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Chapter Text

Shen Jiu is an actor with an incredibly successful career. At the young age of 21, he had already won several awards for his acting skills, been on the cover of magazines, invited to talk shows and so on. His dashing looks, charming personality and a terrifying management team ensured his spot as the most promising young actor the world has seen in years.

Or at least, he was.

There are many factors that contributed to his tragically early death, but the worst offender so far, would be what he considered the worst decision he has ever made in all twenty years of his life. And that would be clicking on the 'Add To Cart' button on the official website for 'Proud Immortal Demon Way'.

Shen Jiu does not consider himself a penny pincer, he grew up very poor and was on the verge of homelessness many times throughout his childhood. So it only made sense for him to enjoy himself a little when he found himself with more money than he needed. Nothing too extravagant of course, a couple of suits, a car, or two and a mansion – compared to many other celebrities, he did not indulge himself too much. 

'Proud Immortal Demon Way' seemed like nothing out of the ordinary, another casual purchase that he'll read and either keep or throw away once he's done. A classic story about a white lotus protagonist blackened by the tragic events of his lifer and ending in a satisfying gore fest of death and vengeance, collecting wives and underlings/worshipers like one would shiny rocks or stickers.

He was wrong, it was nothing like what he had expected.

Despite its mixed reviews, the novel is incredibly popular, even mentioned in passing by several celebrities. For such a successful novel, one would expect the writing and the plot line to be, at the very least, decent. That is exactly what Shen Jiu told himself when the hard copies of the book finally arrived at his doorsteps.

Except it wasn't.

Admittedly, the summary is promising. The art is beautiful, and whoever created and designed the characters clearly took the time to think through with the designs. Like most novels, all the characters are either drop-dead gorgeous or average in order to appease the audience's need for eye-candy. But each character's personality shine through their designs and clothing. 

In the beginning Luo Binghe, the protagonist, dressed himself in soft shades of green representing his alliance to the Sect and Qing Jing Peak. His clothes becoming a darker shade with each tragedy. Before he finally donned his classic black and red robes to show that he is now a new person by the end of the novel.

Mobei-Jun, his trusty right-hand man and another beloved character, is shown in blues, gray and white. Staying true to his heritage as an Ice Demon, and the all powerful King of the North, second only to Luo Binghe himself. 

Shen Jiu could go on and on about the beauty of the designs and how it was the only thing that Airplane Shooting Towards The Sky had done right in his novel. But that would also take too much precious time that he would rather spend, shitting on all the other aspects of the novel.

Plot holes littered everywhere, half-assed arcs that ended the moment Luo Binghe got the girl. Character development and tension tossed aside in favor of badly written porn. One-dimensional love interests and even worse 'rivals' that barely counted as a hindrance to the perfect protagonist.

He forced himself to read through to the end, the tiny sprinkles of mystery and tiny bits of world building kept him awake at night. The promise of satisfaction, that everything he had been through would be paid off, was just enough for him to finish the fiery train wreck of porn, dog blood, and angst that dared to call itself a novel. But even then, he was stabbed in the back.

Shen Jiu felt especially bad for the main antagonist, the novels show the man as nothing but a scum through and through. From his lecherous designs on his own female disciples, the absurd cruelty that he forced on to Luo Binghe, to the way he treated his only benefactor - Yue Qingyuan. But Shen Qingqiu is just another promising character dome dirty by the likes of Airplane, his backstory, his motivations, like most things in this novel, went unexplained.

Many times, he wanted to open the comment section and write a long-ass rant to Airplane, hoping that he'd see it and at least try to improve. But that Peerless Cucumber already did that, and it did not seem to do anything, so Shen Jiu decided against.

Perhaps if he receives a personal email from him, the author would put some actual effort in? No, not likely. The novel makes good money, Shen Jiu had to admit, from a certain perspective it is a perfect cash cow. Anger and frustration kept people reading, and new people coming. So there really was no need to change it at all.

Still, it enraged him as a reader. The pages tore from the strength he held the book in, crushing and deforming the illustration of a bloody body with no arms or legs, stared down by a demon with red eyes and a condescending smirk.

The half-assed 'ending' the novel, that he paid real money for, presented him with made his blood pressure rise through the roof.  It made him so angry, that he choked on the potato chips he had been eating at the time. As he struggled to breath, his final words to the cruel world that took him away too soon for anyone's liking were…

“Fuck your porn book!” Followed by some more choking sounds, and then – Death.

Dying from a shitty novel and some chips. Shen Jiu could feel his ancestors looking down upon him with second hand embarrassment. What would his fans say?

Too late for that now.

He woke up, miraculously, and felt as though his entire body had been run over by a monster truck. However, he wasn't going to admit to being in pain, so he simply lied there in silent agony. Life is a tornado, and Shen Jiu is nothing but a cow being spun around for cinematic value. As such, he has already learned to deal with it.

[Good morning host! This system hopes that your death was not too agonizing to bear!]

Or maybe not.

Shen Jiu groaned, forcing himself to sit up despite his entire body screaming in protest. Looking around, he found himself surrounded by not beeping monitors, but elegant white canopies that costs more than several human body parts. The room is nothing like his expensive penthouse apartment, but more like something he'd rent for a vacation home. 

It's a breath of fresh air from the busy and crowded streets of Shanghai, camera flashes following him no matter where he went. He would have appreciated it more if it weren't for the fact that his life is possibly in danger – for the second time, he might add. 

“Qingqiu-shidi, you're finally awake!” An unidentified man rushed over, fretting over nonexistent injuries. The longer Shen Jiu stared at him, the brighter his aura shone. In fact, if he strained his ears hard enough, he could hear angel choirs in the distance singing gospels about the man's beauty.

His face broke into a kind, gentle smile that reminded Shen Jiu greatly of an older brother, “This shixiong is glad that you are alright. Shidi gave me quite a fright when you simply collapsed like that.” He gently held Shen Jiu's wrist in his larger hands for a few seconds before letting go.

Creepy, but okay. 

Common sense dictates that he should use this moment of vulnerability to punch the other man in the face and make an escape. But alas, he found himself unable to ruin such a pretty face. Plus, the man seems to know him, or the person whose body he is currently occupying, so he could use it to his advantage.

The man seems reluctant to do much more than a greeting and whatever that wrist thing was. And his hesitation shows that Shen Jiu's character is either rude or just downright aggressive. He doesn't have a script, so winging everything it is.

“As shixiong can see, this shidi is fine,” He scoffed coldly, “You may leave.”

Supermodel man frowned, he reached to place a hand on Shen Jiu shoulder. He seems used to it, but hurt at the same time. Which means that Shen Jiu hit jack-pot with his act, “Is Qingqiu sure? I can ask-”

Slapping his hand away the same way he saw female characters did in those ancient Chinese drama when they wanted her to appear different from other girls, “You may leave, or should this shidi see you off?” He sneered.

The man recoiled, and he was just about to wonder if he was being too harsh, when he slumped his shoulders and walked off silently. Right before he went out the door, he turned to Shen Jiu, “Shidi should not strain himself to such degrees, please leave things to shixiong.”

