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Shen Yuan slowly picks his way towards the Bamboo House, squinting against the sunlight. It makes it harder than it already is for him to navigate, so even though he knows every nook and cranny, every pathway, every rock and every tall stalk of bamboo like the back of his hand, it's still a bit of a hassle.
Shen Yuan silently curses his eyes, almost completely useless now due to… certain circumstances he'd rather never remember again. He can still see vague shapes and colours but that's it. The bright sunlight takes away the contrast between the high grass and the pathway hidden in it and makes things hard, even though Shen Yuan is used to life being this way for him now.
Closing his eyes, he casts out his senses instead. Somewhere up ahead, he can feel the qi signatures of the disciples - as always, Luo Binghe's qi burns brighter than the others, an inferno against much weaker flames. Not for the first time Shen Yuan thinks that it is odd for Luo Binghe to be the only one with such an intense qi signature - it burns even brighter than that of Zhangmen-shixiong. And he's supposed to be the Sect Leader!
Shen Jiu has so far always disregarded Shen Yuan's concerns. There's nothing special about Luo Binghe , he says, other than that he is a former street rat and a brat .
Shen Jiu dislikes him greatly.
(Then again, Shen Jiu dislikes everyone and everything. The only exceptions are cats, art and music, and his own twin brother. In that order.)
“One of these days your ignorance is going to come back to bite you, gege,” Shen Yuan grumbles and ponders if he wants to bring out his cane after all to get to the Bamboo House quicker. “And then I get to laugh and say I told you so .”
He makes a decision and stops briefly to fish around in his sleeves for the cane but before Shen Yuan can get a hold of it, a bright burst of qi presses against his spiritual senses. Seconds later, someone comes crashing through the tranquility of the bamboo forest with all the noise and speed of a herd of Black Moon Rhinos. Shen Yuan gets the briefest warning - a shout for him to “Get out of my way!” but it comes too late.
A hand falls onto his shoulder and moves him , rather roughly, to the side. The sudden motion throws Shen Yuan off balance and he stumbles, taking a less than graceful tumble to the ground. Tiny stones dig painfully into his palms, the rough ground hard and unforgiving.
The source of his predicament, meanwhile, has already stormed on without stopping.
Shen Yuan sits on the ground, disorientated, and takes a moment to gather his bearings. Fuck, his hands hurt. He wasn't prepared for that fall at all and failed to catch himself. Shen Jiu is going to be angry.
He slowly gets to his feet again, grumbling under his breath. It doesn't take a genius to figure out who ran him over like that. Only Bai Zhan's Peak Lord, Liu Qingge, has a qi signature this wild and untamed. And only Liu Qingge would have the guts to move Shen Jiu's brother so carelessly out of the way.
Shen Yuan finally finds his bamboo cane (he can’t hold it with his right hand, his palm bleeding and hurting and so he has to use his left, which is awkward and hurts too and slows him down even more) and finally makes his way back to the Bamboo House. He can hear shouting and a short, cold laugh when he gets close - Liu Qingge and his brother, no doubt.
The voices grow quiet and fade before Shen Yuan arrives. All that's left is the qi signature of his brother, a little unsteady as always and dimmer than most, remaining in one place inside the house. Ugh, he'd hoped Liu Qingge would have come to fetch his brother for a meeting and Shen Yuan could deal with his fall injuries in peace - but no such luck.
He tries to sneak into the house but the cane catches on the door frame and Shen Yuan, not used to holding it with his left to begin with, drops it with a clatter. The noise rings through the silence of the house and he winces.
“You're late,” comes Shen Jiu's voice immediately, a statement as much as a question, although not phrased like one. He's light on his feet and barely makes a sound; in a heartbeat he's in front of Shen Yuan, a speck of dark green with hints of white. Even though Shen Yuan can't see his brother's expression clearly anymore, he knows what it must look like: stiff and cold, the perfect impression of an immortal master.
(Shen Yuan has always lacked that indifferent demeanour.)
“I'm sorry,” he mutters, shame burning along his neck. He accepts his cane when it's handed back to him, the wood smooth against his skin - and yelps when his brother catches his right wrist in a strong grip. Oh no-
“You are bleeding ,” Shen Jiu observes. Anyone else would not be able to hear the tinge of concern in his voice but Shen Yuan does and he hates it. He tries to no avail to pull his hand back.
