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Chapter Text

 Chapter 1: That time I was reincarnated as a slime

It was just a typical day for Shen Yuan. Well, as typical as a terminally ill patient can be afforded to have. He was confined in a lonely hospital room with the beeping of several medical machines the only things keeping him company. All Shen Yuan could do was stare up at the ceiling in boredom. No one from his family could come to visit today, not even the nurses bothered to converse with him. It was a typical lonely day…

Beep beep

God, the sound of the machines annoyed him. Would it kill the nurses to put on some music or at least turn on the television for their poor bedridden terminally ill patient?

Beep beep

Shen Yuan glanced over to his bedside where a stack of books sat. A gift from his Meimei. His sister knew Shen Yuan was a fan of light novels, especially isekai and power fantasies. So his little meimei enthusiastically recommended him ‘Proud Immortal demon way’ by an author with a weird pen name… airplane something whateverthefuck. He hasn’t gotten the chance to peek at the books yet, unfortunately, due to his recent failing health. Even reading causes him pain, much to his dismay. Devouring trashy weeb novels was his only hobby, and now his cruel body won’t even let him….

Beep beep

After some time, he just couldn’t take it anymore. Boredom has consumed him that he didn’t care if reading would cause him pain. He’d rather be entertained. So Shen Yuan tried to reach out to grab the first volume of the book series, but his body hurt. It felt as if his arms were about to snap like twigs if he moved them any more. He can feel a droplet of sweat trickle down from his temples as he struggled to move.

‘God it’s so hot today too… can’t I catch a fucking break…?’

[Confirmed: Resist heat …. Successfully acquired]

Shen Yuan stubbornly squirmed on the bed, trying to sit up and grab his book but he ended up rolling off the bed with a painful thud. He hissed in pain when he felt the IV needle that’s stuck to his arm stab him further. The books he oh so wanted to reach out for were now scattered on the floor with him.

‘Shit, that hurts! Oh god…I need to call the nurse.’

Beep …….beep

[Confirmed: Resist piercing weapon … successfully acquired]

[Follow up with resist melee attack … successfully acquired]

Suddenly, he started to cough violently while his body convulsed.

‘Wh-what’s happening… am I dying? Wtf...?’

Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, he never felt so much pain before, this was different from the usual… it was scarier and less bearable.

[Confirmed: Cancel pain… successfully acquired]

Suddenly, In the midst of his coughing fit, blood sprayed from his mouth and accidentally landed on his precious books.

‘That’s….probably not a good sign. People die when they bleed too much……right?’

[Confirmed: Constructing a blood-free body …. successful]

‘Shit…. This is really it huh? This is how I die? Choking on my own blood…how pathetic’ At this point, Shen Yuan could no longer feel anything. Not the pain, not the heat… it’s just cold, everything feels cold.

[Confirmed: resist cold …. Successfully acquired. Combined with the previously acquired resist heat, the skill has progressed to resist temperature.]

With weak and trembling eyes, Shen yuan glanced over to the book beside his face. The book was opened to an illustrated page. It was of the protagonist.

‘L-Luo Binghe…huh…’ the dying boy whispered, reading the small description at the bottom of the illustration. He examined the picture and assumed the handsome hunk was the epic badass protagonist. He remembered listening to his little sister gush about the protagonist when she was recommending him this book series… apparently, the dude has a harem.

Shen Yuan was jealous.

Here he was floating off to meet his maker… Shen Yuan felt pity for himself. He had nothing but regrets… he did not live life to the fullest. He wanted to be free from his hospital prison, to go explore the world and go on adventures like his book protagonists! or...or even just run around in an open field without caring if his lungs would burst or his legs would break. He never got to do anything in this life!! He never even got to lose his virginity!

‘I am so sorry, my manhood, my son. My little Yuan. I’m sorry I couldn’t make you a real grown up. But I promise, if there is such a thing as reincarnation, I WILL go on the offense and attack! Go for the kill on my prey and be like that hunk protagonist, but of course with consent! get the ladies and maybe a harem! Or maybe grab that protagonist hunk for myself! I don’t give a shit, I play for both teams! I MEAN look at those huge tits and that handsome fucking face… I want someone like him…’

[Confirmed: Unique skill “Predator” …. Successfully acquired]

‘In my next life, I want to be in control though…. Without stupid machines dictating my lifespan and freedom. To hell with machines and systems and hospital beds, I am my own system!!”

[Confirmed: Extra skill “System”….. successfully acquired. Evolving extra skill “System” into unique skill “System Mod”]

[Isekai reincarnation Complete]

‘Hey, someone mind telling me who’s talking? What do you mean ’unique skill’ and all that crap?! Can’t I even have the dignity and respect of a quiet peaceful death…?’

The picture of the hunky protagonist was the last thing Shen Yuan saw before darkness took over him and he left the mortal plane.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

Chapter Text

Chapter 2 - Starter location...?

When Shen Yuan woke in his new life, he was certain of a few things.

He died, He was no longer on earth and he was no longer human.

Wasn’t the point of a new life and reincarnation to start anew? Yet, Shen Yuan remembered his old life and his regrets. While he appreciated his family and how they made sure he was sustained and comfortable, he still couldn’t say he lived a fulfilling life. Was it called ‘living’ at all when majority of it was spent on hospital beds and gloomy doctor appointments? Well that’s all in the past. He was given a new life now! A new start! He should make the most of it and forget the old one!

AS IF!

He’s a slime. A. FRIKKIN. SLIME.

It took a while for Shen Yuan to figure out with his lack of eyesight, but he was certain he was a slime! He can move quite nicely, however. Slimes do not walk, they roll and bounce around which was fun. The movement felt freeing compared to when he was a sack of stiff brittle bones and failing organs. As a slime, he was a big pile of jelly that can fluidly move around the place like it was nothing! He can even stick to the walls like Spiderman!

Shen Yuan could also speak but no one can hear him except the system. It was probably considered just ‘thinking’… assuming the system communicates with him through his mind. Slimes are not normally sentient, he was sure of this. The system startled him at first but since Shen Yuan was used to reading novels about transmigration and isekai, he quickly got used to the concept of a god-like omnipotent computer screen following him around.

The system admin gave him useful information, mainly about his special skill: predator. As a slime with this kind of skill, he can devour anything and analyze it as well as take attributes or skills from it. His ‘stomach’ was also a limitless storage space which was very handy in a world without much of the modern world’s convenience! So after finding out these things, Shen Yuan did the first thing he would do whenever he got the chance to play his little handheld video games:

Hoard and loot materials.

Though he could not see his surroundings, he assumed he was in a cave or an underground remnant of a building. He could feel hard ground and rubble but sometimes he could also feel ornate pillars and furniture whenever he moved. He would have wanted to gather medicinal herbs or small monster ‘drops’ like what he would expect in video games, but all he could find were strange dark crystals that were later analyzed to be crystalized dark qi/cursed energy… wow, is that even possible? Scary, but sounds cool!

Shen Yuan wondered why his starter location was this gloomy… dark crystals, a ruined building?? Shouldn’t he be in a forest? Then again, if he was in a typical video game starter village setting, he’d be used as a first kill for a fresh new protagonist! AFTER ALL, he’s just the first monster that would appear in every hero adventure! He was just a useless and defenseless little slime! Actually!! Now that he thought about it…. What did slimes ever do to humans?! They were innocent creatures who just flopped and bounced around in an adorable way, mind you! Why must they always be killed off and have their parts looted and sold off to starter village merchants?! What uses do slimes have other than to get the hero to level up for the first time?!

[Answer. Slimes are also a local culinary delicacy in this world. Highly valuable and rare.]

‘HEY! Not funny, system!’ Shen Yuan roared in his head, a comically angry vein appearing on the smooth gelatinous surface of his body to express his anger. Also, what’s with the rare? Slimes are very common in starter villages aren’t they? This world is weird. At least Shen Yuan took comfort in the fact he was in an area forgotten or inaccessible to regular folks. He assumed so due to the fact that he has been here for a considerable amount of time yet he hasn’t bumped into anyone.

Actually, he hasn’t encountered any living being at all.

Strange, yet all Shen Yuan could do was bounce around and explore his current location. He hope he could find an exit of some sort… despite being a creature at the bottom of the food chain, he still would want to at least go out into the world and explore. He would probably be killed off the moment he bumps into a living creature be it human, beast, or a fellow prey… but anything is better than being cooped up in a dark gloomy room filled with cursed crystals. He’s spent much of his past life in similar circumstances already.

So Shen Yuan continued to roam around the unfamiliar place, hopefully to find an exit. Without eyes, Shen Yuan had no sense for time or direction, it was weird… Thankfully the system was there to help inform him that he had only been a few months into his new life and that he wasn’t just bouncing around in circles this whole time. Other than that, the system couldn’t give him much information. It could only extend its knowledge to its user’s capabilities after all. They’re both stuck in this odd situation.

Eventually he did bump into something, it just wasn’t the exit he was looking for.

Hey little one, can you hear me?

Shen Yuan’s body tensed up when he heard a strange voice.

Oi, little one, you hear me, right?

Is that weird voice talking to him? It had to be him right? He couldn’t sense any other living creatures in the vicinity.

Little one, give me a reply.

The comical vein appeared on the little slime’s body once again. ‘I would love to but as you can see, I HAVE NO MOUTH TO SPEAK!’ Shen Yuan yelled in his head.

Oooh, a feisty little one, I like that.

‘Who are you calling feisty, old fart! Shut up already!’

Ohooo? You dare call me an old fart? You’ve got some nerve, little one… GRAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!

Shen Yuan tensed when the voice started to obnoxiously roar and laugh. Strangely, he did not seem to piss it off. In fact, it was the opposite. The voice seemed very amused. Still, as a lowly slime who can be killed with a sneeze, Shen Yuan panicked because it just dawned on him that he bumped into another living thing. ALL living things can kill him therefor this voice can kill him.

‘Ahhh, I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t think you’d hear my thoughts! Please don’t kill me!’

Oh? Another surprise. I thought you said that because you saw me, but it would seem you cannot see. Very well, I rarely do get visitors… so perhaps I shall give you the gift of vision, little one. But on one condition.

Shen Yuan perked up at that offer. Finally, being able to see would help tremendously in his survival AND he can finally see what kind of magical isekai world he was living in! This is an opportunity he cannot pass up on!

‘What is your condition?’ Shen Yuan asked first. Surely, it shouldn’t be something too much… unless the price is his life, but what’s the point in that?

It is simple, little one. You cannot abandon me or run away the moment you see me.

‘Alright, sure! I accept!’ Shen Yuan blurted out without much hesitation.

He already assumed the thing he was talking to must be frightening with the area being a place filled with cursed crystals. He’s an avid monster/creature enthusiast in his old life. Shen Yuan LIVED for this stuff. He loved playing monster hunter, Pokemon, and god eater back in his former life! Well, at least back when he could still use his hands properly. He had to stop playing video games when his health worsened.

‘Are you sure that’s all you ask of me? Those seemed….’

When you’ve been sealed away for hundreds of years, little one, It can be lonely. So far, you’re the only living creature able to go near me.

Ehh? This thing is just lonely and needed a friend? Geez! Why didn’t it say so! Shen Yuan felt a sudden tug at his heartstrings for he too felt the same way. Even if he had a shorter lifespan. Who knew he could sympathize with a weird monster than with his fellow humans?

‘Alright then, I will be your friend, mister not-old man!’

HAHAHAHAHA! A mere slime dare befriend this benevolent one!!!

Hey what gives?! He just offered his friendship but it seems this thing just insulted him! Was Shen Yuan being too presumptuous? Then again, a slime taking pity on you would feel like a blow to the ego.

‘Fine, no friendship then…’

Wait no- I meant- uh… ALRIGHT little one. I will indulge in your request for friendship and accept. Be grateful that this high being allows you to be familiar with it!!

Geez, what a tsundere. Now Shen Yuan can imagine a blushing handsome man trying to look away and acting tough trying not to sound too eager by the prospect of a new friend. How cute! The slime snickered at the silly thought.

Then, allow me to grant you vision!

Suddenly, the air in the room felt strange, Shen Yuan’s tiny body shivered as he felt strange energy surround him.

Concentrate on the demonic qi, little one, and will your body to unlock your senses.

[Extra skill, Perception has been acquired.]

Shen Yuan gasped in his mind as he slowly opened his eyes. For the first time in what seemed like months in this new body, he can finally see! He looked around and confirmed his suspicions, he was indeed in a ruined building.. an old palace? A tomb of royalty?

Bouncing over to a brass plate lying on the ground, Shen Yuan looked at his reflection. Ahh, he was indeed a lowly little green-colored slime. Cute though, but not at all impressive. Eh whatever.

So, how do your new eyes feel?

Right, back to his friend.

Shen Yuan turned around and his new eyes nearly popped out of their jelly sockets when he finally saw the ‘old fart’. It would seem he wasn’t JUST in an old palace, he was in its throne room. In the middle of the room sat an ominous looking throne, deadly and beautiful is what he could describe it. It was surrounded by the shiny black crystals he had been hoarding. Right on the throne itself was a fairly large sword and around that sword coiled a long black dragon that emanated a strong dark aura. From the looks of it, the sword’s spirit. Its gloomy red eyes focused on Shen Yuan.

Cool! Cool! COOOOOL!

After his initial shock, his new eyes glittered in wonder and excitement at the sight of his ‘new friend’.

Allow me to reintroduce myself, little one. I am the most powerful sword on this realm, the heart demon sword. Even the heavens tremble at my existence. I am known as Xin Mo.

Woah, did he somehow ended up in a boss’s dungeon room or something?!

Chapter Text

Chapter 3 -Xin Mo Needs therapy

Time has passed for the little slime and his new friend. Shen Yuan would spend his days with Xin Mo. The sword taught him quite a bit of things especially about this new world. Turns out, this is a xianxia world of cultivation where mortals can ascend to immortality if they worked hard enough. Shen Yuan wished he could be taught about sword forms and fighting like a cool righteous cultivator, but he’s nothing but a slime and did not even have legs or arms. Xin Mo had at least given him information about the basics.

An interesting thing he learned was that, as a slime, he was like a sponge in soaking up qi. This underground prison that sealed Xin Mo is abundant in demonic qi and it would be difficult for living creatures to remain here for long periods of time. Normally, one would need a balance of yin and yang to prevent damage to their meridians. Also, one cannot simply mix demonic and spiritual qi unless they create a perfect balance of the two.

[Answer. Unique Skill ‘Predator’ enables user to store unlimited amount of qi without damaging their meridians.]

So that was why Xin Mo rarely had ‘visitors’. Their meridians would go haywire with the abundance of demonic qi entering their body. Also, the aura that emanated from Xin Mo would have sent a normal dude into madness. According to Xin Mo, he had that effect as part of his curse which was ineffective against Shen Yuan.

Life in this weird dark place isn’t so bad after all. With his new companion around, it didn’t feel as lonely anymore. Shen Yuan even considered giving up looking for the exit to this place as long as he can have Xin Mo as his companion…. Even his mentor. His Shizun perhaps? It was fine like this for now, Shen Yuan was… for the first time in his life, content.

Unfortunately for him, nothing lasts forever….even for glowy magic swords and lowly level 0 slimes.

I’ve decided. I want you to do something for me, Shen Yuan.

'Hmm? What is it, Xinmo gege?' Shen Yuan asked mentally. They talked through his mind since Shen Yuan still did not have a mouth, just eyes. They were at the throne room again. His friend has been acting strange lately. Shen Yuan would often catch Xin Mo staring off into the distance during their little cultivation lessons. He wondered what his friend was thinking about...

I want you to be my final resting place. I want you to devour me.

HUH?!

Is this guy for real?! Shen Yuan just made his first friend in this new life and new world….and it’s a super cool badass dragon sword spirit! And said badass wants Shen Yuan to eat him?!

Listen to this ‘old fart’, will you? I’ve been with a handful of masters, all of whom succumbed to my hunger. I’ve destroyed many lives and watched many empires rise and fall. I’ve only known the comfort of bloodshed and malice. The hunger I’ve felt all these years… it was insatiable and painful. Yet I yearned for more… to feed and to feed and to feed…. Nothing satisfied me.

The dragon spirit floated over to Shen Yuan, coiling around the slime playfully and affectionately.

Not until I met you. Being around you seems to calm down my hunger. You seem to have the ability to contain a vast amount of demonic qi. Never have I met a being as insatiable as I, we are alike and this fact has surprised me. Perhaps it won’t be bad to give myself to a like minded being who also shares the same hunger… especially if it is my first friend.

Holy shit, did this guy just call him a glutton?! Shen Yuan wasn’t sure what impression he gave the magic floaty sword, but they were incredibly different from one another right? RIGHT?! All these past months he had come to live with Xin Mo, Shen Yuan had done nothing but explore with his friend within the ruined palace. He only wanted to find the exit. Sure, he would stop to examine strange artifacts and outgrown plants they may encounter within the palace ruins... but he was sure he wasn’t giving off ‘I’m a starving slime’ vibes. Why would Xin Mo assume he was just as ‘hungry’? Was it because he kept hoarding those dark qi crystals? Oops then.. he was experimenting, trying to see if he can craft something from it.

You may not understand it now for you are still just a sapling but perhaps in time you will. I can see you will one day grow strong enough to devour realms and I wish to be a part of that.

HUH HUH??? What is Xin Mo going on about? Shen Yuan had no big world dominating ambitions, he wasn’t a scum villain… he was just a level zero slime. His only worth is to give the hero his first level up experience right?? He himself only wanted to be free and travel around this new world he got reincarnated into. To be an adventurer, nothing more nothing less.

Also… I saw visions of my new master and he is near, our fateful meeting is soon upon us. He is about to enter this realm… this endless abyss.

‘Your new wielder?’ Shen Yuan asked curiously and the dragon’s small head nodded to the slime. This was also the first time he heard the name of the place he was currently living in. The endless abyss? Sounds as gloomy as he expected, why was he placed here?!

He is the same one in your memories which is another reason I don’t wish to interfere any longer. Shen Yuan, my little one, loathe as I to admit it, but I’ve grown fond of you and consider you….

‘Family?’ Shen Yuan supplied and the dragon nodded.

‘If we’re family, then why are you asking me to eat you?!’ He asked. If he had brows, it would be furrowed angrily right now. He himself has grown fond of Xin Mo. The dude was like his older brother! Shen Yuan had memories of his former older brother, who would come visit him at the hospital and teach him various things. His brother would always tell him that he still needs to catch up to his lessons so when he is able to come out of the hospital, he can continue his schooling and have a regular childhood… his brother was stern and strict, but Shen Yuan could tell how much his older brother cared for him. Xin Mo very much reminded Shen Yuan of him. Perhaps that was also why the sword wanted to teach him the basics of this cultivation world? To prepare him for their eventual parting.

Little sapling, I will not die if you eat me, I will simply become a part of you with my power yours. I do not wish to be wielded by a master anymore, I wish to be free of this endless hunger.

Xinmo closed his eyes for a brief moment. Shen Yuan was taken aback, seeing the look of peace and defeat on Xin Mo made his heart ache. He just made a friend, why must he part ways with him this soon? Their friendship hasn’t even reached a year!

I’ve known for a while this is what I wanted. You are not just an ordinary slime and our paths crossing was no mere coincidence. You may not be my next master, but we are also fated nonetheless. You are destined to devour me, take my power and end this cycle or hunger and pain.

‘But Xinmo gege-‘

In turn, you will finally be able to free yourself from this place. Is that not what you want?

Shen Yuan stilled for a moment, surprised at the sudden revelation.

I can see the longing in your eyes, Shen Yuan. I can see your hunger for knowledge and exploration. You are a adventurer trapped in a slime’s body. Unfortunately, trapped in my personal prison as well. The only way out of this palace is to use my power, which is what I wish to give you.

The green slime’s body drooped down, expressing his sadness. So… eating his friend was their only ticket out of here all along? But it sounded wrong…so very wrong. Why can’t Xin Mo just swing himself and slice open a portal or something? Shen Yuan sighed, he knew in worlds like this that nothing is too simple and too good to be true.

Xin Mo noticed the dejected look on his little sapling. However, he did not stop, he needed Shen Yuan to understand this all. He was determined to have the little one fulfill his destiny. He was also determined to finally be free, both of them be freed. Shen Yuan deserved freedom and adventure. Though he does not deserve the eternal rest, Xin Mo still longed for it.

Also…. I must tell you about my new master. You seem to regard my him highly even if you have yet to meet him. You even said you wanted to have him for yourself, so I don’t wish to stand in your way.

‘Your new master? What are you talking about old fart? You’re not making sense, when have I said such things?’ Shen Yuan only heard a chuckle from the sword in response. He is just very VERY confused right now. Xin mo is spouting out nonsense like a drunkard. Is this the result of old age?

Come, I grow weary of this banter… and you wish to start your new adventure, do you not? So my little slime friend, it is time.

The dragon spirit flew back to the sword that still hovered over the large extravagant throne. It beckoned to Shen Yuan, urged him to draw near and attack. Is that not what he said he would do if he reincarnated? Go on the offense and attack (with consent). But he’d imagine a busty sister or a big tiddied handsome man… not a scary ominous sword. He should demand a refund!

[Answer. User may not.]

Tch

‘I… Still disapprove of this… but if it’s Xinmo gege’s earnest wish then who am I to not grant it for my only friend and family?’

Good. I am happy you understand….

‘Unique Skill: Predator Activate!’ Shen Yuan yelled in his mind, he could feel tears threatening to fall from his eyes. Eyes gifted to him by the friend that stood before him.

Shen Yuan’s slime body glowed and like a giant cyclone of jade green, his body completely engulfed the throne room. He could hear Xin Mo’s gasp and finally a relieved sigh as he was completely devoured by his friend. The powerful ancient sword’s existence completely wiped off. Shen Yuan can already feel Xin Mo’s presence inside him, becoming one… his power… his memories… his thoughts… everything.

Thankyou my little Shen Yuan…

[Confirmed. Target Xin Mo devoured. User Shen Yuan will evolve from slime to heavenly demon slime. Ability points will automatically be distributed.]

Huh.. he got a power up? Wait, why does he suddenly feel weak.. Shen Yuan could feel his vision suddenly blurring. His slime body drooped down, struggling to keep its cute round form.

[Confirmed. New Skills will be added, user may view them from the skills menu later.]

[Confirmed. Unique Skill ‘Predator’ has evolved to ‘Gluttony’ ]

New skills? What is-

[Confirmed. New skill: Spirit form++ will now be activated. User may toggle on and off whenever.]

[Confirmed. Unique Skill ‘System Admin’ will evolve into the ultimate skill…. ‘Divine System’. ]

[Confirmed. Evolution phase has begun…. User will now enter hibernation mode for a safe transformation.]

Suddenly, everything went dark.

“How long have you been practicing demonic cultivation?” Came a man’s cold voice.

“Shizun please… I beg you… I mean no harm, I-“ A boy softly begged, crimson eyes wide. Frightened and full of tears. Despite being a young teen of 17, he looked like a small child. Trembling and lips quivering as he stood in front of the towering figure of his Shizun. A red symbol glowed on his forehead, clear as day. It was the mark of a heavenly demon.

“HOW LONG, LUO BINGHE?!”

“2 years… Shizun.” The boy flinched and lowered his head. “Please… don’t abandon me. This disciple has only done good and followed Shizun’s teachings! This disciple will do his best- he”

“No. I gave you a second chance against my better judgement. This master is foolish to think this mongrel could ever amount to anything.. even under my strict tutelage, you are beyond help. We are alike, you and I… but in the end, I am ashamed I ever thought of such a thing…” The master’s eyes narrowed, eyes full of hatred towards his demonic disciple.

“you’ve proven yourself to be a beast through and through…. You disgust me. I would never associate myself with a filthy demon. Go where you belong, you have no place here, beast.” The man, his shizun, looked down at the trembling boy with gold green eyes. That cold glare, it was an expression Luo Binghe will forever remember.

It was the last thing he saw before his Shizun pushed him down the cliff that lead to the endless abyss.

Chapter Text

[Cofirmed. Evolution successfully complete.]

When Shen Yuan woke up, he felt…rejuvenated. He felt like the emperor of the jade palace. His body felt so light and full of life. Power trickled from his fingertips as if he had an infinite spring of qi seeping out of his pores like all heavenly beings do. Well, coming from a sickly mortal to a level zero slime, of course anything more than that made him feel like a god! But he literally did feel like an emperor right now because when he woke up, he was sitting on Xin Mo’s throne.

Looking down, he found himself in a humanoid body. His small delicate hands had savage black claws, it was almost eerie. His small frame but tall slender body was draped in the finest green and white robes. Where did these clothes come from? Shen Yuan rose from the throne to get a better look at his get-up. He was surprised at how elaborate and detailed his robes were. Truly fit for an emperor. They had black and gold dragon embroidery, perhaps an homage to his now deceased friend. Then again, this form could very well be that of Xin Mo… but why was he seemingly human and not a dragon like the spirit had been?

Walking up to a discarded dresser within the throne room, Shen Yuan examined his facial appearance up close. His eyes widened for he looked….like his old human self? Kinda? Well, a healthier version of it at least. He had long lustrous black hair with the ends a gradient of vibrant jade green that seem to glow and illuminate in the darkness of the room. His eyes were a similar vibrant glowing green color, the pupils are thin slits like that of his draconic friend. On his smooth flawless forehead was a black symbol that was similar to the design on Xin Mo’s sword hilt. Perhaps this humanoid form was a result of his soul being originally human but there were some draconic attributes to this new form. He had jade green colored horns as well as a green and black scaled dragon tail that peeked from underneath his robes. Lastly, a silver crown adorned his half bun making him look all the more regal and emperor-like. Dragon emperor-like?

‘Holy shit, I look cool… like a …a righteous cultivator! But a demon! Uhh.. demonic cultivator? Ooh like Wei Wuxian! Maybe... but Wei Wuxian was human….’

He can’t really say he was as drop dead handsome like that hunk he saw on his Meimei’s book, but he was pretty sure he could pass up as a handsome secondary heart throb in a xianxia Chinese drama. Like Nie Huaisang in the book ‘Grand Master of Demonic Cultivation’ … a series he very much was a big fan of back then. He may not be as ethereally handsome as Lan Wangji or as charismatic and otherworldly beautiful as Wei Wuxian, but he’s got the looks to pass up as one of those epic cultivator people.

Well, now that he got a good look at himself, it was time to leave this place. He remembered he also needed to look for Xin Mo’s new master-

Just as he remembered about it, sudden images and ‘memories’ flashed through his mind. Shen Yuan stilled as he observed them. Wait… that mess of curly hair, that handsome arrogant face, muscular build and…. Large tits. Holy shit, is Xin Mo’s new master the protagonist from his Mei Mei’s book?! Luo Binghe!!! Wait WAIT WAIT was he reincarnated into a fictional world in a book? What was it called again!?

[Answer. It is called ‘Proud Immortal Demon Way’.]

‘Ah, thank you system….WHAT THE FUCK’

Shen Yuan’s mouth gaped. This all makes sense now… Xin Mo mentioned  how Shen Yuan wanted to meet his new master. His buddy must have seen the last moments of Shen Yuan’s life. He vaguely recalled thinking Binghe was hot and he wanted him for himself. Well, who wouldn’t want that handsome demon emperor protagonist?! He’s a demon emperor right? He recalled Meimei’s vague summary of the plot which Shen Yuan cursed himself for not remembering the entirety!!! Anyway, Have you seen his face? Those gigantic pecks exposed from his opened black robes for all to see?! For a certain friendly green slime to poke!!! And Shen Yuan bets Binghe’s ‘son’ downstairs is just as impressive and big! Having a large harem and all, that thing’s gotta be built different!

Shit shit, stop thinking about Papapa! Concentrate Shen Yuan!

….So he’s been buddying up with the protagonist’s ultimate weapon all along?! WAIT did he just EAT the protagonists sword?! Oh shit! What if he needed to use that sword for important things like….like.. SAVING THIS WORLD?

Was he royally fucked?

[Answer. User need not despair for the Xin Mo’s power is not lost. It has now evolved and fully integrated into the user. They may use it themselves to save the world if needed.]

‘How am I to take comfort in that fact?!’ Shen Yuan cried. Now HE has to be the one to save the world! Or whatever the hell the Protagonist was supposed to do… ohh how he wish he read that book. Having knowledge of it and the events that unfold in this world would have been a highly valuable tool to have. If he knew Xin Mo was Binghe’s sword all along, he would not have agreed to eat him! Geez!

[Answer. There is no need to follow rules and canonical events of this world as it is not tied to User’s own system.]

‘Well YEAH but if this world is threatened by a great force that only Xin Mo AND the protagonist can fix.. then I still need to follow along with its ‘canonical events’! Lest I want my new home to be destroyed and plunged into apocalyptic chaos!’ Shen Yuan said in a panicked tone. He was now back in his slime form, sulking in a corner. He needed a moment-

'Wait! I can go outside now! YES! A breath of fresh air would do some good!' Shen Yuan perked back up. He quickly switched back to his human-like form. ’System, how do I go outside? Do you have some ideas?’ He suddenly asked, at a loss of what to do.

[Answer. User may use his weapon to create portals and exit the eternal prison of Xin Mo.]

'I have a weapon?' Shen Yuan reached for his robe and patted around until he produced a fan. Ahhh, he had seen some cultivators in Chinese drama use these as weapons. Cool cool cool! Shen Yuan, expertly opened the fan and made a motion to slice through the air. A small dimensional tear appeared before him until it grew large enough for him to slip through. Shen Yuan stepped inside and vanished into the tear in space.

When he emerged from the portal, he found himself in the middle of a forest-like landscape. He quickly returned to his slime form, but his eyes were wide and sparkled in wonder the whole time. He must have teleported very far from Xin Mo’s prison because he could not see signs of any ruins of Xin Mo’s prison…. No, this place looked BEAUTIFUL.

‘So THIS is the new world I live in now… a magical world….. full of cultivators and monsters and… all kinds of things I could only read in books! And I’m in it.’ Shen Yuan nearly squeaked in delight. He almost forgot about his current dilemma about eating the protagonist’s sword.

Right, the protagonist. First thing he must do is look for the handsome and heroic dude. Didn’t Xin Mo mentioned something about the protagonist coming here soon?

[Flashback]

‘Also… I saw visions of my new master and he is near, our fateful meeting is soon upon us. He is about to enter this realm… this endless abyss.’

[End Flashback]

Will the protagonist have some kind of dramatic entrance into this place? Oh wait! Wouldn’t he have arrived at Xin Mo’s prison? Maybe Shen Yuan shouldn’t have left…. Shen Yuan paced around the forest, deep in thought. He wasn’t sure how he would find Luo Binghe, it’s not like he had the skills to gps track him down just from Xin Mo’s and his memories… unless….

[Answer. Apologies, user, this system currently has no means to track down target Luo Binghe.]

Ah fuck.

Shen Yuan sighed as he rolled and bounced around the forest. It was a beautiful, dark, and tranquil place. If he wasn’t preoccupied with his current dilemma about the protagonist, Shen Yuan would have started exploring every creature and plant he’d stumbled across… speaking of…. He could at least finally feel other life in the vicinity, though strangely, no creature in sight… as if all matter of life were hiding. Can’t be from him since he’s just in his slime form right now… strange.

As he was exploring further into the heart of the forest, Shen Yuan suddenly felt a vast amount of demonic qi heading his way…. Or above him? That can’t be right? He looked up and saw a falling star in the reddened sky. Wait.. the falling star was human shaped…?

NO WAIT IT’S A PERSON!

With his movement swift, Shen Yuan bounced towards where he predicted the person would land. He enlarged his slime body and used himself to cushion the poor soul’s fall. He landed and was consumed inside Shen Yuan but he made sure not to devour the man….boy? Teenager? Upon close inspection, the kid appeared to be his age, or older than him? Shen Yuan wasn’t sure. Well technically, he is a few months old in this world, but back on his original world he was around 17 already. This kid must be around that age considering how bulky he looks.

Wait…WAIT!

Shen Yuan turned into his human form and he laid the teenager on his lap. Furrowing his brows, he tried to remember the hunky protagonist’s drawn portrait. It was the last thing he saw before his death so he had committed it to memory. The resemblance is uncanny… He looked down at the guy. Same mess of curly black hair, same muscular structure that shen Yuan oh so admired, same drop dead gorgeous face that looked like it was sculpted by the gods! …even though he looked years younger than the smug older version in that picture. And here’s the kicker: the symbol on the kid’s forehead. The same red symbol on the protagonist!

“You’re Luo Binghe!” Shen Yuan gasped. HE’S HERE! He found the protagonist and Xin Mo’s new master! and easily too! Too easily…. That’s sus. The dude literally fell from the sky? What the fuck? Well perhaps it’s just a protagonist thing huh? Dramatic entrances are what they usually do, just like the ‘hero landing’ thing. The fall could have killed the poor guy though! What if there was no friendly green slime to catch him?! And he looked injured even while he was falling. Shen Yuan noticed the injuries so he tried to heal the guy while he was inside his stomach.

—

Binghe’s PoV

The last thing he saw before falling down the cliff was his Shizun’s cold judging glare. It was painful, the man he devoted himself to had rejected him for the final time. He tried his best to be the powerful disciple Shen Qingqiu wanted him to be. He was going to place first in the Immortal Alliance Conference! He was supposed to be the pride of his peak! But somehow, the ground opened up and powerful demons started appearing. These demons outclassed all the disciples and it was soon too late for even the Peak lords and Shixions to help. The smell of blood and death surrounded a supposed momentous event. No one could have anticipated it.

Then the ice demon appeared.

He had the air of a King. Despite facing a fearsome opponent, Luo Binghe tried to defend the weaker disciples that began to follow him like lost ducklings. The fight was a bit of a blur, to be honest. He could only remember his body feeling incredibly hot as if it was burning from within. The urge to claw at the ice demon was strong, he even broke his spiritual sword in the process… the only thing keeping him up and running was his adrenaline and his awakened heavenly demon blood. Binghe knew what was happening and he was scared but he still tried his best to protect the disciples.

When he came to his senses, the ice demon was nowhere to be seen and in front of him was his master. Shen Qingqui. He was staring at him with eyes full of hate, more than its usual. Binghe could tell his master has had enough of his little beast. He could tell he was about to be cast away and discarded like trash. He just didn’t think his Shizun would literally throw him off a cliff.

Ah… falling to his death.. how pathetic. But why did it feel like nothing? Why didn’t his body hurt? Was he too tired that he couldn’t feel anything anymore? Tired of everything… fighting, being rejected, being hated.

Just….Tired.

He opened his eyes when he felt a cooling sensation wash over him. Everything was a blur but he could feel his body fully heal, faster than his heavenly demon blood could have. Is… someone healing him? He felt foreign energy enter him, foreign qi. He tried to sit up, but a gentle hand was placed on his chest.

