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Chapter Text

Not a day went by without Shen Yuan cursing the System.

A little over a month ago, it had forced him to push his disciple into the Endless Abyss - or it had at least tried to!

Because when he failed to act, his twin took over the job.

Shen Jiu didn’t listen to any of his pleas, had ignored him as he begged him to spare his disciple’s life. The younger twin had knelt, cried, and done all he could to sway his brother’s heart…

To no avail.

When it was done, the older twin just pulled him up by his clothes. “Stop crying. You don’t get to sacrifice us both for him. I don’t care that you like him! I want to live! Now stop being selfish and come with me!”

It had happened too fast. Shen Yuan was still staring at the Abyss, tears falling to the ground he had just knelt on.

But he didn’t even get half a minute before his brother dragged him away from the fire.

Away from Luo Binghe.

And the worst part was that he couldn’t even blame his twin; they both were bound to the same System, their accounts linked. If one received points, so did the other. And if one were to have ten thousand points deducted…

Every day since then, Shen Yuan had had a cup of tea with the one who was responsible for his disciple’s fall.

They often sat in silence. There was nothing to talk about.

This day’s tea-time started the same way; Shen Jiu stared out of the window, Shen Yuan into his cup. For ten minutes, no one said a word.

But then, the older finally broke the spell. “You will have to get over it eventually. What is done is done.”

Shen Yuan sighed. “You can’t ask me not to mourn him.”

“Mourn him?” he repeated, setting his cup down. “You’re out of your mind! You’re acting like he left you at the altar and at the same time made you a widow!”

“Oh, stop it!”

“That’s how you act!” Shen Jiu firmly informed him. “The other Peak Lords are worried, too. They won’t stop pestering me about you! Every conversation starts or ends with them inquiring about your mental health!”

“Well, tell them I’m fine, then…!”

“Clearly, you’re not.”

Shen Yuan’s eyes furrowed. Of course, he wasn’t fine! But what was there to do about it?! His disciple was already in the Endless Abyss, and once he’d come back, he’d be holding a rather valid grudge.

Stop pretending I’m sad for no reason…!

“You’ll feel better soon.”

***

A gentle breeze let Shen Yuan’s hair sway in the wind, carrying the soft tunes of his guqin away with it.

Shen Jiu had left early that morning to attend a Peak Lord Meeting, so some disciples had dared to sit down nearby, still keeping their distance but wanting to enjoy his music. It was calm. The occasional sad notes didn’t bother them. They just looked up at the sky, watching the clouds drift by, or smiled and pointed at a butterfly flying past their noses.

He was there all morning, playing for them.

Truly, Shen Yuan would have stopped a lot earlier, but couldn’t when he saw them in the corners of his eyes.

Even when some left, others came to sit down.

Only when his brother returned did most leave, quickly running back to their chores and training.

“You have been here all morning, haven’t you?” asked Shen Jiu, moving to fix the hair that had gotten a little messed up by the wind. “You’re spoiling my disciples with your concerts.”

Shen Yuan just smiled a bit, gathering the instrument.

“Give it to me,” his brother suddenly said, taking the guqin away. “Someone’s waiting for you. Someone I don’t care to entertain.”

But before the younger could ask who it was or why he had a guest, the Peak lord had already walked off, taking a back door that allowed him to avoid the main part of the Bamboo House.

This really only meant one thing: Liu Qingge had come to visit.

Right after an Assembly?

Shen Yuan found himself hoping he wasn’t going to be asked out on a mission. In a way, he would expect the other Peak Lords to find this a good idea to get him out of the house and off the Peak a little, but he sincerely doubted Shen Jiu would have agreed to that.

After all, if Shen Yuan was gone for a while, all the socialising and dealing-with-people tasks fell on his brother.

Either way, he couldn’t keep Bai Zhan’s Peak Lord waiting.

***

“Take him.”

Shen Yuan stared at the little boy, then stared at the master. “...Come again?”

The Peak Lord simply pushed the boy closer. “Take him.”

“Shidi,” he started, confused by the situation. “Why are you trying to give me your disciple?”

“He’ll be our messenger,” the War God explained as if that was somehow supposed to make sense to Shen Yuan. “If someone gives you trouble, send him back. I’ll come by and deal with it.”

He could only blink in confusion.

The other Peak Lord used this moment to turn and leave, tactically ignoring Shen Yuan as the latter called after him.

“Shidi! Shidi, you can’t just–”

The door had already been shut.

…Seriously?!

Shen Yuan took a deep breath, looking at the child who had just been abandoned in his house.

The little boy’s hair was a mess, his clothes pretty dirty as if he had wrestled on the ground and never been taught how to wash his clothes afterwards. Some bruises were visible. If the child didn’t wear Bai Zhan Peak’s uniform, it might as well have been one Liu Qingge found by the side of the road.

It looked up at him like a lizard who had become aware of the sky; mildly intrigued, mostly unbothered.

Shen Yuan forced himself to smile despite his confusion. “May this master know your name?”

“Lai Liwei."

Kneeling to get on his eye level, Shen Yuan put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Lai Liwei… Tell me, do you know what this is about?”

“I was told to run back to Bai Zhan Peak if anything happens.”

Liu Qingge showed up when there was trouble either way, so why would he just leave a child with him?

“Is that all?” he asked.

The boy pursed his lips and looked down, his shoe suddenly terribly interesting. He caved a few seconds later, though, speaking up without needing to be told a second time. “Apparently, you’re sad because you lost your disciple.”

…LIU QINGGE, ARE YOU CRAZY?!

Swallowing down the internal turmoil at the revelation of the other Peak Lord sacrificing a disciple to appease him, Shen Yuan got up again. “Your master told you that?”

“Mh,” Lai Liwei confirmed. “He said I’d make you happy by being here or something.”

The adult in the room had to suppress the urge to facepalm. Liu-shidi… I know you said I should just take a new disciple, but to just take matters into your own hands! You can't just bring me a child!

“Can I have some water?” Lai Liwei then asked, staring up at his new co-master. “I don’t know where it can be found here.”

Shen Yuan let out a sigh. Smiling, he put a hand on the kid’s back, starting to walk with him. Even if Bai Zhan's Peak Lord was wrong for leaving the kid here, he couldn't play stubborn and ignore it. “You can have water, a bath, and a set of new clothes while we wash the ones you’re wearing right now. How does that sound?”

“No, I just want water.”

So straightforward. Somehow, this kid was made for Bai Zhan Peak.

Unfortunately for Lai Liwei, though, he had ended up with Shen Yuan, who could not pretend he didn’t see the boy’s messy appearance and bruises. “That’s just too bad, because you need it.”

“No, I don’t,” the visiting disciple said, not sensing yet that he didn’t have the privilege of a choice.

Not bursting Liwei’s bubble just yet, he called out to his helpers, wearing an amused smile. “Ming Fan! Ning Yingying!”

The two eventually appeared - both equally surprised to see him walking a child they hadn’t seen before. They were about to ask the standard array of questions: who was this little guy, what was he doing here, etc, but Shen Yuan didn’t beat around the bush.

“Lai Liwei is visiting Qing Jing Peak a little. We need to wash his clothes and have him take a bath.”

The boy immediately looked up at him, utter betrayal in his eyes. “No!”

“Yes,” Shen Yuan mused.

“No!” Lai Liwei shouted this time, making a run for it.

Shen Yuan just smiled, terribly amused, giving Ming Fan a sign. The latter understood and ran to catch the short-legged escapee.

Ning Yingying couldn’t hide her own merriment, laughing at the scene. “I'd better get the bath ready!”

“Mh.” Better get this over with fast!

It didn’t take long before Ming Fan returned, holding Lai Liwei up by his wrists, the older disciple’s arm stretched out to keep him as far away as possible.

The boy was basically growling at his captor.

“Shizun,” Ming Fan panted. “Please tell me the bath is ready. This disciple won’t be able to catch this little beast a second time…!”

“Is that so? Perhaps we should do this more often, then, if you’re struggling so much with cardio.”

“That’s not–” the poor disciple started. “Yes, Shizun…”

Shen Yuan turned, leading them to the bath where Ning Yingying had filled the tub and readied the soap.

At the sight, Lai Liwei started wiggling and kicking harder and harder. “No!”

But Shen Yuan just chuckled. “Yingying, go fetch another set of clothes. Oh, and have someone prepare some tea for afterwards. Maybe get a little piece of candy, too.”

The boy was acting feral, basically screeching. “Unhand meeee!”

***

Lai Liwei knelt at the table, pouting.

Behind him, Shen Yuan was calmly untangling the disciple’s still-wet hair, brushing it for him, taking his time to do a proper job.

Poor boy… You have been neglected on Bai Zhan Peak, haven’t you? No more of that…

“The clothes fit you well,” he complimented.

“Not my colours.”

“Well, you’ll have your robes back soon. They’re being washed right now,” Shen Yuan reassured.

The boy just pursed his lips in response. “They didn’t need washing.”

“Yes, they did, you little skunk.”

“I’m not a skunk!” Lai Liwei loudly protested. “I’m the King of the Mountains!”

Shen Yuan froze for a moment, then tried his best to suppress his laughter. “King of what mountain?”

“All mountains...” the boy muttered.

If I didn't know better, I'd start worrying the kids on Bai Zhan Peak have access to crack...

Ning Yingying walked in with a tray, chuckling a little. “Alright, King of the Mountains, your tea has arrived.”

“I wanted water…”

“You also didn’t ask for candy. Should I take it off the tray?”

The boy’s hand moved with the speed of light, securing the piece of candy, unwrapping it, and quickly shoving it into his mouth.

In the meantime, Shen Yuan had finished brushing his hair and decided to put it up in a simple, high ponytail, mirroring the style of Bai Zhan’s Peak Lord. “There, all done.”

Lai Liwei moved his hand up, trying to feel what his hair looked like.

“Good?” Shen Yuan inquired, moving to sit on another side of the table to give him space.

The boy regarded the soft smile on the man’s face. He couldn’t help but look down, ever so slightly smiling, too, feeling warm, clean, and happy. “Good.”

Ming Fan then returned. “A bed in the dorm has been prepared for the little mon– for Lai-shidi.”

Behind him, Shen Jiu joined this unofficial gathering, too. “Make sure not to treat him too well. Comfort breeds weakness, and Bai Zhan Peak won’t get easier for him.”

With his presence, most had gone quiet and repressed their smiles.

But after a moment of silence, there was laughter: Shen Yuan couldn’t help himself. He was not in the least bit worried about the little rascal Liu Qingge had left with him - not after they had spent half an hour wrestling him, trying to keep him in a tub.

Lai Liwei let out a little chuckle, too, promptly getting glared at. But the boy was not yet scared of the older twin, so he easily withstood it. He liked to laugh with his co-master, he realised.

“You can start by teaching him some manners,” the Peak Lord sneered.

“Just come sit down for tea, gege,” Shen Yuan just smiled, beaming with joy.

Sighing but pleased at the sight of his brother being less grim, he for once did as told, sitting down. With his fan covering half of his face, he glared at the boy for a second, then turned away.

He knew what he could report to the other Peak Lords now.

It would be a relief for all. But that also meant Qing Jing Peak would soon be flooded by disciples that didn't even belong here...!

The things I do for you, didi...

Chapter Text

The days that followed, Shen Yuan was rather busy taming the little King of the Mountain.

Well, not that he really succeeded - Lai Liwei was as unruly and rowdy as a disciple could get, and Shen Yuan was honestly quite charmed by it.

In other words, he did absolutely nothing to stop him.

The kid obviously had adopted the manners of Bai Zhan Peak, which meant that this little guy kept pouncing on unsuspecting Qing Jing Peak disciples, fought whoever he could, bit some ankles, and ended up being chased around all day.

When Shen Yuan finally caught a proper glimpse of him in the evening, Lai Liwei had returned to the messy state he was in when Liu Qingge first abandoned him here.

Luckily for everyone involved, he was too exhausted to really fight anyone trying to make him bathe by then.

Or perhaps he didn’t mind so much after all.

Truly, he seemed rather happy when he went to bed in fresh clothes, accompanied by the scent of flowers.

***

However, after three days of Lai Liwei being a total menace, Shen Jiu called his brother in for an early tea session.

“You’re spoiling that kid already.”

Shen Yuan smiled, sipping his tea. “What is wrong with him having a little bit of fun? He’s quite effective at keeping everyone on their toes. It’s a good workout.”

“This isn’t Bai Zhan Peak!” Shen Jiu almost hissed. “I prefer my Peak to be quiet!”

“He’s not screaming around or anything…”

“Yes, but my disciples keep bothering me, asking me to do something about the shenanigans of your feral monkey!”

“Mh? Have you pampered your disciples so much they come crying when a little child does like zero damage to them?” Shen Yuan asked, pretending he didn’t just insult his twin.

“Tche!”

Shen Yuan could just smirk to himself. He, of course, knew very well that his gege was definitely NOT pampering his disciples. Quite the opposite. One of the few reasons they even knew what peace was was because Shen Jiu wanted some, too.

“Seriously, though,” The older started again. “He’s sort of your disciple. You have to keep him in check.”

Sighing, the younger looked at his brother. “What do you suggest I do?”

Shen Jiu raised a brow. “Be a teacher? Teach him something?”

“He’s going to love that…” Shen Yuan said with some proper sarcasm in his tone. Have him sit down for a few hours and teach him music? Suuuure… That will end well.

“You’re not raising a cuckoo, you know.”

“Huh?” Shen Yuan let out, confusion on his face, sensing some curious implications. “What is that supposed to mean…?!”

“It means,” the other started, setting his teacup down. “By living here, Lai Liwei isn’t just a Bai Zhan Peak disciple, but also Qing Jing Peak’s. He’ll have to learn something from us, too.”

***

The next day, the proper taming period began.

First, he had to deploy Ming Fan to catch the King of the Mountains - which took around half an hour because the little rascal had run off into the bamboo forest. It had left Ming Fan sweating first thing in the morning.

In the meantime, Ning Yingying had gotten breakfast and delivered it to Shen Yuan’s office. Lai Liwei had to be properly convinced to stay and not run off again. That worked, too.

Then came the most demanding part: making him stay.

That part was naturally Shen Yuan’s.

“I thought we could do something different today.”

The child gave him a side eye as he was finishing his breakfast. “I’m not taking a bath, I’m not dirty.”

Shen Yuan picked a leaf out of his hair. “Don’t worry, it’s not time for your bath yet.”

“Then why is Shen-shibo scooting closer?” the boy asked, about to get up and run away.

His shibo was quicker, though, his arms longer as he caught the child and pulled him back to kneel in front of him. “I’ll let you get up in a minute, let me just fix your hair…”

“It doesn’t need fixing!” Lai Liwei whined.

“Are you sure?”

Shen Yuan started brushing it. The King of the Mountain had yet to learn to take care of his bed hair and not go the whole day without touching it, so there was a fair amount of knots. Every time Shen Yuan pulled at one, he heard a little “ouch”.

With how much the boy was wiggling around, the man quickly realised it was too early to have him sit down for a little guqin lesson. He'd probably snap the strings on purpose just to get away.

