Chapter Text
“Jiu-ge, I’m happy to help, really, but do I have to work with the other Peak Lords? Or I could recommend some others to help? I’m not the only practitioner that isn’t irredeemable scum, in fact, I hear Wu Mingzhi’s been taking commissions. While she’s a bit terse her work is solid, especially her man-eating banishment talismans. They always sell like hotcakes. You could also see if Ruan Mianf—… Jiu-ge?”
“It’s your knowledge we need specifically, A-Yuan.” a sigh, “I don’t want to entrust this to anyone else.”
“I assume this is pretty time sensitive?” a pause. “Alright. I’ll move back my plans for the Flagitious Warbling Ferret experiment then. Give me ten minutes.”
Yue Qingyuan was grateful for his Shizun’s thorough teaching. Without it, he would undoubtedly be drumming his fingers on the meeting table at this very moment. Shen Jiu wasn’t faring much better, if you knew where to look. His eyes were glazed slightly, and to an outsider it might look like he was thinking ponderously, but Yue Qi had the privilege to know Xiao Jiu was actually looking at the cranes painted on his fan.
“Yue-shixiong?”
…Ah, well. Training can’t fix everything. He focuses back on the conversation.
“Yes, Guan-shidi?” said Yue Qingyuan.
“We may have found a way to get food and water to Madame Zhou, Zhou-gongzi, and Xiao Zhou-guniang.”
“How catastrophic would it be if the attempt failed?”
“There is a high possibility of a rebound from the array, but I believe we can mitigate it to a manageable amount.” Guan Qinglu’s response was firm, honest.
The room was quiet as Yue Qingyuan deliberated. Only the rustling of paper and the shifting of fabric could be heard.
“Do it.”
Shang Qinghua, fidgeting with the scrolls nesting around him, took that moment to address Guan Qinglu, the stalwart Peak Lord of Qiang Lujing, Peak of the Barrier Path, or the Barrier Array Peak. Yue Qingyuan was glad that Qinglu-shidi was so easy-going and level-headed. Though, that's probably why he was made a Peak Lord to begin with. Guan-shidi wasn't a problem child like some of the other shidi. Yue Qingyuan was immensely grateful for it.
“Guan-shidi, how much food and water would you be able to send to them?” Shang-shidi sat twitchily poised, over-used brush in hand, hesitantly waiting for an answer.
His voice stable and warm, yet still businesslike, Guan Qinglu responded. “We should be able to get about 3 katis to them. Any more and we’d need twenty more high level seniors to power the array.”
Shang Qinghua started writing rapidly, voice losing some of its meekness as he fell down into business. “I see, how would qiankun pouches interact with the arra-”
The door swung open.
Xiao Yuan was dressed, if it was possible, worse than before, and his palms itched to smooth the parted collars of the offending robe. He refrained. Instead, Yue Qingyuan smiled. And he wouldn’t say anything, but Shen Qingqiu’s eyes definitely crinkled a bit.
Xiao Yuan strode into the room, hair and robes whipping about him as the sunlight chased his approaching figure. And he said Xiao Jiu was the dramatic one.
Liu-shidi sprang up at Xiao Yuan's entrance. His swordhand automatically at Cheng Luan's hilt as he barked. “Who are you?! Why have you intruded upon–” Liu Qingge’s tirade paused for a minute as the quick-fire Peak Lord processed the picture Xiao Yuan made. He was the spitting image of Shen Qingqiu, after all.
Yue Qingyuan signaled to him to hold.
“A-Yuan.”
“Xiao Yuan.”
"Da-ge, Er-ge, you said you happen to have a problem on your hands?"
Shen Qingqiu waved Shen Yuan over, indicating the sheaves of paper strewn across the lengthy table, and the way Xiao Yuan's eyes lit up? It was a balm to Yue Qi's soul. Xiao Yuan adored finding the holes in the work of others. He loved ripping them apart even more.
Shen Jiu and Shen Yuan launched themselves directly into conversation; pointing at various diagrams and discussing said diagrams, presumably, but the conversation progressed so rapidly into territory and terms Yue Qingyuan couldn't quite grasp in context, so he was only mostly sure. It seems the introductions are being left to him.
Fair enough.
Scanning the room, he took in the state of his martial siblings. Most had a look of surprise, and were waiting on him to give an explanation or demand one; there were a few expected exceptions: Liu-shidi, who looked like he was going to jump over the table and shake answers out of somebody, Qingqi-shimei, who looks as if she's already decided what the situation is and knows exactly what she's going to do about it, and Shang-shidi, who was glaring at an oblivious Liu-shidi in warning, probably because he just replaced the table.
