Work Text:
There were many reasons why people pursued power.
For Liu Qingge, he could list of plenty of reasons why he was drawn to Bai Zhan Peak. Tough battles and challenges were fun and thrilling, the exhilaration of fighting against a powerful opponent was a pleasure that few things could match as far as he was concerned. Most people would have assumed that his reasons began and end there, and Liu Qingge could not blame them. He had earned the title of ‘War God’ through displays of ruthless power and brutal efficiency in combat. He knew he had earned the reputation of a living weapon than a reasonable Peak Lord.
But, what had truly drawn Liu Qingge to the power Bai Zhan promised him was his family. His mother had been wonderful to him, a kind woman who inspired his admiration and reverence for the blade. She was unprotected and underappreciated among his father’s wives, and Liu Qingge wanted to be able to free her from that grasp. His sister being born only added to his drive to be powerful enough to protect those he cared about. If he was the most powerful cultivator in the region, in the world, then nothing would ever be able to bring those he loved to harm.
After the loss of his mother, Liu Qingge had swore to himself he would never allow harm to come to those he loved again.
This was the first time he had failed that vow.
Liu Qingge had been out on a simple night hunt, one that had him away from the sect for hardly three days. Xue Qingyu – The Peak Lord of Ling You Peak, the Beast Taming Peak – had given him a tip on a rare monster that was rumored to be able to grant poison immunity to anyone that ate its innards. It was a potential cure for Without-A-Cure was far too good to pass up, and a challenging battle like that had been easy amusement regardless. Given how large the creature had been, his efforts would be useful to the entire sect as Mu Qingfang would likely find uses for the innards that weren’t used to cure Shen Qingqiu.
It had only been three days at most.
So, of course, he discovered that while he had been busy the Qing Jing Peak disciples had been rounded together by their master on a little night hunt of their own. It had been a simple chance for some training apparently, something Shen Qingqiu thought would be good for his young disciples. A small matter in some town, nothing that seemed serious just something extremely odd. Yue Qingyuan had approved it because a mystery without any deaths seemed like a good learning exercise for a peak of scholars.
That was all it was supposed to be - a simple mystery, a chance for their master to relax while they learned.
When Liu Qingge returned to the Cang Qiong Mountain, everything was in chaos and he was immediately set upon by young disciples. He knew what it looked like when everything went to shit, so he rushed into the Peak Lord meeting after he shoved what he had collected into the arms of the nearest disciple with strict instructions on what they were and what to do with them. As soon as he threw open the doors, he noticed who was missing from the line up. The fact that a few Qing Jing Peak disciples seated along the side of the room, all visibly distressed, only made it obvious exactly what had happened.
To the surprise of everyone, the odd happenings that seemed harmless weren’t caused by any monsters or ghosts, but had been a trap laid out by a cult. The details weren’t caught by the Qing Jing disciples in the panic (really, only the one with the wild hair – Luo Binghe – managed to offer up anything substantial), but they had been able to figure out that the cult needed some kind sacrifice and their master had been chosen as the most ideal candidate by one of the cult members. Since everyone had been poisoned with something that subdued their cultivation abilities, Shen Qingqiu had offered himself over to keep the disciples safe and sent them back to the sect.
A few years ago, the idea of Shen Qingqiu doing something so selfless would be been a notion Liu Qingge would have scoffed at. But after Shen Qingqiu had saved Liu Qingge, saved Liu Qingge's sister, and sacrificed his own health for his disciple, it was hard to deny that it was something he would do. Since those incidents, the scholar had only continued the habit of self sacrifice, enough that Liu Qingge's concern was slightly tempered by a mixture of exasperation and fondness.
Needless to say, the situation was less than ideal.
“Well, we obviously aren’t going to let anyone sacrifice a Peak Lord, so lets head out,” Qi Qingqi snapped.
Shang Qinghua sunk lower in his seat, “I… I don’t want Shen-shixiong to suffer, but we still don’t know where he is…”
The An Ding Peak Lord whimpered the second Liu Qingge’s eyes landed on him, though the warrior knew that wasn’t entirely fair. Shang Qinghua made a good point, they couldn’t exactly rescue Shen Qingqiu if they didn’t know where he was. Qi Qingqi glared fiercely herself, likely offended at the implication that she hadn’t done a good enough job at gathering intel to locate Shen Qingqiu. Already, some of their more levelheaded sect siblings were shifting as if they wanted to calm down the ones that were ready to spiral in rage.
