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If Shang Qinghua was to recount the many, many stories in which Mobei-Jun had saved his ass from toppling off the cliffs of near death experiences, it would probably take the entire original flavor Holy Mausoleum Arc to recall. Needless to say, there were plenty throughout his years by Mobei-jun’s side, both because Shang Qinghua was Mobei-jun’s subordinate and because demons dote upon humans in general. And by doting, he meant that demons find humans the equivalent of a richly grilled steak. 

To be honest, it was really fucking frustrating! (Forget that it was this “Great Master” Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky in the first place who wrote this, but hey! Cut him some slack! His encounters with demons are always really pitiful, okay?!)

One of the first times Mobei-Jun saved Shang Qinghua was when they were returning to the Northern Desert. Shang Qinghua and Mobei-jun jumped through a portal back to the palace, furs and layers bundled tightly over their figures. 

In truth, Mobei-Jun didn’t actually need any of those warm and silky wolf furs draping around his broad shoulders. He was an ice demon, this was his territory! Those heat insulating furs were nothing more than a decorative fashion piece for Mobei-Jun. But for Shang Qinghua, with a polar bear fur jacket pressed closely to his body and a thick white cloak over his shoulders, the biting cold was still cutting under his skin. They were a necessity for the sake of his very life!!!

The Northern Desert was cold all year round, suffering especially the hardest in the fall and winter seasons with storms that can last for weeks. Snow was falling down so quickly that it created a dotted blanket around Shang Qinghua’s sight. Everywhere he looked, snow would pervade. In fact, he can barely even see Mobei-Jun’s dark ink hair. 

Wait…WHAT?!! 

He can’t see Mobei-Jun ahead of him! The demon was absolutely gone, nowhere in sight! Shang Qinghua looked around and a sudden realization hit him. What if he looked at the ground?! Mobei-Jun’s heavy footsteps would definitely make dents in the snow, there’s no way he could miss it!

Heart filled with hope, Shang Qinghua looked at the ground…just for an overwhelming wave of loss and grief to drown him. 

    The snow! The damn snow completely blanketed any and all disturbance to its white surface, leaving a fresh pile of smooth ice like polished porcelain. If Shang Qinghua walked five steps, the snow would cover it in a mere two minutes or less.

Dread filled Shang Qinghua as he looked around him. There wasn’t any distinguishable features, no looming black bricked walls that noted the Mobei Clan’s palace, no trees with blue leaves—the unique conifers that surrounded said palace—and there was most definitely no Mobei-Jun, with hair darker than the nights in the desert and eyes just as cold. 

He quickly shuffled through the snow, suddenly aware that his legs were freezing solid like blocks of ice. He walked forward, hoping with every fiber in his shaking body that he was going in the right direction. Because this was north, right?

Shang Qinghua tried looking for the sun, seeing whether that small orb of white light could grace him with mentioning the right direction. But of course the sun was blocked by the flurry of snow and thick, grey clouds. Just great. 

Shang Qinghua shivered as he pressed his snow compacted coat tighter around his body and stumbled forward. His eyelashes were getting bombarded with snowflakes, making him see nothing but even more white. In what seemed like an incense time, something that was finally not normal colored conifers and bundles of snow appeared just a few feet from him. 

If not for the snow pelting at his face and back, soaking into his clothes and hair, he would’ve cried right then and there. It was a cave! A cave that hasn’t yet been buried under the snow. 

Forgetting that his feet were practically completely frozen, Shang Qinghua ran with all his might, jumping with each step to avoid sinking into the snow. He looked like a wild man who didn’t know how to walk properly, but Shang Qinghua could have cared less. 

As soon as he ducked his head to enter the low entrance, he noticed that the ceiling opened up a little more. But most importantly, a burning fire was crackling in the center of the cave. This time, he truly did bawl his eyes out right then and there, sniffling cold snot from his nose and wiping it away with his sleeve. Unbecoming as a peak lord himself, but nobody was here to witness it!

As Shang Qinghua made himself at home, sitting straight up and rubbing his hands in the mercy of the warmth, he didn’t notice a figure sitting in the shadows. It crawled out, using all four limbs to stumble out of the darkness. 

“This humble one didn’t expect any guests,” from its throat came a scratchy voice, like that of an elderly person. “To whom does this demon owe the honor?”

Shang Qinghua jumped up and shrieked, hand reaching to his waist for a sword that was nonexistent. 

Oh right. That’s right, he didn’t carry a sword, he’s a part of An Ding Peak…and they don’t usually fight. 

Shit.

The demon crawled closer to Shang Qinghua, smiling with a glint in its eye that obviously said: “I haven’t eaten in many days, stay still so I can cook you over my fire, please!”

Shang Qinghua responded to the demon’s progression by walking farther away from it, straying away from the tender warmth from the fire and closer to the biting cold of the cave’s entrance. 

He was freezing. His teeth were chattering, his muscles shook his body, and his hair stood on end as he clutched his arms across his chest like it would somehow keep the warmth in his body from escaping. But despite all of this, that doesn’t mean he was going to risk sitting near the fire when that demon was here!!

The demon that Shang Qinghua was referring to was a campfire demon (and yes, this “Great Master” Airplane really did name this creature that. Quite pitiful, really, but that’s not the point here!). In the original story, this exact campfire demon was the first threat Luo Binghe had encountered when visiting his general, Mobei-Jun. But because Luo Binghe had a protagonist halo around his head, his intimidating aura, and formidable spiritual and demonic abilities, the campfire demon didn’t dare to even try luring Luo Binghe. But even so, Shang Qinghua had spent the time ranting about the campfire demon’s abilities, weaknesses, and the strategies it used to trick people so it can kill them, all so he could reach his daily ten thousand words shamelessly quickly.

So what would be of all that information that he puked up into his story? That’s right! Now he was the one who was encountering it! 