Yue Qingyuan used his best reassuring and trustworthy voice, still keeping it unquestionable with the undertone of authority as he introduced Xiao Yuan.
"This is Shen Yuan, an expert this Zhangmen and Qingqiu-shidi brought in to help rescue the Zhou family and catch the perpetrator."
As the assorted Peak Lords murmured greetings, and curiously studied this new flavour of Shen, Qi Qingqi's demanding voice rang out. "With all due respect Yue-shixiong, he's obviously more than that. We'd be idiots if we didn't notice the striking resemblance and the shared surname. He called Shen Qingqiu er-ge! They're clearly related! And! Furthermore, are we even sure this man has the proper training to be of use?"
Overlooking the fact that Qi Qingqi didn't pay attention to anything he said besides the connection to Xiao Jiu, he responded firmly. Benign smile ever in place, Yue Qingyuan stated, "Shen Yuan is here in a purely professional capacity. Any relations of Qingqiu-shidi are not of importance, even if they are to one with an intimate knowledge of demonic cultivators. Shen Yuan has committed no crimes, and his expertise will be of great service to us, and our constituents. Who are in dire need of our assistance."
His martial siblings seemed surprised at the addendum of practically admitting intimate association with such ill-folk, but Yue Qingyuan knew that if he didn't mention it first and outright it would be gleaned from the shape of Xiao Yuan's knowledge. Best to beat any naysaying and ill-will to the punch. Because, what were they going to say to him? Nothing. And that's how Yue Qingyuan preferred it, when it came to his family.
Thankfully, that seemed good enough for most of his martial siblings, or well enough to quiet their questions.
"Uhh, excuse me, Yue-shixiong?" Shang Qinghua's meek timbre broke through the tension in the room. "How, exactly will Master Shen be of assistance?"
Ah. Maybe not.
Xiao Jiu chose that moment to finally insert himself into the conversation. Coolly acting as if he was commenting upon an ancient vase instead of their beloved brother, Shen Jiu idly spoke of Shen Yuan’s use to Cang Qiong.
"A-Yuan is a skilled demonic practitioner, who will help us decipher and break the barrier. His knowledge of other practitioners will also help us catch the criminal, Xu Tanlan. This Lord has full confidence in his competence."
Ah, good. Xiao Jiu caught on to the way Yue Qingyuan was planning on playing Xiao Yuan's introduction. It was unfortunate that they couldn't do it properly, as they had previously planned, but innocent lives were more important than flawless backgrounds and pristine, respectable introductions.
And such a situation as the Zhao family's meant that bringing Xiao Yuan in with the truth and fullness of his true profession was possible from the get-go. Much better than a nosy shidi attempting to use it as dirt in a political fight.
Yue Qingyuan briefly tunes back into the conversation around him.
"I can't say I'm surprised that you're related to a demonic cultivator, it seems cheating runs in the family." Qi Qingqi scoffed. "Cang Qiong's own Qing Jing Peak Lord shielding a demonic cultivator!"
"Well, Qingqi-shimei," drawls Shen Qingqiu, "At least I'm not related to a mediocre little runt—"
…And there Xiao Jiu and Qingqi-shimei went.
Yue Qi glanced over at the only non-Peak Lord present, wanting to ensure Xiao Yuan was at a relatively safe distance from the venomous spitting going on in front of them.
Shen Yuan's eyes flicked rapidly between the two titans of tongue-lashing as they sparred. His eyes had an unsettling glint. Yue Qi was suddenly reminded that Xiao Yuan hadn't slept since arriving early in the morning. And he hadn't slept before either due to the abrupt egress to Cang Qiong. He… may have erred in having Xiao Yuan attend. Yue Qi was intimately familiar with Shen Yuan's lack of impulse control when sleep deprived.
"…Ooooh, making lady friends are we, er-ge? I'm so proud!" Xiao Yuan's gratingly cheerful voice interrupted Xiao Jiu's vitriol.
"Shen Yuan." Shen Jiu snapped, "Shut your mouth."
…Maybe not interrupted so much as redirected.
Shen Jiu and Yue Qi both knew to be wary of that look on Xiao Yuan's face. It raised the hairs on the back of his neck. If, if it was Yue Qingyuan's role for introductions then he's done his part, right?
"Er-ge, no need to be humble about it! There's nothing wrong with being friends, especially to a woman of such caliber as the Xian Shu Peak Lord! I mean really, took you long enough, I was starting to get worried there for a secon—"
A look of alarm was doused over Xiao Jiu's face. He had realized Xiao Yuan was up to mischief. Yue Qingyuan wished him luck.
"Shen Yuan! Be silent, or be silenced." Shen Jiu was white-knuckling the spines of his fan in one hand, the other gripping the table hard enough for it to tilt under the weight of his grasp.