The bamboo door shut with a small click, and Shen Jiu fell back on the bed, sighing loudly.

“Fuck me.”

[This system does not have any reproductive organs, nor a physical body, so such acts impossible for this one. Apologies to host.]

The voice in his head sounded eerily like google, except shittier. Perhaps he was actually stuck in a coma for all these years. And they decided to use his dead body as an experiment to implant tracking chips into the human body and slowly take over the world, like Shen Jiu always knew they would eventually.

A screen in an absolutely hideous shade of blue popped up. The color felt much more offensive than the 'WELCOME' written in big, bold letters ever could. 

[This system is not affiliated with Google. But host is correct in the assumption that you were in a coma!]

“What?” Despite his surprise, Shen Jiu refused to move an inch from the bed. If he is in a coma then that man did not fret over him nearly enough, rude “How many years has it been?”

[Well…] The mechanic voice trailed off, appearing almost human in its awkwardness [Not exactly. Host's consciousness, your soul. Has been in a coma and unable to wake up from its slumber. We detected an extremely large amount of negative energy, mostly from anger. This system would like to know exactly what kind of death had host experienced which led to you to create such an explosive outcome?]

It is safe to say that Shen Jiu does not want to tell the computer how he died, especially since he could still recount his last moments like it was yesterday. But the screen that seemed to become more and more blank by the second judged him, as if it knew exactly what he was thinking and shamed him for it.

“I… was murdered.”

[Oh… This system is deeply sorry]

“No it's… It's fine.”

“Reviving me is nice and all,” Shen Jiu trailed off, unsure what to say next, “But I could really use an explanation here. What am I here for?”

[Allow me to illuminate! Please pay attention, as this will only be said once: Host has been chosen by the committee, to change this story's fate. Turn this unreadable trash into a masterpiece!-]

It then went on to explain that he was in 'Proud Immortal Demon Way' and inhabiting the body of the main antagonist Shen Qingqiu, the one who will be turned into a human stick by the end of the story. But he was given enough time to change his fate if he did it correctly.

Shen Jiu is impressed, very much so. The fact that Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky had made such a bad story that God himself had to get up and kill people to fix their flaming inferno shit tower of a story. 

[Our last transmigration into this world was a disaster. That world in particular is currently hanging on by a thread, it exists only because it managed to fulfill the protagonist's happiness. And so, the committee has learned from its mistake and chose a person who could actually play his part well, while also remaining in character enough for it to be seen as character growth and not full-on OOC.]

“So you thought bringing an actual actor in would do you any good?”

To be fair, it made sense. And his reputation would be dragged through the mud if he didn't know how to do his own job. The tiny little narcissist in Shen Jiu's head purred at the fact that a literal committee of all-powerful computers possibly planned his death just so he could plat this role they set for him. But there's no time to unpack all of that.

[Yes, this system is thankful for Host's cooperation, and will do it's best to make sure that Host is as safe as can be.]

The computer did not even give him a chance to argue. Not that arguing will make a difference, his old body is probably rotting in a grave somewhere, covered in maggots and in a fancy suit. So he was not, exactly, exited to return to his old world.

In one universe, a certain transmigrator was stuck with a sadistic and cruel slave-driving system who put him at nearly every disadvantage. That world ended up in flames as the protagonist fell in love with him, and they had ass destroying sex. 

In this universe, however, Shen Jiu is their golden fleece, the platinum star, the transmigrator to end all transmigrators.

Therefore, he is understandably treated very well. He was given buffs for his cultivation and a variety of skills to actually put up a semblance of a fight when Luo Binghe inevitably comes for his head. And double B-points, which made his goal of reaching the required amount for the OOC function much easier. The only rule he has to abide is to make sure he does not completely slander Shen Qingqiu's personality.

With that, he started power walking towards the door, slamming it open gracefully. Silence fell over the disciples present in the courtyard. As it was a free day – no one was expected to study, but Shen Qingqiu despised slackers, and thus the day ended up being dedicated to self-study time and chores.

“Where is the little beast?”

Some male disciples scrambled to find their resident punching bag, some snickered amongst themselves – wondering what the little runt had done to make shizun mad this time. 

As for Shen Jiu, he had a lot of work ahead of him, but he'll make due with what he has at his disposal. 

He hates children, this should be a breeze.

' Ah shit, he's cute.'

Is what Shen Jiu thought when he first saw Luo Binghe in the flesh. The novel made sure to emphasize his beauty every two paragraphs, but somehow he is still wholly unprepared for how perfect the protagonist's face is. 

The senior disciples had come in and dumped him on the floor, quickly scuttling away once they've done their part. He originally planned to bring Luo Binghe here and slap him around a few times while making up a bullshit excuse as to why he did it, so the resentment levels would rise – easy B-points are easy. But now the actor is not sure if he could go through with this plan.

Shen Jiu is a very vain man – and he is shamelessly proud of that fact. He worked hard for his position, and spend hundreds of hours on preserving his beauty. The products he used on his face is worth more than some people's monthly rent. 

Therefore, he is also a man who can appreciate beauty, and Luo Binghe is the word 'perfect face' personified. 

'Look at that fair complexion! That smooth skin! That cherubic symmetrical face! Even if he's covered in dirt and grime, he still smells like flowers and spring breeze! AHHHHH-'.

Shen Qingqiu's entire body shook, laying a hand on this kid would be the same as punching Mona Lisa! But his B-point! But that face-

Unaware of his teacher's existential crisis, Luo Binghe hunched back under the intense gaze directed at him. It had only been a year since he was accepted, and yet he had somehow earned shizun's ire – seemingly overnight, too. He had done everything he could to appease to the older man, but every action only seems to make shizun even more mad. 

And now shizun is so mad that he's shaking! He must have committed a grave sin!

Luo Binghe tried to recount what he had done in the past few days, to see if he had done anything out of the ordinary that might have ticked shizun off. But all he could remember is that he spent the day practicing cultivation and talking to shijie-

Is that why shizun is mad? That he talked to shijie? 

Ning Yingying is shizun's favorite after all, everyone told him so. Maybe shizun saw him as undeserving of shijie's attention, but shijie is just so nice, and he didn't want to stop being friends with her-

Suddenly, Shen Qingqiu stiffly turned to his table, snapping Luo Binghe out of his stupor. The boy quickly tried to salvage all he could out of the situation – the whips hurt a lot, and it is not exactly a fun experience to have the skin on your back blown off from the force of it.

“Shizun, this disciple repents for his wrongdoings! Please, enlighten this disciple on his faults and allow him to repent!” Luo Binghe kowtowed with his forehead touching the floor, his eyes over bright with unshed tears. 

Shen Jiu turned and resisted the urge to punch the wall.

'Stop being cute, ah! You're making this difficult for me, you brat! Why couldn't you be rude or something! I'm a terrible person, so talk back to me!! I'll lock you up!'

Instead of doing just that, Shen Jiu grabbed a bottle off the table and pretended as though he knew exactly what he was doing. Without even looking at the label, he walked over to Luo Binghe and dumped the contents of the bottle on the boy's head.