“Shh, it’s okay. No need to be afraid, I’m just healing your minor injuries. You’ll be okay…I promise.”

He heard a voice, it was soft and comforting. It sounded familiar yet foreign at the same time. No one other than his washer woman mother spoke to him in such a gentle comforting tone. Not even the innocence of his Ning-Shijie. He felt a tear roll down from his cheeks, it’s been so long since he felt care and compassion. It ached his poor little heart.

“Sh-shizun…”

“Hmm? I’m not your Shizun, kid.” came the voice with a chuckle. “There! all done… how do you feel?”

When his vision finally focused, he felt as if his lungs stopped functioning. Binghe was greeted by the breath-taking sight of the most beautiful man he’s ever had the privilege to lay his eyes on. He indeed looked somewhat similar to his Shizun, Shen Quinqiu, but younger… and obviously not human. He had the most beautiful soft features and that gentle smile… oh that smile. Binghe wanted to completely wipe his memories off that horrible cold glare from his Shizun and replace it with just this stranger’s beautiful heart-tugging smile.

Was he in the presence of a god?

——

Shen Yuan’s PoV

Oh shit. Did he break the hunky protagonist?! He passed out again! After he made super sure he did not digest the guy inside stomach!! System assured him he could just swallow him and heal him from inside! Shen Yuan panicked as he held the unconscious youth close to him. Did the kid pass out when he saw Shen Yuan’s face?! Well… maybe the sight of a guy with dragon horns was scary to him? But the kid is a demon emperor right? Why is he scared of Shen Yuan…. Did he expect to wake up to a soft spoken busty sister and was deeply insulted that it was just a weird dragon dude? So insulted he wanted to pass out again? Well sorry to disappoint you, buddy.

’System, can you run some diagnostics on Luo Binghe?

[Answer. Target Luo Binghe’s current vital signs are stable. His Meridians are also clean and working as intended. Breathing was unstable when he woke up but has stabilized after passing out again. Target is currently mentally fatigued and would benefit to enter hibernation mode for a minimum of three days.]

Ah, so his protagonist was fine just tired. Shen Yuan wondered what epic world-saving battle he came from if he was this tattered and tired. He’ll have to worry about that later. For now, he needed to find a safe place for them to rest. They were still in the middle of this forest.

Chapter Text

Shen Yuan’s POV

Back in his previous world, Shen Yuan had also enjoyed playing survival games on his handheld console. He was pretty proud when he can somewhat apply his videogame knowledge in his current situation. Who said playing ‘Don’t starve together’ for eight hours a day was unhealthy and a waste of time? Hah! Joke’s on them!

Shen Yuan had carried his unconscious protagonist to a nice spot where he could set up camp. It was near a lake but unfortunately, the water of that lake was… blood-colored and probably not safe to drink. It would also be safe to assume that if there were fishes in there, they would not be so edible as well.

[Answer. The unknown red substance is confirmed to be blood. Origins unknown. Ill advised for consumption.]

Well that settles it. No drinking the blood water then. They’ll have to find other sources of water. Shen Yuan himself did not need to drink or eat, he can but he did not need to. Absorbing qi around him was enough, but his new traveling companion needs it. After having the system run diagnostics on him, it was determined that Luo Binghe’s cultivation isn’t high enough to practice inedia. Shen Yuan would need to find a way to acquire basic necessities for the teen.

While he tucked in the sleeping hero into their makeshift camp, he went off to survey the surrounding area. Still, no wild animals in sight not even fellow slimes. Even if he hated the idea, Shen Yuan was willing to find some slime brothers to feed his protagonist. The system did say they were a ‘local’ cuisine. Yuck…

Fortunately, he came upon useful herbs and plants. Through the use of his unique skill predator, he was able to hoard a sizable amount and examine them all if they are safe for use. He even gathered enough green-colored herbs and white flowers that can be combined and crafted into health potions or medicine pellets.

While foraging, Shen Yuan also noticed something… there was an alarming amount of plants that had…err… aphrodisiac-like qualities to them. Like, a LOT of them. What the fuck. What is this forest?? Some kind of succubus’s garden? Shen Yuan immediately made sure to stay the hell away from those. He did make notes of them for later, maybe Binghe would appreciate the information for when he starts gathering his harem. Hey, Shen Yuan may have a tinie tiny crush for the protagonist but that doesn’t mean he won’t help him by becoming his wingman. His Meimei did mention his harem consisted of wives. So, his hunky protagonist probably prefer women than men.

Binghe’s POV

Binghe woke up to find himself in a tent-like structure. He was also shocked to see fine green outer robes draped over his body like a blanket. It was that beautiful man’s robe! His cheeks went red. With his newly heightened senses, he could also smell the fragrance that came from the robe. The gentle beauty’s scent was that of green tea, jasmine, and oak moss. It was very calming and serene, just as he would expect of that stranger.

“Oh you’re awake! I’m glad.” Came a voice from outside the tent.

Luo Binghe turned to the entrance of the tent to see the beautiful man crawl in. He had his sleeves pulled up which made Binghe’s brows furrow. It felt like a crime to make such a gentle dainty little thing do manual labor.

“I do apologize for the makeshift camp. It will have to make do for now until we can find civilization.” The young man then crawled over to Binghe’s side then presented him with an old chipped plate and on that plate was what looked like a mushroom skewer. Binghe noticed it was burnt in some spots and it was poorly made, he looked up at the gentle beauty who was scratching the back of his head and smiling shyly. That flushed cheek and bashful smile… it hurt his heart as he fought the urge to pull the young man into his arms and squeeze him tight. He did not want to startle or frighten the other.

“Ehe… sorry, I am truthfully not a great cook. But I promise the mushroom is edible. I tasted it first.” The gentle beauty urged.

Binghe stared at the young man for a moment, unable to form a response.

“Thankyou…. For saving me earlier. But.. Are you not afraid of me? I am a heavenly demon, even demons are afraid of my kind… so I’ve heard.” Binghe lowered his head. He remembered Meng mo’s teachings about heavenly demons. A clan of demons choosing to descend from heaven. A powerful race that brought nothing but calamity and chaos upon the middle earth. He looked over to the gentle beauty, expecting a frightened or judging look. Instead Binghe was surprised to see a curious stare.

The gentle beauty tilted his head to the side. “Well, I don’t know what ‘heavenly demons’ are and how they differ from regular demons. But I’d believe it if you came from heaven! Since you fell from the sky.” The young man let out a hearty laugh which warmed Binghe’s heart.

Binghe was about to speak more and protest but the other teen had pushed the plate again near him. “Come on, it will get cold. You must eat and recover your strength. I’ll come back in a bit, just need to check on a few things outside camp.”

With that, the young man crawled out of the tent but before he disappeared, he turned to Binghe. His green eyes illuminating in the red moonlight that peeked into the tent. “My name is Shen Yuan by the way, it’s nice to meet you.”

Shen Yuan’s POV

Shen Yuan felt his heart beat super fucking fast as he crawled out of the tent. Meeting the protagonist for the first time was INTENSE. Wh-why is the kid staring at him the whole time as if he had undying hatred and suspicion in his heart?! Maybe he hated the burnt mushroom skewer? Or his current accommodation wasn’t protagonist-worthy? No that can’t be… be reasonable Shen Yuan! The weary hero probably was in unfamiliar territory. He was also rescued by some random dude that isn’t a busty curvacious sister which probably soured his mood even more. No chance to start that harem yet…

He was even asked if he was afraid of the protagonist! Oh shit. Was that a threat?! But then Binghe went on about heavenly demons. What are heavenly demons? Demons that came from heaven? Will that differ from regular demons? God, Shen Yuan wasn’t sure about this world’s mythology. The moment he finds civilization that had libraries, he will have to devour as many books as he can.

[Answer. Heavenly demons are a clan of beings that chose to fall from grace to leave the heavenly realm. Upon arrival in the lower worlds, they have become demons. Many fear them for their ancestors have caused terrible calamity throughout history.]

Huh. They’re like fallen angels? Shen Yuan tried to crack a joke about Binghe falling from the sky. He would have thrown in a ‘did it hurt when you fell from sky, pretty heavenly demon boy?’ But when he saw Binghe not even cracking a smile, Shen Yuan could only laugh to his own joke out of self-pity. Geez, what a tough crowd he’s dealing with.

Shen Yuan wanted to ease the protagonist in, try to get on his good side before he gives him the bad news. If he CAN even give him the bad news. How does one break the news of ‘Oh hey super awesome badass hero, I’m so sorry I accidentally ate your ultimate weapon so…uh… if you need to do some world-saving, you’ll have to kinda sorta bring me along from now on? I don’t know how that works but I’ll do my best to help you so let’s work together from now on!

LIKE HELL THAT WOULD WORK!

Shifting back to his slime form, Shen Yuan was about to frantically bounce off when-

“WAIT!”

He turned around and saw Luo Binghe crawl out of the tent. His eyes went wide when he saw Shen Yuan mid-transformation from his spirit form to his slime form. Shen Yuan merely blinked. Well, he did not intend to hide it from Binghe, but he was sure the kid would be shocked from seeing a man turn into slime….?

Oh shit.

“Wait please. You must not run around without this.”

Binghe was carrying with him his outer robes. Shen Yuan blinked. Was that all? He was expecting an angry protagonist yelling at him for deceiving him. If one would look at it out of context, Shen Yuan can be accused of mimicking a humanoid demon to trick an unsuspecting traveler. Shen Yuan simply thought interacting with Binghe in his spirit form would be a lot easier than when he was a slime without a mouth. He wasn’t sure if the protagonist would enjoy speaking through mental connection. Is that even normal in the demon realm?

‘Oh… uh.. it’s okay, you can keep using it as a blanket. I don’t want you to get cold.’ Shen Yuan blurted out since he wasn’t sure how to respond. At this point, he was already in his slime form anyway…. No use hiding it and trying to communicate like a normal person.

“But- I suppose… in your current form you don’t need it. But!” Binghe stammered, the poor lad seemed very confused.

‘Uhm… this is my true form, by the way. I’m just a…lowly slime. I hope that does not bother you.’ Shen said, looking away awkwardly. ‘But I’m just your friendly neighborhood slime! I mean you no harm and I did not intent to trick you with my spirit form… I can switch between the two at my convenience. I just thought it would be easier to communicate with you in my spirit form so I appeared to you like that.’ He explained further, adding in a little Spiderman pun in there. Well, he can stick to walls so he does feel like Spiderman.

Binghe walked over to him, still hugging the neatly folded robes. He crouched down and presented them to Shen Yuan which made the slime bounce a little to express his confusion.

“You are not bothered with me being a heavenly demon, why should I be bothered by you being a slime?” The kind and charming protagonist spoke which warmed Shen Yuan’s heart. Then the stern look returned on that handsome youthful face which made Shen Yuan stiffen a little. “But it does bother me if Shen Yuan runs around in his human form without the necessary layers to cover him… so please… I must insist you take this.” He said, giving that stern look again as if he was offended. Shen Yuan wasn’t sure where this was coming from but he nonetheless absorbed the robes back into his stomach storage.

'Err. Thank you… ?' He managed to say and just like that, he finally saw Binghe’s 100000 megawatts bright cheerful smile. It almost made Shen Yuan go blind.

“My name is Luo Binghe. Thankyou again for saving my life! I’ll do my best to repay you from now on, please take me in as your servant moving forward! I pledge my allegiance to you!” The boy then bowed to him much like how a disciple would to his master.

Shen Yuan bounced and returned to his human form which now wore his outer robes like Binghe wanted. He held his hands and motioned for Binghe to stop bowing. What’s this guy doing suddenly trying to become his servant?! Aren’t YOU the protagonist! Not his butler! “Wait wait, no need for that Binghe! I only helped you because I want to, not because I expect you to give me something in return…much less become my servant! Besides, a heavenly demon serving a lowly slime, that’s gotta be weird and insulting to you.”

Binghe furrowed his brows and glared at Shen Yuan intensely which made said slime squeak and flinch. “Forgive this one’s forwardness, but Shen Yuan is a powerful being, not JUST a lowly slime! It would be an honor for this lowly one to serve under such a divine master.”

WHAT THE FUCK. Where did this formal speech come from? Shen Yuan was so shocked, he could only stare at Binghe as if the kid just grew two heads.

“Wait wait wait! I’m just a regular slime, not some divine master or teacher or whatever, Binghe. I think we’re even the same age!” He explained, trying to choose his words carefully to avoid further misunderstandings. “How about this, I dream of being an adventurer which is why I’ve set out on my own. I am just a beginner and not knowledgeable in fights, how about you become my traveling companion hmm? Seems fair? You can leave whenever you want. Nothing formal between us please…” He offered.

Binghe stared at him suspiciously for a bit, Shen Yuan was pretty sure he’d get a flat out rejection. Why would an accomplished hero take this weak little slime as his traveling companion after all? Maybe as a pet... or an emergency ration. But traveling on equal footing seemed like an insult. 

“Yes, This lowly one accepts if Shen Yuan accepts my devotion and loyalty.” Came from the other youth. What’s with the intense wording?

Shen Yuan, confused just awkwardly nodded. “Err…Okay, I accept.”

Luo Binghe perked up, but then paused and his eyes glazed over for a moment. Shen Yuan was confused until he also heard a ding from his system.

[Notice. Follower acquired: Luo Binghe. Connection established.]

Huh?! What’s that about?!

Chapter Text

Okay, he has the protagonist with him. Now what? Xin Mo didn’t exactly leave him with a to-do list or a detailed quest information like in video games. He just told him to ‘find’ Binghe and that’s it. Are they supposed to JUST wing it? Well, they did agree upon a short term goal which was: to find a village and gather necessary supplies there. If they could start finding monsters to hunt and trade hunt game along the way, that would be ideal. They needed a way to earn this realm’s currency, after all. If this world did not have currency, they should at least be able to trade and barter with merchants. At the moment, they only had the herbs and crystals Shen Yuan hoarded over the months.

Ever since he reincarnated in this world, he only had the pleasure of Xin Mo and the system’s company. While he appreciated both his floaty sword friend and his…uh… babysitter’s company, nothing still beats the company of another living being. Traveling with Luo Binghe was pleasant so far. It can be weird at times whenever Binghe would try to insist on ‘serving’ him. Overall it wasn’t so bad and scary. It sure helped distract him from his disappointment of not bumping into cool monsters and stuff. This forest is very weird for not having actual living things in it.

“Master Shen, I would like to request something of you. If you’ll indulge me.”

“Yes Binghe? What is it?” He asked, detecting Binghe’s nervousness. The teen had something behind his back and he was averting his gaze from him. Shen Yuan raised a brow, wondering what prompted this abnormal behavior from the normally enthusiastic guy. Really, Binghe was like an eager puppy the majority of their time together. He was not expecting this attitude with how arrogant and brute-ish Binghe was illustrated. He remembered his Meimei described him to be a hunk with a smug attitude. Where was the smugness? All he sees is an innocent white lotus flower. Binghe belonged to a shojou manga, not a harem stallion novel….

While he was preoccupied with his thoughts, Binghe took out the item he had hidden behind his back. He presented Shen Yuan with his own version of mushroom skewers. This one looked more delectable and expertly cooked. Shen Yuan was surprised.

“I know Master Shen told me that he did not need to eat nor drink. But in his humanoid form I assume he had the ability to taste so…”

See?! Cooking for him? Isn’t that a shoujo protagonist’s thing?! Anyways- oh wait, Binghe had a point! It just dawned on him NOW that he indeed had taste buds in this spirit form! He just didn’t think about it that much. Even if he craved for meat, there were no animals in this cursed aphoridisiac-filled forest. Maybe he should at least taste the mushrooms he had been feeding Binghe. He never even taste tested them before. He only knew it was safe to consume because he devoured and dissolved the mushrooms in his slime stomach. He has never tried to consume anything in this new humanoid form before. Why didn’t he realize he had a tongue now!

“Alright, let’s test this theory of yours then…” Shen Yuan responded, amused to see Binghe perk up. This guy was too easy to please and too handsome to be giving him that face! You should reserve that for your future harem, my guy.

Shen Yuan then took a bite from the skewer. Chewing seemed easier with his sharper canines. When the taste hit his tongue, Shen Yuan’s eyes widened. His dragon tail stood stiff for a moment, but soon started to wag and wave eagerly like a happy serpent dancing in the sea. His cheeks turned a bright pink and he almost felt tears roll down them. Taking another bite, he double checked if he was dreaming or not.

“This is so good Binghe!” He exclaimed, letting out pleased sounds. How the hell did this guy manage to make mushroom skewers taste like meat?! It was roasted to perfection and the texture just felt soft and smooth as if it would melt in his mouth and explode with flavor. Is this one of the protagonist’s unique skills? Wait no- ULTIMATE SKILL?!

Shen Yuan couldn’t help but gobble up the entire skewer, savoring every last morsel. Ahhh, he will have to thank Xin Mo for giving him the opportunity to have this humanoid form… his amazing mentor and elder brother. You will be missed. Shen Yuan vowed to taste all the delicacies of this world from now on Xin Mo’s stead! A new life goal!

“Master Shen! Allow this lowly one to cook all your meals from this day forward! I beg you!”

That broke Shen Yuan out from his dazed spell. He blinked and looked at the taller male. Binghe was practically GLOWING with that bright smile of his. The protagonist had a determined look in his face and his cheeks are….pink?! Why did Binghe look so happy?? Did he enjoy cooking? Was it a hobby of his? Is that steam coming from his nose? This guy is very fired up!

“A-are you sure? Is that not too much trouble?” Shen Yuan hesitated.

“Yes! I have never been more certain in my entire life. Please, Master Shen. I insist.” Binghe firmly nodded, his tone resolute and eyes as fiery as his passion and conviction. It felt like a crime to turn him down.

“Alright, if Binghe enjoys cooking then I will be the lucky one to taste all his meals.” Shen Yuan finally answered.

With that, Binghe jumped excitedly and pumped his fist as if he had won the lottery. Shen Yuan tilted his head to the side, very confused.

“Of course, but if you would one day find that special someone of yours… or special someones, this humble slime will back off and let you cook for those maidens in my stead.” Shen Yuan added. He did not want to deprive or cuck his companion’s future wives of Binghe’s amazing home cooked meals. They should be given to the ones he loved, not to some random dude he met in a forest.

Shen Yuan was busy with his second helping of the mushroom skewers that he did not notice Binghe’s dark look and deep frown.

“You have nothing to worry about, master Shen, there’s no one else as special as you.” The teen whispered softly but with conviction, his words lost in the winds.

Shen Yuan was gathering firewood with Binghe. Well, the firewood was already safely stored in his stomach. Binghe was just happily carrying Shen Yuan’s slime form in his arms. It should be another peaceful evening for them but suddenly Shen Yuan felt something strange. A presence? Several presence? Not long after, he heard the system’s beep.

[Notice. Several lesser demons known as ‘imps’ approach. Weapons detected, killing intent detected. Proceed with caution.]

‘We’re being ambushed. Be on your guard.’ He mentally communicated to Binghe who suddenly got into defensive stance. He reached for the black sword Shen Yuan gave him. It was a crude replica of Xin Mo that did not contain any spirit or power. Shen Yuan, while exploring his new skills that he received from his ‘evolution’, recently discovered that he could craft copies of Xin Mo but he hasn’t figured out how to refine them. They would be like regular swords for now and not as durable. Perhaps in the future once he’s acquired experience and skills for crafting and spirit weaponry, he could craft stronger ‘Xin Mo’s’. It’s all he could do for now.

Several footsteps and clanking of weaponry could then be heard. From the tall trees of the tranquil forest, Imps emerged. They were small thin and frail little things. They were humanoid but they looked like human children or teenagers with tails and horns. Heck, even Binghe looked taller and more muscular than these poor fellows. They had tattered clothes, rusty weapons that looked like they’d break with a flick. What’s strange is that they were trembling in fear as they cautiously approached the traveling duo.

“Strong one, do you have any business here?”

Huh? Shen Yuan was confused, did he mean Binghe perhaps? Were they talking to Binghe?

“Speak. Lowly imps, why do you dare raise your weapons against my Benevolent master? If you mean to threaten him, I will cut you all down where you stand and feast upon your flesh.” Binghe announced, his tone powerful and befitting of the demon emperor protagonist he was destined to be….maybe a tad bit more brutal and scary? See, now THIS is how he envisioned Luo Binghe would act, not the soft puppy that’s been following him around this whole time. Shen Yuan can even see the teen’s eyes and forehead symbol flow a fiery powerful red.

Oi oi oi! Binghe you’re not supposed to threaten every living being you see!!! And who are you calling YOUR MASTER?! Shen Yuan isn’t anyone’s master, geez! He must calm everyone down before they accidentally start a war with the first living beings they encountered in this forest.

’I apologize for my intense FRIEND over here… we’re both just regular travelers. We mean no harm!’ He said, communicating his thoughts telepatically for everyone in the vicinity.

The bravest of them stepped forward, even though he still looked frightened. Poor little imp. “This lowly one understands. Our village is nearby, we sensed a strong demonic presence so we came out here to patrol.” He explained.

“A strong demonic presence? We did not spot anything like that in this forest… we’ve been wandering around this place for weeks and we STILL haven’t encountered any living things much less monsters, only you guys….”

“Surely you’re joking! You may have assumed that form but we will not be deceived, oh benevolent one!”

Ehhh?! What form? This is his true form! Shen Yuan was 1000000% sure he’s just a harmless and cute little green slime. Or maybe they were referring to Binghe again. He was informed that regular demons are afraid of heavenly demons. Heavenly demons were probably like super strong demi-gods in this world. Shen Yuan looked up at his companion who still held him close with one arm and his sword tightly gripped on the other.

“Actually, strong one. This lowly imp has a favor to ask of you.” The leader spoke once again as he held his fist for a polite bow. His eyes were definitely on Shen Yuan which made said slime even more confused.

They were lead to the imp village. It was unfortunately a disappointing sight for their first village, but it cannot be helped. Everything looked shabby. It felt like one swing of Binghe’s sword could blow the entirety of the huts off.  Women and children hid in their huts as they headed their way to the village elder’s house. Shen Yuan noticed that there was a severe lack of male imps in the village, aside from the group of male imps that they encountered in the forest. This was abnormal.

They sat on the floor of the small hut with Shen Yuan resting comfortably on Binghe’s lap and said heavenly demon holding him close protectively like a stuffed animal.

“Welcome to our humble village, oh strong one and his subordinate. This village elder’s name is Muyang.” The village elder greeted them. He was a small old dude, trembling and shaking as he clutched at his walking stick. Poor little guy.

‘Hello, this humble slime is pleased to see you, this one's name is Shen Yuan, my travelling companion's name is Luo Binghe…’ Shen Yuan spoke mentally, trying to adjust to a more formal way of speaking. Shen Yuan had to remember they were in a world that is somewhat like ancient China. He could speak casually with Binghe and Xin Mo, but he would be suspicious and rude if he spoke too modern-like towards strangers.

’So… what is this favor you ask of this harmless little monster and his traveling companion?’

The village elder and the leader of the patrol unit looked at each other then nodded with determination. “On the way to this elder one’s little village, has the benevolent one noticed a rise in monster activity lately?”

‘Huh? Not really, this one’s journey with his companion have been relatively quiet. In fact, this one observes of the forest’s lack of wildlife and was concerned and confused about such a phenomena.’ Shen Yuan answered which greatly confused the elder and the patrol leader.

“How strange… However, our God Xin Mo’s presence has disappeared completely not too long ago. As a result, the demons and monsters around the area have been running amok.”

WHAT.

This time, it was the patrol leader who spoke. “This one and every able bodied men in the village have formed a defensive army to repel these beasts but our forces are simply not enough. Majority of our men are injured and…deceased.” The man’s shoulder was shaking, obviously he had been carrying the burden of loss like a true leader. Shen Yuan frowned deeply, so this was why he saw only women and children cowering in the huts as they walked along the village.

“For this reason, we would like to ask of the venerable one and his heavenly demon subordinate to…”

‘Lend you our assistance.’ Shen Yuan finished and both village elder and the patrol leader nodded firmly.

‘But this one is but a mere slime. He could not possibly help you, perhaps my friend here could help but… this lowly one does  not feel comfortable sending him alone to defeat a pack of fox demons….’

“Ah.. how humble, venerable one.” The elder demon said with a smile.

Eh??

“Yes, Master Shen is indeed a very humble one.” The teenager, Luo Binghe also said with a furious nod.

What but… he really IS just a slime right now…?

“A mere slime does not emit such a formidable aura whilst spilling out his wealth of demonic qi like it was nothing. You truly MUST be a very powerful being.”

His WHAT now? Shen Yuan does not remember emitting such a thing. ‘System, can you change my vision for a bit. Show me what they see?’

[Notice. Changing point of view.]

Shen Yuan NEARLY pissed his nonexistent pants when he saw his dark aura fill out the entire room. It was CREEPY AS FUCK! It’s good he was a slime right now. No one would ever see his expression! HOLY SHIT! This is the thing he saw Xin Mo do, he didn’t know he was subconsciously doing it now too! IT WAS WEIRD AND CREEPY! No wonder he never saw any forest wildlife. They must be too scared to approach! WAIT Binghe was also emiting the same blast of aura and qi to a but lesser degree… was he also aware of it? Maybe he intends to do it but to a more controller amount, Shen Yuan’s just the idiot who hasn’t realized it. Binghe’s aura probably was stronger and bigger than his and he was just humbly hiding it to not embarrass Shen Yuan…  but It’s as if they were both strutting the forest with their fly open! How embarrassing!!!!

‘Heh heh.. heh heh….’ Came his low creepy laugh, or attempt at it. Shen Yuan put on a facade as he tried to play it off. ‘As expected of wise demon elder, you can tell…’

“There’s no mistake.”

“This one sees and has been found out. Very well, This venerable one can see great potential in you all….” Shen Yuan then concentrated and tried his best to suck in all his dark aura until it was next to nothing. Whew…he managed to make his presence small now. Only Binghe’s remain but he was sure the protagonist would not want to hide it, he was supposed to always be in the spotlight anyway. The less attention on the friendly green slime the better. Hopefully the cool monsters and wildlife won’t avoid them anymore. Binghe’s aura isn’t as creepy as his.

“So you were testing us…this lowly one is so glad many of us were brought to our knees by the powerful one’s formidable aura…” the elder said with a bow. Shen Yuan felt himself sweat a bit nervously.

‘Y-yes….’

According to the imp elder, a clan of demon foxes from the east attacked their village. Many of the imp warriors perished and they were outnumbered.  Among the warriors that perished in the battle against the demon foxes was their strongest warrior; an imp called Zihao. He was the pride of the village and its guardian. The older brother of the patrol leader whose name Shen Yuan now knows as Zixuan. The village, with their morale low and their little army no longer able to fight, are facing a dire predicament. 

“There are around a hundred of the demon foxes.” Muyang the village elder said, his old trembling body appearing smaller than it already is.

‘What are your current numbers?’

“There are only twenty left of us and majority of which are recuperating from grave injuries at this very moment.”

That’s an overwhelming gap in strength…  Shen Yuan paused for a minute to think, trying to asses the situation. Luo Binghe was silent the entire exchange, content with just holding Shen Yuan close as he let the slime take the reigns.

’Elder of the Village, Muyang, this venerable one would like to ask one thing… if this slime and his friend were to help your people and your village, what do we get in return?’ Shen Yuan was very aware that it was unfair to ask anything from an already ‘down on their luck’ village. What more could they give? But this is a world of monsters and cultivators. You must be strong to survive or cling to the stronger one’s thighs to survive. It may seem harsh, but he would be risking their lives too. Binghe’s especially. However, Shen Yuan felt responsible to a degree. He was the one who ate Xin Mo and removed his protection of the creatures of this forest. He felt like it’s his duty to protect the people of this forest now. Shen Yuan wasn’t actually expecting anything in return, he was only trying to play the ‘venerable god’ these little imps needed.

“We will swear our undying loyalty to you, oh venerable one! Please bless us with your protection!!!” Came Muyang’s declaration. It was later followed by Zixuan who now bowed before Shen Yuan and Binghe. A bunch of other imps scurried pathetically into the tent and all bowed down alongside their village elder and patrol leader. Shen Yuan was taken aback. These poor things must be so desperate and weak that they cling to whoever strong entity they see and worship them as god. Such is the nature of things whether you are human or demon.

Shen Yuan then communicated with Binghe mentally, only to him.

‘I won’t force you to go along with me, but I feel personally responsible for these creatures. I will accept and take them under my protection.’ Shen Yuan said. ‘Looks like our adventure will have to be postponed for now.’

‘Master Shen has such a big heart and I truly admire your compassion. Therefore, I will follow you wherever you go. If you wish to protect these imps so will I.’ Came Binghe’s determined mental voice.

Shen Yuan chuckled and looked up at the heavenly demon but paused when he saw that Binghe was giving him one of his scary glares again which made Shen Yuan sweat a little. Sometimes he wasn’t sure if this guy wants to serve him or eat him. He’s really intense and scary.

‘If it gets dangerous, don’t push yourself and retreat. That’s a promise, okay Binghe?’ Shen Yuan said.

‘If Master Shen also promises the same, then I will respond in kind.’

What a stubborn guy.

Suddenly one of the guards on patrol barged into the little hut all panicked and trembling. “Th-they’re here! The Fox demons!!”

“No! We have to run away!”

“But where to?!”

“This is bad! This is the end of us!”

“Everyone, please calm down!” Muyang tried to calm his panicking people but everyone was already crying and trembling patheticaly with their pointy tails between their legs.

“There is no need to fear. We will defeat them.”

Shen Yuan spoke finally, transforming into his humanoid form beside Binghe, who also stood proudly and ready for battle. All the imps turned to Shen Yuan, gasping upon seeing the regal and powerful-looking dragon spirit that took form from the slime. Shen Yuan’s green eyes glowed as well as the tip of his hair, horns, and serpent-like tail. The symbol on his forehead also glowed a dark ominous black in contrast to all his green. He unfolded his fan weapon elegantly and covered half his face with it. This took Luo Binghe aback slightly for it was almost the same mannerisms as his old Shizun, but Shen Yuan was unaware of such a fact.

“In place of your benevolent God Xin Mo… your wishes and pleas… This humble Shen Yuan and his trusted companion, the heavenly demon Luo Binghe will grant them.” Shen Yuan announced, his voice powerful and commanding.

Looks like it’s time to test out his fighting skills.

Chapter Text

The sky was red and ominous as ever. Shen Yuan, in his humanoid form stood tall amongst the imps. Beside him was his companion; the cool protagonist Luo Binghe. Both with weapons sheathed as they looked towards the pack of demon foxes that were now surrounding the entrance to the little imp village. Silent and ready to pounce at any moment, all their eyes glowed with vicious killing intent. The Imps cowered behind Shen Yuan and Binghe.

The largest of the fox demons stepped forward. It had four tails and a scar on its left eye. “What a great night for a hunt. Xin Mo’s protection is no more, there is nothing to fear my brethren.” Its Snow White tails spread out proudly to present its power.

“Tonight, we shall destroy the Imp village and create a foothold to the Ancient Forest of Zuzhou!!! We shall reign it as superior beings!”

The foxes around them cheered and yelped, their morale clearly ironclad at the moment. Shen Yuan narrowed his eyes, half his face still covered by his elegantly designed fan weapon. He stepped forward as well to meet with the alpha of the pack.

“We do not have to fight, you can still retreat safely. Leave this place at once!” He said, trying to bargain with the creatures.

“Foolish lesser demon, you dare bark orders at us!” The alpha growled, its voice booming and commanding. Shen Yuan did not even flinch. He made certain his aura was kept hidden the entire exchange, he also asked Binghe to cover his as well. Both of them actually looked ‘human’ at the moment as they concealed their demonic and draconic features. It was better to have your opponent underestimate you than to appear strong or intimidating on the get-go.

“Kill these two, we shall celebrate our victory by bathing in their blood!” With that, the Fox demons began their attack.

Binghe quickly left Shen Yuan’s side as he took out his sword replica. With swift and expert movement befitting a disciple of his former Peak, he made quick work of the fox demon subordinates that started to attack the village.

The Alpha of the pack growled as he watched the heavenly demon easily subdue his minions. “How dare you!” It hissed at the seemingly feeble lesser demon that stood before him. Shen Yuan was glad the alpha and his pack were tricked by their disguise. Especially on Binghe. They would have doubled their effort in attacking if they knew Binghe was a heavenly demon. Shen Yuan was also certain the Alpha thought of him as the weakest of the two which he probably was, but that did not mean Shen Yuan didn't have a trick or two up his sleeve!

As expected, the Fox demon leader would soon pounce at Shen Yuan.

“Master Shen!” Binghe cried out. He was surrounded by Fox Demons so he couldn’t return to Shen Yuan’s side to protect him.

“Benevolent one!” The village elder also gasped in both worry and anticipation. All were worried for the small little slime.

Said ‘feeble’ looking slime merely stood there calmly, waiting for the large beast to close the distance between them. When the beast was just a mere few inches from him, Shen Yuan raised his fan, dodged then flicked the weapon gently. The elegant and gentle motion created a spacial tear in the air, causing the fox demon to fall in. As if dancing, Shen Yuan twirled around expertly and created yet another spacial tear in one fluid movement. The Fox demon’s head poked out from the second portal but when Shen Yuan quickly shut off his fan, the portals abruptly closed. The entire battlefield was suddenly deathly silent, only the soft thud of the decapitated body of the Alpha could be heard.

Binghe had stopped attacking, the teen’s mouth was gaping. Probably surprised at Shen Yuan’s brutal display. The frightened little imps were also dumbfounded.  Shen Yuan ignored the reactions for now, he had a mission to fulfill and a small village to protect. He then turned to the rest of the pack that seemed paralyzed to their spot. Upon closer observation, they had their teeth barred yet their tails were slightly trembling. Cornered animals. Without their leader, maybe he could finally reason with them.

“Head me, Fox demon clan. Your leader is already dead. I’ll let you decide.” Shen Yuan his eyes narrowed, his tone firm and commanding. “Will you submit or will you die?” 

The fox demons remained silent and unmoving.

This is bad, what if killing their leader fueled their bloodlust? If that happened, there would be a full out massacre. They were outnumbered. Even if they had Binghe, he wouldn’t be enough to defeat them all. His poor protagonist still needed work on his spiritual and demonic cultivation. According to the system, Binghe hasn’t even learned to control both energies yet.

In a split decision, Shen Yuan held his hand over to the Alpha’s carcass. “Unique skill: Predator. Activate!” As the words escaped his lips, he transformed into a slime and devoured the Fox demon Alpha’s remains.

[Analysis complete. Mimicry: Fox Demon acquired.]

