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It wasn't unusual for Wu Yanzi to manhandle Shen Jiu around; He was impatient and particularly sensitive to anything he interpreted as insolence, ranting about all of Shen Jiu's flaws in the process. He had long since learned to tune the words out.
What wasn't typical was the sword swooshing between them, plunging straight into Wu Yanzi's chest.
Shen Jiu watched as blood bubbled on Wu Yanzi's lips, hands trying to grasp the rotating blade. To no avail; He was done for.
Even with all of his experience, all of his years as a wandering demonic cultivator, all of his successful crimes, Wu Yanzi wasn't immune to a chunk of metal skewering him.
Within seconds, he was dead. The sword pulled out, then, ignoring the collapsing body and Shen Jiu both as it returned to its owner.
The man didn't seem to care about the state of the sword, stuffing it carelessly into the sheath.
He was older than Shen Jiu, taller, more muscular. The robes he wore were grey but the fabrics were undeniably rich, down to the blindfold covering his eyes.
“You killed my master," Shen Jiu said, his voice flat.
The cultivator tilted his head. “He was a bad man."
What did that matter? The world was full of bad men; It would be more difficult to find someone who wasn't! Were those lofty cultivators so far removed from the life of regular people that they hadn't realized such a fundamental fact?
“Yeah, but he was the only one I got."
“My apologies then," the cultivator offered, clearly uncaring. Turning slightly, he began to walk away.
“So that's it?" Shen Jiu asked. He kneeled down to rummage through Wu Yanzi's pockets, quickly repossessing the supplies the man would no longer need. “You're just going to murder my master right in front of me and then walk off into the forest?"
The cultivator paused. “Is this not the path?”
“If you mean your fancy cultivation life path then I've no idea," Shen Jiu finished looting the corpse, stepping over it carelessly. He just dared Wu Yanzi to try and haunt him! “If you mean the forest path the regular people use, then no. It's the other way."
Turning slightly, the cultivator took another few steps.
“The other other way."
Another wrong direction. Shen Jiu followed after the man, finding some amusement in his struggle.
“You're still not on the path," he told him.
“How many directions even are there?" The cultivator mumbled, pivoting his head as if it was going to help.
“You might have more luck if you got rid of the blindfold, daozhang," Shen Jiu told him, arms crossed.
“That, I'm afraid, won't help at all."
Ah. So the blindfold was for the comfort of the mortals rather than a training accessory.
For a moment, Shen Jiu just watched as the cultivator tried to keep moving, forging ahead into the wilderness with a pace as even as the uneven ground and roots allowed.
“I could help you reach your destination," he offered on a whim. “If you show me some sword techniques. Really, it's the least you could do after killing my teacher."
“I don't have the time for that."
“But you do have the time to wander aimlessly around the forest?"
The cultivator paused, gritting his teeth. When no answer seemed to be coming, Shen Jiu continued. “Look, it wouldn't be anything time consuming. Just a couple forms at camp time-"
“I don't break for camp."
“...Really.”
“Someone's waiting for me. I can't- I have to-"
Oh, god, was he going to cry? …Well, Shen Jiu could push him to that point. Easier to convince someone who's acting emotional.
“And how long have you kept them waiting already?"
He expected a vague number at best. But- “Two years, three months, sixteen days. Some hours."
Wow, that was quite a while now. About the same time Qi-ge had been gone, though Shen Jiu had long since lost the exact count. What an odd coincidence.
“And you think the couple of days it'll take to sleep at night will make a difference?"
The cultivator swallowed, his fists clenching by his sides. But Shen Jiu wasn't afraid he'd attack; Not when there were red stains growing at the bottom of his blindfold.
“Look, whatever time you lose by bending to the needs of a regular human, I'll help you make up for. You can use that fancy sword to fly, can't you? I'll be your seeing eyes. What do you say?"
“Fine."
***
Travelling with the cultivator was fairly easy. The flying on his sword took some getting used to, but Shen Jiu could understand why the cultivators preferred it as their main mode of transportation.
They broke for camp at nights, but the cultivator - who remained nameless - always pushed until after the sun set, getting moving again before it even appeared on the horizon.