He’d have to find something else for them to do.

Well, in that case…

***

Once the boy looked presentable - his clothes dusted off and his hair in a high ponytail - Shen Yuan took him for an adventure.

“Where are we going?”

“For a walk.”

The boy marched on a few steps, then waited for his shibo to catch up, only to repeat the cycle. Occasionally, he walked off to the side to check something out, then made his way back to the path.

Lai Liwei was like a little untrained puppy.

“But where are we going?” he asked as they crossed the rainbow bridge.

Shen Yuan chuckled a little. “This master has a feeling patience isn’t your strong suit…”

The boy gave him the side eye again.

Such an attitude at such a young age…!

Amused, Shen Yuan continued their walk. It wasn’t as if the surprise was really worth protecting, but it at least kept Lai Liwei from complaining in advance.

“Are we going back to Bai Zhan Peak? I know the way.”

“We’re not going to visit Liu-shidi, no,” Shen Yuan mused.

The boy squinted his eyes at him but continued walking.

Eventually, they arrived. It definitely wasn’t Bai Zhan Peak, Lai Liwei could tell. He wasn’t a shy kid, but he also didn’t know where he was, so he stepped closer to Shen Yuan’s side, taking in the view from a safe space.

Disciples were bustling about like bees in a hive.

It was a busy place where everyone had something to do. People walked by, carrying boxes and tools. Others came back with letters. Occasionally, someone disappeared in one of the buildings and came out with a group of disciples they had collected for a task.

“This is An Ding Peak,” Shen Yuan informed the child.

“Why are we here?” Lai Liwei asked, thinking about how he could be back on the Peak right now, beating others up.

“We’re visiting a friend and picking something up while we’re at it.”

***

Shen Yuan smiled at the girl who had just walked into Shang Qinghua’s office. She was carrying a lot more than kids her age were usually able to transport. In fact, she could carry even more than most of her seniors!

Setting the cargo down, she smiled brightly at An Ding’s Peak Lord. “Anything else, Shizun?”

Shang Qinghua smiled back at her. “Why don’t you introduce yourself to our visitors?”

Happily, she turned to face them. “Yi Jiayi, at your service!”

“Our pleasure,” said Shen Yuan. Lai Liwei looked up at him from the side, displeased about being spoken for, but just crossing his arms instead of complaining.

The girl saw the kid next to the adult and beamed with even more joy, hopping over. “That uniform! Are you from Bai Zhan Peak?”

Lai Liwei had been caught off guard. He blinked, then looked away with a “humph”. He wasn’t here to make friends.

Unfortunately for him, though, he, like many others, had gotten the wrong impression about Yi Jiayi when first meeting her. She wasn’t always so sweet.

“Hm? Are you not going to answer me?” she asked, getting irritated. “That’s too bad, because I always wanted to fight someone from Bai Zhan Peak! I’ll find out either way!”

The next unfortunate thing for Lai Liwei was the fact that the girl was incredibly strong.

In a swift movement, she had caught the Mountain King's head in her arm, trapping him under her armpit as she pulled him towards the Peak Lord’s backdoor garden. “Apologies, I have to borrow him for a minute! This disciple hopes you don’t mind!”

Shen Yuan chuckled. “Go ahead.”

Once the kids were out in the garden, the adults could hear them fighting. Not that they minded.

Shen Yuan sat down, and the two men talked about the order he had come to inspect before bringing it back to Qing Jing Peak.

***

Eventually, it was time to collect Lai Liwei.

They stepped out of the office and were met with a quite intriguing view: Yi Jiayi was sitting on his back, keeping him down.

The kids’ hair was dishevelled, both had grass marks on their clothes, and they were panting from their fight - yet, the winner was clear; An Ding Peak had secured it!

Upon seeing her master, the girl sprang up and ran to Shang Qinghua, excited to share the news about her victory.

“Now, now, have you been a little too rough with him?” asked the Peak Lord.

Yi Jiayi was in great spirits. “Shizun! I didn’t beat him up too badly, I promise!”

In the meantime, Lai Liwei had gotten up, too.

With a grim little face and a lowered head, he made his way over to Shen Yuan, pursing his lips and pouting. “I didn’t win.”

Clearly, the boy’s ego had been bruised.

Shen Yuan smiled and patted his head softly. “That just means you have more to learn. I can help with that.”

“It only means I have to fight more and become stronger…!”

“Partially. But what will you do if that’s not enough?”

The boy furrowed his brows and looked up.

“If Yi Jiayi gets stronger, too, you’ll have to have more than strength; you’ll need some proper technique.”

Thinking for a second, Lai Liwei’s eyes were filled with newly found curiosity and passion. “Will you teach me?”

Shen Yuan smiled and nodded.

The boy mirrored him, clearly having forgotten about his gloom.

Getting back inside, Shen Yuan then looked at the cargo he was supposed to bring back to Qing Jing Peak, taking a deep breath.

Shang Qinghua, having seen, smiled and spoke up. “Would Shen-shixiong like to have Yi Jiayi help him out?”

The girl in question was a ray of pure sunshine at the suggestion. “This disciple would love to help!”

In protest, Lai Liwei quickly grabbed a few boxes. “I can do it myself! I can take two trips!”

But with how many he was able to carry, it would take three.

Before anyone could tell him, though, he was out of the door, calling out, “I’m waiting outside.”

Shen Yuan ignored the boy’s wish. “This master would appreciate Yi Jiayi’s help.”

Happily, the girl went on to grab the rest of the cargo, carrying it out of the office. Of course, her actions were immediately met with Lai Liwei’s words of objection, trying to convince her to leave it to him. She was, however, just as stubborn. She had gotten the okay from Shen Yuan, so she simply refused.

The men chuckled, hearing their banter unfold.

Shang Qinghua smiled a bit, then. “If you want, you can keep her on Qing Jing Peak for a bit. I have a feeling she might help you with that boy.”

Shen Yuan looked at his friend with raised eyebrows. “You, too? Trying to give me a disciple?”

“I’ll be honest,” An Ding’s Peak Lord continued. “Lots of my disciples take advantage of her, making her carry their load and all. Yet, she’s clearly underworked. I think it would actually do her well to have a change of scenery and a new mission to occupy herself with.”

Oh, shut up… you’re not slick.

But he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t refuse the offer.

Not only was Yi Jiayi a wonderful girl, but she was also clearly capable of helping him handle the King of the Mountains. She would be a good influence for him. She was cheerful and kind, but she was strong when it was required.

“I’ll gladly take her in, then,” Shen Yuan smiled.

Chapter Text

With the help of his two disciples, Shen Yuan finally got around to redecorating his part of the Bamboo House.

Together, they cleared off furniture and decorations, art and instruments.

The boy had first complained, but when Yi Jiayi happily and quite easily started moving the table out on her own, he suddenly became very eager to do his part as well. Ever since the girl had first overpowered him - and that continued to happen every day since - Lai Liwei used any training opportunity to get stronger.

Or to outdo Yi Jiayi.

The guest from An Ding Peak, however, really didn’t care. It was a one-sided competition she still won.

Nonetheless, it was quite charming to watch. It had them both busy and entertained, and Shen Yuan had to admit that Shang Qinghua’s idea worked out quite well; Since the latter’s disciple had made it to Qing Jing Peak, Shen Jiu had never complained about his feral monkey again.

Unfortunately, though, his dear brother had found another reason to make a fuss.

On the second day after Yi Jiayi’s arrival, the Peak Lord had called his twin in for an early tea session.

“That girl from An Ding Peak is a menace, too!”

Shen Yuan was blinking in confusion. “I don’t think so.”

The older’s face was sour, though - a testament to him being rather serious. “You’re letting the other Peak Lords burden you with their worst disciples!”

“Now, now,” the younger started. “I think neither of them is truly a problem child! But really, Gege, what even makes you say that about Yi Jiayi? She’s a wonderful girl!”

“Wonderful?” the other sneered. “If you consider her eating every last edible thing from our kitchen, then yes! She sure is wonderful!”

“She– she what?!”

“Did you know that half of my disciples didn’t have breakfast this morning?!”

As it turned out, Shang Qinghua had not only given Shen Yuan a strong and precious disciple of his, but he had also delivered An Ding Peak of the black hole that was in her stomach. Yi Jiayi had to be the biggest eater on Cang Qiong Mountain.

It really was as if she had made a bargain receiving her impressive strength in return for eating five-people-portioned meals every time she stepped into a kitchen.

As a punishment, they had to do Shen Jiu’s part of the Bamboo House as well.

And deep clean it.

Luckily for Shen Yuan, his little helpers were quite good at it - even Lai Liwei!

Although he had accidentally broken a few things while packing - he hadn’t meant to, he just couldn’t be trusted with delicate objects - he was working hard afterwards to make up for it. He also just liked doing physical stuff as it helped take his mind off things.

The King of the Mountain was, in fact, distracted enough to team up with Yi Jiayi here and there for better results.

When they eventually brought the furniture back in and had finished helping Shen Yuan redecorate, both of the children seemed pleased.

Sitting at the same table, they shared celebratory tea.

“You two have done well!” Shen Yuan smiled, offering some praise. “I don’t remember when I last saw the Bamboo House being this clean! You even received my brother’s approval! Isn’t this lovely?”

Yi Jiayi was snacking on some melon seeds, smiling at her co-master. “This disciple apologises for having brought us double the workload!”

Across the table sat Lai Liwei, his chest slightly puffed. “It was a good strength-based workout.”

Shen Yuan chuckled internally. Is that your way of saying I forgive you?

“Mh! And Lai-shidi worked so hard!” the girl chirped, not having given up on her sweet nature - not even towards the Bai Zhan Peak disciple.

“No, I didn’t!” the latter huffed, however.

Yi Jiayi laughed heartily in response, thinking the other was trying to be humble. “Yes, you did!”

“No, I didn’t!”

“Aiya…” the adult let out, catching their attention. These two really have to work on their communication skills… “Liwei, your shijie is praising you.”

“No, she– she’s insulting me! I didn’t have to work hard, I’m not weak!”

“No, I wasn’t insulting you, you goose!” the girl immediately chimed in, upset at the accusation.

“Goose?!”

And before Shen Yuan could clear the misunderstanding, his two little disciples were already fighting in his living room. The man just sighed and sipped his tea. He had long given up on interfering - even if it was rather inappropriate for them to brawl it out in his house.

The fight was quickly decided with Yi Jiayi pinning the boy to the floor.

He had never won against her to begin with, but after a whole day of cleaning and moving furniture, he lacked the strength to keep up even more.

“Get off me!” he barked, panting.

“Not before you listen to me!” the girl barked right back. “I was complimenting you! You worked hard - you didn’t have to, you’re not weak - but you did a lot of work! That’s what I was saying!”

And with that, she got up and returned to her seat, angrily eating her melon seeds.

Lai Liwei sat back down at the table, too, scrunching his face.

Ahh, these kids…

“Now that that’s settled, this master will have you know that our sect leader is visiting tomorrow. You’d better be on your best behaviour!”

Neither was looking at him, too absorbed in their feelings.

“I’m serious,” he insisted. “No brawling and no eating food that’s not in your part of the kitchen!

“Yes, Shen-shibo…” they said in unison.

***

And until the sect leader appeared on Qing Jing Peak, Shen Yuan’s disciples did indeed as told.

Lai Liwei didn’t attack anyone and instead ran a few rounds around the peak, getting his energy out. When that became boring, he went to chop some wood and got some water, wanting to do more than just cardio.

In the meantime, his shijie remembered not to touch the food that wasn’t in her designated corner. That spot had been the Peak Lord’s solution to the problem of her eating all of his disciples’ food; if she needed more, she would have to go get more, but leave the rest of the kitchen untouched so all were guaranteed their next meal.

Then, in the afternoon, they had returned to Shen Yuan’s side to welcome the sect leader.

To everyone’s surprise, Yue Qingyuan hadn’t come alone; Next to him walked a girl, a young disciple of Qiong Ding Peak.

“Zhangmen-shixiong, welcome,” Shen Yuan said with a smile despite his premonition.

The sect leader returned the expression. “Shidi, I hope you don’t mind me having brought another guest.”

“Xiang Xiaodan,” the girl spoke, accompanying her introduction with a respectful bow.

“Welcome to Qing Jing Peak.”

“This disciple thanks Shen-shibo most kindly,” she said with a pleasant smile.

She had not spoken much yet, but Shen Yuan was already able to make an assessment; she had a calm air about her, polite, attentive, and not in the least bit unsure of herself.

“Let us begin,” Yue Qingyuan started, sitting down with the other.

Shen Yuan’s two disciples stood behind him; the boy crossing his arms, looking around, bored; the girl smiling happily but visibly holding back chatter. Neither was exactly sure what to do.

“These disciples will get you tea.” Of course, it had been Xiang Xiaodan. Walking over to the other two, she gave them a smile. “Come on.”

Lai Liwei just raised a brow, then looked at Yi Jiayi.

The latter, however. immediately beamed with joy, loving the opportunity to meet new people - but also because that meant she’d get to go to the kitchen. “Mh!”

Blinking, the boy looked over at his co-master and received a nod from him.

The King of the Mountains, too, followed the guest disciple from Qiong Ding Peak out of the room.

Fascinating… Shen Yuan watched them until they were out, smiling to himself. Neither was pouting - even if Liwei has to play servant and Jiayi is going to miss out on our conversation.

“Xiang Xiaodan has that effect on others,” Yue Qingyuan started, having seen his sect sibling’s reaction. “She is a promising disciple.”

“So I see,” the other agreed. “It is as if people naturally want to follow her lead - or at least they don’t mind doing so.”

The sect leader seemed pleased to hear this. “If Shidi would like, I could leave her here for a bit.”

“This is actually something I wanted to discuss today,” Shen Yuan sighed. “I’m not blind, I know what the Peak Lords are doing…”

“Are you displeased about it?” Yue Qingyuan asked in a gentle tone.

“It’s not so much that I mind it, it’s just… It isn’t fair to the disciples. They aren’t mine, I can’t teach them what their peak stands for, and they might not appreciate the fact that their masters use them as my replacement for Luo Binghe…”

“Shidi… I will be honest,” the sect leader started. “This does not benefit solely you. These are not disciples chosen at random.”

“No?”

“No,” Yue Qingyuan smiled. “When we discussed what we could do to help you with your sorrows, we did not simply decide to distract you with some children to take care of.”

I’d sure hope not!

“We would also never have decided to bring you disciples who would not benefit from being here,” he continued. “All of these children struggle on their own peak. We thought we would help both with a change of environment and tutelage.”

“They… struggled on their own Peak?” Shen Yuan asked, surprised to hear. To him, they fit their origin just right.

“Mh,” the other confirmed. “The boy from Bai Zhan Peak, for example, has a hard time keeping up with his seniors. As the youngest, he isn’t as strong or experienced as they are, yet, with that belligerence and pride, he keeps seeking fights he cannot win. He is not popular. Of course, Liu-shidi’s peak is no place where one can avoid getting bruises, but Lai Liwei has effectively become an outcast and, thus, a target. We thought here he would get some time to grow without eventually getting trampled.”