“I fell,” he says. The less details the better. His brother and Liu Qingge are already on very bad terms - it doesn't have to get worse just because of this stupid incident. Shen Jiu's focus becomes sharper, his undivided attention singling in on Shen Yuan and he squirms under the force of it. Fuck, that was the wrong thing to say-
“You know every inch of this Peak,” his brother states slowly, his voice the calm before a devastating storm. “Every stone, every path, every bamboo tree. Nothing is changed without your knowledge. So how exactly did you manage to fall?”
Shen Yuan remains stubbornly silent. For several moments, the two are at an impasse before Shen Jiu makes a noise (it's impressive how much disappointment he conveys with a single sound) and tugs Shen Yuan along towards the low table where he makes him sit. He rummages through the shelves, undoubtedly gathering medical supplies and Shen Yuan bites at his lip.
“I can do this myself,” he grumbles, when his brother returns and silently takes his hand again, dabbing at the scratches with some tincture that stings . Shen Yuan hisses and his brother, unrelenting, applies more.
“You managed to fall when you're supposed to know your way around,” Shen Jiu fires back. “Such clumsiness. Obviously I cannot trust you with taking care of yourself.”
It's a jab, nothing more. Shen Yuan knows this, he knows how his big brother pushes him to get him to tell the truth. He knows he should not let it anger him but- it does.
“I was pushed !,” Shen Yuan defends, his cheeks flushing with anger. “It's not like I went around trying to get hurt!”
The grip on his wrist turns unbearably tight for a split second but before he can say that it hurts, Shen Jiu has already eased up again. The weight of his gaze though is almost physical and Shen Yuan shrinks away from it, realizing he made a mistake.
“You were pushed ,” Shen Jiu repeats. He still sounds so composed; somehow, the calm of his voice is more terrifying than if he were shouting. "By who .”
Shen Yuan bites his lip and doesn't say anything. Again: his brother's relationship with the other Peak Lords is already terrible and with Liu Qingge, it's the worst , Shen Jiu's arrogance and his cold-hearted behaviour always a source of conflict between them. Shen Yuan doesn't want to snitch on Liu Qingge and risk another argument.
Of course, even in the face of his silence, his brother is terrifyingly clever. He connects the dots even without Shen Yuan's input.
“None of the disciples would dare to touch you,” he says, still calmly. “They know better. And aside from that brute , there were no other visitors.”
Shen Yuan drops his head. He won't confirm anything but he knows he doesn't have to. It's futile to attempt to get out of his brother's grasp but he still tries, for the sake of trying. Shen Jiu tsk ’s at him and pulls his wrist back towards himself before he starts wrapping a bandage around his hand.
“It wasn't on purpose,” Shen Yuan mutters. He's a grown man, an established cultivator, but when his brother gets like this he still feels like a child. He gets the protectiveness, he does , and he is grateful for it but Shen Jiu has never liked Liu Qingge and this seems like a perfect excuse for him to stoke the conflict between them further.
Shen Yuan doesn't want that.
His hand is released. He flexes it a few times - it aches a little but it's not bad and besides, with his cultivation, it will be healed in no time. His brother's cool fingers skim over his left hand next, light and quick but if he finds scratches there too, they are apparently not worth a treatment.
Shen Yuan risks a glance at his brother. Even with his shitty vision allowing him to see little more than a silhouette wrapped in dark green, Shen Yuan has an inkling of what his brother's face must look like. They grew up together, after all.
“Ge,” he tries desperately. “He was in a rush. And I was slow and in his way. It was only an accident.”
The air turns frigid for a moment; Shen Jiu's qi flares bright, brighter than before, like a fire fed with oil. A sign of his inner turmoil that he otherwise never shows. Shen Yuan bites the inside of his lip. Another mistake on his part to label it as an accident - after all, losing most of his vision had also been declared an accident and his brother did not take that explanation well.
“I will have a talk with him,” Shen Jiu states after a beat of silence. It sounds like a threat and coming from him, it is. He gracefully gets to his feet, clearly done with the conversation. His tone doesn't allow room for arguments but Shen Yuan still opens his mouth to protest - yet a sharp gesture of his brother's arm (even though he can't see it clearly) stops him before he can say anything.
“Do not argue, A-Yuan. I will not tolerate such careless behavior. Now get cleaned up.”
Shen Yuan glares at him in defiance for a moment but in the end, he yields and obeys with a sigh.
~~~~~
Three days later, Liu Qingge is formally invited to Qing Jing Peak on the excuse of having tea with his shixiongs and Shen Yuan absolutely dreads the encounter. He had half hoped that Liu Qingge would simply refuse, stubborn as he is and rude when it comes to Shen Jiu - but the invitation had been very official and very public, delivered right after a Peak Lord meeting in front of all their sect siblings so really, Liu Qingge stood no chance.
