Chapter Text
Shen Qingqiu barely made it back from that mission alive.
Getting absolutely hosed with sex pollen was not how he’d wanted that mission with Liu Qingge to end. However, the universe hated him. So got completely covered in sex pollen with Liu Qingge.
Thankfully, they did absolutely nothing about it. They washed off, mounted their horses, and returned to the peaks. Liu Qingge did not say a word the entire return trip, and they separated wordlessly when the road split.
Shen Qingqiu passed Ming Fan the root of the Dazzling-Palm-Orchid upon his return, sending him to deliver it to Mu Qingfang, a debriefing missave attached. Mu Qingfang sent a missive in response, practically insulting him for falling into a wife plot. Were such things so normal that you could tease your sect brothers for falling prey to them!? How crass!
Whoever thought being horny all the time was fun deserved to be shot with a thousand arrows. This was annoying. He had a peak to run! Students to teach! A clingy Binghe to avoid!
A schedule had to be issued for his students, with Mu Qingfang’s additional return missive, a doctors note (ugh, that felt so juvenile) attached. Students were advised to leave their shizun to rest peacefully in semi-seclusion.
Shen Qingqiu then spent the next few days masturbating with a rigor never before seen by mankind. On earth, not in PIDW. He could never be that ceaselessly horny. Cannon fodder such as himself would never compare to the sexual capacity of the protagonist!
Although the protagonist would have papapa-ed with his wife of the week and had the whole thing over with in a record fifteen minutes, not five straight days. Whatever. Shen Qingqiu had always been very well acquainted with his own dick.
And if he considered Liu Qingge as he cranked it with unparalleled vigor? That was nobody’s business but his own!
Regardless, he had recovered from the entire wretched incident, and was back to work. Because there was always work. Or, in this case, a miniature story arc he had nearly forgotten about.
Look, the flashback chapters weren’t that interesting, ok? They never had any fun monsters.
Whatever. He could bitch about the novel later. It was time for the Peak Joint Trainings!
This was not an exchange of disciples between Peak Lords, or nothing as intense as a study abroad. Peaks would gather in pairs or trios to spar, learn, or practice with other students, led by head disciples or other senior members. This required little of the peak lords- just herding ones disciples between the other peaks to foster some sense of comradery and support between students. Diverse parties of students were necessary for particular quests, so at least attempting to acquaint them all was a must. Eventually introducing them all to Wan Jian peak was also necessary, as it was there that they would eventually select their own swords.
Shen Qingqiu sighed behind his fan as he led his disciples over the rainbow bridge to Bai Zhan peak. A meeting of the scholars and the fierce warriors… An interesting combination. He anticipated they would spar, paired off between the sects, while he and Liu Qingge watched on. Alone. In close enough proximity that just the thought of it made his skin prickle.
He prayed they wouldn’t talk about the previous incident. His heart wouldn’t be able to take it!! Sitting beside him, close enough to see the flyaway hairs brushing his cheek, the cute mole near his eye...
He lit a thousand candles in his mind in prayer that watching their students would keep them occupied enough to avoid addressing the tension.
Rows of Bai Zhan cultivators greeted them as they arrived, standing in orderly lines, proud and tall, their white and thistle robes snapping in the winds. Liu Qingge stood at the forefront, clearly awaiting Qing Jing peak’s arrival.
At least he has the tact to greet his guests!
“Liu-shidi,” Shen Qingqiu said, closing his fan with a gentle flick. “How honored I am for you to have come to greet us.”
“Hmph. Is it not expected of a host to greet their guests?” Liu Qingge said, watching as Shen Quingqiu approached.
Shen Qingqiu got quite close to his shidi, a pace closer than was proper, two paces closer than was strictly necessary. “That does not depreciate my thanks, Liu-shidi.”
The Bai Zhan peak lord huffed before turning, Shen Qingqiu keeping pace as they walked from the bridge to the grounds of Bai Zhan.
“I have brought tea,” Shen Qingqiu said, glancing over his shoulder to see his disciples nervously squished between the lines of Bai Zhan peak cultivators. “I believe this blend will be to Liu-shidi’s taste.”
