Chapter Text
Officially Shen Yuan was the ambassador for the Qing Jing peak, known for his expertise and skillful negotiation. Unofficially he was the most coveted man in all of the middle kingdom, untouchable and pristine. With a swan-like grace and a shark-toothed smile, he played court like weiqi and broke countless hearts with the same ease.
Of course, he was almost entirely oblivious to his charms, not fully, but more than enough so that a majority of suitors never made it past the introductory stage in the first place. Suitor after suitor found themselves shunted to the side as mere acquaintances— or worse: friends. It was mystifying how he could understand the motivations and possible consequences for courts of hundreds but was completely unaware of his own.
As such, he wasn’t often sent on missions as his brother feared he would go away and never return. Peak Lord Shen was far less oblivious to the machinations of the men in the country. But, in cases like this, only Shen Yuan, as skilled as he was in politics, was to be sent.
This all led to Shen Yuan being here, across from his brother, serving them both tea.
His brother looked furious, simply enraged, if Shen Yuan had to be honest. It was a far cry from his usual irascible behavior. Murderous would be the best way to describe his brother’s demeanor. Oh, Qi-ge, what did you do, thought Shen Yuan, for the only person able to rile up his brother this much was Qi-ge. Of course, Qi-ge was nowhere to be found, but one could assume.
Shen Yuan just knew these sorts of things.
They sat in stony silence, as Shen Yuan knew it was better to let his brother wrap up his thoughts into a neat package rather than to try and pry them out of him. So he waited, and waited, and waited.
Eventually, his brother took a deep, but an imperceptible breath in through his nose, and let out a minute sigh, the only weakness he would allow. Ge started, “Sect Leader Yue.”
Shen Yuan winced. It was never good when he referred to Qi-ge as anything other than his name.
“Sect Leader Yue has requested that you attend the Abyssal Empire Court at your earliest… convenience.”
Oh, that was no good, so Shen Yuan summoned up a little bit of courage and asked, “The Abyssal Empire, as in Lord Luo’s Empire?”
“Precisely,” his brother spat out.
With a quick prayer to his ancestors, Shen Yuan continued to ask for more details like when he was leaving— early morning, before the sun would rise, apparently— and what he was expected to do— more details would come but that was not important at the moment. Shen Yuan would argue that it was the most important thing to know, but arguing with Ge when he was so angry, well, it would be better to have a fist fight with a tree. So he had to satisfy himself with mere crumbs of information. And even with Peak Lord Shen’s near unlimited patience for his little brother, soon he tired of Shen Yuan’s presence and dismissed him, leaving Shen Yuan to mull over what the fuck just happened.
There were several key pieces he was missing, as there were only two people in the world who knew the truth of Peak Lord Shen and his errant disciple Luo Binghe, but all he knew was that he was needed at the Abyssal Empire and that his Ge disliked, no despised Lord Luo. Shen Yuan didn’t know the specifics, but at one point Lord Luo was the disciple of Qing Jing Peak. And according to rumors that Shen Yuan didn’t put much stock in, apparently upon his performance in the Jue Di Gorge competition, had decided to make his sect— he no longer needed Qing Jing peak.
Shen Yuan had his doubts as to the credibility of that, but what he did know to be fact was how enraged his Ge was when he returned from the competition. He ranted and raved in their home for weeks. How that beast should stay till he not only reached his majority but had attained immortality and could then travel freely without worry. Shen Yuan doubted how much his brother cared about his disciples' safety, but it was a massive blow to his ego.
Though Shen Yuan didn’t have too much to do with the disciples, preferring to spend his days off-peak expanding his bestiary or attending courts, he vaguely recalled a Luo Binghe many years ago. And what a little lotus Binghe was! So sticky and sweet, but alas Shen Yuan had very few memories of Lord Luo as a disciple. Such a shame.
But! There was no use in wallowing in the past— he had a job to do, after all. There was packing and preparation to do, not to mention Shen Yuan had amassed quite a few letters and missives since he had last been on the peak, so he began leafing through them all.
Several were from Shang Qinghua, which Shen Yuan set aside to read during his carriage ride. For entertainment, of course. Just because Qinghua had all the gossip didn’t make him Shen Yuan’s primary source of information. That would be quite humiliating.
Luckily there were many other letters he had to go through, some were strange proposals, offering him plots of land and unimaginable wealth that he simply discarded. In addition, some letters contained helpful maps, facts, and such things on beasts all across the realm. Shen Yuan was always excited to receive those; of everything he was sent, these were the most interesting!
Lastly, there was one from Qi-ge himself. Perhaps that would clear everything up. The letter read:
Xiao Yuan,
As you might be aware, your presence has been requested at the Abyssal Empire. The integrity of the Cang Qiong Sect border has been compromised by Lord Luo’s avarice, and so this Peak Lord must request of his shidi a boon.
