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Dual Cultivation 101 with Mu Qingfang

Chapter 2

Notes:

The boys have grown up a little and got their head disciple names, yay!!

So now
Mu QingFang = Mu QingFang
Liu QingGe = Liu QingGe

:D

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

 

Mu QingFang stared at Reckless Idiot.

 

Reckless Idiot stared back.

 

Mu QingFang let out a long, heartfelt sigh.

 

A great many things changed over the years.

 

A great many things stayed the same.

 

They had both become head disciples, they both received new names. And Liu ZhaoLan – now Liu QingGe – was still the most troublesome lover of Fighting and Ridiculous Injuries as he ever was.

 

The young healer had assumed that by having him as a patient, he’d end up specializing in physical injuries, if for nothing else but the sheer amount of practice he had had healing said type of injuries on Liu QingGe.

 

But he was young and naïve.

 

As Liu QingGe grew in age, strength and skill, physical injuries became rarer on him. However, that improving strength and skill meant that Liu QingGe was now being sent down the mountain for missions. Monster fighting missions.

 

And Mu QingFang’s skills were tested on spells, curses, poisons, burns, burns from chi attacks, burns from magic fire, burns from magic lightning, burns from magic acid, burns from magic ice…the list just seemed unending. Somehow, somehow, Liu QingGe would always find new types of ailments to bring back to Mu QingFang.

 

And this time it was Succubus Grass.

 

Succubus Grass was so named because it was rumoured to be used by succubi to supplement their spells. No one knew for sure though, since not many had seen the inner lives of succubi and come back out alive.

 

The plant did have properties that supported such rumours however: it produced a poison that caused blockages in one’s meridians, disrupting the victim’s chi flow, causing fevers and irrational behaviour.

 

The treatment was relatively simple.

 

Dual cultivation.

 

And thus, Mu QingFang was called to his shizun, got a quick explanation of why he was called and what he needed to do, got his arms stuffed full with books and…equipment, and was then left in a private room in the infirmary, with Liu QingGe.

 

A flushed, feverish Liu QingGe, sitting in a special room, on a specially-made bed of mahomory[4] wood meant for restraining cultivators.

 

The Qian Cao infirmary had a few private rooms like these, for situations where the patient needed to be restrained without having their cultivation blocked. Proper chi circulation was crucial for treating certain ailments and inflictions, and so although the most effective tool for restraining cultivators was the Immortal Binding Rope, it couldn’t be used by healers a lot of the time. They needed something that could withstand a cultivator’s strength, yet did not affect the patient’s chi flow in any way.

 

Mahomory was a beautiful, reddish hardwood that was harvested from the lands of the demons. It could withstand both physical force and chi attacks, yet could be worked just like any other hardwood when you use some specially made tools on them. And the best thing about them was that they were not poisonous nor did they affect people that came in contact with them in any way. They were just very, very durable.

 

And so the Qian Cao infirmary was equipped with a few beds made with mahomory wood, which had special features built into them where you could attach restraints. Restraints that were also made with mahomory. Restraints that were now in Mu QingFang’s hands. For Succubus Grass poison also lowered a person’s inhibitions, making it harder for the person to control themselves.

 

And Mu QingFang could see how hard Liu QingGe was working to try to keep himself unmoving on the bed. His knuckles were bone-white, his fingers digging into his own thighs. Large droplets of sweat beaded upon his tightly knit brows.

 

And there was a bulge in his pants that was definitely not just caused by puberty this time.

 

Mu QingFang looked down at the restraints in his hands, and hesitated.

 

Qian Cao disciples were trained in how to use them with the mahomory beds, of course. And Mu QingFang and his peers had practiced their usage on each other in training drills. But this was the first time that the young healer had needed to use them on an actual patient.

 

Even with a patient like Liu QingGe, Mu QingFang had always restrained him with only his own hands before, when needed. Or by telling Liu QingGe to keep holding onto something. Mu QingFang could always just…let go. Liu QingGe could always just let go of whatever he was told to hold. Or break out of Mu QingFang’s hold if he truly tried.

