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Luo Binghe had everything planned for when he’d meet Shen Qingqiu again. He had to prove himself so Shen Qingqiu would take him back, make it clear he wasn’t as evil as his demonic heritage, and open his Shizun’s mind so Luo Binghe could finally return to him.
However things went wrong right off the bat.
First of all the idiotic disciples from Huan Hua Palace wouldn’t stop obsessing over Luo Binghe, and the attention was more annoying than anything else. The second problem was that Shen Qingqiu obviously had the wrong impression of why Luo Binghe was so fixated on him, because the man wouldn’t stop thinking about the different ways Luo Binghe could torture and kill him.
Oh yeah and the third problem, Luo Binghe could read Shen Qingqiu’s mind.
Luo Binghe couldn’t blame anyone but himself for the mind reading. He’d been the one to touch the cursed amulet even after Gongyi Xiao had warned him to be careful in the Huan Hua Palace artifact room, but Luo Binghe had been curious. Meng Mo had even advised him to keep the mind reading curse until after Huan Hua Palace ceased their collaborative work with Cang Qiong.
“Your Shizun has a knack for jumping to conclusions,” Meng Mo explained. “This could give you the insight you might not procure through dreams.”
So Luo Binghe let it happen, and now he was suffering the consequences. Between the cutthroat way the Huan Hua Palace girls thought about each other as competition for Luo Binghe’s affections, to the simple and earnest concern Gongyi Xiao held for everyone including Luo Binghe, the young man was sure his head would explode.
And then he heard Shen Qingqiu’s thoughts, and all the others were washed away as Luo Binghe focused on the internal voice that was so familiar and comforting. Except all Shen Qingqiu thought about was how Luo Binghe was going to torture him, ruin him, kill him, and…the size of his penis?
Alright the last part was a bit flattering, but not when Shen Qingqiu vividly pictured himself in various forms of dismemberment by Luo Binghe’s own hand.
“See?” Meng Mo commented, surfacing for a rare moment. “He’s jumping to conclusions.”
That he was, and Luo Binghe couldn’t take it.
But before Luo Binghe could snag a chance to talk to Shen Qingqiu, a new thought unrelated to some gory fate made him freeze in his tracks.
Shouldn’t the protagonist be focused on his harem? Why’s he rebuffing all his wives?
Wives? As in plural? Looking at the gaggle of girls surrounding him Luo Binghe fought against wrinkling his nose. Why would Luo Binghe want any of them?
He’s probably charmed them with his sob story and painted me as the scum villain.
Shizun? A scum villain? Luo Binghe couldn’t stand there and let Shen Qingqiu think that about himself. No matter how much it hurt to be rejected and thrown into the Endless Abyss, Luo Bignhe couldn’t be mad at Shen Qingqiu, only himself.
“Shizun!” Luo Binghe cried with the same enthusiasm and tone as when he’d serve breakfast in the bamboo house. “This disciple missed you!”
Missed me?! He probably can’t wait to kill me!
All but skipping to stand in front of Shen Qingqiu, Luo Binghe greeted him as a proper disciple of Cang Qiong would and began talking without a care as to how anyone other than Shizun perceived him.
“This disciple was so ashamed to dishonor Shizun at the Immortal Alliance Conference! Please forgive me for not revealing myself sooner, I wanted to be stronger to prove to Shizun that I’m worthy of returning to Cang Qiong!”
Jealous whispers from the vipers disguised as girls from Huan Hua Palace rose behind Luo Binghe, but with a single sharp glare they were silenced. No one would talk poorly about Shen Qingqiu so long as he was around.
“Luo Binghe,” Shen Qingqiu began, a slight waver in his voice that made him sound almost unsure of what to say. “This master—”
“Your disciple is alive,” Liu Qingge interrupted, appearing from nowhere like a nuisance. He gave Luo Binghe a single nod of approval and said, “You can reunite later. For now let’s finish what we came for.”
You don’t understand Liu Shidi, he wants to kill me! Turn me into a human stick and then have egregious sex with his harem while I watch from inside a pickle pot!
Luo Binghe blinked in horror at the mental allegation. The thought of Shen Qingqiu in a pickle pot was almost cute if not for the mention of turning him into a human stick. If there was one person in the world Luo Binghe would never harm, it was Shen Qingqiu.
Before Luo Binghe could wheedle his way into investigating the sower demons with Shen Qingqiu, a passing thought from someone else caught his attention. It was enough for Shen Qingqiu to slip away from the Huan Hua Palace delegation, which frustrated Luo Binghe but not enough to wash away his curiosity at what Gongyi Xiao meant by, “I hope this resolves Peak Lord Shen’s grief.”
Luo Binghe didn’t wait long to question Gongyi Xiao. Apparently the young man had met Shen Qingqiu and Shang Qinghua at some point in the years Luo Binghe had been in the Abyss, and had a good rapport with the two peak lords.
It didn’t take much pressing for Gongyi Xiao to spill his thoughts on the matter.