“Well, if its simply a need to track Shen-shixiong… there are other ways…”
All eyes in the room shifted towards the Peak Lord of Ling You Peak, Xue Qingyu.
“Xue-shimei?”
Xue Qingyu reached over and pet a cat-like creature draped over her shoulders, “Not too long ago Shen-shixiong visited my peak because he was curious about certain creatures we kept there. He became familiar with some of my Black Gleaming Eyed Lion Lynx. They’re amazing trackers, they should be able to find him quickly.”
“Can they be relied on?” Yue Qingyuan asked, voice polite but rather firm.
It wasn’t an unreasonable question to ask, considering the antics of this particular Peak Lord. Xue Qingyu had a habit of trying to tame a variety of dangerous monsters and beasts, under the belief that many of them were simply misunderstood and perfectly tamable if someone just tried. After a few attempts that results in her nearly being devoured or maimed, they all made her agree not to make any more attempts without another Peak Lord. That rule had since been amended to exclude the Qing Jing Peak Lord, as it turned out that since his qi deviation Shen Qingqiu had developed his own obsession with monsters and beasts.
“We’re not the only sect to work with Black Gleaming Eyed Lion Lynx, Zhangmen-shixiong. So long as they’re tamed and treated well, they’re incredibly reliable trackers,” Xue Qingyu answered, then after a pause, “Admittedly they are a bit of a handful to tame for most…”
“Will the beasts be able to handle things if it comes to a fight?” Liu Qingge questioned.
Xue Qingyu gave him a smile that could only be described as feral, “Given how fond most of them are of Shen-shixiong, anyone who laid a hand on him won’t be walking away from this. You might have to save those bastards, biaodi. If you don’t want them dead.”
The implications of those words were clear, the Peak Lords would not take this situation lightly. Even if Shen Qingqiu hadn’t suffered from that qi deviation that changed him so drastically, they still would have been willing to put these kidnappers in their place. The fact that he was someone most of them had shifted into being someone they considered worthy of protection, rather then the cold and aloof strategist who seemed so untouchable before, only added to that desire.
Yue Qingyuan hesitated for a moment before he relented, “Alright, I’ll allow them in this situation. Liu-shidi has already made it clear he’s taking on this task, who else will be going with him?”
“I will,” Mu Qingfang announced quickly, “If Shen-shixiong is injured, it would be best if I was there.”
“Count me in as well. This cult sounds like they’re real trouble, I’d like to show them their place,” Qi Qingqi added.
“Talk about overkill…” Shang Qinghua muttered under his breath.
The words weren’t acknowledged by the rest of the Peak Lords in the room, they all knew exactly what it meant when Liu Qingge and Qi Qingqi were sent on a mission together. If Yue Qingyuan didn’t give strict instructions to use restraint, it was understood that they were allowed to handle things violently and efficiently. That was what happened when you paired the sect’s greatest warrior with the sect’s greatest assassin. It was the best way to send a message, after all.
Yue Qingyuan noticeably didn't protest or request any restraint.
“I want to go too.”
At those words, all eyes moved over to the Qing Jing Peak disciples.
The wild haired one shifted nervously in his seat, before he took a deep breath, settled and met their gazes with a challenge. Luo Binghe was the disciple that had impressed everyone during a demon attack on the sect, to the point that Shen Qingqiu had invited him to stay in the Bamboo House – an obvious sign that he intended to guide the youth into a high position in the sect. From Liu Qingge’s experience with his regular visits to the Bamboo House, the boy understood the honor he was given and worked hard to prove he had earned it. He practically doted on his master, there was no doubt he respected his master more than the sect leader.
“I want to help my Shizun. He put himself in danger to protect us, it’s only right that we try and save him,” the disciple continued.
“You may have defended the sect against demons in the past, but that was an emergency. If I allowed you to join a mission against a serious threat Qingqiu-shidi would be furious,” Yue Qingyuan said, voice firm.