Liu Qingge cast a look to his disciples, gesturing for them to be at ease. They broke their lines, some moving to chatter with the visitors from Qing Jing peak. He then turned his attention, giving a stiff nod in response.
He was a man of few words before, but he was even more silent now! Was the sap of the Heart Opening Vine still affecting him? Liu-shidi had much stronger spiritual energy, surely!
They had reached the (visibly damaged) fence of Bai Zhan’s training grounds. Liu Qingge fished a piece of paper from his robes, handing it off to Shen Qingqiu.
“Sparring pairs,” He said. “Are there any… issues.”
Shen Qingqiu raised a surprised brow. Liu Qingge was thinking quite hard about this, it seemed! Snapping open his fan, he glimpsed over the lineups. Ah, he lit a candle to the student facing Luo Binghe…
“A careful arrangement, Liu-shidi,” Shen Qingqiu smiled behind his fan. “Will you yourself announce the pairs?”
Liu Qingge shook his head, summoning one of the more senior cultivators, handing the task off to him. “...There is a place for us to sit.”
The Heart Opening Vine… that name was quite accurate! Shen Qingqiu had never seen Liu Qingge acting so… cordial before! He followed his sect brother, stepping up onto the porch of the covered training hall. A small table had been set upon the edge, a cushion placed on one side.
“My, Liu-shidi,” Shen Qingqiu said, taking a seat on the cushion set out for him. It must have been for him, as Liu Qingge would easily find a masculine reason to deny himself such a thing. “You prove yourself to be quite the generous host.”
Liu Qingge sat across from him, facing out towards the training grounds. Silently, he pushed a tea tray towards Shen Qingqiu.
Shen Qingqiu considered commenting, but refrained. Teasing wouldn’t get him very far. He pulled a folded packet of tea leaves from his sleeve, running qi through the water. It began to steam as their students assembled at the sparring rings.
Ning Yingying was going up against a boy about twice her size, which ought to have concerned Shen Qingqiu more. He had seen her growing in leaps and bounds since his infliction with Without A Cure, and he was considering offering her the opportunity to select her sword soon- before Luo Binghe!
If she wins this bout, I will most certainly bestow the honor upon her, He thought as he lazily rocked his fan. Her tactical skills were nothing to dismiss! She had defeated all the other disciples at go a month prior, leaving him her sole remaining challenger. Shen Qingqiu was quite proud of her for the accomplishment.
Even with the concurrent bouts, Shen Qingqiu saw Liu Qingge’s gaze drawn to Ning Yingying’s fight.
“Had I not Ming Fan,” Shen Qingqiu said, pouring them some tea, “I would have made her First Disciple.”
“Not that Luo?” Liu Qingge asked, graciously accepting his tea.
Shen Qingqiu moved his gaze to another training ring. Luo Binghe had already beaten his first opponent, quite handily at that.
“Binghe is talented, indeed,” He said, glancing back to Ning Yingying’s fight. “But he is perhaps better suited for Bai Zhan peak.”
Liu Qingge did not respond to that comment.
Ning Yingying was fighting smart, something Shen Qingqiu enjoyed in his students. She ducked and wove, clinging close to the ground as her taller opponent drove strikes from above.
Fool. One strike from below and you’d sweep her up like a misbehaving cat! Shen Qingqiu would remind her of that opening later. He watched as she slid under her opponent’s guard, pommel at knee height- No, that was not the ideal spot- excellent.
Ning Yingying went for the stomach, slamming her side of her blade up, into her opponents abdomen. The Bai Zhan student had swung his sword too far, having no options to retaliate. A senior member of Bai Zhan called the match.
Shen Qingqiu glanced over to his fellow peak lord, who was looking on at the Qing Jing disciple with interest. Of course Liu Qingge could appreciate his student’s talents! Shen Qingqiu felt himself puffing up with some praise.
Their students continued to spar, organized into brackets by the older Bai Zhan disciples. The sun was at the peak of the sky when Liu Qingge motioned for a break. He nodded to Shen Qingqiu as he stood. “I will return.”