Luo Binghe blinked, and sniffled – it's not tea, so is it poison? Did shizun finally decide that enough is enough, and he'll just kill Binghe instead? 

But before he could start crying over the loss of his life, the cuts and bruises he had on his body suddenly started to mend itself and disappear – as if they were never there at all. The pain and aches he felt, gone – reduced to atoms.

In the end, he could not go through with his plan of beating the kid – he's too cute, dangerously so. He must find other ways to torment the boy, as direct confrontation would prove to be an instant defeat for Shen Jiu. So he healed his wounds with a random potion that he did not bother to check the intensity of – if it were painful, then he would have reached his original goal. If it did nothing, then he'll still earn brownie points by ruining Luo Binghe's clothes. And if it healed him, then that would be it.

What he did not expect was for the potion to work so well, the injuries were not serious by any means, but there were a lot of them. And yet, it was as though Luo Binghe's body had simply reverted to a state where it was not injured. 

Damn, he could have saved that potion for later.

“Shizun?… Is there something wrong with shizun's head?” Luo Binghe asked, before instantly slapping a hand over his mouth at the blatant disrespect he had just shown. If shizun did not beat him earlier, than he certainly would now!

Of course, Luo Binghe is incredibly happy that shizun would give him a healing potion – one made by the Peak Lord of Qian Cao no less, but clearly – something is affecting shizun. Perhaps he came down with a cold and lost his memories, or maybe he fell and hit is forehead too hard…

Still, that does not change the fact that he had just essentially called shizun crazy. 

“Did you just question this master's decision?” Shen Qingqiu hissed in an ice-cold tone – glaring down at the shaking child. 

His voice may be scary, but inside his head – he is currently screaming about the protagonist's beauty. Due to the possibility of his thoughts being seen as perverted in nature, the system has decided to censor them for the viewer's sake.

“N-no! Of course not shizun, this disciple repents for his mistake!” 

“Good, now get out of my sight.”

Luo Binghe scrambled to stand up, an action that proved to be much easier now that he is not limping with every step he takes. The young boy glanced back at his shizun with eyes full of wonder. Shen Qingqiu had his back turned to him, staring out at the window, deep in thought.

Perhaps he could allow himself to hope. Just this once.

Once Luo Binghe left, Shen Qingqiu proceeded to punch his table, breaking it in half. He then went on to slam himself face down on his bed and scream into the pillow, hoping that no one will hear his muffled despair.

He soon found that this mission will be much harder than originally thought.

Meanwhile, Luo Binghe happily skipped on his way back to the wooden shed. Many of the disciples, mostly male, were surprised to see him in such a good mood after meeting with shizun. 

Shizun did not like socializing, even with his own disciples. So if you were called in for a chat, then you have most definitely made a mistake, and mistakes cannot go unpunished in Qing Jing Peak. For Luo Binghe, in particular, a meeting with shizun basically means a beating. For every time the boy enters the bamboo house, he comes out sporting even more injuries than he came in with. 

“A-Luo! Wait for me, ah! You walk so fast!” Ning Yingying, the beloved shimei of the peak, rushed towards the younger boy, “Did something good happen? It's rare to see you so happy! Ah, did shizun give you something! I'm so jealous!”

Had shizun been how he usually was, Luo Binghe would have forced a smile and change the conversation. But today was different, he puffed up with pride, for once he actually did have something good happen.

“Shizun gave me a high class healing potion,” He smiled cheekily when Ning Yingying gasped “And it is the one made by Mu-shishu, all my wounds just disappeared like it was nothing! And it smells really nice too, like candy!”

Ning Yingying took a step back, scandalized at the fact that she – the favorite – had received nothing while Luo Binghe had his wounds tended to by shizun. In her mind, she saw shizun gently applying salves to the cuts and bruises her shidi always seemed to have. The young girl would certainly cry in heartbreak if she saw the actual imagery. That is, Shen Qingqiu casually dumping a bottle of medicine on Luo Binghe's head and calling that 'Healing'.

“Well, aren't you the happy couple.”

The sudden cartoonishly villainous new presence made itself known. Luo Binghe snapped his head back and came face to face with his worst nemesis. 

Ming Fan smirked, in an asshole kind of way. The same kind of smile your sibling would flash you before tattling on your parents about whatever you did that day that will inevitably get you in trouble. Or the smile you would make before spoiling the plotline of an entire movie that your friend hasn't seen yet and watch in mirth as the light slowly drains out of their eyes.

“What happened today, A-Luo? Mind telling your shixiong?”

Chapter Text

Shen Jiu is on a walk, in an attempt to cleanse his mind and get himself back on track. Admiring the natural beauty of Qing Jing Peak. The scenery truly is a work of art some alive, it almost felt unreal. Dried leaves danced with along with the wind. The birds are singing a melody, while the waterfall provided background music. He felt as though he was in a studio Ghibli film.

Of course, since the world is obsessed with saying 'SIKE', the peace he had just a moment earlier was ripped away from his hands and replaced with the sounds of children screaming.

He walked towards the noise with the intent to tell whoever it is to shut up and let him have a second of silence. Luckily, he did not need to do so as the moment he stepped into the clearing, all sounds ceased to exist except for the crying. 

“Shizun!” A little girl, she looked too good to be a normal mob character, so it must be Ning Yingying “Shizun! Tell Ming-shixiong he's being mean! Please-”

Whatever she was trying to say next was cut off by a hiccup, followed by more sniffles. Shen Jiu's hand awkwardly hovered over her shoulder, unsure of what to do. Children have long been the bane of his existence, so being confronted with a crying one did not do any wonders for his mental health.

“Shi-Shizun! It's not what it looks like.” The older boy quickly scrambled to climb off of Luo Binghe-who now sported a fresh new bruise on his cheek. The protagonist had his hand clenched tightly around a strong on his neck. The scene felt familiar in a way he could not explain...

And suddenly everything made sense.

This is the jade scene, the very start of Luo Binghe's blackening. In the novel, not only did Shen Qingqiu not permit Luo Binghe to search for his pendant, but he also punished him for daring to harm the Head Disciple of the Peak. Thus sparked the first conflict, the first drop of hatred in Luo Binghe's heart.

He arrived too early.

The other sickly looking kid must be Ming Fan, then, the useless Head Disciple of Qing Jing. His cultivation is not anything exceptional, it was like every single average disciple on the Peak. Despite him being in almost every single cultivation practice scene – as, Ming Fan is often used as an example to show how much better Luo Binghe is in comparison to the next Peak Lord. He almost felt bad for the kid. 

It is theorized, in other words, assumed that Ming Fan had only been picked because of his blind loyalty to Shen Qingqiu. Ming Fan was one of the few characters who still rooted for Shen Qingqiu even by the end of the novel, when the Peak Lord had been trialed and Luo Binghe started his murder spree. Shen Jiu is honestly impressed by the sheer balls of this kid to talk back to a Heavenly Demon even in the face of a gruesome death.