 

This though… Liu QingGe would be truly unable to move, and it just feels…

 

“I don’t mind.”

 

Liu QingGe’s voice had him look back up at his patient.

 

“It’s…fine. It’s you. You’ve held me down before.”

 

“Yes… but this is a lot more…just… More.” This feeling… He couldn’t even name it, how could he put it into words for Liu QingGe?

 

With a frustrated huff, Mu QingFang set aside his armful of books and restraints and stepped forward to take Liu QingGe’s hands into his own.

 

Liu QingGe’s hands closed tightly around his, as if he couldn’t help it; his hard calluses rubbed against Mu QingFang’s skin. Liu QingGe’s hands were strong. True swordsman’s hands, they were.

 

Mu QingFang’s healer’s hands were strong, too.

 

“We can leave the restraints. We can just do what we’ve always done before,” Mu QingFang suggested; his hands squeezed Liu QingGe’s in return, in assurance that this was indeed an option, “Succubus Grass is relatively mild, as poisons of this category go. And mahomory wood is strong. You really won’t be able to break out of them.”

 

Which must be a rare thing for Liu QingGe now days. Which made that unnamed, uncomfortable feeling stronger in Mu QingFang’s chest. He really did not like the idea of someone like Liu QingGe being so helpless, completely under the power of unfeeling, insentient objects while Mu QingFang couldn’t feel him, couldn’t gauge his body’s responses with his own hands as he worked on him.

 

He could choose to not use the restraints. His shizun did leave the choice to him after all.

 

But Liu QingGe shook his head, his high ponytail jerking across his tense shoulders.

 

“You need to concentrate, don’t you? Use your chi to guide mine. This poison…I’m not sure if I can- If-” His blush deepened and he looked away, but his hands continued clinging to Mu QingFang’s.

 

That was true. According to the medical texts, Mu QingFang needed to use his own chi to help direct Liu QingGe’s, to work their chi around the blockages then slowly build up both of their yang energy without letting either of them release it too fast. Then when Liu QingGe’s yang energy was built up to as high a point as possible, Mu QingFang was to allow him to release it, while also releasing his own built up yang energy into him, thus creating an explosive force that will dissolve the poison and unblock his meridians.

 

It was something that was going to require extreme care and finesse on Mu QingFang’s part, especially with Liu QingGe the Hypersensitive Idiot. And especially when said Idiot was barely keeping from squirming on the bed when nothing was even done to him yet.

 

“Alright,” Mu QingFang sighed, then straightened, picked up the restraints, and gave his patient his Doctor’s-Orders-No-Arguments-Allowed Look -- Improved Head Disciple Version, “but if you are uncomfortable, if anything at all feels wrong, you will tell me, understand?”

 

They could do this. …Probably. After all, they DID have some practice after that first awkward encounter with puberty. Mu QingFang’s shizun had given him some books from the library when he and Liu QingGe went to see him, and, curious and fascinated – and Liu QingGe having had a few more encounters with Puberty, the two of them had tried some of the things in the books with each other.

 

They had gotten better at some of the things through trial and error, and a lot of reading. And both Liu QingGe and Mu QingFang had grown from their awkward adolescent bodies; they were both much more disciplined now, much more in control of themselves. Although that poison must be making it harder for Liu QingGe at this moment, for he was trembling slightly just from trying to keep himself still while Mu QingFang put the restraints on him and carefully tested each one for durability and safety.

 

By the time the restraints were all on however, Liu QingGe seemed to have found a way to centre himself and was now lying quiet and relaxed on the bed.

 

Mu QingFang stepped back a little to look over his patient one more time, then took in a slow breath as he too, centred himself for the work that lay ahead of him. Ahead of both of them.

 

Then, opening his eyes to find Liu QingGe’s dark eyes looking at him expectantly, trustingly -- just as he had the first time they were in a private room together, Mu QingFang stepped forward once more.

 

“Shall we begin?”

 

 

 

====

 

 

 

 

……

 

What happened?

