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“Stop being jealous you don’t have a fated mate!”
“Yeah, it’s not our fault you feel this way so leave us alone!”
“You would have one if you weren’t such a scum anyway.”
The room burst out in laughter. Shen Jiu just came in because they were too loud, and he couldn’t read! It’s a library for fuck’s sake!
“I hope to see you all in the punishment hall for talking back to your shixiong.”
Shen Jiu, or Shen Qingqiu since two days ago, left the room and closed the door hearing remarks, slurs and all types of affronts. He was used to it by now and it didn’t affect him. After all, they were wrong, he had a fated mate.
Omegas weren’t that common, but they were famous for one thing, and it was their bond with their fated mate. Every omega had one, whatever they were beta, alpha or even other omegas in rare cases. It was a hidden fantasy of every beta and alpha to be the fated mate of an omega. They were the only secondary gender to be sure to have one. They were no records of fated mates between beta or alpha.
Of course, Shen Qingqiu wasn’t an exception or whatever everyone believed. He had a fated mate and he even knew who it was, and it was a pain in the ass!
Finding their fated mate was the best thing in an omega’s life. They were immediately attracted to them at first sight, wanting to stick to them for their entire life and when they gave their wrists for their fated mate to scent then the attraction went both ways and confirmed the bond, putting the both in a state of rut or heat for the alphas and omegas, betas were just really horny.
And it was the reason why it was such a pain for the head disciple of Qing Jing. This attraction was constant, and he had a hard time being in the same place as his fated mate without having this urge to jump on them, making him feel dizzy from the force of it. It was even painful from time to time. But there was no way he was accepting this freaking brute from Bai Zhan as his fated mate! No, no, and NO!
It was normal for the others to think that he still hasn’t found his fated mate, even if it was said in a rude way. Excluding the force of the want, why would an omega keep their distance with their fated mate when they are someone who would stand with them against the world. It’s unimaginable to reject such loyalty. Who would be so dumb as hiding from their fated mate to keep suffering in silence. Well, nobody of course, albeit Shen Qingqiu.
The omega wouldn’t admit even to himself that it wasn’t the head disciple of Bai Zhan that he was rejecting but himself. Liu Qingge is from a noble family, he started cultivation from the right age and is gifted with amazing skills. When he’s a runaway slave with crippled meridian and a bad reputation, that his fated mate didn’t help with. There was no way the Liu family was going to welcome him, even he had doubt that their bond would be strong enough for the other to overcome his hatred for him.
It was not his business anyway. Other’s beliefs were the last thing he could care for. He was going to live his life as he wanted and become the Qing Jing Peak Lord of the Qing generation! And that without the support of anyone, and even less his so-called fated mate who kept standing in his way.
“A-jiu.”
Shen Qingqiu turned and immediately bowed. “Shizun.” The Qing Jing Peak Lord was an alpha with a fated mate, which was the Bai Zhan Peak Lord as surprising as it was. They were arguing often for fated mates.
“Could you accompany me for a walk? I have something to tell you.”
“Of course, shizun.”
Both started to walk next to each other, the Peak Lord leading them to the bamboo forest to take the pass leading to the Cold Spring.
“The announcement will occur tomorrow, but we agreed to tell you and the other head disciples today.”
The Peak Lord stopped and smiled at his favorite disciple. “Since we all nominated our successor, the Sect Leader decided to organize a tournament between all of you.”
Shen Qingqiu froze. He wasn’t at the same level as most of his martial siblings, he could beat the rat from An Ding Peak or even his shimei from Zui Xian Peak but he drew the line at Wei Qingwei and Qi Qingqi, and he didn’t even think about Yue Qingyuan or Liu Qi-. Oh god. He would have to see his fated mate! He really hopes he wouldn’t go against him.
“A-jiu?”
The Qing Jing disciple startled. “Yes shizun?”
“Are you alright?”
“This disciple is alright.”
The Qing Jing Peak Lord frowned. “If you say so.”
“When will it be?”
“Approximately two weeks from now on. Everything is already ready; the Sect Leader had prepared everything behind our back. We just need to send the invitations to the other sects.”
The omega lowered his head. He knew he wasn’t going to win but he wanted to make his shizun proud and show the power of Qing Jing Peak.
“Will you be ready?”
“Yes shizun.”
“Good. I’m counting on you A-jiu.”
The Peak Lord patted his head and continued on the pass, leaving his disciple alone.
“The winner is Shen Qingqiu from Qing Jing Peak!”
The omega was shakily breathing. He did it! He beat the Ku Xing head disciple! They were almost at the same level, with Shen Qingqiu as the weakest of the two of course. He made his way to his seat, keeping his elegance until the end.