'Shizun is better than you, he'll always be better than you!' Are Ming Fan's famous last words, which caused Luo Binghe to lose his patience and push him into the pit of Demonic Fire Ants.

Luo Binghe staggered, forcing himself to stand up. The protagonist pointed an accusing finger at Ming Fan, glaring at him.

“That's not true, shizun! He tried to take my Jade pendant when Ning-shijie didn't like his!” Ning Yingying nodded along, still unable to speak without crying, but resolute all the same.

Ming Fan looked as though his fate had been sealed the moment the younger girl was brought into the fold, which would have been true had be been the original Shen Qingqiu, whose favorite is Ning Yingying. But Shen Jiu is not Shen Qingqiu, and his favorite is not Ning Yingying.

He sighed, massaging his temple. 

“Yingying is a sobbing mess, Luo Binghe is messed up and injured. And you have disrespected me by conducting yourself as you did – Ming Fan, you are my Head Disciple. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“I-I…” 

“Enough,” He holds a hand up, looking towards the group of senior disciples who stood back in the distance “You three, 50 laps around the peak, if you don't make them until dinner then it's your fault. And Ming Fan, go into the Hall of Reflection and stay there until I come, understand?”

The senior disciples stood there dumbfounded, before running off to do their laps. While Ming Fan, the only smart one, got up and did as he was told. Normally, Shen Jiu would have made Ming Fan run laps with them, but he was taking a gamble here.

Maybe, Ming Fan is not as useless as the novel made him out to be. 

Shen Qingqiu is a villain, and he is many things. A scum, a pervert, a terrible teacher and an even worse human being – but he is not stupid. It simply would not make sense if he picked Ming Fan solely because of his lineage and the fact that he hung onto his every word. Actually, Ming Fan's family is a rather minor noble family, are they not? They aren't even noble, they're just really rich merchants.

There must be something about Ming Fan, and he is determined to know what it is.

He then directed his attention to the other two children standing there. In a flat tone, he said to the only girl of the group, “Yingying, you have disappointed this master, go back to your room and think about how you could have handled the situation better.”

She broke into sobs.

The words barely even left his mouth before a blaring alarm in his head sounded out.

[OOC!! OOC!!! Shen Qingqiu would never scold his favorite disciple!!!]

This is a risk he's willing to take, he cannot have the little girl stay so brainless forever. It hurt him to watch her cry at every little problem that presented itself, screaming for her husband to deal with it for her.

[OOC!! OOC!! Point deduction: 50 B-points!! You have 50 B-points remaining!!]

Shen Jiu sighed, crouching down to her level, “Yingying, the woods get dark and scary at night. Just go back to your dorm, and we can talk about this later.”

Ning Yingying sniffled, trying to collect herself, she glanced back at Luo Binghe before running back to her room, presumably to cry to her older martial sisters about how shizun doesn't love her anymore.

[+20 B-points!]

Fucking stupid system.

Luo Binghe stood there, stiff and starry eyed. Looking at Shen Qingqiu as though he had grown another head, he bowed low, “This disciple expresses the utmost gratitude to shizun for helping him. This disciple also apologizes for wasting shizun's medicine.”

Shen Jiu discreetly rolls his eyes, trying not to look at Luo Binghe in case he panics once again in the face of beauty in human form. 

“That jade of yours, protect it. Get stronger, stronger to the point where no one tries to take it ever again,” The Peak Lord said, “But for now, go to the disciple's dorms. I've set up a room for you in the furthest left of the house.”

With that, he turned and left with grace, not trusting himself to be able to resist the urge to touch Luo Binghe's hair. It looked soft, like something you'd see in the final product of a hair shampoo commercial. He also does not trust himself to resist the urge to crush the young boy's skull in his hands for being so cute.

He did not see Luo Binghe's astounded expression, one that quickly morphed into pure determination as he walked back towards the disciple's housing section.

Shen Jiu sat in front of Ming Fan, calmly sipping tea. He did not say anything, merely looked. Ming Fan stayed still.

An hour passed with Shen Jiu acting as though Ming Fan did not exist, he finished reading a book, drank an entire pot of tea, fanned himself, almost took a nap. He had to applaud the Head Disciple for his patience, the entire time the two had been there he still hadn't moved an inch. The respect he had for Shen Qingqiu is absolutely real.

To tell the truth, Shen Jiu had no idea what he was doing either. He simply thought that Ming Fan would have either cracked from the tension in the room, or say something in his own defense. So he spent the last hour pondering over what he should say to the boy.

Ming Fan doesn't look that bad, certainly not god-like in appearance like Luo Binghe, but he isn't a moldy sewer rat like most readers had imagined him to be. A little thin, and lanky, but otherwise he looked like a perfectly normal teenage boy. If Shen Jiu cleaned him up a little, then he might see some positive changes in his appearance. Being in a cultivation novel means that your appearance reflects your cultivation level. 

With that being said, Ming Fan is the very walking definition of average. 

Would his appearance change as his skills get higher? Then why did he never get stronger despite dutifully practicing every day? Is it a bottleneck? 

Contrary to his calm appearance, Ming Fan is currently terrified out of his mind. He is one of the few disciples who Shen Qingqiu had never punished before, showing his worth as a Head Disciple since day one – even though he doesn't know exactly why shizun had chosen him. 

Ming Fan is slow in his progress, and he tried everything. He studied, he trained, he stayed up for hours on end experimenting and studying the cultivation manual. He even got desperate and went to Qian Cao to get his meridians checked. But they said he is perfectly fine.

Shizun saw something in him, so it must exist. Ming Fan just doesn't know what it is.

And now he's being punished, for beating that brat Luo Binghe. Why is shizun mad at him? Why now? 

Shizun had been perfectly content in allowing him to beat the younger boy black and blue, he even encouraged it sometimes – though not directly. But now he is mad. Why is he mad?

Ming Fan is a smart boy, he has to be. Being a third child born out of wedlock in a prominent family meant that he is a stain in the family tree, one that many people an eager to get rid of. He had decided to pursue the cultivation path to escape from his relatives, and to prove that he is more than just a waste of space.

But when he came, the reality that he is painfully average in all aspects hit him hard. So he tears the other down, for being better than him, for being so lucky since the day they were born. Luo Binghe is no exception.

But he's in the wrong, he knows he is. Because shizun is mad and he made a mistake. And now he's going to lose his Head Disciple status and get kicked off the peak and go back to that awful family-

“Ming Fan,” Shen Jiu finally said after hours of silence, snapping the other out of his stupor, “Tell me what you did wrong.”

“This disciple abused his position as senior, he had disrespected shizun with his actions, and made the Peak lose face. This disciple will accept any punishment that shizun has in mind.” He answered quietly, perfectly hiding the hurricane of emotions in his mind.

“Even banishment from the peak?”

“Yes.”

The Peal Lord hummed, “I'm not kicking you out of the Sect, Ming Fan. At ease.”

Finally, Ming Fan cracked, just a tiny bit, the tension finally leaving his shoulders. Going back to the Ming household is what his nightmares are made out of, compared to that, being whipped and beaten sounds like a light punishment.