Once he had successfully devoured the beast, Shen Yuan’s slime body began to morph. A Snow White fox demon with black markings now stood in his place. It had four tails like the boss of the pack and its eyes were a glowing green. Shen Yuan spread out his four tails to show his authority over the lesser demon foxes. With a growl, he let out a devastating blast of his demonic aura, hoping to intimidate his enemies.

The remaining pack of demon foxes trembled, their tails lowered and ears pressed to their heads. However, they were slowly approaching Shen Yuan but he did not stop trying to subdue them with his alpha aura. Once the demon foxes were were near enough, they all bowed and whimpered before their new leader.

“Oh Benevolent one, we swear our undying loyalty to you!!!”

Eh?! You guys could have just escaped!!!

Binghe’s POV

He was not just a gentle beauty… he was a savage beauty. Binghe watched as Shen Yuan brutally and gracefully slaughtered the alpha Fox Demon. He never thought he’d find murder so beautiful and elegant. The way Shen Yuan danced and tore open literal space with his fan… it was a sight to behold. How can a creature be so powerful and unreachable? Binghe felt like he will never be able to stand on equal ground with this powerful being, but he was fine with that. He wanted to worship Shen Yuan and follow him until his dying breath. He wanted to learn from Shen Yuan, to learn more ABOUT Shen Yuan. His new purpose in life, his master.

What was even shocking was when Shen Yuan devoured the slain beast, his master transformed into a demon Fox before their very eyes, causing gasps and shocked noises from both him and the imps. Even in a fox demon form, Shen Yuan looked majestic and powerful. Binghe could not help but feel overwhelming respect and admiration for the powerful and beautiful demon.

As he listened to that commanding tone, Binghe could not help but shiver. The only authority figure he’s ever had the misfortune of experiencing was his Shizun. It was strange how similar Shen Yuan and Shen Qingque were yet vastly different. Like Yin and Yang. Shizun was cold and merciless while Shen Yuan was warm and comforting. Yet both of them were savage and brutal. Binghe, however, hated one and adored the other. Shen Yuan, even while demanding for control with his powerful words, looked absolutely gorgeous. Binghe wanted to have him for himself.

Kid, you’ve fallen madly in love with this demon. You need to snap out of it, it’s only been a few months since you’ve met this strange demon. I don’t trust him. How can a slime be this powerful??

Binghe frowned at Senior Meng Mo’s words. The dream demon had always been the voice of reason for him, but he felt resentment towards the elder for ever daring to bad mouth and doubt Shen Yuan.

Calm down kid. I’m not unreasonable in distrusting him. Obviously he is no mere slime, there is something about him that’s different…. I suggest you exercise caution regardless.

‘I do not care if Master Shen is good or evil. I’m done thinking about such things. This man is the only one aside from my mother who ever showed me kindness and compassion despite my lineage... For a brief moment, I thought I also had that with my Shizun, but he threw me away like trash... I wont be abandoned again. I chose for myself now, and I choose Shen Yuan… and I’ve decided, whether he chooses to do good or evil, I will follow him regardless.’ Binghe responded with conviction. ‘And I want to be stronger enough to be worthy of him. This, I swear.’

Aish, this naive boy. Very well, as long as you still have the drive to become stronger, you shall have me as your mentor. You have yet to regulate both your qi, don’t think you can slack off just because your heavenly demon blood has been unsealed. We will continue your cultivation and training after this mess.

‘Yes Senior Meng Mo.’

Just like that, the fight between the Imps and the Fox demons ended in an instant. However… they were faced with a new problem. Shen Yuan was back in his slime form. Binghe was happily holding the slime in his arms as he stood before the Imps and the Fox demons. Shen Yuan was glad his blush is not visible in this form because he can feel the glorious protagonist tiddies press against him. Though Luo Binghe is still young and has yet to grow into his full hunky adult middle aged buffed up body, he’s still pretty beefed up as a teen. Geez, they’re both the same age and Shen Yuan felt so much smaller in his spirit form compared to Binghe. He’s jealous! But hey, his sticky friend’s chest is a good cushion…

Okay time to concentrate Shen Yuan! Stop fantasizing about your precious innocent protagonist.

Shen Yuan turned his gaze to the two clans. He needed to figure out what to do. Not only did he have a village full of imps to take care of, now demon foxes were added into the mix. Did he suddenly become their mayor or something? Is this frikkin animal crossing?!

“Benevolent one, we would all like to formally pledge our undying loyalty to you. Please accept these lowly beings.” Muyang was the first to speak as he stepped forward then bowed. The rest of the imps followed his example. “After witnessing your prowess in the battlefield, we of the imp race are determined to follow the benevolent Shen Yuan to the day we perish. We humbly request you grant us permission to become your followers.”

Wtf? Wait- hold on just a moment-!

“Oh mighty Shen Yuan, please allow us the chance of the same privilege. We pledge our undying loyalty to you and request your formal permission.” The new alpha fox demon, Shen Yuan Assumed, stepped forward. This one had the same white fur as the previous alpha while the rest of the pack had the standard orange fur. This one was larger than the rest too.

Shen Yuan sighed as he looked at these two demon clans kneeling and bowing before him. Binghe was hugging him extra close to his chest which made Shen Yuan look up curiously. Was that a pout?! Why is the amazing protagonist sulking? Oh shit, did Shen Yuan steal too much of the spotlight? Sorry buddy, Shen Yuan needs to babysit these little guys for he did not want to dishonor Xin Mo’s memory… Shen Yuan will have to make it up to Binghe with some amazing adventure after this mess.

“Fine, this… uh.. Benevolent one accepts all your loyalty. Welcome to the…family…? This slime will do his best to protect you all from now on.” Shen Yuan finally answered. Was it his imagination? Did he just see some kind of light shine down on the imps and fox demons in front of him for a brief moment?

[Notice: Followers acquired: Imp Clan and Demon Fox Clan. Established connection. Divine gifts bestowed upon followers…..80%……90%….100% Complete.]

Suddenly, he felt weakened and his vision was getting blurry. He started to liquify a bit in Binghe’s arms. “Master Shen!” The handsome teen cried out, he could see a bit of tears start to form in the corner of Binghe’s eyes.

[Warning. Qi depleted to an unsafe amount, will now enter hibernation mode. Estimated complete recovery is seven days.]

I used up a lot of Qi? How….?

Seven days later, as the system predicted, Shen Yuan regained consciousness and has fully recovered. He felt even more energized and full of power for some reason!

[Answer. Congratulations on the full recovery. Intrinsic skills have been acquired through the process of divine worship, user may check skills tab whenever. ]

Oh? Thankyou system but what’s this nonsense about divine worshipping and skills? Shen Yuan was confused and had no idea what was going on. He’ll have to clarify with the system later. Right now, he had more pressing matters to attend to…like how to take care of this new big family he just adopted. And…. Was that Binghe’s yelling and hissing just now?

“Master Binghe, please allow this lowly one the opportunity to hold Master Shen. Did you not say you wanted to cook him a meal for when he wakes up? Let this one take care of the Benevolent one.”

“No! I’m not letting Master Shen be held in any one else’s bosom other than mine! Back off, beastly creature!” Came Binghe’s growl like a cornered animal. Holy shit, Shen Yuan felt like he had become the protagonist’s favorite chew toy or something.

“How selfish of you Master Binghe! This one simply wants the benevolent one to feel and benefit from the new body he has bestowed upon us!”

Huh?! What the hell is going on? Shen Yuan’s vision finally focused. He was confused to see an unfamiliar white haired demon youth pouting at him. The demon had silver white hair, yellow eyes and… fox ears??? The demon was also clad in an ethereal white robe and pants, reminding him of the Lan Clan from ‘Grand master of demonic cultivation’. The demon fox guy had a handsome face. Of course, no one can compare to the beauty of his friend Luo Binghe the amazing op protagonist, but this guy is alright too. Another notable feature the demon had was his nine tails. Huh, the fox demons he fought had at most three tails, their alpha had four. Never nine.

‘Huh? Who are you? Binghe stop fighting with strangers!’ Shen Yuan scolded which caused the two arguing men to pause abruptly then look down at the still groggy and sleepy slime.

“Master Shen finally awakes!” The white haired fox guy knelt down in front of him, ignoring Binghe who still held Shen Yuan possessively in his arms. Shen Yuan sighed at Binghe, he really was the protagonist’s favorite chew toy now and he doesn’t want to share with the other demons. Geez, this kid.

“This one is overjoyed to hear of master’s recovery. If there is anything master Shen needs, please do not hesitate to order us.” The fox youth spoke, his voice as melodious and handsome as his face.

‘Err, thank you….who are you again?’ Shen Yuan asked, still very confused who this overzealous fox demon guy is. He remembered battling with fox demons before he passed out, but he did not remember any of them having human features. Unless… these foxes had the ability to transform into humanoid forms like him? Maybe? That is a possibility right?

“This one has no name but is the current appointed alpha of our clan.” The Fox demon guy raised his fist to bow with respect to his slime master. “We Fox demon clan ascended to a higher form of existence thanks to Benevolent Master Shen’s divine gift. We shall cleanse our sins of the past and fully devote ourselves to Master Shen moving forward.”

Shen Yuan’s eyes felt like they would pop out from their sockets at the Fox youth’s declaration. Divine Gifts?! Ascended? Did he just Pokemon evolve these guys!? What the fuck? System, what gives??

[Answer. One of Unique Skill ‘Divine System’’s main functions is the divinity system. User is able to acquire followers and create soul contracts with them. Depending on User’s current level of power, evolutionary status, and qi energy threshhold, its followers will be bestowed gifts whether it be new skills or complete race evolution. In return, User’s power grows and can use their followers’ intrinsic skills for himself. Currently, these fox demons have evolved into nine tailed fox demons. ]

What the fuck?! Isn’t that super OP? Well, for isekai standards… that seems like something systems can do. But Shen Yuan wasn’t expecting HIS system to have this kind of power! So he really did Pokemon evolve these guys. He wasn’t even the protagonist of this world, why would he need these OP skills? Aish… Wait! what about the Imps? Oh dear, this might be bad.

Shen Yuan was so deep in thought he did not even realize that the Alpha Fox slipped out from the hut to go call the village imp elder. Binghe didn’t say anything since he was too busy glaring at the Fox demon.

“MASTER SHEN HAVE YOU FINALLY AWAKENED FROM YOUR SLUMBEEEEEER?!?!!?”

Suddenly, a loud yell could be heard from outside. A gigantic looking dude barged into the tiny shabby hut. He wore only a loincloth that hid very little of his bulging body. He had frikkin eight abs and an intimidating face. He had a tail and ram-like demon horns. The macho man also had razor sharp teeth. He looked like one of those body builders that could smash a watermelon with their thighs or biceps. HIEEE SCARY!!!!

‘A-are you Muyang???’ Shen inquired nervously. He nearly wanted to return to hibernation mode when the macho guy nodded eagerly. How can a frail trembling old village elder turn into THAT?! WHAT THE FUCK?!

“Master Shen’s gracious gift has enabled this lowly one to ascend to a higher being. We of the imp clan have become greater demons.”

[Answer. Upon receiving User’s divine gift, these imps have evolved to greater demons. Progression are as follows for the demon race: imp/lesser demon -> regular demon -> greater demon -> archdemon -> heavenly demon -> true demon emperor ]

Woah these guys skipped a step in their evolution?! Well...Naturally, his protagonist would of course be higher up in the evolutionary ladder! He felt very proud for his dear friend Binghe. However, Shen did wonder why ‘demon emperor’ was a race though. Wasn’t that just a social title for ruling over land or something? Ehh, this system is very confusing to him. He has so much more to ask the it but he did not want to overload his brain with too much information right now. He still has to worry about these two newly Pokemon evolved clans he has to babysit.

Jumping off from Binghe’s comfortable hold, Shen Yuan assumed his humanoid form. He turned to both Muyang the demon elder and….Alpha? The Fox demon.

“Call all your people to the village square. This one would like to see his new followers and would like to relay a few orders.” He ordered in an authoritative tone. He was still getting used to being an animal crossing mayor. He LOVED that game …but it’s not so fun now that he has to experience it in real life.

Both clan leaders held their fist with a bow then left.

When it was just him and Binghe, Shen Yuan pulled out his fan and fanned himself for a bit. He needed a bit of breathing space. He just woke up and now he felt a lot of pressure and stress. Oh geez, this is going to be a very tough reincarnated life…. He glanced over to Binghe. He still had a lot to discuss with his super awesome OP protagonist too. Where was his promised free isekai adventure?! Why’s he stuck here playing mayor?!

‘I want a refund!!!!’

[Answer. User may not]

FUUUUUUUUCK

Chapter Text

As Shen Yuan feared, his tiny imp village turned into a larger village filled with greater demons and nine tailed foxes. He stood before a crowd of powerful-looking demons. All were MUCH taller than him now! Even taller than Binghe! This isn’t fair, he gave those Pokemon evolutions but why did he remain shorter in his spirit form! Anyway! Shen Yuan scanned through the crowd, impressed with the two clans’ new appearances. The imps a week ago looked like little children but now they all looked like full grown adult demons and demonesses. All of which were somewhat muscular in build. They sported ram horns and dangerous looking spiked tails. He had to avert his eyes at the ladies for they all wore remnants of their tattered clothes which were too small for them now. Aiya.

The nine tailed foxes were the same, they all had adult bodies but more slender and slim even the men. A clan of androgynous grace and beauty yet he bet equally if not more powerful than the greater demons. Holy shit his animal crossing villagers are all deadly and scary! Will Shen Yuan survive this new reincarnated life?!

“As you all can see, we’ve become a larger family. In order to avoid conflicts, I’d like to create some rules.” He had his faced covered with his fan as he spoke. He pulled said fan away from his youthful face then held it over to the direction of a large stone boulder he had Binghe carry. With a flick of his fan, he used his demonic qi to carve out words into the stone. His house rules.

“There are only three basic rules at the moment.  First, do not attack the humans, not even the human cultivators.” As he spoke, like lightning striking down on the boulder, his words are carved on the stone’s surface. “Second, do not fight amongst yourselves.” He paused to look around the two newly evolved clans then gave a firm nod. “And lastly, never discriminate other races. That is all.”

The crowd seemed confused at first before someone raised their hand up, it was the village patrol guard whom he now knew as the elder demon’s son. “Question! Why are these ones not allowed to attack humans?”

“Zixuan, how dare you question Master Shen!” Barked Muyang, but Shen Yuan held a hand and gave the scary elder a reassuring look.

“It’s alright, Muyang. It’s a simple reason, This slime is quite fond of humans that is all.” Shen Yuan brought the fan to half his face once again and closed his eyes. Well, he used to be human and he wanted to see cool looking cultivators in the future. He already met Binghe, but what if he meets his teacher? Won’t that be cool! He imagined a handsome wise immortal. Binghe has not shared much of his past with him yet, it seemed awkward to ask… but he assumed Binghe’s teacher was someone to look up to. He raised the protagonist after all!

Shen Yuan glanced at the crowd again, expecting protests. Do demons hate humans in this world too? Are they, like, mortal enemies?

“This one understand now!” Zixuan said in a determined tone, his lips curled up into a content smile. He pumped his fist in the air in all his youthful energy. Shen Yuan was confused but he accepted the response.

“You do…? At any case, if you are to enter the human realm, they tend to live in groups so it would also be dangerous for you to engage with them. This one would be more at ease if you all keep yourselves safe. Aaaand, it’s better to get along with everyone, is it not?”  To these words, he got a bunch of enthusiastic nods. Shen Yuan suddenly felt like he was a kindergarten teacher. These scary demons can be cute.

“Are there any other questions?”

Surprisingly, it was Binghe who raised his hand. “Yes Binghe?”

“Master Shen, what does it mean to not discriminate other races?” the handsome teen asked.

“Everyone here has ascended and evolved to more powerful demons, right? This includes you Binghe, who is already a very powerful heavenly demon. This simply means, you must never be conceited and bully the other races, especially the weaker ones!” Shen Yuan explained. “Ascending or evolving does not mean you are greater than the others. One day, those races may become just as if not stronger. They might come back later and seek revenge, we would not want that right?”

This answer seemed to satisfy Binghe as he held his fist up and bowed. W-were those tears in his eyes...? “This lowly one understands now! Master Shen truly is a magnificent and kind soul! This one will live by master Shen’s philosophy and teachings moving forward!” The youth’s eyes were shining bright with passion and dignity. What Binghe said next was even more confusing to Shen Yuan.

“You truly are very different to my Shizun, for that I respect you even more.”

Shen Yuan cleared his throat. “A-anyway, that is all for now. Please try to follow these three simple rules from now on, okay?” He got cheers and yes’s from the enthusiastic crowd. The three rules are now set in stone and he was their official ruler. Speaking of rulers and social structures…

“Right, next is…. Elder Muyang. I will thus bestow the title of ‘Demon Lord’ to you. Lead this village formally in my stead. I hope you’ll live by your new title and be a good ruler to this village.” Shen Yuan stated which caused the energetic and muscular elder to kneel down before him with tears and snot rolling down from his macho face. God that looked funny, Shen Yuan could only hold a smile back and hide it with his fan.

“YES! This lowly Muyang shall accept this task with my life on the line!!!” He yelled out boisterously.

“Right, this slime will leave it to you.” Shen Yuan said. In truth… he threw the entire burden on Muyang yet the elder seemed very happy. So it’s a win-win right?

Shen Yuan gave the demons several roles and split them into teams. While there was already a patrol team, he had the fox demons join them to strengthen the village’s defenses. There was also a team for foraging. Both the patrol and gatherer teams had no problems… what he was most concerned for is the team tasked in building their lodging and clothing. Basically,

Procuring their daily necessities.

When the imp’s bodies were a lot smaller, they can make do with their shabby little huts. But now, they’re fully grown greater demons. They need more than tied up leaves and wood. This simply won’t do.

Not to mention they need to be clothed properly! Shen Yuan would steal glances at the busty great demonesses but would always stop himself whenever he felt Binghe’s hug on him tighten. Or he would feel the protagonist’s scary glare at him…calm down Binghe! Shen Yuan only wanted a curious peek, he did not mean to look at your potential wives…

At least he did not have to worry about the Fox demons. Their evolution came with their own clothes for some reason. They all wore black and green robes save for the Alpha who wore all white with a touch of green.

“We deeply apologize Master Shen. Our village does not have skilled crafters in our ranks!” Came the apologetic Muyang. “However, we have attempted to trade with other skilled demon clans in the past. Not only do they have weavers, they also have people who are able to build structures unimaginable to these lowly demons.” 

Shen Yuan perked up at that information. Sounds like a clan of demons he must meet at once! “Alright then, thank you for supplying this information Muyang. This one will seek out this clan alongside my companion, Binghe. Who might they be?” He asked. Binghe, who stood next to Shen Yuan, perked up at being called. What a cute puppy protagonist.

“They do not come from the abyss, but these demon traders hail from the demon realm. They are of the Northern Demon clan.” Muyang explained.

The demon realm? Oh so this is not the demon realm already?

[Answer: User is currently in the endless Abyss, a large piece of unowned territory within the demon realm. None of the Demon Emperors were able to claim this land hence why the endless abyss has become a realm of its own. Powerful monsters that not even demon Emperors were able to defeat live within the abyss and have their own territories. Xin Mo was one of such entities who had this forest as its territory.]

Ohhh, so that’s why he was revered as a God among these villagers. That’s quite the pressure if Shen Yuan has replaced Xin Mo as one of these ‘undefeated monsters in the abyss that not even demon emperors can defeat’. Well, he had Binghe, who is a future demon emperor right? Maybe he’ll ask his friend nicely to leave him alone in his little forest once Binghe takes his rightful seat on whatever throne.

“Alright, this one will travel to the northern demon realm and meet up with these traders and craftsmen.” Shen Yuan declared. Finally, an adventure. He did promise his protagonist they’ll resume their adventuring and traveling once they fix this whole mess. While Shen Yuan is still obliged to rule over the forest in Xin Mo’s stead, that doesn’t mean he can’t go out and go on epic adventures with Binghe…even if it was just to run an errand for the village.

“Muyang, can I leave things to you while I am gone?” He asked. “You too, Alpha.” He turned to both the clan leaders. Both enthusiastically nodded and bowed before Shen Yuan.

“Yes! Leave this place to us, Master Shen!”

Then it’s settled, they will head to their next destination: the Northern demon kingdom.

At a terrace overlooking ice-covered mountains stood a human, an immortal cultivator. Shang Qinghua. He stared off into the distance, a worried look on his face. “I wonder how my son is faring in the endless abyss….please don’t kill me okay?” The small-looking human whimpered. He seemed frightened.

While he did fulfill his duties enforced by the system and his king, he still changed something significantly only to him. He lived. Mobei Jun was supposed to kill him but he hasn’t. His king even let him seek refuge in his territories after the whole conundrum with the Immortal Alliance Conference. Binghe saw his face at the conference, he stood with the child up until he started battling it out with his king, Mobei Jun the ice demon. But… what if the blackened protagonist recognizes him and kills him on the spot?! Luo Binghe is fated to arrive at in the northern kingdom to have his revenge rematch against Mobei Jun. Shang Qinqhua wrote it himself that Mobei Jun will swear his undying loyalty once defeated by Luo Binghe. His king will also relinquish his Northern Territory to Binghe because it was the protagonist’s destiny to unite all demon territories under his rule as the supreme demon emperor! Mobei Jun, having turned into a subordinate, could not protect Shang Qinqhua by then! What will he do?!

Then again, that’s years off right? Like... five years before Luo Binghe emerges victorious from the endless abyss. He’d be too busy conquering all the challenges and boss monsters of that place before he sets foot in the Northern territories. Shang Qinqhua had five years to hatch out his escape and self-saving plan! Hah!

He’s safe for now….right?

Chapter Text

Along their journey to the northern kingdom, they passed by small settlements. The demons of these settlements allowed them to exchange goods. Shen Yuan traded a few of his herbs for traveling necessities. At least they were better equipped with survival gear. All of their supplies and equipment were stored in his stomach. Having free storage was significantly convenient and enables them to travel light and worry free. This benefited Binghe the most because all the stubborn teen wanted to do was to hold Shen Yuan’s slime form close either in his arms or he’d flop him down on top of his head like a hat. Geez, was he a chew toy or a hat now?! Shen Yuan didn’t seem to mind though. He even did not mind Binghe using him as a huggable pillow in the evening when they would sleep. Well, Binghe would sleep, Shen Yuan did not need to sleep. Instead, he spent the quiet nights with the system. He was analyzing and organizing the plethora of new skills he has acquired from the divinity system. They were very interesting. Turns out, even the powerful protagonist Binghe was gifted a skill from him. Shen Yuan hopes he could see this skill in their future monster battles. It had a very interesting name.

They also encountered beasts and various monsters. FINALLY! THIS is what Shen Yuan wanted to see in this new magical world! The monsters! The cool awesome monsters!!!! Shen Yuan heard from the system that the endless abyss was infamous for these incredibly powerful beasts. Shen Yuan wanted to see them all! Of course, they could not slay ALL of them, but he wanted to take a closer look at some of them… so they did. Shen Yuan would lead Binghe to underground crystalline caves where diamond-skinned bats dwelled, deadly forests where ancient gigantic treants lived, and frozen lakes where ice banshees roamed. They surprisingly slayed these monsters with ease. Shen Yuan would devour them all and gain their skills. Divine system explained that he could acquire skills from monsters he devoured too. Shen Yuan enjoyed experimenting and combining his skills to form newer skills or evolve current skills. It felt like playing an rpg game and it was very fun.

Binghe seemed to be enjoying himself too. The protagonist enjoyed traveling around with Shen Yuan. He took down his own notes on a journal he purchased at a settlement and fought abyss monsters alongside Shen Yuan with fiery passion. The other teen seemed enthusiastic about expanding his knowledge on the hellish creatures or landscapes of the demon realm and the abyss. Perhaps he was taking notes on his future territories as the future supreme demon emperor?

When they’re not battling monsters or exploring dangerous landscapes, Shen Yuan would often find Binghe in a lotus position, meditating and improving his cultivation. Shen Yuan of course would not disturb the teen. In time, he’d most likely form his golden core and ooooh Shen Yuan wanted to see that! A live righteous cultivator, overcoming his heavenly tribulations and forming his golden core! He really admired cultivators, he hoped he can meet more of them in the future! Perhaps on their next adventure, they will visit the human realm?

“Hey Binghe, why do you flinch every time I bring out my fan?”

Shen Yuan was in his humanoid form. It was a peaceful evening and they had just defeated the nightmare wolf that plagued a nearby settlement. They would sometimes help out demon settlements and small villages if it involved slaying interesting looking beasts. It was a way to gain trade relations for his village. They just finished turning in some of their loot to the merchants and were setting up camp outside in the wilderness.

Anyway, back to Binghe. Shen Yuan would sometimes notice the other teen flinch whenever he does certain things in his humanoid form. It worried Shen Yuan, perhaps he had offended his gallant protagonist with his actions? Shen Yuan stared at his traveling companion who flinched again. He probably didn’t expect the sudden confrontation. They’re friends and traveling buddies, Shen Yuan would like to communicate better with Binghe.

“A-ah… it’s just that master Shen reminds me of someone.” The other teen answered, averting his gaze from Shen Yuan as he clumsily fumbled through the firewood they gathered.

Shen Yuan smiled then got up to his nervous friend. He placed a gentle hand on top of Binghe’s, as if to reassure him. “We’ve known each other and have been traveling companions for a while now, you should drop the formalities especially if it’s just the two of us. So, please call me by my name instead? I call you Binghe all the time, so it’s just fair you do the same!” Shen Yuan said, his smile never faltering. Binghe looked at him, his expression unreadable at the moment and his cheeks ever as red as cherries. “Oh and you can tell me anything, I consider you a good friend, we should be more open with each other no?”

“If… Shen Yuan….if A-Yuan insists.” Binghe spoke his master’s name as if tasting and savoring it on his lips. Holy shit that’s so adorable! How can a handsome gallant protagonist destined to be the supreme Emperor of the demon realm AND have a harem be this cute?! Shen Yuan still thinks Binghe should belong to a Shoujo manga instead…

“Good! Now I do apologize if my human form offends you. Your memories of that ‘someone’ don’t seem good. If you’d like, I can remain as a slime and only transform to my spirit form as needed-“

“NO! A-Yuan would NEVER offend me in any way! It’s just, you and my Shizun looked and acted so much alike. I sometimes wonder if you’re both related. You even have his mannerisms….” Binghe tried to mimmick the way Shen Quingui and Shen Yuan would cover half his face with his fan and close his eyes then look away which made Shen Yuan blush in embarrassment. As predicted, he would cover his face with his fan and look away.

“See? There!” Binghe chuckled. “I am not bothered, A-Yuan. I was scared at first, such is my reflex and muscle memory, but later… I find myself amused. My Shizun resented our kind yet here you are, resembling him in some ways yet so very different in your philosophy. Demons and humans are so much alike yet they hate each other.” Binghe then grabbed one of Shen Yuan’s small delicate clawed hands and held it with his own. “Not you though, A-Yuan. You, a powerful demon, LOVES humans. So vastly different to my Shizun! It confuses me!” Shen Yuan seemed more focused on how his hands were being held as if he was being proposed to! Binghe stop with your charms, this slime’s heart is going to give out!

“Ah….If he could see you now, I would love to see his reaction…. Of course obviously, A-Yuan looks better and moves more gracefully than my Shizun ever could.” Binghe smiled fondly at Shen Yuan. “No one could ever hope to compare to your grace and beauty.”

Shen Yuan, whose face had turned as red as a tomato, huffed then smacked Binghe’s head with his fan. “Aiya, why are you practicing your charms on me! A-and… unless your Shizun has a slime for a brother, I highly doubt we’re related. But, I am curious about your Shizun. I would like to meet him one day if fate permits it…. Of course, if Binghe permits it too. For now…do tell me more about him when you’re ready. Not just him, but your life before we met. I am very curious about you Luo Binghe, the boy who fell from the sky.” Shen Yuan then smiled.

Binghe smiled back, though his was a lot sadder. “I will, if A-Yuan does the same.”

They were about to leave the conversation at that as a comfortable familiar silence soon enveloped the atmosphere, but Binghe spoke up again.

“But thank you for worrying about me, I’m so happy I met you A-Yuan…”

“Mn.” Came Shen Yuan’s content response.

How long has it been since he felt the cold embrace of sleep take over him? Shen Yuan did not normally need to sleep so he took advantage of that and never slept unless the system forced him into hibernation mode. He had spent majority of his life forced to sleep in cold hospital beds. He’d rather spend the most of his new life awake and living freely in this magical world… Here he was, however, in a dreamless sleep. Was it even possible for him to dream? Did the system force him into another hibernation mode? He was certain he had been conversing with the system about a new experimental skill when suddenly, everything went dark and blurry.

“Shizun…Shizun? ….Shizun!!”

He was surprised to hear Binghe’s voice. He felt a hand on his shoulder and when he turned around it was indeed Luo Binghe calling after him. Well, not him. The other teen was calling or his Shizun who apparently looks like him. Geez, that was a major coincidence.

“Binghe? I’m sorry, I’m not your shizun… this is Shen Yuan, your slime friend?” Shen flashed the other teen a small smile. Binghe was surprised at first but quickly relaxed.

“Apologies, I mistook you again… “ Binghe lowered his head, clearly feeling guilty. Shen Yuan sighed and playfully punched Binghe’s shoulders.

“It’s fine, you big oaf. I look like him, remember? So it’s not your fault you mistook me for him in your dreams…”

“A-Yuan, what is this place? You said this is a dream? Are you….really you? Or just a dream version?” Binghe scratched his chin, examining Shen Yuan up close. It’s almost as if the boy wanted to poke him but refrained from doing so in case Shen Yuan turned out to be the real thing.

[Answer. User is currently inside follower Luo Binghe’s dreamscape. User was accidentally pulled in.]

“Ahhh, we’re in your dreamscape, Binghe. You accidentally pulled me in, is this one of your skills?” Shen Yuan asked, clearly intrigued and amazed. So this is one of the protagonist’s abilities. It’s very impressive.

Binghe looked horrified. He suddenly got down on his knees and bowed to Shen Yuan repeatedly almost hitting his head on the nonexistent ground. “I am deeply sorry, A-Yuan! This is my fault! I was training with Senior Meng Mo in the dreamscape, I accidentally must have called for you!! I am such a dimwitted follower for inconveniencing you!!” He cried and whimpered.

Oi oi oi!!! Don’t look so pathetic, handsome protagonist! It doesn’t suit you! Shen Yuan’s heart bled at seeing the poor pathetic display in front of him. He then placed a hand on Binghe’s head which effectively made the other stop from smashing his head on the floor. Geez, is Binghe an M or something? He’s intentionally hurting himself!

“Hey stop that! It’s alright, you meant no harm and you did not mean to do it…” Shen Yuan assured. “This gives me the opportunity to look closer into your amazing abilities, so I am grateful you pulled me in here. Flattered even.” Shen Yuan glanced around, examining the dark foggy space they were in right now. There was nothing particularly impressive inside Binghe’s dreamscape, was this just the ‘lobby’ of some sort? “By the way, who is Senior Meng Mo?” He asked.

“Ah, that would be this old man.”

Shen Yuan turned around when he felt a presence behind him. From a puff of dark fog emerged an old man in dark robes. Upon closer inspection, the elder from the waist down was faded and transparent. A ghost? Or was he the same as Xin Mo? A spirit? “Woah!” Shen Yuan’s mouth gaped as he stared at the ghost-like being. Who is this man? Could he be….Binghe’s Shizun?! But- but they looked nothing alike??? Unless Binghe is blind as a bat.

Since he was in the presence of an elder, Shen Yuan held his fist and bowed in respect for the elder.

“Tch. At least THIS brat is respectful of this elder one.” Senior Meng Mo scoffed and directed a glare at Binghe who huffed and glared back in return. He returned his gaze towards Shen Yuan and eyed the slime’s spirit form carefully. “It’s nice to finally meet my student’s current obsession.”

“Senior Meng!” Binghe protested, the teen’s cheeks growing pink.

“Err, this lowly slime is also honored to meet Binghe’s Shizun.” Shen responded and almost instantly he earned a hearty laugh from Meng Mo and a squeak from Binghe.

“Shizun? Hah! It would be an insult to be mistaken as that immortal cultivator. So weak and unworthy of this brat… You look more like him than this elder one, did you know that?” Mengmo folded his arms over his chest, his scrutinizing gaze fixated on Shen Yuan.

“Yes, this one has been informed…” Shen Yuan nodded. “Forgive this lowly one for such a mistake. So Senior Meng Mo is one of Binghe’s mentors? This one apologizes if he’s interrupted their lessons.”

“No A-Yuan don’t apologize it’s all my fault!” Binghe stood beside Shen Yuan, the poor guy looked like he was about to cry. Binghe can be scary when he wanted to, but when he’s in his puppy mode, he’s almost always at the verge of tears… and NO ONE can resist those tears. Shen Yuan especially can never resist Binghe’s tears.

Meng Mo sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Enough, show some face in front of your master, Luo Binghe. Stop crying, you’ll embarrass both of us.” He barked which made said heavenly demon squeak. “Since you’re both here anyway, this elder would like to put both Master and his subordinate to the test.”

Shen Yuan raised a brow. Oho? A test from Binghe’s teacher? This should be interesting.

“Wha- but with all due respect Shifu, I do not want to involve my master in this.” Binghe pleaded. With one arm, he grabbed Shen Yuan’s slim waist protectively. Shen Yuan didn’t seem to mind, he was used to being held by Binghe as a slime.

“Silence, child! This is for your own improvement. We shall see if your mental fortitude has improved and you can willfully break down my barriers.” Meng Mo then disappeared within a dark fog that soon began to engulf both Binghe and Shen Yuan.

Suddenly, Shen Yuan heard Meng Mo in his mind and only his mind. 

“And besides…. You are curious about his past…. Why don’t I show you?”

Everything suddenly went dark as they were both engulfed by the dark mist.

Bonus Illustration: 

A reader has requested a description of Shen Yuan in his dragon spirit form. I am also an artist so I sketched him out instead for a better visual. 

Chapter Text

When Shen Yuan woke up, he was in a humble little bamboo hut. The place was…calming and it felt very homey and serene. What is this place? Beside him was Luo Binghe, the young man looked shocked and devastated.

“No….Senior Meng Mo wouldn’t dare show me this…. Not now…. Not with A-Yuan…” The teen whimpered, the poor half-demon's shoulders were trembling.

Shen Yuan took the Binghe’s hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Come now, you big cry baby. This is a test from your teacher. Let’s work together and overcome this, just as we did with those powerful abyss monsters, hm?” Shen Yuan, even though he felt bad for Binghe, was extremely curious. This is a chance to see the glorious protagonist’s past. From Binghe’s reaction, it was probably a tragic past. All protagonist go through traumatic experiences in their childhood. It’s one of the things that make them stronger in the future.