Luo Binghe frowned but didn’t back down, “But… But I know that I can help. I’ve trained a lot since then, I’ve even been on a few missions by myself before. We were caught off guard, but this time we won’t be.”
There was something in the boy’s eyes that made him pause. Something familiar to Liu Qingge. Guilt. The boy had been the one who Shen Qingqiu had stepped in front of, had shielded with his body, from the attack of the demon with poisoned armor. The youth must have blamed himself for the whole thing. Liu Qingge couldn’t judge him for that, he blamed himself as well. If he had left when Shen Qingqiu had called out to him, he could have been there to prevent the poisoning.
“You have until I have rounded the Bai Zhan disciples to prepare yourself,” Liu Qingge stated, “If you are not ready by then, you will wait here.”
“Liu-shidi?!”
“Liu Qingge?!”
“Liu-shishu?!”
With a slam of his fist on the table, Liu Qingge rose to his feet as everyone went quiet, “We don’t have time for this. Leave the punishment for his behavior to Shen Qingqiu, after he’s rescued.”
Liu Qingge didn’t wait for anything else, he stormed out of the meeting and let his actions speak for themselves – he wasn’t going to wait any longer, nothing could change his mind. Qiong Ding Peak disciples practically jumped out of his way as he made his way through the peak. But then his ears picked up on the sound of someone running after him.
“Liu-shishu!”
Liu Qingge turned and saw Luo Binghe had followed him out of the meeting. At a simple tilt of the Peak Lord’s head, the youth bowed lowly, “This disciple thanks Liu-shishu for entrusting me to accompany him.”
This behavior was completely different what he was used to from the youth. The youth was never outright rude towards him, of course, but he could be a little bit of a spoiled brat. It was similar to the way the child of a widow might behave when their parent was looking to remarry, a little defensive of their poor parent and wanting what was best. He had never snubbed the Peak Lord, but it was clear through his actions that he didn’t think Liu Qingge was good enough for his master. This was genuine respect and appreciation.
“Just focusing on getting ready.”
As soon as the Black Gleaming Eyed Lion Lynx his cousin had sent with them had been taken to the scene where Shen Qingqiu had been kidnapped from, the beast found his scent right away. The beast was fast, and the cultivators were able to follow the beast as it weaved through the trees on their swords. Liu Qingge, Qi Qingqi and Mu Qingfang lead the charge, with Luo Binghe following close behind despite his lack of experience compared to the other disciples.
The encampment the cult had set up was small, and it was clear after the Xian Shu Peak disciples had scouted the area that the cult wasn’t that large. They had a lot of potent poisons and a few powerful artifacts though, which was likely why they had managed to win in an ambush. Though they lacked their sect’s main strategist, it wasn’t that difficult to figure out what they needed to do. It turned out, Liu Qingge’s recent hunt had been completed at just the right time. Though the innards weren’t pleasant even when brewed into a more palatable state by the Qian Cao Peak disciples, they would provide an instant cure to any of the poisons the cult had prepared.
There was no mercy when the Cang Qiong Mountain Sect finally decided to strike.
Liu Qingge stuck close to the Black Gleaming Eyed Lion Lynx as he fought his way through the cultist. Though they all knew they needed at least a few of them alive for questioning, Liu Qingge had no problem if a limb or two happened to be lost as they fought. When the beast charged at a specific door, the Bai Zhan Peak Lord knew where Shen Qingqiu was being kept. He braced himself before he kicked down the door.
He hadn’t braced himself well enough.
Shen Qingqiu had been strung up in the center of a room by his wrists, an immortal binding cable wrapped tightly around them. His feet barely touched the ground, not helped that his shoes had been removed. Though he hadn’t been left nude, he was in far less layers than he typically wore. There was blood on his robes from obvious injuries, and bruising around his wrists. It was only the rise and fall of his chest that confirmed the Qing Jing Peak Lord was alive, his head was slumped low as if he was unconscious.
Liu Qingge hesitantly reached out to the other. He tried to be as gentle as possible as he lifted the other’s head to make sure he wasn’t suffering from any head injuries. Though there had been bruises on his face, he was more surprised to see Shen Qingqiu’s eyes were open and glazed over. The knowledge that he wasn’t unconscious but heavily drugged had a low rage boiling Liu Qingge’s blood.