In revenge, Shen Jiu waited until the last moment before reaching a city to let the cultivator know he had blood on his blindfold.
When they stopped by a stream to allow the cultivator to wash up, and he removed the wide strip of fabric-
Shen Jiu inhaled sharply. He felt stupid. So, so stupid. He even thought the timeline seemed similar, and yet it didn't cross his mind that this could be-
“You don't have to look," Qi-ge said, keeping his head low as he washed the blindfold. “I know it's not pretty."
Shen Jiu of five minutes ago wouldn't have cared. Shen Jiu of now couldn't help but ask. “How did that happen?"
He could reach some obvious conclusions - a blade seemed to have repeatedly cut across his face - but that still left a lot of details out.
“I rushed too much," Qi-ge shrugged, drying the blindfold with his qi. He didn't look up as he tied it over his face. “Claimed a sword I wasn’t ready for. Shizun said I was lucky my sight was the only price I had to pay."
“...was it worth it?"
He watched as Qi-ge straightened out, readying his sword for flight again.
“I don't know," he said eventually. He turned his head towards the south; The direction of Qiu Manor, Shen Jiu now knew. “I'll find out soon."
***
Shen Jiu had been tempted to reveal himself right when he realized the cultivator was Qi-ge. But… A small part of him was curious to see how far Qi-ge would go for him.
How would he react when he saw the burned manor? Or, well, when he learned that it was gone?
So for now, Shen Jiu continued as they were.
He followed after Qi-ge, warning him of any obstacles in his path but otherwise letting him take the lead.
“The Qiu Manor?" A merchant Qi-ge had asked scratched at his chin. “Oh, it burned down some time ago. Got to be about a year, now?"
Qi-ge's shoulders stiffened at that answer. “Were there any survivors?"
“Just the Qiu maiden and some servant women. The men all perished, they were buried on the grounds."
“I see." Qi-ge's voice was wooden. He didn't bother thanking the merchant for the information or saying anything more, simply walked away.
Shen Jiu tossed the merchant a coin before following after him.
The streets were familiar to them both, the years they had spent living in the town engraved in their memories. It was no surprise that Qi-ge could navigate them even while blind.
He didn't speak until he reached the spot where the gate used to be.
“Am I on the threshold?"
Shen Jiu grabbed his arm, pulling him a bit further forwards. “Now you are."
Qi-ge nodded. And then began to walk again, following pathways and corridors which no longer existed. It took a moment for the memory to click; It was the path he took to reach Shen Jiu, that night when he escaped.
He paused where the door used to be, and slid down to his knees. His sword rested on his thighs.
“What are you doing?"
Qi-ge startled, as if he hadn't been expecting Shen Jiu to still be there.
“This is where our paths diverge," he said, one hand rubbing over the hilt of his sword. “I appreciate your help. You were right; A few days did not make a difference."
“That doesn't answer my question."
But Qi-ge didn't seem to be in the mood for any more conversation. Instead, he pulled his sword out of its sheath.
Shen Jiu barely managed to grab the blade before it could reach Qi-ge's neck, the edge cutting into his fingers.
“Stop it, stop it!" He wrenched Qi-ge's hand further away, trying to get his sword out of his grip. “Stupid Qi-ge! You're just going to give up?
Qi-ge froze. His hold slackened, allowing Shen Jiu to toss the sword aside. He dug for a handkerchief, wrapping it around the bloodied mess of his fingers with a hiss.
“...Xiao Jiu?"
“I can't believe you were just going to kill yourself!" Shen Jiu raged. “Do you have so little faith in me that you thought I would've died in a house fire? I was the one who-oof!"
His tirade broke off when Qi-ge barrelled into him, face pressing against Shen Jiu's stomach. He was muttering his name like a prayer, arms wrapping around the backs of his thighs.
“There, there," Shen Jiu patted his head. “You found me anyway, so it's all well now, yeah?"
Qi-ge shook his head, still pressed against him. “I was too late."
“Then make up for it.” He smiled. “Stay with me always, Qi-ge."
“Always."
