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Liu Qingge snarls as he slams the latest challenger into the ground headfirst, provoking cheers and whistles from the gathered crowd. The demon chokes out a yield and stumbles to her feet back to the circle of onlookers, met with congratulatory slaps on the back and more cheering.
“Who’s next?” Liu Qingge says flatly, fixing the gathered demons with an icy stare. Luo Binghe- his husband- had promised him a challenge for this second wedding, not a bunch of warmups. If his husband’s actual chosen family don’t show their faces-
The crowd parts; a soft jingling of bells just makes it to Liu Qingge’s ears under the roar. There, hidden by her height until now: Sha Hualing, dressed in her usual filmy scarves, swaggering forward with a hand on her hip, smug grin on her face. When she steps into the circle the crowd breaks into screaming cheers. Liu Qingge’s pulse pounds with anticipation.
“I’m here to steal a bride,” Liu Qingge declares for what feels like the hundredth time. It doesn’t make his face heat any less than the first; the words are ridiculous. But Luo Binghe had insisted they were traditional.
“You’ll have to go through me,” Sha Hualing replies- the matching response- and shifts her stance, bangles glittering in the bright demonic firelight of the palace. No outside weapons are allowed for the bride stealing ritual, so she’s washed off the poison that usually coats her long nails. They’re still quite sharp enough to gut him if he’s not fast enough, though.
Liu Qingge shifts a foot forward to test her reaction; her weight leans toward him. She’s aggressive; ready to fight. A wild grin stretches across her face, the jingle of her bracelets deceptively soft. Liu Qingge suppresses the matching one that attempts to surface on his face.
Liu Qingge is the one to make the first move.
In a flurry of blows they fly across the room, almost crashing into the circle of spectators and careening up into the stone of the walls. Liu Qingge is smarter than to grapple with someone with extendable daggers on each finger, so he keeps each blow quick and dodges away when he can, letting her enter into his space only when he’s unable to avoid it. It’s a long fight; his blood pounds and sweat drips from his temple by the time that he gets in a blow to the back of her knee, sending her crashing to the ground. He darts in for a pin. Before he can pull her shoulder past its extension, the thrashing Sha Hualing bites out a yield, to the screams of the crowd. When she rises it’s with the same grin that she started the battle with, eyes dancing; she claps Liu Qingge on the shoulder and turns back to the mob of observers, beckoning.
Mobei-Jun steps out.
This is it; Luo Binghe mentioned that he’d be overseeing the ritual. Liu Qingge has sparred with him once before, and seen him in battle a few times besides that. He’s a match for Liu Qingge’s height, and much denser in build. His demonic energy is vast, strong enough that it presses almost tangibly against Liu Qingge’s skin now as he unleashes the full force of it. His fur coat swirls in an unseen air current, thick enough to provide protection against Liu Qingge’s blows.
The crowd presses in closer.
The rules stipulated that no outside weapons were allowed; however that doesn’t stop a demon from making use of their natural assets. In a display more or less meant to pump up the crowd, spears of ice unfurl behind Mobei-Jun's back like a glimmering peacock's tail, before turning towards Liu Qingge in clear threat. Indeed, the lesser demons go wild with excitement, ready and raring for blood to be spilled.
“You won’t delay me,” Liu Qingge declares, face hot. “I am here to steal my b…bride.”
Mobei-Jun's naturally icy demeanor eases a fraction as he raises an eyebrow in challenge. Liu Qingge has yet to exchange many words with the man, but he knows… of him via Luo Binghe's occasional anecdotes. Apparently any expression, save his usual go-to of murderous intent, meant Mobei-Jun had a generally positive impression of you. Not that it stops him from launching one of his razor-sharp spears right at Liu Qingge's head.
Liu Qingge dodges it, of course, but only just barely; while it's clear that Mobei-Jun is holding back- insofar as refraining from intending to kill him could be considered holding back- he doesn't pull his punches. Not that Liu Qingge would want that- he'd come here for a challenge, after all. Besides, Luo Binghe deserves a good showing.
The second and third spears shoot by like comets, the barest glint of firelight on ice Liu Qingge's only warning as he's forced to dodge to avoid being skewered. He barely registers the screams of the crowd and the sounds of ice shattering against the palace's stone walls; he's still trying to avoid spears four and five.
All in all, the dozen spears are launched at Liu Qingge in the span of just a few seconds, forcing him to dodge and weave like a dancing monkey. It's clear Mobei-Jun takes pleasure in toying with his victims; Liu Qingge, shamefully, hasn't made much headway against him, not when the barest misstep means a fatal blow to one of his vital organs. Liu Qingge is ashamed to admit it, but if he had Cheng Luan, he wouldn't have had nearly this much trouble.