Shang-shidi made a despairing face as his disorderly stacks of paper went sliding into untameable chaos. Zui Xian's Lord simply plucked her bottle from the table and took a long drag as she watched the show.
Shen Yuan tutted, reaching over to pat the second in command of Cang Qiong's shoulder consolingly.
"No, no, er-ge, really, it's fine, I get it, you're still in the talking stage, that's fine, there's no need to rush, just take it one step at a time, so what if you're still 'just friends'? The friendship stage is really important!"
Yue Qingyuan could just let them tire themselves out, right?
Qi Qingqi abruptly stood, her chair making a shiver-inducing screech. Her voice was not dissimilar in octave from the chair’s blood-curdling tone as she reeled from the audacity. The purple robes of Xian Shu made a surprising color-match with the shade of Qingqi-shimei's face.
"You. You. How dare you insinuate I'd. That I'd. That I would be interested in Shen. Qing. Qiu. How dare you!"
Her fists were either shaking in rage, disgust or fear. Yue Qingyuan didn't know which one boded worse.
As Qingqi-shimei took an outraged huff, Shen Yuan grinned. That… was not a good sign.
He sent a prayer up to the gods as Xiao Yuan opened his mouth.
THHWACK!
Ah. Xiao Jiu took care of it.
He's still offer an incense stick anyway.
"HEY!" Xiao Yuan cradled his abused head, glaring resentfully at the unassuming handfan turned projectile. "What was that for? I was about to defend your honor, actually wait, you know what, Lord Qi, you're absolutely right, you deserve better. Er-ge this is why you have no friends. Mean. Did you have to throw it point-blank too? Ouch…"
If not for the company Shen Jiu would undoubtedly be shaking him by the ear. And swearing dirtily enough to make a sailor repent.
"Better mean, than a nuisance Shen Yuan. If I ever hear you speak it will be too soon. If you ever say something so unimaginably stupid again in regard to this Lord's preferences to even imply that this Lord would be looking at that, that, bit— . This Lord's esteemed shimei… This Lord cannot be held responsible for what may happen to you. Or your hidden bookshelf." Shen Qingqiu's voiced turned sweet, "Is this Lord clear?"
Hidden bookshelf? Was he talking about that secluded shelf with the terrible just-toeing-the-line of yellow book "literature"? It wasn't fun, he remembered, having a leisure moment while visiting their youngest, to open an unassuming book and be subjected to that. He didn't pick up any other random books after that. Did Shen Yuan think that was hidden? Oh, Yue Qingyuan hoped not. He should know better than that. Yue Qi couldn't say he'd feel any remorse if Xiao Jiu did do something unspeakable to those books. While he might not assist in their destruction he wouldn't…not keep them from being destroyed.
Xiao Yuan looked at him imploringly, but paled drastically. Oops. That might've shown on his face. Annnd this was in front of all the other Peak Lords as well. He's going to have to restore so much faith as a sect leader.
He should have expected this result. Shen Yuan didn't have enough time on the ride here to get his, energy out. And Shen Jiu has missed being able to threaten Xiao Yuan. Throw in the argumentative Qi Qingqi… All in a Peak Lord meeting. Damn his master for teaching him to withhold his sighs. Letting out a large, cathartic sigh… does not sound disagreeable. The temptation to pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation filled him with nostalgia.
It's been too long. There's no point for Xiao Jiu and him to meet up without Shen Yuan, it just feels incomplete, and everything left unsaid, undone, unfulfilled, fills the space left between them meant for Xiao Yuan.
It's good that he's here. It's really been too long. Some small part of him fears, that, if Shen Yuan stays away for too long, that the failures that lie between him and Shen Jiu would grow too large, and strangle both of them. He does not want to know what they would look like without Xiao Yuan. He's grateful they don't have to know. It is good, that he's here.
Even if Yue Qi feels a headache forming.
That bottle of Zui Xian’s signature brew wouldn't be hard to snatch out of Mei Qingcheng’s hand… He… can't drink on the job. He hasn't fallen that far, yet.
Yue Qingyuan plastered a bland, unassuming smile on his face and looked directly at Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jiu. "This master and his shidi look forward to working with you, Shen Yuan. If Shang-shidi would lay out the entire situation?" His earlier statement of 'in a purely professional capacity' is left hanging in the air. Yue Qingyuan continues to smile blandly at them.
They both start to sweat. Good to see that still works, then. Xiao Jiu hmph-ed as Shen Yuan awkwardly handed back his fan.