The approaching whirlwind of his qi feels like it heralds a terrible disaster.
Shen Yuan almost ducks his head, embarrassment and anger at his brother creasing his face but the moment he dares to relax his posture, Shen Jiu hisses at him to sit up straight.
Liu Qingge's arrival shakes the bamboo house in its foundations. Shen Yuan's tea nearly spills from the force used to kick open the door - next to him, Shen Jiu's attention sharpens like a blade, ready to cut deep.
“ What? !,” Liu Qingge bellows, coming to a halt in front of them. He's an impressive figure even blurry as he is and oh, how Shen Yuan wishes he could see him clearly, just once!
But all he gets is a white and blue tall silhouette. He knows Bai Zhan's Peak Lord by description alone - knows he has ink-black hair worn in a high ponytail, piercing grey eyes, an everlasting frown and a beauty mark under the left eye. But descriptions aren't enough when his sister, Liu Mingyan, is said to be the most beautiful woman there is.
Doesn't that mean Liu Qingge is the most beautiful man ?
“The brutes of Bai Zhan lack manners,” Shen Jiu comments, his tone scathing and it pulls Shen Yuan out of his musings. “No wonder. They truly take after their master in every way.”
It's a clear insult and naturally, Liu Qingge doesn't let it slide. His qi flares, he takes a breath but Shen Jiu does not allow him to speak.
“Are you going to argue? Are you going to say this master is wrong? After you injured my brother ?”
Shen Yuan winces. Liu Qingge's surprise, momentary as it is, is near palpable.
“I did not injure him-”
Shen Jiu tsk 's. “So Bai Zhan's esteemed War God is a liar on top of a brute with no manners.”
Ouch .
“Shen Qingqiu!!,” Liu Qingge roars, clearly insulted - he's usually pretty calm but Shen Yuan knows how his brother can get under someone's skin with ease and make them lose their tempers. It's brilliant to witness when he does it to people who deserve it. It's less brilliant when one of their sect siblings is at the receiving end of it.
Shen Jiu taps Shen Yuan's still bandaged wrist. Liu Qingge's furious attention is effectively redirected; his gaze is piercing and Shen Yuan hears the hitch in his breath when he sees the bandage.
“You come onto our Peak and you have the audacity to push my brother around, to the point of causing him to fall. What if he had injured himself more seriously? How would Bai Zhan intend to compensate him for, say, a broken bone?”
Liu Qingge is brave. He's also stubborn and blunt. And Shen Yuan knows from countless tales that the man never, ever , backs down from a challenge.
“Isn't he a cultivator?,” Liu Qingge asks back, anger clear in his voice but also a note of something else. Shen Yuan can't identify it. And also he would love for his brother and Liu Qingge to stop talking like he's not in the room with them! “To fall merely from being moved! Is that a testament to Qing Jing's cultivation strength? Pathetic-”
Shen Jiu sets his tea cup down with force. Not enough to cause a loud noise but the motion is swift and precise, like a well-aimed strike.
“My brother's eyes have been permanently injured due to reckless behavior like yours,” Shen Jiu says. There's more emotion in his voice than during the whole talk before and Shen Yuan feels his brother's distress solely because he's so honed in on him. This isn't going well at all.
Liu Qingge's attention immediately focuses back on Shen Yuan. It's uncomfortable, to say the least! Shen Yuan endures it with the same cool air of dignity that his brother has drilled into him, gazing back with what he hopes is lofty indifference. (He hopes he's looking at Liu Qingge's face.)
“You're blind?,” Liu Qingge asks. Shen Yuan flushes and curls his fingers into his sleeves. It's technically not wrong but it's also not completely correct, either.
“My eyes do not work well,” he replies stiffly, the back of his scalp prickling with anxiety. “Being moved suddenly and without warning causes me to get disorientated.”
Liu Qingge doesn't say anything to that. He also doesn't start another argument with Shen Jiu either. He simply gets back up and leaves, his steps thunderingly loud.
There's that , Shen Yuan thinks and hopes it's over.
Liu Qingge hasn't even had a sip of tea.
~~~~~
A week goes by and there are no further incidents.
Shen Yuan splits his time between the duties he has as the second Peak Lord of Qing Jing and his personal interests: collecting knowledge of the many monsters, beasts and plants that exist all around them has always been his dream and even his bad eyesight cannot ruin it. It just makes things a little harder.
He doesn't hear from Liu Qingge at all.
That is, until he wanders around Qian Cao Peak one afternoon, a book secured under one arm and his hands busy balancing a sizeable box Mu Qingfang has gifted him. It contains dried herbs and fresh plants as well as some monster parts their healer no longer has need for and so they're free to take for Shen Yuan.