It's only after the initial salvo that Mobei-Jun tips his chin up, satisfaction glimmering in his flinty eyes as he says, "If you want him, you'll have to go through me."
The crowd explodes into a roaring fervor as Mobei-Jun summons up another set of spears. Liu Qingge has a spare half-moment to close the space between them before they're hurtling at him once more- not that Mobei-Jun lets him. As Liu Qingge lunges forward, Mobei-Jun dances back, flinging three spears at Liu Qingge's legs. Liu Qingge can feel them tearing through his robes as he barely slips past; one of them moves so quickly, the air pressure alone abrades his leg as if he's been dragged through gravel.
The fresh shock of pain, the thrill of hot blood running down his leg focuses Liu Qingge's attention in a way nothing else can.
Finally, a proper fight.
Liu Qingge pushes forward into Mobei-Jun's space, destroying the next spear with a qi-blast that leaves the room stinking of ozone. The crowd parts behind them as Liu Qingge throws a punch so heavy it leaves a crater in the pillar behind Mobei-Jun. Mobei-Jun's eyes widen a fraction, reaching back to grab two of his spears in hand. It gives Liu Qingge just enough time to strike again, only to be intercepted by the shaft of an ice spear so cold it burns his fist. It shatters, burning Liu Qingge's exposed skin along the way, but he pays it no mind; his eyes are on Mobei-Jun and Mobei-Jun only.
Mobei-Jun strikes out with one of his ice-blades, but Liu Qingge dodges, parrying with a qi-blast aimed at Mobei-Jun's vulnerable side. Yet another spear is sacrificed to protect him, and he forces Liu Qingge back with a slash of his other blade.
Liu Qingge won't be rebuffed for long. Like a rabid beast, he tears back into Mobei-Jun's space; it's the only way he can survive against Mobei-Jun's weapons. Mobei-Jun spares him no quarter, making space between them every time Liu Qingge closes in.
Finally, after forcing Liu Qingge to stagger back from a (lucky) kick to the stomach, Mobei-Jun, wild-eyed and triumphant, sends his last spears at Liu Qingge. Liu Qingge dodges two, but the last one cuts a searing line into his side. The pain slows him just long enough that he can't hope to dodge the last in time.
His body moves faster than his brain does, and before he remembers just how cold the spears are, his hand closes around the shaft of the final spear, just millimeters away from his guts.
The pain in his hand is excruciating, but that doesn't matter one whit.
Mobei-Jun realizes his folly the moment Liu Qingge grins viciously up at him. Creating a buffer of qi between his bare palms and the brutally cold ice, Liu Qingge charges in, thrusting his stolen spear at Mobei-Jun. The spear is dense- heavy, but brittle; a drawn out battle will lead to the spear either shattering or melting, provided it doesn't leave his hands useless first. No matter its flaws, the fact that he has a blade in hand means Liu Qingge now has the advantage.
It's time to end this.
With a snarl, Liu Qingge bursts into a flurry of jabs, slowly, but steadily, crowding Mobei-Jun against the wall. Mobei-Jun clearly knows what Liu Qingge is doing, but he's too overwhelmed by Liu Qingge's speed and technique to do much more than meet his blows head-on. For all that Mobei-Jun is a skilled warrior, his strengths are in quick and decisive strikes, not drawn-out fights like this one. As Liu Qingge puts more and more pressure on Mobei-Jun, the demon's attention begins to draw thin. He starts making mistakes, leaving openings where he normally wouldn't have had it been any other fighter.
Before Mobei-Jun realizes it, the fight is over. Liu Qingge ends the storm of blows in a single, decisive strike, pinning Mobei-Jun against the unforgiving stone of the palace walls. The shattered-ice edge of Liu Qingge's spear comes to a stop a mere hair's breadth away from his throat.
Mobei-Jun swallows, the mere movement of it shredding the skin of his adam's apple as he quietly rasps, "I recognize your power. I yield."
Panting hard, Liu Qingge is still thrumming with the adrenaline of a good fight that he doesn't immediately hear Mobei-Jun's submission.
It's not until the corners of Mobei-Jun's mouth tug up in what looks more like a sneer than a smile that Liu Qingge realizes he's won. "Go and take your bride. He's been waiting," Mobei-Jun says, kicking Liu Qingge off of him to straighten his clothes.
