Work Text:
Shen Qingqiu tried to move his body, his fingers, legs, neck, anywhere. But he couldn't, he was laying on top of an altar, with just white sheets wrapped around his body, his hair braided and strange symbols drwan on his body with blood.
Shen Qingqiu cursed at system in his mind, he was here because of a wife plot but Luo Binghe wasn't here because he was dealing with another wife plot!
'I even liked this arc before!'
But now that he's living it, he didn't like it that much.
How did he get here, you ask? Well, the thing is, he didn't know either. He went to sleep and woke up half-naked and paralyzed. Of course, as PIDW's #1 hater, he immediately recognized this arc.
A group cultists kidnapped wife #24 to sacrifice her for their god. Why her? Because she was and immortal master that laid with the heavenly demon. The cultists stabbed a needle to the wife's neck and she couldn't move nor could she use any qi.
Before they could even start the ritual, protagonist finds them, kills cultists and have papapa to cheer the wife up.
But, the reason Shen Yuan loved this arc was because of the temple. This temple he was in right now was very special, you couldn't use any demonic powers the moment you stepped in. That also means, Luo Binghe can't use his blood to find his wife. He had to start and investigation to find his wife and even his other wifes helped him with that.
Luo Binghe finally found the location but, he couldn't use demon powers he had, so he had to fight with his qi. Even Xin Mo was weakened there, so as a last resort the protagonist used his fists! Shen Yuan loved that fight!
Someone unexpectedly touched Shen Qingqiu's cheek and he jumped a bit in the inside.
"Well, everything seems ready, let's start." He said and removed his hand.
Shen Qingqiu desperately called out to the thing he hated so much. 'System! They're starting! Where's Luo Binghe?'
[The protagonist is still busy with the revolution arc.]
Shen Qingqiu cursed, why did these plots had to be play at the same time?
'Well, either way, I know Binghe will come!' he thought with confidence.
The people started to chant in a language Shen Qingqiu didn't know. He could hear footsteps, brushing clothes and fire cracking.
He could also smell the flowers, his kidnappers were putting flowers on the altar, surronding him slowly.
A slim hand took his wrists to bring them above his stomach, putting another flower between his hands.
Shen Qingqiu wondered what kind of god they were serving, it wasn't told in the novel. 'Is it the flower god or something?' He thought when some hands started putting even more flowers around him and someone even started tucking flowers into his braid.
The footsteps circling him stopped, an eerie atmosphere filled the temple. Shen Qingqiu got nervous, what was going to happen yo him?
The person who was leading the ritual spoke with a clear voice. "Now, my brothers and sisters, we will start dying the flowers red."
A noise, metals clashing each other, came to Shen Qingqiu's ears and he immediately knew, they were going to dye the flowers with his blood.
Footsteps got closer and Shen Qingqiu desperately prayed for his husband to come in at this moment. His thoughts were cut with the sudden pain in his right thigh.
Something was stabbed right into hin leg, the immortal realized, he couldn't scream, he couldn't even shiver.
Then, the same pain came from his left thigh, just as suddenly. He barely heard his kidnappers torturers started to chant again.
They didn't give him any breaks, the next one came to his shoulders, at the same time. Shen Qingqiu's tears fall down under the blindfold, his whimpers and screams stuck in his throat.
It wasn't a good place to be stuck in at this moment, because next one was his throat, a fUCKING FLOWER STABBED RIght into it.
"Khh!" Was the very fist noise escaped from his mouth, a sign of him choking on his own blood and a flower. Shen Qingqiu didn't want to any flowers for a very long time.
Blood flowed down, dying the flowers and the altar red. In all the red, his tears weren't seen, his whimpers weren't heard.
Shen Qingqiu couldn't hear anymore, he couldn't feel the blood flowing, or the hands touching him everywhere. He just wished to pass out at this point.
Shen Qingqiu couldn't hear it but others could clearly hear rubling noises coming from outside. Something was coming, and it was angry.
The doors broke down, the domon lord rushed inside, he was furious.
The cultists fell to the ground with screams, red covering everywhere.
Luo Binghe stoot in front of the altar, tears gathering at the corner of his eyes, hands shaking. "Shi-shizun." He choked out.