"Right… It's this one's pleasure to assist." Pulling out the chair next to Yue Qingyuan's right hand, Shen Yuan sheepishly removes various writing instruments from a qiankun sleeve as Shen Jiu slides over some blank sheaves of paper. Settling himself, Shen Yuan looks patiently over at Shang-shidi. Qi Qingqi and Liu Qingge settle disgruntledly back into their places, Mu Qingfang manages to convince Mei Qingcheng to stop day-drinking. And Yue Qingyuan allows himself a small sigh.
It's time to work.
Shen Qingqiu is going to eviscerate Yue Qingyuan for allowing Qi Qingqi and Liu Qingge to muscle their way into A-Yuan's and his bonding time research. It was bad enough that the research had to be conducted in the depressingly damp and earthen crevasses of Cang Qiong's fathomless deep and vast network.
(While the Lingxi Cave System was the most spiritually powerful, it was not the only place of concentrated power in the Cang Qiong mountain chain. The intertwined canyons and cave systems were places of immense power, and their uses spanned from seclusion of esteemed elders cultivating to ascension, containment of calamitous objects, creating and testing new techniques, talismans, and weapons.
Shen Qingqiu's shizun had likened them to the meridians of the monumental sierra.)
Instead of finally being able to set aside the guise of Shen Qingqiu, Shen Jiu tugged it tighter, in preparation for Qi Qingqi's needling and Liu Qingge's unforgiving bluntness.
This was going to be unpleasant. A-Yuan would be present, though, so it would be bearable. Ugh, he's going to have to speak to Shen Yuan about how much information he wished to feed to Qi Qingqi's prying ears.
Might as well throw her a bone to gnaw on. Tedious. Tiring.
He didn't look forward to having Liu Qingge looming over his shoulder, hand resting a hair's breadth away from Cheng Luan.
Shen Yuan will be delighted that he's finally wearing those daggers he gifted.
Shen Jiu was immeasurably pleased with himself. He managed to find a solution to the Zhou Problem and bring A-Yuan in for a visit. The little brat hadn't sent anything but rambling letters about his experiments for the past five months. (If all Shen Jiu had sent in return were letters complaining about his martial siblings, he wasn't the one to blame, alright? It was their fault for being so pestiferous.)
Said brat was currently whistling in appreciation as the pair soared over the lower peaks of Cang Qiong. …They were over the Beast Peak. Figures. He cannot let A-Yuan meet anyone from that peak, otherwise he wouldn't even get to see a glimpse of him.
They had made it in time for the Peak Lord Meeting, with about a sichen to spare beforehand.
The early morning painted the sky carmine and saffron. Shen Jiu took the moment to examine his little brother. Unruly sun-touched hair, tanned skin, the same willowy yet sinewy physique as his own. He looked healthy. His eyes did look heavy though, Shen Jiu will just have to make sure the little idiot rests more.
His eyes drift to A-Yuan's robes. Collars parted obscenely low, as usual (Shen Jiu is still pissed he lost that fight. What did he do to deserve a slattern for a brother? And the nerve of Yue Qi to back out and not 'take sides'. Coward, Qi-ge, you're a coward.) but clothing of good make, well woven. Sturdy boots, strong harnesses for his multitude of knives. Shen Yuan's sword Xiu Su was well looked after. It was… good. It was good.
Sometimes, Shen Jiu would feel a sense of dissonance, when looking at the world. A-Yuan and Qi-ge in sumptuous robes, good leather for their soles, enough food to pick out the walnuts for their bitterness. To look at the vast mountains and think 'Home', to smell the spice and oil of a night market and not feel 'Hunger', but to think of what trinket to smuggle back, what book to buy for A-Yuan, what tea to leave at Qi-ge's house.
Sometimes, Shen Jiu would forget, forget that he doesn't need to fear the cold, forget that he carries an inferno within, more than enough to ward the cold from even the very ears of the horses that would draw his carriage.
He'd forget, and worry about the fabric that covered his A-Yuan's shoulders, only to be surprised when his fingers met an oiled cloak instead of threadbare rags. Sometimes, when he looked in the mirror, he expected to see wild eyes looking back at him, expected mismatched and stolen robes, expected bloodstained hands instead of pale fingers, manicured, with the calluses of an artist, a musician.
But only sometimes.
He and A-Yuan continued further up, and further into the mountain sect.
They were approaching Qing Jing's ample canebrakes, the morning fog catching the creeping sunlight. Small tile roofs are nestled between the foliage, stone courtyards and paths like veins underneath the peak's bamboo skin. Shen Qingqiu's peak was just beginning to stir, staff and hallmasters completing their personal ablutions. A smattering of hallmasters and senior disciples could be seen nestled into the solitude of the Scholar's Peak, meditating, reading, training, or merely enjoying a moment of rest before the quiet bustle truly began.