Shen Qingiu smiled behind his fan as his disciples approached him on the porch, chattering between themselves. Luo Binghe was at the forefront, determined in his march to his shizun.
“Binge,” Shen Qingqiu said, looking down upon him. “Have you something to say to this master?”
“Shizun, the disciples here claim that you are far weaker than Liu-shishu,” He said, unafraid to stand at his master’s knees, so close he could rest his hands on the wood of the deck.
“In my present state? Perhaps I am,” Shen Qingqiu said, to a chorus of gasps from his disciples. “But why would a scholar challenge his own general? I have no reason to fight Liu-shidi. Our talents are to be synergized, not opposed.”
He looked out to his students, some who nodded in agreement, some hummed and considered their teacher’s words.
I’m not fighting Liu Qingge!! He internally shrieked. I’m infirm!!!! I’m weakened!!! If I fought him, I would surely lose!
It was so easy to picture. Liu Qingge, moving with grace and precision as he met every blow. Shen Qingqiu knew he barely stood a chance at winning, but he could stall. Draw out the fight. Perhaps draw it long enough for Liu Qingge to sweat. A match so severe they needed to shed the fine peak-lord robes. Xiu Ya and Cheng Luan clashing, grinding. Liu Qingge pinning him to the ground of the training arena-
“Shixiong.”
Shen Qingqiu snapped out of it, heart racing as he looked over his shoulder.
Liu Qingge had returned, a small tray of snacks in his hand. He looked out to Shen Qingqiu’s students. “There are provisions on the other side of the training hall.”
The students didn’t need to be told twice, forgetting their initial question as they bustled towards their lunch. Luo Binghe looked at his master for a moment more, before turning his back and following the others.
Liu Qingge set the tray down on the low table, kneeling down behind his shixiong. Shen Qingqiu furrowed his brow, snapping his fan closed, about to speak when he felt Liu Qingge’s familiar q pushing through his meridians.
“I wasn't stagnating,” Shen Qingqiu huffed, trying to keep himself from blushing as he looked at his sect brother. He may have complained, but he took no action to remove his hand.
Liu Qingge raised a brow. Raised a brow! Shen Qingqiu never thought he would see such a shift in the man's face! He removed his hand from Shen Qingqiu’s shoulder, staying put as Shen Qingqiu turned to face him.
They were sitting awfully close, Shen Qingqiu noted. Their knees were brushing, now that he had turned to face his host. Shen Qingqiu had little choice to look anywhere other than Liu Qingge’s stupidly handsome face.
“Would you like more tea?” Shen Qingqiu asked, turning back to the table.
“Do you think you could beat me.”
Shen Qingqiu blinked. “Pardon?”
“Your student,” Liu Qingge said. “That Luo. Said you could beat me.”
Oh, how I want you to- NO! INAPPROPRIATE WORKPLACE RELATIONS! ABSOLUTELY NOT!!
He covered his panic with a scoff. “Liu-shidi, he was suggesting that was the case. It's a juvenile line of questioning, pitting one's teachers and heroes against each other.”
Liu Qingge released a small puff of breath from his nose. As close to a chuckle as he would ever get.
“I did mean my response though,” Shen Qingqiu said, breaking eye contact to pour them both tea. “It is far more beneficial to foster camaraderie, no?”
He handed Liu Qingge his tea, noting how tight the man held his fist against his thigh.
“Did my student bother you?” Shan Qingqiu asked, picking a lotus root out of the presented snacks. “I will not stand for the insult of my fellow peak lords by my students, although I would prefer to discipline them myself.”
When he met Liu Qingge's gaze again, he was frozen.
Oh. He'd said a flag. Something Shen Qingqiu had said gotten him wound up. They had talked so little! Was it about Binghe? Ning Yingying? No, no… hmm… if it was about what Luo Binghe said …
But why would a scholar challenge his own general?
Ah, that was surely it. Assigning titles like that… he was just asking for tension!! Stupid!! Stupid!!!!!!!!