Fear welled up in Shang Qinghua’s chest, a swirling feeling stirring in his stomach. The campfire demon was a common kind of demon in the Northern Deserts. Similar to weeds consistently taking its place in a field of flowers, the campfire demons would live scattered about the desert, being careful to avoid the Mobei Clan’s general borders and hiding in caves or climbing up conifer trees to hide in its foliage. Unlike Mobei-Jun and his clan, these demons actually preferred warmth. But they could also go without it for a long period of time before needing such a source, and that was its only weakness. 

But was Shang Qinghua really going to risk running outside in the snow instead of risking his life for the warmth that comfortably clogged up the spaces of the cave? 

Yes, yes he would. 

In almost record speed, Shang Qinghua ran out of the cave. His feet, although they were sinking, felt like he was practically gliding through the air. He looked over his shoulder and found that the demon was chasing him in pursuit, a desperate and hungry look in its eyes.

Shang Qinghua couldn’t help but watch and yell out in terror.

“Why do you even want to eat me anyways?!” He yelled as the demon approached, cornering him against the face of a looming cliff too tall for Shang Qinghua to scale and climb. 

The demon licked its lips. “I haven’t eaten flesh, much less a human’s, in three months. I’ve been shameful enough to even pray to the Human Realm’s gods to give me any food, whether it be a squirrel or a boar, anything would do. It seems like my prayers were finally answered!” 

As the campfire demon said this, it lunged at Shang Qinghua. He instinctively moved out of the way and cowered from its vicious attacks. Finding that his legs were now truly too cold to run, even moving as nimbly as before was a struggle.

Shang Qinghua tried to escape anyway, stepping backwards as fast as he could, but it was all in vain. The demon finally pinned him down, his back pressed against the snowy ground, giving him a shock. 

Shang Qinghua’s chattering teeth were too loud for him to hear the demon clearly, but he could make out the words, “Save your leg for another day” and “That [beep] of yours is too small to even consume” wait— hey! That was really insulting!! If only this prick of a demon knew that it was Shang Qinghua who even created its existence in the first place—

Suddenly, he heard a loud screeching sound. Confusion and panic plagued Shang Qinghua’s mind until he finally realized that it was his own voice, screaming in agony from the sharp claws digging into his arm. Tears pricked at the corner of his eyes and he froze in complete fear as the campfire demon revealed rows and rows of sharp, rotting teeth lining not just its gums but the back of its throat too, readying to dig into Shang Qinghua’s flesh. 

Damn it!! Why did he have to describe this demon in so much detail!??

“Mobei-Jun…” Shang Qinghua called out in a small voice, panic seizing his every muscle as he stared at the crater of teeth edging closer to his face. The muscles in his eyes finally started working again, which instinctively closed tightly shut in fear. 

Just as Shang Qinghua was bracing for the pain that would succumb his body into ribbons of flesh and blood beyond recognition, his eyes peeled open as the weight on his body from the campfire demon pinning him down disappeared. Shang Qinghua thought that it had all been an illusion of hypothermia kicking in, but as it turned out, a familiar black haired figure with pale skin and icy blue eyes was beating the shit out of the campfire demon. 

In fact, that campfire demon was becoming the exact image of what Shang Qingqiu would’ve become if Mobei-Jun hadn’t come and saved him in time!

He stared in awe and gulped down his fear. Wow…he was…really going at it, huh? Mobei-Jun was shoving the demon’s head into the cliff face, his expression so devoid of emotion and so incredibly cold that Shang Qingqiu had frozen on the spot just looking at it until Mobei-Jun’s face was turned away. 

When all was said and done, blood splattered Mobei-Jun’s hands and face, the anger in his eyes not as intense but also not dissolved in the slightest. Shang Qinghua felt that he should say something to curb his anger (hopefully) away from him. But just as he was starting with a “My King—”, Mobei-Jun glared at him icily. 

“Shut up.” He said, and Shang Qinghua kept his lips sealed. As he was waiting for Mobei-Jun to make any further movements or give any other instruction, the demon kneeled down to pick up a bunch of snow from the ground, rubbing his hands meticulously between the ice before it broke away back onto the ground, carrying all the blood that stained his hands with it. 

“My King what—” Again, Shang Qinghua was given a glare and this time, he truly kept his mouth shut. Keeping his confusion about what Mobei-Jun was doing and his anger about Mobei-Jun not paying attention to him and leaving him to fend himself off on his own stewing in his head. 

Mobei-Jun clipped the hook off of his cloak and wrapped it around him. The fabric wasn’t warm because the demon wasn’t warm, but it still helped insulate the heat Shang Qinghua supposed. Suddenly, he opened his arms. Almost posing like he was expecting a hug. Shang Qinghua narrowed his eyebrows until suddenly, Mobei-Jun’s strong arms wrapped around him, securing him closely to his chest in a princess style sort of carrying. 

Startled and surprised, Shang Qinghua clinged onto Mobei-Jun’s neck, glaring at the demon and letting his words slip from his mouth. “What are you doing, My King?! I’m not some helpless maiden that can’t walk!” Except that he really was like a helpless maiden at this time. He couldn’t walk due to his legs being frozen and he was almost nearly killed by a campfire demon. But he just said all of this because he didn’t want Mobei-Jun to notice the embarrassing blush that burned Shang Qinghua’s face a bright red. 

Mobei-Jun didn’t respond to Shang Qinghua, only asking him, “Are you feeling tired at all?” while looking straight ahead. 

Shang Qinghua didn’t know whether he should answer honestly. He chose to anyway.

“I kind of am.” 

“Well don’t fall asleep.” Mobei-Jun said, a hint of his commanding voice seeping into his words. 

Wow. Okay. Whatever. It’s not like Shang Qinghua was going to fall asleep anyways. Geez, what’s the point of asking him a question if all Mobei-Jun was going to say was “don’t do it” then?!

A portal shivered and opened through, glowing darkly with possibility. Shang Qinghua looked at it skeptically. “Where are we going?” 