Cheng Luan sliced through the immortal binding cables with ease while Liu Qingge gently held Shen Qingqiu in his arms. The scholar weakly squirmed and slurred out a few sounds that sounded like a protest, but that was all he could manage in the state he was in. A sharp pain echoed in his chest at the sight, and even the Black Gleaming Eyed Lion Lynx tried to comfort the Peak Lord with a gentle nuzzle to his limp hands. The whimpers at the gesture had the beast looking more like a kicked puppy than a fearsome predator that had torn the throat out of cultists only moments prior.
“Shizun!”
Luo Binghe called from the doorway, his sword Zheng Yang in his grasp before he started to rush towards his master.
The youth didn’t make it to his master's side before he came to a standstill.
“No… please no,” Shen Qingqiu slurred weakly and tried to curl in on himself, “I can’t… I didn’t… no…”
“Shizun?” Luo Binghe called once again, this time a lot less certain.
“No… no… I'm sorry… please… no…”
Liu Qingge took a deep breath before he narrowed his eyes at the youth, “Leave.”
“But—”
“Your Shizun is delirious and frightened, stand guard outside to make sure no one else rushes in and frightens him more,” Liu Qingge ordered.
Though it was clear that the disciple wanted to protest, he reluctantly bowed and left the room. Shen Qingqiu was still distressed, his delirious mutterings made little sense but it sounded like he was convinced he was about to be tortured by someone. More concerning, he sounded apologetic towards whoever he thought he was being tortured by. Uncertain of what to do, Liu Qingge shifted his hand to the other’s back and pushed some of his qi through his meridians. At first, there was only a weak whimper in response. Then Shen Qingqiu leaned back into it, his glazed over eyes shifting to meet his own.
“Liu Qingge?”
“You’re safe. I promise you, you’re safe,” Liu Qingge reassured.
It was impossible to know if Shen Qingqiu could understand anything being said to him, but the familiar qi had clearly been enough for him to stop trying to fight. Liu Qingge took that moment to pull out one of the bottles that contained the concoction from Qian Cao Peak, pulled out the stopper, before he lifted it to the other’s lips. Shen Qingqiu struggled at the taste, but Liu Qingge kept things slow and steady for him. When the bottle was finished, Shen Qingqiu finally fell into a state of unconscious.
As Liu Qingge moved to cradle Shen Qingqiu in his arms while he rose to his feet, the Black Gleaming Eyed Lion Lynx shifted in front of him expectantly. After a long moment of hesitation, Liu Qingge moved the Qing Jing Peak Lord to comfortably rest on the beast’s back. Though he wanted to carry the other, he knew that if there were still threats, the beast would not only be able to detect them faster but Liu Qingge would be more useful with his hands free to fight. Instead, he removed his outermost layer to provide a bit more modesty for the other.
Luo Binge had taken his guard duty seriously, though it was obvious by the way he looked at his master when they passed that he wanted to check over his master. Whether it was concern for his master’s health, or fear that his master would react badly once again, the youth didn’t move much closer. If Shen Qingqiu had been awake, he likely would have reassured his disciple not to take the rambles of a drugged victim seriously with a simple pat to his head. But Liu Qingge wasn’t Shen Qingqiu, and he couldn’t find himself the will to reassure anyone when Shen Qingqiu looked so weak and vulnerable.
The reassurance would only be soured by both their concerns.
Mu Qingfang wasn’t hard to locate, and as soon as he saw Liu Qingge and Luo Binghe flanking the Black Gleaming Eyed Lion he immediately knew who they had found. In the capable hands of Mu Qingfang and a few of his disciples, Liu Qingge reluctantly pulled himself away. As much as he wanted to stay by Shen Qingqiu’s side, he knew that he needed to be a Peak Lord at the moment. He sought out Qi Qingqi, who had dealt with the cultist that had survived the battle.
As he approached, Qi Qingqi eyed him before she commented, “Shen Qingqiu is with Mu Qingfang, I take it?”
Liu Qingge nodded, “Have you gotten anything from your interrogations?”
“I suspect they're a bunch of idiots, but my girls are collecting all their notes for Ming-shimei and Bao-shimei to look over to see if there is anything of value there,” Qi Qingqi answered, “But apparently they’re trying to summon some kind of monster to destroy the major cultivation sects.”