“But,” Shen Qingqiu continued, “You are still going to be punished. A Head Disciple's first duty is to study hard and become the next Peak Lord. But they must also take care of their junior disciples. Luo Binghe is your junior disciple, and I have plans for him – just as I have plans for all of you. For the duration of one week, you will be pulled out of your usual classes and have private lessons with me, you can consider this the start of your official Head Disciple training.”

Ming Fan looked down, either ashamed, or deep in thought, Shen Jiu did not know. All he cares about is the fact that he got Ming Fan to think, and that is a good thing. His position as Head Disciple allows him access to information that Shen Jiu himself is not privy to. The boy doesn't ask any annoying questions either, so that a plus. 

To give him a bit of encouragement, he smiled down at him and placed a gentle hand on his head. Imitating the actions of a beloved parental figure instead of an asshole, “I have high expectation for you Ming Fan, don't disappoint me.”

Lo and behold, it worked like a charm. In an instant the disciple's expression brightened, and he sat up straighter. Shen Qingqiu must be diligent in brainwashing children then. Is it normal for kids to be this excited for classes on how to be a terrible human being?

“Yes, shizun.” 

“Good. We will be having our first lesson right now,” Shen Jiu smiled, graceful as the blue moon that hung in the sky “Tell me Ming Fan, do you know what gaslighting is?”

It isn't impossible to be the Peak Lord of the scholarly peak without being an asshole in some sort of way, it's just much easier when you are. Shen Jiu, being born into a world driven by capitalism, would know first hand. The reason most billionaires are all a bunch of cartoonishly evil megalomaniacs is because you cannot climb to the top without pushing someone down.

That being said, Ming Fan is good, he's a natural, actually. Shen Jiu could see how he came to be the Head Disciple, even with all his faults. There is something seriously fucked up about this kid, there's a good chunk of morality that's missing when compared to other kids. 

It's not that Ming Fan is evil. He just lacks empathy and goes into a dissociative state and commits atrocities. Something that Shen Jiu definitely not going to encourage.

He watches as Ming Fan matures more as a person, not really but still. He silently sheds a tear in pride. Ahh, this must be what mothers feel when they realize that their baby is all grown up now.

The Peak gossiped about the more likable version of their shixiong, who is all smiles and politeness even when he's lying through his teeth – not that they know, of course. Nevertheless, it's a positive change and Ming Fan's reputation has gone up since last week. The sympathy he gained from being stuck in punishment for so long also helped his cause.

But there was still one left, and now Shen Jiu is using an invisibility talisman to spy on their interaction like a creep. 

“Can this shidi help you, Ming-shixiong?” To say Luo Binghe's tone is ice-cold is an understatement, it's more like having to stand in Antarctica with nothing but your underwear on. He had not forgotten how Ming Fan had tried to get rid of his mother's Jade, and it shows.

Ming Fan does not seem to enjoy their interaction either, equally flat faced, he hands Luo Binghe a bag and said “I'm sorry.”

And then he left.

Maybe Shen Jiu underestimated their animosity, Luo Binghe is at least partially blackened from the incident, so it made sense that they would not get along almost instantly after the whole thing. 

Still, it's fun to watch as Luo Binghe's expression became more and more troubled the longer he looked at the bag. It's a brand-new cultivation manual, and a new disciple's uniform. 

“What did shizun do?” The disciple mumbled to himself, things have been so strange lately…

[+50 B-points!! You have lowered Luo Binghe's grudge against Ming Fan. As well as change Ming Fan's attitude to be something more positive…even if it's fake.]

“We're going down the mountain for an evaluation. This will be your first taste of an actual demonic extermination, so pay close attention.” Shen Jiu says to the disciple gathered around. 

Just as they are about to bombard him with questions, he directed their attention to Ming Fan, who was sweating bullets, “If you have any questions, ask your Da-Shixiong.”

He watched as the juniors, like a pack of wolves, slowly turn their head towards the Head Disciple. And so, Shen Jiu walked away, pretending not to hear Ming Fan's desperate pleas for order.

According to the System, the day they go down the mountain would be the Skinner Event. It's the first time we truly get to see Luo Binghe's OP-ness, as he manages to single-handedly kill the Skinner and save Ning Yingying. The mission serves as the very foundation of Luo Binghe's relationship with his shijie, cementing it as: The Savior and the Damsel in Distress.  

Which is exactly why he needs to stop it from happening. 

Both Luo Binghe and Ning Yingying are children, still. Even if Luo Binghe has the privilege of an undying golden body, the very thought of a Skinner demon and how it kills people make Shen Jiu's skin crawl. He isn't exactly the definition of a model citizen, but he'd never allow children to get hurt.

That, and the Skinner Arc, is the mark of when everything in Proud Immortal Demon Way went downhill. Believe it or not, Shen Jiu used to enjoy reading the novel in its beginning chapters. Specifically, he really enjoyed Ning Yingying's character as the clueless and naive but supportive shijie.

But all the arcs after the Skinner had completely butchered the Yingying he knew and loved. She went from an amazing side character and potential love interest, to a brainless child who could only scream and wait for A-Luo to rescue her.

It's a shame, truly the rise and fall of a good character.

Shen Jiu is also not confident in his ability to protect the disciples, he has access to Shen Qingqiu's account and skills, but he had never tested them out before. 

Which brings us to where we are now.

The An Ding Peak Lord's office is a mess. Papers and documents sat in neat and chaotic piles. Trinkets and rolled up balls of trash spilled everywhere, brushes, both broken and brand new, thrown across the floors. The ink smell was pungent. It doesn't take a genius to figure out why not many people frequent the logistics Peak.

There sat Shang Qinghua, in all of his underpaid office worker glory. Despite the fact that Shang Qinghua was an extremely minor hindrance to Luo Binghe at best. And the lowest level of cannon fodder at worst, Shen Jiu knows that this man is more important than any treasure he could possibly possess.

To him, Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky can and should be considered the world's most unreliable narrator. Especially since he has a habit of leaving out the essential bits in favor of singing praises to Luo Binghe and his mightiness, or how big a random wife's boobs are.

An Ding Peak is in charge of a lot of things, that's how they're in a higher position of authority than Bai Zhan (even though no one acts like they are). It manages architecture, delivery, first line of defense, damage control, reparations, etc… among other things. Most likely, Shang Qinghua betrayed the Sect because he wasn't given any of the respect he was due, even after becoming Peak Lord. Aside from the fear of death, of course.

At this point, the An Ding Peak Lord is probably already working for Mobei-Jun. But if Shen Jiu has his favor, then Shang Qinghua might be able to keep him away from future problems involving the ice demon. It's also because the Peak Lord is, quite frankly, pathetic. This man has absolutely zero friends and Shen Jiu is not afraid to say that he feels bad for him, it's very pitiful.

“Shen-shixiong,” Shang Qinghua flashes a customer service smile, “What brings you to my humble office? As you can see, we are quite busy.” 

Which is just another way to say 'Fuck off, I've got things to do'. 