Mobei-Jun said, “A village.” He added, “A village away from the Northern Desert so you can rest and enjoy something warm there before going back.” 

Was that really necessary? Why couldn’t they just stay in the village? At the warm, sunny village where fall still looked like it was spring? Why did they have to go back to this torturous hell they call the Northern Desert?!

But he didn’t argue, allowing Mobei-Jun to carry him through the portal and into the other side. The temperature change was completely obvious, with his coldness immediately being healed and his shaking body and teeth decreasing in strength. 

Mobei-Jun didn’t look happy seeing the sun so cheery and bright overhead, almost looking at it like a younger brother would when an older brother sneered at their superiority over the game controller. But still, he didn’t complain. Instead, he carried Shen Qinghua into a room that he had rented and gently lowered him onto the single bed in the room. 

Okay, to be honest, this was really fucking weird! Was Mobei-Jun feeling that pitiful at Shang Qinghua’s state that he was willing to carry him all the way to the inn, rent a room for them both, carry him all the way there (and taking the many steps above) and placing him on the bed like a lover would do to a tender maiden to do fornication?! Was this truly the Mobei-Jun Shang Qinghua had known in his years of transmigration?!

Not aware of these thoughts running through Shang Qinghua’s mind, Mobei-Jun mistook it as him feeling tired and said suddenly, “Before you sleep, at least get out of those cloaks. Just sleep in your hanfu for now. I’ll buy a spare one for you to change out of as soon as you wake up.” 

Shang Qinghua blinked a few times, watching Mobei-Jun as he gently unbuttoned the heavy cloaks off of Shang Qinghua’s shoulders. When he notices the wound in his arm, his frown deepens but his voice is composed. “That demon was very vicious. Make sure to keep close to me to never encounter one again.”

Shang Qinghua couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Stay close to him?!” Mobei-Jun always walks really fast, gaining an unfair advantage especially because of his height. So technically he was the one who lost Shang Qinghua, not the other way around, okay?!

Mobei-Jun held the two fabrics in his hand and stood up, his voice distancing as he walked closer to the door. “Make sure to sleep well. We’ll leave tomorrow.” 

And just like that, the door was shut and Mobei-Jun was gone again. The irritation in Shang Qinghua’s chest that stemmed from Mobei-Jun’s poor choice of words stirred his anger, but he didn’t yell out or mumble anything out of annoyance. He simply tucked himself from under the covers and closed his eyes, regulating his breathing and sleeping deeply and quietly.

It had already been two incense times by the time Mobei-Jun had returned when he found Shang Qinghua sleeping peacefully in the bed. The demon walked cautiously up to him and lightly pushed a strand of his hair out of his mouth before stepping back and folding the clothes he bought into nice, folded pieces, waiting for Shang Qinghua the moment he awakes. 

When Shang Qinghua saw Sha Hualing staring at him down like a tiger that waited for its prey to be alone from its pack, he quickly chased after Mobei-Jun, whose footsteps were already halfway down the hall.

He walked a step behind his King, the sounds of their footsteps like an disorganized cacophony of drum beats. Shang Qinghua’s eyes drifted off to the decorations hanging on the walls or the candle chandeliers hanging overhead like a spider’s web made of golden light. There was really nothing to be looking at. Shang Qinghua knew Luo Binghe’s Demon Realm base like the back of his hand, so he could pretty much navigate this place blindfolded.

However, that doesn’t mean the movement of others should be disregarded. 

With his eyes gazing boringly at the familiar walls and his mind drifting off, he didn’t see Mobei-Jun stopping abruptly in front of him. With two more steps, Shang Qinghua knocked into the demon with a surprised and fearful “Umph!” before quickly stumbling backwards. 

The seemingly good mood that Mobei-Jun was having completely disappeared. The dark and cold look returned in his eyes, eyebrows furrowing with impatience. 

“Did you have something to say to me?” Uh oh, this is not good! Why did one little accident get Mobei-Jun so worked up?!

Shang Qinghua laughed nervously. “Ah heh heh…My King, it was an accident! I wasn’t paying attention and didn’t realize you had stopped walking! It wasn’t my intention to bump into you—”

“Shut up. Go and get something for me to drink.” And with those words, Mobei-Jun turned and slammed the door to his room. Shang Qinghua flinched at the sound and wilted. What a spoiled little brat that demon is. He does everything for him, serving him tea, doing his laundry, fixing his bed, he even lets Mobei-Jun use him as his personal punching bag whenever he needs to vent his frustration and anger! And those bruises were very, very real! So a stupid little accident is enough to make Mobei-Jun completely pissed again?! 

Shang Qinghua rolled his eyes, unsure as to why he was still even surprised. He’s lived alongside Mobei-Jun’s side as his servant for a few years, what was honestly new? 

Shang Qinghua turned and walked towards the direction of the kitchen. When demons walked by, he quickly found a place to hide. No matter what position they held in the demon realm, be it a simple cook or a brute soldier, Shang Qinghua never risked it. He didn’t even try to get all sweet talk with the cute demon maids with their big bosoms and generous curvatures. Especially since the first and last time he tried, he was led into a room so his screams could be muted while the demon tried to eat his flesh. 

The expression that Mobei-Jun gave him when he found out was furious. He beat his ass to a pulp that day and disregarded his existence completely until Shang Qinghua had to grovel like a beggar for his forgiveness. It was utterly humiliating. 

Shang Qinghua stirred the tea he was preparing, making sure to add a small sprinkle of cinnamon and peels from an orange. 

Mobei-Jun always made it clear that he didn’t like humans. He didn’t complain about their fighting amongst each other or anything about tradition and religion, he’s got an open enough mind to at least admit that demons were exactly like humans in that aspect, constantly fighting over seemingly trivial things and respecting certain traditions throughout the year. But he still found humans to be frustratingly annoying if they could put up a good fight, too flimsy to use as a punching bag, and too loud to be around with (which is why when he gradually finds out Luo Binghe’s fondness for Cucumber-bro, he is utterly bewildered.)