“Bend your knees more, raise your hand and level with your shoulders. Foolish boy, always remember that your form is far more important than the strength and intensity you wield your sword. Without the basics, you cannot brute force a sloppy attack!” Came a stern and harsh voice. It was unfamiliar yet Shen Yuan had a feeling he knew who it was.

Binghe’s Shizun.

His Binghe stiffened upon hearing the voice. It was from outside the bamboo hut.

“This lowly dimwitted disciple begs Shizun’s forgiveness! This Binghe will try again!”

“Good, and if this master catches you calling yourself a dimwit, I will punish you accordingly. No student of mine whom I personally mentored will ever be considered dimwitted. Do you wish to humiliate your shizun?”

“NO! Of course not Shizun!”

Shen Yuan listened to the whole exchange. It was surreal to listen to the child version of Binghe and his Shizun. He wanted to go and see but he remained inside the hut and kept his hold of Binghe’s hand. He turned to the other young man who looked like a statue at the moment. “We don’t have to face them if you do not want… we can just stay here, Binghe.” Shen Yuan offered.

“…No, Senior Mo wanted us to go through this. For me to…face the past. We must go.” Binghe spoke up after a long pause, putting on a brave face. Shen Yuan’s features softened, he wanted to give Binghe a hug or a pat on his head but that might just make the poor kid cry. He was already trying to act brave.

“Please…keep holding my hand, A-Yuan…”

“Mn. I’m right here, don’t worry.” Shen Yuan responded as they finally got up and walked out of the small and peaceful bamboo hut. Outside was a field of bamboo. Shen Yuan would have loved to live in a place like this. The endless abyss had its fair share of beauty, but it was of the demonic and macabre kind. THIS place however, was magical, full of life and very peaceful. He assumed this was the place Luo Binghe trained as a cultivator.

Then, he finally spotted two figures nearby. One was holding a sword clumsily, the other was a tall imposing figure. This taller man looked regal in his white and green robes. They certainly both had the same color scheme. When Shen Yuan’s gaze got to the man’s face, he couldn’t help but gasp. Wow, it was like looking into a mirror. They really DO look the same! Except of course this man was human and looked older. No pointy ears, not dragon horns, no fangs, and no dragon tail. He was simply a beautiful man. A peerless beauty and a powerful immortal cultivator. Binghe’s shizun.

“Shizun, this lowly one has a question…” smaller and meat bun faced Binghe spoke up.

“Speak.” Shen Qingqiu responded.

“Shizun, the demons… are they all wicked beyond redemption? Must every last one of them be exterminated?” The little one asked.

“What has gotten into you? Asking such a stupid question?” Came the teacher’s hiss, but the man answered the boy nonetheless. “We cultivators are tasked to defeat demons that plague humans. It is our sworn duty. And there’s your answer."

"O-oh... so demons are all to be exterminated huh?" Binghe looked disappointed and saddened. 

His Shizun sighed and shot a cold glare towards Binghe. "Binghe is convincing this master that he really is dimwitted hmm? Have you not listened to what this master just said? We only exterminate the demons that plague humans. Why must we bother with the ones who keep to their own?” with this, Binghe's eyes widened in realization. 

Shen Qingqiu then opened his fan and hid half his face with it, closing his eyes as he continued to speak. “Humans are just as if not more wicked than some demons we’ve faced. This master has experienced the worst of mankind, you would count yourself lucky to not have gone through what this master has. For that reason, this master believes that just as humans are capable of pure evil, so are demons… and if we are to go by that logic, there are humans that are good so why can’t there be demons who are good?” He then closed his fan and tapped the younger Binghe’s head with it.

“So, what you must judge is the actions of these creatures. Do they do good? They are to be rewarded or left in peace, if they do bad? They are to be punished. Just like my insolent disciple who would rather chatter with this old man than to practice his forms….” Shen Qinqui then smirked at the boy, who seemed to grow paler and paler by the minute.

“Ten laps around the peak. And after you’re done, fetch me my afternoon tea. Off with you, boy. I do not wish to see your face until you have my tea.”

Shen Yuan was fascinated by the display. This Shizun is a wise man and someone to be admired… but he remembered Binghe telling him that his Shizun loathed demons… so why is this memory showing us otherwise? It didn’t seem like the shizun hated demons, he just had a neutral way of looking at things. Shen Yuan agreed with him, in fact. Since he came from a modern world, Shen Yuan did not really have a black and white view of demons and humans and angels. Real life is far too complicated to simplify everything with black and white and ying and yang.

“I really did believe him that time… I had hoped my Shizun would come to accept my lineage in the future.” The Binghe beside him spoke up. “I wanted to show him how far I’ve gotten in my demonic cultivation… but…”

But?

The world began to shift around them and the black fog once again took them. They were in another unfamiliar place, but the red glow from beneath the ground was familiar… the endless abyss? The scene was chaotic, he felt the presence of monsters and the faraway screams and cries of humans. Cultivator disciples it would seem. So...what is this place? He can see corpses of both humans and demons. It was gruesome, like a warzone that's not meant to be a warzone. Shen Yuan had no idea about the events of the book 'Proud Immortal demon way', but this looked like a pivotal moment in the protagonist's heroic journey. A major canon event, as they call it. Is this... the battlefield Binghe came from before he fell into the endless abyss? In the midst of it all, as he expected....stood the same master and disciple duo. The major characters of this scene. 

“How long have you been practicing demonic cultivation?” Came the Shizun’s voice.

“Oh no…. No no…not this… please Senior Meng…. Don’t show this… what even is the point to see this!!” Binghe trembled beside him, he was already in tears. Shen Yuan squeezed the young man’s hand. He felt an ache in his heart as he saw the display before him. He had thought the teacher was a compassionate person who had an open mind…yet here he was condemning Binghe just because he was born different. It did not make sense. Why is this Shizun contradicting himself?

“No. I gave you a second chance against my better judgement. This master is foolish to think this mongrel could ever amount to anything.. even under my strict tutelage, you are beyond help. We are alike, you and I… but in the end, I am ashamed I ever thought of such a thing…”

Shen Yuan felt rage as he listened on. He wanted to break through the mirage and punch this guy on the face for ever saying such things to Binghe. Good sweet innocent white lotus Binghe.

“you’ve proven yourself to be a beast through and through…. You disgust me. I would never associate myself with a filthy demon. Go where you belong, you have no place here, beast.” 

That’s it. Shen Yuan let go of his Binghe’s hand and he ran up to the duo. He didn’t care if their both intangible illusions. He got in front of the teenager Binghe, the one he had met for the first time back in Xin Mo’s forest. The boy who fell from the sky. He shielded Binghe and held his arms up to protect him from his Shizun.

“Oh yeah? Well you’re right, he is where he belongs now. By my side! And I will protect him from the likes of you!” He declared proudly. He was surprised that the illusion had no face this time, as if something was distorting it, what a creepy sight. But Shen Yuan had had enough of this party trick Meng mo has cooked up. Using his analysis skill and a bit of help from his system, he broke them all free from the nightmare and in the process, ejected himself from the dreamscape altogether.

Binghe’s POV

“Oh yeah? Well you’re right, he is where he belongs now. He is by my side! And I will protect him from the likes of you!”

Binghe heard Shen Yuan loud and clear. He felt the coldness once again as he was forced to relive this moment. Everything felt numb and cold. The moment his Shizun betrayed and abandoned him, his only living father figure and family… Binghe had lost hope. This was the final betrayal he could take, this would be the final time he’d be thrown and abandoned. He wanted to give up and let himself fall not just from this cliff, but fall onto death’s embrace. He was tired, he wanted to never wake up. He fought for his entire life; he fought to survive on the streets, he fought to be worthy of becoming Shen Qingqui’s disciple, he fought for his approval, and he fought for his honor in this immortal alliance conference… he fought and fought and fought, but where did it get him? Betrayed and thrown off a cliff by his Shizun.

But Shen Yuan broke through the cold feeling. Hearing that gentle voice and those passionate words… he felt his heart beat really fast and a warm feeling spread through his chest. A place where he belongs… and it was beside this unreachable powerful being. No, Shen Yuan isn’t quite unreachable anymore… he felt like home, he felt like… they’re family. Friends, as Shen Yuan would call them. Someday, Binghe wanted more than Shen Yuan’s friendship, more than the privilege to worship him..

He wanted Shen Yuan’s everything.

Greedy he may seem, but after that declaration, how can he NOT fall in love with this young man any more than he already has? Binghe wanted to grow stronger…strong enough to stand beside Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan’s POV

Shen Yuan was in his humanoid form when he woke up and he was in Binghe’s arms. The heavenly demon had his arms wrapped firmly and securely around his smaller waist. Ah, they were back in the waking world. Shen Yuan let out a soft yawn and he turned around to bury his face in Binghe’s lovely slightly exposed chest. Ah, this feels like home. Shen Yuan didn’t care if it was awkward nuzzling up to the handsome protagonist’s tiddies in his humanoid form. They were warm and comfy and he liked hearing Binghe’s heartbeat. It was calming.

Maybe sleeping needlessly and for the pleasure of it wasn’t so bad, as long as he can have Binghe as his personal body pillow.

Chapter Text

It took them about five months to reach their destination. Finally, the northern kingdom. It was just like in game of thrones where ‘the north’ is a snowy region and all you can see is nothing but snow on top of snow on top of snow. They were in a line queue along with the other visitors and merchants. This was probably the ‘immigration’ counter for tourists and returnee residents. He hoped there was no need for a demon realm passport. As far as he knew, both him and Binghe had no such documents and are not from the demon realm. Shen Yuan was a denizen of the endless abyss while Binghe came from the human realm.

Shen Yuan was in his humanoid form with draconic appendages hidden, save for his demonic features. He looked like an ordinary demon perhaps of the lesser kind. Binghe was the same, he only hid his red heavenly demon mark to make him appear just as ordinary as demons get. They both wore fur and what was considered winter clothes in this era’s traditional fashion. Shen Yuan had the temperature resist skill so he did not really need it, but Binghe did.

“Well well well, what do we have here? Move it, weaklings. You lesser demons have no place in the North.” A random thug-looking demon walked up to them. He looked unremarkable despite his bulging muscles. Canon fodder is the word that came to Shen Yuan’s mind as a description for this ruffian. The canon fodder demon eyed Shen Yuan in a disgusting way and he really wanted to poke those eyes out. “Oh? what what's this? what a lovely maiden…. And you’re being escorted by this weak idiot?” The thug then leaned closer to Shen Yuan with their faces nearly inches apart. “Tell you what, darling, how about you come with me instead? I can better protect you than your weak little companion over there… I can even give you pleasure-“

What the fuck? Who is this asshole calling ‘lovely maiden?!’ Geez, he did not expect to be harassed like this. He was a MAN, thank you very much. Last time he checked, he had a SON down there in his humanoid form. Perfectly functional and cool as a cucumber. 

“Insolent fool, how dare you…” Came Binghe’s restrained growl. 

Shen Yuan glanced over to Binghe when he suddenly felt dark murderous aura coming from his companion. Oh shit. He better act now or else it’ll be even worst if they caused a big ruckus in front of the Northern borders. They already didn’t have passports! If they get arrested, they might get banned from entering demon realm territory!! A blast of Binghe’s powerful demonic qi alone can destroy the gates, after all!

“Binghe, did you remember our three cardinal rules?” Shen Yuan suddenly spoke out, trying to act as calmly as he can.

“But A-Yuan, he disrespected you I cannot forgive-“

“Bingheeee”

“Never discriminate or bully those weaker than you.” Binghe recited dutifully but with a hesitant look on his handsome face and a pout on those cute lips.

“Very good. Now close your eyes.” Shen Yuan ordered which caused Binghe to give him a confused look. Nevertheless, his obedient companion closed his eyes as ordered. Once he’s satisfied that Binghe won’t look, Shen Yuan approached the thug once again. The ugly dude was traveling with two other thugs, ugh. Why are they suddenly growing in numbers? They all eyed him with hungry looks. What creeps!

“Hey, this one is a kind hearted young master. This humble lord will forgive you this once so leave us immediately!” He spoke in a low and cold tone. However, his intimidation wasn’t effective without his threatening aura. Shen Yuan couldn’t just blast that out in the open, unfortunately. They were surrounded by a crowd of demons and he didn’t want to cause a ruckus. And his aura seems to be a lot more creepier than Binghe’s due to Xin Mo’s influence. He can't be blasting THAT out in the open willy nilly. 

“This weak little bitch! How dare you look down on us! We were gonna be nice to you, but I suppose pretty little things with big egos like you need to be broken and put in their place!” The thug roared and unsheathed his weapon; a tiny little dagger. Pathetic.

Shen Yuan sighed. The two… wait now there’s four of them?! But the thugs pounced on him, ready to attack. He took out his fan weapon and without opening it, he dodged and danced around the ugly graceless fools. One tap of his closed fan on their pressure points was all it took.

Tap tap tap tap

“You can open your eyes now, Binghe.” When his companion opened his eyes again, he could see Shen Yuan happily walking back to him with a smile. He noticed a bunch of unconscious demons on the ground, just unconscious sadly. Binghe would have wanted to separate their heads from their necks.

“Come along now, I would like to taste the local cuisine of the northern demon kingdom and sample their ale. To the marketplace, we shall proceed!” Shen Yuan chirped excitedly. He wasn’t even sure if he was old enough to drink in this world but ahhh screw it. He just got sexually harassed and mistaken for a waifu, he needed a drink or two.

He felt like a kid in Disneyland! Rather, in an ancient medieval theme park! Shen Yuan’s mouth gaped as he simply stood there, gawking at the structured buildings and facilities. The streets were bustling with activity. As expected of a large influential demon territory. One can tell a kingdom’s wealth by seeing how advanced their marketplace and the quality of living of its people. It was truly an impressive sight. Shen Yuan was curious how human cities looked like. Each race probably had their specialties. The demon realm wasn't abundant in agriculture, Shen Yuan noticed. They seem to favor hunting over gathering or farming. This is a good opportunity for his town, actually. Zuzhou forest had rich lands than can be cultivated with proper methods. Perhaps he'll make that one of his town's source of income. Would demons appreciate plant-products? He'll have to look into that more... for now, it was time they explore this kingdom!

Grabbing Binghe by the hand to make sure they did not lose each other in the large crowd, Shen Yuan lead them to the marketplace where merchants from different parts of the demon realm all bartered and traded goods. Seeing each merchant’s wares on display, Shen Yuan’s eyes seemed to sparkle. He cannot tell if most were authentic goods, but he saw interesting looking relics and treasures. Was that a really cool fan?! Oh shit- this one looks like dragon balls! Erm, not literal dragon genitalia, but the orange orbs from that one anime he used to watch with his older brother.

He turned to his traveling companion only to see Binghe uncomfortably leaning away from a busty young sister. Oh? Is it harem gathering time?

Binghe’s POV

Binghe let the smaller male drag him around the bustling city of the Northern demon kingdom. He did not care how long they wandered around, as long as he can hold Shen Yuan’s hand in his, he was content. However, another thing that made him feel… oddly warm was seeing demons just run around and live their lives. None of them bathed an eye upon seeing him. No one was frightened nor were they bothered to see demons and monsters walking among them.

While his master was busy looking through the wares of a merchant’s stand, Binghe watched the demon children run around and chase each other. These kids are as innocent as human children. No way are they like how he was taught demons are to be: vile malevolent monsters. No, these children are no different from the children he would see in the human realm. Then, a memory flashed in his mind.

His Shizun. Shen Qingqiu. Binghe felt pain in his heart as he remembered his traitorous mentor’s words. Words he carelessly spoke… words he had contradicted.

“Giving your student false hope was worst than spitting on his face, Shizun… you’re wrong… so very wrong…” he muttered, clenching his fist.

Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Ah, it must be A-Yuan, he must have made his purchase or have finished exploring the marketplace. Binghe smiled at the one who approached him, but his smile dropped immediately when he saw it was a dark haired woman and she was….scantily clad?!

“Hello there handsome, you look like you could use a drink. Why not come with this big sister and have a drink or two at our tavern hmm? I have a LOT of friends who would love to spend time with you~” The woman purred as she leaned over, intentionally giving him a glimpse of her cleavage. Binghe gasped and took a step back. He narrowed his eyes, looking at the woman defensively and in disgust.

“No, I am not interest-“

“Binghe! Who is your lovely friend?” Shen Yuan asked, interrupting the conversation much to Binghe’s relief.

Before Shen Yuan or the woman could speak any longer, Binghe grabbed Shen Yuan by the waist and pulled the smaller male close to him. “Ah, A-Yuan. This woman was just about to leave as I am not interested in her wares.” He laced his tone with venom and sent a threatening look at the woman. He made sure to make it look even more obvious that he was NOT interested in what this vile creature was selling.

The woman tilted her head to the side then her lips curled into a smile. Binghe was wary for a bit but then the woman giggled. “Ahh, I see~ what a lovely mate you have. No worries, this big sister can tell. But you are both still invited to our tavern, we sell the best ale any coin could ever buy.” The woman said.

“Ale?! FINALLY!” Came his master’s cute cheerful voice. “We still need to finish up here, but we’ll be sure to stop by your tavern later!” Shen Yuan politely said.

When the woman left, Binghe still kept Shen Yuan close to him. Shen Yuan lifted his head up to Binghe, said heavenly demon wondered if he’ll ask him to let go… even if Binghe did not want to. To his surprise, however, A-Yuan simply gave him a mischievous smile then spoke. “Ah, we should get going and sell these monster parts quickly so we can catch up to the big sister, hmm?” He said. Binghe pouted, did his A-Yuan like that woman?! No way, right?! Binghe bets his chest is bigger than that woman’s! And he is more beautiful!

Shang Qinghua’s POV

Shang Qinghua was in his King’s study hall, managing some paperwork for the kingdom. No matter which realm he ended up in, he always seem to be doing the same job… aside from being a professional traitor, he always ended up taking care of logistics and desk work. It was a task only he could do because these all these demon royals seem to want to do was fight and conquer lands. All the brain work had to fall on him… Mobei Jun must be off in a battlefield somewhere trying to beat the shit out of rebels or potential rivals or whatever. Shang Qinghua couldn’t care less, as long as he is safely tucked in this comfy palace with safe borders and bodyguards dedicated to his protection. Really, he was in a rather comfortable position now than when he was running around in the human realm. He wished it would be like this forever, he didn’t mind being the demon king’s errand boy forever if it meant he could live out his life in peace. But in the world of Proud Immortal demon way, a world he created, there was no such thing as ‘permanent peace’. His death is imminent in five years. When Luo Binghe arrives in this palace and beats the shit out of Mobei Jun, his life would be over.

Suddenly, a knock can be heard and Shang Qinghua spoke up. “Yes? Come in.”

Guards walked in and bowed before the human cultivator. “Esteemed consort, we’ve brought strange travelers selling illegal counterfeit goods. They’ve caused quite a bit of ruckus at the marketplace.” Why do they always call him Mobei Jun’s consort?! He wasn’t! Now, everyone seems to think he was the king’s mate! The worst thing about this whole misunderstanding is that Mobei Jun hasn’t made any efforts to correct it! Is this his way of a sick joke or a way to bully him? Shen Qinghua could only sigh and ignore the title.

“How was the goods appraised? Was it truly counterfeit?” He asked in a bored tone. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with this stuff right now, he had more important things to do than to deal with bootleg merchants.

“Well, Master Shang, they claim to be selling parts of powerful beasts from the endless abyss; The talons of the mythical crystal hide vampire bat, the sapling of the legendary giant treat guardian, pelt of the nightmare wolf, and ….voicebox of a powerful banshee. All of which are legendary and undefeated beasts. It was laughable how these fake merchants could claim to have acquired these without killing these beasts.” The man then ordered his men to bring the confiscated items which were wrapped in cloth. They were all presented to Shang Qinghua.

’System can you analyze these items and their true origins?’ He asked, still half paying attention to whatever these supposed ‘ultra rare’ goods are.

[The System provides you with 24 hour service~]

[Visual analysis commenced….. 80%…….90%…..100%…… complete. These items are authentic parts of slain beasts from the endless abyss.]

Shang’s eyes widened and he nearly spat out the tea he was drinking. These items are not FAKE?! How?! Did Binghe somehow ALREADY defeat these many beasts and have been going around selling these things? But it’s barely been a year… and he hasn’t acquired Xin Mo yet right? Shang Qinghua couldn’t really remember EVERYTHING, he was transmigrated here as a baby so his memory of his old life was somewhat blurred. He couldn’t even remember his old name. But he can remember his pen name… So yeah, he had a vague memory of the timeline of events in his book and he was VERY sure Binghe could not have defeated this many endless abyss monsters THAT fast.

“Do you have the name of these merchants? Wait- no never mind, bring me to them. I would like to interrogate them for myself.” Shang Qinghua ordered, to which the demon guards nodded their heads.

“Right this way, esteemed consort. They await in the throne room.”

Fuck, again with the consort thingggg.

Shang Qinghua’s POV

He was a dead man. So very very very VERY dead. What the FUCK is going on here?!

When he arrived at the throne room, he spotted the two merchants who were surrounded by the guards. He sensed tension in the atmosphere, clearly the two merchants were not happy with having their ‘fake’ goods confiscated.

“You may leave us.” He ordered the guards, not sure WHY he just dismissed the demon guards who could protect him if these merchants would retaliate… but…well, he meant to diffuse the tense atmosphere and maybe have a pleasant chat with these merchants so he could extract information easily from them. He NEEDED to know where they got these authentic abyss monster parts. Perhaps he should kiss these merchants’ asses like the good conniving traitor he is. Shang Qinghua approached the two and when he finally got a good look at the smaller merchant, he nearly suffered a qi deviation on the spot.

SHEN FUCKING QINGQIU?!

“SHANG SHISHU?!” Came a voice who was eerily similar to a person he should NOT be seeing yet…

Shang Qinghua slowly turned his head to the man beside ‘Shen Qingqui’ and lo and behold… it was none other than his son, LUO FUCKING BINGHE!!!! Shang Qinghua felt as if his soul was about to leave his body. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to run away or cry or beg. So he did what any sensible and respectable Immortal Cultivator and Peak Lord would do.

He fainted.

Bonus Gallery:

Sketch of Binghe hugging Slime Shen Yuan

Chapter Text

This was his second encounter with another righteous immortal cultivator! Ahhh, a powerful human who went against the will of the gods and achieved immortality….and the dude fainted. Is that even possible?! Can immortal cultivators get sick and experience mortal afflictions?

Shen Yuan panicked but he had Binghe quickly catch the unconscious human before he bumped his head on the hard floor. “Shang Shibo you say? Was he a part of your sect? What is he doing in the Northern demon realm…?” Shen Yuan eyed the human curiously. If Binghe addressed this man as such then that meant he was his martial uncle right? So that means this man had a high standing in Binghe’s cultivation sect. Also, he seems to have a high position in the Northern demon court as well. This man…to have such influence in both the human and demon realm, he must very wise and powerful. Shen Yuan felt as if this unconscious man was someone he must fear and admire.

“Shang Shibo is the peak lord of An Ding Peak, if I can recall. I do not know why he would be here though…” Binghe responded, looking just as confused as Shen Yuan.

A PEAK LORD?!

“Get your filthy hands off him.”

Suddenly, a frikkin black ice sword came out from nowhere and nearly turned him and Binghe into a mushroom skewer. Shen Yuan jumped out of the way and his companion did the same whilst carrying the unconscious cultivator like a bride. There was a dark portal different yet similar to how Shen Yuan would tear into dimensional space with his fan weapon. Is this mysterious opponent in possession of Xin Mo’s powers too? This is bad… oh no…

“You….You’re that heavenly demon brat. Have you returned for another beating? And you dare harm my mate.”

Shen Yuan turned to the direction of the voice. A tall imposing figure stepped out from the shadow portal. Judging by that regal kingly aura, he must be the king of the northern demon kingdom. He also claimed the immortal cultivator as his mate, the dude is a peak lord AND a king’s concubine. The demon had pale skin and inky black hair adorned with silver hair ornaments. He also wore an elaborate but battle-appropriate robe topped with a fur-lined cloak. This demon had a blue mark on his forehead, the mark of demonic royal blood or a higher ranking demon.

[Answer. Target; unknown is a greater demon with the affinity for the ice element.]

Ah, he figured that would be the case. Now that Shen Yuan have met a lot of demons during their journey, he deduced that only demons that were high up in the evolutionary ladder had markings on their foreheads. Regular demons had no such marks. Of course, none can be higher than heavenly demons, but regular demons can also develop marks if they are powerful enough or have a royal bloodline. Shen Yuan had his own forehead mark on his humanoid form simply because he possessed Xin Mo’s essence and power…. And his circumstances are weird and abnormal. He isn’t an ordinary demon to begin with. He wasn’t sure if slimes had an evolutionary ladder. He was meant to be a one-hit kill enemy to level up the hero for the first time in his journey.

“A-Yuan, please stand back and let me handle him.” He was surprised when Binghe placed the unconscious cultivator in his care and walked over to the pissed off ice demon king. Binghe looked equally if not more pissed, he even removed his disguise and showed his heavenly demon mark, it glowed a powerful red. The protagonist’s aura was on full blast as well, creating even more tension in the room. Holy shit.

“What?!” Shen Yuan gave his companion a worried look. Shen Yuan wanted to protest but Binghe looked determined to fight this ice demon. Said ice demon seemed to know Binghe as well. Perhaps they’ve crossed swords in the past. Is this Demon king Binghe’s mortal enemy perhaps? Is he about to witness and EPIC protagonist vs nemesis battle? Oh! Perhaps he gets to finally see Binghe’s new skill that was gifted from Shen Yuan.

[Ultimate skill: ‘Xin Mo’ activate]

Ah, there it is, Binghe is finally using it. Of course, Binghe himself cannot hear the ‘voice of the world’ or the ‘World’s System’ but Shen Yuan can and he was excited and nervous to see how this fight unfolds.

Binghe summoned not one but four replica Xin Mo’s that glowed an ominous black. They all hovered over Binghe while he held another sword in his hand. This time, it wasn’t JUST replica Xin Mo’s, it seems to hold a sizable amount of demonic qi in them. Shen Yuan had asked the system what Binghe’s new unique skill does and it was super cool.

[Answer. Ultimate Skill ‘Xin Mo’ bestowed upon follower Binghe can summon copies of the ultimate weapon but power is 30% less than the original. Number of copies are limited to the user’s qi threshold.]

Technically, the protagonist can NOW summon his destined ultimate weapon at will and he can multiply them! How cool is that?! The power was watered down a bit unfortunately since Shen Yuan could not erase the fact that he still ATE the sword and could not give the real one to Binghe anymore, but hey this was an ideal alternative. It was certainly better than the weak replica Shen Yuan tried to forge for Binghe when they first began traveling together.

“So you’ve grown since we’ve last met. Perhaps awakening your heavenly demon blood was worth it… this King decides he will have some fun with you…” The ice demon raised his hand as he summoned his own array of swords made of black ice. In an instant, he closed the distance between Binghe and him and they started to clash swords.

“This lowly one’s name is Luo Binghe. Commit it to memory!” Binghe said as he backflipped to dodge an attack. Such movements are so fluid and befitting of a Xianxia setting. Wow! Both demons looked like they were floating as they fought, it made Shen Yuan admire both.

“This King will remember your name if you manage to defeat him.” The ice demon king parried the slash expertly that was aimed at his rear. It is as if the man had eyes on the back of his head!

Shen Yuan carried the unconscious cultivator to a much safer spot. He did not want to get accidentally stabbed by a flying sword. Both these demons seem to be tossing and throwing them around like it was nothing! Geez, they should have taken this outside, they’re practically destroying the place! The throne room was a beautiful room befitting of an ice king…. A male Elsa perhaps? It would be a waste to destroy all this. He pitied the poor guy who has to deal with repairs and logistics after this.

The fight lasted for a while with both equally matched. Shen Yuan was starting to worry. What if the protagonist couldn’t win this because he lacked his ultimate weapon all along? Ice sword countered dark qi sword and both summoned nearly unlimited amounts of it. This was starting to become a battle of stamina and who had the bigger threshold of qi! Luo Binghe had been diligently improving his cultivation but was it enough? Even if his protagonist was an OP heavenly demon, he lacks experience and is much younger than the demon king! If this goes on any longer, Shen Yuan might not have a choice but to intervene.

Binghe felt absolute frustration as he fought the ice demon. He worked so hard so he could be worthy to wield the power his benevolent master Shen Yuan gifted him. He wanted to prove to his master that he was worthy and he wanted to prove to himself he can defeat this ice demon that awakened his heavenly demon blood. Binghe did not intent to seek revenge on the ice demon, but he wanted to prove to himself how far he has come along. It would seem this demon king understood his intentions too and honored Binghe’s conviction.

In the end it wasn’t enough, he was shamefully defeated as he ran out of qi. Binghe was brought to his knees with the ice demon king’s sword against his neck. The young half-demon clenched his fist and punched the ground in frustration. He did not dare move he just closed his eyes and readied himself to accept his fate. He felt his heart ache in shame, he could not possibly face Shen Yuan after this. It would be better if the ice demon ended him here right now. It’s just a shame he could not longer be with the man he loved.

Before the ice demon could speak or move, Binghe had disappeared from his hold onto a dimensional tear beneath him. In an instant, the defeated protagonist was sitting beside the unconscious cultivator. In his place was Shen Yuan. With acrobatic and graceful movements, he twisted his flexible body and sent a blast of qi from his feet and kicked the ice demon, sending him flying to a nearby wall.

“That would be enough of that, your highness.” Shen Yuan said calmly, unfurling his fan and covering half his face with it. The ice demon recovered instantly and had teleported near Shen Yuan.

[Unique skill ‘Thought Acceleration’ activate]

He received this skill from one of the abyss monsters during their trip. It was from that lightning cheetah boss. It enables him to boost his thought process by a thousand times when he combined this skill with ‘analytical appraisal’ one of his skills that let him analyze the things he dissolves in his stomach. It was very handy. For normal people, everything moved in real time, but whenever Shen Yuan activates this skill, everything around him is slowed down. He can see through the ice demon’s sneaky attacks. At the same time, this skill afforded Shen Yuan the time to think of his strategies while in a fight.

Shen Yuan materialized his dragon tail and instantly it was encased and covered by diamond-like crystals to block the incoming attack from behind. The ice demon did not waste time as he lunged at Shen Yuan again. Sprouting bat-like wings, Shen Yuan flew away to avoid the attack. With a flick of his fan, he sent a gust of powerful winds towards the ice demon. The ice demon was about to dodge and ignore the attack when suddenly, his nose started to bleed and a jolt of pain brought him to his knees.

“Those attacks just now… they’re from the diamond-skinned bat… and the supersonic vibrations of an ice banshee! Y-you! Who are you!? Those are from legendary abyss monsters!!” Came the squeaky and frightened voice of the cultivator who apparently just woke up.

Shen Yuan was taken aback. Woah, this man was able to identify ALL the attacks he used even if they are now combined with his other old skills. Th-that’s amazing, this cultivator knows his stuff! He really must be an impressive and wise peak lord. Even as Shen Yuan was gaping at the now-awake amazing and powerful cultivator, he could still sense the ice demon’s attacks.

Alright, this fight has gone far too long and he was worried for Binghe, he needed to end this quickly.

Taking advantage of the fact that the ice demon was running out of qi, Shen Yuan sent blade-like wind blasts at his opponent. Predicting and hoping that the ice demon would try to dodge the attacks, Shen Yuan used that opportunity to trip the demon on his feet using hellfire arachnid webs, another one of his new handy skills. Once the demon king was on the ground, Shen Yuan coiled his dragon tail around him. He held his fan against the demon king’s neck, mimicking what the ice demon did to Binghe earlier. A little petty revenge for his poor defeated protagonist.

“I win~” Shen Yuan said cheerfully. The demon king was taken aback at his sudden defeat. Shen Yuan almost thought the guy would try to break free and continue to fight him stubbornly.. but he didn’t, what the demon king said next, however, shocked Shen Yuan.

The ice demon bowed his head and nodded.

“This Mobei Jun accepts his defeat and will now pledge his undying loyalty to this powerful being as his loyal follower and servant moving forward.”

Excuse me you’re doing WHAT now?!

Bonus Gallery:

Really cool amazing Fanart of Shen Yuan [spirit dragon form] made by the lovely:

https:// /arotenrose

https://www.tiktok.com/@arotenrose?lang=en

Then I drew a funny comic based on a funny tiktok video I came across. Essentially, Shen Yuan is this AU's equivalent of Xin Mo who gives him intrusive thoughts LMAO

Chapter Text

Shen Yuan stood before a kneeling Demon King and an immortal cultivator. He did not mean for this to happen! He just wanted to find tailors and blacksmiths to bring back to his town so they could teach his people to build houses and make clothes for themselves! He didn’t want to start collecting demon underlings like pokemon. Oh dear, how the hell did it end up like this?!

Binghe was right beside him with the biggest pout ever. The heavenly demon was directing a hostile glare towards the ice demon king who just ignored him. Oh god, the guy was also giving him an intense look. Was he pissed at Shen Yuan for defeating by him?! He really didn’t mean to defeat the protagonist’s arch nemesis! Hiee scary!

“Th-there was clearly a misunderstanding here…. Please rise! Your highness… and esteemed Peak lord, there is no need to bow….” Shen Yuan raised his hands and reassuring both.

“No!” The demon king, Mobei Jun, responded almost immediately which made Shen Yuan flinch. “You’ve bested me in battle therefore as per demon customs, I must swear my undying loyalty to you as your subordinate. Or you behead this defeated sovereign.”

“Th-there is such a custom?!” Shen Yuan wasn’t sure what to do, he wanted to completely hide himself in his fan. Or better yet, return to Xin Mo’s eternal prison and hide there for a thousand years!!! He did not want to disrespect this country’s customs especially since he was trying to get on its good graces….but isn’t he essentially taking over this king’s country if he took him in as his subordinate?! Argh things are starting to get complicated again.

“This one Iikes the second option very much…” Muttered Binghe from under his breath.

“Bingheeeee!” Shen Yuan huffed then lightly smacked the cheeky teenager with his closed fan.

Binghe, however, was being stubborn right now. God that pout is so cute. “This one’s master does not need another subordinate. Master has capable Binghe already!” Binghe sneered at the still kneeling demon king. Oi oi oi, Binghe! You may be the protagonist but you can’t just go around threatening demon kings willy nilly!!! If they piss Mobei Jun off, the king could execute them on the spot! And again, he did not want to be deported or be banned from entering other Demon realm territories!

“Silence, brat. I do not take orders from weaklings like you.” Mobei Jun barked back at Binghe who looked hurt. The poor teen couldn’t possibly argue back from that so he just looked away.

Shen Yuan sighed. “Hey, you can’t talk to Binghe like that!” He scolded. He watched the regal king look mortified upon offending his new master. Mobei Jun immediately bowed his head repeatedly and apologized.

