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Straightforward was a common word people used to describe Feng Xin. Others would say frank, and rude was a common one too. Everything depended on how sensitive his interlocutor was.
Those words were well used, because he was indeed straightforward.
For speaking, he tended to say not only the things directly but also the first thing that came to his mind. So, generally, straightforward came along with dumb .
He stopped caring about it a long time ago.
But for how he behaved or acted… that was different.
Being straightforward in a battlefield could be confused for recklessness and could cost lives, so he left that characteristic for his opinions only.
Thus, here he was, trying to apply everything he had learned in over 800 years of goodhood and martial expertise to solve the problem he had.
And what was the problem? That he was stuck in a stupid cube trap settled by some smart and no-so-weak ghost? That even when he could see the pivot points of that cube he couldn’t do much to break them? That he wasn’t alone but trapped there with Mu Qing?
Okay, definitely there was more than one problem and It was imperative for him to get out of there. Not just because it was the logical thing to do but because he didn’t want to be near Mu Qing at all.
He could feel Mu Qing’s gaze nailed on his nape but he kept looking at that pivot point like it was the most amazing thing in the world. Feng Xin didn’t dare to look back at him.
And no, it wasn’t because he hated Mu Qing or something like that, on the contrary, it was an entirely opposite situation.
His world (as of others) had been turned upside down, and, after a long time of comings and goings, he found himself looking at Mu Qing. It sounds weird, he knows, but it was as if he was actually looking at him– And no, he wasn’t looking at his beautiful face or his elegant figure– that was something he was already aware of.
He was looking at Mu Qing, the real one, the person. The one who was good with his deputies and decent with people in general. The one who cared about details. And the one that, after so many things had happened, had learned to express himself a little better and be more open with his friends. Friends which Feng Xin did not count himself as a part of. They managed to get along, but Feng Xin didn’t feel like he was a good candidate to be Mu Qing’s friend. Besides, he was convinced that even after all this time Mu Qing hadn't stopped hating him. So he maintained everything by sticking to cordiality. Except, he was looking at those little details. those small, good things about him.
It was nothing!...Except… it started to be everything. Like a surprise punch in the gut– You are fine and then suddenly, you are in pain, with no air to breathe and your vision is cloudy.
Feng Xin took the signals as an alarm and decided to approach this as a short war campaign. First, the facts. It was a fact that he had developed strong feelings for Mu Qing. It was a fact that that was inconvenient as fuck. It was a fact that Mu Qing definitely won’t ever feel something for him. With that, he decided the better plan was withdrawal.
You see, withdrawal is not a cowardly thing when lives can be saved. In this case it wasn’t exactly his life, but his sanity and dignity.
He hated it.
Secondly, it had been proven and shown that he was indeed an incompetent when it comes to love relationships. So, even if it had the slightest chance - which it wasn’t - to have anything with Mu Qing, it would be a disaster, a shame, a madness.
Finally, it was pure logic. Having Mu Qing as the subject of his feelings was the most stupid thing that his heart had made in centuries…
And even with all that, he couldn’t do anything about it. His plan was failing. He hated it.
He would prefer to lose a real battle with all the consequences it would have. But this, this was insane. To the fact of not needing to sleep, an impossibility to do it was added. His behavior grew grumpier and his capability to avoid Mu Qing developed to unimaginable levels.
Mu Qing of course noted his change, but, to his surprise he didn’t tease him nor say anything. Actually, he kind of became more cautious than usual, so apparently it was a good thing because that gave Feng Xin a moment of calm.
Until one day, when something changed.
Suddenly, without warning, it was Mu Qing who started to act differently. He became nice . He cared . He tried to start little conversations and even asked about matters on his side of the South while he himself shared some of his.
And Feng Xin panicked.
That surprise change in Mu Qing could only mean that he knew, and he was doing it for two possible reasons: he was being nice to him out of pity, or, mocking him. Both options were horrible and he knew Mu Qing was capable of doing either of them.
The fact that Mu Qing was playing any of those games, meant that he would eventually be bored of him and when that happened, he would leave . Feng Xin would become nothing. That was the root of his panic. At least, before, he was sure he had Mu Qing’s hate. Without it, what was left?
He preferred to be hated than to be not wanted. He had had enough of that.
Feng Xin didn’t want to lose the crumbs he had from Mu Qing. He was making an impossible effort to keep Mu Qing away, and in that, keeping his detest. But any plan he had was ruined!
Now, he can’t avoid Mu Qing– he was everywhere . He was so insistent with his game or whatever it was, that he managed to always be near Feng Xin.