 

Mu QingFang coughed from the dust floating all around him, the loud crash still ringing between his ears.

 

He carefully placed his hands underneath his shoulders and propped himself up. Looking down, there was Liu QingGe, wide-eyed and frozen and staring back at him silently.

 

Looking around, there were blurred figures standing all around them, all gaping, from what he could make out of their features.

 

Looking up, there was a large hole above them in the ceiling.

 

Oh.

 

They had fallen through the floorboards of the private room, and have landed in the middle of the common room downstairs, surrounded by their peers.

 

….

 

….

 

Was there anyone injured? No.

 

Having no better idea of what else to do, Mu QingFang’s mind whirled along familiar paths.

 

Was Liu QingGe injured? Were there any pieces of wood or other debris penetrating through his skin? No. He was only penetrated by…

 

…Oh.

 

He was still…

 

Slowly, gently, gingerly, Mu QingFang withdrew, carefully shifting his weight on the seemingly still-intact mahomory bed, fearful that it might collapse into a pile of jagged stakes at any moment.

 

But the mahomory wood truly lived up to its reputation. Although the restraints that were on Liu QingGe’s wrists and ankles had broke, the bed itself largely retained its shape. That “explosion of chi” that they were supposed to create was nothing to the bed apparently, but the floor boards underneath it were not quite so heroic.

 

And thank all the gods, they happened to have landed just-so, on a rare piece of empty space in the infirmary, so no one and nothing was crushed underneath them.

 

Talk about a great fortune amidst misfortunes![5]

 

 

So…what to do now?

 

Shizun was not here, and no one else in the room had moved from their stupefaction.

 

Mu QingFang looked down towards his patient again.

 

He seemed unhurt, but needed to be relocated to a more suitable location for further examination. There could yet be injuries on him that Mu QingFang couldn’t see, and they did not yet know whether the dual cultivation had successfully neutralized the Succubus Grass poison.

 

Their previous room could no longer be used however; his patient would need to be moved to a different room.

 

Mu QingFang picked up the tattered bed sheet and wrapped it around himself and Liu QingGe; he gently took the other boy by the hand, and in one graceful, chi-enhanced leap, landed them softly outside the pile of debris around the valiant mahomory bed.

 

Together they walked, past the infirmary’s beds, its patients, and its on-duty disciples, past the doors that led to the staircase, up the staircase, down the hall, turned a corner into one of the quieter areas of the building, and into one of the un-used rooms there.

 

The Bai Zhan Brute was quiet and meek beside him, following him wherever he led. Worried, Mu QingFang quickly locked the doors behind them, and put a hand on Liu QingGe’s wrist and forehead to check for disturbed chi or fevers.

 

That was when Liu QingGe suddenly came alive again from his imitation of a good patient, grabbed Mu QingFang’s hands and wordlessly began turning the healer this way and that.

 

“Liu-shixiong?! Liu-shixiong! What are you doing??”

 

Liu QingGe didn’t answer, only turned him around a few more times before finally stopping.

 

“I’m sorry… ” he said softly, his eyes glued to his feet, his hands still holding Mu QingFang’s, “…I lost control… Again…”

 

“Liu-shixiong?” Mu QingFang frowned in shock and confusion. Never had he expected a Bai Zhan Brute to…apologize. With words no less.

 

But the other boy only stood there, silent again. Even more worried, Mu QingFang gently tugged him towards the bed.

 

Liu QingGe followed his lead, meek once more, and allowed himself to be pushed to sit on the bed.

 

With a careful hand, Mu QingFang took his wrist and checked his meridians, then, finding no more blockage nor fever, breathed out a small sigh of relief and continued on to carefully check over the rest of his patient.

 

Liu QingGe was completely unhurt – didn’t even have a splinter on him. Mu QingFang told his patient the good news, hoping that it would lift Liu QingGe from…whatever it was that was making him behave this strangely.

 

But the other boy only looked at him with those intense black eyes of his, a frown tugging at his handsome brows.

