Work Text:
Xie Lian has always admired Jun Wu. How could he not?
Even as a young child, he learned the grand stories of the emperor of heaven and knew he wanted to be just like him. Xie Lian follows the same cultivation method as the emperor, studies the sword like him, and is thrilled to dress as him during the Shangyuan festival.
And at Yinian Bridge to have Jun Wu himself appear, and to praise Xie Lian’s work? Well, who doesn’t want to be told they’ve done well by the emperor of the gods?
Meeting him face to face for the first time, Xie Lian is struck by how Jun Wu’s eyes look so kindly, with smile lines that crease around them- but his eyes themselves are a flat, slate grey that presses down on the one being viewed by them, oppressive.
It’s everything an emperor should be, Xie Lian rationalizes. Someone composed, knowledgeable from his years alive, and oozing power. Xie Lian is moved by the encounter, and becomes a greater admirer of Jun Wu than before because of it.
His ascension soon after is unexpected, but extraordinary. And odd.
Xie Lian is embarrassed when he wakes up in a guest room in the Palace of Divine Might with Jun Wu by his bedside, looking after him.
He sits up quickly, confused and frazzled, with apologies already dripping from his lips despite not knowing how he even ended up in the situation. But Jun Wu sets a hand on Xie Lian’s shoulder, his skin burning hot through the thin cloth of his night clothes, and comforts him.
“You’ve ascended, Xianle. Congratulations, you’ve achieved what very few achieve and at such a young age, too,” Jun Wu says in a low voice, and it makes Xie Lian’s whole face heat up. He’s already known as the god-pleasing crown prince- but the title Jun Wu calls him sends butterflies fluttering in his gut.
Xie Lian squirms in place, hands wringing the fabric of the blanket, “... Thank you very much, my lord, you are too kind to this one.”
Jun Wu smiles and it is striking. Xie Lian feels like the same person as before he ascended, gods are still people after all, and he is still a person. But Jun Wu comes off as otherworldly, yet physically the closest he’s ever been. Xie Lian can even count his individual eyelashes!
That thought is so inappropriate that it makes his face flush darker red. He’s thankful that Jun Wu seems to take his bashfulness for shock at his ascension and goes on to assure Xie Lian what he’s accomplished at his age is nothing short of spectacular. He doesn’t manage to stop feeling discombobulated.
From Xie Lian’s particular rise to godhood, he wasn’t awake to greet any of the other gods and thus doesn't grow close to any of them. But whenever he needs help or advice, Jun Wu is always pleased to have Xie Lian reach out to him. Xie Lian is used to being a prodigy, whether at Mount Taicang or within the royal palace, so it’s difficult to admit he’s struggling as he’s learning the ropes of godhood. There are so many prayers to answer, so many believers invoking his name, and so many new jobs as a god to attend to.
Xie Lian grows anxious whenever he’s summoned to the Palace of Divine Might, because he fears he’s wasting Jun Wu’s precious time. Jun Wu is a busy man, how could Xie Lian possibly allow himself to be a burden, to give him more stress?
But Jun Wu tells him, “You are always a delight to see, Xianle. It can get loud around the other gods, but being around you… it is like witnessing a smooth lake, undisturbed by waves. Steadfast, pure. It makes me contemplate how that’ll change in the future.”
Even with his reassurances, Xie Lian remains anxious.
But in heaven, there is no other he trusts more than Jun Wu, even compared to his friends.
Jun Wu is the emperor, his emperor, who he has faith will guide him down the right path. The emperor is brilliant, talented, and always knows what to say.
Xie Lian… has always struggled to get along with his father. They used to be close, but as he grew older Xie Lian saw the cracks in his father’s facade. The king of Xianle was non-confrontational, lax, and weak to the human faults of greed and pride; he allowed corruption among nobles as long as it wasn’t too troublesome and he allowed tragedies to occur if it took too much effort to fix them.
His father was painfully human. Some part of him acknowledges that’s because he is human, and humans are flawed.
But Jun Wu is flawless. He’s always attentive to Xie Lian’s needs. When there are ghosts wreaking havoc Jun Wu sends gods to stop them and he answers countless prayers each day despite how overloaded he must be. Jun Wu is a good man, a paragon.
Jun Wu is one of the few who can understand his struggles best. Xie Lian wonders if that is what makes them closer than others, they are both special. They are both alike.
Though he already suspected it, Xie Lian catches on quickly that… Jun Wu does not treat the other gods as he does him. To the other martial gods, Jun Wu stays neutral and for plenty of the smaller, less affluent gods they might never get a chance to meet Jun Wu face to face. But with Xie Lian, they spend lots of private time together discussing anything and everything, from Xie Lian’s newfound responsibilities, to different cultivation methods, to swords. Oh, how Jun Wu loves to hear Xie Lian talk about swords, always prompting him about them.
Even amongst his fellow cultivators, Xie Lian’s obsession with swords was seen as excessive. He amassed a whole collection at the Xianle palace dragged it along to Taicang mountain, and finally set up an armory up in heaven. Mu Qing and even loyal, dedicated Feng Xin quickly grew sick and irritated listening to Xie Lian’s rambles.
But Jun Wu encourages them, even gifted plenty of swords to Xie Lian.
From time to time, they make time to spar. If it’s a weapon Xie Lian is familiar with, he’ll practice all the different techniques he’s read about, but when it’s something new, Jun Wu will place his hands over Xie Lian’s hands and teaches him the movements himself.
Xie Lian’s heart is always racing after those spars. It’s hard to keep up with such a seasoned a warrior as the emperor of heaven.
It’s thrilling as much as it makes his skin prickle, though he doesn’t understand why. So maybe the touchiness makes him slightly uncomfortable, and as his emperor Jun Wu shouldn’t be acting this intimate with him, but if it was the best way to teach him how to use a sword then it was the best way. Who was he to question Jun Wu?
After one such sparring session, Xie Lian is breathless and covered in sweat, and must make a very undignified sight while Jun Wu still looks pristine as ever. And while Xie Lian is a rambling mess as usual, Jun Wu is silent. Stoic, like a statue, watching Xie Lian intently.
Strangely, Jun Wu reaches out, bringing his fingertips to Xie Lian’s neck. The touch burns like a brand as Jun Wu swipes his thumb over the column of Xie Lian’s throat- before Xie Lian can give into the desire to flinch back, Jun Wu draws his hand away and explains-
“Xianle, there was a speck of dirt.”
Ah, a speck of dirt, the emperor was helping him out. Jun Wu smiles amusedly, but his eyes don’t crinkle up like they have in the past.
How kind the emperor is, always helping him. Xie Lian never questions the oddness. He never does. He never suspects Jun Wu would even lie to him.
Why would Jun Wu ever want to mislead him?