Shen Yuan remembered how the boy looked when he first arrived. How had he not seen? Lai Liwei had been a total mess! He had instantly felt pity towards him, jumping to take care of the poor boy!

“As for the girl,” Yue Qingyuan began. “People have taken advantage of her strength and made her do their work. She is goodhearted, so she naturally agreed. But when she got older, she realised what was happening and started refusing. The workload got heavier for those who got used to not doing it, and so resentment grew. The other disciples call Yi Jiayi a lazy glutton, but Shang-shidi knew it wasn’t so. He felt bad for such a joyous and hardworking girl to be treated this way, so we wanted her to come here.”

She, too, was an outcast? Shen Yuan couldn’t believe it… The girl had been so happy to be around people, smiling from ear to ear day in and day out. He simply couldn’t understand how anyone was capable of treating her badly!

But wait…

“Then what about your disciple..?” he asked carefully.

Yue Qingyuan smiled softly. “While my other disciples do not mistreat her, she has no authority despite her talents and nature. She is my youngest, you see. The reason I am bringing her here is because I am worried about her…”

“Why is that?”

“She hides it well, but… Xiang Xiaodan is terribly frustrated,” he started to explain. “She is very ambitious and knows that she can do so much more. She can lead. However, on Qiong Ding Peak, she does not get the opportunity to. I worry that some sort of desperation is growing in her… I would not want to see her risk being rash just to prove herself one day.”

Shen Yuan took a deep breath. So even Xiang Xiaodan struggled in a way…

“If you would take her in, she could help you keep a bit of order,” Yue Qingyuan continued. “She would enjoy that, and I think it would make things easier for my shidi, too.”

The shidi in question chuckled softly, then calmed.

“...Of course, she can stay,” Shen Yuan eventually let out, smiling to himself. “But I think you knew what my answer would be. You came prepared.”

Yue Qingyuan’s face said it all.

Just then, the three children returned.

Yi Jiayi was carrying a tray with a steaming teapot, cups, and small bowls filled with snacks. Happily, she set it down on the table before stepping back.

Lai Liwei then took on his duty to pour the tea. Although he hadn’t always been the most careful, he managed without spilling, returning back in line, too.

Xiang Xiaodan, next to them, gave a little bow before she turned to leave the room.

Qing Jing Peak’s two special disciples looked at each other, did the same, and turned to follow.

“Wait,” Shen Yuan then said, though, stopping them. “You forgot something.”

The leader of the group blinked in surprise, returning to the table herself.

Taking one of the snack bowls off the tray, Shen Yuan held it out for her to take.

“Here, while you wait.”

Chapter Text

Shen Yuan was simply charmed by those sweet little children. Every day, they made him smile.

And it was just all getting better.

Qiong Ding Peak’s visiting disciple had actually managed to impose a bit of a schedule on the other two - and it wasn’t just a common one kids would come up with; it was very much adapted to her shidi’s and shimei’s personalities and needs.

She knew, for example, that Lai Liwei needed to get the surplus of energy out of his System first, so she assigned him manual chores early in the morning - at a time when Qing Jing Peak’s other disciples wouldn’t be in the bamboo forest or near the river, and, thus, unable to distract him from chopping wood and getting water.

Yi Jiayi, on the other hand, liked to sleep a little longer and woke up hungry. Therefore, her first task in the morning was to prepare breakfast for Shen Yuan and his disciples - her included. That way, she could start the day in a good mood and a full stomach. The girl’s shijie had also noticed that eating together was something Yi Jiayi really appreciated.

And Xiang Xiaodan herself preferred to get everything ready for the day first. After getting up, she took her time taking care of herself, then revised her plans. She prepared all she could for the chores she had to complete later before taking a walk, checking on her shidi and shimei. Ten minutes before the others would arrive, she sat down with Shen Yuan, asking him what he had planned for them and adjusting her schedule accordingly.

Then, it was time to eat.

Most of the conversation naturally came from Yi Jiayi, but both her co-master and her shijie had things to say as well. Only Lai Liwei was quiet during meals, but he was listening in on their conversations.

After that, Shen Yuan took advantage of their energy but also the calm; Playing his guqin, he offered the right atmosphere to focus, meaning his disciples had to do some reading.

The three of them sat together. When Xiang Xiaodan saw Lai Liwei skipping the boring parts, she asked him questions about them. Answering always required the knowledge he skipped, so he had to go back and read up on it. This way, she helped him read more and simultaneously connect the dots. She did something similar for Yi Jiayi, who always tried to talk about something that excited her; her shijie commented on some connection between that and something a few paragraphs after it, igniting her curiosity and making her read on.

Then, in the bit of time between their readings and lunch, Qiong Ding Peak’s disciple had them go back to what they liked to do; Lai Liwei got to do some physical stuff, Yi Jiayi returned to her one true love, food, and Xiang Xiaodan did some light chores and organisation.

After another meal came more lessons.

These, however, heavily depended on what Shen Yuan had planned; Sometimes, it was exercise, learning about a technique, meditating, and occasionally the arts.

A bit more free time and they were already having dinner.

Shen Yuan usually left them alone in the evening, but some days, he picked out one of his disciples and spent time with them. Whether it ended up as a private lesson, conversation, or simply a game of Go; all depended on what his children needed and wanted from him.

Needless to say, his dear twin brother really couldn’t complain anymore.

Not only was he being a good teacher, but his disciples also learned and behaved well - even if Lai Liwei still had to be forced to bathe and have his hair brushed sometimes, and Yi Jiayi’s melon seed intake had to be restricted.

***

All was so terribly sweet - until a week after Xiang Xiaodan’s arrival; Shen Jiu once again called his brother in for tea. Early.

An early tea session really is a bad omen on Qing Jing Peak!

By the look on his face, Shen Yuan’s brother was seething.

“Do you know why I called you at this time?”

“No,” the younger answered, sipping his tea. “But from past experiences, I’d assume because of a disciple of mine.”

“Of course, it is!” Shen Jiu snapped. “The others can’t hand you a normal one, can they?!”

“Well, this time I somehow doubt it’s that bad.”

“Oh, is that so?” the older sneered, clearly displeased. “I beg to differ.”

“Alright, spit it out.”

“The new one. She stole weapons from ten different disciples!”

Shen Yuan blinked, not moving for a moment. “Xiaodan did what now…?!”

“She stole. And when I was told and went to check the dorms, she was effectively hiding and hoarding my disciples’ weapons under her bed!”

The Peak Lord’s twin was naturally flabbergasted.

Did the sect leader actually palm a dragon off on Shen Yuan?

***

“Shidi, are you still pouting?”

Yi Jiayi had decided to spend her lesson-free afternoon with her friend, who was repeating a few techniques their co-master had recently taught them.

“I’m not pouting,” the boy answered, a little breathless.

“Yeah, you are, oh, great King of the Mountains,” the girl chuckled, drawing her own blade and joining Lai Liwei’s exercise, synchronising their movements.

Lai Liwei gave her a quick side eye at the tease.

Both focused on the exercise for a few minutes, then. The one who eventually broke the flow was the disciple from Bai Zhan Peak; He had come to a halt, looking down at the blade in his hand.

The girl just smiled. “Do you really want a spiritual blade that badly?”

The reason for Lai Liwei’s gloom was that their co-master had taken Xiang Xiaodan to Wan Jian Peak, where she would draw a blade from the rock wall. This meant that their shijie, who was already ahead in technique and skill, would come back even stronger.

“It’s only natural she’d get one before us!” Yi Jiayi chirped, moving to take a leaf out of her friend’s hair. "She's a little older than we are!"

Lai Liwei allowed it, having warmed up to her a little. He then watched the leaf drift through the air and fall to the ground. “Even if: she’s still pretty young for that.”

He had felt weird ever since coming to Qing Jing Peak; people were nice and close. He wasn’t just left on his own, simply settling out to fight whoever was unsuspecting or made him feel threatened in a way. It was a comfortable life like that, but he also worried that he was growing weaker. After all; on Bai Zhan Peak, people believed that a harsh environment would bring forth strong fighters.

And now here he was, doing chores early in the morning, letting his shijie fix his appearance, and sometimes doing calligraphy in the afternoon.

But no, that wasn’t all…

Xiang Xiaodan often offered to look at his form in the evening, Yi Jiayi sparred with him whenever he asked, and his co-master had given him private fighting lessons before. He wasn’t growing weak; he was growing stronger.

“I’ll get a spiritual blade eventually…” the boy sighed, looking at the disciple from An Ding Peak, then, a subtle smirk on his lips. “Until I can beat you at least once, I’m not ready anyway!”

And with that, he attacked her.

Yi Jiayi knew her friend well enough to have seen it coming. She blocked him and threw him back, countering his attack with her own.

This went on for a while - both testing some of the new techniques, but also just fighting like they always did.

Eventually, though, Lai Liwei was on the ground.

“Shidi, have you noticed how much longer we’ve been able to spar lately?” Yi Jiayi asked, terribly excited at the realisation, holding out a hand for the other.

“Mh,” the boy let out, taking her hand and letting her help him up. “I bet you’re holding back, though!”

She could only laugh heartily. “No! I had to try a lot harder, actually!”

Lai Liwei changed into an offensive stance. “Again. No mercy!”

But before they could begin, an adult male voice coming from the side interrupted them. “Save your strength.”

When they turned their heads, their eyes widened; it was no other than Bai Zhan Peak’s War God himself, Liu Qingge. The boy’s back immediately straightened, a rush of adrenaline running through his body.

“Fight me,” the Peak Lord commanded, facing his disciple, his blade at the ready.

His master had come all the way from a different Peak to test him.

Lai Liwei had been beaten up by him before, but it had been easily done during a group attack. He hadn’t even been acknowledged personally back then.

He couldn’t help but wonder if it was to see if he was still worthy of the uniform.

It made him nervous - but at the same time, it filled him with a lot of pride. His shizun had really come here to fight him!

Once Yi Jiayi had settled on the sidelines, Lai Liwei started sparring with his master. Naturally, he had no chance, but that had never been a question. No, the question was if he was still getting stronger.

The boy very quickly learned, however, that fighting the Peak Lord on his own was even less of a joke. It didn’t feel like he had improved; it actually felt like it had gotten more difficult.

But he hadn’t the time to wallow in that feeling.

The Peak Lord demanded all his attention; he kept attacking Lai Liwei with hard blows, threw him back a few metres, but followed so he wouldn’t have the time to recover from it. Whenever the boy actually managed to try and attack back, Liu Qingge easily parried. Occasionally, his disciple managed to dodge, and then his shizun would swiftly attack from a different side, throwing the other off.

Soon enough. Lai Liwei was slowly getting out of breath, his movements becoming sloppier, his reactions slower - until eventually, he was on the ground, panting, covered in dirt and sweat.

“Not bad,” the Peak Lord started. “But not good, either.”

Defeated, the disciple closed his eyes, his body aching.

“Not good?!”

The boy’s eyes immediately shot open again, darting to his shijie. He had heard it in her voice; she was offended… but… why?

“Lai Liwei is a great fighter!” she declared, having come up to Liu Qingge, unafraid. “He’s just been doing lots of strength-based stuff all day! This disciple knows he’s better than ‘not good’ if the esteemed Peak Lord had fought him at his best!”

And if Liu Qingge were a more expressive man, he would have raised a brow at her. “Do you always make excuses?”

“There is a difference between excuses and explanations!” the girl argued.

But the Peak Lord didn’t care to entertain her and turned to leave.

Yi Jiayi, however, wasn’t having any of it. She ran into his path, stopping him, drawing her blade and pointing it at the man who had just insulted her friend. “Fight me, then!”

Upon hearing that, Lai Liwei had to prep himself up on his elbows, unbelieving.

To his surprise, the Peak Lord really drew his own blade. They were going to fight!

An Ding Peak’s disciple also very quickly got to feel the difference in power; Naturally, the War God had a lot more than her - but that was exciting! She never had to use as much of her strength as she did in this fight, never struggled as much before!

From the sidelines, her shidi could tell she didn’t get thrown back half as far as he had been. However, his master soon understood that she preferred parrying over dodging, knew she was confident in her strength, and decided to switch to a quicker style, attacking from different sides.

Eventually, Yi Jiayi, too, lost.

Of course, if the Peak Lord had truly wanted to, he could have ended the fight a lot earlier, but he was testing her. His verdict? “Too slow.”

The girl was on the ground, panting, not even able to summon an emotion - the exhaustion too strong.

But when the Peak Lord turned to leave, he was stopped one more time.

“Again…!” a breathless voice had called out.

Liu Qingge looked back to see that Lai Liwei had managed to get up again, looking at him with determination even though his legs were trembling.

Once more, the King of the Mountains decided to face the War God.

***

And once again, he ended up on the ground.

This time, however, Bai Zhan’s Peak Lord didn’t give the same verdict.

Truly, this round had been different; although Lai Liwei had been exhausted already, he somehow fought better. It didn’t make any sense, but he was more focused, dodged and parried more often, and could take even more than last time.

Liu Qingge regarded the panting, bruised boy lying on the ground and couldn’t help but wonder what miracle Shen Yuan had worked on him. Their disciple had come back for a second round and had somehow been stronger.

“Good.”

Sheathing his sword, the Peak Lord turned to leave - this time without interruption.

When he was gone, Lai Liwei heard a thud next to his ear, forcing his eyes open, only for him to see his shijie had let herself fall to her knees.

“Your Peak Lord… is pretty tough,” she chuckled breathlessly. She, too, was clearly exhausted and bruised. “But do you want to know something?”

“What?” the boy asked weakly.

“He’s not half as impressive as we are!” she argued. “If we make it back to the dorm, we’ll have achieved a lot more today than he did by beating up the youngest disciples on Cang Qiong Mountain!”

Although she was talking about his master, Lai Liwei couldn’t suppress a weak chuckle.

Yi Jiayi then gently helped him up while barely able to stand on her own two feet.

With an arm around each other’s shoulders, they stumbled back towards the dorm, panting, exhausted.

“I don’t think… I can make dinner today…!”

“And I… won’t be taking a bath…!”

Both looked at each other and managed to give out a weak chuckle.

"Why... did you even fight him?" Lai Liwei eventually asked as they were about to pass the Bamboo House.

"He was wrong about you," Yi Jiayi answered. "I couldn't let that slide."

Of course, she couldn't... People were wrong about her all the time, too. The boy knew about her strength now, but had she never beaten him up, he would probably have continued to believe she was just some random delivery girl from An Ding Peak.

"Why are you even asking? You didn't let him get away with calling me slow, either!" she smiled. "I was really touched when you got up and fought again!"

"Huh? I didn't do that for you," he carelessly let out.

Yi Jiayi's temper returned. "Excuse you?!"

"What? You really were slow..."

Before he knew it, the other disciple had thrown him to the ground. He tried to kick her.

They were both terribly exhausted, but too proud not to fight again, so the girl moved to hold him down, keeping him nailed to the ground with her hands on Lai Liwei's wrists, holding them above his head.

"Why did you get up to fight again, then, huh?!" Yi Jiayi demanded to know.

