao-shixiong has been with him for so long, then… then doesn’t that mean shixiong has been going through similar things against his will?! ༼☯﹏☯༽
“Hey, what are you rushing for?” Yu Shengyan calls out to Yuan Ying, who is already far ahead in front of him.
But Yuan Ying ignores him, only picking up speed again.
What’s with him? Yu Shengyan shakes his head in exasperation, thinking that he will have lots to complain about this unfathomable (but cute) Daoist priest to Bian Yanmei once he gets back to Huanyue Sect.
After their meeting with Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao concludes, Yu Shengyan half-heartedly leads Yuan Ying to the room that he is going to be staying in. The latter follows behind him closely for fear of being left behind, while gaping in awe at the sheer scale of the residence.
Shizun called him ‘Yuan-shidi’... ‘Yuan-shidi’... What the hell? Why???
Yu Shengyan trudges on absentmindedly, completely lost in thought until he feels a firm hand on his shoulder which pulls him back to reality.
"Yu-xiong, we've already gone, gone past all the, the rooms…"
Yu Shengyan blinks in confusion, only understanding what Yuan Ying means when he realizes they are surrounded by a variety of plants and flowers. This space is quiet, save for the lively chirping of small birds, and is marked by a majestic-looking yet comfortable set of a circular stone table and matching stone chairs placed in the middle.
The central garden.
Yu Shengyan sighs in exasperation, takes a quick look at his Shizun’s ‘Yuan-shidi’, then spins around to take Yuan Ying the right way back to his temporary lodging.
“You're lucky. Shizun normally wouldn't care about putting an outsider up in our residence,” he says when the pair finally arrive at their destination. The room is spacious and well-furnished, befitting of a grand residence, yet is not cluttered with unnecessary or gaudy furniture pieces.
Yuan Ying gives the room a scan, thankful that he finally has a comfortable space to call his own for now, after putting up at all sorts of inns over the past month. He’s never had to be away from home for long. And at this rate, it doesn’t look like he will get to return to Xuandu Mountain any time soon. Since he at least has shixiong here with him, this will have to do. And fortunately, even though he has been involved with Yan Wushi, Shen Qiao seems to be doing fine. At least, in Yuan Ying’s eyes. Maybe people from demonic sects could still be trusted after all.
Yuan Ying turns to Yu Shengyan, putting his hands together in a polite gesture, “Yes, please thank Yan, Yan-zongzhu again on my, my behalf.”
Yu Shengyan offers a non-committal hum in response to Yuan Ying, then asks, “What about me?”
“Huh?” Yuan Ying looks up from the table, where he has already started unpacking his (tiny) bag of belongings.
Hedonism was a quality members of demonic sects shared. But Yu Shengyan had held back on the entire journey for fear of clashing directly with Yuan Ying. Now that the other man is in his Shizun’s territory, he suddenly thinks that this is a wonderful time to resume his teasing.
He joins Yuan Ying at the table, settling next to him comfortably. “I guided you here, took care of you and even paid for all your expenses…” he drawls.
“...My shixiong said he, he will handle the issue of my, my expenditure,” Yuan Ying informs him matter-of-factly.
“Okay, but what about my effort so far? You haven't thanked me for it, have you?” Yu Shengyan pouts as he rests his head in his palm, elbow propped up on the table. He gazes into the distance, putting on a hurt expression that instantly makes Yuan Ying feel bad.
“...Thank, thank you…”
Yuan Ying’s troubled expression only makes Yu Shengyan’s heart itch.
“Are you sure you mean it?” Yu Shengyan cocks his head to one side, stealthily sliding over closer to Yuan Ying.
“...Yes?” Hasn’t he already given Yu Shengyan his word of thanks? Yuan Ying doesn’t know what else the demonic sect disciple is expecting.
“Then I'll take this as a show of gratitude,” Yu Shengyan declares playfully, before closing in on Yuan Ying.
When he presses his lips onto those of a very shocked Yuan Ying, Yu Shengyan takes the opportunity to quickly slip his tongue in as he wraps his arms around him, with one hand holding the back of Yuan Ying’s neck in a firm grip. Like the last time, Yuan Ying is stuck with nowhere to run. And having been caught off guard again, Yuan Ying only whimpers softly in protest as the intrusive tongue swirls around, muffling his cries. Yu Shengyan doesn’t let up, and Yuan Ying ends up clawing at the other man’s robes as he feels his arms tighten around him until there is nothing but a tiny gap between their bodies.
Then Yuan Ying feels one hand begin to stroke his hair gently, the tips of Yu Shengyan’s fingers scraping lightly against his scalp and down to his nape, leaving a tingling trail in their wake. Meanwhile the other hand also gets to work, caressing Yuan Ying’s waist over his Daoist robes so much that he thinks he can almost feel the heat from Yu Shengyan’s palm through his clothes.
The constant touches, and the way the other man’s tongue pushes and pulls in the warm cavern of his mouth - the stimulation is just too much, it’s too much for Yuan Ying to take --
His eyes fly open (when had he shut them?) and within the same second, Yuan Ying sends through a blast of qi, just enough to push Yu Shengyan off him. Yuan Ying notices, with much embarrassment, the way he is gasping for air frantically, how his cheeks are burning, and the lingering warmth where Yu Shengyan touched him earlier.
Yuan Ying berates himself for letting his guard down just because he thought this would not happen again - why, and how did he even think that Yu Shengyan was a decent person the first they met?!