“Really? That’s their big plan?” Liu Qingge rolled his eyes.
There weren’t many monsters that could pose a threat to the major sects. But for Cang Qiong Mountain Sect? Given the fact that they had peaks dedicated to beast taming and monsters, alongside peaks for warriors, scholars, and powerful artifacts, they would likely be able to handle whatever beast they intended to summon even if it was a serious threat to the other sects. It truly sounded like a seriously idiotic plan, and one that wouldn’t result in anything too tragic for their sect.
Qi Qingqi shook her head in disgust, “The ritual itself is absolutely crass as well. Luckily it requires a full moon, so I doubt Shen Qingqiu was forced to endure too much at their hands.”
The look in her eyes made it clear that Liu Qingge did not want to know the details, so he just felt gratitude it wasn't a full moon night.
“How many are we bringing back to the sect?” Liu Qingge questioned.
“All of the survivors,” Qi Qingqi gave him a smile that nearly had him flinching, “Let Zhangmen-shixiong decide what happens to them.”
That level of sadistic glee wasn’t one he was willing to argue with this time.
There was something wrong about the way Shen Qingqiu slept.
Liu Qingge wasn’t an expert, of course, but he had invited the Qing Jing Peak Lord on plenty night hunts in the past, some that had taken more than one day. Though cultivators could go a few days without sleep if needed, Shen Qingqiu had been one that preferred to sleep unless it truly was an emergency. Since Liu Qingge refused to allow himself to remain so complacent and vulnerable, so he had noticed Shen Qingqiu’s sleep habits. He was a restless sleeper, not a sleep talker, but he never stopped moving as he slept.
But right now, back in the sect after his rescue, Shen Qingqiu slept like a corpse.
It wasn’t often Liu Qingge felt helpless, but as he sat by Shen Qingqiu’s bedside that was all he could feel. Shen Qingqiu looked pale, even compared to the sheets he slept in. He didn’t move except for his breathing. He looked so vulnerable and weak, like if Liu Qingge reached out and touched him then he would shatter under the pressure. Even though Mu Qingfang had informed everyone that he would be fine, that he just needed to rest, Liu Qingge still refused to leave his side.
Luo Binghe moved in and out of the room every few hours. Liu Qingge couldn’t refute him, he actually lived there, so he had to put up with the fussing disciple. The youth wasn’t too disruptive, just lingered with a fresh bowl of congee on a tray for when his master awoke. He offered to make something for the Bai Zhan Peak Lord – food or tea, it hadn’t mattered – but Liu Qingge had declined each time. He lacked an appetite for the time being, and he doubted that the disciple was surprised by that. He doubted the youth was eating much himself.
Worst to know was that despite his best efforts, the supposed innards that could cure any poison and grant poison immunity were exaggerated rumors. It could cure most poisons, yes, but it would not grant immunity and did nothing for Without-A-Cure. All that effort, the time spent away from Shen Qingqiu’s side that allowed him to get reduced to such a state, and it had all been for nothing. Without-A-Cure remained a burden.
There was no point getting upset, he could only move on the next possible solution.
Liu Qingge refused to give up on the cure for Without-A-Cure just yet.
“What has Shidi’s face looking like that? Frown so hard and your face may get stuck like that.”
The weakly spoken words had Liu Qingge’s eyes snapping to Shen Qingqiu’s face, “Hey.”
“Hey,” Shen Qingqiu offered a faint smile, “Thank you for coming to get me. I knew you would.”
“Of course I would. I will always come for you,” Liu Qingge replied.
Shen Qingqiu laughed a little at that, “I know.”
At the slightest twitch of the other’s hand, Liu Qingge reached out and offered him own. Shen Qingqiu accepted the offered hand with as much elegance and grace as he could manage in that moment and gave it a squeeze – as if he felt that Liu Qingge needed comfort. The gesture was just like him, and left the warrior feeling slightly exasperated. Could Shen Qingqiu be selfish for one moment and just demand comfort for his own suffering?
“I’ve troubled Liu-shidi again,” Shen Qingqiu commented, almost absentmindedly.
