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Everyone said that Luo Binghe was dead. But Liu Qingge was there when the remains of Luo Binghe's sword were found. And there was no Luo Binghe in sight. In addition, Shen Qingqiu had been quiet about what had happened to Luo Binghe, never officially saying if he was alive or dead. The Endless Abyss had been open at the time of Luo Binghe’s disappearance. And if Luo Binghe had fallen in, that would have been as good as a death sentence in most people’s eyes. But Liu Qingge had been on plenty of missions where, when he came back, everyone was surprised that he was still alive because he had been presumed dead.
A bloody piece of fabric, large amounts of blood on the ground. It was easy to mistake random items at the scene of a fight as being a sign of someone's death. But, until you found the body, there was no way to know for sure if someone had been killed.
Liu Qingge needed to know, once and for all if Luo Binghe was dead. There was a way to help Shen Qingqiu. To get him to stop mopping around his peak and wearing that sad expression that did uncomfortable things to Liu Qingge. But if there was any place that Luo Binghe would be, it was in the Endless Abyss.
Liu Qingge made his decision one day after having passed the qi to Shen Qingqiu and watching how he only looked into the distance as he did so. As though his soul had left him Liu Qingge needed to go into the Endless Abyss to find Luo Binghe. And, if nothing else, there were plenty of artifacts and beasts there that could give him a final answer on if Luo Binghe was actually dead.
Liu Qingge didn't even bother to tell anyone where he was going. He just went and dove straight into the first opening to the Endless Abyss he could find and began his search. The Endless Abyss got its name mostly for how deep it was. However, when one reached the bottom, most of it was made up of halves, so we're quite narrow. To run into someone that was already there would not be a difficult feat. But the question was to follow the many long roads to their end. Liu Qingge was ready to just keep going and going, but eventually, he started to get leads.
“Another cultivator!” One of the demons he was about to kill had muttered in his death throws. Liu Qingge immediately tried to stop the flow of blood. Unfortunately, he had already made a deadly blow on the demon, and the demon soon passed away.
However, with the next demon, Liu Qingge was more careful and kept him alive for questioning. “Have you seen another cultivator?”
“Yes! Well, he was at least part human.”
Liu Qingge grips harder on the skin of the demon. “What do you mean?"
"He fought like a cultivator. But he had the mark of a demon on his forehead.”
“And what direction did he go?” The demon pointed Liu Qingge in the direction and, this time, Liu Qingge spared the demon's life. He didn't have time to land the killing blow. He needed to focus on finding Luo Binghe.
Eventually, Liu Qingge found Luo Binghe. He was fighting a demon at the time. His robes were covered in blood, and his face was nearly as red from his activities. His face was turned into an expression that was barely human while his forehead pulsated with a mark that told of his demonic nature.
Liu Qingge rushed forward and quickly dispatched the demon Luo Binghe’s opponent. After he landed the killing blow, he turned to Luo Binghe, whose eyes were wide. “Liu-shishu?”
“Mh.” Liu Qingge responded as he looked Luo Binghe up and down with a stern expression. Luo Binghe immediately tried to put a hand over his mark as though that would do something, which made Liu Qingge make a sound. “Tch, it's not worth trying to hide that.”
“Is Liu-shishu here to kill me then? Like shizun tried to do?” Luo Binghe asked cautiously.
Liu Qingge rolled his eyes. “No, I’m here to save you.”
Luo Binghe looked at Liu Qingge blankly; however, Liu Qingge remained silent. He had enough on his mind that it wasn’t worth trying to answer unspoken questions. Shen Qingqiu had tried to kill Luo Binghe? Or, more likely, he was the one that pushed him into the Endless Abyss, assuming the boy would survive. Even if he had pushed Luo Binghe into the abyss, he was still upset about Luo Binghe being absent. Liu Qingge stepped forward and grabbed Luo Binghe's hand. Luo Binghe’s free hand twitched on his sword, but he did not move to attack Liu Qingge. “Shen Qingqiu wants you back. So I'm taking you to him.”
“No, he doesn't want me back. He wanted me to die.” Luo Binghe tried to pull away. However, Liu Qingge didn’t let go.
“Well, he changed his mind. And you're going to go back and be his disciple again.”
Luo Binghe continued to protest. It was irritating, to say the least, but he did not actually direct his sword to attack Liu Qingge. He would take that as a win for now. Shen Qingqiu is upset. And as the cause of Shen Qingqiu's feelings, Luo Binghe better take responsibility. It took some time for them to get out of the Endless Abyss. It was easier for humans to get in than it was to get out. And as they continued through the abyss, they fought many more demons. Some of them would hiss and make irritating comments at them. “A demon who's also a cultivator and a cultivator that does not shrink away from a half breed! What strange creatures you are.” Was one of the more annoying comments that they heard.