"Because-" he started, breaking off in a moment of pride, but deciding to clear the misunderstanding nonetheless. "Because you inspired me to!"

The girl blinked in surprise. "What?"

"You're brave..." he grumbled. "And I wanted to be brave, too..."

Hearing that, she brought her hands to her mouth, sitting up, down on his stomach, not worried about the groan of pain that came out of him as she did. "Aww, shidiiiii..."

"Can you-" the poor boy panted, struggling with her weight on some internal bruise. "-get off me?!"

But before she could, an unfamiliar voice spoke up from the side. "What the-"

Turning their heads, they saw their co-master, Xiang Xiaodan, and a boy they had never seen before had just arrived back at the Bamboo House.

Chapter Text

For a moment, everyone was frozen in time.

It took Lai Liwei’s coughing for the spell to break, and from then on, everyone moved at once.

“Sorry, shidi!” Yi Jiayi said in a worried voice, getting off and trying to pull him and herself back up.

Their master hurried over, inspecting them. The exhaustion on their faces was as apparent as the dirt on their clothes and the bruises on their skin. “What happened to you?! What have you two been doing?! Who did this?!”

“Sparring… test…” Lai Liwei coughed out, leaning on his shijie.

“Liu-shidi was here?!” Oh, when I catch you!!! Who gave you the permission to beat up my chil- our- MY DISCIPLES?!

Behind Shen Yuan, the newcomer leaned towards Xiang Xiaodan. “Is that like a common view, or…?”

“Sort of. Never this severe,” the girl revealed, smiling politely. “Shen-shishu, I can help them get to the dorm.”

“Indeed, I’d appreciate you two bringing them to their beds,” their co-master decided, turning to the unharmed, then. “I’ll be hurrying to Qian Cao Peak, I’ll get some medicine.”

And with that, Shen Yuan was gone again.

Xiang Xiaodan moved to her shimei’s side, taking over and helping her to the dorm while the newcomer did the same with his shidi, who was just as close to collapsing.

As soon as Yi Jiayi was on the bed, she weakly grasped her shijie’s hand, her eyes fluttering closed. “I… I’m going to sleep… Wake me… for dinner…”

And when Lai Liwei fell onto the mattress, he looked up and squinted his eyes a bit. “Who… are you…?”

***

Earlier that day, during lunch, Shen Yuan had announced that they’d have the afternoon off.

Everyone but Xiang Xiaodan.

The girl cast her gaze downwards, then spoke. “May this disciple know why?”

Given that her master’s older twin, the Peak Lord himself, had caught her little misdeed, she knew the reason - that was not what she wanted to know! No, she feared she was going to be returned to her shizun.

Even though she had just come here…

But Shen Qingqiu calmed her worries, having heard the undertone of worry in her voice. “This master will take you to Wan Jian Peak.”

All heads turned.

“Our shijie is getting her personal sword?” Yi Jiayi asked in great excitement.

Even their shidi spoke up for once. “Already…?!”

Xiang Xiaodan blinked in surprise. She really hadn’t expected she’d be rewarded for… stealing other disciples’ blades…! Why was there no punishment? Not even a scolding!

Their co-master smiled. “You like spiritual blades a lot, don’t you?”

The girl nodded.

“My brother did tell me you only took those,” he revealed. “If you had your own, there would be no reason to steal others’, right?”

“I…” Xiang Xiaodan started, pondering whether she should be honest or not. Not many would react well to it, but in her heart, she felt the need to; if she made a mistake, she would have to rectify it. Telling the truth was part of it. “I didn’t steal because just to get my own spiritual blade…”

“Then why did you do it?”

“I collect things I like… and I like fancy blades…” she revealed, softly ashamed. “I know it is wrong.”

“I would assume so,” Shen Yuan mused. “I think your shizun wouldn’t have allowed you to steal everyone’s blades, either.”

The girl smiled to herself. Of course, her Peak Lord wouldn’t have tolerated it - that was why she didn’t. She had always just stared at that blade he never drew, and when she saw the older disciples walk around with theirs, she imagined them all in an armoury. Those blades, and their powers… She was simply fascinated, and she wanted to admire them all day long.

She couldn’t help it; it was a view she missed every day.

Xiang Xiaodan had, of course, always suppressed that longing, but soon after she had come to Qing Jing Peak, the pressure suddenly vanished. This place had become a little home faster than Qiong Ding Peak, and she finally gave in.

Really, she had already felt bad after the first blade, but it had pleased her so much to turn over the edge of her bed and have a look! So much so that she stole another. And then eight more.

“How about this?” Shen Yuan then started. “We’ll go to Wan Jian Peak, you draw a sword, and when things go well, this master will ensure your collection grows. That way, it will consist of only blades that are yours, you won’t have to feel bad about stealing, and you will be rewarded if you don’t.”

The girl needed a moment, but then Xiang Xiaodan’s eyes sparkled. “Shen-shishu is too generous…!”

To her left, Yi Jiayi threw her hands into the air, celebrating. “That is amazing for you, Shijie! I’m so happy!”

To her right, Lai Liwei stared at them, floored.

Across from her, her co-master smiled, pleased by their agreement. Of course, he wouldn’t just give his disciple a blade to appease her, though; she had already proven herself. She was young, but Xiang Xiaodan was ready.

***

She would really get her own collection!

The girl still couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t even stop herself from smiling all the way from one peak to another! Although she was calm by nature, Xiang Xiaodan was almost tempted to start skipping!

“What type of sword are you hoping for?” Shen Yuan asked, seeing her joy in the corner of his eyes.

“One that suits me!” But that was the obvious answer, so, in her excitement, she added some more details. “One that will withstand my changes throughout the years and stay by my side! One that will help me achieve my dreams, and preferably one with a nice glow to it!”

“Interesting,” her co-master mused. “Why do you say it has to withstand all changes, though? If you plan on collecting swords, doesn’t that mean you will have enough for at least one to suit the person you are in the moment?”

“Well, that’s the thing,” she smiled. “The first one will always be special! And if it stays with me forever, that means I’ve stayed overall true to myself!”

“Do you think you will be the exact same person in ten years?”

“I hope so…” the girl confirmed, looking up. “Do people my age change a lot?”

“Not just people your age,” Shen Yuan revealed. “You never know what life has in store…”

If only you knew how I got here… or where my other disciple ended up at…

“But it’s not always bad, right?”

“No. Not always. When someone changes, it often just means a person has grown,” he reassured her.

Master and disciple had both just taken an absent-minded step onto Wan Jian Peak when a youth immediately moved to stand in front of them. The boy’s face, hands, and clothes were dirty, but his hair was neatly kept out of his face.

“Hey, do you want a sword?”

Both stopped to look at him. Had he just waited there the whole time for someone to pass by?

“Yes or no?”

Shen Yuan raised his eyebrows. While he wasn't too strict about grand displays of respect, that child really was testing the limits.

Xiang Xiaodan was equally surprised, then gave that disciple a look and a smile.

“Oh!” the boy let out, but didn’t move his hands off his hips. “Apologies. This disciple would like to know if the visitors would like a sword.”

Wow.

The visitors in question were amazed by how bad this boy was at conversing formally. While Xiang Xiaodan could only think about giving him a crash course on it, Shen Yuan couldn’t help a chuckle.

“May this master know the whereabouts of the Peak Lord?” he asked in a gentle tone.

Immediately, the boy started pouting a little. “Why?”

“Because I have a disciple who would like to get a personal blade.”

“Why didn’t you say so?!” the boy asked, immediately cheering up. “I’ll make you a sword!”

“No, no,” Shen Yuan tried again. “We don’t need you to make a new one. We would simply like to go to the rock wall.”

However, no matter how the man tried to explain it, the boy proceeded to try and convince them to let him make one from scratch.

Eventually, rescue neared when another adult approached from behind the disciple. “Shen-shixiong!”

The boy immediately tried to move out of the way, but Wei Qingwei, the lord of Wan Jian Peak, took hold of him and pulled him right back. Next to the man, the disciple suddenly seemed sheepish, making himself smaller.

“Wei-shidi,” Shen Yuan started. “I assume you have received my letter.”

“I have. Of course, you are welcome to draw a blade,” the Peak Lord said, looking at Xiang Xiaodan, then at her co-master. “I apologise for this one, I thought I made it clear he was to stop harassing people at the bridge…!”

The boy shrank even more.

“Go.” And once the boy had left, the man turned, too, leading his visitors ahead. “Now, if you please.”

Following the Peak Lord, they eventually made it to the famous rock wall.

The girl’s eyes sparkled. Now, those were proper blades for a collection! And today, she would take one of these home.

Wei Qingwei and Shen Yuan were both watching her as she stepped closer, slowly walking past the blades, taking them all in. They hadn’t told her what to do other than draw the blade that would speak to her.

Xiang Xiaodan took her time. For a long while, it didn’t feel like any of them were really made for her. She didn’t feel anything, actually.

But then, there was a spark. She was getting closer.

She followed the trail until she found the source of her sensation: a blade that truly spoke to her. Both the hilt and the guard were extremely detailed - the guard a dragon, the hilt covered in tiny scales and occasional gems.

Xiang Xiaodan put her hand on it and knew it was the right blade.

She pulled, and it slid right out of the rock wall.

“Hm. How curious…” The Peak Lord let out, watching.

Fueling it with spiritual energy, the blade started emitting a gentle, white glow, and it was as if a soft breeze picked up speed around her.

“What is?” Shen Yuan asked his sect sibling with a smile.

But before Wei Qingwei could answer, someone started shouting.

“THAT IS MY BLADE!!! SHE PULLED IT OUT!!! DID YOU SEE, SHIZUN?!”

***

The two adults sat together, talking over a cup of tea. Outside, the boy from earlier was watching Xiang Xiaodan perform some sword techniques.

“Why exactly did you have to ban him from the forge?” the visitor from Qing Jing Peak inquired.

“Because he is weirdly territorial,” Wei Qingwei started explaining. “He doesn’t like other people in there with him when he’s working. He’s tried pushing other disciples out and has thrown things before, so until he’s learned how to share a space, he’s not allowed back in there.”

Shen Yuan looked out of the window, regarding the boy who stood there, patiently watching, fascinated to see his creation in use.

“It’s a real shame,” the Peak Lord continued. “He has talent, you know? That sword, Fei Long, is of high quality and his first and only proper spiritual blade. Right after, he turned into a little beast. He could have done a lot more already if it weren’t for his behaviour. You have witnessed it, too…”

That I did…

As it turned out, in an attempt to pressure his master into letting him use the forge, he had taken on harassing people visiting the Peak. If they commissioned a blade, he’d go to his master and say he had no choice lest they’d lose face.

“Shen-shixiong, I must ask…”

“You want me to take him in?”

Wei Qingwei sighed. “I have heard my shixiong has done well with the others’ disciples… I would hate for this child’s behaviour to get any worse, and I’d love to let him get back to his passion.”

“I am not opposed, but I worry… I do not exactly have a forge on Qing Jing Peak.”

The other nodded. “How about you send him back for a day every other week and we’ll see how it goes?”

“That sounds like a plan,” Shen Yuan smiled. “But we should ask him still.”

The Peak Lord called out. “Huang Yao!”

Both he and Xiang Xiaodan came back inside.

“Yeah?” he let out, then saw his shijie was giving him a look again, so he straightened his back. “I mean– Yes, Shizun?”

“Go with them.”

That wasn't what I meant with 'asking him'...!

The boy blinked. “What? Why?”

“It will do you good,” Wei Qingwei just said, crossing his arms.

“Shizun… doesn’t want me anymore?”

This whole interaction had Shen Yuan sigh internally. No wonder that boy had been so dry back on the bridge; his master was just like that.

He felt like he was a mediating mother, sitting between a stoic father and a frustrated child. “No worries, you will remain a disciple of Wan Jian Peak and will also regularly come back.”

The Peak Lord nodded.

“Then why…” he started, then sighed. “If that’s what it takes…”

Clearly, the boy was still thinking he was being punished. Shen Yuan felt bad and tried to cheer him up a little. “You know, you will get to see that marvellous blade of yours in action every day now. Isn’t that exciting?”

Huang Yao took a deep breath, nodding a little.

Next to him, Xiang Xiaodan smiled. “I’m looking forward to having you on Qing Jing Peak, shidi. I’m glad our conversation about blades doesn’t end here.”

This time, the boy was able to conjure a little smile. “Me, too!”

Chapter Text

Once the injured had been put to bed, Xiang Xiaodan and Huang Yao came back together.

“Sooo… is this like a gang of unwanted disciples? Why’s everyone from another peak?” the boy asked with a raised brow.

His shijie smiled at him. “May I give you some well-meaning advice? You should really work on how you talk about and to others.”

“Yeah, well…” Huang Yao started, sighing. “Just answer the question.”

Continuing to smile, Xiang Xiaodan refused.

The newcomer started pouting. “Sorry… can you please answer my question?”

“We’ll have to talk about formalities a bit more, I fear,” the disciple from Qiong Ding Peak said, but still decided to reward the attempt. “‘Unwanted disciples’ might not be the right word. Our masters haven’t given us into Shen-shiahu’s care to get rid of us. It’s an opportunity.”

“To you guys, maybe… I don’t see what I’m supposed to do here! This place doesn’t even have a forge!”

“Yet.”

“What?” Huang Yao let out, perking up.

“One thing I have learned is that Shen-shishu can make anything happen,” she smiled. “But until then, you and I will simply have to talk about swords before you get to make them.”

“You know, we should make a deal,” he started. “You convince our step-master to build a forge, and I’ll make you as many blades as you like!”

In her heart, Xiang Xiaodan naturally accepted, but she wouldn’t say it out loud. “How about I teach you some manners, and when you’ve learned to say please and thank you, you can ask him yourself?”

“Hah!” the boy let out, laughing and gently boxing her arm with his fist. “You’re funny, I like you!”

***

Mu Qingfang smiled at his guest. “Shen-shixiong!”

“Greetings, Mu-shidi! I apologise for coming here unannounced,” Shen Qingqiu quickly said, stopping at the other’s desk. “I unfortunately have a little emergency.”

“Oh?” Qian Cao’s Peak Lord let out. “What can I help you with?”

“Liu-shidi has beaten up two of my disciples,” the guest explained, huffing and puffing. “They’re covered in bruises and already passed out from exhaustion! He’s really pushed them to their limits, and I’m afraid I have nothing on my Peak that’s going to be effective enough.”

“Mh,” the man let out, turning and starting to put some herbs and bottles together.

“Really! I ought to pay that man a visit and let him have a piece of my mind!”

“Your disciples refused to spar, and he fought them anyway?”

“Well, they didn’t exactly refuse, but…”

“Then he’s just done what he does with his own,” Mu Qingfang smiled, turning back to the other. “The older Bai Zhan Peak disciples end up bed-bound like that once every two weeks.”

“Well, he can do that to his own, not mine!”

The Peak Lord suppressed a chuckle and put the medicine on the desk. “These herbs here can be brewed along with tea. The medicine in this bottle can be applied to the bruises. And these pills here… you have to administer yourself.”