Shen Qingqiu hummed in return, “Shang-shidi, you know my disciples are preparing for a mission involving the Skinner Demon? You authorized it, after all.”

“Indeed, is there an issue with the seal? If so, then it must be a matter of great importance if Shen-shixiong is willing to travel all the way here, instead of sending a disciple.”

To the average human being, Shang Qinghua's words would sound like basic flattery. It's like telling your boss that he's a wonderful singer, even when his voice makes him want to rip your eardrums out, to make sure you aren't on his shit list. Or saying that your coworker's baby is cute, even if you think they look like a wrinkly sack of potatoes. 

The An Ding Peak Lord is counting down the seconds until Shen Qingqiu finally leaves. There is absolutely no way that the vain and greedy bastard would willingly come to his Peak without demanding something. In many ways, Shen Qingqiu is also the most terrifying of all his martial brothers.

Liu Qingge and Yue Qingyuan could kill him in a flash of a second, but Shen Qingqiu? That bastard could dig up all the dirt in your life and lay it out for the world to see, destroying your life and career in a matter of seconds. Something that the Peak Lord of Bai Zhan is too dumb and reckless to do. While Yue Qingyuan is too ignorant to pay attention to the finer details needed to execute such a thing.

The Qing Jing Peak Lord is also Yue Qingyuan's favorite, so that's even worse.

“Would you do me a favor and lend me some talismans? Of course, you will be compensated for your hard work.” Shen Qingiqu flashes him a bright smile, a less experienced person would say it's genuine. Shang Qinghua knows that he is full of shit.

“Of course, shixiong. This shidi is more than happy to do business with you.”

The friendly pat on the shoulder he received is… alarming. To say the least.

Chapter Text

Talismans have been distributed, all luggage packed, all disciples are present. Everything is going according to plan, he'll make sure it does, yet Shen Jiu cannot stop his heart from pounding in anxiety. He doesn't want children getting hurt under his supervision. Not only will it damage his reputation, and his pride. But believe it or not, he also has a heart—as shriveled and twisted as it is.

“Alright everybody,” Ming Fan announced, “Please check one over all your personal belongings one more time. If there is anything missing, then please tell me, so I can laugh at you, as we are not going back to the peak to retrieve it.”

The disciple chatted amongst themselves, apparently excited to investigate a demon who skins people and wears their body like a fucked up tracksuit. 

Shen Jiu did not want to go on this mission at all.

If only this arc is not as important as it is, then Shen Jiu would have faked another Qi deviation to try to weasel out of it. Yue Qingyuan probably wouldn't have mind, especially since Shen Qingqiu is his favorite shidi.

Ning Yingying's character would also go downhill from his chapter onwards, and Shen Jiu would love to try to figure out how to stop it. Yingying used to be an enjoyable character for him, she was naive and careless, but also a genuinely caring and supportive shijie for Luo Binghe. Serving as the protagonist's sole ray of light in the seemingly endless dark void that is his tragic childhood. 

However, she soon fell prey to Airplane's horrible character writing skills and became “The clumsy and innocent maiden in distress for the protagonist to rescue from danger and have hot, steamy sex afterwards”.

The Skinner arc marked the end of anything good coming from Proud Immortal Demon Way, so Shen Jiu has more than enough reasons to hate it as he does. Characters he was invested in became classic cliché filled and one-dimensional.

He looked outside, towards the disciples riding on horseback. Of course, as always, Luo Binghe with his perfect face stood out like a sore thumb amongst the average looking masses. It was like seeing a celebrity in a grocery store.

They then soon arrived in Shuang Hu city, where a couple of their client's servants led them to a big mansion absolutely covered in luxuries. The man who hired Shen Jiu is Old Master Chen, simply put—the man is the literal definition of filthy rich, even by modern standards. 

Tea was served in a gold cup, a very gaudy and bright gold cup that looked more useful as a decoration than an actual teacup. Old Chen's face and vibes he put out reminded Shen Jiu of the greedy sponsors he had in his previous life. The only perk he got from being a walking advertisement is the fact that he got paid a shitload of money to do it. 

“Honorable Peak Lord Shen! It's an honor to be able to host a person of your status, apologies for the cramped space,” The old man sighed “Oh, it's terrible! The Skinner Demon is amongst the foulest of beasts, its putrid insolence knows no bounds! Oh!…”

Shen Jiu had to fight every muscle in his body not to roll his eyes at the dramatics. The Peak Lord was sure that the only reason why the old man paid too much for him to exterminate the demon was because it targeted his concubines and wives. Chen seemed like the type of guy not to give less of a shit if his people were the ones being targeted. 

“Please continue,” He tried to appear sympathetic, “The cultivators of Qing Jing Peak vow to fulfill our duty and rid this world of this evil.”

Old Master Chen sniffed, “It's a relief to hear it from the Xiu Ya Sword himself, the demon targets only the beautiful young women of this city. My poor A-Lan and A-Hua have both lost their lives to it! I worry, my precious butterfly is all I have left…”

The man leaned into the bosom of a young little girl sitting on his lap, who looked young enough to be his granddaughter. He felt the urge to scream 'Pedophile!' and beat the man up, but then he reminded himself that this is Ancient China. Whether he likes it or not, this is a fucked up period when little girls have basically no value other than their faces and features.

Ming Fan, sensing his master's distress, stepped up like the good Head Disciple that he is, “Rest assured Master Chen, we of Qing Jing Peak will resolve this in no time.”

Ahh, A-Fan, you really are becoming my favorite.

Luo Binghe laid in the small guest bed he was provided with, Lord Chen had clearly not expected shizun to bring most of the entire Peak with him, so the disciples had to sleep in the guest quarters. He felt restless, this is his first mission as a disciple—an actual disciples this time, not just an errand boy.

He still can barely believe that so much has changed in such a short amount of time. Shizun treated him like any other disciple, he is no longer forced to do the chores or get punished for miniscule wrongdoings. Ming Fan didn't even pay attention to him anymore, he looked tired most of the time…

Suddenly, he heard silent footsteps approaching his bed. Luo Binghe tensed up, is it someone trying to prank him? But all the disciples were asleep, he was sure of it? Perhaps he was mistaken?

Small hands tried to shake him awake, he let himself relax when he realized that it was just Yingying, his shijie.

“A-Luo, wake up,” She whispered, “Wake up, really this is important. We have to go.”

Binghe sat up slowly, careful as to not wake the person next to him. He looked around once more, it was still dark outside, everyone was asleep. 

“Shijie? What are you doing?” He furrowed his brow, “Do you need to go to the bathroom? I can guide you there, if you need it.”

Ning Yingying shook her head, and pulled on his wrist, “Really, we can't talk right now A-Luo. We need to go, there won't be another chance like this. If there is, then I'm not willing to wait.”

Surprisingly, or perhaps unsurprisingly, Luo Binghe allowed himself to be led out the door. He always had a soft spot for his shijie, she was all he had back then. Even though she sometimes caused him trouble, she showed him kindness and warmth—something that he desperately needed. They silently walked through the halls of Master Chen's home, avoiding the occasional servant or guard doing their rounds.