 

“Are you hurt? Anywhere? You don’t seem to be hurt… But I can’t tell… Not like you…”

 

What?

 

Mu QingFang blinked. He had never been asked that by a patient before, and he certainly wasn’t expecting it from this most troublesome of patients. …But Liu QingGe was probably right, he should check himself over too, now that he thought about it.

 

Liu QingGe kept his intense stare on the healer as he went about checking himself for injuries, and only nodded when Mu QingFang told him that he too, was perfectly fine.

 

The two of them then fell into an awkward silence, both of them still naked, sitting on the bed.

 

Right, he should probably take care of that. Find some way to clean themselves up, find some clothes… Were their clothes left back at the previous room still useable?

 

Mu QingFang had just found some spare loose clothes stored in the room for patients when a hesitant knock sounded from the door.

 

“Mu-shixiong? Mu-shixiong? Are you and Liu-shixiong alright in there?” came a timid voice from behind the locked doors.

 

Ah, one of his shidi. Mu QingFang let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

 

“We’re unhurt, neither of us is injured.” He called back, “How is everyone else?”

 

“We are unhurt also, no injuries.” His shidi’s voice answered, then paused and continued on a little more hesitantly, “Is…is Mu-shixiong in need of any assistance?”

 

Mu QingFang blinked, and considered himself and Liu QingGe and their current sorry states.

 

“Ah…yes. Can I trouble shidi to draw a tub of warm water and find some towels and clean clothes? I’m afraid we have made a mess of ourselves, and the infirmary,” Mu QingFang sighed, “we’ll come help clean up once we got ourselves cleaned and dressed.”

 

“O…of course shixiong. …Anything else you require?” stammered the voice.

 

“Shizun is already aware of everything?” asked Mu QingFang.

 

“…Yes, shixiong.”

 

“Then please ask him to allow us a few moments. We will go to him as soon as we can.”

 

“…Yes shixiong.”

 

Then there was the sound of whispers, then the shuffling of one…two… three…more…pairs of feet. Then all was quiet once more.

 

Liu QingGe and Mu QingFang dressed themselves with the clothes that Mu QingFang found and sat back down on the bed again, for a lack of better things to do.

 

Mu QingFang’s shidi had yet to come back.

 

 

 

“I got you in trouble, didn’t I?” Surprisingly, it was Liu QingGe who broke the awkward silence.

 

The Bai Zhan Brute’s voice was uncharacteristically soft, and he was staring demurely at his own clenched fists in his lap.

 

Mu QingFang scooted closer and put one of his hands on top of one of those fists.

 

“No, of course not. It was shizun who asked me to help you with the poison. We didn’t do anything wrong. That was an accident.” Mu QingFang reassured, while discreetly wrapping his fingers around Liu QingGe’s wrist to check his meridians again – just in case.

 

Liu QingGe must have noticed what he was doing, for he glanced at Mu QingFang’s hand, but made no comment.

 

“That’s good.” He simply said.

 

Mu QingFang drew back a bit to study the other boy. There was absolutely nothing wrong with his patient, physically. But something was definitely troubling him.

 

The young healer decided to try a different approach. Checking meridians was just one of the 4 methods for making a diagnosis. There was also observing your patient, asking your patient, listening to your patient.[6]

 

What did Liu QingGe say, before?

 

“Liu-shixiong…what did you mean when you said that you…lost control again?”

 

Liu QingGe was silent for a long time, enough that Mu QingFang thought he wasn’t going to answer. But then the Bai Zhan Brute’s tense shoulders dropped, and his clenched jaw relaxed to take a breath.

 

“I keep losing control…and hurt people…when I’m here.” He began, putting the words together with great difficulty, “They aren’t trying to fight me, they’re trying to heal me, but I just-”

 

His fists opened and closed, flexing as he struggled to find the words.

 

Mu QingFang kept his hand on Liu QingGe’s wrist reassuringly.

 

“You never got hurt though.” Dark eyes darted to him, then darted away again, “You’re strong.”