Before Liu Qingge could respond to that comment, the conversation between the two Peak Lords was interrupted by a very familiar cry. Luo Binghe had returned with another fresh bowl of congee on a tray. Liu Qingge quickly shifted to help Shen Qingqiu into a most upright position, before he suddenly found the tray shoved into his hands while the youth had thrown himself into his master’s arms. Liu Qingge met Shen Qingqiu’s amused gaze with his own, only to find the scholar more amused by whatever he read on the warrior’s face.
“Acting like this at such an age,” Shen Qingqiu scolded with far to much amusement for the words to carry any weight, “Binghe, surely you know better than this by now.”
Luo Binghe sniffled and pulled back a little, “Shizun… are you really okay?”
Shen Qingqiu lifted a hand to reassuringly pat his disciple’s head, “This master is more than fine, Binghe. Far more than I expected after the circumstances. How long was I out for?”
“A few hours. Your quick recovery was due to the efforts of Mu-shidi and the innards of a beast I hunted that supposedly cures all poisons,” Liu Qingge answered.
“So Liu-shidi’s night hunt went well then. If it is the beast I suspect it was, the rumors exaggerate it’s properties but it certainly will come in handy in the future,” Shen Qingqiu commented.
“Shizun should eat,” Luo Binghe said as he grabbed the tray Liu Qingge had set aside to bring it back to his master, “This disciple worked very hard on a filling meal for you.”
“Are you and Liu-shidi just going to watch this master eat? Ah, that would certainly be awkward, would it not? Why don’t you go get something for yourself and Liu-shidi?” Shen Qingqiu prompted.
With a polite self dismissal, Luo Binghe ducked out of the room to go retrieve some food and likely some tea. Shen Qingqiu barely waited a moment before he already started to dig into the food, which made it clear that his intentions were less about etiquette and comfort, and more about privacy.
“So, what happened with the cultists?” Shen Qingqiu questioned.
Liu Qingge leaned back, “They’ve been detained for now. Qi-shijie is interrogating them, while everyone else is going over the notes that were found to see if we can figure out anything. Zhangmen-shixiong wanted to wait until you were well before he passed any judgment.”
Shen Qingqiu scoffed, “Oh trust me, I can answer any questions you all have just fine. I knew of these bastards. I just wasn’t expecting to run into them now.”
The rest of the other’s words were muttered under his breath, but for a moment Liu Qingge swore he almost heard something like ‘stupidest way to get people naked’. Liu Qingge wasn’t sure what to make of that, and he decided that he didn’t want to dig into that. Let Qi Qingqi handle whatever they had planned, if it truly was vulgar and crass at it sounded then she would take no mercy them. Neither would Yue Qingyuan, considering who was nearly the victim of their schemes.
“Did anyone.. I don’t know what state I was in when you found me, but…” Shen Qingqiu was quiet as he trailed off.
Liu Qingge moved to give a gentle squeeze to his shoulder, “You hadn’t been in their custody for long. The state that you were found in wasn’t demeaning, no one saw anything you should fear.”
Shen Qingqiu relaxed at those words, “Thank you, Liu-shidi.”
“You don’t need to fear troubling me,” Liu Qingge said, answering the other’s earlier comment, “Everyone brings their own troubles to the sect. What keeps us from falling apart is that we all support each other through whatever trials and tribulations we may face.”
“I fear that one day the trials and tribulations I may bring could leave the sect in ruins.”
The words were spoken so softly, yet Liu Qingge felt them land like a punch. There was a fear there, but the kind that was tempered by acceptance. As if he believed the words he spoke, and believed that whatever faced him in the future would come to pass. Once again, Liu Qingge felt helpless – there was some kind of threat that weighed heavily on Shen Qingqiu’s mind and there was nothing he could do about it because he didn’t have any idea what it was. He wanted to pry, but before he could, Luo Binghe had returned with a tray of food.
Tension was allowed to dissipate as food was traded between everyone, alongside some tea that Liu Qingge was particularly fond of. He wasn’t sure if the tea was chosen intentionally or not, but he didn’t comment on it. With the gentle praises freely flowing from Shen Qingqiu, Luo Binghe easily settled in for the conversation. Whatever fears the scholar possessed, Liu Qingge knew that conversation would have to wait. It would be inappropriate to discuss such things in front of his young disciple.