Not once, but twice - he had fallen into Yu Shengyan’s trap twice !
With tears gathering at the corners of his eyes, Yuan Ying storms off in a hurry. When Yu Shengyan tries to get up to tag along, Yuan Ying does the unthinkable -
He unsheathes his sword and points it at Yu Shengyan, who already has his hands up as he backs away from the shimmering, sharp tip. It is only when Yu Shengyan makes it clear that he no longer has the intention to follow - he’s not about to cause a scene under his Shizun’s nose after all - does Yuan Ying turn on his heel to leave, sword in hand.
So, Yuan Ying finally snapped , Yu Shengyan thinks.
Somehow, he thought it would be funny to try coaxing a flustered reaction, so he did what he did, but...
But he couldn’t find it in him to laugh this time. Something about the tears that threatened to spill from Yuan Ying’s eyes makes his chest hurt .
Still, it was just a kiss. Even though it was deeper than the one before. Yu Shengyan figures Yuan Ying will cool off eventually, so he picks himself up and decides to join his Shixiong in the study. He’s not about to look for his Shizun - Yu Shengyan is sure his Shizun has not forgotten about him failing at his task at the tournament.
“I don’t get it.” Yu Shengyan is sulking, much to Bian Yanmei’s amusement. The older disciple looks up from his pile of paperwork to see his shidi leaning sideways lazily in his chair. What’s new? Bian Yanmei shakes his head and returns to the endless administrative work he has been tasked with. His Shizun has never cared much for any of these tedious paperwork. Plus, now that Shen Qiao is at Huanyue Sect, Yan Wushi is more preoccupied than before and cares even less , to Bian Yanmei’s chagrin.
“...Shixiong,” Yu Shengyan whines when he notices how Bian Yanmei’s attention has been directed back to his work. “I don’t get it!!”
Bian Yanmei sighs. The two of them have been apart on their respective missions for long enough that he has forgotten what it feels like to have an annoying younger brother.
“...What do you not get.”
“Why did Shizun call Yuan Ying ‘shidi’??? Isn’t Shen Qiao in the same generation as us?!”
So it’s about this? Bian Yanmei feels his patience wearing thin, and an oncoming headache.
“Shizun was an accomplished martial artist in his twenties, capable enough to put up a fight against Qi Fengge,” Yu Shengyan reasons.
“Yes, that is true,” Bian Yanmei agrees. “But since Shizun has decided that Yuan Ying is a ‘shidi’ to him, you and I both know that nothing you say will convince him otherwise.”
After all, Yan Wushi already considers Shen Qiao family, so of course Shen Qiao’s shidi would be his shidi too. As if he would care about generations and the like… Bian Yanmei blocks out Yu Shengyan's endless ranting and starts flipping through his stack of papers again, until his shidi’s surprised exclamation grabs his attention once again.
"Where are you going!"
When Bian Yanmei looks up, he sees Yu Shengyan half-propped up and leaning out of his chair dangerously. His eyes trail towards the door, where Yuan Ying, who was just passing by, has now stopped in his tracks.
"...Lunch," he replies curtly, not even bothering to meet Yu Shengyan’s eyes.
“I’ll go with you,” Yu Shengyan jumps out of his seat, landing gracefully on the balls of his feet. “You don’t have money, do you?”
“Shixiong already gave, gave me some,” Yuan Ying is mad, but he’s courteous enough to not ignore Yu Shengyan completely.
But before Yu Shengyan gets to say another word, Yuan Ying is already gone. The Huanyue Sect disciple is flabbergasted - stalking off like this is actually rude , considering how cordial Yuan Ying usually is.
So, he’s still angry?
Yu Shengyan doesn’t want to - he can’t leave the matter as it is. In fact, he’s already starting to feel awful for pushing Yuan Ying’s boundaries so far. Yu Shengyan knows he shouldn’t have done that, but he couldn’t control that sudden urge to kiss Yuan Ying, to induce more of those fascinating reactions.
But now Yuan Ying is furious. Seeing how incensed Yuan Ying is because of him sends a strange, aching pang to Yu Shengyan’s chest.
Yu Shengyan could care less if it were anyone else, but somehow, because it’s Yuan Ying who he has provoked, Yu Shengyan is filled with the unfamiliar sense of guilt. Memories of a Yuan Ying who nearly teared up after being bullied by him flashes in his mind, sending his heart into the bottomless pit of hell.
And so he quickly makes for the door until -
“What’s going on between you two?” Bian Yanmei eyes Yu Shengyan suspiciously.
Ah, as expected of his shixiong. Having been involved deeply in the court and other political matters in place of their Shizun, Bian Yanmei’s perception has been honed to the highest degree. Something like this would never escape him.
Yuan Ying is their guest, and an important one at that since he’s Shen Qiao’s shidi, so if Yu Shengyan has been up to no good and being a nuisance to him…
Yu Shengyan feels his Shixiong’s death glare on his back and shudders when he thinks about how he might end up getting sent back to Banbu Peak to train alone again.
“Nothing!” he spits out as he bolts for the exit, hoping that his Shixiong will be kind enough to not pursue the matter when he returns with Yuan Ying. They would have made up by then anyway, right? Right???
I will make it up to Yuan Ying , Yu Shengyan swears.
“Wait!” Yu Shengyan’s loud voice resonates through the corridors and even in the room, leaving behind a very annoyed Bian Yanmei.
“Yuan Ying, wait for me! Yuan-xiong!! YUAN-SHISHU!!!”