In a regular meeting, Feng Xin would snap some mean words to provoke Mu Qing, but this one would look at him with curiosity instead of anger and would try to approach the subject in a different way.
The same thing happened at Xie Lian’s home, where they used to meet. At the beginning, they were fine. They just tried to act like three friends and Feng Xin kept his cordiality. After Feng Xin realized about his feelings and Mu Qing started to act strangely, things got colder. So, Feng Xin stopped going there.
Xie Lian was really sad about it and Feng Xin felt heartbroken for disturbing his friend. But then, Mu Qing went to his palace to personally ask him why he wasn't going to the meetings! Feng Xin didn’t answer the question but instead said something rude and left him alone.
But Mu Qing insisted .
A mission? Mu Qing would volunteer to go with him. He would say no, Mu Qing would insist and Xie Lian or Pei Ming or Ling Wen or anybody would agree, and they would end up together chasing a ghost.
And that’s how they got stuck in that stupid cube trap.
It had been a terrible idea to send them together. Neither of them were in their right mind so they didn’t have the concentration needed for the job.
Before getting into the trap they had a huge argument.
*
Feng Xin was walking as fast as the wind, not so much to catch the ghost but in a vain attempt at running from Mu Qing who was a few steps behind him.
“Feng Xin, stop”.
“What!?”. He answered rudely without stopping.
“I don’t think we are doing anything productive with this case”.
“Really? Well, you can go and let me finish this alone”. He wanted to finish the last part with a “ please” , but he held back.
Mu Qing took Feng Xin’s arm and stopping him made him look back straight into his eyes. Feng Xin snapped violently at his grip and averted his gaze.
“First, I’m not one of your deputies so don’t be bossy with me, I’m here because we have a mission to accomplish and second, what the hell is wrong with you?”
Mu Qing’s voice was calm, very different to the way Feng Xin usually spoke to him.
“Nothing is wrong with me. I just want to finish this as soon as possible and get the hell out of here.”
“You have been acting weird since a while ago and today you are grumpier than usual.”
“Well, you are acting weird too and definitely have been more annoying than ever, so what?”
“I… more annoying than ever?...”
Feng Xin thought he saw a hint of disappointment in Mu Qing’s expression, but that didn’t stop him.
“Yeah! You think I haven’t noticed your little act of “I’m gonna be nice with the dumb”?”
“What are you talking about Feng Xin? I… I… I am not acting!”. Mu Qing’s voice had an indignant tone.
“Oh come on Mu Qing! Cut it off! You think I wouldn't notice your sudden change with me? That suddenly you are nice and decent with me ? I know you dislike me like hell, but I really expected that at least you keep me out of your games! Is it so satisfying to mock me? Or you want to make me your personal charity project?”
A deep silence came after that. They stood there one in front of the other without looking at each other.
After a long time, Mu Qing tried to speak again.
“... Feng Xin, you are confusing things I…”
“No, stop. Please, please, please… Stop this. I won’t ask anything from you ever, just save me some face, ok? Let me get out of this with the little dignity I have left, please.”
Feng Xin's voice was like a whisper. He made a plea like a desperate mortal at General Xuan Zhen’s palace begging for his god's mercy.
Mu Qing tried to say something but instead, he just looked down, disturbed and defeated.
Feng Xin turned to walk away but when he took a step, they heard a crack and a huge cube activated around them. They were trapped.
*
The trap was simple but smart. A cube of spiritual energy that hid them from the outside. It had some pivot points that were flashy and invited them to try to break them, but that was the issue. Those pivot points had a barely noticeable shield, thus if they hit any of them, their hits would be reflected and hurt them. So, they would need someone to find them and break the trap from outside. That was simple, except for the fact that the cube also blocked their spiritual energy, so they couldn’t ask for help. All they could do was to wait until someone noted their absence and went to their rescue.
In the meantime they just have to tolerate each other! Something that they had failed to do for over 800 years…
“You really are going to be acting like this all the time, right?”. After who knows how long, Mu Qing finally said something.
“I think I just asked you to leave me alone…”. Feng Xin's voice was full of bitterness. He didn’t want to sound like that, but he was getting tired of hiding everything.
“And that means that I am not allowed to talk to you? Don’t be ridiculous!”
“YES! THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN! I DON’T WANT TO HEAR YOU, I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOU, I DON’T WANT TO FEEL YOU ANYWHERE NEAR ME! WHY IS THAT SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND? WHY DO YOU KEEP INSISTING IN TORTURING ME!? WHY DON’T YOU GO AND FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO MAKE FUN OF?”