“Shizun… is there… anything wrong with this disciple’s appearance?” Luo Binghe asked after a long moment.
Shen Qingqiu looked taken aback at that, “What are you talking about? Binghe, is this just another way to fish for compliments?”
“No, it’s not that, it’s just...” Luo Binghe nervously glanced between the two Peak Lords, “When you were being rescued, you reacted more fearfully towards this disciple than anyone else.”
There was a long, drawn out moment of silence before Shen Qingqiu looked towards Liu Qingge with narrowed eyes.
“Why was Binghe allowed to accompany you on the mission?” Shen Qingqiu asked, his voice cold and short.
Though he certainly didn’t need it, Luo Binghe jumped to his defense before he could answer, “Shizun, it was this disciple’s fault. This one intentionally made things difficult for everyone until he was allowed to join.”
“Of course you would, you stubborn child,” Shen Qingqiu sighed, “Binghe, I was under the influence of who knows what kind of substances. I wasn’t seeing you when you approached. There is nothing wrong with you.”
Luo Binghe gave his master a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, “This disciple thanks Shizun for humoring his worries.”
Liu Qingge watched the exchange in silence. Luo Binghe put on a bright expression, but it was clear that he didn’t believe those words entirely. That wasn’t a surprise, the youth wasn’t a fool. It was clear why – Liu Qingge and a beast were both in the room, and while Shen Qingqiu hadn’t reacted warmly it was nothing compared to the panic that Luo Binghe had incited in him. Something about his disciple had terrified him, even if Shen Qingqiu didn’t know what it was that terrified him.
That was when Shen Qingqiu tried to shift the conversation to more lighthearted topics. Everyone allowed the tone shift, playing along with his little game of pretend. Liu Qingge was sure that the master and disciple would end up having a long talk once he was gone, and he could wait to spend more time with Shen Qingqiu. Besides, it was nice to just have a peaceful moment for once.
It was raining the next time Liu Qingge saw Shen Qingqiu.
With Yue Qingyuan desperate to fuss over him, Mu Qingfang being dragged around by the sect leader to ensure that nothing had happened, and the need to hear out what the scholar had known of the cult so they could be dealt with, there wasn’t much time for social visits. Though as a fellow Peak Lord, Liu Qingge certainly could have demanded the other’s time, he figured it was best to give Shen Qingqiu some space. He knew that if he was being bombarded by everyone, it would be nice if someone allowed him a choice in seeking their company.
The sound of raining hitting an umbrella was what tipped him off that he had company. Most of the disciples on Bai Zhan Peak followed his philosophy that you wouldn’t always have access to luxuries so it was best to train without such things in mind. Liu Qingge finished his set, before he turned to face Shen Qingqiu. The Qing Jing Peak Lord held an umbrella with one hand, and hid his face with a fan clutched in the other. He had been turned away while Liu Qingge had been training but faced him when it was clear he was about to be addressed.
Shyness hadn’t been something he had seen on Shen Qingqiu often in the past. At least, not worn in the way he wore shyness now. The way he got flustered around what he deemed to be immodest nearly brought a smile to Liu Qingge’s face, though he was reluctant to admit why (his sister teased him enough about finding anything related to Shen Qingqiu cute). Still, the fact that just a few wet layers of clothing were enough to render him in such a state was amusing in its own right.
As soon as he stepped out of the rain, it wasn’t much of a strain to use his qi to dry his clothes and hair. His home on Bai Zhan Peak was pretty bland all things considered, but it suited him just find. These days, however, the building was a little more lived in – Shen Qingqiu had insisted on occasionally bringing some decorations to fill in the spaces. Paired that with Liu Mingyan using his home to hide things she didn’t want her peak sisters rummaging through, and his home had never been more full.
As soon as a few disciples had prepared and served them tea, they were waved off so the Peak Lords could speak in private.
“It feels like an eternity since I last saw you, Liu-shidi,” Shen Qingqiu commented idly.
“It’s been three days.”
Shen Qingqiu chuckled over his cup, “Maybe so. Still, I missed your company.”
“I figured you may have been crowded,” Liu Qingge reluctantly explained.
