Chapter Text
Walking along the main path of Qing Jing, Shen Yuan was still dithering about the events from just before.
Why, just why did Liu Qingge decide to duel him?! Powerful my ass! Jiu-ge is my twin! I knew him from before we were cultivators! I don’t even specialize in one thing– I practice spiritual and physical cultivation! I don’t exactly specialize in anything! Not to mention I fight dirty! Isn’t that one of the reasons Liu Qingge had it out for Shen Qingqiu in PIDW ? Stupid Airplane, making Liu Qingge a brainless meathead! My perfect plan was ruined because of that… Well, there’s no point in trying to sneak onto Qing Jing now. I’m bound to be known across all twelve peaks by the end of the week..!
Shen Yuan quickly tracked down a short-haired Qing Jing disciple strolling along the path. The disciple introduced himself as Qing Jing’s head disciple and led him to the Bamboo House.
“You are dismissed, Ming Fan,” Shen Jiu said as they arrived at his study.
So that’s Ming Fan? He’s quite plain looking, as expected of cannon fodder. He was Head Disciple for roughly one or two years before Luo Binghe was selected, so if I can figure out when he was appointed, I can figure out where I am in the timeline.
Ming Fan bowed to both of them and quickly left.
After concluding he was out of earshot, Shen Yuan drew out the extra tanghulu he bought and presented it to Shen Jiu. “I hope your taste for sweets hasn’t changed!”
Shen Jiu couldn’t help the twitch of his lips at seeing Shen Yuan’s enthusiasm. He set down his brush and took the tanghulu. Sweet.
The expression on his brother’s face while enjoying the tanghulu, not unlike a pleased cat, reminded him of their days on the streets. Getting their greasy little hands on a treat like candied hawthorns was only possible due to a kind stranger’s whim or when they managed to sneak and save up enough money past the owners of their little gang to afford it, often risking a beating. They had vowed that one day, they would be rich enough to buy vendors and vendors worth of tanghulu as they wanted without a worry for their wallets.
That led to the topic Shen Yuan was itching to touch upon.
Shen Yuan sat across from Shen Jiu at his low table, wringing out his hands in his lap. Shen Jiu raised an eyebrow at this.
“What is it you want to tell me so badly?” he questioned.
Shen Yuan straightened in his seat, his expression immediately turning severe. “I know you went to the Qiu’s.” He chose his words carefully to not provoke Shen Jiu, “You don’t have to tell me what happened. I just don’t want you to feel as if you need to hide it from me.”
He carefully watched for his twin’s reaction. Shen Jiu only gave a stiff nod and he wasn’t too tense, but it was a clear sign of dismissal between the twins.
Shen Yuan internally let out a sigh of relief and relaxed. Diverting from the heavy topic, he asked, “So, what’s it like to be a peak lord? How are your martial siblings?”
Shen Jiu scoffed, quickly following his lead in the conversation. “Annoying. A bunch of empty-headed brutes that only know how to spread gossip and rumors.”
Shen Yuan grinned. “That War God is definitely a brute! I arrive, and he immediately challenges me to a duel!”
Shen Jiu furrows his brows. “He what .”
“Challenged me to a duel?”
Shen Jiu pinched the bridge of his nose. “Did you duel him?”
“No. I managed to put it off until sometime this month or so,” Shen Yuan’s eyes widened. “Should I not have?”
Shen Jiu’s expression twisted further into a grimace. “No, but he’ll keep bothering you, so neither of us will get a moment of peace.”
Shen Yuan cringed. “Sorry…”