“Do you play go, Liu-shidi?” Shen Qingqiu asked. He ought to have known if he did, for as long as he had known Liu Qingge. Yet, such a thing had never been brought up. They hardly talked about themselves during their missions.
Liu Qingge looked down to his teacup. “It has been some time.”
Shen Qingqiu ought to have tried to squash this unfolding sideplot, but really, this wasn’t so bad. It would be nice, to get to know Liu Qingge better. NOT IN THAT WAY THOUGH, YOU PERVERTS!!
All this tension wouldn’t amount to much anyway. He was the scum villain, and Liu Qingge wasn’t even supposed to survive! Whatever was happening between them would never go canon anyway. “I have found that I lack worthy opponents.”
Liu Qingge locked eyes with him.
“Perhaps,” Shen Qingqiu mused, opening his fan with a snap. “You would like to play together sometime.”
Liu Qingge was nearly flushed, about to speak, when the chatter of their students began drifting around the training hall. He quickly stood, marching back over to the other side of the table, putting some appropriate distance between them.
Most would consider that a rejection, but Shen Qingqiu knew better. That blush was as close to a ‘yes’ as he would ever get.
So he would always be a villain, then.
Despite the shifts to the story, the tweaks to his behavior, he still betrayed Luo Binghe. He still lost students. He had deviated from the plot, but not by much. He put a bigger roof over Binghe's head, but still ordered him around as a servant. He still reprimanded him. When he sighed in exasperation, he sighed most strongly for Binghe.
This was not a story where the villain would live.
So what to do now. Luo Binghe would arise from the Abyss in five years, with an army at his beck and call. He would storm Cang Qiong Mountian, kill his fellow disciples, capture Shen Qingqiu after defeating all who defended him, and then torture him in the water prison. That was what was going to happen.
There was no out. This wasn’t a villainess story. He would not seduce anyone to save him. Not when the threat was so much greater than the strength of the sect. Not when his enemy was Luo Binghe.
How many would already risk their lives for him? Shen Qingqiu shuddered at the thought. The idea of Luo Binghe killing his own martial siblings made his blood run cold.
What was he going to do, now that he knew he would die?
Get over it, probably. Accept it. Live like he was on a time limit, because he very much was.
Running away would do nothing. Luo Binghe would topple the very mountains the peaks were built upon to find him, kill thousands just to have his attempt at revenge.
“Shixiong.”
He’d have to offer himself up, in the hopes his students would be spared.
Something touched the back of his hand.
“ Shixiong .”
He’d allow himself to die, so long as the rest of them may live.
Qi flowed through him. Oh, there was a go stone in his hand.
“Shen-shixiong.”
Shen Qingqiu snapped back to attention.
Liu Qingge was across the table from him, a game board between them. It had been three days since the Immortal Alliance Conference. Lui Qingge had come to visit him, as he had secluded himself on Qing Jing peak, speaking to no one and eating nothing. He suspected Ning Yingying, or perhaps Ming Fan, had requested him.
“Apologies, Liu-shidi,” Shen Qingqiu said, a wretched creaking chuckle exiting his throat. “I…”
Liu Qingge kept a hold of his hand, warm palm pressed against his skin. It was grounding. Shen Qingqiu would never admit to enjoying its presence. Not right here. Not like this.
Qi continued to flow over him.
Shen Qingqiu huffed. “Liu-shidi, I am not deviating.”
Liu Qingge stopped the flow of qi, but kept his hand where it was. They stared at each other for a good long while. You’d need a heavenly blade to cut the tension.
This was the worst time for this kind of thing.
He used his free hand to open a drawer, pulling out a lined sheet of parchment. He began to fill in the positions of their stones on the board.
Liu Qingge watched him work. Neither of them moved.
“We should return to this game,” Shen Qingqiu said. “When I feel better.”
Liu Qingge’s steely eyes met his. They did not soften. They did not judge. But they knew.
Shen Qingqiu escorted him out, eventually. That same steely gaze stayed upon him. They stood at the threshold of the Bamboo House.
“I will invite you to return. Soon.”
Liu Qingge nodded. He turned, and then he left.