Shen Qingqiu raised a brow. “I have to do it?”

“They’re extremely effective when it comes to pain,” Mu Qingfang started. “But because of that, disciples often try to take more than they should. One in the morning, one in the evening for three days, not more.”

“Understood.”

“I can also send a disciple with you, so you won’t have to do all that yourself," the Peak Lord then suggested.

Really…? You, too?

“Mu-shidi… Is this a disciple you hope I take into my care?” Shen Qingqiu had to ask.

“It is a disciple who will benefit from it as much as you will benefit from having them around,” the man softly argued. “Especially if Liu-shixiong intends to beat up your disciples again.”

“You needn’t try to convince me,” the guest said, sighing. “I just wanted to know if I should send them back once those three days are over.”

“You can send them back anytime, but I am sure they will be happy to serve on Qing Jing Peak,” Mu Qingfang smiled, pleased to hear. He then spoke up again, his tone just a little stricter. “This master knows you’ve been listening. Come in.”

Shen Qingqiu’s eyes widened when a disciple suddenly appeared from behind a door.

The child bowed first to the Peak Lord, then to the guest.

“Questions?” Mu Qingfang asked his disciple. “If not, let me say that I expect you to behave. Now, be polite and introduce yourself.”

The child obeyed, wearing a calm smile. “Shi Mingyu. It is an honour.”

Although stunned, Shen Qingqiu returned the smile, finding himself curious about this person. “This master will gladly welcome Shi Mingyu on Qing Jing Peak.”

***

But after sending Qian Cao Peak’s disciple ahead, the man had taken another route.

You’re not getting off the hook that easily…!

Stomping onto Bai Zhan Peak, he looked for recent signs of destruction and pain - and found both! Disciples were just clearing off the training grounds, some limping, others just sitting around, exhausted. The culprit had just been there.

Shen Qingqiu followed the trail and found his way to the War God’s residence.

“Liu-shidi?” He called out, his tone mildly threatening as he walked in.

The named appeared, coming out of his room. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, what am I doing here? What were you doing on Qing Jing Peak, beating up my disciples?!” he asked, one hand on his hip, the other using his fan to poke the Peak Lord’s chest.

“Sparring test,” the War God answered, unaffected by Shen Qingqiu’s mood.

“Is that what you call it?” the latter asked, annoyed. “You beat them into a half-coma!”

“They’re not that weak, they’ll be fine.”

“‘They’ll be fine’?!” Shen Qingqiu repeated. “Just because they’ll be fine doesn’t mean you can just do that!”

Liu Qingge looked at the other for a moment. “You care that much about disciples that aren’t technically yours?”

“Of course, I do! And they are mine! …Partially!”

”Mh,” the other man let out, regarding him with something akin to curiosity.

But seeing the lack of reaction just irritated the guest from Qing Jing Peak further. “Shidi! I mean it! Don’t beat up our disciple like that anymore!”

The Peak Lord turned his head away, unable to look at him in that moment - and if Shen Qingqiu wasn’t so busy scoding him, he would have noticed the subtle blush on the man’s face when he heard him say ‘our disciple’.

“Are you taking me seriously?! You could at least have made sure I was on the Peak!”

“I will. Next time.”

“You aren’t listening to me! There’s no next time! You don’t get to do more sparring tests if it ends with me running to Qian Cao Peak for help!”

“It was the girl who demanded I’d fight her, too, and it was Lai Liwei who stood up a second time after that,” Liu Qingge eventually revealed. “I didn’t force them to test their limits.”

“But–”

“They’re stronger than you think,” the Peak Lord insisted. “Also, I don’t know what you did with them, but it’s working. Lai Liwei's skill has massively increased. And that girl is strong.”

Shen Qingqiu was pouting ever so slightly, but the praise still calmed him a little.

This man…

“Well… you may come back and spar with them, then - but only if I’m around to determine when is enough!”

“Alright,” the War God just said, a very faint musing in his tone. “I’ll come by and visit our disciple next week. Make sure you’re there.”

***

In the meantime, Shi Mingyu had arrived on Qing Jing Peak.

“Another one?!” Ming Fan let out, watching the kid cross the Rainbow Bridge from a distance. “Has this become a popular pilgrimage destination?! How many strays does Shizun intend to adopt?!”

“Shizun is generous,” Ning Yingying smiled. “And they’re all cute, don’t you think?”

“Cute?!” the boy repeated. “They’re all causing trouble! Shifu even says the other Peak Lords are taking advantage of Shizun’s kindness!”

“I’m glad to see them here,” his shimei insisted. “They’re making Shizun happy. He can smile despite his loss…”

Ming Fan immediately got irritated. Although he was a disciple of the older twin, the Peak Lord, he had also always served the younger by extension, and he had always been jealous of how much Shen Yuan favoured that Luo Binghe.

Sighing, he looked back at the bridge only to see that the kid was gone. “...You might be right. They’re annoying, but at least Shizun is forgetting about him…”

“He’ll never really forget him, and you know it,” Ning Yingying just said, walking away.

The boy sighed and followed.

They hadn’t noticed Shi Mingyu standing behind them this whole time, now watching them leave.

But instead of going after them, Qian Cao Peak’s disciple went to the dorms.

It wasn’t hard to figure out where his patients were lying; they were the only ones sleeping at that hour of the day, and two others stayed nearby, watching over them.

Xiang Xiaodan spotted the other newcomer first and put on a polite smile. “Another visitor?”

Huang Yao turned to look, then immediately ran over. “Ming-Ming!”

“Not what I’m called.”

But the boy ignored it and put an arm around their shoulder, walking them over to the beds. “What are you doing here? Are you going to stay, too?!”

“Mh.”

“I take it you two know each other?” Xiang Xiaodan asked at the sight.

“Yeaaah,” her shidi chuckled, a little embarrassed. “I just got here, so you haven’t noticed yet, but… I’m a bit unlucky.”

“Terribly clumsy,” Shi Mingyu corrected.

“Don’t go around telling everyone!” the boy let out, then proceeded to explain. “I often had to go to Qian Cao Peak, which is why Ming-Ming and I are friends.”

“That should make it even easier for you two to settle in, then,” their shijie commented.

The boy smiled at the other. “For sure!”

"Mh." Shi Mingyu gave him a smile back before he simply moved past them, putting the medicine down. “I'd better do my thing now.”

“Do that, and thank you. Shidi, can you go get another table and bring it to the Bamboo House?” Xiang Xiaodan asked Huang Yao, who agreed with a nod. “I’ll go organise dinner for us in the meantime.”

The girl walked off to inform the kitchen staff, then. She knew, of course, that their food really wasn’t that good, but with Yi Jiayi bed-bound, they really had no choice but to endure their sad congee for once.

The boy, too, left the dorm. Finding a table was somehow harder than he thought, so he simply stole one he considered a spare; it was in a supply room and had served there as a surface to place towers of books upon - books that he may or may not have accidentally knocked over.

And Shi Mingyu was busy making herbal tea, applying some medicine, and then waking up the patients for their dinner - and their pills.

***

Shen Yuan smiled softly at his group of now five disciples.

He was simply amazed by how different everyone was and how each one brought their own set of talents along with them.

With so many of them, he couldn’t help but wonder how their dynamics would shift. It was such a small matter, but even just looking at how they decided to split up while eating at two different tables was interesting to him.

Xiang Xiaodan, Huang Yao, and Shi Mingyu sat together while Lai Liwei and Yi Jiayi sat with Shen Yuan.

Was it so that the injured were with him and Xiang Xiaodan with the newcomers, or did his youngest kids simply want to be close to their guardian while three friends ate together at another table?

But before his mind could properly wander off, Ming Fan walked in with a letter. “A message for Shizun.”

“Oh?” the man let out, taking the paper and proceeding to read its content.

…

Why is it in bad Chinglish…?

It took him a while, but he eventually deciphered what the other tried to say. He was not in the least pleased about it, though.

“Cucumber-bro,

I need to ask for a big favour. Like a REALLY big one. Can’t explain.
Come by tomorrow. Please. And don’t be mad!! You’re the only one who can help me out of this mess…!

Lots of kisses in advance,
Your favourite author.”

Chapter Text

“I… can’t read it, either.”

All of the disciples were gathered around Xiang Xiaodan, holding the letter in her hands.

“I knew I’m not illiterate!” Huang Yao said, some serious relief in that voice.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Shi Mingyu commented, receiving a grumpy sideeye in return.

Although her level of enthusiasm was lowered from still being injured, Yi Jiayi’s excitement was still apparent. “Shijie, if not even you can’t read it, this really has to be some secret code!”

The oldest of the group folded the letter closed again. “Either way, we can’t read it - and we shouldn’t have tried to begin with. We have no business snooping around Shen-shishu’s belongings and affairs!”

“It’s not like we didn’t have a good reason!” Wan Jian Peak’s disciple protested. “He said he’s off to An Ding Peak! What if the Peak Lord wants our little shimei back?”

Lai Liwei raised a brow and decided to speak up. “Why do you act like you’ve known her for more than a day?”

“Hey, listen here, little man,” Huang Yao started, hands on his hips. “I may be new, but I’ve come to the conclusion that we guys are going to stick together, so if our shimei’s in danger, we have to know about it!”

“Aww, Huang-shixiong!” the girl in question let out, terribly touched. “You guys are so sweet! But really, I don’t think he’s been summoned there about me. He wouldn’t need to use a secret code for that!”

Qian Cao Peak’s disciple had walked over, taking out the bottles of medicine and starting to apply some to her hand. “Maybe it’s because of your injuries. My shizun summons other Peak Lords sometimes when one of ours gets severely hurt on another peak.”

“Your shizuns care that much…?” Lai Liwei let out, talking more to himself than the others.

“Alright, let’s stop making speculations,” Xiang Xiaodan eventually decided. “This won’t lead us anywhere. Let’s just trust that all is well and do some light chores until Shen-shishu has returned. I’m sure he’ll tell us about it if we ask.”

And so, with combined forces, Shen Yuan’s disciples cleaned his part of the Bamboo House for him, making sure they were there when he’d come back.

***

“Absolutely not.”

Shang Qinghua was almost crying in despair. “Cucumber-bro, please! You’re the only one who can help me!”

“You’re just putting the target on my back instead of yours!”

“It’s not even that dangerous!”

“Then you do it!”

“Well, it’s more dangerous for me than you!”

“Honestly, have you gone insane?!” Shen Yuan had to ask, stressed out by the mere thought of accepting. “Why are you trying to hide demons on Cang Qiong Mountain?!”

As it had turned out, An Ding’s Peak Lord hadn’t exaggerated when he had called it a ‘REALLY big favour’; in his backyard, in the shade, sat two demons… of the Mobei family.

“Do you think I wanted this?!” Shang Qinghua whined. “Mobei-jun just came here, threw them into my office, and said I had to hide them! Then he just left! I had to ask the twins why they had to flee the Demon Realm to begin with!”

“How is that my problem?” The other transmigrator asked. “Do you think your king is going to be happy when he finds out you GAVE THEM TO SOMEONE ELSE?!”

“He doesn’t have to find out!”

“But he will!”

“Well, as long as they’re safe, the mission will be accomplished, no?!”

Shen Yuan pinched the bridge of his nose. “You have to be kidding me…”

“Listen,” the Peak Lord continued. “The Demon Realm is dangerous, and there’s always some internal conflict and assassination attempts yada yada - even inside the same family, okay?! My point is, Mobei-jun wouldn’t have brought them here for safekeeping if it wasn’t for a good reason!”

“Have you considered there’s also a reason he entrusted you with them, and not me?!”

“Yeah, well, he didn’t consider that some demons know my face!” Shang Qinghua argued. “If they send a scout or something, they’ll search my peak, and not yours or any of the other ten!”

“Great, but when Mobei-Jun comes to collect his… siblings or cousins or whatever, and he’ll find out you left them with the human cultivator that literary fought him in front of the Endless Abyss, that will end well?!”

“That’s exactly why I think it will be fine! I told him you didn’t mind finding out about your disciple’s heritage!”

“Oh yeah? Did you also tell him about how he still ended up in the Abyss?!”

Shang Qinghua drew in his lips. “I may have mentioned your brother’s doing in that…”

“Great! So when he learns they’re on Qing Jing Peak, he’ll not worry at all!” Shen Yuan threw his arms in the air, frustrated. “And what about my brother, huh?! He’ll kill me if he catches wind of this!”

“Which is why we have to insist that they’re my niece and nephew!”

“He’ll see through that lie!”

“Alright, well, you can tell him it’s either that or a demon invasion!”

“I haven’t even said yes, yet!” Shen Yuan let out. “Plus, can these two even hide they’re demons?!”

“Well, the Mobeis aren’t heavenly demons, so they don’t have a glowing zuiyin on their forehead… just a regular mark… But that and the rest I can hide with spells,” Shang Qinghua reassured. “As for their behaviour… I mean, you have a Bai Zhan Peak disciple, it’s probably not going to be worse than that…”

“Hey! How dare you insult my disciple?!”

“Okay, I’m sorry!” the Peak Lord quickly said to salvage the situation. “What I’m trying to say is that they might do some damage, but nothing that can’t be repaired or healed!”

Shen Yuan let out a deep sigh, shaking his head in annoyance.

“If you don’t take them… I don’t know what will happen to them, Cucumber-bro… I don’t have the heart to let them die…!”

“Oh shut up already!” the daycare owner hissed, not liking to have someone guilt-trip him into adopting more children… but ultimately not able to say no. “...Fine.”

“Really?!” Shang Qinghua chirped, eyes sparkling, his worries lessened.

Their conversation, held in whisper tones, had finally come to an end.

“I’ll get them real quick!” the Peak Lord announced, almost singing out of happiness.

And shortly after, the man re-entered his office with two demons, a boy and a girl. The twins regarded Shen Yuan - one with a smile, the other with squinted eyes.

***

“Sooooo… why did your Shizun drop you here?” Huang Yao asked his friend as they waited by the bridge; they were to be on the lookout for their co-master.

“No reason in particular.”

“Let me guess: he can’t handle you being a gossip?”

Shi Mingyu looked at him, face unchanged. “Not what I’d call myself.”

“Doesn’t matter what you call it,” the Wan Jian Peak disciple shrugged.

The other drew in a deep breath. “Shizun says it’s not right. But it’s not like I talk about any medical details, just about who beat up who and what ended up where.”

“Ming-ming… I have to say, last time when a group of Qian Cao Peak disciples made it to ours, they saw me, chuckled, and asked if I was still banned from the forge…” Huang Yao revealed. “I can take that because I quite frankly don’t care what others think, but… others might lose their trust in you, and that’s bad given what you do in life.”

“I didn’t mean to cause you trouble.”

“That wasn’t the important part of my speech!” the boy whined. “The problem is that people don’t like being talked about - even when it’s not anything bad.”

“But others do that all the time…” Shi Mingyu softly argued, looking down. “They don’t talk to me either unless I talk about others… They don’t ask me about anything else… not even about how I feel…”

“I did that before, didn’t I?”

“Yes, but you are a special case. You’re my friend.”