 

Liu QingGe then paused, looking back down at his hands.

 

“But you could have- Just now…” he continued softly, “people down there could have…” He stopped, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed.

 

 

This…

 

This…wasn’t what he expected. At all.

 

Mu QingFang stared at his most reckless patient.

 

This Reckless Idiot… This Idiot who constantly got himself into so much trouble, who’d get himself so ridiculously hurt… This Magnet of the dangerous and absurd… This most brutish of the Bai Zhan Brutes… He…

 

Mu QingFang huffed.

 

“Well,” he took his hand off of Liu QingGe’s just to slap it down again, over that tightly clenched fist, “you were certainly the most troublesome of patients in the history of troublesome patients.”

 

At the indignant frown on Liu QingGe’s lips, the young healer continued, “but you did try, very hard, to keep still for us. And…you have gotten better. It’s taken you some years. But you have noticed haven’t you? Even the younger healers aren’t so afraid of you anymore.”

 

“And it’s not your fault, this…what happened today. We only did what the medical texts said to do. If you really want to take this responsibility onto yourself, then you need to count my part in too,” Mu QingFang held up a hand to stop the other boy’s protest, “That was our chi together, remember?”

 

Liu QingGe looked down again, still blushing, and nodded in agreement, “we break things.”

 

And wasn’t that the truth. The two of them together were a force to be reckoned with, apparently. This wasn’t the first time they had accidentally damaged some property…

 

“And really, this could all have been prevented, if the floorboards of that room were made of mahomory too!” Mu QingFang knew why it wasn’t though. Mahomory was an expensive wood. Still, that was indeed dangerous. Since the crash down to the common room, he had occupied his mind with his current patient – with Liu QingGe. But if he had really stopped to think about it, he would be shaking, with thoughts of what could have happened. He must discuss the budget and design of those rooms with his shizun the next chance he gets.

 

But right now, neither of them were hurt, nobody else was hurt, and the poison was cured. They really shouldn’t be sitting here in misery, wallowing in “could have”s.

 

“Mahomory is expensive. They probably couldn’t afford to make the entire room out of it.” Said Liu QingGe.

 

Mu QingFang did a double-take before turning to the Bai Zhan Brute, stunned. Liu QingGe was just full of surprises today! He actually knew and remembered something that wasn’t fighting! He actually knew some…economics??

 

Said Brute huffed at Mu QingFang’s expression, “What? Mahomory wood makes the best training equipment. My shizun fights with the An Ding Peak Lord for them all the time.”

 

Ah. Of course.

 

“My family too, deals with mahomory traders from the border.”

 

Well, that, Mu QingFang did not know.

 

“Maybe Cang Qiong could…deal…too? Could…sign papers with traders?” Liu QingGe’s brows furrowed, his words faltering. Apparently he had arrived at the end of his knowledge of this non-fighting-related subject.

 

Mu QingFang couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of him. There’s that fighting-obsessed muscle-head he knew.

 

“What?” Liu QingGe frowned at him, a blush rising on his cheeks.

 

Mu QingFang coughed to stop his amusement, for the sake of Liu QingGe’s thin face, then stood up and tugged the other boy’s hand.

 

“Come on, I hear breathing on the other side of the door. We should go before the warm water that our shidi’s worked so hard to prepare for us gets cold.”

 

Liu QingGe obediently followed him up, but then stopped.

 

“Can I…still come to you? When I have something broken that needs fixed?” He asked almost timidly when Mu QingFang turned back to him in question.

 

This Idiot…

 

“Of course,” smiled Mu QingFang, genuine and fond, “who else can handle an Idiot patient like you?”

 

Then something occurred to the young healer and he paused in consideration, “though we probably will need to find someone who can handle you…not for medical things that is. For…the other thing.”

 

At Liu QingGe’s confused frown he continued, “Our medical texts teach us to formulate the medicine in accordance with the patient’s symptoms.[7] Your symptoms…will need a carefully formulated medicine indeed.”