“Shijie, is there something wrong?” He asked, “The bathroom-”

“It's not the bathroom!” The young girl nearly yelled as she turned back to face him, before slapping a hand over her mouth, “It's not that, it's just… Please help me, I can't do this on my own.”

Luo Binghe bit his lip, before pulling the both of them into a small, dark alcove, “Shijie, you have to tell me what it is that you require help with. We can't just blindly rush into things.”

Ning Yingying sat down, and before he could process what was going on, tears have started falling down. The young girl wiped her eyes aggressively, trying to stifle the sobs that came out of her throat. Luo Binghe was not trained for this, he panicked and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. However, that seemed to have the opposite effect of what he intended, as Yingying simply started to cry even harder.

“A-Luo… Did I do something wrong?”

“Huh?”

“I mean shizun,” She sniffled, “Shizun he… He doesn't look at me anymore, ever since the day with the jade. He said he was disappointed and… I don't know! I really don't…”

“Shijie…” Luo Binghe trailed off, “Shizun is just a bit mad right now. C'mon, you've seen him, he loves you like you're his own daughter.”

“I want to make him proud, I know I'm not strong, but I still want to make him proud of me. All I've done is cause trouble, I want to do something that would make him go 'Wow!', but I can't do it alone.”

The young boy took a deep breath, and made a choice.

“Shijie, I'll help you. You have helped me so much before, and it's about time I repay you for it. Whatever it is that you need, I will do my very best. We both have to work hard, okay?”

Yingying look at him with a mix of gratitude and disbelief, before throwing her hands around him in a bear hug. With her voice cracking, she said, “Okay, we'll both work hard to be good. I'll do my best.”

They stayed that way for a few minutes, before Yingying finally told him her plan

“I want to be the one to kill the Skinner.”

“What?”

“This is how we'll do it,” In a dark corner of Master Chen's house, sat two young children making plans to kill a demon way above their league “You go in, distract the Skinner. Then I'll jump up from behind it and crack it's head open! It'll be the perfect surprise attack!”

It sounded like something a child would say while playing pretend. But Ning Yingying's face was uncharacteristically dead serious, it scared him—just a little.

Luo Binghe nodded along to everything his shijie said. It was ludicrous that he is actually going along with Ning Yingying's plans, but he made a promise, one that he intended on keeping. Perhaps the plan would actually work, and they'll both make shizun proud. If it doesn't then he'll find a way for the both of them to escape. 

He'll lay down his life if need be.

“You got it?” Yingying asked, “If you don't then I'll go through the plan again.”

“No, I've got it.”

“Great, let's go!” Just as Ning Yingying grabbed his sleeve and led him towards the entrance of Master Chen's house, she abruptly stopped. Luo Binghe, unprepared for the sudden stop, crashed ungracefully into her back, sending the both of them toppling towards the ground. 

“Shijie,” He groaned, “What happened-”

It was then that Luo Binghe actually looked up, towards the incredibly deadpanned and unimpressed face of Qing Jing Peak, Head Disciple.

“Please tell me, why you two are not only awake,” Ming Fan raised an eyebrow, “But also planning on sneaking out, alone?”

Luo Binghe somehow felt both annoyed and relieved that someone had stopped them.

“Shixiong” Ning Yingying exclaimed, clearly not expecting anyone else to be awake, “It's so late, why aren't you in bed?”

“Shouldn't I be asking you that?”

“I was uhh… G-going to the bathroom! And it's dark out, so I asked A-Luo to lead me there! It's scary, you know.”

“Yingying,” Ming Fan sighed, “The bathroom is in the opposite direction, and don't act like I'm stupid. I heard the entire thing.”

Luo Binghe looked between the two, under any other circumstances, he'd take Ning-shijie's side in a heartbeat. But now, it's a bit more complicated than just his petty feelings. The Skinner can, and most like will, kill them both in an instant. And while it's great to be optimistic, Yingying clearly has not thought her plan through.

“The Skinner is no ordinary beast, Yingying,” The Head Disciple mentally prepared himself for a long lecture, “It's not an animal whose behavior and patterns we can study through texts and illustrations. It's an intelligent demon who has killed people, and will continue to kill more unless we take this seriously. For two juniors to go and confront it without any backup or skills is absolutely outrageous!”

“But this is supposed to be an evaluation!” Ning Yingying argued, “If we don't do something, then how could shizun possibly know our skill level! A-Luo is already stronger than some of our seniors, yet he's still stuck as a junior!”

“This isn't just about skill level Yingying! Evaluation could also mean our methods, strategies—Qing Jing is the scholarly Peak, we are the tacticians of Cang Qiong Mountain! If the evaluation was truly about strength, then shizun would have simply put us against some Bai Zhan monkeys and be done with it. You are not only endangering yourself, but also your fellow disciple with this reckless and, quite frankly, idiotic plan of yours!”

Neither of them seemed close to backing down, equally frustratingly headstrong. Luo Binghe took the wise choice of staying back, out of sight and out of mind. In his heart, he stubbornly chose to follow Ning Yingying, everything else indicated that Ming Fan is making the right decision.

Just when it seemed like Ming Fan was the victor, Ning Yingying did something that Luo Binghe never expected the pure and kind shijie he always knew her as, would do.

“Five years ago, you accidentally spilled tea on an important text that shizun had been working on. You begged me for help, so I took the blame for you. With the condition that one day—you'll have to listen to one of my requests, no matter what it is”.

Luo Binghe watched in morbid fascination as Ming Fan's face slowly turned as ghostly white, “I did, and you escaped punishment. So, shixiong, I'm asking you to repay your debt today. Or do you want me to tell shizun what you did?”

“You…”

“What choice will you make, shixiong. Think carefully.”

“… Fine, but I will be going with you.”

Ning Yingying joyfully skipped ahead, unaware of the thick tension between the two boys behind her. Luo Binghe had not fully forgiven Ming Fan, and Ming Fan seemed to be trying his best to ignore the both of them. 

Qing Jing Peak is the peak of the cunning and ambitious, tacticians and scholars. One day, it will be their turn to be the shield of Cang Qiong, Luo Binghe is aware of that. Still, he did not expect Ning-shijie of all people to be the type to resort to blackmail, but Ming Fan did not seem shocked. This incident either means that this is something that is expected of her, or Luo Binghe never actually knew the girl all that well.

He's not good at politics, or lying—and he doesn't have any dirt on anyone either. From what he has seen, Qing Jing Peak seemed just like any other—a peaceful, quiet Peak for those who choose to follow the path of the scholars. Is he truly that clueless? Even if he was never treated as an actual disciple, up until now at least, shouldn't he know something?

“… Your face is going to get stuck like that. Stop it,” Unexpectedly, it was Ming Fan who decided to speak up “Whatever it is that you're thinking, stop. You're doing that thing again.”

“What thing?”

“That face you always make when you're thinking about something you've missed. Anyone can hear your thoughts from a continent away.”

Well, that was rude—Surely, he's not that obvious.