Shen Qingqiu felt pain at the places that was stabbed, but soon it started to fade. A familiar spiritual power washed his nerves.
His eyes were uncovered, he saw the face he was pleasing desperately to see. The needle in his neck was removed next and he could move again.
Shen Qingqiu quickly turned his face to the side and couched a mouthful of blood.
"Shizun, it's, it's going to be okay." Binghe said sobbing. "I'm sorry it took so long."
"Not.. your.. fault." Shen Qingqiu managed to say. His neck was already healed but it still hurt.
Luo Binghe sobbed more, his Shizun was so kind, he didn't blame Binghe at all. How useless was he to let his husband suffer this much?
Shen Qingqiu moved a shaking hand and wiped his husband's tears. "Im okay.. Binghe needn't cry."
He was clearly not okay. Luo Binghe kissed his temple, he scooped up Shen Qingqiu onto his arms and left the place.
Shen Qingqiu learned that it was Shang Qinghua who realized he wasn't there. Then his fellow peak lord had to investigate it alone because both Luo Binghe and Mobei Jun were busy with the revolution.
Shang Qinghua quickly figured out wich arc it was and drew a map of the temple. He then went to Binghe, who was finally done fighting to tell him what happened.
Luo Binghe quickly found the olace thanks to the map and saved Shen Qingqiu.
"Wow." Said Shen Qingqiu, laying on his bed.
"Yeah!" Shang Qinghua continued, "He was so scary you know, for a moment i thought i would be dead!"
"He wouldn't kill you, you're my friend and Mobei-jun's husband." He reminded his friend.
Shang Qinghua shrugged. "I was busy fearing for my life, i didn't think of that."
Shen Qingqiu chuckled. "..Thank you." He said in a little voice.
"Of course, bro! Saving your bro is a very important rule of the bro code." Shang Qinghua grinned.
Shen Qingqiu sighed, "Binghe doesn't even let me eat on my own.." He complained.
"Bro, he's kinda right. You were stabbed on you shoulders, your hands shakes when you use chopsticks. But, other than that, he just wants to take care of you."
"I know, that's why I didn't refuse." Shen Qingqiu played with his fan.
"Well, nice seeing you cucumber-bro but i have to go now, we have a meeting with northeast demons in an hour." Shang Qinghua said, taking his fur and other jewelry.
"Hm, bye bye."
"Bye bro! Try not to get into another wife plot."
Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. "Like i can stop the system."
Shang Qinghua laughed and closed the door.
Shen Qingqiu tirned to his side and closed his eyes to sleep again.
"Shizun, it's time for dinner."
"Mm." Shen Qingqiu groaned a little and opened his eyes.
Luo Binghe helped him sit up, he sat next to Shen Qingqiu and started to feed him.
Afther the bowl was emptied Luo Binghe put it to the side table and held Shen Qingqiu's hands.
Shen Qingqiu observed his face, Luo Binghe didn't look into his eyes, his focus were on their hands. He had a frown on his face but not an angey one, it looked like he was trying to stop his tears.
Shen Qingqiu sighed, Luo Binghe never cried when it most mattered, he only let tears flow when he wanted attention.
Shen Qingqiu parted his hands, instead he pulled Binghe into a hug.
"It wasn't Binghe's fault." He wispered.
Luo Binghe didn't reply, he only hugged tighter.
"Binghe was busy, it is on yhis master for not being able to protect himself."
"No! Shizun, don't evet say that! Shizun was the one suffering, he shouldn't be in fault!" Luo Binghe quickly refused.
Shen Qingqiu patted his head to calm the demon down. After a while he spoke, "Then, let's say it was those people's fault and be done with it, okay?"
Luo Binghe sniffled and nodded. His hair tickled Shen Qingqiu's neck a bit.
They settled down to bed, laying in a mess of limbs.
"I knew you would come." Shen Qingqiu wispered eight before he fall asleep.
Luo Binghe caressed the sleeping face of his husband, he planted a little kiss on his lips and bruied his face to Shen Qingqiu's chest.
The two fall asleep even before the sun finished setting.