 

Liu QingGe’s confused frown did not abate. But that was only to be expected. Mu QingFang knew he was being far too subtle for the likes of Liu QingGe, but Liu QingGe probably wouldn’t understand even if he said it in the most straight forward way possible. The Idiot probably hadn’t noticed yet, and probably won’t notice for some time yet.

 

He…really liked being restrained, didn’t he? And…also other things.

 

Mu QingFang needed to ask his shizun for some more books from the library. Looks like he’ll be encountering yet more kinds of injuries in the future, as his Idiot patient bulldozes his way through the many adventures of adulthood.

 

But ah, that’s for later. For now Mu QingFang just really wanted to get cleaned up while the water’s still warm.

 

 

 

 

=====

 

 

 

 

Shen QingQiu leisurely waves his fan before him, listening to the rest of the room with half an ear. It’s one of those rare occasions where all 12 Peak Lords of Cang Qiong are present, so of course they’d arrange meetings and dinners and such. And by now the “meeting” part has gone on long enough, in Shen QingQiu’s humble opinion. It really does take a long time to go through all the reports and discussions and whatnots for all 12 peaks.

 

Shen QingQiu looks longingly towards the window. Ah…can’t they get to the dinner part already? The weather today’s so nice… It’ll be great if they can finish this soon… If they finish before sundown, they can eat outside in the pavilion while watching the sunset.

 

Hmm? What was that? A disciple of Wan Jian Peak and a disciple of Zui Xian Peak have been meeting each other in secret? At night?

 

Ah…they’re young, they’re teenagers, just let their romance bloom!

 

Wait what? Punish them and quarantine them? Aiya…This shixiong knows that your Ku Xing Peak practice the monastery lifestyle, but that’s way too much!

 

Yeah Qi-shimei! Tell 'em! My thoughts exactly! Great, now can we please move on, preferably to the pavilion, for dinner.

 

…Oh for the love of…

 

No that’s way too dramatic, no they will not ruin their cultivation by dating! This is a stallion novel for Airplane-bro’s sake! If anything, papapa will only fast forward their cultivations by leaps and bounds! And cure their colds and clear their acne too!

 

Right? Qi-shimei? Just look at Mu-shidi and Liu-shidi, they turned out just fin-

 

Wait…

 

Shen QingQiu’s inner monologue comes to a screeching stop as his full attention snaps back to the meeting room.

 

Did he hear that right? He was only half-listening but…he was sure he heard Qi QingQi say something about Mu QingFang and Liu QingGe…dual cultivating together when they were disciples???

 

…The meeting room is now dead silent, as if everyone else is also processing the absurdity of the idea.

 

Then, laughter burst out and fills the entire room. Well, the Ku Xing Peak Lord is scowling. And Yue QingYuan is trying very hard to be a responsible sect leader, trying to bring the room back to order. But the rest of the peak lords, save Mu QingFang and Liu QingGe of course, are laughing so hard that they can scarcely keep themselves upright.

 

Shen QingQiu sits back in his seat and continues the elegant motions of his gently waving fan.

 

Ah~ it’s a joke. Of course it is. Mu QingFang the quiet healer and Liu QingGe the straightest of straight men who can only be bent by the stallion protag himself? Hahaha, right?

 

Look at Liu QingGe blushing over there! He will probably jump up and challenge everyone to a fight to defend his and Mu QingFang’s honour any moment now.

 

…Any moment now.

 

 

Liu-shidi?

 

Shen QingQiu’s eyes dart between Liu QingGe and Mu QingFang, stomach sinking as both of them just sit there blushing, neither of them making any move to defend themselves, or even joke back.

 

“Well,” Mu QingFang finally says, rubbing his neck a little in embarrassment, “we’ve all had some wild moments in our youths.”

 

 

SERIOUSLY???

 

“Wild indeed,” scoffs Qi QingQi, “if I didn’t know before, if someone just told me right now, I wouldn’t have believed it. The two of you, one had his nose constantly stuck in medical texts, the other all but living in the Bai Zhan training fields… Who would have thought?”