“This lord begs the almighty one’s forgiveness. Please accept this one’s devotion and allegiance! It would be an honor for this king to serve you.” The stubborn demon bowed.

Ughhhh why are all these demons so stubborn? Shen Yuan pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Fine, this young master accepts. O-only because he does not wish for his highness’s death.” The moment those words left his mouth, he felt a vast amount of qi leave his body. Fortunately, he did not pass out this time. He staggered a bit and Binghe caught him. Mobei Jun was already a high class demon of royal blood, it must take a lot of qi for Shen Yuan to make a divine contract with him.

[Notice: Follower ‘Mobei Jun’ acquired. Connection established]

“Wha- what’s going on? My King!” The cultivator beside Mobei Jun looked confused and mortified as he watched his partner light up like a festival lantern for a moment before returning back to normal. “What in the heavens did you do?” He asked. Shen Yuan felt nervous as he was rightfully questioned, he still feared this clever human immortal, he seemed more formidable than Mobei Jun.

“This power…. I can feel it in my meridians...” Mobei Jun looked at his hands with wide eyes. Upon closer inspection, his shoulders were trembling and he looked like he was….smiling? It was a strange sight. Nothing really changed on him physically but Shen Yuan knew he must have been given some kind of gift. The ice demon bowed again before Shen Yuan with more vigor. “This lord will use this new power to serve his master until his dying breath.” He said in a very serious and solemn tone. Another intense guy joins his ‘family’.

Shen Yuan turned to the worried human cultivator. “Ah…. Esteemed Peak Lord need not worry. This one would never harm your king, err… but when Mobei Jun swore his loyalty to this lowly one, he entered into a soul contract and received a gift.” He explained. “It is an ability this one possesses…”

“What the fuck? That stuff isn’t in my book. That’s too OP!” The man blurted out as he stood from his kneeling position and gawked at the slime. Shen Yuan eyes widened. The way this immortal peak lord just spoke….. He’s like him! Knowing the word ‘OP’ in itself was a dead giveaway!

“Wait- are you from…. my world? Earth? ....China?” Shen Yuan asked hesitantly, brows knitted together as he carefully chose his words.

“OH MY GOD YOU’RE A TRANSMIGRATOR!”

Turns out the Peak Lord known as Shang Qinghua was from his original world! He was a transmigrator and he was reincarnated in this world too. Ahh, to finally meet other people from the same home town.. it felt like a huge relief for Shen Yuan, he almost wanted to hug the human.

‘Who knew I would find another bro from the same hometown!’ Shang Qinghua spoke in English, which threw Shen Yuan off for a moment. Both the demons looked at the two transmigrators as I they grew two heads, it was funny. ’So, were you a fan? Of this book, I mean. Proud Immortal demon way.’

Shen Yuan shook his head. ‘Sadly, I never got to read the book. My sister bought the pack for me, but I succumbed to my illness and died before I could take a peek. I did see some of the illustrations….’ Shen Yuan looked over to Binghe who tilted his head to the side still looking like a lost puppy. ‘The protagonist is a hotie, Master Shang! no wonder he gets harem in the future…’ he whispered that one in Shang Qinghua’s ear.

‘Ohoo? That’s such a shame you never got to read my book, Shen Yuan. You would have enjoyed Binghe’s many many adventures…and many many wife plots.’

His mind went blank. Shen Yuan wasn’t even able to process the other things the Peak Lord had said. His mouth was agape and his eyes wide.

‘YOU’RE THE AUTHOR!?!?!’

Oh my god, he just told the author, THE CREATOR OF THIS WORLD, that Binghe was a hotie. It’s- It’s like telling your boyfriend’s father that your boyfriend is a hotie! OH MY GOD, Shen Yuan REALLY wanted to teleport himself back to Xin Mo’s palace and never emerge from there EVER AGAIN.

It was Shen Yuan’s turn to get down on his knees and bow to Shang Qinghua much to everyone’s absolute shock. Good thing Shen Yuan was still speaking English or else the other two demons in the room would know what they were talking about. ‘I am SO sorry for disrespecting your Binghe! I swear, oh mighty creator, that I have been taking care of him and never let harm befall onto him, except when your…uh… husband defeated him just now! I PROMISE!’

‘He’s not my husband bro! And please get up, you’re scaring Binghe and Mobei Jun! It’s alright! It’s fine, it’s fine! You’re good!’ Shang flailed nervously.

“What have you done to Master Shen!” Luo Binghe was the first to respond, his eyes and forehead mark glowing a fiery red and ready to summon Xin Mo replicas again. Shen Yuan quickly ran to Binghe’s side and grabbed hold of his hand, stopping him from starting yet another fight.

“I’m fine, Binghe.” Shen Yuan returned to his normal speech. “I uh… was just made aware of what a remarkable and respectable man Master Shang is. Truly a man of power and influence, no wonder he has won the favor of the Northern demon king.” He dipped his head to bow at Shang Qinghua who looked very disturbed.

Mobei Jun himself looked at Shang Qinghya, proud that his new master has acknowledged his mate. He had chosen his mate wisely, perhaps he’ll reward Shang Qinhua later for impressing his new master.

Shang Qinghua’s POV

Shang Qinghua was many things…. from a famous author to a Transmigrator then a Peak Lord, and finally, to professional traitor and his king’s errand boy. He would happily admit to himself that he was all those things… but he was NEVER ‘powerful one’ or whatever the hell this guy thought he was. The way this OP isekai guy named Shen Yuan looks at him and how he calls him ‘the creator’… Shang Qinhua felt that there was a HUGE misunderstanding. He also had a stinking suspicion that this misunderstanding will one day bite him in the ass. However, looking at the eager demon teenager version of Shen Qingqiu… he looked so adorable admiring him! Shan Qinghua couldn’t help but want to let the teen idolize him…just a bit longer. Hey, he had been through rough times ever since he was thrown into this world he created as CANON FODDER. Having this mysterious transmigrator with OP skills that rival his son, Luo Binghe, admire him and look at him like he was a GOD was a good little ego boost.

The kid’s adorable, he can’t help it. Let Uncle Shang teach you the wonderful world of Proud Immortal Demon way, little Shen Yuan!

It was time they returned to discussing more serious matters. After clearing up this whole misunderstanding of selling fake goods, Mobei Jun hastily ordered his men to retrieve the confiscated items. They moved their conversation from the destroyed throne room to a conference hall of some sort. On the way there, he heard the almighty creator whimper about the paperwork he has to take care of JUST to renovate the throne room again. Shen Yuan winced, he’ll have to apologize to the creator later.

Discussions were made and Shen Yuan explained their situation; how he had come to acquire dominion over the forest of Zuzhou. He did not skimp any details regarding how he accidentally ‘Pokemon evolved’ the entire village into higher beings which made Shang Qinhua choke on his tea.

“Do you realize that just one nine tailed fox could strike fear upon an entire nation from their battle prowess and extremely high levels of cultivation? They are a rare type of powerful monster that dwell within the abyss! And you have a hundred of them in your village?!” Shang Qinghua exclaimed and Shen Yuan only scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly.

“Erm… yes, this is why we travelled to the northern demon kingdom. I heard your kingdom is well developed and when I got to see it for myself, I was heavily impressed. The modern buildings and facilities are truly impressive. We were hoping to employ some of the labor workers and have them teach my people…” Shen Yuan explained. He wondered if his request would be denied, he knew how secretive and territorial royals are. Even if it’s not military secrets, giving another territory a chance to develop could mean later conflict if that territory grows and decides to conquer the other. Give your enemies a chance to grow and you will regret it.

Mobei Jun nodded his head at Shen Yuan’s explanation. “Master Shen, this lord’s men and territory are now yours to use however. I do not see why you seek this lowly one’s permission.” He then turned his head to the creator. “Summon our finest craftsmen, weapon smith, and builders and present them to master Shen. They will be teleported to his village posthaste.” He ordered the creator who nodded immediately at the order. “Yes My King!”

Shen Yuan looked nervous and pale but he cleared his throat. “U-uhm, your highness, I know you swore loyalty to me as my subordinate, but that does not mean I intend to take over your territory and usurp you as demon king. Please do understand, I only want to help our my little village-“

“Nonsense, Master Shen has defeated this one fairly in combat. This lowly one now recognizes Master Shen as a benevolent ruler of the Northern demon kingdom and it shall be known throughout and announced as soon as possible.”

WTF NOOOOO

In the end, Shen Yuan could not win against these stubborn demons. At least he was able to convince Mobei Jun to sit on the throne as a proxy king or envoy. That way, Mobei Jun is still the king of the Northern demon territories by job description. It was still unfortunate that Shen Yuan was later officially announced as the new king of the north despite his protests. An elaborate crowning ceremony was done in the palace it was very big event that Shen Yuan was absolutely NOT prepared for. Back in his old life, he was used to being absent from formal events his influential human family hosted due to his poor health. While he can mingle and run around in crowded marketplaces and demon settlements… stuffy formal events were something he had zero experience in. Luckily, he had Binghe to suffer with him. The other teen seemed equally uncomfortable but he stood tall and proud. He even had his heavenly demon mark displayed for all these stuffy demon royals to see. Binghe looked MORE like the King of the north than him. Some people even mistook him for Shen Yuan.

Days have melted into weeks then months. Everyday was a busy day for Shen Yuan and Binghe, they had much to prepare before they returned to their village. Mobei Jun offered to teleport the selected group of crafters and workers to his village with his new buffed up teleportation magic (thanks to Shen Yuan’s divine gift). There were other interesting features to Mobei Jun’s new abilities as well as the new skill Shen Yuan received from his soul contract with Mobei Jun. This was one of the reasons why their journey back to the the forest of Zuzhou was stalled. Shen Yuan and Shang Qinghua had been busy experimenting and working on a little art project. They crafted a jade amulet that lets them communicate with one another even if they are in different regions or realms. Sort of like an ancient walkie talkie. This was powered by Mobei Jun and Shen Yuan’s new abilities.

Shen Yuan received the unique skill ’Thought Communication’ which was a sort of upgrade when he received Mobei Jun’s teleportation skill through the contract. Since Shen Yuan could do the same thing already with Xin Mo’s more jacked up space-tearing ability, it was upgraded with new features. Through thought communication, Shen Yuan can basically contact anyone of his subordinates who have entered into a contract with him through the divinity system. Like a facebook messenger group chat exclusive to himself and his followers. He could also make own private channels and customize who he wanted to include in them. He had one with just him and Binghe, for example. 

So why do they need to craft the jade amulet, one may ask? Well this is more for Shang Qinghua’s benefit. The Almighty creator was not one of Shen Yuan’s subordinates and hasn’t entered into a soul contract with him, which meant Shen Yuan could not use thought communication on him once they’re realms apart. Sure, Shen Yuan can use telepathy to project his thoughts and speak to Shan Qinghua as long as he is in close proximity, but what if they needed to contact each other urgently? So they’ve been up all week trying to figure out how to create a walkie talkie for each other.

“With this, you can contact me anytime, almighty creator. Please call me whenever you need me, I would also appreciate your guidance whenever I need it.” Shen Yuan smiled at Shang Qinghua. “You’ve been more than helpful filling in details of the beasts we’ve encountered in the abyss. Thankyou so much, your insight is most valuable as the creator of this world!” 

“A-ah, little bro you don’t need to address me so formally. Really, I’m just a transmigrator like you…. Even my son Binghe calls me Shang Shibo, after all.” The author reassured. Shen tilted his head to the side and looked at the elder Peak Lord.

“Nonsense, almighty creator is deserving of great respect for creating such a world! I’ve always admired authors in my old life. Reading was my primary hobby, authors of these amazing novels are what kept me through tough times! So I thank you for your hard work!” Shen Yuan’s nodded with conviction as he gave Shang Qinghua a look of respect and admiration. “It is a shame I never got to read your book before I died, almighty creator. I would have loved it, my sister was a die-hard fan.”

“Ahaha…. Your sister? Really? Huh, I did not know I had female readers….b-but yeah! U-uhm, sure… but I still do insist you drop the formalities little bro. We’re now family from the same hometown. So… even if it’s just us, why don’t we be more familiar with each other? Hmm?” Shang Qinghua seemed uneasy and uncomfortable, he must be unused to being praised. What a humble creator. Shen Yuan could not help but strive for this god's humility. 

“Okay, if creator insists…..hmm…Uncle Airplane then.” He grinned. Shen Yuan had finally remembered Shang Qinghua’s pen name, it was ‘Airplane Shooting towards the sky’ which he tried to ask the older male what it meant but Shang Qinghua just laughed.

“If you have to ask, you’re too innocent for this world, little Shen Yuan.” he would always respond this way no matter how many time Shen Yuan asked about the airplane thing.

“There is one other thing I’d like to ask, Uncle Airplane..”

“Hmm? what is it, little bro?”

“Why are there so many sex plants in this world?” Shen Yuan asked with an innocent and genuinely curious expression.

“Uncle Airplane? ……UNCLE AIRPLANE!!!”

It was for the second time since meeting Shen Yuan that Shang Qinghua has fainted.

Chapter Text

Now that the dust has settled and they were free from stuffy formal palace affairs, they were ready to depart from the northern demon territories. Shen Yuan could finally breathe and return to being a carefree slime…   

BUT there was one last place Shen Yuan would like to visit.

“A-Yuan… do we really NEED to come here?” Binghe was frowning deeply, glaring at the entrance to the tavern they were initially invited to. It was the big sister’s tavern, a paradise for hardy adventurers like him and Binghe. What? Shen Yuan was VERY CURIOUS to see demonic beauties and tasting wine for the first time! This was the authentic adventurer experience! Going into taverns, having a drink or two served by a curvaceous sister….and hey, they could meet Binghe’s first wife here!

Shen Yuan thought it was strange Binghe hasn’t developed any lady-charming techniques even after traveling for this long. He may be a teenager now, but he’s still tall, muscular, and handsome. All the ladies would want a piece of that, Shen Yuan himself wanted a piece of that. Why isn’t he witnessing harem-recruiting endeavors from Binghe?  He was worried it’s because he might have been too clingy to Binghe… maybe he should let his precious protagonist go on solo missions and adventures? Oh dear…

Shen Yuan did notice that Binghe would sometimes charm him with his compliments of his ‘beauty’ and ‘grace’ and that the protagonist would insist on cooking all his meals. Was he being used as a test subject or a practice dummy? Shen Yuan did not count the many nights where he’d be used as a body pillow both in his slime or humanoid form, that was just the protagonist finding him cuddly and squishy. Especially in extreme weathers. Shen Yuan, in both forms, can increase or decrease his body temperature at will so Binghe could essentially use him as a personal heater/cooler. It was just the least Shen Yuan could do to help the poor lad who has yet to cultivate a body that could resist temperatures. However, despite these reasonings, Shen Yuan would sometimes find himself blushing. His little slime heart is too weak for this! And he’s a teenager too right now! He cant be blamed! Having a handsome face and a nicely developing muscular body with god-like chiseled abs pressed against you while you napped… it was distracting! His bisexual ass is panicking.

He’ll definitely have to let his poor protagonist go on his solo adventures in the future. Even if Shen Yuan really didn’t want to be left out, he can’t help but feel guilty for cockblocking Binghe from his wives! But right now is an exception, they both needed to experience this for themselves TOGETHER! Maybe a last hurrah to end their adventuring duo.

“We promised that big sister we’ll come visit her tavern, and breaking promises is bad. Remember that, Binghe.” Shen Yuan huffed enthusiastically while Binghe just continued to pout and sulk.

Shen Yuan, full of conviction and a slight pink to his cheeks, pushed forward and opened the door to paradise. A tiny little bell rung and as expected, the big sister from months ago greeted them. “Oh my~ if it isn’t the handsome young one from the marketplace! And Oh! His little adorable mate!” She approached the two, still scantily clad for a world derived from a xianxia novel. Her robe was pushed down to show off her flawless bare shoulders. Shen Yuan can admire the female body as much as he could admire the male body but after traveling with the hunk protagonist, no one else could be as curvaceous and sexy as Luo Binghe. Shen Yuan had to almost gauge his eyes out in shame whenever he would accidentally catch a glimpse of Binghe cleaning himself in nearby rivers during their travels. ALSO! The cheeky Binghe would always have his chest displayed out in public, PROUDLY. Well, he has the right to, look at him! Shen Yuan can still appreciate the nice sight of the welcoming succubus lady though, he just wasn’t as impressed as he thought. 

He didn’t even hear her address him as Binghe’s mate.

Suddenly, Shen Yuan felt an arm wrap around his waist as Binghe pulled him closer against his taller and bigger body. Shen Yuan didn’t think much of it and he let the woman lead both of them to their table.

“Welcome customers!” A chorus of succubus and incubus greeted them. They were all beautiful as expected. Different shapes and sizes and all types of beauty, it was interesting to see. Shen Yuan was just gaping at them, amazed that he could witness such a sight! Is this one of the ‘scenes’ where Binghe meets his first wife? Shen Yuan felt a dull ache in his chest at the thought, he wondered why… maybe it’s because he’d rather have a pure maiden be Binghe’s first wife, like an innocent flower, not a succubus who can possibly break his heart and eat his soul during papapa…. Ah, he was starting to worry, maybe it wasn’t a good idea to bring his precious protagonist to this place. Shen Yuan turned to his companion, curious about his reaction to the gaggle of charismatic and attractive demons.

Binghe never faltered from his deep frown and hostile glare. Shen Yuan, the pure innocent soul that he was, was of course completely oblivious to the hosts and hostesses of the establishment eyeing him with looks of desire and lust. Who can resist the abnormally beautiful demon with the innocence of a maiden? Shen Yuan’s attention was mostly on his protagonist so of course he was blind to anyone else’s lustful gaze.

“Next time, we should cover your face with a veil…or better yet, a full face mask. The veil would make you all the more alluring….yep, I’m buying you a face mask next time.” Binghe pondered and muttered.

“What was that Binghe?”

“Nothing A-Yuan!”

They were served drinks and Shen Yuan’s green eyes glowed with excitement. He took a sip of his first taste of alcohol. Woah, that surely had a kick to it! He would never have gotten away with this in his original world. Alcohol was a big no-no for the terminally ill. In this world, he was farthest from a sickly and dying person so of course he was going to take advantage of this opportunity! Hah, take that fate! Shen Yuan didn’t care if the taste of alcohol was strong, he wanted to live life to the fullest tonight. Alcohol would not normally affect Shen Yuan, because he had the skill ‘resist poison’ however, being the adventurous and curious teenager that he was, Shen Yuan manually turned the skill off for alcohol tonight…. Even though his system was not at all pleased with it.

[Answer: Turning off user’s protective skills is ill advised]

‘Just once system, pleassssse I promise I am not in danger~!’

[….]

Luo Binghe refused to drink anything at all and just sat beside Shen Yuan, guarding his young and stupid master safely from possible predators. The hosts and hostesses flocked to their table and tried to seduce both patrons. Luo Binghe repelled them all with a glare and a growl. Still, stubborn and friendly Shen Yuan would welcome some of the ladies and men to their table. They just chatted and drank the entire night.

“Oh My! We had no idea we were in the presence of royalty!!” One of the girls gasped, followed by everyone when they learned of their names. Unfortunately, as much as Shen Yuan wanted to travel incognito as a rouge adventurer, he could no longer do that in the northern demon territory. The name Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe had already spread like wildfire across the northern kingdom. Shen Yuan was officially announced as the new ruling King of the north while Binghe, his trusted subordinate… which isn’t supposed to happen! It should be Binghe! Not him! Maybe he should have himself and Binghe use different names when traveling from now on…

“W-well, this..err King would rather be treated as normal adventurers in the meantime hm?” Shen Yuan tried to say.

“Nonetheless, to have our humble little tavern be visited by his highness is such an honor. How about this lowly one present his highness with a gift~” It was the big sister who originally approached them who spoke. “This big sister has a special gift of foresight. Would his highness like to try it? We could look into high highness’s future~ find his future empress?”

“Emperor.” Binghe corrected with a huff which only made the big sister giggle.

“Well, it would still be interesting even if his highness already has a mate currently, hmm?” The woman was mostly focused on Binghe now. “Shall we see if the handsome one beside him is Shen Yuan’s destined one?”

“Very well, we shall see. And even if it turns out that it’s not this lowly one, this Binghe will personally see to it that the fates will change their mind.” Binghe’s eyes glowed red in determination.

Shen Yuan raised a brow, not sure what the woman was talking about and he was more surprised with Binghe going along with this as if he just accepted a challenge.

“Alright, then let us begin..” The big sister succubus produced a delicate flower bud and offered it to Shen Yuan. “Would his highness kindly breathe upon it?” She asked. Shen Yuan looked at the flower curiously before he nodded and softly blew. The flower began to bloom, what a magical sight. The succubus brought it closer to her beautiful face to examine it carefully.

“Hmm... your fated ones…there are two of them. My, how lucky of his highness.” The woman began to speak.

Binghe’s eyes widened and Shen Yuan could feel the other teen grab his hand and hold it tightly. Shen Yuan didn’t mind it, his friend must be excited for him.

“The first one… he is the same age as you. He is a devoted future husband indeed and would love you until he draws his last breath, I’m jealous! And he is also destined to be your strongest ally and confidant. But…” The big sister’s smile faltered and she looked saddened.

“This fated one…be careful, because I see darkness at the end of the red string of fate. In the future, it seems to frail and at the verge of severing. Your highness, you have to overcome challenges, an extremely difficult and painful challenge in order to strengthen this string once again.” The woman sighed, looking more distressed and worried. Her gaze met Luo Binghe, who gulped and could not say a single word.

“Well, let’s move onto the second one…” She decided to move on, so as to not dampen the mood in the room any further.

“Ahh, this second one… is rather interesting.” Her smile was back. “You are connected to this person in an interesting way, your highness. Not so much as a lover, but your souls are fated to one another… “ She twirled the flower in her face, fondly stroking at some of the petals. “An opportunity was missed… and this fated one was unable to bind himself to you. So, as a result, he was left to his own devices…. And left to fend for himself in the eyes of fate. However, your path will converge once again…. And he will become a part of your life. Though your relationship with this one will suffer a few bumps, but in the end… the string of fate is looking promising and you’ve gained a valuable soul-brother.”

Shen Yuan had been silent the entire time. He was already surprised he had TWO ‘fated’ ones. He didn’t think it was possible for him to find a lover in this world. He was just a level zero slime not long ago. He probably had no significant role in the story of this world, only to serve as a traveling companion for the protagonist maybe. But having two destined people made him feel happy, he won’t die alone in this world then.

The first one seems to be his husband. Shen Yuan didn’t mind which gender, he played for both teams. He blushed at the prospect of a tall handsome guy. He glanced over to Binghe, ahh his lovely protagonist… Shen Yuan really wanted Binghe because he had a tiny crush on the other teen… no one else can compare to Binghe! So whoever this fated husband is… Shen Yuan will probably fall in love with his personality and devotion. Unfortunately for any future suitors, Binghe has already ruined Shen Yuan’s standards and preference for ‘beauty’. The dark omen about the husband was concerning though… Shen Yuan will have to become stronger so he could protect his future husband!

The second one seemed more like a long lost family member than a lover. Perhaps the big sister meant Xin Mo? He was the only soul brother Shen Yuan could think of. However, Xin Mo is long gone, his soul either reincarnated or resting within Shen Yuan’s spirit. He wasn’t sure which. Unless Xin Mo is somehow still alive inside him and Shen Yuan could possibly bring him back in the future?

[…]

Hmm? Was that the system just now?

“Well that should be it- oh!” The woman gasped when the flower began to lose petals. “Oh dear… this second fated one is also to suffer the same fate as the first one…. Your highness will also need to go through trials and tribulations to preserve this relationship.” She placed a hand over Shen Yuan’s other hand, the one Binghe wasn’t gripping so tightly. “But with his highness’s strength and determination, this lowly one has a feeling you can overcome it. So I wish you the best of luck.”

[Binghe’s POV]

The night went on with more conversations and drinking to be had. Binghe was silent the entire time. He looked at Shen Yuan with longing as he immersed himself with his own thoughts about that divination. He knew absolutely certain he was the first destined person for his Shen Yuan. He HAD to be… or else he will grab fate by the neck and force himself to be. However, the last part of the divination… it was concerning. How can he cause such pain for his beloved master? Is there a way to avoid it? Binghe knew more than ever that he HAS to become stronger than he is now. He cannot remain a pathetic defeated weakling, he must train hard for Shen Yuan.

‘You’re not even certain she was referring to you. But I must say, succubi fortune telling is very accurate…’

Came Senior Meng Mo’s voice. Yes, he MUST overcome these painful trials himself in Shen Yuan’s stead. He will train twice thrice….ten times harder to achieve power!

As the night progressed, Shen Yuan seemed to get more and more intoxicated until Binghe had to carry him back to the palace. How dare those succubi continue to urge Shen Yuan to drink all that rice wine! But… Binghe had to admit, the smaller demon looked adorable right now. Shen Yuan was still awake, his arms wrapped around Binghe’s neck as he stared at him with adoring eyes. The flush on his cheeks also made Binghe want to hit his head against a wall. SO CUTE!

“Binghe… my Binghe… my heroic protagonist…. Hehe... you’re so handsome and gallant when you carry me like a bride.” Came the adorable giggle and slurred words of Shen Yuan.

Be a good boy Binghe, BE A GOOD BOY. Control yourself from self detonating! Binghe felt as if he will experience a MAJOR qi deviation from just listening to his adorable companion. Luckily, he did not bump into Mobei Jun or Shang Shibo along the way or he would have a LOT of explaining to do. Binghe simply carried the drunk demon to his room in the northern demon palace. When he laid the smaller male on the bed, Shen Yuan let out his draconic appendages while stretching his arms and laying on his stomach. The beautiful dragon tail lazily swayed in the air and he continued to look up at Binghe with his half lidded eyes filled with affection. Binghe could hear the bangle on his tail clink, it was a sight that nearly took his breath away. Shen Yuan always looked so breathtakingly beautiful... especially now in his drunken state.

“Binghe~ You should really stop being so handsome and gallant to this silly little slime….” Shen Yuan purred. PURRED. “It will break my heart….becauseeee I’m not a part of your harem… but I wanna be… but I’m not a busty young ladyyyyyy….. I’m sad now….the fortune teller lady said I’d end up with someone else….someone not as good as my Binghe…..” Shen Yuan pouted and he started to see TEARS roll down from those gorgeous red-lined eyes.

Binghe started to panic. He immediately went to Shen Yuan’s side and grabbed his hand, clasping it and giving the other teen a determined look. “A-Yuan, what harem are you talking about?! No! This Binghe will NEVER be unfaithful to you! You will be the only one lover and mate for this demon! In the future, when I become strong enough! I will have you as my wife!” He blurted out even though he knew his little companion probably won’t remember this conversation. “I swear this! I will never let you shed a single tear in my presence!”

Shen Yuan just looked at Binghe with a dazed look. The drunken demon was silent for a moment before be grinned a toothy grin, showing his razor sharp canines. God, even his little fangs looked so adorable, Binghe’s heart clenched. Shen Yuan got up from the bed, laced his arms around Binghe’s neck then leaned closer so he could place a sudden kiss on the taller teen’s forehead. “Mm. So Binghe’s mark really does get hot when it’s all glowy red… hehe….” Shen Yuan giggled before he fell back and passed out.

Binghe caught Shen Yuan into his arms before he could fall to the bed. He sighed then smiled. “Ah, A-Yuan, you’re banned from alcoholic beverages from now on. You’re too adorable when you’re drunk…” He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on the young man’s forehead, over his black demon mark. He then placed Shen Yuan back on the bed and tucked him in for the night. Binghe remained by Shen Yuan’s side the entire evening until the break of dawn where he had to get up to prepare for Shen Yuan’s breakfast. Even while they were living in this palace temporarily, Binghe made sure HE was the one preparing all Shen Yuan’s meals.

Shen Yuan felt like absolute shit when he woke up. Oh so this is how a hangover felt… but wait, didn’t he have the resist pain skill? Why is his head throbbing as if he got hit by the isekai truck? He can’t even remember what happened last night. After he got his fortune told, everything was a blur…

‘System, can you reactivate my ‘resist pain skill’ and ‘resist poison skill?’

[Answer. User may not. User must learn to deal with the consequences of his careless disabling of skills. 24 hour cooldown of skill disabling has been enforced.]

Whaaaat?! Since when did the system give him such sass!? It’s not his mother!!!

[…]

‘Systemmmmm~!!!’

Chapter Text

With the help of Mobei Jun’s newly evolved unique skill ’Dark shadow’ and Shen Yuan’s unique skill ‘Dimensional Travel’ they were able to teleport the crafters and builders that were enlisted from the Northern kingdom to his little village. It’s been a few weeks since then. When the crowd of northern demons first entered his village, they seemed shocked at first seeing rare ascended demons like nine-tailed foxes and hulking greater demons. His own people were just as shocked to see so many northern demons enter the small village. They had thought Shen Yuan would just bring a small group, not an entire army of them! AND Mobei Jun, the king himself!

“As expected of our Master Shen!!!!!” Muyang, the acting village lord, cried in his usual loud enthusiastic voice.

“Ahh~ Master Shen… to be able to defeat the demon King of the North. We are in awe!” Alpha, the ruler of the ninetailed fox clan, had somehow managed to pry Shen Yuan from Binghe and was hugging Shen Yuan like a stuffed toy. It was shortlived as Binghe started chasing the androgynous beauty around the village while throwing Xin Mo swords at him.

“Vile fox man! Only I get to touch A-Yuan! Keep your dirty paws off him!!!!”

“Binghe NO!!!” Shen Yuan squeaked, still in his slime form and tucked in Alpha’s arms while the mischievous nine tail jumped and ran around the village. Dozens of Xin Mo came out of nowhere and nearly skewered them but Alpha managed to dodge them all with ease. Geez! If it weren’t for the fact that Shen Yuan had the ‘resist melee attack’ skill and the ninetailed fox’s agility, he would have been stabbed to death!

“Binghe YES!!!” 

Shen Yuan, at that moment, regrets teaching some modern world memes to his precious protagonist.

It was time they got to work. The northern demons taught his people many different crafts. Plans and blueprints of turning the tiny town into a full city were made. Shen Yuan was looking forward to how much this place will change in the future thanks to the resources and knowledge shared by the northern kingdom.

Shen Yuan had been listening in and learning from the master northern crafters as well. He learned that the demons typically preferred underground structures unlike humans who preferred to rise up into the skies with their tall skyscrapers and such. He remembered the underground palace where he was born. Xin Mo’s eternal prison. He got a good look at the place back in his idle days with Xin Mo. It was a large underground castle - almost like a labyrinth-type of structure. It had several floors going lower and lower. He never got to explore the lower floors due to Xin Mo refraining him from doing so… he wondered why. But the place was something of interest to Shen Yuan, perhaps he could make use of it in the future.

Since there was not much he could do and he did not want to get in the way of his people, Shen Yuan decided he would ‘return to his home’ within the palace in the guise of ‘entering into seclusion’ for meditation. It would also be nice to check out the new skills he received from Mobei Jun’s contract.

Shen Yuan was just about to find his heavenly demon friend when it was Binghe who sought him out first. He was on his way back to their little makeshift hut when Binghe approached him looking all nervous and fidgety. 

“A-Yuan, I would like to enter into seclusion for three years to improve my cultivation… if you’ll permit me to.” Binghe knelt down before the slime and bowed his head repeatedly as if he had committed a grave crime. To him, it was! Leaving Shen Yuan alone for years was INEXCUSABLE! But Binghe was forced to come to this decision… he had no choice. If he wanted to improve his demonic cultivation and become strong enough for Shen Yuan, he needed to do this. His only worry is for his master not eating his meals properly [even if Shen Yuan did not need to eat] and disgusting creatures daring to go near and seduce the oblivious slime. Shen Yuan's greatest flaw was that he's too innocent and oblivious against his own charms and sexual appeal. He'd gladly follow a stranger if he was offered a book about a certain beast he likes! 

“Calm down Binghe, it’s alright. You may do as you please, this lowly slime will support his friend’s pursuit of self-improvement.” Shen Yuan returned to his humanoid form so he could pat Binghe’s head gently, the poor heavenly demon looked like he was about to cry.

“I experienced a crushing defeat at the hands of Mobei Jun. I cannot forgive myself for being a disappointment to A-yuan! I decided on focusing on my cultivation.” Binghe lowered his head again as if to apologize.

“Binghe… no no, you’re not a disappointment. But I’m glad that you would use your defeat as a learning opportunity and inspiration to get better. But remember, it is part of the process. You cannot win all the time, so don’t let it get you down too much.” He reassured. Shen Yuan was silent for a minute until a thought crossed his mind. A brilliant opportunity. “Tell you what. I would love to test out the new abilities we’ve acquired during our travels AND my new contract with Mobei Jun. How about we train together in seclusion? Hmm? I think I can use the attack Mobei Jun used on you - what do you say, Binghe?” He looked at Binghe curiously. Why is he blushing all of a sudden?

“S-Se….seclusion with A-Yuan…”

Shen Yuan panicked a little. “Ah! Of course, if you’d rather train alone then by all means! I will not stop you. I am merely offering….I do not want to make you uncomfortable, nor do I intent to be…clingy.” Shen Yuan lowered his head and averted his gaze from Binghe. He kicked his feet on the ground awkwardly and his tail drooped down. He forgot he should be letting the protagonist shine on his own and not cling to Binghe’s thighs all the time. Shen Yuan was just so used to doing everything together with Binghe, it was feeling like second nature. He did not want to annoy the almighty OP protagonist and get in the way of his hero’s journey…or wife collecting journey.

“NO! I mean YES!” Binghe took Shen Yuan’s hand in his and gave the smaller demon a determined look. Woah, was that smoke coming out from his nose?! “I would LOVE to have Shen Yuan with me for myself and train with him!” Woah there buddy, why are you phrasing it like that!

Shen Yuan felt his cheeks turn pink and he cleared his throat awkwardly. “Alright then. I know a good place we can train in seclusion.” he said.

They arrived at the underground palace via portal. The place was just like how he left it, gloomy yet hauntingly beautiful. What once was a royal castle is now a tomb of the forgotten. Rot and corrosion touched the once architectural marvel. The dark qi crystals still littered the hallways. Oh right! Shen Yuan hasn’t tested if condensed amount of demonic qi was safe for other people. He turned to Binghe with a worried look but the other teen seemed fine and preoccupied with gawking at everything around them.

“A-Yuan, what is this place…?” He asked. “I can feel so much demonic qi… it’s unnatural. Like… a powerful being dwelt within this palace.”

“This is my birthplace. I uh… used to live here with my elder brother.” A-Yuan tried to explain. Technically, he thought of Xin Mo as his elder brother. His only living relative that he ate. Still wild to think about and sometimes it saddened Shen Yuan. “He’s gone now and there’s no one living here so you have nothing to fear.”