The twins descended, feet meeting the stone and moss. Before them was the Bamboo House, soft light shining from within. As they arrived at the threshold the door slid open, a gentle smile welcoming them. The man that greeted them, leaning in the doorway, wasn't the noble and upstanding Sect Master of Cang Qiong, instead, he was Yue Qi, older brother. Their older brother. (God, he wasn't getting sentimental was he? That was the other two's job. Disgusting.)
Yue Qi left the door open and strolled back into the home, settling himself at the low table, which bore a cheering breakfast. Needing no other invitation the travelers gladly brought themselves down beside him. Shen Yuan, forsaking propriety and wedging himself right next to Yue Qi's stable figure, while Shen Jiu himself takes the side of the table next to them. A hot cup of tea is pressed into his hands, warmth cupped between his fingers.
Some part of him (his heart) clenches at the quiet pleasure Yue Qingyuan takes in such small actions. Each man at the table was aware of the limits current comfort could do to banish past hardship. No amount of thick blankets and roaring fires could burn away the memory of frostbite from their bones. But it was nice.
Thus the travelers came home.
Shen Jiu basked in his moment of peace.
Shen Yuan, somehow, managed to inhale much more than his portion while still slumped over like a sack of rice. Qi-ge bore the stealing of his food and being used as a piece of furniture with ease and gladness. Soft-hearted fool.
They needed no words between them like this.
Eventually, their quiet companionship had to end, and Shen Jiu took it upon himself to be the one to bring business to the table.
"Has any progress been made since my departure?"
Yue Qi sighed, the movement jostling A-Yuan, who was still doing his best impression of a cat curled up next to a hearth.
"Nothing conclusive. Guan-shidi's been working on cracking open the barrier, at least temporarily, so that we can get supplies to Madam Zhao and the children."
"Children?" Shen Yuan sat up, "You said Zhao-furen, Zhao-gongzi and Xiao Zhou-guniang. You didn't mention the fact that they're kids."
Stacking the empty dishes onto a tray, Shen Jiu took a minute to rein in his frustration. His answer was steadily delivered, without emotion.
"Why do you think we got you? Every day this continues the fate of the Zhou family gets grimmer. We have the best of Cang Qiong working tirelessly on Xu Tanlan's bitch of an array, at least that's what we think it is, but we can't find the energy-well."
A-Yuan's face contorted, and his voice was heavy. "You… can't find the powersource?
"No. Guan-shidi, Mu-shidi, even Shang Qinghua and myself have spent days looking for it."
"Jiu-ge, you checked for—, for that, right?"
"I did. there was no sign of anything."
For a moment it looked as if he was going to say something, but Shen Yuan held his silence. Yue Qi's arm tucks A-Yuan further into his side. The shadow of grief lay heavy on his brows. Shen Jiu's hands still from their busy work. His voice is quiet, and he absently traces the lines of his hands.
"I compared the array to the old shitstain's notebooks, looking for any sort of commonality, but none of the radicals or placements are right. Some of the barrier's rings remind me of that one man the bastard killed for his suffocation technique, the one that cuts off the head's access to the lungs."
Shen Yuan hummed, face contemplative, eyes turned inward.
"I think his name was Wang…something. But I remember the technique, it was actually quite ingenious, really! instead of trying to cast a barrier between lungs and head by blocking the throat with a manufactured anchor, he instead used the upper vertebrae of the spine, the epiglottis, and the two internal carotid arteries as anchor points and created an interlocking and adaptive barrier, and in doing so bypassed the issue of scaling completely!
It's quite impressive. That's partly why I based my Two-Tailed Demonic Peacock Trap on his research. Since they like to nest next to Amorous Tiger-Vines. Adaptivity comes in use frequently. If Wang-whatever's research was available to others it would revolutionize barrier arrays. Maybe there's a way we could edit out the assassination technique and keep the theory, so we could publish it."
"Right…" Shen Jiu felt unwillingly fond of the slight ramble at the end; Shen Yuan always got distracted when it came to flora and fauna. "I might have a copy of that technique, I'll see if I can dig it out before the Peak Lord meeting. It'll be easier to compare with all the research we've done laid out beside it. Remember to bring your qiankun library, it’ll come in useful."
"Wait, I have to attend that?" Shen Yuan's voice is tinged with horror.
"if I have to suffer?" Shen Jiu's smile is saccharine. "You do too."
Shen Yuan immediately turns to Yue Qi to whine. "Da-ge, er-ge is being unreasonable, I don't have to come, right?"
Yue Qi simply moved his arm into the perfect position for a headlock, face serene as a mountain forest on a foggy day. He knew if he opened his mouth to agree, Shen Yuan would twist his words into permission to neglect attendance.
Shen Yuan went boneless in his grip, face distraught as the reality of an unexpected social event tormented him.