He knows the way from Qian Cao back to Qing Jing quite well, having been here multiple times ever since he and his brother first even arrived at the Sect. The rainbow bridge isn't far anymore and Shen Yuan hurries along, eager to get back and study the contents of the box.
His brother will complain about having to describe and draw the plants for him. It's a small price to pay, in Shen Yuan's own opinion, considering he was doing classes and lectures that past week so Shen Jiu could do his own thing!
“Hey!,” a voice suddenly calls out. “Two steps to the left!”
Shen Yuan obeys before his brain can catch up. He's used to Shen Jiu's whispered instructions to help him navigate in places he's not familiar with and so he reacts immediately. Two steps to the left - Shen Yuan comes to a halt and squints at the ground.
“There's a tree root hidden in the grass,” comes the voice - Liu Qingge's voice! - again. Shen Yuan flushes; how on earth did he miss the brightness of his fellow Peak Lord's qi?! Now that he's no longer lost in his overly excited thoughts, he finally registers the heavy steps that carry Liu Qingge towards him, each one sure and full of confidence.
“Thank you,” Shen Yuan says and adjusts the box in his arms. Liu Qingge is again a blur of white and blue right in front of him and Shen Yuan thinks that he's looking at him intently. He shifts. “I might have tripped, if not for your warning, shidi. Thank you.”
Liu Qingge doesn't immediately reply, his whole attention on Shen Yuan. Then he asks: “Do you need help?”
Huh . Shen Yuan didn't quite expect that question.
“The box isn't heavy,” he starts but Liu Qingge has already plucked it out of his hands. There's the rustle of fabric, as though he has turned around but he merely takes five steps before he comes back to stand right in front of Shen Yuan again.
He's very close. Shen Yuan's cheeks suddenly feel a little warm.
“I can fly you back,” Liu Qingge says and he sounds… almost a little unsure?! Like he expects an insult thrown back at him for the suggestion and oh, if he'd made this offer to Shen Jiu , that may be exactly the case. But Shen Yuan isn't his brother and the offer sounds amazing!
“Liu-shidi would do that?,” Shen Yuan asks, just to be sure and he can't bring himself to feel embarrassed for how excited he sounds. “I wouldn't wish to trouble you, I could always just walk but it would be faster and I haven't flown on a sword in ages and-”
There's the sound of steel, of a sword being drawn and Shen Yuan stops his rambling. Of course he hasn't just heard of Liu Qingge - stories of his sword Cheng Luan have also spread wide and far. Unsheathed, its aura is a perfect mirror of Liu Qingge's qi: wild and strong, like an untamed storm. It feels alive and Shen Yuan knows it is ; each sword has a soul, after all.
Liu Qingge moves. Suddenly he's even taller. He reaches for Shen Yuan's hand and tugs him forward, telling him exactly where his blade hovers just above the ground so Shen Yuan can get on.
“Put your feet parallel to the blade,” Liu Qingge instructs. “I'll hold you, so you don't fall.”
And just like that, they take off into the sky.
The wind whips past Shen Yuan's face and he gasps; his stomach swoops with excitement, tingles rushing down his spine. Oh, he loves this! They ascend rapidly, higher and higher until Shen Yuan can feel a shift in temperatures. He can't see much beyond blurs of colour zipping by when he dares to look down towards the ground but even so, it is exhilarating.
Liu Qingge's hands on his waist are warm and grounding. Cheng Luan is steady beneath his feet, not wobbling even once, a true testament of Liu Qingge's excellent cultivation. He's flying fast, faster than Shen Yuan ever got to fly whenever Shen Jiu took him along with him and he wants more.
“Can you go even faster?,” Shen Yuan asks breathlessly - it turns out that Liu Qingge can .
He pushes Cheng Luan forward at breakneck speed while the wind whips past them, the flutter of their robes whipping out behind them almost as loud as Shen Yuan's hammering heartbeat. Liu Qingge tightens his hold and the blade dips; for a second they're in free fall and Shen Yuan laughs , surprised and amazed.
It's not long at all before they reach Qing Jing, the familiar greens and glittering ponds an unfamiliar sight from this high up. Liu Qingge slows down, starts the descent and Shen Yuan already wishes they could just keep flying around.
They touch down, and Liu Qingge actually asks if Shen Yuan wants help getting off the sword. Maybe all of this is his way of apologizing for the incident a week ago, so Shen Yuan accepts the offer. Liu Qingge's hand is warm around his own and it lingers for a moment, even after Shen Yuan has stepped off Cheng Luan onto the soft grass.