Despite Mobei-Jun’s dislike for humans, his preference of food and teas were more catered to human culinary tastes. He’s not too overly fond of overwhelming tastes and complex flavors, but he would still take the opportunity to appreciate the soft hint of honey or the light taste of sugar. 

So who else, besides Luo Binghe (who’s not only terrifyingly adept at fighting but also marvelously talented in cooking), could satisfy this ice demon with a balanced preference of both plain demon cuisine and complex human cooking? 

Unfortunately, that honor falls on Shang Qinghua’s shoulders.

Okay, sure, he’s pretty…good? Okay-ish (?) at making tea, but if Mobei-Jun’s tea expectations were as low as Shang Qinghua’s average tea brewing, surely anyone could handle this tedious task for him?! 

Shang Qinghua sighed. Oh well. Although it would be nice to have one less responsibility, it wasn’t like he hated this job more than his other ones anyways. Mobei-Jun, being Luo Binghe’s right hand man, has demon servants and maids at his beck and call (per Luo Binghe’s insistence) but he only ever calls Shang Qinghua. When he asked why, he got a scathing, “You said you’d devote yourself to me for the rest of your life. It seems like that rings untrue, seeing as one simple task of making tea is enough to make you complain.”

Shang Qinghua bristled at the memory. What a spoiled brat! Sure, Shang Qinghua wasn’t the most hardworking person in the world, but it’s not like Mobei-Jun was willing to fulfill his own needs by himself! 

Shang Qinghua finished stirring the cinnamon, plating the teacup on a silver tray with blue rims. He carefully made his way to Mobei-Jun’s room, making sure to avoid the other demons. 

When Shang Qinghua turns a corner, a hand clasps his shoulders. He doesn’t even need to look over his shoulder to recognize who it was. For one, who else would have their nails so decorated and readily digging into his shoulders?!

Sha Hualing smirks. She’s finally caught him! After Mobei-Jun’s stupid little human ranted for a whole incense time about a load of nonsense regarding love advice, she was practically livid with anger, wanting to teach that brat a lesson! But Mobei-Jun’s instructions rang clear: nobody was to touch this pathetic person except him. But how was he going to regulate that rule if he’s not even in sight? Besides, his room is a whole story and long hall away, he won’t know if she played with him a little bit!

The human was scared stiff, not even looking over his shoulder as he asked her with a voice feigning calmness, “Sha Hualing, did you need anything?” She smirks as she catches his hands stiffening tightly on the tea tray. 

“That love advice you gave My Lord was complete nonsense. What makes you think My Lord would need to act docile and needy to gain that aggravating Shen Qingqiu’s affection?!” 

Although a sliver of fear constricted Shang Qinghua’s heart, he also felt a drop of pity. Pity because as far Shang Qinghua’s known, for as long as Sha Hualing has been working under Luo Binghe, her role has been exactly that: nothing more than another convenient servant working under the lord of the demons. So he can understand. 

For one, Mobei-Jun is literally everything Shang Qinghua wants. A cold but mysterious and cool demeanor, clear skin, hair like dark, thick strokes of ink, and pretty blue eyes—BUT ANYWAYS. SHANG QINGHUA JUST GETS HER, YOU KNOW?!

But then he also felt pretty irritated, as is the emotion he usually always feels around her. Because who does Sha Hualing think she is!? How would she know what Luo Binghe was thinking or what he wanted if even he, the “Great Master” Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky, didn’t know what the protagonist was thinking either?! At this point in the story, Luo Binghe should’ve had a third of his harem, with over a thousand beauties at his beck and call, but who would’ve guessed that he’d still be single?! 

Shang Qinghua wore his subservient smile when he turned to face Sha Hualing, laughing to keep his true emotions out of his voice. “Hey Sha Hualing, guess what?”

Sha Hualing glared daggers at him. 

“What?” Anger and frustration seeped into her voice, which was usually sickeningly sweet. 

Shang Qinghua pointed over her shoulder, feigning a shocked expression. “Mobei-Jun is right there!” 

Sha Hualing went incredibly stiff. He was?! But she thought…she thought he had gone somewhere else! Somewhere far away from Shang Qinghua, at least! Eyes filled with fear, she quickly swerved behind her. 

Only to have been completely lied to! 

There wasn’t anybody there, not even a single piece of dust drifting under the lights overhead! Anger replaced her fear and she turned around, only to find that Shang Qinghua had fled! 

“SHANG QINGHUA!!!!” She roared, running after him before he could get too close to Mobei-Jun’s room. 

Shang Qinghua heard her angry bellow far behind him and he tried to jog a little faster, lamenting the tea’s disorganization and how every step he takes, the presentation of the drink becomes less and less like a tea prepared for a demon general. 

Would Mobei-Jun even drink this anymore?! Shang Qinghua realized. Ugh, nevermind! Tea is expendable! Me, NOT SO MUCH! 

Shang Qinghua found a passing servant demon trailing a cart down the hall. Despite his usual attempts to avoid them, he spoke to them quickly, urgency in his motions as he scrambled to leave the tea and the plate on their cart. “Uh—HERE! Send this to—to Sha Hualing! Yes!”

In the heat of the moment, Shang Qinghua patted their shoulders and gave them a half smile before running off to Mobei-Jun’s direction. Sha Hualing was going to kill him if he didn't reach him in time! 

Just behind Shang Qinghua, Sha Hualing dodges a cart. But then she quickly recognizes the tea cup and tray. Blue rims, dark tea with orange peels organized haphazardly floating on the drink. It was definitely Shang Qinghua! Who else could arrange tea so crudely? (UH RUDE. Shang Qinghua felt a sneeze coming on.)

But before she could jolt off, the servant suddenly stopped her. “Ah—! Sha Hualing, Mobei-Jun’s servant told me to give you this—”

“Where did he go?!” She interrupted with a snap.