He could count on Yue Qi to be firm for some things.
Shen Jiu rolled his eyes and started planning out his day. There was much to be done.
Qi Qingqi was going to get to the bottom of this.
She'd had enough of watching the strange dance between Zhangmen-shixiong and Shen Qingqiu. And now this Shen Yuan. Too many things just didn't add up.
Fortunately, she'd managed to insist upon her and Liu Qingge's presence while the demonic cultivator scuttles around the mock-barrier that the researchers had been using for tests.
Unfortunately for her, Shen Qingqiu had also insisted upon his own presence, and of course Zhangmen-shixiong acquiesced. (And if Shen Qingqiu provided valid reasons? Unimportant. Everyone knew the true reason was to ensure she didn't pry into his dirty business. Just watch her.)
Her plan originally was to simply corner the demonic cultivator and extract answers, but with the presence of Shen Qingqiu she probably should refrain from anything overtly physical, at first. She could take Shen Qingqiu, but how would Zhangmen-shixiong would react? Qi Qingqi didn't feel the need to test how deep the affection Yue Qingyuan held for those men was. Liu-shidi would probably back her up, and Mu Qingfang and Wei Qingwei could be convinced.
But Qi Qingqi wasn't seditious by nature, only necessity.
A small part of her warned against her own bias; crying out that her vision was obstructed by her own distaste for Shen Qingqiu, desperately counseling for caution. Shen Yuan was an unknown variable. His presence could change the way Shen Qingqiu reacted. Lacking information about any personal relationships, lacking knowledge of how Shen Qingqiu acted in his personal relationships (besides the weird thing he had with Yue Qingyuan), left Qi Qingqi feeling distinctly unarmed. Yes, she would have to be careful.
Her foot was twitching, but she would not tap her foot. The bastard Shen Qingqiu would probably say something like 'If Qingqi-shimei finds the research 'tedious' or difficult to understand she is free to leave, this master would hate to inconvenience her and take away from her duties.' all while looking down his nose at her with the most dismissive, haughty face she'd ever seen. And she has a step-mother damnit! How did he get his face to do that?! If that old woman could figure out how to do that… perish the thought!
(Liu Qingge looked at Qi Qingqi questioningly as she shuddered.)
Palming the handle of her sword, Qi Qingqi watched as the demonic cultivator and Shen Qingqiu compared notebooks and radicals, muttering something about scaling.
She's never seen Shen Qingqiu actually do research before. She hasn't ever seen him do any of the scholarly pursuits he's supposedly a master of, all she's ever witnessed is his sharp, disagreeable tongue, arrogant demeanor, and unwillingness to accommodate or cooperate with others. Not to mention his known promiscuous tendencies.
It's a surprise to see the man actually utilise his knowledge for purposes other than verbal mistreatment.
What's more interesting is to see the serrated gaze turned on something other than her.
Damn her… Is Shen Qingqiu actually good at his job?
Well, it's nice to know Ye-shibo wasn't a complete idiot when it came to successors, she supposed.
The hems of her robe were heavy with water, the drizzly nature of the canyon and cave system not showcasing any favour to the dainty robes of Xian Shu. She had moss and mud on her boots, and while normally, this wouldn't bother her, the pointlessness of the trip made it nigh unbearable.
Qi Qingqi assumed the thought behind bringing in the demonic cultivator was to 'fight fire with fire' but she doubted the usefulness of that proverb to begin with. Unbalanced things break.
Fighting fire with fire is only possible when you know where the inferno is headed. You then burn down everything in its path, cutting the fire off from any more fuel by burning and consuming it yourself. They didn't know where Xu Tanlan was headed, nor even where he began.
She feared that this new demonic cultivator would scorch where they should've grown.
Just as Qi Qingqi was about to declare her intent to check the perimeter, the demonic cultivator lifted a hand skyward. Liu Qingge and herself tensed, muscles tightened like a ripcord. Shen Qingqiu's eyes did not miss the movement, and his hands were quickly obscured by his sleeves.
"It's going to rain," the demonic cultivator's tone was smooth, matter of fact, yet there was a note of respect in it. Not directed at any of them, but at nature? "Overnight, it seems. The downpour will abate before dawn. This one suggests moving to cover for the time being, as we won't be at the point of physical tests for a few more hours, and that's being generous and highly motivated."
Liu-shidi turned immediately, resolutely stomping to the nearest place of shelter. Qi Qingqi gave a regal incline of the head and Shen Qingqiu simply whisked all of the research they had been waving about back into his sleeves.
Dreading having to listen to more incomprehensible research-speak, Qi Qingqi decided to try her luck at conversation making. Perhaps she could glean something.