“I think the others will become your friends, too!” Huang Yao said, determination in his words. “If you don’t lose their trust, that is - which means that you’ll finally have to find other things to talk about, yeah?”

Shi Mingyu smiled a little. “Any suggestions?”

“Well, how about–” the other started, spotting their co-master on the bridge… him and two others. “--them!”

***

“Alright, everybody,” Shen Yuan said with a smile. “Please welcome Peak Lord Shang’s niece and nephew!”

Although surprised and a tad confused, the group of little outcasts bowed politely. “Welcome!”

The boy mirrored the gesture first, smiling brightly. “Ah, thank you!”

The girl watched her brother from the corner of her eye and first felt like hitting him over the head, but then remembered they had to blend in. So, for their own sake, she, too, bowed to the humans before her.

Shen Yuan mentally brushed the sweat off his forehead. So far so good.

One of his disciples did the first step. Naturally, it was: “Xiang Xiaodan, your shijie.”

Following her lead, the others introduced themselves to the two newcomers dressed in An Ding Peak’s uniform.

“I’m happy to meet everyone,” the boy said all cheerfully once they had all had their turn. “My name is Shang Yichen.”

The girl kept it short. “Shang Yuxi.”

No slip-up. Perfect. This may turn out okay… All good…

“Now that we are all familiar with each other, we should make sure they have what they need to be comfortable here,” Shen Yuan then suggested. “You will all help me, right?”

Naturally, all his disciples nodded and smiled.

***

And so, they all helped the two newcomers settle in.

While they were on a little peak tour, Xiang Xiaodan told the twins about the general rules and etiquette of Cang Qiong Mountain. Huang Yao and Shi Mingyu were tasked with preparing their beds and all. Yi Jiayi had decided to cook lunch again, and Lai Liwei had joined her in fear their co-master was going to give him an early bath.

During lunch, Mobei Yichen sat with Shen Yuan and the injured, praising the food and the people on Qing Jing Peak. Mobei Yuxi was with the others, eating in silence unless she was asked a direct question.

The afternoon lesson that day was a physical one, as it was necessary to test the twins' power level - to make sure it wasn’t going to be obvious they weren’t human.

And after dinner, Shen Yuan allowed them to do whatever they liked as long as they spent some time together.

He really had become a mother to many.

Four new people had joined him in the last twenty-four hours! Two of them demons…

Airplane-bro, I swear if this goes wrong…!

But he forced himself to calm down; no one had even suspected anything yet…

While their master worried, the disciples had decided to sit down in the grass, just talking a little.

“Shizun never mentioned he had a niece and nephew!” Yi Jiayi smiled, still excited. “May I ask why you’ve come to Cang Qiong Mountain? Shen-shibo mentioned you didn’t plan on staying like everyone else.”

“It’s a long story,” Shang Yichen answered, smiling right back at her. “But the short explanation is that we’re here because of a family emergency. Our shushu was kind enough to take us in, but he’s so busy on his peak that he asked Shen-shibo to care for us.”

“Oh! I hope everything is alright!”

Lai Liwei then spoke up, too, curious about them. “You two are very skilled even without belonging to a sect…”

“Private tutors,” Shang Yuxi explained.

“May we ask a question in return?” her brother then asked, looking at the ones who had spoken. “What happened to you two? You look like you got trampled by a herd of…” Here, he had to stop and wonder if they had the same animals in both realms. “...horses.”

“Ah, that?” The girl chuckled. “Our shidi’s master came by for a sparring test. He’s really strong, so we kind of got beaten up pretty badly!”

“Wow, he sounds powerful! I’d love to spar with him, too, sometime!”

Bai Zhan Peak’s disciple blushed a bit, hearing how others talked about his shizun. “I’m sure he’ll come back…”

The demoness then turned to Xang Xiaodan. “Where did you get that sword from?”

“From Wan Jian Peak,” she smiled, happy she had started to make whole sentences. She then gestured at Huang Yao sitting next to her. “But this one here was the one who made it!”

The boy beamed with pride. “Yup! All me! A sword of a quality you will only ever find in a blade made by Huang Yao!”

Shi Mingyu raised a brow. “You should say the humble Huang Yao.”

Mobei Yuxi let out a short chuckle at the comment, then sobered again. “You will make me a sword, too.”

When the boy was perplexed at the demand, Xiang Xiaodan smiled. “You know, this is what it often feels like to talk to you…”

The boy humphed. “Well, then let’s apply your latest teachings, shall we?” He turned to the demoness. “You have to say please.”

“I don’t beg.”

The other demon let out an amused laugh. “It’s not begging, it’s just polite, Meimei!”

“You’re not fooling me, Gege!” She sneered at her brother.

The others watched this exchange. They were slightly confused as to why Shang Yuxi thought saying please was the equivalent of begging, but they also wondered what Shang Yichen had done to make his sister immediately think he was trying to fool her.

Eventually, Xiang Xiaodan broke the argument. “Alright now, enough. How about I show you how it’s done? Could you two please stop fighting?”

Chapter Text

Four new disciples brought a lot of change to Qing Jing Peak - and Shen Yuan loved every second of it.

Indeed, his little horde of children kept him and each other all on their toes!

Although Xiang Xiaodan had imposed schedules on all the newcomers, more people naturally required more hands to hold the reins with. She had a nice grip overall, but sometimes, when she turned her back, mischief occurred.

This was happening especially because two groups had formed, and she couldn’t always be with both of them at the same time.

Another reason was the fact that both groups featured a demon who loved to be naughty.

Sleeping in, Mobei Yichen usually joined Yi Jiayi in the kitchen, where his attempts to help turned more into him trying to convince her that they definitely should add more sugar and make some snacks for in between meals. And then, when they had some free time, he hung out with Lai Liwei, distracting him from his workout by pouncing on him and then suggesting they should try and spar with the Peak Lord’s older disciples - despite Shen Jiu’s earlier complaints.

Mobei Yuxi was more of a schemer. In the mornings, she liked to be around Shi Mingyu, who was mostly quiet while preparing some everyday medicine. However, once they had woken up a little, the demoness found joy in making up assumptions with the other disciple, speculating on the lives of others. In her free time, she was around Huang Yao - and perhaps they were making up plans for how he could sneak into the forge without the Peak Lord noticing.

And when Xiang Xiaodan was around to bring an end to their shenanigans, the two demons handled the situation differently, too; Yichen would pretend to be sorry or innocent, then turn whiny until she left, and Yuxi would stick to her side and help her hold the reins to prove she was actually a very serious person.

During Shen Yuan’s lessons, however, Mobei Yichen and Yuxi were both on their best behaviour.

Although they still liked to make their friends laugh sometimes through jokes or whispers, they were clearly interested in the knowledge their teacher offered.

As it turned out, the older twin was a lover of the arts. Whether it was calligraphy, painting, or music, he was always ready to pour both soul and skill into his creations. Sometimes, he even made some for his friends, gifting them his art. Mobei Yichen also revealed himself to be a wonderful dancer; even if he started out a little stiff, the more he was able to let go, the more beautiful his movements became - and the other disciples loved to watch, some trying to imitate him.

The younger twin, on the other hand, was most interested in Shen Yuan’s cultivation lessons. She was naturally adept but still treated them like an exercise she had to fully focus on to master. Mobei Yuxi also began to teach and correct the other disciples; when she saw one struggling, she would ask them to train with her in the evening until those who couldn’t quite grasp one of the techniques eventually went up to her on their own. When no one needed help, she asked Xiang Xiaodan to meditate.

Additionally, the two girls did some coaching together; as the most advanced ones with an interest in the others’ skills and development, they occasionally held sessions where they’d watch others fight and give them advice.

Huang Yao and Shi Mingyu also started to play an important role in the disciples’ understanding of themselves.

Wan Jian Peak’s boy had an amazing eye for fighting styles and weapons, so he could easily see where the mismatches were happening. Even without any access to the forge, he kept making blades; Huang Yao had resorted to carving them out of wood, and while those weren’t as powerful as ones made of metal, they served as a great way to test out preferences and compatibility - in other words, he was on a mission to plan for everyone’s perfect blade.

Qian Cao’s disciple had a similar ability in terms of sight, but instead of it being focused on the weapon, their gift lay within the realms of the body; Shi Mingyu could essentially see every weak point and every strength. Not only did this mean that disciples knew what side not to expose and where to put their focus, but also what could be improved to give an opponent less leverage. Beyond that, Shi Mingyu also took care of every injury and offered massages to those with sore muscles.

And what of Lai Liwei and Yi Jiayi?

Well, the boy from Bai Zhan Peak had basically become a training dummy - and that was not just because he could always get up again. No, his endurance wasn’t the only factor; with the combined forces of the other disciples, Lai Liwei learned that he was adaptive in his fighting style. Much like he had witnessed fighting the War God, he was able to switch stances. He did it naturally anyway, but was also tasked to use the stance most effective against his opponent, thus making him a great way to train against weaknesses.

An Ding Peak’s strongest had become a practice target, too - but in the opposite way! Instead of testing for weaknesses, the others could improve their strengths with her; Yi Jiayi could take hard blows head-on and attack back with quite some power to her moves, allowing her fellow disciples to practice both their offences and defences against her. Her strength meant that one could push limits, not needing to hold back too much. At the same time, one had to give it their all to defend against her.

All in all, they had created a system in which everyone could help everyone.

After just a week, they had become a closely-knit group that flourished from within. Whether they were following their master’s lead or organised themselves (though mostly through Xiang Xiaodan), their improvement was as apparent as the strong bonds they had formed.

***

“You are getting lots of praise from the other Peak Lords,” the older brother revealed.

The twins were having their tea.

“Is that so?” the younger smiled. “Maybe I should go and thank them. They sent me their best.”

“Their worst.”

“Gege–”

“I know you hold affection for them, but if it weren’t for your guidance, those menaces would still be harassing everyone on my Peak.”

Shen Yuan sighed. “I barely had to do anything other than pay attention to them.”

“You’re too humble,” Shen Jiu declared, looking at him in all seriousness. “Take some credit for your achievements.”

“My disciples have achieved more than I have.”

The Peak Lord could only roll his eyes. “And they wouldn’t have achieved anything if it wasn’t for you.”

“My dear brother is being way too harsh.”

“Perhaps my words are, but I mean it,” the brother in question said. “Your sect siblings recognise your work, too, so stop acting like it’s subjective.”

The other smiled at his twin and shook his head a bit.

“Else why would Shang-shidi have trusted you with his own niece and nephew?”

Suddenly, Shen Yuan was coughing up his tea.

Shen Jiu raised a brow.

“Sorry…!” the younger brother managed to get out. “Swallowed the wrong way!”

The older squinted his eyes a bit, watching his twin slowly recover.

“To answer your question,” Shen Yuan then started. “He said he didn’t have enough time for them on An Ding Peak - with all the stuff he had to organise and do, you know.”

“Right,” Shen Jiu let out, then sneered. “That’s a lie.”

Shen Yuan was starting to sweat a little. How did Jiu-ge figure it out so quickly?!

But when he was about to try and defend his case, his brother scoffed some more. “He clearly just thought he’d get his relatives a good private tutor since he can’t teach them anything useful himself!”

He could only sigh - a sigh of relief.

***

That same day, Shen Yuan wrote to all the Peak Lords who had given him a disciple.

In the letter, the co-master reported the children’s progress, and, well, how happy he was to have them on Qing Jing Peak!

His words carried an air of pride and affection, and it was obvious that Shen Yuan had no intention of returning the disciples anytime soon.

Not for long, at least.

Because when his little horde of children assembled for their afternoon lessons, he was going to do just that; let them return to their original Peak.

“Today, we’ll be doing something a little different,” he started, holding up the letters. “You will be delivering these to your masters!”

Xiang Xiaodan walked forward to take them from his hands, going back and handing them out to the respective disciples. Back in line, she couldn’t help but smile; she had a premonition.

“Why are we delivering a piece of paper?” Huang Yao asked, raising a brow.

“That’s a letter,” Shi Mingyu corrected.

““Thank you, Ming-Ming, I would never have been able to tell…!”

Mobei Yuxi butted in. “One never knows with you!”

The three of them smirked at each other, enjoying the banter.

“Shizun!” Yi Jiayi exclaimed, excited, having started to call him that way lately. “Is this what I think it is?”

Lai Liwei frowned. “What is it?”

Mobei Yichen smiled. “Well, if everyone has one, it probably means the letters are about us!”

Their co-master smiled and fanned himself lazily. “That is correct.”

They were about to open them themselves when Xiang Xiaodan quickly stopped them. “These aren’t for your eyes! We have to deliver them - no matter the content!”

“That is correct, too,” Shen Yuan smiled. “They are sealed, and if you open them beforehand, your masters will know. I doubt they’d be happy finding out you’re going through their belongings.”

At that, all but the demons tensed up just a little.

Had he figured out that they had tried to read the letter sent by Shang Qinghua?

But their co-master offered no further comment on that. Instead, he just told them to be back for dinner and saw them off.

***

Xiang Xiaodan waited politely and poured the sect leader a cup of tea.

She was smiling to herself, and so was Yue Qingyuan.

Her letter was, of course, very positive. Her co-master acknowledged her leadership talent, reported the many ways in which she had helped Shen Yuan organise and keep the disciples in check. He also mentioned her little milestone regarding the blade she now carried with her.

Needless to say, her shizun was rather pleased.

“Xiang Xiaodan has done well on Qing Jing Peak, I see,” he praised.

The girl nodded a bit, her smile increasing. “This disciple has applied all I have learned from Shizun. Qiong Ding Peak’s teachings remain the core of my foundation.”

“Are you happy there?”

The question caught her a little off-guard, but she continued to smile. “Shen-shishu is a good teacher. This disciple is learning a lot - through her siblings, too.”

The sect leader nodded, taking a sip from his tea. “Then I’ll have her return with a letter as well.”

Yue Qingyuan got up, but did not walk over to where he had paper and ink.

“But first, this master would like for you to demonstrate your new techniques,” he explained, not about to fight her, of course, but wanting to watch her form.

***

Huang Yao stood waiting in his Shizun’s room.

“You can’t help it, huh?” the Peak Lord asked, making the boy blink at first. “No one can stop you from making weapons, no matter if there’s a forge or not.”

The disciple was relieved. The words weren’t spoken negatively.

“Yeah. I still hope to get back to using one, though.”

Wei Qingqwei got up, patting his shoulder as he walked past him. “Well, since you behaved, I’ll let you go back in for this afternoon.”

“Really?!” Huang Yao asked, his face beaming with excitement, following his master outside. “Thank you, Shizun!”

“You start getting rowdy again, though, and I’ll kick you out!”

“It won’t happen!” the boy reassured, his stride having a little bounce in it.

The Peak Lord stopped by the entrance; a small bag of wooden blades was placed there.

Huang Yao picked it up, ready to go. “...Brought them just in case.”

His master let out half a chuckle. “Alright then… which one of those do you want to make today?”

***

Together with the twins and the Peak Lord, Yi Jiayi sat in Shang Qinghua’s garden.

“You three are making An Ding Peak proud!” the man praised, going through all three of the letters. “Aside from the mischief, all of this is very positive!”