To the demon servant who was nothing but an outside character to Sha Hualing and Shang Qinghua’s chase, they only saw how Sha Hualing’s hair was tousled and out of place and how her face was red with not rage, but with something different the servant assumed entirely. But they didn’t dare to reveal their inner thoughts and suspicions. Only pointing soundlessly to the direction where Shang Qinghua had run off to. 

Sha Hualing bolts like there is no tomorrow and the demon servant can only stew in their own oblivious assumptions, pitying the demoness that ran away with a flushed face. They’ve never known Shang Qinghua personally, as he’s always avoided the other demons (understandably so), but the demon servant never thought of him to be the kind to spend one night with the demoness and leave her wanting for more but never progressing any further. 

Shang Qinghua turns a corner and he’s finally getting nearer to Mobei-Jun’s room. But then a strong hand reaches for the back of his collar and he’s forced to a stop. A grunt of surprise escapes his lips and he feels nails digging into the back of his neck.

“Finally caught you, you fool!” Sha Hualing’s voice is drenched in anger. “Now I’m going to humble you by pounding you into the ground like the dirty mortal you are!”

“This doesn’t make any sense,” Shang Qinghua snaps at her, letting his inner thoughts loose, “You already know our Lord’s half human, right?! Wouldn’t insulting me technically mean insulting him?!” 

“Our Lord is different! He actually has some demon heritage, unlike you! I don’t even know why Mobei-Jun favors you so much! But it doesn’t matter, because I’ll finally—”

“Finally what?” 

Sha Hualing and Shang Qinghua both freeze on the spot. Oh. Oh shit. Sha Hualing is in trouble now! 

Mobei-Jun’s cloak wrapping around him looks like it’s trying to direct their attention to his chest and face, or at least, that’s what Shang Qinghua feels like it’s doing. It’s almost like Mobei-Jun was purposely trying to appear attractive…Shang Qinghua can’t deny that it’s working—

Sha Hualing thinks the effect completely otherwise. Mobei-Jun’s cloak only emphasizes his broad shoulders, sharpening his already steel-cold eyes, and making his figure look like a looming grim reaper made of ice and snow. 

He was terrifying beyond words and Sha Hualing even briefly considered dropping everything and hiding from Mobei-Jun in the Demon Realm to avoid his wrath. 

“Mobei-Jun—” she started, barely keeping a stammer out of her trembling voice. 

Mobei-Jun doesn’t even spare her a word. He only walks close enough to shove Shang Qinghua out of her grip, a glare cold enough to cut steel hardens his cool blue eyes and the human can’t help but look away from them as Mobei-Jun’s eyes tell Sha Hualing an unspoken promise: We’ll talk about this later. She takes a few paces backwards before finally turning around, her heels clicking the ground in an angry and anxious pace. 

Shang Qinghua’s height is tragically short compared to Mobei-Jun, his forehead only reaching to his shoulder, so he had to tilt his neck backwards, lifting his gaze to meet the demon’s. 

“My Lord..!” He gives him a subservient smile, both afraid of Sha Hualing’s aftermath and Mobei-Jun’s current anger. Was he going to get another beating, heal from that, and get the last beating of the day before healing from that and then get picked on from Sha Hualing?!

Shang Qinghua feels the dread building up in his stomach. At this point, living in An Ding Peak and dealing with taxes seemed like a much better option than constantly being treated like a plaything in the Demon Realm!

“Are you hurt?” Mobei-Jun’s words break Shang Qinghua out of his dilemma. When he finally looks up to the demon’s level, he notices that he doesn’t break eye contact with Shang Qinghua. But he still looks awkward asking this question, his words still holding his usual stern and deep gravity but being spoken at the pace of a flowing river.  

Shang Qinghua shakes his head, noticing all these details. He can’t help but suppress the laughter in his heart for witnessing Mobei-Jun’s rare display of uncertainty. 

Mobei-Jun mutters, “Good.” Before turning and walking away. 

Their interactions were brief that day, their existences always circling around the other but also inevitably intertwined. Shang Qinghua can’t help but feel something warm stir in his chest when Mobei-Jun accepts tea that he brewed after he had left for his room. And when Shang Qinghua took to the desk across from Mobei-Jun’s bed, dealing with he many demon affairs that he was allowed to take care of, the only person he could really think of was the demon laying in the bed behind him, his hair probably sprawled out in loose tendrils and his fingers curving the edges of paperwork he’s reading on. 

Needless to say, it was good that day, and he didn’t even get beaten up by Mobei-Jun! 

An Ding Peak was Cang Qiong Mountain’s logistic peak. They’re responsible for relaying important information, repairing damages and seeing to that the materials for restoration are fulfilled, providing stock transportation for whatever the other peak lords needed, and making sure the general livelihoods of the other peaks were content and secured with anything they requested. 

Peak Lord Mu Qingfang needs a restock on gauze? An Ding Peak’s got them covered! Bai Zhan Peak needs repairs for damages to a house caused by a spar gone wrong? Just send An Ding Peak, they’ll do all the work! Boring taxes nobody wants to deal with after buying fabric for the precious practitioners in Xian Shu Peak? Just send them off to a disciple in An Ding Peak, they definitely want to do it for you!

…

It was basically a peak filled with underappreciated disciples and their somewhat reliable peak lord Shang Qinghua. 

Because they spend the majority of their time crammed in their rooms and going through reports, running around the Rainbow Bridge and distributing goods to other peaks, and doing anything but training, it’s pretty safe to say that the fighting ability of An Ding Peak as a whole is, if not lower, mediocre. 

Therefore, that also includes Shang Qinghua. 

Granted, Shang Qinghua is no longer the original flavor Shang Qinghua, a man who was ambitious enough to turn over the Human Realm in hopes that he would get his own glory, but it’s not like this “Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky” Shang Qinghua was all that great either…

So naturally, like every other disciple of An Ding Peak, Shang Qinghua is mediocre at the sword. And he really wished that, as the author now transmigrated into this story as said character, he would’ve written: “And Shang Qinghua was as strong as two golden sun blades.”  