Sgtraightforward, dumb.
Feng Xin closed his eyes for a moment to try to calm down. He knew that this time, Mu Qing wouldn't let what he just said pass. An apology would be stupid. Given the circumstances, that would make him look like even more of an idiot than usual.
This time, for the first time since they started this mission, he looked back at Mu Qing.
Even when Mu Qing tried to keep his composure, the flood of emotions he was feeling were passing through his face. But there were so many that Feng Xin could barely identify any except the anger that was seizing him. Which was showing not only in his twisted face but also in his fists that were closed with strength.
Feng Xin knew that, normally, Mu Qing would hit him and they would start a brawl, but he was still acting differently. So, instead of hitting Feng Xin, Mu Qing turned around and with a loud scream and a strong fist, hit one of the pivot points of the trap.
Xuan Zhen’s fist was something to be afraid of and all the strength and anger Mu Qing applied in his hit was reflected by the trap thousands of times. A huge wave of spiritual power hit Feng Xin back and almost knocked him down.
Feng Xin spit blood and felt that at least three of his ribs were broken by that hit. Mu Qing’s hand was probably broken too, but that didn’t stop him because he hit that pivot point one, two and three more times.
The blows were strong enough to open a crack on the trap but in exchange they were a mess. Mu Qing, however, didn’t want to stop and tried to hit the pivot back with his other hand but Feng Xin stopped him.
They were both hurt and bleeding, but Mu Qing was so mad that he didn’t care for anything. Feng Xin had grabbed Mu Qing’s healthy hand before he broke it too.
“Mu Qing stop! What the fuck are you thinking?”
They looked like they just ended a battle against a violent ghost, they were shedred, panting, bleeding by their ears and mouth and with broken bones. Mu Qing had his right hand destroyed and Feng Xin could barely breathe. In all the hundreds of fights they ever had, they never had hurt each other this bad.
“What am I thinking? I'm thinking of pleasing you! Didn’t you just say that you didn’t want me to be anywhere near you!? So, I’m destroying this stupid trap so you can fucking go away and stop seeing or hearing me!”.
Feng Xin loosened his grip and Mu Qing took advantage of that and got loose of his hand, then with that same hand he took his other one and clutched it against his chest. That injury was ugly and it would take a considerable amount of spiritual energy to heal.
Slowly, Mu Qing moved to a corner of the cube turning his back on Feng Xin. The latter didn’t move, he was dizzy and his ears were ringing. He wanted to say something but he was struggling with finding the words.
“... That’s your sword hand…”
“Oh, fuck you Feng Xin! What do you care?”
“But… I care…”
“HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND??!!” Mu Qing turned to look at Feng Xin. His eyes reflected pure anger.
“Yes, I have lost my mind… I lost my mind… Just, can we go back to normality? Can you please stop acting and go back to hating me like always?”. Feng Xin’s voice was a whisper by the end of the sentence.
“To what? Hating you?...” Mu Qing was speechless for a short time, then fury invaded his veins and twisted his face. “YOU ARE THE DUMBEST SHIT OF THE FUCKING THREE REALMS!!!”.
That was all. The hating look Feng Xin had been used to for hundreds of years. It felt like a river that returns to its normal course after a flood… but the waters were poisoned.
Mu Qing moved fast and went really close to Feng Xin. He moved so close that their noses almost touched.
“Feng Xin, you are the worst person in the world”. Mu Qing’s voice was full of bitterness.
Feng Xin was, as for a change, agreed with him, but didn’t dare to say anything.
Mu Qing went back to the corner of the trap and Feng Xin remained in the middle like he was frozen. They were like that for some time until a strong blow sound from the outside.
The crack that Mu Qing had opened before spread out through the wall. After a couple more hits, the wall broke. When the dust settled down a smiley Xie Lian appeared behind the broken wall.
“Hey! I’ve been looking… for you both.” Xie Lian’s smile fell when he saw the state of his two friends. He knew them too well.
It was obvious that something bad had happened and even when it was something typical of them, Xie Lian realized this time was something more serious. However, before he could ask anything Mu Qing got out hurriedly giving him only a cryptic look.
Feng Xin moved slowly to the broken exit, standing next to Xie Lian but unable to look at him.
“Feng Xin, what happened?”
“Don’t worry Xie Lian, it’s ok”. Feng Xin showed a sad smile. “I just recovered Mu Qing’s hate. Now, he won't leave.”