The box is handed back to him. Shen Yuan smiles at Liu Qingge's blurry face and thanks him. His heart is still beating fast against his ribs and there must surely be a flush to his cheeks with how warm his face feels.
“Many thanks to Liu-shidi for his assistance,” Shen Yuan tells him genuinely. “My brother never takes me for a flight and with my vision, I cannot fly on my own. This was a lot of fun and I enjoyed myself.”
Liu Qingge makes a noncommittal noise. Shen Yuan expects him to leave now, because surely he wouldn't want to stick around where he might come across Shen Jiu but to his surprise, Liu Qingge actually says: “If you want to fly again, tell me.”
Shen Yuan's brows jump to his hairline. That's a really generous offer, especially considering how busy Liu Qingge is usually! Is this still part of him wanting to make up for last week?
“If this is because of my brother's words to you, Liu-shidi, do not worry. I don't hold what happened against you.”
“It's not because of him! ,” Liu Qingge protests immediately - his qi flares brightly and Shen Yuan almost laughs at him. It's a little funny to see him get riled up over the mere mention of Shen Jiu, okay? “I wouldn't have offered if he had told me to . This is my own decision.”
Shen Yuan chooses to believe him. And then, for whatever reason, Shen Yuan feels compelled to ask if Liu Qingge wants to stay for tea, maybe help him with sorting through the content of the box (“I can't draw.” “That's okay, Jiu-ge can do that once he's back.”) and to his utmost surprise, Liu Qingge agrees.
Together, they sort through the box. Each item is inspected and described and labeled and it's a much faster process than if Shen Yuan were to do it on his own. It's also a lot more fun because Liu Qingge may be a little awkward but he's very honest in his attempts to help. He tries his best to describe each new monster part Shen Yuan pulls from the box while Shen Yuan feels the texture of it. Liu Qingge even knows the monsters they all come from: most of them, he slayed himself.
It's enticing to listen to him. He's not the best at storytelling but Shen Yuan still enjoys it and he pictures each scene described to him. Bai Zhan's War God must paint a stunning picture whenever he descends on a monster or a demon. Ah, how Shen Yuan wishes he could actually see it one day!
Afternoon quickly bleeds into evening in between two pots of tea and a rapidly growing pile of scrolls. Shen Yuan is surprised when he lifts his head and notices the sun almost gone - the outside is losing its contours and shapes to the falling night.
“Liu-shidi, it's almost time for dinner,” he says out loud. Shen Jiu will be back soon and Shen Yuan is caught in a between wanting for his brother to have a calm evening and absolutely not wanting to let Liu Qingge leave just now. It's fun to talk to him! Shen Yuan never would've thought but Liu Qingge actually makes for great company!
He hears the clink of Liu Qingge's teacup as it's being set down. The beat of silence between them is full of expectations and Shen Yuan decides that his brother can indulge him for once.
“Would Liu-shidi like to stay for dinner?,” he asks, hoping dearly he doesn't sound too excited. Dinner would grant them a little more time to talk! Liu Qingge surely has so many more stories to tell and Shen Yuan would love to hear them!!
“... I would like to,” comes Liu Qingge's soft reply and is it Shen Yuan's imagination or does he sound surprised ? Surprised by the invitation, perhaps? But ah, who cares! Shen Yuan hastily sends off a leaf with a message for one of the disciples (a nifty little trick his brother has taught him) to prepare an extra serving of dinner and then he goes right back to asking all about Liu Qingge's hunts.
Time just seems to fly. Shen Yuan never had a conversation this long with Liu Qingge and he can't bring himself to feel regret for hogging the other man's time - not when Liu Qingge seems to actively enjoy himself.
They part with the promise of meeting again for tea. Shen Yuan is so surprised by the offer yet again that he just freezes for a moment, before he happily agrees.
“I am going on a hunt again tomorrow,” Liu Qingge says, his words accompanied by the song of his sword and the whirling energy of Cheng Luan. Shen Yuan can see its gentle glow in the darkness outside of the bamboo house, hovering just above ground. “I will bring you something back, if you want.”
The third surprising offer in a row. Shen Yuan's cheeks feel warm - he bites back a comment about how one might get ideas if Liu Qingge keeps being so sincere!
“That would be greatly appreciated, shidi. Thank you and I wish you success on your hunt.”
Liu Qingge makes a noise in return and then he's off and Shen Yuan closes the bamboo door behind him with warmth filling his chest.
Oh, he already can't wait for Liu Qingge's return!