"This Lord is curious as to how, Master Shen is aware of the weather cycle's whims?"
The demonic cultivator's eyes met hers, and she was surprised to see the amicable light within them. Letting out a chuckle, a wry twist to his lips that she couldn't decipher, he simply said "Ah, it's merely something this one's old master taught him. I've improved the technique by necessity, much of my research is out in the wild and awareness of nature's whims, as you said, is useful."
Hm, an 'old master' and research in the wild… which to enquire about… Qi Qingqi is going to have her fill of research once the demonic cultivator and Shen Qingqiu begin again. Besides, this might lead to more information on Shen Qingqiu's personal history.
Imbuing her voice with all the idle curiosity and polite small talk she could muster, she courteously asked.
"Oh? an old master you say? Who did Master Shen study under? My Shizun was acquainted with many honoured masters, perhaps we passed by each other before."
Shen Qingqiu side-eyed her, then caught the eye of the demonic cultivator. The demonic cultivator quirked an eyebrow and Shen Qingqiu shrugged. The Xiu Ya Sword, Lord of Qing Jing, Second in Command, and Head Strategist of Cang Qiong shrugged. Why the hell was Shen Qingqiu breaking out the human mannerisms now, of all times?
And what was that exchange about?
"Ah… I don't think my humble-" the man's throat seemed to catch on something, was he holding back an emotional reaction? Was it grief? Was his master dead? Or perhaps disgust?… but he continued swiftly, "-teacher ran in the same circles as the previous Xian Shu Peak Lord."
"Oh? Surely not. If Master Shen comes to aid Cang Qiong at the request of its Zhangmen and Qing Jing Lord? Surely his honored teacher must have been of some renown for his student to be so close to this Lord's esteemed shixiongs."
Shen Qingqiu had the audacity to laugh at her politeness, sweeping past both of them, and into the annals of Cang Qiong's barrancas and caverns after Liu Qingge. The demonic cultivator decorously kept pace with Qi Qingqi as they followed after the unsociable Peak Lords.
"You… could say that, I suppose."
Well just drown her in details why don't you? Not even a name. Patience, you must tend to a field before you harvest.
She makes an enquiring noise, urging the reticent demonic cultivator to continue.
She…makes another enquiring noise to urge the man to continue.
Gritting her teeth, she very, very, politely enounces.
"Will Master Shen not grace this Lord with the name of his honored teacher?"
"I'm afraid my old master's name is best left in the past, Lord Qi. Though this one thanks Peak Lord Qi for her curiosity."
She hates useless small talk, what a waste of time. Though it is of interest that the man refuses to say the name of his teacher. It was either some small-fry unwashed meddler or… someone of note, someone of infamy. The reasoning behind not mentioning the name of one's teacher is either because they're an embarrassment and an affront to pride, or the mention of their name is dangerous.
She wouldn't put it past the blood-relation of Shen Qingqiu to abandon filial piety and not properly honor his master, simply because the man wasn't of enough status.
But would Shen Qingqiu sully his already poor reputation by associating with a relative that was taught by a well-known practitioner of demonic cultivation? It seemed highly unlikely. Perhaps that's why the man refused to say his name, Shen Qingqiu presumably would threaten a family member if they threatened his status. So directly stating relations to one of the infamous would probably have Shen Qingqiu carving out his tongue.
Qi Qingqi didn't peg the Qing Jing Lord as a gambling man though… The dissolute man was just ashamed of a low achieving family member, and through this mission was trying to steal some renown for his own family name by having the demonic cultivator 'assist'.
He probably told Zhangmen-shixiong his brother was a genius or something.
How dishonorable.
They lapsed into silence.
Her footfalls resounded as they chased the coattails of Liu-shidi and Shen Qingqiu.
Qi Qingqi watched out of the corner of her eye as the demonic cultivator's hands traced the leaves of the shade-ferns as they passed, watched as the demonic cultivator gently cradled buds of unblooming oleander, watched as his trailing fingers petted the abundant moss. He didn't ever slow down from the pace she set, yet he still held undue consideration for the flora. It was curious.
Maybe Shen Qingqiu didn't want to mention his relation to the man because he's weird? Maybe not weird, but interestingly regardful of nature? And impertinent. She's still upset at what that man had the impudence to imply. Her! With a man! And that man at that! But it was a pretty obvious play to get on the nerves of Shen Qingqiu… She could respect that.
Her boots skidded as they ventured deeper, the thick mud sludge tapering into the water-worn stone floor; which was glistening and icelike.
Where had Liu-shidi and Shen Qingqiu gone?