 

Not me! Shimei. Nuh-un, definitely not this master here.

 

“I'd believe it,” says Wei QingWei, “though I always assumed that Liu-shidi was the one who led the dual cultivation. The surprise for me was that that was not the case.”

 

Wait what?

 

The other peak lords nod and murmur their agreement.

 

“It was for medical purpose,” huffs Mu QingFang, “I'm his healer, of course I was the one leading.”

 

Wait…Mu QingFang…topped?

 

Shen QingQiu’s brain struggles to picture the gentle, unassuming healer on top of the Bai Zhan War God…fucking the Bai Zhan War God…

 

……

 

Ack!! Stopstopstopstopstop

 

Do NOT picture the gentle unassuming healer fucking the Bai Zhan War God!!

 

“Why did you two stop? You would have been such a lovely tale for our sect records. As I recall, neither of your shizun’s were against it?”

 

Yue QingYuan! Zhangmen-Shixiong!! Not you too!!!

 

“Well…we just work better when partnered for other purposes.” Answers Mu QingFang, still blushing.

 

Liu QingGe nods in affirmation.

 

“Right?” teases Qi QingQi, “if they continued as cultivation partners, we might not have any buildings left in Cang Qiong!”

 

“It was just the one room, shijie.” Mu QingFang defends.

 

“Just the floorboards.” Agrees Liu QingGe, staring down at his teacup as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world.

 

Liu-shidi…this shixiong did not know that you, too, have such a fine appreciation for tea…YOU BROKE AN ENTIRE ROOM?????

 

The most that this master has seen you break is my bed! And that was only a crack!

 

…Actually on second thought, please do not break the bamboo house.

 

But still! An entire room??? Wait, does this mean Mu QingFang was better than the stallion protag?? Better than Luo BingHe AND Shen QingQiu combined??? HOW?????

 

"Well, I guess it’s true what they say, doctors are professionals of the human body.”

 

“Shijie, please, our current relationship is entirely professional.”

 

Oh, that’s right, Mu QingFang is still Liu QingGe’s primary physician, isn’t he? Shen QingQiu ponders as he slowly fans himself. His eyes inadvertently fall towards Liu QingGe, towards the Bai Zhan Peak Lord’s neck.

 

Liu QingGe is still wearing Shen QingQiu’s scarf.

 

Shit, they really did a number on him last night, didn’t they? Luo BingHe and Shen QingQiu both. They couldn’t help it. They’ve all been very busy with their own duties lately, and haven’t had a chance to spend time together for a while.

 

And the noises that Liu QingGe made!

 

Shen QingQiu carefully increases the speed of his waving fan a little, careful not to break his Serene Immortal façade in front of all his fellow Peak Lords. He subtly raises said fan so that most of his face is hidden behind it, and darts a discreet look towards Mu QingFang.

 

Does the healer…know? About Liu QingGe and Luo BingHe and Shen QingQiu?

 

Mu QingFang and Liu QingGe are friends, but…Liu QingGe doesn’t seem like the type who’d talk about boys with his bros.

 

The two of them do see each other pretty regularly though… And Mu QingFang is one of this world's best healers, whose job is in large part, to observe his patients for signs and symptoms of their ailments. Liu QingGe and Luo BingHe can get pretty rough with each other...but Liu QingGe seems to brush off injuries and pain like they're but lint on his clothes...but has Mu QingFang noticed anything? Does he know?

 

Shen QingQiu suddenly realizes that he’s been staring at Mu QingFang for too long, for the healer evidently notices Shen QingQiu’s attention.

 

He turns, meets Shen QingQiu’s eyes, and gives him a gentle smile.

 

Mu QingFang knows all.

 

 

Notes:

Footnotes
4"mahomory" is basically just butchered "mahogany". Cuz Airplane-bro's naming skillz :P[return to text]

5from the Chinese phrase "不幸中之大幸"[return to text]

6from the four methods of making a diagnosis in Chinese medicine: 望闻问切 [return to text]

7from the Chinese phrase "对症下药"[return to text]