Maybe writing just that would’ve saved Shang Qinghua from having to run away with his life. Like right now, for example! 

Shang Qinghua’s breath came in as fast as it came out. His lungs were on a workout and he was practically scrambling out of the foliage to get back to An Ding Peak. 

Exactly how did he go from An Ding Peak Lord retrieving a delivery from the trade village below to running away with the possibility of life and death in a forest that was darkening by the minute? 

Well, here’s how it went:

Shang Qinghua grumbles complaints as he pulls a wagon behind him, trudging towards the direction of An Ding Peak. A few disciples help by pushing it from behind, making the weight a little less unbearable to drag. 

The disciples don’t mention his complaining, only joining him after they had exhausted their optimism to make the trip quick. The sky was darkening quickly, the sun setting over the hills of one of the peaks and the atmosphere was beginning to turn cold, setting up the night to be colder than usual. 

Every single one of them were exhausted and Shang Qinghua can’t wait to finally be done with this transport and enjoy a nice bowl of something hot while in the comforts of his soft quilts and—

Oh. 

Shang Qinghua felt a tear of grief strike his heart. 

That’s right! Mobei-Jun is going to visit to retrieve some information, I totally forgot!!! 

He sighs as he blinks away the last of his peaceful plans, almost crying right then and there. Mobei-Jun had requested information on the Immortal Alliance Conference so he could figure out how to properly dispatch the demons to ruin the gathering and hopefully disable the peaks of their disciples. He asked for the information a week prior but Shang Qinghua was too busy to even write back to him. With all the preparations needing to be fulfilled and last minute paperwork to be filled, Shang Qinghua and An Ding Peak have had their work cut out for them. 

Which means that as soon as Shang Qinghua reaches the door to his room, he’ll need to pore over everything that Mobei-Jun wants and who knows how long it will take?! Two hours if he’s lucky and the rest of the night if he’s hit rock bottom with his luck. Shang Qinghua’s not even sure if even then that information will be enough to satisfy Mobei-Jun’s request considering how long he’s postponed it…

His body just becomes numb to the odds being stacked against him and he keeps pulling the wagon without any double checking of whether it was the right direction. 

Of course being careless, tired, and frustrated just had to come into play at this very moment. Tall strands of grass tangle itself in the wagon’s wheels, clustering enough to become an obstacle and preventing it from progressing any further. A few pebbles even sat a few inches before the wheel, as if to taunt that it’ll be the next obstacle after the tall grass.

It makes Shang Qinghua just want to lie in the grass and call it a day. 

But he doesn’t. He only suppresses his anger and exasperation behind a slightly irritated expression and yanks the grass clean out of the wheels. When he throws away the scraps, the ground begins to squirm, like an animal was stuck under the mud. 

At first, Shang Qinghua was too tired to consider it a threat. He even leaned closer to the movement and squinted his eyes in the darkening sky around them as he tried to make out what he was seeing. 

Checking the strange thing went as perfectly as pulling a wagon up An Ding Peak’s steep ramp: startling and anxiety inducing. A human-like face turns from the ground, bloodshot eyes and a frown distorting what’s left of its rotten lips face Shang Qinghua. 

“You dare roll your pathetic wagon over my luxurious hair?!” 

When the thing spoke, a scream ripped from his throat in fear and the disciples with him halted. Although hesitantly, they came to his side and checked up on him. They turned their own heads towards the direction of the unfamiliar voice, their eyes and screams matching Shang Qinghua. 

“AHHH! Peak Lord Qinghua, it’s a Terra Demon!”

Shang Qinghua internally cursed. In a flashback he had written after the discovery of Shang Qinghua being a traitor, it surrounded the perspective of Mobei-Jun. In that particular chapter, Mobei-Jun was going to visit Shang Qinghua to receive the information the latter promised so that the execution of the plan against the Immortal Alliance Conference would be flawless. However, once the demon showed up, he was in the middle of finding Shang Qinghua running from a demon’s pursuit.

That demon was called a Terra Demon, a demon powerful enough to emerge in random areas but just weak enough for Mobei-Jun to defeat. 

Of course though, Shang Qinghua went on to blabber about this particular demon’s characteristics, weaknesses, strengths, and abilities. So when he was internally cursing, he was really just cursing himself. 

Fuck, why did I have to describe this demon too?!  

As the Great Master Airplane, Shang Qinghua always described every demon and any character encountered in great detail. So would it really be a shock to say that he would be in this situation, facing a monstrosity of his own imagination and fleeing for his life, many, many more times? 

No. No, not really.  

The Terra Demon was a demon akin to a sand serpent, finding its way up into the human world by digging through the ground until it could breathe fresh air. The body beneath this creepy human-like head probably extended as long as a python’s, and the way that this particular demon lures its prey was by transforming its human face into whatever it desired before using the facade of a helpless human in need to cry out for its victims to come close enough to capture them. 

By the looks of the demon’s head still stuck underground, it was clear that it had just recently popped through the ground, jutting out like a rock that Shang Qinghua had mistaken it for. 

That means that they still had a chance of escape! 

Shang Qinghua abandons the wagon and looks at the disciples trembling with terrified backward steps. They don’t realize that he still exists until he calls out to them. 

“Hey!” He says, anxiety lurking underneath his own heart but he quickly suppressed it before he loses confidence. “Let’s go back to An Ding Peak and return for this later! Materials are replaceable but we certainly are not!” 

In other words: Let’s run away while we still have our lives! 

It was like all the disciples and their sect leader were thinking the same thing because they all ran down the path, using a sloppy technique to boost their footsteps, and making it halfway before one of the disciples dared to look behind them and their scream of fear froze them on the spot. 