“Peak lord Shen just came out of mourning for you,” Gongyi Xiao explained as they walked the streets of Jin Lan City for clues. “To be perfectly honest, I think he was still mourning. I hoped he’d be more excited to know you’re alive, but I suppose the shock may slow his acceptance.”
That was…ridiculously optimistic coming from a guy whose fiancée had openly lusted after Luo Binghe in front of her entire sect. But Gongyi Xiao had given Luo Binghe something to think about, which was that Shen Qingqiu had mourned him. But why would Shizun mourn Luo Binghe and yet be scared of retribution at the very sight of him?
The only way to really find out was for Luo Binghe to confront Shen Qingqiu face to face and plead his case as to why he should be accepted back. If push came to shove, Luo Binghe would beg on his hands and knees and go through the tea ceremony again. Having scalding tea dumped on him would be nothing compared to Shizun’s rejection.
However it would be too bold to simply walk up to the weapons shop that Shen Qingqiu and the other peak lords were staying and ask to see him. Not to mention it could tip off Liu Qingge and Mu Qingfang who could listen in, and Luo Binghe didn’t want anyone else to know about his demon blood.
Obviously the only option was to wait until Liu Qingge went out to hunt sower demons, and enter through the window.
That…didn’t go as well as Luo Binghe expected.
Even though Luo Binghe greeted Shen Qingqiu properly, the man booked it for the door when he saw Luo Binghe, then Luo Binghe in all his wisdom tackled Shen Qingqiu and covered his mouth to keep him from screaming, and then Shen Qingqiu’s thoughts spiraled and became so loud that Luo Binghe groaned at the headache it caused.
Just when Luo Binghe thought he could finally say something, Shen Qingqiu licked his hand.
“Shizun!” Luo Binghe cried, yanking his hand back to wipe it on his robes.
“Luo Binghe!” Shen Qingqiu shot back, still pinned on the ground save for one hand that pushed feebly at Luo Binghe.
Get off me! This is a position you’d assume with one of your wives, not me!
Unable to hold back at the repeated mention of his fictitious wives, Luo Binghe blurted, “I don’t want a wife!”
Shen Qingqiu stilled beneath him, his hand still fisted in the front of Luo Binghe’s clothes like he was about to throw him off.
“Huh?”
The innocent confusion on Shen Qingqiu’s face was too much, and before Luo Binghe knew it the floodgates opened as he babbled, “I don’t want a wife! I just want Shizun to let me come home! I know I’m a disgusting demon and Shizun threw me away to save himself the shame of being associated with me—”
“Wait, what—”
“—but I can be better!” Luo Binghe sucked in a gasping breath as tears welled in his eyes and dripped down his cheeks. “Really! Shizun just needs to give me a chance! I won’t hurt you ever, I won’t take any wives! I don’t even like girls enough to have a harem! I only want my heavenly pillar to go in a heavenly temple!”
Shen Qingqiu stared up at Luo Binghe with wide bewildered eyes.
Has he lost it? Did all his time in the Abyss make him—
“It’s not because of the Abyss Shizun!” Luo Binghe blubbered as he dropped his head to rest on Shen Qingqiu’s chest. “I miss you!”
Shen Qingqiu was still for a long moment and his thoughts were equally as quiet. Then he untangled his hand from Luo Binghe’s robes and placed it gently on his disciple’s head.
“Luo Binghe—”
“Please don’t send me away again,” Luo Binghe begged, all his plans for a suave and convincing conversation flying out the window as he acted on his last resort. “I won’t read your mind again, I just—”
“You’ve been reading my mind?!” Shen Qingqiu asked incredulously.
Blinking away tears Luo Binghe looked at Shen Qingqiu and nodded guiltily. “I touched an artifact that let me—”
“Was it about this big?” Shen Qingqiu asked, his eyes wide as he gestured with one hand. “And had a blue gem in the center?”
Luo Binghe shook his head. “It was red.”
Fuck.
Luo Binghe startled at Shen Qingqiu’s profane language, even if it was just in his thoughts.
Squirming out from under Luo Binghe, Shen Qingqiu said, “Get up! Mu Shidi needs to look you over right now! If I’m right you need treatment immediately or you’ll risk a deviation from demonic energy!”
“Shizun,” Luo Binghe said as he watched Shen Qingqiu fret over him like he was still a child. “This one is a demon. It won’t have any—”
“You’re half demon,” Shen Qingqiu said, flicking his fan against the crown of Luo Binghe’s head sharply. “Just because it isn’t happening now doesn’t mean it won’t happen later. Up!”
“Does this mean I can stay?” Luo Binghe asked as he rose to his feet.
Oh for the love of—
Cutting off his own line of thinking Shen Qingqiu sighed, “Yes Luo Binghe, you may stay so long as this master doesn’t have to keep worrying about you.”
That was more than Luo Binghe hoped for, and without too much prodding followed Shen Qingqiu to be treated.