“Oh, absolutely. As much as I appreciate Zhangmen-shixiong, he can be a bit much when he’s worried. So sticky, he's almost as bad as Binghe,” Shen Qingqiu sighed before he smiled at Liu Qingge, “But… I never find myself feeling crowded when it comes to you.”
Liu Qingge understood the sentiment, he felt the same way in regards to Shen Qingqiu.
“I see. I’ll keep that in mind for next time,” Liu Qingge commented.
“I have no intentions of there being a next time. Next time someone else can be kidnapped for bondage fun times,” Shen Qingqiu grumbled.
That caught Liu Qingge’s attention. As far as he knew, Shen Qingqiu had never been kidnapped and tied up beforehand, and the fact that he remembered it meant that there was a high chance it happened since the qi deviation that affected his memories. Under Liu Qingge’s questioning stare, the scholar flushed and turned away to sip at his tea. A deep feeling of exasperation settled in him at the realization that there was a chance that this had happened more than once. It was almost as if any time Shen Qingqiu left his sight something terrible happened to him.
“Next time you wish to take your disciples out on a night hunt I will accompany you,” Liu Qingge offered.
“Training under the watchful gaze of the Bai Zhan War God? I’m sure that will fill them with confidence,” Shen Qingqiu teased.
“I’ve seen your disciples when training. A few of them could do with a little less confidence.”
Shen Qingqiu tsked a little at that, “So cruel to your innocent Shizhi.”
“It was not an empty offer,” Liu Qingge continued, “No matter how busy I appear, I can always accompany you if you need.”
“I’m not that helpless. But, I wouldn’t refuse your company. Maybe we could do a few joint missions between our peaks? It would be nice to put our peaks rivalry to rest.”
A few years ago, Liu Qingge would have thought the idea of peace between Qing Jing and Bai Zhan was nothing more than a naive dream only a delusional man could possess. Now, under the guidance of this Shen Qingqiu, Liu Qingge desired nothing more than for their peaks to finally be at peace with each other. He knew how much it upset the scholar when his disciples were hurt – emotionally or physically – and he knew that the disciples on his peak could be eager to challenge the peak of scholars. A few joint missions could help with that.
“I wouldn’t be opposed,” Liu Qingge answered.
“And then I can keep my eye on my Shidi,” Shen Qingqiu leaned in close with a conspiratorial smile, “Next time you can be the one who gets poisoned or kidnapped.”
“I doubt that will happen.”
“One of these days it will, Liu-shidi, I can feel it. Maybe you’ll be charmed by a siren, or ensnared by the charms of a succubus, and this Shixiong will be forced to save you.”
Liu Qingge continued to protest against the claims. Of course, once Shen Qingqiu had found something to amuse him, he refused to let it go so easily. He amused himself with increasingly ridiculous versions of events in which he would save Liu Qingge instead of being the one rescued. The Bai Zhan Peak Lord offered up his token protests when he knew it would amuse the other the most. This continued until the scholar devolved into a giggling mess.
Soon the conversation wound down, and Shen Qingqiu dismissed himself with a hint of reluctance at their parting. Sect duties weighed heavily on them all, and Yue Qingyuan was reluctant to deny the Qing Jing Peak Lord any part of the justice that was due. It was just tragically unfortunate that these days Shen Qingqiu preferred diplomacy and peaceful resolutions over ones that satiated the more bloodthirsty wishes of the sect leader. For all his reputation as a pacifist, the Peak Lords all knew just what he was capable of.
Once Shen Qingqiu had already disappeared from Bai Zhan, Liu Qingge returned to his quarters. It was only then that something caught his eye – something out of place, tucked underneath the table they had been drinking tea at. Liu Qingge didn’t need to grab to make a guess at what it was. Sure enough, once he fetched it, it was indeed a fan. The scholar had a habit of forgetting these everywhere he went, and Liu Qingge had ended up returning them more often then not.
For a moment, Liu Qingge debated on whether or not he should return it now or wait for the next time they crossed paths. It wasn’t like they wouldn’t be reunited before the week was over, he would be surprised if they didn’t see each other tomorrow. After a long glance at the rain outside, he decided to wait out the bad weather before he returned it. It wouldn’t do well to risk the fan getting damaged after all.
The hesitant press of the fan to his lips had nothing to do with that decision, of course.