“Oh… I apologize for bringing your family up, A-Yuan.” Binghe walked closer to Shen Yuan, the teen looked as if he wanted to say something but decided against it. Shen Yuan shook his head and smiled reassuringly at Binghe.

“It’s alright Binghe, now come, there is a perfect spot for us to train and meditate.” Shen Yuan lead them through a series of hallways and corridors and stairs that lead further down. Shen Yuan could only explore the floors up to the fifth lower level. Fortunately, their designation was just at the 3rd level.

They soon ended up at a courtyard, looking area. They had to enter through a mirror in a specific room that looked like a royal’s bedroom. It was the strangest thing he stumbled upon. Xin Mo back then seemed apprehensive of this room, he seemed to know the owner. When Shen Yuan first fell into the mirror,  it was a whole mess. In the end, Xin Mo repeatedly scolded Shen Yuan and told him to never enter that room again. Shen Yuan obeyed…until now, of course. Hey, it’s technically HIS place now, right?

The courtyard seemed to be in its own pocket dimension. Shen Yuan could tell the skies were artificial. This must be remnants of a demon’s ability and the condensed qi around them was powering this…illusion. Shen Yuan walked to the middle of the open field. There was a pond nearby, but there was plenty of breathing room for them.

“This should be a good spot.” Shen Yuan levitated and sat with one leg folded and the other dangling while his tail swished lazily behind him. “Mm, perfect indeed. Shall we begin?”

Binghe had no chance to respond when a sword came flying in his direction. He jumped and dodged out of the way, summoning his own sword, a replica Xin Mo, into his hand. He looked over to Shen Yuan, still in hovering in mid air,  now had six black ice swords surrounding his person. Binghe smiled eagerly, amazed that his master can mimic Mobei Jun’s ice-sword summoning skills. 

“I’ll be in your care, Shifu.”

The passage of time felt different in a world full of cultivators and demons. Shen Yuan only realized that three full years have passed since entering into seclusion with Luo Binghe when he went to consult the system. There were times when he’d be contacted by his subordinates like Alpha, Muyang, and Mobei Jun via the divinity system, but it was to consult with major decisions regarding the territories he now ruled over. It wasn’t that often and it was mostly to decide what to do with rebels or boss monsters. Aiya, demons are a rowdy bunch. Luckily, Shen Yuan noticed that there were lesser reports from his three great clan leaders as time went on. Perhaps the three leaders have gotten the swing of things and did not have to consult him as often?

Most of their time in seclusion was spent training Binghe and Shen Yuan testing out new skills on his precious protagonist. And Shen Yuan got the pleasure to watch the heavenly demon form his golden core which was the fifth stage of cultivation for both demons and humans. Binghe could now practice inedia, his cultivation base was already stable and well-practiced since the beginning so it was a smoother process for Binghe. Even if Shen Yuan did not like Binghe’s shizun for discriminating the poor protagonist AND throwing him off a cliff into the abyss, the man was a very good teacher for preparing Binghe this much. It’s almost as if he prepared Binghe’s cultivation and body to survive better in the harsh environments of the endless abyss. It was a theory, but Shen Yuan thought it was silly since the man could not have known Binghe would fall into the demon realm where demonic qi is abundant and it could disrupt his spiritual base.

Anyway, Binghe had also become better at circulating and balancing both demonic and spiritual qi. The pocket dimension they were in was filled with concentrated demonic qi but Shen Yuan helped by becoming some kind of a sponge filter for Binghe during his meditation sessions. He would convert the demonic qi into spiritual qi. After some time, Binghe could do the same. It would be better if they practiced this method in the human world once they finish up here. Fighting-wise, Shen Yuan also helped Binghe on that part and Binghe helped him by surviving the skills Shen Yuan would test on him. Binghe expressed the desire for a formal rematch with Mobei Jun in the future and Shen Yuan was looking forward to watching that.

The best part of this, Shen Yuan got to see his favorite protagonist grow into an even more drop dead gorgeous hunk of a man. Gone were what little little baby fat on that meat bun face he had left. Binghe looked almost identical to the drawn portrait that Shen Yuan got to see before he took his last breath in his previous life. However, the real thing is MUCH MUCH hotter. Shen Yuan could barely hold his blush whenever he’d see those full set of abs and broad chest on that open robe. God, this protagonist will be the death of him! Binghe, despite growing into the hunk of a man in that stallion novel, was still the sweet considerate little white lotus Shen Yuan came to know. Although, he wondered if Binghe really was still as innocent as he'd appeared. There were nights he’d insisted on cuddling up to the slime, whining how cold or warm it got.

“You have the resist temperature skill now, Binghe.”

“Please? Holding warm A-Yuan close is much better… this lowly student’s body hurts from all the training today. A-Yuan went so hard on me, I could still feel the pain of being punched here…” Binghe, who was holding Shen Yuan’s humanoid form close to him, had grabbed Shen Yuan’s hand and placed it over his chest. Feeling flustered from having to touch the glorious protagonist big tiddies, Shen Yuan used his free hand to smack his shameless companion on the head with his fan.

“F-fine! I swear, I’m spoiling you too much Luo Binghe…”

The heavenly demon only gave him a cheeky grin as Shen Yuan was pulled closer. They would sleep in one of the bedrooms of Xin Mo’s palace. It was specifically the one with the mirror that lead to their ‘training grounds’. They fixed up the place a little bit, the bedroom looked more like a proper bedroom. Nothing fancy, but it would make do for now. Once they deemed their training done, Shen Yuan would make the effort to restore this place.

Three years have gone by just like that. Both seemed satisfied with the progress they made with both their skills and cultivation. They are finally ready to leave the palace and return to the outside world.

“I still cannot believe this is where A-Yuan is born.” Binghe said as they entered the throne room. The very room where the rest of Shen Yuan’s life began. The moment he met Xin Mo, his life had been nothing but adventures, it was surreal to return here after all these years.

“Creepy place right? Buuuut it feels like home to me. I would love to fix this place up and live in it permanently.” Shen Yuan said, leaning on the large half-eroded throne that once mounted Xin Mo. “Perhaps this place could be one of your palaces Binghe, and I will be its caretaker.” Shen Yuan would have suggested applying as a member of Binghe's harem.. as his concubine or something. Shen Yuan imagined fixing this place up, then he'd wait for Binghe return from one of his protagonist conquests or adventures. Shen Yuan would greet Binghe in his beautiful wife-worthy robes and feed him fruits while he sat on his lap on this throne- SHIT, focus you stupid bisexual disaster Shen Yuan! He had to remember that Binghe is a straight man who prefers a big harem of wives not husbands. 

Binghe tilted his head to the side, confused. “One of my palaces? This place is A-Yuan’s special place. I would never dare claim it as mine. I’m not even anyone of importance to own a palace... But, if… A-Yuan wishes to live here and would have me… I…as…..his…ahhh...” Binghe, with an incredibly red face, was then muttering to himself incoherent things while Shen Yuan blinked and stared at him. Ahh, judging from that flustered look, Binghe must be imagining his dozens of wives in one palace serving him and giving him the affection Shen Yuan wish he could give. What an energetic youth Binghe was! He just hoped there was space for him in Binghe’s future at least. Shen Yuan had a feeling he wasn't a main character in Binghe's story, he just wish he made enough of a significant change in his friend's life that he would not fade into the background once Binghe eventually parts ways with him. It's a sad thought, but Shen Yuan wishes he could always stay by Binghe's side. He was his first friend in this world aside from his Self-appointed brother, Xin Mo. 

“Well, we should head back outside. Master Shang and Mobei Jun came from the north to visit us… I received word from Alpha that they’ve prepared a feast for our return.” Shen Yuan interrupted Binghe’s endless muttering even though it was so cute to watch.

They stepped out of the portal. The sky was as dark red as ever. 3 years huh? He wondered how his town was faring and if some changes had occurred. Even if time seemed like a blink for immortals and demons, a lot can still change over the course of a year or more. He hoped that his people were at least sleeping and eating better now that he had secured trade relations and resources for them.

“Ahh, hey look Binghe, it’s a falling star… “ Shen Yuan looked up at the red-colored sky. It was rare for there to be shooting stars in the endless abyss since there were no actual stars above them… it wasn’t even a sky. Wait, there’s no sky so there shouldn’t be stars.

“A-Yuan, I do not think that’s a falling star…” Binghe squinted his crimson eyes trying to zoom in on the falling ‘thing’.

Why did this feel familiar…

wait…oh shit! It’s a person!

Shen Yuan got into action. Just like way back then, he assumed his slime form and dove into the spot he estimated where the person would land. He caught the falling human just like he did with Binghe. The moment the man fell into his stomach, Shen Yuan was alarmed when he felt abnormally high amounts of spiritual qi. He also didn’t need to run diagnostics on the guy to tell he was in an unstable state. A qi deviation. Immediately, he ejected the man from his stomach because the guy was still awake and struggling.

Once the man was out, Shen Yuan assumed his humanoid form and got in front of Binghe. The man, an immortal cultivator he assumed, was on his knees coughing out blood. A murderous aura surrounded him which caused Shen Yuan to bring his fan out just in case.

Binghe peeked from behind Shen Yuan and gasped when he saw who it was.

“Wait- A-Yuan, that person… I know him.” He exclaimed.

“Oh? Another one of your martial uncles, I presume?” He asked.

“Yes! He’s Liu Shishu, the Bai Zhan peak lord!”

Chapter Text

Slime chapter 16 - Human Cultivators are Scary

This is his third encounter with an immortal cultivator and the dude wanted him dead. Shen Yuan was starting to think immortal cultivators are all scary.

First, the OP protagonist Luo Binghe, falling star number one. He did not need an explanation as to why he is scary - even if the handsome and gallant man is nothing but kind and loyal to him. That does not erase the fact that Luo Binghe is THIS world’s protagonist and is very OP. He also had his future gigantic harem. Any man able to satisfy 300 women is a beast of a man with a ‘heavenly pillar’ built like a fucking tank. If only he took male applicants for his harem, Shen Yuan would have hugged Binghe’s thighs since the beginning.

Second, the creator of this world, Shang Qinghua. Although his first impression wasn’t the best, Shen Yuan could tell this man is a sleeping giant….possibly just as if not more OP than his son, Binghe. He CREATED this world after all. Even though uncle airplane insists he is but a normal immortal cultivator and fellow transmigrator, Shen Yuan knew the man was just being humble. Perhaps his uncle airplane was just a god who was perfectly content with sitting in the sidelines and watching his children go about? What a mysterious and wise creator. Scary.

Then this third guy, falling star number two. The peak lord known as Liu Shishu. Not much is known about him yet but he is still scary for wanting to kill them at the moment. Shen Yuan really wished he had read ‘Proud Immortal Demon Way’ before he reincarnated in this world. Prior knowledge of its main characters would have helped him significantly. Oh well, he will have to consult Uncle Airplane and Binghe later… but yes, Shen Yuan has made his conclusion:

All immortal cultivators are scary powerful people.

The cultivator sent a blast of incredible spiritual qi their way. Shen Yuan dodged the attack. He turned to Binghe who had already summoned his array of Xin Mo swords. “Don’t harm your Shishu. I think he’s in the middle of a qi deviation And is probably unstable at the moment.” Shen Yuan warned.

Just as he said that, the man with crazed eyes growled and ran at them like a crazed killer. The immortal cultivator was also wearing white robes stained in blood and his ink-black hair undone. Hiiie!!! Scary! The guy looked like a male version of the creepy lady from ‘the grudge’. Though, the man had a pretty face when Shen Yuan managed to catch a peek. Unfortunately, the crazy eyes got in the way of the beauty ….or perhaps added to it? Hey! Now is not the time to unlock strange ‘preferences’, you bisexual disaster Shen Yuan! Focus!

“Shen Qingqiu I will have your head!!!” He heard the man growl out.

Who now?

“Oh no, he thinks you’re my Shizun!!” Binghe explained in a panicked tone as they ran and dodged around the crazed cultivator.

Ohhh. Shen Yuan knew it was useless to run. If he prolonged this cat and mouse chase, it might prove fatal for this cultivator who is very much still suffering from a major qi deviation. Shen Yuan stopped on his tracks and waited for the crazed cultivator to close the distance between them.

“A-Yuan!!” Binghe cried out but Shen Yuan held his hand, gesturing for Binghe to stay away to which he did, thankfully.

Gathering up his qi on the palm of his hand - freshly converted spiritual qi. Once the human was close enough, Shen Yuan aimed for the man’s chest and blasted him. That blast finally brought the man to his knees. Binghe approached and caught his Liu Shishu before the man could fall to the ground. “Hold him still, let me try to heal his meridians.” Shen Yuan instructed his companion who nodded his head. and obeyed.

Shen Yuan would have preferred to swallow the man in his slime form and heal him from there because that would have been faster and more efficient. However, he did not want the immortal cultivator to wake up in the middle of treatment and panic inside his stomach. Shen Yuan then settled for manually clearing his meridians. It took some time because this was the first time he tried touching the meridians of a human. Binghe was half human, that did not count. Human meridians seemed more delicate compared to demons, one wrong touch and it could damage his core permanently. Aiya, he’s not a human doctor, so for now this will have to do! Finally, he felt the man’s meridians even out. When Shen Yuan felt like the immortal’s body had stabled, he withdrew his hand.

While he was healing Binghe’s Shishu, he got an even closer look at the man’s pretty face. Wow. Well, still not as handsome as Binghe, but this man is a close second. Why are all immortal cultivators so attractive? He had the same ferocious and wild beauty as Jiang Cheng from ‘Grant Master of Demonic cultivation’. That beauty mark on his eye were doing things to Shen Yuan he would never care to admit. Ugh, to be surrounded by beautiful men in a harem stallion novel world. It’s cruel TOO CRUEL for his bisexual ass.

“A-Yuan, we should take Liu Sishu back to the village.” Binghe suddenly said, his voice seemed strained as if he was talking through gritted teeth. Binghe even had his fist balled as if he was about to punch someone on the throat. Yikes on trikes, what got his precious protagonist so angry?

Shen Yuan snapped out of it, he then looked over to his companion who was glaring daggers at the unconscious man. Hmm, he wondered why Binghe seemed angry at his martial uncle. Maybe he’s tired after returning from seclusion? Ah, it really was for the best they carry this man back to the village. They’ve delayed their return long enough.

Why is Liu Shishu here?! Of all people, WHY HIM?

Judging from how angry he seemed when he mistook A-Yuan as Shizun, perhaps the same thing happened to him? Did Shen Qingqiu push him down into the abyss as well? But that’s impossible, his Shizun would not have done that to a HUMAN cultivator. Unless Liu Shishu had a hidden lineage as well? He does have unnatural powers for a human cultivator. However, seeing him now while suffering a qi deviation, it was unlikely that he’d be hiding demonic lineage. So why?

Binghe wish it hadn’t been Liu Shishu though! As he feared, his A-Yuan had taken interest in him! Binghe clenched his fist and pouted super hard when he saw his beautiful A-Yuan stare at Liu Shishu longingly AND. HE. WAS. BLUSHING. Oh god he KNEW the Liu siblings are dangerous! They are known amongst the disciples of the Cang Qiong Mountain to have soul-stealing beauty! This was why Liu Mingyan, Liu Shishu’s younger sister, wore a veil! Binghe had considered having A-Yuan do the same, but that would only draw people to him more! Much like how people often flocked to his Shimei like magpies. Binghe used to be the one to protect Liu Mingyan from these male disciples by pretending to be interested in her. It worked, even though Binghe would end up being challenged to fights because of this. Besides, his Shimei preferred women and he preferred men. So, a pact has been made between them. They would feign interest in each other to protect one another’s virtue!

That line of thought saddened Binghe. He wondered if there’s someone protecting his shimei this very moment. Perhaps Ming Fan would? He was another member of their little group of friends. There’s Ning Shijie too, who was more than qualified to protect Liu Mingyan alongside her lover Ming Fan. Ahh, Binghe missed his friends….friends who probably hated him now.

Back to the elder brother. Liu Quingge was bad news! He can’t be near his A-Yuan! He’ll steal him away before Binghe could have him! He can’t let that happen! Still, Binghe knew they must help his Shishu. Even if Binghe would rather throw him back up into the human world, he did not want to kill his Shishu. Binghe once idolized the man’s battle prowess when he was a young disciple AND he is his friend, Mingyan’s, older brother. He’ll worry about sending the man away once he’s hale and healthy again.

If only A-Yuan would stop making that blushy face at his Shishu! Stoooooop! A-Yuan should only blush AT BINGHE, no one else~!!!

When they returned to the village, Shen Yuan and Binghe both were shocked. Three years ago, when they first arrived, the village was just shabby and small. There were already signs of development when the northerners stepped in and started teaching his people how to build and craft. However…. now? He can hardly call it a little village. It had become a full-grown town….it was well on its way to become a full blown a city like the northern kingdom.

The first change Shen Yuan noticed was a paved path. There were still missing areas and most are under development, but he could see a well-developed road in the future. The town was also protected by a thick wall, great for defense and Shen Yuan highly approved. The endless abyss, where anything and everything can kill you, his territory’s defense is top priority. As soon as they neared the entrance gate, the guards spotted them and everyone seemed to scrambled about.

“THE GREAT ONE AND MASTER BINGHE HAS RETURNED!!!”

Came a yell from a greater demoness guard. Holy shit, Shen Yuan wished they didn’t just announced their return so loudly! He did not mean to disrupt everyone’s day! Shen Yuan didn’t like standing out too much especially in big crowds. It made him nervous…. it was already nerve wracking back in the northern kingdom and their stuffy formal banquets… But it was too late. A crowd of demons quickly surrounded them and everyone was cheering as if a hero had just returned from slaying the dragon. Hold on, HE was a technically a dragon! And Binghe is essentially a hero protagonist, so that counts huh?

“Congratulations on your safe return from seclusion Master Shen and Master Binghe!” Muyang stood tall and firm as ever. Shen Yuan was pleased to see the greater demon now clothed properly. He looked authoritative with the proper robes, like a true lord. Next to Muyang was Alpha. The nine tailed fox’s tails were all wagging eagerly upon spotting Shen Yuan. He immediately approached the duo and hugged Shen Yuan close to him.

“Master Shen looks lovely as ever! We prepared a grand feast to celebrate your return!” The demon informed, ignoring Binghe who was glaring daggers at the white haired fox demon. Shen Yuan was in his humanoid form because he did not want Binghe to carry both him and his Shishu back to the town. “We’ve also made sure Master Shen’s guests are well taken cared of.” Alpha added.

Oh right, Mobei Jun and uncle airplane were also visiting.

“Is that Liu Shidi?! Why is he here?” Shan Qinghua spoke out with a squeak as he stepped out from the crowd with Mobei Jun by his side.

“Uncle air- I mean, Master Shang.” Shen Yuan raised his fist with a bow, Binghe would do the same but he’s still carrying the unconcsious cultivator. “He fell from the human realm it would seem. He was in the middle of a qi deviation but he’s stable now. Probably good to have him lay down for a bit and continue his recovery.” Shen Yuan said.

It was then when Muyang grinned proudly. Shen Yuan tilted his head to the side, confused. “Master Shen, allow us the honor of escorting you and your guest to your living quarters.” He seemed very excited and eager.

“Oh? I have a house?”

Shen Yuan was surprised that a house was built for him! The place looked like a fairly large estate complete with a large courtyard and gardens and such. Woah, he wasn’t expecting to have such a place in this town and it would seem his house was the biggest one in the residential area.

“Is it to master Shen’s liking??” Muyang eagerly asked, there was a group of workers behind him all awaiting his reaction. “Come come, let this lowly one and his team give the benevolent one and his guests a quick tour.” He offered. Shen Yuan obliged and let Binghe, who was still carrying his Liu Shishu on his back, followed him wordlessly and curiously. Shang Qinghua and his husband followed along.

The place was just as huge inside as it was outside. It resembled a mansion fit for an old-money richie rich chinese family back in medieval china. There were several rooms that were said to be servant rooms, then the grander looking rooms were reserved for him, Binghe, and his possible guests. Turns out, Mobei Jun and uncle airplane had been staying in one of the rooms of this estate for a week now. Muyang had prepared a room for the unconscious cultivator and he was placed there with a ninetail servant tending to him.

“Elder Muyang, this one is honored to have your men build a home in your town. Thankyou, this slime loves and appreciates the work that has been put into housing me and my companion Binghe.” Shen Yuan flashed an appreciative smile and bow towards Muyang and the small group of builders behind him. He assumed they tagged along so they could see his reaction to their creation.

Muyang, in all his beefed up splendor, started to cry loud the others followed after them. “Of course we would prioritize building an estate for our benevolent Shen Yuan and Master Binghe!!!!! You are our God and ruler, this is your land and your home so please! No need to thank these lowly ones! We are eternally honored that you find the place to your liking!” the men bowed furiously as Muyang continued to speak. “If there is anything the venerable one needs, do not hesitate to call upon us!”

Shen Yuan raised his hand and tried to calm Muyang and his men down. It took a while, but the finally were able to settle into a tea room in the estate and relax for a bit. Shen Yuan was also back in his slime form and was being held by Binghe eagerly. Ahh, this felt more comfortable.

Shang Qinghua was staring at him and poking him curiously.

“So you really were not kidding when you said you’re just a slime. Wow…” Uncle airplane said, now kneading at him like one of those ASMR slime videos on tiktok. Yes, Shen Yuan used to watch those back in the day. It did not affect Shen Yuan so he just let uncle airplane use him as his stress ball. Binghe seemed to ignore him too since his Shang Shibo wasn’t doing it maliciously or with the purpose of flirting with his A-Yuan. He had to admit, Shen Yuan’s slime form was fun to poke and play with.

Shen Yuan soon cleared his throat, ignoring the ‘adults’ playing with slime and turned to Mobei Jun for more serious business. “So, how fares the Northern kingdom?” He finally asked. The last time he heard, there was a scuffle with some rebels and a bit of family drama. The royal blooded demons of the north were very shocked to find that their king had been dethroned. Then one who was moved opposed to Shen Yuan’s ascension to the throne was a man named Linguang Jun, Mobei Jun’s uncle. Shen Yuan knew this was bound to happen. Not everyone will easily accept a rando to suddenly sit on their throne unless Shen Yuan beats the shit out of all of them which he would prefer not to do. Demon ways are so brutal… He originally had no intentions of usurping their king and taking over the Northern territories… but he did decide to take Mobei Jun as his subordinate, so this was unfortunately HIS problem now too.

Mobei Jun’s brow furrowed, this meant he brought with him some bad news. The royal family drama from last year probably hasn’t subsided. “This lord begs forgiveness from Master Shen. There are still those in opposition to Master Shen’s ascension of the northern kingdom’s throne. This one tried his best to deal with the pests internally, but unfortunately, the people of the north values strength of the sword over words. I’ve attempted to beat the treacherous Linguang Jun down a handful of times but he keeps coming back and he has amassed a following lately. Rebels have been on the rise.” He sighed deeply, it was obvious Mobei Jun has grown weary of dealing with this for so long. Shen Yuan felt bad, knowing this was all his fault.

“Alright, I will have to deal with this personally. Mobei Jun allow me to meet your uncle and the rest of your family, perhaps we can come to an agreement.” Shen Yuan paused for a bit. “Well, if not, then we’ll adhere to demonic customs. I will cross swords with your uncle then he shall know of the authenticity of my strength.” Mobei Jun seemed satisfied with Shen Yuan’s answer as the ice demon’s stoic expression turned to that of admiration and respect.

“Thankyou, Master Shen. I will arrange for an appointment with my clan post haste.”

Some time during the boring political discussions, Shen Yuan asked Binghe to check on his Shishu. Binghe obeyed and excused himself from the room, depositing Shen Yuan carefully on Shang Qinghua’s lap. The author happily continued playing with the slime while said slime discussed political matters with the author’s king husband.

Binghe soon returned and he looked distressed. “A-Yuan! Liu Shishu is missing! He isn’t in his room nor the entire house, this Binghe tried to look everywhere!”

“What?!”

Liu Qingge’s POV

Everything was a gigantic blur. He remembered seeing that bastard Shen Qingqiu before he succumbed to the qi deviation. He was supposed to be meditating at Ling Xi cave, but he got too ahead of himself and was overpowered by his own desire to form a golden core. After achieving the nascent stage of cultivation, he wanted to further advance to saint status but he was far too inexperienced and young. His soul was unable to withstand the amount of spiritual energy circulating within his meridians and that caused him to lose control. He couldn’t control himself.

“Calm down, let me help you Shidi.”

He heard that detestable man speak. Shen Qingqiu. Liu Qingge truly despised that pompous weakling. Always putting up a front and trying to act all high and mighty. They always feuded and almost never saw eye to eye…. but on that day, Liu Qingge was taken by surprise. Shen Qingqiu was…trying to help him?

“Your meridians are out of control, stop taking in spiritual energy!”

Shut up already Shen Qingqiu! Liu Qingge wanted to say, but he couldn’t even speak. Everything hurt and his mind felt so hazy.

“Wha- what is this! A-argh… what are you telling me?! -you cannot make me do it again! I- I cannot kill him, You’ve already- ….forced..us..-the endless abyss……he knew…ju——p…My disciple….—he—“

Shen Qingqui was spouting nonsense and Liu Qingge could barely understand him nor can he hear him properly. When his vision focused, he seems to be falling off a hole on the ground - a portal? Yet, he hasn’t fallen in yet, Shen Qingqiu was holding onto him with his face twisted in pain and there were things surrounding him. Weird glowing red boxes.

Then he was taken by the darkness.

When he opened his eyes, he staring at a smaller Shen Qingqiu and… was that his disciple? the brat that disappeared from the immortal alliance conference four years ago. They found each other again huh? He remembered that pompous bastard Shen Qingqiu was deeply upset for losing his star pupil, even mounted his kid’s sword on a grave to commemorate him. The man acted like a grieving father who had lost his son in the war. Yet here they are now, father and son reunited, yet why is the father a lot shorter than the son?

Liu Qingge still couldn’t control himself. His mind was a haze, the desire to maim and kill overtook him. It didn’t help he felt strong qi around them. He wanted to kill everything in sight. Kill kill kill. His soul hungered for the blood. It didn’t matter if it was human demon or even a celestial being. He wanted to kill them all.

As if he couldn’t catch a break, he passed out once again. Was it Shen Qingqiu who subdued him? huh, that’s a first. To think that the old fool was that strong after all…

…

When he finally came to, he was of sound mind and his body healed. He sat up and examined the area. He was in a spacious room but it didn’t resemble any room within Cang Qiong Mountain. A significant clue that he was no longer in the human realm was the red glow that flooded the room. Slowly, he got up and walked over to the window, when he opened it and looked outside, he was greeted with the eerie and grotesque seen of a blood red sky. No moon, stars or anything. Just blood red. It was a weird contrast to the residential area of what seemed like a bustling town.

“Am I…. in the demon realm?” he questioned particularly no one.

This is not good. Liu Qingge paced around the room. He caught a glance of himself at a nearby dresser. His clothes were changed to a regular and clean inner robes. He looked around to find a set of black robes neatly folded on the dresser. He threw them on quickly and ran out of the room. Wherever he was, it can’t be good because he was in the demon realm. Demons are a cultivator’s natural enemy, so it won’t be long before he’d be attacked. He had no way to defend himself. Why was he tended to and placed in a comfortable room in the first place? who knows what his captors are planning.

He needed to get away from here fast.

???'s POV

Within the caves of Ling Xi stood a familiar imposing figure. He stood before a crevice on the ground where his shidi fell. In the figure’s hand was a sword with the words ‘Cheng Luan’ etched on it. The man held the sword with trembling hands. He gritted his teeth as a single tear rolled down from his cheeks.

“Not again… when will you stop tormenting me...”

[…]

Chapter Text

This is bad. Having a somewhat recovered human cultivator running around a village filled with greater demons spelled bloodshed. Shen Yuan wasn’t even sure which side would lose; human or demon. He didn’t care! All he knew was that having a powerful Peak Lord unleashed upon his town was bad! Very VERY bad.

“Let us all split up and find the human cultivator named Liu Qingge.” he instructed his team which consisted of Him, Binghe, Mobei Jun, and Shang Qinghua. Shen Yuan headed out towards the town square while the others headed to different directions of their choosing.

‘System, are you able to track Liu Qingge?’ he asked, unsure if his system was even capable of such a feat. This human wasn’t his subordinate nor did he run any diagnostics on him within his stomach, Liu Qingge didn’t stay in there for long unlike Binghe.

[Answer. Target Liu Qingge is headed west of the town nearby the blood-lake.]

Woah what? How did the system do that? Since when can the system do that?!

[Answer. Target Liu Qingge has ingested user’s slime fluids during his short time inside user’s stomach. User’s slime fluids, when consumed, can stay within a living organism’s body. It is similar to Heavenly demon blood. User may control his heavenly slime secretion from within and one of its features is gps tracking.]

Uhm… first of all, eww? and second of all, woah that’s kinda… weird and bordering on privacy breaching. Shen Yuan felt bad about that, he’ll have to find away to undo that weird thingy on the poor human cultivator later. For now, he’ll take advantage of the gps tracking. Shen Yuan headed for the direction of the blood lake immediately. It didn’t take long for him to spot the immortal cultivator walking along the yet unpaved path by the lake.

“Wait!” Shen Yuan, who then transformed into his humanoid form minus draconic features, called out. When the immortal cultivator spotted him, the man stilled then got into a defensive fighting stance.

“Child, why do you wear his face? Shen Qingqiu’s!” The human spat, his tone threatening and wary.

Shen Yuan raised his hand up and slowly approached the human cultivator. “I mean no harm! Uh… as for what you are accusing me of, I was told by Binghe and Master Shang that I resemble that man but I am by no means related to him! This is just how my humanoid face looks like I swear! It’s just a coincidence! I’ve never even met the man!” Shen Yuan tried to explain. God WHY did he have to look so much like Binghe’s shizun? He’s starting to think this Shen Qingqiu is his dad or something! Is the immortal peak lord a slime in secret????

“You expect me to believe you?” The human narrowed his eyes. Shen Yuan wasn’t really offended, he really cannot deny the resemblance of him and Shen Qingqiu. Also, the fact that he’s a demon also added to the suspicion. Shen Yuan can simply be mistaken for a vile beast who ATE Shen Qingqui and was just wearing his skin right now…. which he CAN actually do but would never try! He’s a friendly level zero slime, not a skinner!

“Liu Shishu! Would you believe this lowly disciple? Master Shen has done nothing thus far to cause you harm, he even saved you from falling to your death!” Binghe suddenly stepped out of a clearing, his crimson red eyes and mark glowing threateningly. “You fell from the human realm just as I did, no one has attacked you, we even tended to your wounds…. you passed by the town, did you not? has any demon attacked you? Is this not proof…. that we mean no harm? Do you…discriminate demons this much?” The boy seemed hurt. Ah, this must deal a harder blow to his precious protagonist who was half human and half demon. Shen Yuan felt bad for Binghe, it must be hard to see how his old comrades, mentors, and friends possibly turn on him just because he is revealed to be a demon. Shen Yuan knew that especially in these Xianxia worlds… that demons are natural mortal enemies of humans and the cultivation world. This Peak Lord probably had the same biases as any other human cultivator. Uncle Airplane doesn’t count, his husband is a demon AND he’s the almighty creator of this world. He isn’t considered human.

“His name is Shen?” Liu Qingge kept his glare at Shen Yuan who stiffened and squeaked nervously. Shit, he forgot he also shared the same name as Binghe’s Shizun. Are the gods playing tricks on him?! It’s so weird!!! Why are they so alike in a lot of ways aside from race!? Excuse me, but he did not steal the Shen in his name! He was Shen Yuan BEFORE he came to this world!

“A-Ah, I know it’s not helping my case, but my name is Shen Yuan. A friendly slime demon, just your average kind. I swear, I only rescued you and don’t have other motives against you! We just wanted to help, that’s it!” Shen Yuan then transformed into his slime form which caused Liu Qingge to visibly look shocked.

There was a moment of silence before the immortal cultivator seemed to relax. He walked over to the slime, still not saying a word. His glare was so intense it made Shen Yuan incredibly nervous. Human Cultivators are scarryyyy. Just when he thought the man was about to attack him, Liu Qingge knelt down on one knee and bowed his head.

“Thankyou. Demon Shen Yuan. For saving this lord’s life. I will remember this and will repay you in kind. For as long as I breathe, no harm shall befall unto you, slime creature, especially in the realm of cultivators and immortals.” The man proclaimed in a solemn and determined tone, as if he was reciting a formal oath of allegiance.

Eh?

“I just meant to help, but okay. Sure, thankyou…?”

[Notice. Followed ‘Liu Qingge the war god.’ acquired. Connection established.]

EHHHH?!

This was a mentally exhausting day but at least it had a happy ending? They managed to bring back Liu Qingge to the town. He was surprisingly cooperative now that any form of misunderstanding has been cleared. On the way back to town, Shen Yuan noticed Binghe giving his Shishu glares and pouts. His lovely protagonist was even holding his slime form tighter into his glorious tiddies. Well, Shen Yuan absolutely does not mind but he is worried for his friend’s weird behavior. He wondered if Binghe still thinks his Shishu still discriminates demons? It doesn’t seem so. The guy seemed unaffected even as he was told they’ll be returning to the demon town. Of course, none of his people will attack Liu Qingge, it was one of the cardinal rules to never harm humans. The demons themselves thought nothing of it when Shen Yuan brought back a human into town, they knew their master loved humans. Uncle airplane seemed to get along swimmingly with them already anyways. Binghe had nothing to worry about.

“Oh you’re all back. And with Liu shidi.” Uncle airplane greeted them all once they’ve reached the town square. Liu Qingge narrowed his eyes at the small squeaky author.

“I understand why Luo Binghe is here, but why are YOU here, Shang Shixion?” Liu Qingge questioned. Mobei Jun, who was behind uncle airplane glared back for Shang Qinghua.

“A-ah, it’s uhm- a…”

“Master Shang is a good friend of mine and a valued mentor.” Shen Yuan chimed in.

Liu Qingge paused, looked at uncle airplane then back at Shen Yuan. He relaxed his stance and folded his arms over his chest. “Alright.” He conceded, which made Shang Qinghua sigh in relieve. Shen Yuan tilted his head to the side in confusion. Did he accidentally cause a misunderstanding? He only told the truth, he considered uncle airplane as his mentor and friend.

“Ah, Master Shen and his guests are here. We can now begin the welcoming banquet!” Muyang approached them, he was dressed up more formally with extra layers this time.

“A banquet? all because we’ve returned from seclusion? You guys didn’t have to…” Shen Yuan chuckled.