Shang Qinghua stopped too, ready to drag the disciple back onto their feet until he looked at the monstrosity behind him: the terra demon was already out of the earth, twenty feet in size, and slithering in record speed towards Shang Qinghua and the disciples. Its human head screeched an inhumane sound that bordered between an out of tune biwa and sharpening swords. 

It was terrifying, and for a moment, Shang Qinghua’s limbs were as heavy and as uncertain as a baby bird that has not yet learned how to fly.

He lamented mentally in his head until the fallen disciple he had been trying to assist ended up pulling him out of his fear, running for their own life just when Shang Qinghua started running. 

The panicked disciples and their sect leader ran through the forests, the darkening of the sky thickening the shadows of the night and making it hard for them to see where exactly they should’ve gone. Was the path to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect to the right of this strange tree? Where did this draping vine come from? Are these even the right flowers growing along the path? 

Shang Qinghua’s breaths were coming in quick and fast, barely giving him time to fill in his lungs before expelling the carbon dioxide out of him shortly after. His footsteps were accompanied by the sound of rustling undergrowth and the heartbeat in his ears proved his adrenaline. 

He looked around for the other disciples, hoping to make a head count and assure himself that they were all keeping pace. 

But they weren’t there! In fact, none of them were keeping pace with him! 

Shang Qinghua groaned internally and stopped adruptly, trying to make out the sounds of steady running and ragged breathing over the sounds of the cicadas. He calls out some of their names—finding it difficult to distinguish what their names were—but the silence after his cries were not accompanied by any familiar voices. 

He paced, contemplating his decisions and deciding that it was better if he just went to the sect and picked up some Bai Zhan Peak disciple that just happened to be practicing to help him find the scattered disciples. An Ding Peak’s students weren’t martial experts but they weren’t stupid either. Shang Qinghua was confident that they would be smart enough to use basic concealing spells or find a good hiding spot to reside in at the time. 

Shang Qinghua ran, trying to remember the distinctive bald patches of grass, the looming trees, the finely cut path that faded when it was a few dozen feet outside of the sect. 

He looked up and saw familiar shaped canopies of star-shaped leaves interweaving with rich brown earth, the sun peaking through the smallest of crevices. 

Starwood trees, a familiar landmark to signify the border between An Ding Peak and Bai Zhan Peak. 

Finally! Shang Qinghua reveled in the fact that he was close to the peaks, I’ll finally be free of this nuisance Terra Demon! 

As if on cue, the Terra Demon roared behind him and Shang Qinghua’s delight was short-lived. He stumbled and fell on stray pebbles dotting the ground, eating the dirt and slapping his face free of ants that crawled onto him in his brief lapse of unconsciousness.

When he looked up, a squeak of fear escaped his throat as his pupils constricted at the sight before him: the Terra Demon’s terrifying human head smiled, the corners of its lips stretching unnaturally. Its snake body was dirt brown, smudged with green and hosting crescent-shaped mud under its scales. 

“Your pathetic underlings are nowhere to be seen.” The demon spat disdainfully, a black forked tongue accentuating a thick tone. “But, you’re good enough. Yes, good enough!” 

Shang Qinghua frowned, unimpressed. Were the lines he wrote in the original flavor story not enough to give this demon a high IQ? Why was he speaking like a cliche novel villain?

The Terra Demon’s eyes slitted. “HEY! WHAT’S WITH THAT FACE?” 

The roar of the demon’s voice shook Shang Qinghua and he barely had enough time to cover his ears crudely before he was thrown back by the sheer power of the volume.

He didn’t even get another minute to collect himself before a scaly tail the color of mud wrapped around his throat and tightened.

Shang Qinghua immediately wrapped his hands on the tail, clawing it futility with blunt nails and gasping with panicked breaths. The demon only chuckled, a sound more like the crawl of spiders. 

The corners of his eyes were darkening and he could feel his hands getting cold. Oh…there was a silhouette in the distance. It looks kind of like—

Oxygen pushes its way through into Shang Qinghua’s trachea, entering so quickly into his strangled throat he doubles over and goes into a coughing fit. When he opens his eyes, tears blur his vision and the only thing that helps him decipher what was happening around him was the scent of pine and the blur of ebony black hair. 

It didn’t take long for Shang Qinghua to be faced with a kneeling Mobei-Jun, icy blue eyes searing holes into his own brown eyes. He gulps, dread filling his stomach. 

“M-My king!” Shang Qinghua spluttered, pressing his head to the ground when he noticed a twitch in the ice demon’s eyebrows. He tensed his body, waiting for a scolding and a punch to his head that never came. 

Because when Shang Qinghua is told to lift his head, Mobei-Jun’s eyes are hard but calculating. Like he was looking for something. 

After a brief moment, he sighed and stood up. 

“Get up, you’re a mess.” 

Shang Qinghua scrambled up, dusting himself down and smiling awkwardly. 

“My King, if I can just get a favor—”

Mobei-Jun glares at him and Shang Qinghua shuts up immediately, but then the demon sighs again with tired eyes and a somewhat irritated light in them.

“What do you need?” 

Shang Qinghua suppressed his eye muscles from widening and prevented his shock from dropping his jaw open in a baffled gasp. 

Did he just hear that right? 

Mobei-Jun was willing to listen to him! He was willing to hear his favor! 

“Well—My King—there are some disciples from my peak that I need to seek out. I need to assure that they will be okay—”

“I’m not doing that.” Mobei-Jun answered quickly, his tone laced with ice. 

“Alright then can I at least get a Bai Zhan Peak disciple to fetch them before the Terra demon finds them again—”

“I killed it already, it’s no longer a threat your pathetic disciples need to worry about.” Mobei-Jun interrupted coldly. 

“But even so—”

Mobei-Jun yelled in frustration. 

“FINE! Get an idiot to fetch your other idiots in ten minutes! I’ll be going to your room for the information you prepared.” 