The crowd parts, whooping and hollering, and he takes off at a loping pace down the broad hallways of the palace, ears burning. Luckily Luo Binghe has placed himself not too far from the main hall; he was too impatient to hide himself well, as is more appropriate for a wedding of this caliber. Liu Qingge can’t complain; he’s not particularly interested in searching storage closets, and would much prefer to hurry to the main event.
“Hello,” greets a warm, enthusiastic voice as he kicks open the door to Luo Binghe’s outer chambers.
“I’m here to steal you away,” Liu Qingge manages to get out, cheeks on fire. It’s worth it for the look of delight that sparkles in Luo Binghe’s eyes as he steps forward.
“An attempt on my honor?” he says, salaciously waggling his eyebrows. Liu Qingge averts his eyes, blushing. “If you want to abduct me, you’ll have to subdue me first,” and he nods at the conveniently placed ropes. As if Liu Qingge doesn’t remember where they are!
It takes a moment- he’s distracted by looking at his beautiful husband- but Liu Qingge remembers his lines. “Then… subdue you I shall,” he responds, squaring his shoulders and stepping forward.
A traditional wedding involves ‘wrestling the intended into submission,’ according to Luo Binghe, then presenting them, bound, to the waiting audience ‘unspoiled’ to show respect for their honor. Despite the words coming from his own mouth, Luo Binghe’s hands don’t seem to have gotten the message.
“Oh, you’re so rough,” Luo Binghe gasps, squirming under Liu Qingge’s knee where he’s pinned him face down. Both his hands are squeezing the muscles of Liu Qingge’s thighs, attempting to inch higher even as Liu Qingge attempts to wrest them back up to tie them together. “Mm- what will I do, overcome by such a handsome cultivator-”
“Stop that!” Liu Qingge gets out, blushing, as Luo Binghe’s ass grinds back into him. He can’t walk back out there if he’s hard. “I’m presenting you unspoiled to your family, remember?”
“I can assure you that they’re well aware that we’ve already spoiled each other in all the ways that matter,” Luo Binghe says, shooting a salacious look over his shoulder. Liu Qingge makes a face at him and swats his ass, making Luo Binghe let out a pleased moan. “Oh no,” he says breathily, “my captor already has plans to abuse my noble behind-”
“Quiet!” Liu Qingge snaps fondly, wresting Luo Binghe up from the ground and over one shoulder. He pinches an ass cheek for good measure, making Luo Binghe jerk in surprise and huff out a laugh, bound ankles kicking up to trap Liu Qingge’s arm between calf and back of thigh. “You’re being kidnapped. Be silent.”
“Such rough treatment,” Luo Binghe bemoans as Liu Qingge strides the length of the palace back toward the main hall. “Whatever will my family think? What will I, an unsullied maiden who’s never known the touch of another, have to endure at these strong, callused hands-”
“A gag?” suggests Liu Qingge in a mutter, turning the corner of the last stretch to the hall at half a run. “Or maybe- whoa!”
Luo Binghe flails like a fish on land, the shift of his weight enough to nearly unbalance them both. To prevent him from falling Liu Qingge shifts his hold, and Luo Binghe’s twisting body somehow manages to maneuver itself into his arms so that he’s being held under the knees and behind the back, staring up from Liu Qingge’s embrace with a grin, their faces very close.
“How romantic,” he murmurs, fluttering his eyelashes as Liu Qingge’s slowing steps bring them into the main hall.
“He’s kidnapped our lord!” the crowd yells, wild cheers going up all the way to the ceiling. Luo Binghe’s broad smile is so warm that Liu Qingge can’t look away, despite the ruckus all around them. “The wedding is on!”
“You’ve shown your intent,” Mobei-Jun intones, waving one ponderous arm in a glacial motion across the hall. “You intend to devote yourself to your bride?”
“I do,” Liu Qingge murmurs, still unable to look away from Luo Binghe. The smile on his husband’s face goes even softer.
“Then your suit is recognized,” Sha Hualing declares, spreading her jangling arms. Before Liu Qingge can respond with his lines, Luo Binghe’s demonic energy flares in his arms and his face is seized in two gentle hands, the remnants of the ropes still falling from Luo Binghe’s wrists as his mouth is covered with soft lips.
“This is my husband!” Luo Binghe shouts to the waiting crowd, pulling back from Liu Qingge’s face, and a roar goes up that’s loud enough to deafen. Liu Qingge still can’t look away from Luo Binghe’s expression; he’s glowing, smile brighter than Liu Qingge has ever seen, eyes crinkled in happiness.
Liu Qingge, helplessly fond, returns Luo Binghe’s kiss with one of his own.