He had made up his mind when he saw the order of the tournament. He would do everything to beat his shidi from the all-male’s peak and lose against Mu Qingfang with the excuse of being tired from his previous fight. The healer was at the same level as him and it wouldn’t be a shame to lose against him. He could probably pretend to react a bit to slowly to a certain attack and be done with it.
“The winner is Shang Qinghua from An Ding Peak!”
The Qing Jing disciple immediately raised his head. He was so focused on his plan that he didn’t follow the match. Shang Qinghua won against Mu Qingfang?! How is that even possible! Defeating Shang Qinghua was easy. How the rat won against the Qian Cao head disciple is beyond him, the healer probably worked for three days straight without sleep again.
His whole plan was crumbling in his head. He had to choose whether he lose against his weakest martial brother and shame his Peak and shizun or win and go against Qingge. There was no way he could show his face in front of the Qing Jing Peak Lord ever again if he lost to this rat!
“Xiao-jiu? Are you alright?”
Shen Qingqiu frowned. “Stop calling me that!”
“Xi- Shen-shidi, if you are feeling unwell you should go to the Qian Cao disciples.”
“I’m fine.”
“Shen-shixiong! I’m looking forward to our match!”
The An Ding Peak’s head disciple came forward, sweating, and took his seat next to his martial siblings.
Fuck it. Why would he care about Liu Qingge! He was going to win this match against the rat. He was strong and he was going to show it to everyone.
After half a shichen or so, the Qiong Ding disciple at the talisman-microphone called for the next match. “Shen Qingqiu and Shang Qinghua are called in the arena.”
Both got up and walked to the center, bowing to each other and walking away from one another.
“Start!”
Shen Qingqiu immediately jumped on the An Ding disciple from the air, putting all his weight on his sword. The sound of the two blades against each other was loud, but the omega heard the cry of the pathetic beta below him.
When the Qing Jing disciple sensed the other’s hold wavered, he pushed the rat to the side with Xiu Ya and a bit of Qi. Shang Qinghua fell by tripping on his own foot and shrieked when his face made contact with the ground.
Shen Qingqiu couldn’t help the hand that he put on his face. It was so embarrassing. The beta was the weakest of them all, but he was still a head disciple and future Peak Lord of Cang Qiong Mountain, how could he trip on his own foot in the middle of a fight, in front of everyone.
When the An Ding disciple made no move to get up, the match was over. Announcing the omega as the winner and calling Liu Qingge and Wei Qingwei to the arena. Shen Qingqiu passed the alphas and shuddered when he made eye contact with the Bai Zhan disciple, who was glaring daggers at him. Everyone knew that the next match was going to be against the two of them, the Wan Jian Peak disciple had no chance.
“The winner is Liu Qingge from Bai Zhan Peak!” Well, it was fast, but there was no surprise.
A break was announced for the remaining participants to rest for half a shichen. Yue Qingyuan, approached his shidi with a sad expression, this bastard already knew that Shen Qingqiu would lose and he dares pity him?! Maybe if he did come back for him, he could have started his cultivation earlier!
“Xiao-jiu I kn- “
“I already told you to stop calling me that!”
“Qi-ge is sorry Shen shidi.” He lowered his head which made the omega sight. He was the future Sect Leader but he was still as pathetic as when they were kids.
“Stop apologizing all the time for god’s sake!”
“I’m sorry…”
Shen Qingqiu’s eyebrows twitched, and he clenched his hands just hard as to not break skin. This Yue Qi was a joke of a cultivator.
“I know Shen shidi and Liu shidi doesn’t have the best relationship but…” He sighted. “Please don’t try to anger him during the fight, I don’t want him to hurt you.”
Was he trying to tell him to fight ‘fair’ as to not anger his ‘righteous’ martial brother?! His teeth clenched so hard the other probably heard.
“Thanking shixiong for the advice.”
Shen Qingqiu immediately turned to go as far away as he could to this so-called brother of his. He needed to calm himself before the match or it would be too hard to control himself in front of his fated mate. He didn’t want to kiss the idiot in front of everyone.
“Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge are called in the arena.”
The omega took a deep breath and unsheathed Xiu Ya. He wasn’t going to win but he would put his whole into this fight to make Yue Qingyuan victory easier, not like this brute could win the competition anyway.
“Start!”
Shen Qingqiu launched himself in the air in the same way as he did with Shang Qinghua and tried to look at everything but the face of his opponent. Of course, it didn’t work, the brute launched himself in the air too to join their swords together in a clash that sent a storm of dust in the bleachers.
They both fell to the ground and ran to each other once again, both with as much violence as a death battle. It was that for Shen Qingqiu. His mind was screaming to drop his weapon and launch himself in the arms of the alpha, it was a physical and mental battle. He just putted more force in his hits to shut his omega up but nothing was working.