Liu Qingge just grunted and would lop off all their heads. Luo Binghe tended to make more of a complicated expression when such statements were made. Liu Qingge, unfortunately, had to then say things to Luo Binghe to remind him about the fact that he was there to rescue him. “You haven't tried to harm me yet. So stop thinking that I will go and harm you," He growled.
Luo Binghe was really something to still be anxious after all this time around Liu Qingge. Sure, Liu Qingge wasn't going to just let Luo Binghe do whatever he wanted since he wasn't completely sure about the situation with him and his demonic powers, but still, he had given a lot of leeway to Luo Binghe,
Near the end of their time in the abyss, finally, Liu Qingge started to see Luo Binghe accepting the current circumstances. Eventually they manage to get out, and they immediately headed to Cang Qiong. To Qing Jing. To Shen Qingqiu. Liu Qingge basically dragged Luo Binghe to Qing Jing. He was already wearing robes of Qing Jing even after all this time but still acted like he didn’t belong there. “We've come this far; you're not backing down now,” Liu Qingge stated.
“But he does not want me.”
“If he doesn't want you, I'll eat my robes.” Finally, Liu Qingge knocked on Shen Qingqiu's door. Not that long after, the door was opened, and Shen Qingqiu wore the smile that he had only worn since Luo Binghe had disappeared. The fake one that made Liu Qingge feel strangely uncomfortable.
“It's been a while, Liu-shidi; you were on a very long mission, weren't you?”
Liu Qingge responded “Yes”, and then he turned around only to see that Luo Binghe had tried to make some distance between him and the door. Liu Qingge grabbed him by the collar and pulled him into the doorway. “I went to get him.” Shen Qingqiu looked blankly at Luo Binghe and Liu Qingge and then back and forth and back and forth while turning paler and paler. “It’s been a few months, as Shen Qingqiu stated blankly.
“Your disciples survived the abyss. Even if he is part demon, he is also part human so he can study cultivation here. I'm sure you can find a way to redo his seal or whatever else was hiding his identity. Now go and take care of him like you clearly want to." With that, Liu Qingge pushed Luo Binghe forward. As a result, he nearly fell into Shen Qingqiu's arms. The sight of them nearly embracing made Liu Qingge's stomach turn, but he ignored that feeling and turned away. “Figure this out. I'm going home.” With that, Liu Qingge left.
–
Liu Qingge returned to his house. As always, after he had gone on a long mission, it felt strange being in his home. He sat down with his luxuries that he only had when he was in the sect and took a moment to appreciate them before taking a bath and getting rid of all the muck and blood that had covered him. It occurred to him that he had gone to see Shen Qingqiu with his clothes being mess, having only quickly changed Luo Binghe's robes with ones that they had found in the peak before going to Shen Qingqiu's home. He could have made more of an impression on Shen Qingqiu. A positive one. But he couldn't be bothered.
At the end of the day, Shen Qingqiu was upset that Luo Binghe was gone. Not him. Liu Qingge closed his eyes in his tub as the water warmed up and it filled with the stains of the debris that covered his skin. He was prepared to just lie there as he did after many long missions until he finally felt that all of his concerns had been washed away. But, this time, it was taking longer than usual. He, in fact, had lost track of time by the time that there was a knock on the door.
Liu Qingge got up from the bathtub and quickly dried himself and put on a set of robes. People must be starting to realize he was back in the sect. Maybe Shang Qinghua was coming by to tell him about paperwork that he was overdue on. But, when Liu Qingge went to open the door, he was surprised to see that it was Luo Binghe that was there.
Luo Binghe bowed to Liu Qingge. “This disciple is here to say thank you. Things are still complicated with Shizun but your efforts are appreciated.”
“He's happy you're here.” Liu Qingge responded with a huff. “It will be fine.”
Luo Binghe's eyes were still full of hurt, but he said, “Maybe.”
“You will be. He's always been weird about feelings.” Liu Qingge snorted.
Luo Binghe's lip twitched. “As Shizun gets used to me being back in the sect, can I stay in Bai Zhan?”
Liu Qingge raised a brow. “I do not have an issue with that. But you will need to fight and practice on the training grounds like all the other disciples.”
Luo Binghe nodded vigorously. “I will make sure to make both you and shizun proud. And then we can all be together happily.”
Liu Qingge raised his brow, confused. “Together?”
Luo Binghe smiled. “As a martial family, of course.”
Liu Qingge hums. That did make sense. As a martial family. But as Liu Qingge turned away to get Luo Binghe his Bai Zhan robes, he missed how Luo Binghe's face turned into a more devilish smile. A smile that promised that a different kind of together would be forming between him and his two favorite peak lords.