“We insist! We’ve been preparing for the great benevolent Shen Yuan and Master Binghe’s return!” the greater demon exclaimed, flexing his muscles proudly as he did.

Shang Qinghua perked up. “Oh right! we were helping with the preparations too, little bro. It was supposed to be a surprise but I guess there’s no hiding it now!”

“Hmph, the northern kingdom’s cuisine will outshine all others. Master Shen will be most pleased.” Mobei Jun huffed and turned his nose up proudly.

“We’ll see about that Mobei Jun, us abyss monsters won’t lose!” Muyang grinned.

Compared to the stuffy banquets at the northern kingdom, his town’s banquet was more like an informal party amongst friends than anything. Shen Yuan enjoyed himself thoroughly. Plenty of dishes were prepared, there were questionable dishes that only demons can consume, but there were also dishes friendly for humans. Even though Shen Yuan was a demon now, he still preferred human-friendly dishes. He ate for the taste, after all. He also would have loved a drink or two now that he got a taste of delicious rice wine, but Binghe quickly banned him from it. No matter how much he asked, Binghe refused. Who knew his protagonist would ever say no to him? Even the system chimed in and banned him from consuming alcohol! Unfair! He’s old enough right?! Shen Yuan didn’t push it though, he did not want to upset Binghe. So he settled for watching Muyang and the others get hammered. It was funny. Even Alpha was going batshit crazy. Every level of drunkness he entered, a layer of his elaborate nine-tailed fox robes were discarded….much to his own subordinates’ embarrassment. Muyang himself didn’t give a shit, he was already yelling and jumping on tables, declaring himself the victor of their drinking showdown.

Shang Qinghua joined in with the drinking too but uncle airplane was surprisingly light weight. After three or four sips he was out like a lamp! Mobei Jun soon dragged a drunken uncle airplane back to Shen Yuan’s estate and retired for the night. And by drag, the ice demon literally dragged the poor human by the collar. The poor author was spouting out weird gibber that only Shen Yuan could vaguely understand.

“A-Yuan c’mon….sing the pokemon themesong with me…. oh right, yer a dragon… how about sumthin from dragonball… ” Shen Yuan could only hold back a giggle as he watched the unbothered Mobei Jun continue to drag his drunk-singing husband out of the room.

Liu Qingge had joined the feast as well. He did not drink and simply ate in a corner beside Binghe who also just sat near Shen Yuan, watching him like a hawk. Towards the end of the celebration, the two seemed to vanish. Shen Yuan wondered where they went? Maybe the two of them wanted to catch up to each other? Binghe has been in the demon realm for almost four years now, Shen Yuan would let them hang out privately before bothering him.

Binghe’s POV

Binghe, even if he absolutely did not want to leave his A-Yuan alone, especially with that vile beast Alpha drunk and running around almost naked…. Liu Shishu had requested they speak in private. It seemed important so he accepted and followed his martial uncle to a more secluded area just outside the town hall.

“Young master Shen told me he would help bring me back to the human realm. I plan to leave for the human realm in a week or so after my full recovery. Pack your things, you will come with me. “ The man spoke as if it was a fact, not a question nor an offer. Binghe furrowed his brows, not out of hatred, but defiance and reluctance.

“This disciple will not be returning to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect.” Binghe spoke firm and sure, even though he cannot meet gazes with his martial uncle.

“Why not?” Came a genuine question from Liu Qingge. 

“Wh-what do you mean?” Binghe was taken aback, not sure how to answer that question. Wasn’t it obvious already? Binghe awkwardly gaped at Liu Qingge like the man had suddenly grown two heads.

“Why are you not returning? You are still a disciple of Qing Jing Peak are you not? You even still call yourself a disciple.” Liu Qingge stated simply, raising a delicate brow.

“A-are you blind?!” Binghe yelled but stopped himself when he realized he was still talking to his betters so he bowed his head apologetically. ”….F-forgive this one, Liu Shishu, but as you can see, this disciple is a demon. A heavenly demon. Even if Shishu is unaffected by my lineage, the rest of the sect will not agree with letting a demon enter Cang Qiong Mountain.” Binghe pointed at himself and to emphasize his point, his eyes and forehead mark visible and glowing despite the dark red lighting of the place. Surely his martial uncle will finally understand his reluctance to ever go back to the human cultivation world.

“So? You have always been a disciple of the sect and have not caused trouble for your Shixions and Shizun as a demon. Why would they not agree with your return?” Came the man’s simple reply. “Unless you plan to do or have done things that would bring shame to your sect, I personally do not see any problems about bringing you back.”

“H-huh? but Liu Shishu…“

Liu Qingge eyed the younger man for a moment before he spoke. “My younger sister has been grieving you for years, her and that little gang of yours. Even that fool Shen Qinqiu even-“

“My shizun is the last person who would miss this disciple! He himself was the one who pushed me down into the abyss, Liu Shishu.” Binghe sharply cut in, his words firm and laced with hate and venom. Liu Qingge seemed unaffected by this, he pressed on since the conversation was heading there eventually. Aiya, this depressing master-pupil duo.

“If that man truly hated you, why would he keep your sword and hold a funeral for you?” he pointed out, raising a brow.

“Wha- probably to pretend my death was incidental! to save face!” Binghe said stubbornly to which Liu Qingge merely scoffed, amused at the sudden childishness to mix with the already stubbornness of Luo Binghe. He folded his arms over his chest and continued to eye the defiant disciple.

“Say what you believe. He visits your grave even after years had passed since the immortal alliance conference.” Liu Qingge informed. “You were like a son to that pompous idiot.”

“What kind of father would-“

“What are you guys talking about?” Shen Yuan walked over to them, he was in his humanoid form but as soon as he approached Binghe, he transformed into his slime form and jumped into the protagonist’s arms. Binghe was happy to hold the slime close to him. He needed a bit of comfort while dealing with this distressing conversation with his Shishu.

“Young master Shen, I will be bringing Luo Binghe with me to the human realm. To Cang Qiong Mountain. He has been gone from his sect far too long, it is my duty as his martial uncle to bring him back.” Liu Qingge informed as if it were that simple. Binghe looked to Shen Yuan with a hopeful look. Surely, his A-Yuan can talk some sense into Liu Qingge. He belongs here now, in the endless abyss, the forest of Zuzhou… in this town, by Shen Yuan’s side. Shen Yuan said so himself.

“I don’t wish to go back there anymore, I have nothing to go back to in that world. Please convince Liu Shishu that my place now is here with A-Yuan, serving him to the best of my abilities” Binghe, teary eyed, looked down at A-Yuan.

“Oh I insist you go Binghe, I think it would be good for your growth. Especially the spiritual part of your cultivation. You’ve developed your demonic cultivation enough. Returning to your human cultivation roots would help you power up tremendously.” Shen Yuan explained which only took Binghe aback. He wasn’t expecting his precious Shen Yuan to agree with Liu Qingge. Surely, his return would cause problems right? He is a heavenly demon. Feared by both demons and mortals… especially cultivators. They will have his head on a spike.

“Are you casting me aside too, A-Yuan?” Binghe said with a hint of hurt in his cracking voice.  “I only wish to follow you now. And wherever you go, I WILL go. I won’t go if you’re not there.” Binghe said firmly, his brows furrowed and he tightened his embrace over the slime. Binghe had danced around the thought of exacting vengeance against his scornful Shizun but all feelings of revenge were melted away by his A-Yuan. His precious master who loved humans and ordered all his subordinates to never harm them. He wanted to live by that philosophy and be a man worthy to have Shen Yuan’s everything someday.

“Aish, sticky Binghe! I only meant just to visit because I also want to come with you! I’ve never been to the human realm so I would like you to accompany me there with Master Liu.“ Shen Yuan explained. “Perhaps Master Liu would be persuaded to take us to his peak instead of Master Shen Qingqiu’s Peak?” he added, eyeing their peak lord companion.

“Mn, I don’t see why not.” Liu Qingge nodded. “However, I won’t take Luo Binghe as a disciple. I do not wish to get in between that pompous idiot of a peak lord and his disciple. You resolve your issues yourselves. Do not involve me in that.” Liu Qingge huffed and turned his nose up in the air.

Binghe could only gawk at the two. Has everyone gone insane? Did they not see how weird and wrong this situation was? Having not one but TWO demons escorted into a human cultivation sect by one of their own peak lord… it was weird, and he bet the other Peak Lords and disciples will think Binghe and Shen Yuan braindwashed Liu Qingge. Madness! Not logical!

“Then it’s settled. We’ll go to the human realm once Master Liu has recovered!” Shen Yuan chirped and bounced happily in Binghe’s arms.   

Chapter Text

Over the week, Liu Qingge had surprisingly successfully integrated himself into demon village. Though Shen Yuan would insist the stubborn peak lord to stay in his room and recover, the man would join the other demons on patrol or to hunt. “This lord is not the type to sit idly by, especially when there are interesting beasts to slay.” Well, the guy had a point there. Shen Yuan had encountered interesting creatures in the endless abyss, he would have loved to come with Uncle Liu and his patrol team but he was stuck dealing with a few things in town. Shen Yuan at least got to see the monsters Uncle Liu has slain because the man would bring back the corpses of these beasts. If the beast were docile and small enough, he’d bring them over to Shen Yuan alive.

“I think these are edible. Have Binghe cook them for you.”

He would say then leave immediately after to go hunt again. They would bond at times whenever Shen Yuan would ask for extra details about these beasts to fill his little bestiary via the system. At times, they would communicate via the divination system aka their facebook group chat. But Liu Qingge would spend time with him in Shen Yuan’s courtyard over a cup of tea to discuss about abyss monsters. Binghe was of course always by Shen Yuan’s side or holding his slime form like a stuffed animal toy. He never lets Shen Yuan be alone with his martial uncle for some reason.

Speaking of the hunky protagonist. Binghe had settled into the role of his right hand man. It made Shen Yuan feel bad making the protagonist fill that role. This would hopefully only be temporary…at least until Binghe will sit down as the Supreme Emperor of this world. A lot of administrative work was dumped onto Shen Yuan by uncle airplane - who also settled into the role of being his personal secretary. It made Shen Yuan a bit nervous to have both protagonist and this world’s creator as his personal secretaries… But they were great help. Binghe would be by his side, taking notes of his appointments and administrative affairs as well as his meals [the guy still insist on personally cooking his meals and feeding him] and uncle airplane would present him with paperwork and information about the northern realm as well as this Zuzhou forest’s concerns that needed his attention. Big decisions regarding everything was also on him…it was exhausting.

They held a meeting too, this was to formally establish his official little ‘government’. It was of course headed by Shen Yuan as the its Emperor…even though Shen Yuan was absolutely against being called ‘The supreme emperor’ or Junshang, the rest of his subordinates did not take no for an answer. Even if Shen Yuan begged and pouted. And Binghe was the leading petitioner for this. HE’s the supreme emperor, not Shen Yuan!

He appointed Binghe and Uncle Airplane as his imperial secretaries. Mobei Jun, Muyang, and Alpha have become his ministers. Mobei Jun oversees all the ministers as their Prime minister. They established this small group for now to help make things more organized. Shen Yuan spent the remaining of their seven-day wait guiding his new Government cabinet.

It wasn’t just administrative duties, Shen Yuan also held meetings with the other lesser demon tribes that would visit their town. With news of a powerful new being rising to the ranks, conquering territories, and declaring himself ‘the emperor’ [again, this was against Shen Yuan’s will], lesser demon tribes would flock to Shen Yuan. They would present themselves to him and beg for his protection, to be let into their town. Shen Yuan was worried about this since they barely had space at the moment, but he had no choice but to take them in. He was informed by the system that if he did not take the poor lesser demons, the bigger abyss boss monsters will have them all killed. A lot of these boss monsters had wanted to seize control over Xin Mo’s territory for a long time, now that Xin Mo’s presence was gone, everyone of these powerful beasts have been on the move, killing lesser demon tribes along the way. Shen Yuan, still feeling guilty for taking away Xin Mo’s protection from these lesser demon tribes, knew he cannot just ignore this.

Unfortunately, with taking in these lesser demon tribes as his own, this meant taking them all as his followers. While Shen Yuan’s qi threshold a hundred times larger after his 3 year training with Binghe, his problem lies with the newly evolved and ascended demon tribes that were much larger and harder to house. At least, they added to the workforce which meant they could help with developing the forest to make the space livable.

Shen Yuan felt exhausted by the end of the week, but he was satisfied. With the ground work laid out, he felt somewhat confident his team and territories would thrive moving forward. He would need to pop in routinely even while he has his little adventure and vacation over at the human realm, but for the most part he can leave his team alone and do their thing. He felt satisfied and happy for everyone under his rule.

There was one issue that still needed his attention which was the rebels at the north, however, Mobei Jun has yet to report to him regarding that scheduled appointment. Shen Yuan would have to put that aside for now in a later meeting. He’ll just have Mobei Jun monitor the situation for now. He can always teleport back and forth between the human and demon realm as needed. For now, he’d like to have that field trip with Uncle Liu and Binghe to the human realm.

The trip from the endless abyss to the human realm was fairly quick thanks to Shen Yuan and his ability to tear into dimensions. They arrived just at the foot of Tiang Gong Mountain. Binghe kept himself close to Shen Yuan on high alert. Both of them appeared as human as they can and concealed their demonic qi. With Shen Yuan completely hiding any demonic or draconic features, he looked so much like the teenage version of the famed ‘Shizun’ he keeps hearing about. He hoped this wouldn’t cause a problem during their stay here. No, Shen Yuan hoped he would not have to bump into Binghe’s Shizun at all during their stay here. That was the plan, after all. This was the only way they could convince Binghe to come back here. Shen Yuan pleaded for his gallant protagonist to come with him to the human realm, Binghe only accepted with the condition that they never go near Qing Jing Peak. He does not want to see his Shizun at all, not even his shadow.

As soon as they arrived at Bai Zhan Peak, they were quickly crowded by disciples. Their fellow teens gaped at the trio. Before anyone could even dare utter a word, Uncle Liu spoke out, assuming his more authoritative role.

“What are you lot gawking at? Where is my head disciple? Have him report to me at once, I will be in my quarters with my guests. Don’t bother us.” Liu huffed but then added, pointing menacingly at the crowd with a stern and cold look. “ And don’t even dare utter a word of this Peak Lord’s return to the rest of the sect. I do not with to be disturbed. Dismissed.” As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd dissolved and scurried about hurriedly. Yeesh, what a scary guy.

Uncle Liu lead them to the residential area of his peak. On the way there, Shen Yuan got a pretty good look of Bai Zhan Peak. The color palate of this peak was a mix of blues and dark hues of other blues. Even the trees seemed to match the cool-toned theme of Uncle Liu’s peak of war and power. Along the way, they would spot several disciples clad in dark blue, they were sparring amongst themselves or hitting dummies. It was amazing how everyone was focused on battle prowess. The atmosphere was like that of a solemn battlefield where practice swords, arrows, and other weapons littered the area alongside other training equipment. Even the supposed residential area had the feel of a war camp. This place lived up to its name of a hundred battles. Perhaps thousands of battles were fought in this peak and its battle-hardened people. The Bai Zhan Peak disciples and their peak lord reminded Shen Yuan of the Einerjar from norse mythology. Powerful warriors who died in battle and now live in valhala where they continue to train and train and train until the supposed ‘end of the world’. Though there was no ‘ragnarok’ or ‘end of the world’ these cultivators are preparing for. Only for ascension to godhood.

They arrived at uncle Liu’s home. As expected of an introverted man like Liu Qingge, his home was secluded from the rest of the living quarters of his peak. It was as peaceful as the bamboo hut Shen Yuan saw in Binghe’s dreamscape. All peaklords seem to love living in seclusion. Along the way, Shen Yuan could not help but breath in the fresh air and take in the vibrant colorful sights. The human world is vastly different from the demon realm. Whereas the demon realm’s color palate was dark, crimson, and rough, the human world was a harmony of greens and blues. It is as if he just came out from a hole on the ground and was seeing the true face of this fantasy world for the first time. Well, technically, that was all true.

Shen Yuan poked and played with the clear waters of the small koi pond while Binghe just stood beside him, amused to see his friend and master acting so childish. Shen Yuan didn’t care, he wished he could stay here and run around. He wouldn’t mind retiring and spending the rest of his quiet peaceful days in this picturesque place even if the place looked like a warzone. Buuut he knew he couldn’t, not when he’s got a town to help run back in the abyss. Not when he just accidentally took over the Northern demon kingdom…..and certainly not after he has to figure out how he can be of use to the protagonist should Binghe need to save the world using the sword he frikkin ate.

Ahh, a peaceful life is far far away from Shen Yuan’s reach.

“Thankyou for safely returning this one back to his peak, Young Master Shen. What do you plan to do moving forward? The brat you have with you would not return to his Shizun. My peak is open for Young master Shen….Though I must inform you that having Luo Binghe here for long and the other nosy Peak Lords of this sect will come sniffing about.” He heard Liu Qingge speak as the man approached them. Binghe had also visibly tensed up at his martial uncle’s words.

Liu Quingge returned by Shen Yuan’s side. He had been busy discussing peak lord matters with a young disciple named Yang Yixuan. The kid was introduced as Liu Qingge’s only formal disciple and therefore the current head disciple of Bai Zhan Peak. Shen Yuan had asked why he only acknowledged one disciple out of the many that greeted them by the entrance. He simply said ‘it’s too troublesome’ and nothing more. What a madlad.

“Hmmm… actually I-“

“So it was true, you’ve returned Liu Shidi.” Came a man’s voice. Shen Yuan turned to the direction of the newcomer and saw a man walk in from the gate.

“Ugh, I knew it. Nosy Peak lords…” Uncle Liu pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Brother! Luo Shixiong!” A young girl came running in from behind the man. She wore purple robes and a veil that covered half her face. She was a pretty young one, even from just seeing her teary eyes, Shen Yuan could tell this girl was a beauty. Woah wait! Is this girl one of Binghe’s main wives?! She had that ‘main waifu’ energy about her! Shen Yuan could not help but stare in silence and watch the scene unfold before him. The girl went up to both Liu Qingge and Binghe then grabbed them into into a tight trio hug.

“Zangmen Shixiong… M-Mingyan?!” Liu Quingge exclaimed as he was choked by his sister’s eager hug. “What part of ‘Don’t utter a word of my return because I do not want to be disturbed’ did those idiots not understand?!” He protested which only earned a twack on the back of his head from his pouting sister. Well, Shen Yuan imagined she was pouting from the look she was giving.

“After receiving a frantic report from Shen Shidi of your qi deviation and disappearance at the Ling Xi caves a week ago, we thought you had perished. We’ve sent several men to search the entirety of Ling Xi caves, no one could find you….” The peak leader lowered his head, ashamed of their failure to retrieve their martial brother. Shen Yuan couldn’t blame them, Liu Qingge literally fell into another realm. No one could possibly find him nor can they follow him into the endless abyss.

“There have been reports of strange cracks and portals leading to the fabled endless abyss appearing in random places at random times. We’ve assumed you fell through one of them… much like Disciple Luo Binghe four years ago. Survival in such a place was nearly impossible.”

Oh? The endless abyss wasn’t that bad. Shen Yuan thought. It was ‘home’ for him and it wasn’t as dangerous as the humans make it out to be. Sure, everything and anything can kill you if you’re carelessly sampling all the weird plants [majority of which are sex plants, by the way] and running into all sorts of monsters in there headfirst. It’s the same as any other unknown territory right? 

“I thought you had died, Gege! and especially you…Luo Shixiong.” She turned to Binghe, giving the him a look of longing and sadness. Oh god, she even looks like a widowed wife! “You disappeared five years ago at the… at the immortal alliance conference. Ning Shijie and Ming Shixiong…. Even Shen Shibo….everyone… everyone mourned for you, we thought we lost you forever!” The poor young lass could not control herself as she quietly shed a tear.

Binghe’s POV

Binghe seemed rooted to the spot, finding it difficult to process what was happening to him. He had thought his treacherous shizun had already revealed his true lineage to the rest of the sect, especially to his friends. However, it would seem as though none of them knew what he was…yet. He was glad but… there’s still the issue of his old friends turning against him the moment they find out his true lineage.

Still, Binghe could not help but feel his eyes water. Seeing Liu Mingyan, one of his best friends, after all these years… he felt longing and relief. It was good to see her again… it felt good to be here and to see the life he once had. Why did his Shizun have to take this all away from him?

“Shimei…I missed you too, how is everyone?” he asked, unable to control himself. He wanted to know he NEEDED to know how everyone at Qing Jing Peak was doing. He missed his friends there, his shidi’s and shimei’s….

“It is better if you ask them yourself. Ming Shixiong and Ning Shijie both recently returned to Qing Jing peak from a mission and-“

“No, I will not be returning there.” He cut in abruptly.

“But Luo Shixiong-“

“Don’t pester your Shixiong, Mingyan. Luo Binghe will be staying here at my peak for the time being.” Liu Shishu interjected.

“Oh? Is disciple Binghe not returning to his Master? Your Shizun would be most glad to hear of your return. Your disappearance has greatly affected him, it would put this Zhangmen Zixiong at ease if you could at least report your return to Peak Lord Shen Qingqiu.” Sect leader was the one who spoke up this time. Binghe furrowed his brows and shook his head stubbornly. He remained quiet, unsure of what to say. Luckily, it was A-Yuan who spoke up.

“Ahh this is too much tenseness! Bad for the air! How about we all sit down and discuss this over a cup of tea, yes? We will explain the situation properly!” A-Yuan blurted out, looking to be in a panic as the adorable teen was already fanning himself in distress.

Everyone’s eyes finally went to the mini Shen Qingqiu. As soon as they took his A-Yuan’s Shizun-like looks, everyone fell silent, especially sect leader Yue Qingyuan.

“Shen Sh-shidi….?”

They all sat down in the main hall of Liu Qingge’s home. The head disciple prepared tea and snacks for them all. Shen Yuan had no time to partake in the lovely sweets offered as he helped Liu Qingge explain the events that occurred within the abyss - with some minor teensie tiny bit of revisions. They had to fabricate a few things here and there to cover up the fact that Luo Binghe and Shen Yuan are both demons. Yue Qingyuan listened intently the entire time. Shen Yuan recently learned he was the sect leader. He could not help but feel star struck. To be able to interact with such a powerful man within this xianxia world… wow. He was quite handsome too and charming, Shen Yuan also noticed how the man was looking at him. He looked at him with both distant fondness and hurt… why? Did he do something? Hopefully this powerful cultivator has not seen through his disguise!

“You’ve both survived the endless abyss… that is already a feat on its own. To think disciple Binghe has been fending for himself all these years, fighting for a way to return to the human realm… this Lord could not believe it….” Yue Qingyuan looked to both Liu Qingge and Binghe, still looking shocked. Then the man turned to Shen Yuan again. “And of Young master Shen’s good dead of taking care of the recently returned Liu Shidi and Disciple Binghe…. please allow us to repay you handsomely for your service.” He bowed his head with respect to the younger one. This caused Shen Yuan to panic.

“U-uhm Sec leader need not give this lowly one too much credit!” Shen Yuan bowed his head as well. “When I found these two passed out by the river, it simply did not feel right to leave them as is. Honorable cultivators like them have dedicated their lives for the protection of us normal mortals…. taking them into my estate and patching them up to recovery was the least this lowly merchant can do…..ehehe….” Shen Yuan continued his bow, trying not to make eye contact with the esteemed Sect Leader as he spoke.

“Not at all Young Master Shen, you’ve done this sect good for returning our martial family members back. Please, I insist. Perhaps there is something you would like? Anything within my power is yours, young master.”

Anything? Shen Yuan paused to think. Hmm, he could request Binghe be transferred over to Bai Zhan peak as Liu Qingge’s disciple? with Liu Qingge’s consent of course… that way, he won’t have to go back to his Shizun during their stay here. Can that even be possible though? Like transferring schools in the middle of the year…?  Shen Yuan wanted to remain here as well, maybe learn a thing or two, can he ‘enroll’ too? He wasn’t sure how recruitment processes for these cool cultivation peaks worked. He was an isekai light novel fan, he had read a bit of xianxia novels but not enough to understand much of the cultivation world.

Shen Yuan was about to speak when he heard a somewhat familiar voice from behind him. His back was facing the entrance to the room so he could not immediately physically identify the newcomer that barged in their meeting. But from hearing the stranger’s voice, he had an idea who it was…

“So this is where you’ve all been.”

It’s as if time had stopped. Shen Qingqiu, Binghe’s shizun, stood before them. Now that Shen Yuan can physically see the real thing, he felt like he couldn’t breathe [well he didn’t need to as a slime, but he’s trying to make a metaphor!]. The man was a peerless beauty. The tall imposing figure had been focused on the protagonist this whole time but moments later, Shen Yuan and Shen Qingqui’s nearly identical eyes met. Those vibrant green eyes, so cold and so intense, landed on him. He felt as though he was petrified and turned to stone by that intense gaze. In turn, the elder seemed just as taken aback. However, the proud immortal master was the first to recover. The powerful immortal refocused his attention towards the protagonist and his martial uncle.

Shen Qingqiu glowered at Liu Qingge. “It’s good to see you hale and healthy, Shidi. This one has been struck with worry over the circumstances of our last encounter.” He spoke in a calm tone, fan ready to conceal the visage of ethereal beauty that belonged to Shen Qingqui.

Liu Qingge’s frown deepened but he grunted a “Mn.” and simply folded his arms over his chest. “What business do you have in this Shidi’s Bai Zhan Peak, Shen Shixiong?” He asked, his expression firm yet not unwelcoming.

Shen Qingqiu raised a delicate brow. Everything about this man screamed proper and regal elegance. The way he moves, dressed, and spoke was beautiful and graceful. THIS is the man Binghe often mistakes him with? Shen Yuan cannot begin to compare to this immortal peak lord! In fact, he felt so out of place in a room surrounded by powerful and handsome immortal cultivators AND this world’s protagonist. He was just your friendly level 0 slime! A sack of potatoes!! A commoner! Unworthy!

Yue Qingyuan did not seem affected with Shen Qingqui’s sudden appearance either. “Shen Shidi, this Shixiong is glad you could make it. Your disciple has returned to us along with our Shidi Liu Qingge. Today is a joyous day indeed!” The man exclaimed, not aware of how suddenly tense the room has gotten.

Right. Shen Qingui knew Binghe was a demon, a heavenly demon. After seeing the memory from Meng Mo’s dreamscape and Binghe confirming it himself, Shen Qingqiu was the one who witnessed Binghe’s heavenly demon blood awaken. It was also this man who pushed him down into the endless abyss. He had been there when Liu Qingge fell down the abyss via a strange portal too. He knew that the only way for Binghe and Liu Qingge could have survived was if they colluded with demons or are demons themselves. This man could easily rat them out. Shen Yuan could also be revealed to be a demon and the entire Cang Qiong Mountain sect would execute them on the spot.

Shit, why did this man have to show up? Shen Yuan only meant to stay for a short while and secluded in Bai Zhan Peak where it was safe! They were friends with its Peak lord so it should have been fine! He wanted them to stay away from Binghe’s Shizun’s peak as much as possible.

Shen Yuan was about to come up with an excuse when the identical peak lord finally spoke.

“This master is simply here to escort his disciple back to Qing Jing Peak. Back to his home.” the man simply said.

Both Shen Yuan and Binghe’s mouth gaped.

What?

Bonus Gallery:

I was bored at work so I randomly sketched Shen Yuan again :3 Tried to make him look a bit older now that 4 years have passed.

Chapter Text

This is so awkward. So very fucking awkward. Shen Yuan wanted to teleport back to the endless abyss and never return to the human world. How did he get himself in this situation? -Oh right. Because HE wanted to go on a field trip to the human world. He felt so stupid right now… why did he have to selfishly fulfill his curiosity? Binghe did not even want to go back to his cultivation sect yet here they are.....walking back to Qing Jing Peak with Binghe’s Shizun, his not-dad, Shen Qingqiu. Was it because Shen Qingqiu was their sect’s strategist? The guy SOMEHOW managed to get his way! This dangerously cunning man and his dangerously cunning words! The little impromptu meeting they had at Uncle Liu’s house was dismissed as the Sect Leader Yue Qingyuan allowed Shen Qingqiu to escort Binghe back to Qing Jing Peak. Shen Yuan was also allowed entrance only because Binghe insisted he won’t go anywhere without Shen Yuan by his side. Unfortunately, they had to leave Uncle Liu with the sect leader and his little sister. As they were leaving, the Sect Leader was instructing the poor Bai Zhan Peak lord to make a full report of what occurred during his time at the endless abyss. Uncle Liu seemed greatly annoyed that he was left to deal with all the paperwork.

‘Sorry Uncle Liu. We’ll catch up with you later…’ Shen Yuan sent the Bai Zhan peak lord a message via the divinity system as they left Bai Zhan Peak. It still boggles Shen Yuan’s mind that, for some reason, it really was true that the immortal cultivator has become one of his followers. What the fuck. Uncle Liu did not seem affected nor did Shen Yuan notice any physical changes though…. Surely some kind of change must have happened if a human made a soul contract with a demon? He’ll have to ask Uncle Liu later if he ‘evolved’ of received ‘gifts’. He did see ‘War God’ as one of the skills or attributes he received after accepting Uncle Liu’s soul contract. Huh. What was that about?

Since the silence was absolutely awkward and deafening, Shen Yuan settled on looking around his surroundings. His vibrant green eyes landed on everything and anything side from the backs of the Master-Disciple duo; Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe. Compared to the eternal and solemn battlefield that is Bai Zhan Peak, Qing Jing Peak was a peaceful paradise of scholars of regal status. It is as if noblemen and people of riches ascend to this peak to achieve immortality. The disciples they passed by seemed to have an air of a well-learned scholar. Many practiced calligraphy, carried musical instruments of their choosing, and painted elaborate masterpieces with vibrant colors and emotion. It was a school of arts and class. Some were strategist as they sat down under the shade of trees, burying their faces in piles of tomes or playing a game of weiqi. Everyone was pretty, smart, and rich. No wonder Luo Binghe ended up here, only the best for this world’s protagonist. Shen Yuan felt even more out of place in here…

“That look on your face. You want to say something to this master. Go on.”

Shen Qingqiu suddenly spoke. They had finally reached the bamboo hut Shen Yuan was most familiar with. It really was the same as the dreamscape…. peaceful and so green. The hut was located near a large lake unlike Liu Qingge’s little koi pond. If Binghe can vividly remember the place and recreate it in his dreamscape, then perhaps his Shizun’s home was a special place for him. A place filled with a lot of sentimental value.

“Shizun, why did you not reveal my true identity to Zhangmen Zixiong when you had the chance? You know of my origins, you know this one is a heavenly demon. You even pushed…” Binghe was tense the entire time, but Shen Yuan could see the desperation and anger in the young man’s eyes. He was hurt and wanted an explanation and he was ready to confront his master. Shen Yuan had remained silent the entire time. He did not want to interrupt this important conversation.

“Push you to go down into the abyss? Yes this master did. That is where you needed to be.” Shen Qingqiu stopped walking but he did not turn to face Binghe. He simply remained calm and had his hand behind his back, giving him the appearance of an old wise man in a handsome youth’s body. A regal immortal master.

“So why are you taking me back now?!” Binghe yelled, the poor lad seemed out of breath, as if it took a lot of his energy and courage to show his emotions of hurt and anger towards his precious mentor, his father figure. “I needed to be there because I’m a demon right? I don’t deserve a place in this world just because I was born like this??? Never mind my loyalty to you and my sect! My loyalty to the humans!!?” Binghe demanded, his voice cracked especially at the last part. Shen Yuan could see the rims of Binghe’s eyes turn red. The poor guy was at the verge of tears.

“This Master has his reasons for placing you into that realm. Have you not already finished your business down there? Is that not why you’ve returned home?” Shen Qingqiu then turned to them both, vibrant green eyes intensely focused on Lou Binghe who just seemed so taken aback by his master’s nonchalance. It confused and freaked Shen Yuan out as well. If HE were in Shen Qingqiu’s shoes and he just reunited with the boy he pushed down into literal hell… and said boy is now a powerful heavenly demon? He’d be at least frightened….he’d even try to run away. Shen Yuan knew Binghe would never hurt his shizun nor him, but still… an angered and betrayed person is dangerous and Shen Qingqui acting unaffected by the pain he caused Binghe would only make it worst. It’s as if Shen Qingqiu convinced himself that he did not push Binghe off a cliff. As if they just had a horrible breakup and Binghe himself jumped down there. Ridiculous. 

“This place is NOT my home anymore and you are NOT my shizun anymore. My place is by Shen Yuan’s side. Forgive this lowly one, but I no longer wish to be your disciple.“

“Your wish is denied. However, this one is aware that…. the way we parted last was not a pleasant experience. This master has failed to protect disciple Luo Binghe and through this one’s weakness, had lost control….” Shen Qingqiu turned his back to the duo once again. “Whether disciple Luo Binghe chooses to forgive his master or not, you still deserve a place in Cang Qiong Peak, with your martial siblings and family.” The immortal tilted his head slightly, green eyes directed at Shen Yuan this time. “You may stay however long you like. I will have Ming Fan prepare a room for you both at the dormitory halls.”

“You….I don’t…this disciple fails to understand his master. Shizun he… said he would never associate with demons so why welcome them into his peak again? ” Binghe seemed to have calmed down a bit at least.

“Disciple Luo Binghe should not be putting words into his master’s mouth. I’ve…this master has done all that he can to prepare you, despite what happened towards the end. We both knew this, and you’ve made the decision yourself for the both of us… It would seem my disciple has become forgetful.” Those vibrant green eyes seem to falter for a split second, Shen Yuan noticed the slight hesitation and the tremble in Shen Qingqiu’s long dark lashes. He could tell this master was putting up a front.

“But….what you choose to do now after having gone through the trials of the endless abyss is your decision to make. This master has done his part, he only wishes his disciple to do good with the power he now possess.” Shen Qingqiu narrowed his eyes, it reminded shen Yuan of a cat.

“We’re done here. You two may go. This old man won’t keep you any longer.”

They walked side by side within the verdant green of the bamboo forest. Binghe had remained silent the entire time. Shen Yuan was normally used to their comfortable silence but this time, it was different. He could tell Binghe was confused and hurt and that conversation with his Shizun did not help at all… it even worsened things. Even Shen Yuan was scratching his head, so very confused. Nothing was adding up, nor did Shen Qingqiu’s words match Binghe’s memories from the dreamscape. Were those real? Binghe had confirmed they were real…yet this Shizun… he seems to be misremembering the events? Or that Shen Qingui, through madness and hardcore denial, had fabricated new memories that lessened the blow of his sins. He discriminated Binghe for being half-heavenly demon, called him demeaning names, and pushed him off the cliff…. right? What was he spouting about “dont put words in his mouth”? HE SPOKE THOSE WORDS HIMSELF!