Everyone was cheering for the Bai Zhan disciple, nothing new anyway, but the name of his fated mate repeated all around him was making his mind hazy. He didn’t even know if it was the other’s cheering or his own inner omega that was screaming the name more.
At some point his dedication wavered at the sight of the alpha’s eyes, he didn’t mean to make eye contact but the way he was glaring at him, and the sweat flowing from his forehead. Liu Qingge immediately disarmed him, waking the omega from his daydream.
He couldn’t lose in front of everyone in such a pathetic way. He launched himself in the arms of the other which pleased his inner omega, but he also tackled him to the ground and punched him in the face. Cheng Luan dropped on the ground next to them as they started to fist fight, making everyone stop in their cheering. It wasn’t a fight between cultivators anymore, that was way to brutal and animalistic. Even the Peak Lords were looking at each other, they knew they didn’t get along, but it was worse than expected.
Liu Qingge wrapped his legs around his shixiong’s waist and turned them around, making the omega scowl as the filthy ground was ruining his robes. He grabbed some dirt and gravel in a hand while staring at the man on top of him and threw it in the other’s eyes.
“Ugh! You cheater!”
“Shut up you brute!”
The Bai Zhan disciple caught a hand that was coming at high speed to his face while pushing the omega’s face even more in the dirt.
“Ow! Are you crazy ?!”
The alpha was bleeding, the omega’s fangs deep into his hand. “Let go you freak!” The Bai Zhan disciple putted a knee on the other’s chest and tore off his hand from the Qing Jing disciple’s mouth to stop a punch aiming at his dick. Why would he aim there?! The answer was simple. Shen Qingqiu was feeling more and more erratic, his fated mate was on top of him, holding him, his instincts telling him to just grab his dick that was way to close to his hand, he couldn’t stop himself, but he had enough force to clench his hand into a fist before aiming.
“You disho- “. He froze. He could smell something sweet really close to his face. It was like tea and… this flower that his mother loved, he forgot the name again. He looked all around him, there was nobody close to them, the omega still trying to fight under him by hitting his back with his legs. He approached the wrist in his hands close to his nose and inhaled. Oh god. Was that a joke?
Shen Qingqiu panicked when his arms were raised even higher and closer to the other’s face and lifted his hips to put his ankles around the alpha’s neck to try and pull him away from his scent glands. It was useless as Qingge inhaled and opened wide his eyes, the only thing that it did was approach the alpha’s crotch closer to his face. What a display they were in front of the entire cultivation world.
Liu Qingge lowered his head, starring at Shen Qingqiu, eyes wide open. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Both could sense the bond starting to adjust and their bodies heating up in an alarming speed, loosing control of their scents in the middle of the arena.
The firsts to notice were the Peak Lords, some of them getting up immediately, asking for the end of the match. Following by the elders from other sects who started to whisper between themselves. It was obvious that they both were fated mates and were now entering the second phase of the fortification of their bond. If nobody intervened they were going to dual cultivate in front of everyone in not even an incense stick of time.
“G-Get off me.” Shen Qingqiu started trembling while the alpha on top of him was panting, grabbing the omega’s wrists even harder.
“No.”
“W-What do you mean ‘no’! We’re in public! Get off!”
“Let them watch.”
The alpha released a wrist to grab the chin of his fated mate and bended down to open kiss him, shocking the other who lowered his legs. Everyone gasped at this unusual public display. The trembling omega pushed on the other’s chest to get him off but stopped when his mate started to grind himself against him, making him moan.
That was the last stoke for the Qing Jing Peak Lord who stormed in the arena. “Liu Qingge! Leave my disciple alone immediately!” The alpha raised his head and growled at the approaching Peak Lord while holding his mate close to him.
“Don’t you dare growl at me!”
The Peak Lord was going to launch himself on the disciple when the Sect Leader stopped him. The Bai Zhan Peak Lord approached his disciple from behind and started to pull him off from the omega by the shoulders, but the other disciple started to follow the movement by grabbing his alpha’s legs. Shen Qingqiu was too far gone to know what he was doing anymore, he just wanted to stay with his Qingge.
“Yu Mingyang! Take your filthy disciple away from mine!”
“Then control yours!”
“Don’t talk about my A-jiu like that!” He yelled, still trashing against the Sect Leader’s hold.
Shang Qinghua chuckled at the sight in front of him, the arena being in complete chaos. He was proud of his little plan. Why nobody noticed how weird Shen Qingqiu was acting when Liu Qingge was around was a mystery, well not entirely, he did write his characters to be blind as fuck after all.