You must attend the court, win Lord Luo’s favor, and secure the future of Cang Qiong. Above all: do not fall for Lord Luo’s charms. Peak Lord Shen would be displeased, to say the least, and losing an asset such as yourself to the Abyssal Empire would be antithetical to the interests of Cang Qiong.
You leave tomorrow morning. Be prepared.
Wishing health and prosperity,
Peak Lord Yue
Well of course Shen Yuan wouldn’t fall for Lord Luo, after all, he wasn’t interested in anyone. Why would Lord Luo be any different? What a stupid thing to say, Shen Yuan thought wryly.
Ah, but at least Qi-ge explained things. Far better than his brother did, at least. It was concerning that Shen Yuan hadn’t heard of Lord Luo threatening the borders, though evidently, it was threat enough to warrant Shen Yuan’s skills. Perhaps Qinghua had more information— not that Shang Qinghua was his informant, no, not at all!
Shen Yuan was wasting time, though.
He had many things to do in order to leave the next morning: packing being the very least of his worries. Shen Yuan would need to read up on the Abyssal Empire, first and foremost, so he flew to An Ding’s library in hopes that there would be something on it. Goodness knows that Qing Jing wouldn’t have anything of the sort even if it had the best library.
Lo and behold there was! With only a few pointed questions and tossing around his Ge’s name, he got access to the more restricted areas at such a late hour. There were sections on each sect, new and ancient, so he scanned for the Abyssal Empire. It was hidden behind a few other smaller sects, likely because its very existence was a blight upon Cang Qiong’s reputation.
Still: it was there, and Shen Yuan would do his best with this information. And how informative it was… A century ago there was a disciple of Qing Jing who was mistreated and bullied by his peers, ignored, and disregarded by his master. Now, Shen Yuan would fully admit his brother was indifferent at best, but most peak lords tended to be a bit more negligent, though, this could just be his bias toward his brother speaking.
Shen Yuan huffed a little and went back to reading.
This disciple and his master fought at the Jue Di Gorge competition during the demon outbreak, unbecoming for such a relationship, but it was permanently damaged and the disciple fled, falling into the abyss as he ran. Decades later the disciple emerged as a half-demon, a heavenly demon, leader of his very own sect, forged from blood and might. It was known as the Abyssal Empire. The Empire has expanded in recent years, swallowing smaller demonic and cultivation clans alike. Their customs are unlike any other; there is Lord Luo and his court of advisors which includes venerated cultivators, demons, and human leaders. Currently, his court includes Mobei-Jun, Sha Hualing, Ning Yingying, Gongyi Xiao, and a cultivator only known by the mocking title Little Palace Mistress.
Noted customs include weekly court sessions, a strange mixture of human and demon etiquette (murder is expected but rudeness is not tolerated), and handmade food is served only to the most important guests. Clothing, jewelry, and bone ornamentation seem to signify status, but further observation is needed to conclude the hows and specifics.
There wasn’t anything else written, but Shen Yuan was satisfied with it nonetheless. Information gathered? Check! Clothing packed? …Shen Yuan better get started on that.
With such a vital mission, it was of the utmost importance that his wardrobe reflected that of his brothers and his peak: only the best would do. This wasn’t the time for false modesty. He needed to showcase the strength of the Cang Qiong sect.
Shen Yuan carefully packed up his finest robes in airy green and ivory silks, only the ones with elaborate embroidery would do. Perhaps he ought to include a few other colors as well, so he stuffed some powder blue, rosy oranges, and pristine purples as well, all equally decadent. Fans his brother ever so carefully painted for him were packed as well, his favorite left out to bring on the carriage ride. Other accessories needed to be chosen with intention as well; his hair pieces were of fine-wrought silver, bejeweled with the greenest emeralds and the whitest jade in the realm. Earrings, necklaces, and bangles gifted from those all over the realm were packed as well, to show he was a traveled man with connections. Slippers and boots and other more utilitarian pieces were packed too, with much haste.
He, of course, could have made a disciple do such busy work, but Shen Yuan didn’t trust them to treat the task with the care and skill it required. Not to mention it was quite late in the evening and it would be rather rude to wake up one of the disciples to do something he was more than capable of doing himself.
Shen Yuan placed all his items gently in his many traveling chests, wanting to finish as quickly as possible. When he finally finished up, all his chests packed, bathed and hair brushed and oiled, he laid down and regulated his breathing, attempting to meditate. It, of course, did not work, and he slept fitfully, tossing and turning all night.
The next morning he rises slowly, exhaustion pulling on his limbs. Times like these he wishes he was better at meditation like his brother— Ge barely needed to sleep at all.
Splashing his face with water he says a quick prayer for guidance and dresses for the day.
When he leaves his home there is a carriage already waiting outside for him, so he smiles at the driver and clambers inside, the driver getting out to bring his travel chests in. The driver starts the carriage and Shen Yuan unfolds the first of many letters: Shen Yuan has started on his journey to the Abyssal Empire.