Just as Qi Qingqi was actually getting concerned about having lost two of her martial brothers (How would Zhangmen-shixiong react? For some reason when Yue Qingyuan got that one disappointed look on his face, it made her feel disappointed in herself… especially due to the fact he never got mad… Part of her wondered if the Sect Leader made that expression on purpose. But she didn't think he’d be so manipulative.) She caught sight of the blazingly silver robes of Liu Qingge.
As the demonic cultivator and the Xian Shu Peak Lord stepped down into the expansive river-cavern, Shen Qingqiu's voice rang from where he was crouched down in the verdant boscage.
"A-Yuan, come look at this, you'll like it."
Qi Qingqi flinched as the previous sedate pace the demonic cultivator had maintained was abandoned. Her hair and robes whipped up in the wake of his eager sprint. She blinked and the two Shens were crouched next to each other, examining something in the underbrush. Even Liu Qingge looked a bit shell-shocked at the unforeseen speed of the younger Shen. (There is no way that the demonic cultivator is the older one. This is the one thing she was sure of.)
She and Liu Qingge curiously approached, desiring a peek at what Shen Qingqiu wanted to show the demonic cultivator.
It was a paw print.
A pretty sizable one, a hunting cat for sure, but a paw print nonetheless.
And Shen Qingqiu was taking down notes as the demonic cultivator took measurements of its circumference. Shen Qingqiu was, was crouched, in the mud, acting as a scribe, of his own volition.
Is this what an oncoming qi-deviation feels like?
Liu Qingge made an interested sound.
"I haven't seen prints quite like those before."
The younger Shen enthusiastically started bombarding Liu Qingge with factoids.
"That's probably because these are the prints of a female Cave-Lynx! They're incredibly hermetic by instinct, their mating cycles only happening once every twenty-three years in a phenomenon known as the 'Tiger Madness', which by its title can be confusing, seeing as these are Cave-Lynxes, but you see, when the infrequent mating season was first observed the inexperienced villagers that witnessed the phenomena incorrectly classified them as common tigers. Crazy right?
You know, that sort of thing is pretty common when it comes to this type of research, though I'm not quite sure how you could confuse a lynx with a tiger. The ears and tail give it away, not to mention the pelt.
What's even more exhilarating is that this is likely a female Cave-Lynx, you can tell by the enlarged dewclaw, see this interesting mark? The females have the exaggerated dewclaw inorder to assist coupling during the mating season,-and now this is quite interesting!- because of the unique reversal of roles during mounting, you see it's the females who get on top and—mmhmmmMM"
Shen Qingqiu covered Shen Yuan's mouth with his hand. With a long-suffering expression he stood up, hand still muffling the voice of the younger Shen.
"This Lord thinks that's enough animal facts for now."
She thought it was pretty comical to see Shen Qingqiu forcibly silence his spitting image from oversharing, of all things.
Shen Yuan still sat crouched, sulkily glaring at Shen Qingqiu. His eyes then flickered to the lingering Liu Qingge and to Qi Qingqi herself. He then looked up at Shen Qingqiu. Qi Qingqi had teenage girls for disciples. She knew what plotting and mischief looked like. Within the split-second of her realization, Shen Qingqiu had recoiled like he had just touched a pile of decomposing lychees and dog shit. He shrieked. It looked like his leg instinctually went to kick the source of danger. Shen Yuan was cast into the overgrowth with a cry.
Shen Qingqiu was clutching his hand like it had contracted a disease.
Qi Qingqi loved it when her judgments proved right. Younger brother indeed.
Shen Yuan was growing on her, she had to admit. She hasn't had this much fun on sect business since Zhangmen-shixiong set her loose on that Huan Hua representative that one time.
"LickED ME-MotherFUC—" Qi Qingqi shifted on her feet, and the crushed foliage rustled. Shen Qingqiu's eyes jerked to his fellow Peak Lords. A hand fan was produced from somewhere, and his face smoothed, his eyes coolly looking down at the area where Shen Yuan was violently booted.
The Qing Jing Peak Lord cleared his throat. He turned his back on them, and tucked his fan into his belt. Qi Qingqi watched as he took… something out of his sleeve. A handkerchief? And started rigorously scrubbing the afflicted palm. When he seemed satisfied the handkerchief was squirreled away, the fan was smoothly slid open, and the aloof and cold man she knew reemerged.
But now that she knew what was possible? She's not getting distracted by his uptight veneer, that's for sure. There was a man in there, and she would finally uncover what had been hidden. She would know who was in her sect, and she'd know why and how such a man got into a place of power. She'd know for sure, what kind of man Shen Qingqiu truly was.
And if there was unabidable evil? Better to kill the infection sooner, rather than later. All men bleed.
And… if he was permissible? She'd rest easier.
Either way, she’d finally strike clean, and reveal the true leader of Qing Jing.