Shang Qinghua’s soul left his body at the mention of the information still stuffed into his shelves and scattered across his desk, untouched and not even organized in the most basic manner. But he runs to Bai Zhan Peak as Mobei-Jun opens a portal and disappears into it. Shang Qinghua finds the closest disciple before spewing the unfolding events, giving her pathetic excuses so he could make it to his room in time. 

Unsurprisingly, Mobei-Jun was already there. And to Shang Qinghua’s fear and frustration, Mobei-Jun had practically turned the room into even more of a mess than it already was (somehow that was possible). Papers of past conferences were crunched wrinkly into the floor and the peak lord could see completely unrelated taxes being the center of Mobei-Jun’s attention before being discarded onto the floor. 

The whole place looked as if Mobei-Jun had a temper tantrum and Shang Qinghua wanted nothing more than to scold that second rate demon like the spoiled little brat he is. Because who the hell did Mobei-Jun think he was?! Sure, his schemes wouldn’t be perfect if he didn’t get the information but a few days should be enough time. He didn’t have to destroy Shang Qinghua’s room into a paper mess! 

“Have you even looked through anything?!” Mobei-Jun snaps, his hands tightening into fists. “I thought because you have yet to respond to my letter, you were busy. But, none of this looks even remotely related to the Immortal Alliance Conference!” 

“My King, An Ding Peak has been busy lately.” Shang Qinghua says, unable to reign in his frustration. “I would’ve gotten it to you the moment I read your letter, but let this humble one remind you that the Immortal Alliance Conference requires a lot more than just intelligence reports!” He has to stop himself from yelling, “So, yes, my stupid second-rate demon brat, I haven’t been able to look through the information you desire because I’m quite literally shouldering the burden of the world!” 

Mobei-Jun just watches him in silence with eyes that could cut through steel. Shang Qinghua sobers from his anger, simultaneously ready to tense up in fear or run like a coward (Honestly, how can you blame him?! Who else would have the nerve to go against Mobei-jun if they were not Luo Binghe himself?!).  

“L-Look My King,” Shang Qinghua begins, “If you give me one more day—no, tonight, I can have it ready for you! After all, the Immortal Alliance Conference is still a few days ahead. Surely that will be enough time…?”

Mobei-Jun bends down to grab a bunch of papers, analyzing them for a moment before absolutely slamming it into Shang Qinghua’s face. 

“ OW! My King, what the fu—”

“I’ll help.” 

Shang Qinghua couldn’t comprehend what he was hearing. What? Mobei-Jun, the intimidating demon general of the Northern Desert and basically Luo Binghe’s right hand man, is offering his help? 

Is Mobei-Jun sick? Did he get so angry that it melted away his coldness?

Well, whatever! If Mobei-Jun is offering his help, Shang Qinghua is not an idiot to deny it. After all, the quicker that they get this done, the quicker Shang Qinghua can get the demon off his tail and finally, finally appreciate the peacefulness of his bed!

“Thank you, My King!” Shang Qinghua chirped, smiling widely and honestly ignoring the fact that his nose is still aching in pain. If only Mobei-Jun could let him borrow his cape. The demon was cold twenty-four seven, so it would’ve been an easy alternate for a pack of ice (that would just make Mobei-Jun hit him for real, so even though Shang Qinghua is entertaining the thought mentally, he doesn’t dare to test Mobei-Jun’s willingness to help). 

Even though it takes them until the sky is truly dark and not a single glimmer of light besides the moon and the stars are shining in the sky, they do eventually find the information Mobei-Jun was looking for. Shang Qinghua finds one last paper and sets it on the neatly organized stack. It’s quite literally the only neat thing in this still-messy room, but Shang Qinghua can worry about fixing his room later. 

“We’re done!” Shang Qinghua exclaims with a sigh, sitting on a chair to properly take a seat after standing up and running about for so long. 

Mobei-Jun adds his last addition to the stack before nodding. 

“We have.” He takes the stack before summoning a portal. 

Shang Qinghua watches as he takes a few steps towards it, prepared to take a step back into the realm of demons. But there’s an unsatisfied twinge stirring in his chest and he can’t help but realize that he needs to confront it. 

“My Lord, wait for just a moment!” Shang Qinghua calls out, standing up to grab the demon’s cloak if he so has to. 

Mobei-Jun is just a step away from disappearing, but he turns around with a questioning gaze in his eyes that also reveals itself in the way he narrows his thick eyebrows and the way he tilts his head. 

“What is it?”

“Thank you.” Shang Qinghua says, blushing when he realizes how dramatic this all feels. “For um, helping me. Not that I wouldn’t have gotten it done, of course!” He adds with a nervous chuckle. 

For a moment, they’re standing there and Shang Qinghua is wondering if Mobei-Jun is really just a statue of solid ice until there’s a quirk upturning the corner of his lips. He wordlessly nods slightly and turns away, walking through the portal before closing it behind him. 

When Shang Qinghua is finally alone all he can think about is the small smile Mobei-Jun wore. How can a smile look so impossibly handsome and cute at the same time?! Wait! Wait, wait, wait! He means that in a platonic way, okay?! Of course he does, Shang Qinghua isn’t like that. 

(He’s definitely attracted to him.)

Shang Qinghua decides to ignore this revelation and opts to blow the candles out, sleeping haphazardly in his bed and not even bothering to change out of his old clothes. Whatever, he can deal with them tomorrow. 

When Shang Qinghua wakes up, he’s shocked to find his room perfectly organized and tided up. 

“What…?” He can’t help but feel a little creeped out. What kind of sleepwalking tendencies did he have that he managed to clean his room overnight?! What’s even stranger is that he doesn’t feel tired at all. Don’t people usually feel tired if they sleep walk? (He wouldn’t know that, he’s never sleep walked before.)

Well, at least he wouldn’t have to deal with that! 

He’s scrambling out of his bed when he realizes that there’s a note on the table. It’s written in messy characters and Shang Qinghua can only blush like a newly ripe tomato when he recognizes the owner of the writing. 

I cleaned the room for you, Shang Qinghua. You’re welcome.