The human girl almost let out a squeal of joy. “Can this disciple read hers?”

“Us, too?” the demons asked.

Shang Qinghua handed them over, smiling, sitting straight and pushing the snack tray closer to the children. “There you go.”

Yi Jiayi continued to let out sounds of excitement. The Peak Lord hadn’t lied! Her co-master spoke so sweetly about her! He mentioned her cooking and her impressive strength, but talked mostly about her joyful personality and how she could light up a dark room with a single smile.

Mobei Yichen was secretly a little surprised not to have more of his misdeeds mentioned; it seemed like not all humans looked at a demon and saw nothing but evil. No, instead of voicing any worries, Shen Yuan had mainly written about his talents for the arts and the way he made his friends laugh.

Mobei Yuxi was pleased with her letter, too. It didn’t mention much of her scheming and instead focused on her martial talents, of which there were plenty. She even got to read the word ‘prodigy’ in relation to that. Something she didn’t expect, though, was Shen Yuan praising her for how good she was to her friends. She hadn’t realised.

“I have a little surprise for you,” Shang Qinghua then said. “I have a few boxes sitting around in my office. If you carry them back to Qing Jing Peak, they’re all yours!”

“What’s in them?” the three disciples asked almost at the same time.

“Just some gifts!”

***

“What happened?”

Bai Zhan Peak’s War God had stopped sparring with the other disciples at the sight of Lai Liwei, thinking he had come to alert him about something happening on Qing Jing Peak.

“Nothing,” the boy just said, though, holding out the letter for him to take.

The Peak Lord did, ripping it open and reading it. The more he read, the more he relaxed.

The disciples waiting around them scanned the boy from head to toe, some needing a bit of time to realise who it was. Really, Lai Liwei had quite visibly changed - not just because he learned how to bathe and brush his hair, but also because he didn’t feel threatened by anyone around him any more.

“I want to see it,” the War God spoke. Naturally, the boy didn’t know what he meant, so Liu Qingge specified. “The stances.”

Around them, the disciples exchanged some questioning looks. Stances? Usually, Bai Zhan Peak taught by fighting, and so not that many were aware there were whole schools of techniques around stances - or that those had names.

“Defensive,” the Peak Lord ordered, starting to lightly spar with him.

Of course, Lai Liwei obeyed, staying in his defensive stance as the War God attacked and tested him.

“Offensive.”

The boy changed his posture accordingly, performing his own series of attacks.

“Quick stance.”

Immediately, his movements became faster, and Lai Liwei became harder to hit.

“Virtuoso.”

Until up to that point, the others followed, understanding what the stances were about, but the second that word had been spoken, they were left to wonder.

Lai Liwei, however, understood.

Something akin to a subtle smile could be seen on the War God’s face as he attacked; The boy’s movements had started to flow even better, making him appear as graceful as skilled.

“Good,” Liu Qingge said, stopping. “Tomorrow, we’ll spar properly. On Qing Jing Peak.”

***

“Excellent.”

Shi Mingyu smiled a little, remaining quiet.

Their letter detailed all the good work they had done on Qing Jing Peak, ranging from the medical and caregiving aspects to their role in the other disciples’ technical improvements. Not a word was mentioned about any gossiping - because they truly hadn’t done much of that!

“Have you made friends there?”

The disciple nodded. “I think I can call them all my friends.”

The Peak Lord smiled, clearly pleased. He wrote up a reply, sealed the letter, and handed it back to Shi Mingyu. “Deliver this to Shen-shixiong.”

“Yes, Shizun,” the disciple said, bowing politely and turning to leave.

“Wait,” Mu Qingfang spoke, though, bringing them to a halt. “I have something I would like to give to you.”

He handed them a little silken satchel. “These are very special seeds. I know you liked to spend time in the garden, here. Why don’t you ask Shen-shixiong for a little patch of grass you can use to plant these?”

Shi Mingyu nodded, softly pressing the gift against their chest. “I will. What herbs are these?”

The Peak Lord smiled. “You’ll see when they grow.”

***

Back on Qing Jing Peak, Shen Yuan had visitors, too.

Ming Fan and Ning Yingying sat with him, having decided to use the opportunity to talk to him while he was alone for once.

“What makes you two say such a thing?” Shen Yuan smiled.

“These disciples aren’t making it up!” the boy argued. “Tutelage under Shizun is seen as a privilege. Some have called your disciples the ‘chosen ones’!”

But the man couldn't do anything but chuckle at that. “This master dares to doubt that!”

The girl spoke up, too. “It may sound far-fetched, but it’s true! It’s gotten even worse after the Shang twins arrived! Rumour has it their families paid loads of money for them to have Shizun as their private mentor!”

“Ridiculous!” Shen Yuan snorted, slightly amused, slightly annoyed. I haven’t heard a word from their families! I doubt they even know anything about it!

But the two visitors just looked at their cups of tea.

“What? Do you believe it to be true?”

“This disciple would never believe mere rumours,” Ning Yingying started. “It’s just that…”

“It’s just that Shizun has indeed brought forth great talent,” Ming Fan explained.

“They have been here for a few weeks,” Shen Yuan argued.

“These disciples are referring to the winner of the last Immortal Alliance Conference,” the boy specified, trying not to sneer.

The man was quiet.

The girl saw his mood had changed, regretting having brought it up. “It wasn’t these disciples' intention to bring it up. We just wanted Shizun to know because… other disciples seem to harbour envy towards yours.”

“Thank you for telling me,” Shen Yuan said in a calm but serious voice. “I will heed your warning.”

Chapter Text

In the late afternoon, his disciples started making their way back to Qing Jing Peak.

Some earlier than others.

The first one to return was Lai Liwei, who let his co-master know that they’d get a visit from Liu Qingge the next day.

Shen Yuan smiled. “So he was happy?”

The boy nodded. “He tested my stances and said it was good.”

The adult couldn’t contain his own joy, patting Lai Liwei’s head a little, feeling terribly proud. “Our little King of the Mountains has impressed the War God yet again!”

At that, the boy suddenly stiffened, his eyes widening. He waited for his co-master to retract his hand before he speedily ran off. “I have to go!”

Shen Yuan blinked, watching him leave.

What’s gotten into him, I wonder?

Until dinner, so the man saw, Lai Liwei was running endless laps around the peak.

But Shen Yuan didn’t have the time to go and stop him; other disciples were returning.

The next to do so was Xiang Xiaodan, smiling happily, clearly having had a great time.

“Wearing such a big smile, stepping back on Qing Jing Peak. I assume it is not just because you like it here?” her co-master asked, seemingly in a good mood, too.

“Shizun was very pleased with me,” the girl revealed, not forcing herself to be too humble. “Shishu has written kind words in the letter, hasn’t he?”

Shen Yuan chuckled a little, patting her head as well. “I have reported what I have seen. If he was pleased by the content, he was indeed pleased with you, our disciple.”

For a second, it seemed as if her eyes were sparkling a little.

“What did he say about the sword?”

Xiang Xiaodan put a hand on Fei Long. “This disciple was allowed to demonstrate her skills with it. Shizun said it suits me well and has made me stronger. It will be my companion for life.”

“Impressing the sect leader himself? You should be proud of yourself!”

The girl couldn’t suppress a big smile, her hand on her sword, gripping it hard. She managed to give him the letter with the other before walking off. “Thank you, Shishu! This disciple must keep doing well, so she will celebrate by finishing her chores for today!”

Shen Yuan raised a brow. Chores as a reward? That’s not how you celebrate!

He didn’t stop her, though, and instead welcomed back the little trio that was arriving.

The second she saw him, Yi Jiayi put her share of the load down and ran up to hug him. “Shizun! Shizun!”

Caught off guard but incredibly charmed, the man moved his hand to pet her head a little. “Oh my, now what is this about?”

“Shizun!” the girl almost cried from happiness. “I read the letter! Shizun is so kind, and– and he’s the best!”

Shen Yuan’s heart started to melt; Yi Jiayi had always been such a lovely child to be around, but she had an even stronger effect on him ever since she had started addressing him as her shizun as well.

“Silly girl,” he mused. “I simply reported the truth! It wasn’t just out of kindness.”

“Shizun, you’re so humble, too!”

Chuckling a bit, he resorted to patting her back as she had started to cry a little for real. “Do tell, though; what did your Peak Lord say?”

“He said we’re making An Ding Peak proud!” she sobbed, overwhelmed by good feelings.

“Then there is no need to cry,” he smiled, trying to calm her. “I have another task for you anyway.”

“Anything, Shizun!”

“Could I burden you with making dinner?” he asked, knowing that was the way to get her off. “Today we’re celebrating everyone’s achievements, and I’m sure people love your cooking the most.”

Naturally, the girl let go, beaming with joy, forgetting all about her crying, and running off. “Yes, Shizun!”

The twins, having put down the rest of the boxes, had walked over, too.

Shen Yuan gave them a smile. “And how did it go for you two?”

“Thanks to Shen-shibo, very well,” Mobei Yichen smiled, not minding referring to him as a sort of master despite not being part of the sect, and, in fact, being demon royalty himself. “He has chosen kind words even when talking about the likes of us!”

“Of course,” the human said. “No matter where you came from, you are wonderful to be around, and you have made Qing Jing Peak an even better place.”

“Even though we originally weren’t supposed to leave Shang Qinghua’s peak, I have to say, I don’t mind that we did,” Mobei Yuxi then started. “This place is quite… humble… but we get to appreciate Shen-shibo’s teachings. The others aren’t too bad a company, either.”

Shen Yuan tried to overhear the gentle insults placed in those words. “I’m happy to have you here, too. Everyone can learn from others.”

Instinctively, he gave them both a pat on the head as well. The demons didn’t seem to mind, but they did exchange a look.

“By the way, Shang Qinghua sent gifts,” the boy brought up, then. “Where should we put them?”

Looking over at the boxes, the man nodded to himself. Yeah, that’s right. You'd better pay me for the risk I’m taking here!

“Into my office for now. We can open them together after dinner,” he decided. “Oh, and… since you’re technically not supposed to be here, what will happen when your… your guardian comes looking for you?”

“No need to worry,” the girl quickly reassured. “We use shadows, too. When he’s over, Shang Qinghua will send a little spell, and we’ll be back in no time.”

“Good to know,” Shen Yuan sighed in relief, watching the two demons move the boxes inside the Bamboo House.

I should finally ask them about their situation sometime soon…

“Why don’t they call Shang-shibo their Shufu?”

Shen Yuan froze, then slowly turned to see that Shi Mingyu had made it back.

Gods! How do they always do that?!

“Ah, their situation is a little complicated,” the man then just explained, hoping the child would buy it, but deciding to distract it a little just in case. “How did it go? Was your Shizun pleased?”

Shi Mingyu allowed the change of topic, nodding. “My master has sent a letter back, and he also asked if I could get a patch of grass where I can plant some herbs.”

Shen Yuan regarded the satchel in their hands and smiled. “Where would you like to plant them? You can make a little garden, if you know how.”

The child smiled back at him. “Really? I would love to!”

“Then you may,” the man confirmed, petting their head a little. “Why don’t you go and find a good spot? Tomorrow, you can show me where, and you can start your little garden.”

“Thank you, Shen-shibo!” Shi Mingyu smiled, hurrying off right away.

Phew… it’s good children are so easily distracted…!

Eventually, only shortly before dinner, Huang Yao made it back, too.

“Oh ouh… Someone was let back in the forge!” Shen Yuan chuckled at the sight; the boy was sweaty, his clothes and face dirty, his hands full with the bag of wooden swords.

“Yup! Thank you, Shen-shibo! Whatever was in that letter swayed Shizun’s mind!”

“It simply listed all the good you have done here on Qing Jing Peak. You needn’t thank me,” the man mused.

“I still want to!” the boy argued. “I get to be here and then go back into the forge when I’m on Wan Jian Peak! That’s just great! I get the best of both peaks - thanks to Shen-shibo!”

Shen Yuan shook his head with a chuckle, patting the disciple’s head then. “Alright, alright… Go take a bath, you smell of hard work.”

Huang Yao stared at him for a second, then surprised him with a quick hug before running off. “Thanks, bye!”

The man had no time for a proper reaction, but managed to call after him. “Go get Lai Liwei, too! He’s been running all afternoon!”

Aiya… Why are they all in such a hurry today?

***

Eventually, they all gathered for a lavish dinner.

Yi Jiayi had indeed poured all her joy and excitement into the meal, making tons of it, too. The three tables - they had decided to find another one for the occasion and connect them into a big one - were filled with various bowls and plates, all containing different things.

The girl had probably used up all the food meant to last Shen Yuan and his disciples for the next two days plus her own reserve.

But it was worth it.

All those children’s eyes were sparkling, their faces beaming, their lips curved into smiles.

“Oh my, look at what your fellow disciple did for you!” Shen Yuan smiled as he sat down at his designated spot by the end of the long table. “Let’s all thank her, shall we?”

Of course, everyone happily did so.

The girl was overflowing with joy. “Aww, everyone’s so sweet! I had a great time preparing for our little celebration! Let’s enjoy a good day with good food!”

Everyone cheered.

“Before we begin,” Shen Yuan started. “This master just wanted to say how pleased he is with everyone. He is glad you are all here with him, and he wants to thank you for all your hard work and efforts - as much as he wants to praise you for everything else! Qing Jing Peak has become such a happy place thanks to you!”

Seven sweet faces smiled at him and his words.

Xiang Xiaodan was the one to speak for the disciples. “Shen-shishu is the one we have to thank! He has taken us in and has given us the privilege of being in his care!”

The others chimed in, agreeing with her, making thankful gestures towards Shen Yuan.

“This master is glad to hear everyone is happy, then!” he smiled. “If that is the case, let us celebrate!”

And so, their festive little dinner began.

It was quiet for a whole minute, everyone so focused on the food they didn’t even think of talking. But once they did, all extended compliments to the chef, who was, of course, being all humble about it.

Soon enough, conversations were happening; everyone was happy to share how it went on their peak.

Huang Yao wanted to know everything about what the sect leader said about the sword, Yi Jiayi asked Shi Mingyu what they were doing earlier as she had seen them make their rounds, finding out about the plans for the garden. In return, Qian Cao’s disciple then inquired about the boxes.

Naturally, everyone got excited hearing they contained gifts.

Mobei Yichen let everyone know about their co-master’s decision to open them together after dinner. More cheering. His sister then turned to Huang Yao, asking him what he did in the forge.

The boy revealed some big news. “It’s not the one for you, yet! I’m still working out the details on that, but… I’ve started working on the one for Lai-shidi!”

The King of the Mountain blinked up, surprised. “...For me?”

“Yup! I’m allowed to go back tomorrow and polish it!”

“It will be done tomorrow?” Lai Liwei asked, his back very straight, seemingly excited. “Already?”

“Yeah, I mean, maybe my Shizun will ask you to still pull it out of the wall or whatever, but it’s yours, and I’m sure it will respond to you!”

Shen Yuan smiled at the news. “Isn’t that great? I’ll accompany you when you can go pick it up.”