“Yes, you are. I get it, Qing Jing is not just a farm for some docile lambs who sit around and read textbooks all day. We lie, steal, and cheat—the things we do are for the sake of our Sect. You'll understand someday, because it's something that you would have to do too. Now quit it and focus.”

Huh, perhaps Ming Fan is smarter than Luo Binghe thought.

“Excuse me!?”

“Can you read my mind or something?” Luo Binghe turned towards the extremely offended Head Disciple, “Seriously, it's creepy. Is it some form of Demonic Cultivation?”

Suddenly, Ning Yingying stopped skipping and looked at them with a pout, “Hey! Stop fighting, or I'll get mad! We still haven't found any leads on the Skinner yet.”

Ming Fan rolled his eyes, before stopping with a blank look on his face.

“Wait, Yingying. Are you telling me that you don't know where the Skinner is?”

"Well, duh! We just came here, how could I possibly know?"

In that instant, Luo Binghe could see that Ming Fan was going through all five stages of grief within two seconds. To be fair, Luo Binghe could see why he is so shocked—Ning Yingying acted incredibly confidant for something with little to no idea on what she's doing. 

Their path had already deviated from the city area, and now they were in front of an abandoned house. The structure of the house was still intact, but it surely had seen better days. The lantern was barely lit, and the front gates were dilapidated.

The Head Disciple was just about to open his mouth and start another lecture when suddenly, his entire body froze up. Luo Binghe quickly turned around to try and see what was going on, it can't possibly be anything good. But it was too late, a large gust of yin blew, and the trio blacked out. 

The last thing Luo Binghe saw before closing his eyes was the veiled face of a woman, and the disgusting smell of rotten flesh.

"Shizun, shizun! It's an emergency! Please!" 

Shen Jiu was startled awake by the panicked voice of a senior disciple. He glanced at the window, the sky was still dark, he was sure that the evaluation would be set for tomorrow morning—not at the ass crack of dawn. 

He groaned, "What is it?"

"Luo Binghe, Ning Yingying and Da-Shixiong are gone!"

Instantly, Shen Jiu sprang out of bed. 

What? This isn't in the plot line?! 

The kidnapping won't happen until the next night! And why was Ming Fan kidnapped?! That kid was supposed to be in the mansion with the rest of the disciples.

What the hell were these kids doing?

Were they in trouble-Wait, of course they're in trouble!

Shen Jiu mentally cursed himself for not adding in extra protection measures. If he had known they would sneak out, he would have locked the doors from the outside!

But that would be considered abuse.

"Gather the rest of the disciples and tell them to surround the borders of the mansion. I will go look for them."

Luo Binghe woke up, and found himself tied to the opposite of Ming Fan. He let out a sigh of relief when he heard sniffles coming from beside him, further inspection proved that they came from Ning Yingying. 

So they were captured, pathetically he might add. They didn't even get the chance to put up a fight. But at least they were still together instead of being separated. He's not sure if Ning-shijie can defend herself, and even if Ming Fan has a higher cultivation level—he still can't go against a full-grown demon alone.

"I'm so sorry A-Luo," Ning Yingying cried, "I really should have listened to shixiong…"

"It's okay, shijie." He tried to comfort her, which once again—had the opposite effect of what he intended as she started crying harder yet again.

"No, it's really not."

"Shut up, Ming Fan."

It was at this moment when a high-pitched, eery laugh came up from behind them, before a dark silhouette jumped out from the darkness.

"How wonderful! Not one, but three Cang Qiong Mountain disciples walked straight into the palm of my hands! If this is what's to expect from the world's greatest Sect, then the Demon Realm's rise is just around the corner!"

Luo Binghe glared at the demon covered from head to toe in black veils, "Butterfly?"

The Skinner's laugh was course and slimy, it threw aside the black veils and exposed a rotten, sunken face, "Not bad! Not bad at all, Yes, it is 'Butterfly'. I'll congratulate you on figuring it out. But this is where your destiny ends."

Ming Fan squinted, "Oh god, she's fucking hideous!"

… Once upon a time, Luo Binghe had believed that there is a time and space for everything, but it seems as though Ming Fan is unaware of this. 

"What!? Even if my form is like this! I can still be considered among the most beautiful demons in the Southern Demonic Realm! How dare you!"

"You smell awful too, how the hell did no one not notice back at the mansion?!"

"You insignificant insect!"

Ning Yingying witnessed the banter between the two, she turned to Luo Binghe and whispered as quietly as she could "A-Luo, shixiong is distracting the Skinner. Do you think we can cut the rope with something?"

Huh, so Ming Fan really is smarter than he looks.

Ming Fan then snapped his head towards Luo Binghe just long enough to send him a scathing glare, before turning back towards the Skinner and sending another round of petty insults.

"I have a small knife in my pocket, give me a second." 

Ning Yingying nodded, glancing anxiously at the Skinner who is quickly losing its patience, "Be quick."

The Skinner growled, it's appearance slowly turning more and more demonic as time passes. Eventually, Old Master Chen's beloved and beautiful concubine was no longer anywhere to be seen, and all that's left was an enraged demoness.

It pointed a clawed finger towards Ming Fan, "It seems like I'm being too merciful, perhaps I could use you as my next vessel. I was going to go for the little girl, but you're not that bad looking, either! It's been a long time since I've used a man's skin…"

"How about I unlace my shoe, turn it sideways and shove it up your uterus!"

"You brat! If only my powers hadn't been damaged! Then I wouldn't need to keep switching skins like this! After you, it'll be your master, the Xiu Ya Sword!" The Skinner slowly walked towards the Head Disciple, seemingly in a trance.

Luo Binghe struggled, but the ropes were too tight, he could barely even move an inch. If this goes on, then Ming Fan's life will truly be in danger. He never wanted anyone to die, he'd never forgive himself if someone’s blood were to be spilled in front of his eyes!

Ning Yingying started to panic the closer the demon got to her shixiong, with tears in her eyes, she started trying to wrestle her way out of the bounds. Growing more desperate with each step.

"Stop! Stop you evil demon!" She cried "Ugh! I'll kill you! I'll really kill you! If you touch Ming-shixiong, I'll make you regret being born!"

When Luo Binghe looked at Ning Yingying at that moment, he couldn't help but wonder if she was truly in her right mind. The continuous mutterings with her enraged eyes was a sight he had never seen before.

Just as, the demon was right in front of Ming Fan, hands raised and ready to strike. Ning Yingying used all of her spiritual energy and slammed it down to the ground. The ground and the entire structure of the mansion shook with the force of her Qi. It was indescribably terrifying to see the young girl truly enraged.

Miraculously, the bindings loosed and Luo Binghe managed to reach for his knife, cutting the binds away. Ning Yingying wasted no time and grabbed a fallen pole lying next to her, running towards the Skinner with the intention to crack it's head open just like she planned.

Luo Binghe watched as the Skinner was sent flying with one hit, and wondered what was even the point of bringing him along if shijie was strong enough to kill the Skinner with nothing but brute strength.

It felt redundant to bring him along if her plan was just to club the thing to death anyway…