”I’m not too young?” the boy asked, looking at his co-master, eyes full of hope.

“If it responds to you, your age doesn’t matter,” the man replied. “We’ll know by tomorrow.”

Lai Liwei turned back to Huang Yao, his happiness apparent in his face. “Thank you, shixiong! Really!”

“Ah, don’t mention it,” the boy chuckled. “Just make good use of it!”

“Mh!”

Yi Jiayi, sitting next to him, moved to throw her arm around him. “Shidi! That’s so exciting! I’m so happy for you!”

For once, he couldn’t help but match his friend’s excitement, laughing with her.

The others, too, congratulated him - even Xiang Xiaodan and Mobei Yuxi, who were both just a tad envious.

“Oh, that makes me think,” Shen Yuan then started. “You’ll be able to test it out tomorrow, right?”

“That’s true! My master is visiting!” Lai Liwei remembered and got even more excited.

He wasn’t the only one, though; the others’ faces lit up, and they exchanged looks. Although everyone remembered how the two friends had looked like after the last sparring test, everyone wanted to see what it would be like this time - and try their own luck!

“Do you think we get to spar with him, too?” Mobei Yichen had to ask.

“I think so,” Lai Liwei guessed, nodding his head at Yi Jiayi. “He sparred with her, too, last time.”

Shen Yuan agreed. “And if he doesn’t want to, I’ll make him!”

The disciples laughed.

***

After dinner and after everyone had helped with cleaning up the dishes, the children once again gathered in the Bamboo House.

Waiting in Shen Yuan’s office were the boxes filled with gifts.

“Alright,” the man started. “I don’t want anyone to start fighting over what’s in there, okay? We’re all going to be civil, and no one is going to be greedy. Understood?”

“Yes!” the disciples confirmed.

“Promise?”

“Yes!”

“Go ahead,” Shen Yuan smiled.

He then got to watch the children opening those boxes and gasp out as they started exploring the contents; It wasn’t anything costly, just a variety of little things: some candy, some art supplies, some seeds, some small gems, and some other trinkets that young people liked.

Spirits were high as they all picked out what they liked.

None of them had realised - and none of them cared with their co-master present - but the Peak Lord had walked in, too, looking at the scene before him.

Shen Yuan walked over. “Shang-shidi sent a gift for them.”

“You’re spoiling them. Terribly much,” Shen Jiu just commented.

“Let them be happy, they had it hard,” his younger twin argued, keeping it low.

“Just make sure they’re out in half an hour. I’m tired,” the older sighed. “Oh, and one more thing.”

Handing him a letter, the Peak Lord left.

Seeing that the children were still deeply immersed in their gifts, Shen Yuan decided to read the message.

He smiled.

…Looks like I’m getting another one!

Chapter Text

The disciple went to bed, all happy and full, excited for another day.

Shen Yuan, too, fell asleep with a smile.

And he still wore it when they all sat together, eating the breakfast Yi Jiayi had prepared for them, laughing about the fact that she had to ask Lai Liwei to go and get food with her after using all the reserves for the feast the previous evening. Running late, she had also let Shang Yichen help her cook - which was why everything was just a tad too sweet!

But none of the disciples really minded, nor did their co-master.

The one thing he did comment on, though, was Huang Yao’s attempt to swallow his meal whole. “The food’s not running away, you know.”

“Have to hurry,” the boy just answered. “Have to run back!”

Shen Qingqiu smiled. “Whether you’re there five minutes later won’t matter.”

“Yes, it will!”

“No, because if you eat like that and run to Wan Jian Peak, you’ll throw it up and lose those five minutes anyway.”

Xiang Xiaodan chimed in. “And if you do that, you’ll even feel too weak to work. You’d lose a lot of time finding another breakfast.”

Huang Yao let out a sigh, but finally slowed down. “If I’m not done by the time the War God steps foot on Qing Jing Peak, it’s going to be all your fault! I’m telling you now!”

“It will be fine,” their co-master reassured.

“May I go with him?” Shi Mingyu then suddenly asked.

Their friend turned to them with a raised brow. “What for? You’ll just stand in the way, Ming-Ming!”

The other disciple sneakily stole something from the boy’s plate and ate it, shamelessly looking Huang Yao in the eye as they did so. “I’ll come along because I know you’re going to hurt yourself. Last time you polished a sword, you didn’t even cut yourself with the blade, you had a hammer fall on your foot - one you weren’t even using!”

Chuckles went through the room.

“That– that may be true, but–” the boy tried to argue, but he knew how clumsy he was, so he gave up. Instead, he simply stole something from Shi Mingyu’s plate.

“Hey!” the latter let out, about to complain.

Their co-master, however, interfered. “Alright now, enough. You’re even.”

Both took a breath, calming.

“You may join your friend,” Shen Yuan then added. “Once you’re done with your garden, that is.”

“Oh, that’s right!” Qian Cao’s Peak disciple let out, attentive again. “I’ve found the perfect spot! Will Shen-shibo come look after breakfast?”

“Of course.”

***

By the time the other disciples’ morning lesson would usually have started, Huang Yao was already back on Wan Jian Peak, and Shi Mingyu had finished planting the seeds, joining their friend.

The others were told to spar a little in preparation for their afternoon activity.

He could have made them read, but Shen Yuan had seen their excitement, how they were filled with energy in anticipation of fighting the War God.

A proper morning lesson also wouldn’t have aligned with the visit he was expecting.

Shen Yuan sat and drank some tea, watching his children do some fighting, when a voice addressed him from the side.

“Greetings, Shixiong.”

Looking over, he offered his visitors a smile. “Ah, there you are.”

Qi Qingqi was about to say more when the girl walking next to her pointed at the sparring disciples. “Shizun! That boy is using those stances you told me about!”

The woman’s eyebrows furrowed. “The ones you decided not to care about, you mean!”

“Yeah, those!”

Sighing, Xian Shu’s Peak Lord turned back to her colleague. “Apologies. You can guess why I brought her here.”

Wow… She’s right next to you, you know!!

Luckily, the girl didn’t seem to be bothered by this at all.

Shen Yuan was relieved. “This master assumes she would like him to take the young disciple into his care?”

“Exactly,” Qi Qingqi agreed, turning to the girl again. “Did you hear? You’ll be staying on Qing Jing Peak, and you’ll behave!”

“I heard, I heard,” the girl said, still not caring. “As long as that means I can go over there and spar!”

“Introduce yourself and then ask if you may.”

The girl turned to her new co-master, bowed quickly, and then smiled. “Bai Chanjuan! This disciple hopes she may get the opportunity to stay!”

Shen Yuan smiled. “A pleasure. Welcome to Qing Jing Peak.”

“Thank you!”

“You may go join them,” he mused, knowing what she wanted to hear the most. Once she ran off, he chuckled a little. “Energetic.”

Qi Qingqi watched her disciple make it into the group. After a little, they all continued with sparring, the girl a part of it. “Her energy will be the least of your problems.”

“None of my disciples is ever real trouble,” Shen Yuan mused, instinctively taking her side already.

The woman next to him gave him a side eye, then took a deep breath. “Her manners are alright. She’s sociable and has got quite the backbone, but she’s stubborn and hot-headed. Your boy from Bai Zhan Peak will look like a little angel next to her, I can guarantee you that.”

“I’m not worried,” the co-master smiled, knowing she had always been a little hard on her students. “Thank you for bringing her.”

***

Most then got quite busy just before lunch.

Shen Yuan had taken Lai Liwei to pick up the sword from Wan Jian Peak - well, the sword and the other disciples. Meanwhile, Yi Jiayi was busy cooking, and Xiang Xiaodan had decided to do some chores.

This left Bai Chanjuan with the twins.

“What is it like? A peak with just women, I mean,” Mobei Yuxi inquired, intrigued by the idea.

“Pretty cool,” the girl shrugged. “We get to beat up everyone who sets foot on our Peak.”

The demoness chuckled, “That does sound fun.”

The newcomer smirked. “I enjoy it, for sure!”

Mobei Yichen chimed in, smiling. “Doesn’t that just make you another version of that Bai Zhan one?”

“Well, no, we’re not a gang of thugs who go around bullying others,” Bai Chanjuan argued. “Xian Shu Peak is a bit like an independent and safe space for us. Our aggression is directed only at intruders.”

“So why did you leave that place so willingly?” The demon asked. “Aren’t you going to miss it?”

“I’ll go back when I do,” the girl mused. “Until then, I’ll enjoy my stay.”

“You’re not mad your shizun is trying to get rid of you?” Mobei Yichen continued, trying to tease her a little. “You must be a very forgiving person!”

At that, Bai Chanjuan laughed out loud. “Get rid of me! Forgiving! You’re funny!”

“Is that not what’s happening?” Mobei Yuxi followed up.

“She couldn’t get rid of me if she wanted to!” the newcomer chuckled, clearly amused. “No, that’s not it. Having Shen-shibo as a co-master is kind of something to brag about lately! Everyone has been working hard, thinking they have to get our Peak Lord’s favour to be chosen to come here. It’s definitely not a punishment.”

“Oh?” The demoness mused. “I heard this place is for misfits.”

“Yeah, which is why I’m here,” Bai Chanjuan agreed, remaining unbothered. “Which brings us to you two. You’re not even from the sect, are you?”

“No, we’re the niece and nephew of An Ding’s Peak Lord,” the brother explained.

The newcomer raised a brow. “No, you’re not.”

The sister blinked. “Yes, we are?”

“No, you’re not?” Bai Chanjuan insisted. “Don’t bother lying to me.”

The twins exchanged a look. “How would you know?”

“Because I can tell truths from lies? Never been wrong either. You tell a lie, I’ll know it, and you two are definitely lying,” she insisted.

“Ah, looks like you’ve found us out...!” Mobei Yichen whined a little, pursing his lips.

Mobei Yuxi took a deep breath. She knew she had to fix this quickly. “You’re right, but it’s the easier explanation, which is why we stick to it. It’s just that… home isn’t that nice right now, so we were brought here.”

Bai Changjuan recognised this as a truth. “Oh… I’m sorry to hear that. I hope here is better?”

“Much better,” the brother confirmed, for once relatively serious.

“I don't want to pry, but… how come An Ding’s Peak Lord is fine with lying for you? What’s your relationship with him?”

“Well… he’s sort of our cool cousin's boyfriend,” the sister explained. “But neither of them really has the time to look after us as much as they would like to, so Shang Qinghua asked Shen-shibo.”

“Oh…! So that’s how it is!” The lie-detector let out. “Well, I’m happy you guys found your own safe and independent space!”

Mobei Yichen chuckled, happy they could avoid being found out completely. “We are, too!”

“Let’s keep what we talked about between us, though, okay?” his sister added.

“As long as I’m not being asked!” Bai Chanjuan agreed. “Can detect lies, can’t lie myself!”

“Is that so?” the brother mused. “Good to know.”

***

“What happened?”

Huang Yao was limping, and Shi Mingyu was wrapping his hand up in bandages.

The boy sighed. “I dropped the sword on my foot and caught the blade in my hand…”

Shen Yuan was speechless but regained his composure. “Oh dear. Are you alright? Is it bad?”

His friend answered for him. “Could be a lot worse. The blade’s definitely sharp though.”

“Luckily, that only happened once he was done!” Wan Jian’s Peak Lord said as he joined them in the forge. “Shen-shixiong, I have to say, though, he’s gotten better at tolerating others in here. He even tolerated that one just sitting there and watching him.”

Shi Mingyu ignored the man.

“Perhaps he was simply so excited to work on the blade again that he had no time to care about anything else,” Shen Yuan theorised with a smile, liking to poke just a little bit of fun at the little swordsmith.

“Hey…! You know well I started behaving!”

“Boy!” Wei Qingwei growled. “Some respect!”

The disciple shrank a little, and Shen Yuan didn’t like that sight at all. He felt like it was time to bring some diplomacy into the conversation. “Now, now. No need to scare the boy.”

“But he-”

“You don’t have to scare him to get your point across,” the co-master argued with a smile. “Don’t you think, Shidi?”

The Peak Lord crossed his arms and furrowed his brows, but ultimately gave in. “...Right.”

Huang Yao relaxed a little and gave his co-master a grateful expression to look at.

Unable to help himself, Lai Liwei then accidentally broke the tension, having scanned the entire forge for his sword. “So… Where is it?”

Shen Yuan flicked open his fan to hide his amused smile, looking at Wan Jian’s Peak Lord from behind it, wanting him to answer.

The man saw, forgot himself for a moment, then coughed as he snapped out of it, replying. “Oh. Well, I put it in the wall. If it’s meant for you, you’ll find it there.”

The boy immediately turned to look up at Shen Yuan. “Shizun, can I go?”

Blinking, the man looked down, giving a nod.

He called me Shizun… It really never ceased to make his heart jump.

He also found it terribly endearing that Lai Liwei no longer strayed and walked just anywhere he wanted, even asking for permission, although this was why they were here. He had come so far already, and this afternoon, he would surely manage to impress the War God once more!

Shen Yuan smiled at his other two children. “Alright, let’s go watch. I’m sure everyone’s curious about the results, hm?”

As he exited the forge, his disciple cheered and instinctively followed him like little ducklings - even Huang Yao, who was still limping, not voicing a single complaint about leaving the forge.

Wei Qingwei frowned.

Meanwhile, Lai Liwei was running up and down the wall, wanting to see all those blades, his excitement generating way too much energy for his little body.

Once everyone - including the Peak Lord - had arrived at the sidelines, the lucky boy ran back to them. “Now?”

Although half of his face was hidden by a fan, the smile that followed reached Shen Yuan's eyes. “Now.”

Lai Liwei ran straight back to the wall.

“I hope he’ll pick mine…” Huang Yao said with a little bit of uncertainty and nervousness.

“You made it specifically for him,” Shi Mingyu tried to reassure. “They will be a natural match.”

The adults watched wordlessly.

Bai Zhan Peak’s most special boy was absorbed in the task. He wondered if he’d pick the right one - Huang Yao’s. At the same time, he wondered if he’d even be able to pick a blade to begin with, given his age.

His heart thumped wildly inside his chest.

And as he walked past the many swords, it just got worse. Really, what if none of the blades were going to let him draw them?!

Clank.

There was a blade on the ground.

Lai Liwei blinked, then moved to pick it up. His eyes immediately widened as he felt its weight, as he got a feeling for how he could move it without needing to do so.

He turned his head to look at the adults, wanting to ask them what it meant if he found one on the ground – but the expressions everyone was wearing threw him off; he couldn’t tell if he had done anything bad. “...What?”

“The… the blade… came out of the wall… on its own…!” Huang Yao stammered.

“Is that normal?” Shi Mingyu asked.

“Normal?!” Wei Qingwei let out. “I smashed it in there myself! Of course, it’s not normal! It actively chose its own master!”

Shen Yuan was stunned but smiled at the little swordsmith next to him, putting a hand on his back. “Oh my… now what does that say about your talents?”

“I–”

The Peak Lord let his hand fall onto the boy’s head, ruffling his hair. “That says everything about his talents!”

Huang Yao was frozen, turning red. “I did it...!”