“A-Yuan, why do you love humans?” Binghe suddenly asked.

They had stopped by on a spot beside the large lake. The bamboo hut could still be spotted from the other side yet not a trace of Shen Qingqiu can be seen, the immortal peak lord must have retreated further into his home. Shen Yuan looked up at Binghe for a moment, debating on how to answer his question. That Shen Qingqiu was hiding something, Shen Yuan could tell… and he knew Binghe could tell as well. Being told another lie wouldn’t do Binghe good.

“I used to be one.” Shen Yuan answered, he examined Binghe who’s eyes widened in shock. “I was reincarnated with my human life’s memories still with me.” Shen Yuan walked over to the edge of the lake and looked down on his reflection and pointed at it. “I used to look just like how I am now… but of course, human. Not even a cultivator nor anyone of importance, just a regular mortal with a regular life.” Binghe stood next to him, and the protagonist reached his hand up and placed it on the side of Shen Yuan’s cheek. The slime smiled and leaned on the touch. He continued to speak. “I was sickly though and I died at a young age. I never got to see the outside world beyond my bed, forever confined in cold dark rooms and I lead a boring unsatisfying life. I died with so much regrets.”

“A-Yuan...”

Shen Yuan looked up at Binghe and grinned, it's time to lighten the mood after telling his weird gloomy story. He honestly did not want to dwell too much on his own feelings of helplessness and depression back in his old life. He tried to suppress and ignore it right until his last breath. Still, he felt it was right to tell Binghe the truth. “Don’t worry, I had a clear memory of my family. Your shizun really isn’t related to me by blood. Not even my older brother looked like him. Shen Qingqiu just really resembled me physically but only a little bit…. which is weird, buuuut he’s more beautiful. I could not dare compare myself too much to him.” Shen Yuan pointed out, his cheeks turning pink for a bit. God, everyone around him is so beautiful, nicely dressed, and just PERFECT! He felt a little underdressed and stressed. 

“Nonsense, A-Yuan is more beautiful than Shizun.” Binghe huffed. “But…thankyou for your honesty, A-Yuan. It must be difficult to trust anyone with your secret. This Binghe will take your treasured secret to his grave.” Binghe took Shen Yuan’s hand in his and smiled. Shen Yuan smiled back and leaned closer and bumped their shoulders together playfully.

“You finally smiled. Good.” Shen Yuan tip toed and leaned up so he could place a hand on Binghe’s head, petting it gently. This in turn made Binghe perk up visibly, almost as if a dog’s tail would sprout from his behind and wag excitedly. How cute.

“So A-Yuan is like Binghe. We both have human roots.” Binghe chuckled, at least he seemed happier now and that gave Shen Yuan relief. “You’re not so unreachable now, A-Yuan… that puts this lowly one at ease.”

“Hmm? what do you mean ‘unreachable’ Binghe?”

Thud

Shen Yuan’s ears twitched when he heard a sound. Their little moment was quickly disrupted when he saw a young man carrying a pile of scrolls and tomes that he had dropped to the ground. This young man had a large muscular figure, not as big as Binghe but comparable. He was handsome and dashing man, as if his beauty came from his charisma than actual looks. He looked like a natural born leader of an army of some sort. Shen Yuan was reminded of a jock who was more into physical sport than scholarly endeavors. Was he a disciple at Binghe’s Shizun’s peak? Liu Qingge gave Shen Yuan a brief explanation of the twelve peaks that made up Cang Qiong Mountain sect. The peak Binghe belonged to was known as the scholarly and artistic peak and their Peak Lord was the Sect’s strategist. Liu Qingge’s was the one meant for fighting and war - perfect for the blood thirsty warfreak peaklord he came to know over the week. This young man in front of him looked like he belonged there. However, upon closer inspection, he had green robes. The colors of the scholarly Qing Jing Peak.

“Luo Shidi….” the young man gasped.

“Da-Shixiong….” Luo Binghe bit his lip, looking like a guilty criminal.

Chapter Text

“Luo Shidi….? You’re…. alive….so it’s true, Liu Shimei wasn’t lying…”

Binghe’s Da Shixiong gasped, he looked around frantically as if he was looking for someone. “Aiya, I need to tell Ning Shimei!” He turned to Binghe again and pointed at him, “You! Stay there! don’t you DARE move a muscle! You’re not allowed to disappear ever again!! You hear!? Ahhhhh- oh!” He panicked when his eyes landed on Shen Yuan, the jock-like dude raised his fist and bowed at him. “This lowly one begs forgiveness for not seeing his Shizun! This disciple greets Shizun! and….ahhh….I must go! Be right back!”  the young man, still confused and panicked, ran off as quickly as he could towards the exit of the bamboo forest.

“Wait, Da Shixiong-!” Binghe sighed when he failed to call up to his senior. Shen Yuan only scratched the back of his head. He got mistaken for Shen Qingqiu again… he hoped Binghe’s shizun won’t take offense. Surely his height and younger looking face would have distinguished them from each other… it must feel like an insult to be compared to Shen Yuan, some weird kid pretending to be a human merchant.

They did not have to wait that long when a young lady came running up to them. She was a youthful beauty with a round and cute face and hair tied in an elaborate ring of braids and green ribbons. Her green robes indicated that she was also from Binghe’s peak. Woah, Binghe’s second wife perhaps? She’s so cute! Shen Yuan could imagine all sorts of artists making dozens of fanart of her for sure! She looks like the kind of shimei everyone wants to protect BUT she looks like she could hold her own. What a fierce beauty! And running just behind the pretty braid lady was Liu Qingge’s little sister, Lui Mingyan.

“WHERE IS HE! BINGBING!!!! OUR LITTLE BINGING!”

The moment she closed the distance, she pounced on Binghe and hugged the larger man tightly. Binghe coughed at the sudden bear hug but he did not resist or tense up. Usually, he’d be all glares and hostile growls whenever a woman would go near him. It was different, he looked happy to see Liu Mingyan, the pretty braid lady, and the jock guy too. Shen Yuan couldn’t help but feel a tug at his heart. These people were Binghe’s friends… his family. It was a heartwarming thing to finally reunite the protagonist with them. Compared to the look of defeat and despair he saw in Binghe when they first met down at the abyss, he surely beamed with relief and joy to see his old friends now.

“We thought you were gone to us forever! This Ning Shijie is so happy to have our little Bingbing back! But what took you so long?!” Her innocent cute happy face quickly turned to anger akin to a mother’s wrath and she smacked Binghe on the shoulders. It doesn’t hurt of course but Binghe flinched at the motherly scolding.

“Four years!! You could have sent us a letter at least! This boy aiya!” The pretty braid lady, Ning Shijie, finally released Binghe from her deadly bear hug and took a step back. Her eyes were red from tears but she was smiling happily. She took in the more grown up appearance Binghe now had as if she was a mother scrutinizing her son during an awkward family reunion. “Hmmm you at least look better and healthier, no longer a tiny little thing.”

“He seems to have packed on quite a lot of muscles too. Luo Shixiong surely has become a powerful man.” Liu Mingyan giggled. “He returned with my brother and my brother said Luo Shixiong has become a strong and formidable cultivator, strengthened by the trials of the abyss.” When the girl mentioned ‘the abyss’ both the jock dude and braid lady’s eyes widened.

“To think you survived living in the endless abyss for four years… Luo Binghe… I am amazed and in awe, yet this Shixiong worries and is frustrated for you. If only I have watched you closely during the Immortal alliance conference.” The jock guy clenched his fist then lowered his head to bow at Binghe, his broad shoulder’s trembling. “I.. I tried to look for you even after, I searched outside and inside Huan Hua Palace territory, even as their disciples drove me away, I never stopped looking. It was only when Shizun informed us of where you truly ended up in that I was forced to stop.”

Binghe’s features softened and he placed a hand on jock guy’s trembling shoulders. “Da Shixiong, please do not worry. I am here now… this Shidi is doing okay and I had A-Yuan take care of me the whole time. I would not have survived if it weren’t for him.”

“A-Yuan?” The braid lady and jock stared at Binghe, looking confused. It was Mingyan who spoke up since she already met Shen Yuan earlier.

“My brother and Binghe was found by the kind Master Shen, a traveling human merchant.” She explained as she bowed politely to Shen Yuan. “It is a pleasure to meet you finally, Master Shen. This one’s name is Liu Mingyan. My brother spoke highly of you as his savior.”

“Ah… I am pleased to meet you as well. It’s no big deal, I simply could not leave both of them by the river to perish. I admire cultivators a lot, it’s the least this lowly one could do.” Shen Yuan bowed back in respect.

“WHA- I thought he was Shizun!” Jock guy blurted out, gawking at Shen Yuan now that he got a better look at the shorter smaller Shen Yuan. Height was the only difference between him and Binghe’s shizun. Except the eye make-up but knowing their Shizun’s who loved beautiful accessories, wearing rouge and makeup felt like something Shen Qingqiu would normally do. However, they weren’t aware that the markings on Shen Yuan’s eyes were birth marks and not at all makeup. He even has these red marks in his slime form.

“He looks like a mini Shizun! So cute!!!” Ning Shijie then approached Shen Yuan and bowed politely for a greeting. “So you’re Bingbing’s and Liu Shishu’s savior, it’s an honor to meet you. This one’s name is Ning Yingying! If there’s anything you need, do let this shijie know. Oh, and this is Ming Fan, the head disciple of this peak. He’s super reliable and strong so you can depend on him as well.” Ning Yingying then pointed to the jock guy whose name Shen Yuan now knew was Ming Fan. Ming Fan’s cheeks turned pink and he scratched the back of his head shyly. “We’re Bingbing’s friends and seniors. Thankyou for taking care of the big crybaby for us.” She said with a small giggle towards the end of her statement.

“N-Ning Shijie!!” Binghe whimpered as he locked under Ming Fan’s arm grip, his Shixiong then rubbed and messed with his hair like how an older brother would, it was very cute.

“Oh yeah, this guy’s gotten so much taller but still a big crybaby! It felt like it was only yesterday when you’d cling to our thighs with big fat tears after Shizun scolds you for spilling all the calligraphy ink. You even got it all over Shizun’s robes. hmm?” Ming Fan grinned, amused to watch Binghe’s face turn pale.

“D-Da Shixiong, don’t tell A-Yuan that story! Save this Shidi some face!!!” The poor guy panicked and flailed his arms around, causing the rest of the gang laugh and giggle. Shen Yuan couldn’t help but join in the laughter. “Not you too, A-Yuan! You traitor!”

Ming Fan continued to playfully bully the poor protagonist while Mingyan soothed him. Ning Yingying then turned to Shen Yuan, ignoring the funny scene unfold. “So, how long are you staying here at Qing Jing peak, A-Yuan?” she asked. Shen Yuan only rubbed his chin and shrugged. He did not really think about how long he was able to stay here before the demon realm needed his presence again. He wanted to experience life in Binghe’s Sect, it seemed interesting here and he wanted to learn spiritual cultivation.

“We mean to stay here for a while, Peak Lord Shen has graciously offered this lowly merchant a place to stay at his peak. Perhaps I will take him up on that offer.” He looked over to Binghe who was pouting at him. “I admire cultivators a lot and would love a chance to quietly observe your people even for a while. It will serve as a learning experience for this lowly mortal merchant.” Shen Yuan couldn’t help but feel excited. He didn’t lie about being a fan, he had always wanted to observe righteous immortal cultivators do their thing in their respective sects. He was an avid fan of ‘Grand Master of demonic cultivation’, and Qing Jing Peak reminded him of the esteemed Lan Clan in the cloud recesses. Compared to Bai Zhan Peak, this place was a haven for scholars and artists. Perfect for a nerd like Shen Yuan.

“That’s good! This Shijie hopes to see A-Yuan more!” Ning Yingying looked deflated all of a sudden. “well….this one sadly has to report to Shizun of our mission now. As much as we miss Bingbing, we still have to finish up our duties for the day. But please, let’s play later!” Ning Yingying she then bowed politely to the duo. Ming Fan released Binghe from his playful grip and picked up the scrolls and tomes he dropped earlier.

“Yeah, we sadly still have jobs to do. Do join us for dinner, Master Shen. Especially you, Luo Shidi. You are still not allowed to disappear without telling us!” He pointed a scroll over to Binghe who just pouted.

“This Shimei will take her leave as well, her own Shizun might scold me for disappearing for too long and neglecting this one’s head disciple duties.” She smiled over to Binghe. “It was trully nice to see you again Luo Shixiong…. alive and well. I can’t thank the heavens enough for your return…” She stopped herself before tears rolled down her eyes. “Well, see you. And you too, Master Shen.” Mingyan then turned to Shen Yuan for a polite bow.

The group of friends slowly dispersed and they were once again left with just the two of them. “Your friends all seem like genuinely kind and caring people.” Shen Yuan turned to Binghe and took his hand in his. Binghe responded by squeezing his smaller more delicate hand. So much more delicate now that he did not have black claws. “I’m happy you are reunited with them.”

“They are… and they mean the world to me just like A-Yuan does.” Binghe nodded, but his tone was sad as well as his nearly misty eyes. “Which is why it will be even more painful once their opinion of me changes… and I know they will turn against me once they find out I am a demon.”

Liu Qingge walked along the bamboo forest that surrounded Peak Lord Shen’s humble little hut. His destination was not the man’s home, however, but farther along. He only stopped on his tracks when he spotted the familiar sword mound and beside the grave was the tall green figure of Shen Qingqiu. Ah, the grieving father.

“This one greets Shen Shixiong.” Liu Qingge blurted out as he approached Shen Qingqui. He raised his fist to greet with respect, something he never thought he’d willfully do with Shen Qingqiu. However, his opinion of the man had changed after their fateful encounter at Ling Xi caves.

Shen Qingqiu still had his back towards him so Liu Qingge did not see that the other was carrying another sword. With graceful movement, the elder peak lord tossed the sheathed blade over to Liu Qingge. With the reflexes befitting of the Bai Zhan Peak lord, he easily caught it. Liu Qingge was surprised to see it was his spirit sword, Cheng Luan. He stared at the blade for a moment then at the elder peak lord. “You kept it.” was all he could muster.

“Of course. This Shixiong may have failed to save his shidi, but I at least kept it safe for when you return.” Shen Qingqiu pulled up his fan and covered his face with it.

Liu Qingge nodded his head, even though the elder probably won’t see his reaction. He fastened the sheath and sword safely on his belt, he felt complete once again. It was good to be reunited with his spirit sword. Speaking of spirit swords reuniting with their rightful owners….His eyes soon fell on the sword that was still mounted on the dirt.

“Will you be returning that brat’s sword as well?” he asked.

Shen Qingqiu’s tilted his head down to the sword on the makeshift grave. Liu Qingge could not see his Shixiong’s face from his angle but he could only guess the man was staring intensely at the sword. Silently, the peak lord took the sword, Zheng Yang, by the hilt and removed it from the dirt mound. Finally, Shen Qingqiu turned to Liu Qingge. This time, he handed the sword over to his shidi. With his face covered by his fan still, the elder spoke. “If this Shixiong could request that his shidi would return it to his disciple in his stead, this one would be most grateful.”

“No. This one respectfully declines. I already told that brat I want nothing to do with your father-son dispute.” Liu Qingge huffed.

Shen Qingqiu sighed. “He does not want to even speak to me I doubt Disciple Luo Binghe wants see me again. This master would like to respect his disciple’s space for now.” He snapped his fan close. Even if his words were that of a disappointed father, no expression could be seen on the immaculate and proud Peak Lord’s handsome face. “This master will not blame his wayward disciple. I pushed him to go down that cliff. I was weak to stop him, I was weak to stop all this.”

“Those things were forcing you, weren’t they?” Liu Qingge finally spoke. He noticed how the calm and composed peak lord suddenly stiffened. Shen Qingqiu seems to want to speak but his lips were quivering. “I saw them before I fell into the abyss. Those….things. Red glowing boxes hovering over you. They were telling you to kill me-“

“Enough, Shidi!” Shen Qingqiu spoke through gritted teeth.

“They’re harming you as we speak…” Liu Qingge clenched his fist, a burst of spiritual energy seem to envelop his body. “You tried to help me, you tried to save my life, then allow me to do the same Shen Shixiong. I will find a way to save you from those things.” Liu Qingge held his hand to reveal the silver cuff bracelets with dragon-markings that adorned his wrists. They glowed an ominous black. The dark energy leaked over to the sword Liu Qingge unsheathed. The once pure blade turned dark only because it was enveloped by dark qi. This, Cheng Luan had become part of the divinity system, part of Liu Qingge’s gift.

[Notice: Unique skill ‘War God’ successfully completed and activated.]

The voice of the world spoke, but none can hear.

Shen Qingqiu was taken aback by the sight. First time he broke his calm demeanor. We was shocked because the qi around them did not feel natural, it was demonic qi. His fan fell to the ground alongside Binghe’s spirit blade when his green gaze travelled to his shidi’s face. On Liu Qingge’s forehead was a black demon mark. A human having a demon’s mark meant they are enthralled by that demon, their spirits bound to that demon for eternity. The mark was that of a black sword.

“You… demonic cultivation… you reek of dark qi… what has the abyss done to you, shidi…?” Shen Qingqiu was alarmed but he did not seem to attack nor was he scared. Just….shocked.

“A gift. From someone I swore a pact to.” Liu Qingge looked at his hand, the silver cuffs that bound him to a master. A master who probably wasn’t aware of the power he had given the Bai Zhan Peak War God.

“I’ll use this gift to free you someday, Shen Shixiong. This shidi will repay your kindness tenfold.”

Shen Yuan sneezed like a hamster, which made him blush right after. He lowered his head shyly. Was he catching a cold? demon cold? slime cold? Could it be because he it still getting used to the human realm’s climate? Or was it because someone was remembering him? Weird.

“Aww, Young master Shen is so adorable.” Ning Yingying giggled as she handed the younger male a handkerchief. Shen Yuan shyly took the dainty fabric and wiped his nose with it.

“A-Yuan, are you cold?” Binghe asked, looking very worried and concerned for his friend. He was already shaking off his outer robes to which Shen Yuan shook his head and flailed his arms.

“No no I’m fine! I promise! Please, don’t let me disturb you both.” He exclaimed, his cheeks still pink from embarrassment. They were at the kitchen and Shen Yuan was just watching both Binghe and Ning Yingying cook dinner. Shen Yuan tried to help but he ended up being clumsy with the kitchen equipment and knife. He was a helpless young master in his old life so… he wasn’t very adept with household chores. Back in the demon realm, specifically the northern demon palace, he managed to BURN WATER, when he was attempting to make tea for himself and Binghe. So… that shows his absolute uselessness with kitchen duties. Binghe knew this too but the amazing and kind protagonist would often just find ways to keep Shen Yuan from doing any household chores... he especially made sure never to let Shen Yuan near any cooking equipment. Ever. Hey, in his defense…..the cooking equipment in this ancient medieval China is so hard to figure out! The most he can be useful for is a portable fridge. Shen Yuan can store items and freeze them in his stomach - well, not just freeze, he can keep them in stasis and preserve their freshness. That's how he and Binghe did it in the wild while they were traveling around the abyss the the demon world.

At the moment Binghe and Ning Yingying did not need a mini fridge though... so Shen Yuan settled on quietly watching Binghe and Ning Yingying cooking dinner instead.

“Alright, Dinner’s ready~!” Shen Yuan, after an hour of waiting later, enjoyed his first meal in the human realm together with Binghe and his friends. He felt like this was the beginning of a new chapter in his life. He was enjoying his stay in the human realm so far. He just hoped he could enjoy the peace for a while.

Chapter Text

It had been a few days since they ascended to the human realm.

Shen Yuan, for the most part, kept to himself and tried not to get in anyone’s way. He was like a tourist watching everyone around them. There were times where he’d grab one of Uncle Liu’s practice swords and he would try to imitate the Qing Jing Peak disciples and their sword forms. He had no ‘spirit sword’ of his own, he wasn’t even sure if he could have one. Xin Mo doesn’t count, he’s Binghe’s destined sword. That would have been cool though…. for him to have his own spirit sword.

Today, he was by the lake near the bamboo forest. It had become their usual hangout spot. Binghe was off in the kitchen as always preparing breakfast. Shen Yuan was glad he had every early mornings to himself, away from his sticky friend so he could geek out on his own with these cool sword moves. He would always join Ming Fan and watch the head disciple teach the younger ones their basic sword forms in the afternoons. He was too shy to ask Ming Fan so he’d try to mimic it himself. Binghe offered to help but Shen Yuan insisted he continued his spiritual cultivation instead. One of the reasons why they ascended to the mortal realm was to power up his hunky protagonist and make him more OP, not so he could indulge Shen Yuan’s nerdy fantasies. He just really admired the beautiful and powerful cultivators okay? So whenever he’s just by himself during these early mornings, Shen Yuan would try out the cool sword forms. Without a cultivation manual and just going by memory, however, he was rather clumsy with his movements. The system also suggested he steal a manual to devour and analyze but Shen Yuan refused to do that. Stealing is wrong, first of all. And he wanted to just learn it on his own.

“So you wish to learn spiritual cultivation. Liu Shidi hasn’t even instructed you?” 

Shen Qingqiu’s voice startled him.  Shen Yuan nearly fell on his butt while he was balancing himself on one feet. The youth’s green eyes landed on the elder Peak Lord’s identical ones. The man is as calm and unshakable as ever. He was dressed in his usual green peak lord robes, his soft inky black hair was tied into a half bun and the beautiful silver crown sat on top that was adorned by an an emerald green gem. Shen Qingqiu was the embodiment of his peak of scholars and well-learned noble tacticians. Shen Yuan could never even hope to compare himself to such a man, he found himself staring in awe. This man was the protagonist’s mentor holy shit.

“Master Liu hasn’t taken this one in as a disciple, I’m just his guest…” Shen Yuan nervously explained, finding it difficult to speak as he stumbled on his words. He raised his fist to bow politely to the peak lord.

Shen Qingqiu stared down at his mini copy, taking in the younger one’s features. “Tch. How irresponsible of him and a waste of potential. Come, let this master teach you some basic forms.” The taller man then circled around Shen Yuan, he would tap the younger’s back and arms with his closed fan gently which caused Shen Yuan to stiffen. “Back straight. Raise your arm up more. Remember your posture.” The peak lord said in a strict tone. Shen Yuan nodded obediently as he followed the teacher’s instructions.

“So you fight with a fan?” Shen Qingqiu asked as he tapped the fan that was attached to Shen Yuan’s sash with his own fan. Shen Yuan nodded his head meekly. “Usually, yes… “ Shen Yuan then realized something and his face paled. “I mean no! I am…uh…this lowly one is but a regular human merchant, Peak Lord Shen. I have no martial abilities.”

“Lying to this Master is useless. You’re a demon from the abyss.” Came the elder’s calm tone. Shen Yuan released himself from the sword form he was practicing so he could gawk at the elder Peak Lord. Why was Binghe’s shizun so calm about this, it was freaking him out a little. It was different when Uncle Liu calmly accepted Binghe’s lineage…but Shen Qingqiu? He felt as if he was being interrogated and one wrong answer will get him skinned alive. This man is way too frightening and intimidating. Shen Yuan heard Qing Jing Peak was the 2nd ranked of this world’s most powerful cultivation sect. So that means Peak Lord Shen is a fucking formidable monster of a cultivator!

“Yes...” Shen Yuan whimpered and lowered his head, he can’t believe he just folded so quickly. Human cultivators are so scary!

“Our fighting styles are probably vastly similar.” Shen Qingqiu pointed out as he snapped his fan close and placed it on his sash. “Come here, let this master assess you.” He held his hand gesturing for Shen Yuan to do the same. Shen Yuan cautiously held his palm out for the teacher. Shen Qingqiu took it without hesitation and he started examining the youth’s meridians. “Mm, as I thought. Even as a demon, you have an aptitude for spiritual cultivation. Are you half heavenly demon like my disciple?” he asked.

“Uhm… no I’m a slime demon not half of anything, Peak Lord Shen. This is my humanoid form - a-and I am not copying esteemed peaklord! I know we look alike, but - I swear this is what I really look like when I took human form for the first time. Before I met Binghe. a-and before I heard of you… I mean…”

“Stop mumbling, it’s unbecoming if you are to become my disciple.”

“Wait what. You’ll-“

“Yes, you want to learn spiritual cultivation, do you not? I see you every afternoon watching my head disciple teach the younger ones. And in the mornings, I can hear your pathetic tripping from my hut while you clumsily attempt the sword forms.” Shen Yuan cringed at himself at hearing this. He felt embarrassed that Peak Lord Shen actually saw him everyday fanboying over the cultivators! He wanted to qi deviate on the spot.

“Also, we have the same fighting styles. It is only fitting if you are to learn under this lord. Do you disagree?” Shen Qingqiu raised a brow as he stared down at Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan’s vibrant green eye sparkled and he got down on his knees kowtowing before his new mentor.

“Thankyou err- Shizun! This lowly disciple will be in your care!”

“Hn. You’re far more fitting in Qing Jing Peak than the ruffians at Bai Zhan Peak.” Shen Yuan huffed proudly. “You are to report to me every morning at this time every day from now on. You’ve got a lot of catching up to do, disciple Shen Yuan. This master will personally see to your studies. I expect nothing but grace and perfection of my disciples.”

“Yes Shizun!”

“He did WHAT?!”

Binghe and Liu Qingge both looked at Shen Yuan in shock. Shen Yuan flinched at the reactions he got. Well, he needed to come clean especially to Binghe who still harbored resentment for Shen Qingqiu. They were currently having tea at Liu Qingge’s home. Shen Yuan just spent the afternoon with his new Shizun. He was given a cultivation manual and a set of Qing Jing Peak disciple clothes. He did not put them on yet or he might give both Binghe and uncle Liu a qi deviation. He needed to ease both of them in…. especially Binghe who was already fusing over him for disappearing the entire afternoon. It was funny when he first showed up at uncle Liu’s hut carrying the items his new Shizun gave him. Binghe and Uncle Liu’s eyes were as wide as plates and they immediately ran over to him, thinking he had been abducted by Shen Qingqiu. He only managed to calm down the hunky protagonist and the scary war god peak lord when Shen Yuan explained what had happened.

“Do you disapprove?” He asked the two, looking at Binghe. “If it makes Binghe uncomfortable I will refuse and not interact with your Shizun.” Shen Yuan offered. He knew Binghe was still feuding with his shizun, one cannot simply get over the betrayal of their father figure who threw him into literal hell. Also, Shen Yuan was worried how this might be insulting to the protagonist. He cannot train under the same OP protagonist’s teacher, Binghe might think he’s trying to steal his glory or something! Shen Yuan just genuinely wanted to learn spiritual cultivation. Maybe he could get his own sword in the future! and fly on it! omg that would be so cool. He knew only the powerful and amazing cultivators had high enough cultivation to be  able to fly on their swords! Shen Yuan wanted none of Binghe’s spotlight, he just wants to live his life to the fullest and geek out as much as he can in this fantasy world.

Binghe hesitated and lowered his head. “No it’s… it’s not that. …” he took hold of Shen Yuan’s hand. “Well, if A-Yuan really wants to learn spiritual cultivation …..and Shizun had a point; You both have the same fighting style, he might be a compatible mentor for A-Yuan.” Binghe sighed looking defeated. Shen yuan could tell the poor guy was trying to convince and gaslight himself into accepting all this even though he absolutely hated the idea.

“Shizun has a lot to teach A-Yuan, even though I think A-Yuan is far more powerful than him.” he huffed out stubbornly, folding his arms over his chest. “You’re too good for him. Better than him.” the adorable protagonist’s cheeks were puffed up childishly as he turned his nose up in a snobbish way.

“Do you even need a mentor?” Uncle Liu raised a brow. “You could have told me. I’m stronger than that pompous idiot too. And Bai Zhan Peak can offer more for you if you seek to become a powerful warrior.” Shen Yuan stared at the Bai Zhan Peak lord carefully. The peak lord looked like he was suppressing a pout.

“Are you sure about that offer Uncle Liu? You think taking more than one disciple is already too much trouble.” Shen Yuan pointed out to which Uncle Liu huffed and averted his gaze.

“I would have made an exception for Young Master Shen…” the peak lord mumbled.

“Hmm? what was that Uncle Liu?”

“Nothing!” Liu Qingge quickly barked.

“Liu Shishu just wants another chance to fight A-Yuan.” Binghe smirked. “He’ll have to beat this Binghe first before he earns the chance to cross swords with MY Master, the supreme demon emperor.”

“You-!”

Shen Yuan blinked in confusion, since when did these two get along? and when did they start doing sparring practices with each other? He blinked. Looks like he wasn’t the only one doing extra curricular activities. He eyed Binghe, still worried that he had offended the protagonist but spontaneously agreeing to being one of Shen Qingqiu’s disciples.

“If Shen Yuan already acknowledges Shen Qingqiu as his Shizun, then who am I to object? My personal grievances with my shizun should not affect you in any way, as long as he does not harm A-Yuan. A-Yuan has my full support.” Binghe finally said after a glaring and smirking match with Uncle Liu.

“Are you really sure Binghe? You’re my best friend, I do not want to hurt you by going through with this.” Shen Yuan furrowed his brows, still giving Binghe a look of concern and worry.

Binghe smiled fondly at Shen Yuan and gave his master a reassuring nod. “A-Yuan is always so considerate and kind. This one is certain, A-Yuan only wants to learn the ways of the humans and their cultivation. As a half-human myself, it makes me happy you put so much fate in their kind. I strive to do the same moving forward.” Binghe gave a somewhat sad smile at that. “A-Yuan gives me hope that maybe someday humans and demons can get along.”

“Hn. As a human myself, I don’t think you brats are different to the many brats in this sect, especially you, Disciple Binghe.”

“You don’t count, Shishu. You behave more demonic than A-Yuan.” Binghe teased, giving the Bai Zhan Peak lord a grin which only irritated uncle Liu. Shen Yuan laughed as he watched their banter. At least Binghe was getting along with a human. He was glad his hunky protagonist friend seemed to be in high spirits now compared to a few days ago.

“Well then, Uncle Liu has truly become my martial uncle now and… Binghe my Shixiong.” Shen Yuan grinned at both, blushing a little. Liu Qingge nodded firmly while Binghe seemed to freeze in place.

“A-Yuan… as….a-as…. as m-my xiao Shidi.” The heavenly demon’s lips quivered and his cheeks were all red….and were those tears in his eyes? Suddenly, Shen Yuan found himself being pounced on by the much much larger protagonist, he nearly suffocated in those glorious tiddies! Ah~ Shen Yuan wouldn’t mind if that were to be his second death.

“Tch, shameless.” Uncle Liu huffed, looking irritated.

“Uncle Liu, Heeeelp!” 

Chapter Text

A month has passed since the shocking return of Shen Qingqiu’s supposedly dead disciple Luo Binghe. Four years ago, the kid made a lot of noise in the Immortal Alliance Conference. He was placed at the top of the list but unfortunately was declared dead after that unexpected demonic invasion. A lot of eye witness accounts stated that the disciple was killed while trying to defend the much weaker and younger disciples against the many demon hordes that suddenly poured out from the endless abyss.

Shen Qingqiu had also given his own testimony and what he told the entire Alliance was most shocking; Not only did Luo Binghe die protecting his brethren from demons, he also fell into the endless Abyss itself. The endless abyss was the fabled realm where the strongest monsters dwelled. Not even demons and heavenly beings could defeat the monsters that lived there. The entire realm was a nightmare; lakes made of pure blood, plants that could poison you or eat you alive, dangerous beasts and ancient horrors roamed within every corner of the unclaimed piece of land. The deeper you go, the more you lose yourself… and the more demonic you become. All souls that breathe the air of that place are corrupted. So it was unfortunately presumed that the teen was dead.

And yet, here he was. Four years later, not a sign of rot and corruption on that perfectly youthful and energetic face and body.

The Bai Zhan Peak lord was also reported to have accidentally fallen into the the endless abyss. There have been reports of strange portals appearing out of nowhere that lead to the demon realm specifically the endless abyss. It is as if the human and demon realm are converging together more than ever. It was a strange phenomena. There have been unfortunate innocent souls aside from disciple Luo Binghe that were claimed by the endless abyss; whether it be a normal human or an immortal cultivator, there were several victims of these strange portals already. One of them was Peak Lord Liu Qingge. The entire alliance have scratched their heads and spent countless meetings trying to solve this problem, but they were not able to find a reason for these strange portals’ appearances. They appear to be a natural phenomena and not brought upon by humans or demons.

It was fortunate that the Peak lord had somehow found Luo Binghe within the abyss and they worked together to escape from the realm. It was an incredible feat to be able to escape that horrible place with their pure spiritual bodies and souls intact. Most had their suspicions about disciple Luo Binghe and Peak lord Liu Qingge. However, after the two presented themselves to the alliance in a meeting to give their first hand accounts, all suspicions quickly disappeared. The two were in good health and were tested for any form of corruption. They passed all the tests conducted on them. The fact that both could still wield their spiritual blade was a telling sign they are still human. Everyone simply assumed their high-cultivation protected them from the corruptions of the endless abyss.

The news of Disciple Luo Binghe and Peak Lord Liu Qingge was quickly overshadowed, however, by the kind little merchant that accompanied the duo on their return. It was this youth who found their bodies washed up by a river after their escape from the abyss. He nursed them back to life until he was able to escort the two cultivators back to Cang Qiong Mountain. Not only was the human’s good deed the hot topic of the entire sect at the moment, it was also his appearance.

He was like the exact mirror replica of the Qing Jing Peak lord - Shen Qingqiu. Plenty of disciples and even the other peak lords would sneak about and try to catch a glimpse or two of the young merchant. The boy was often accompanied by either disciple Luo Binghe, other Qing Jing peak disciples, or the Liu siblings. None of the onlookers [and stalkers] could have prepared themselves for such a sight. The young man was a beauty, an artwork of the heavens in mortal form. There was something absolutely otherworldly about the youth. He was as beautiful and elegant as the famed Qing Jing Peak Lord Shen Qingqiu. The peak lord was already a peerless beauty rivaling that of Liu Qingge within the peaklord beauty rankings of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect…. but Shen Yuan was something else, a league of his own.

The boy wore unfamiliar robes, but they were the same verdant green colors of Qing Jing Peak. His dark lustrous long hair was tied into a half bun and decorated with a golden crown - a contrast to Peak Lord Shen Qingqiu’s silver crown. In contrast to the greens of his ensemble, a blood red ribbon hung from the golden crown. The blood red matched the perfect rouge eyeliner that decorated the youth’s beautiful vibrant green eyes. It was certain that this young man haled from either nobility or straight up royalty. The way he moved and carried himself was also a telling sign he was raised from a high class background... some even came up with exaggerated theories that the teen was a heavenly official, a creature of divinity. Impossible and illogical but who could blame them?

As if appearances weren’t enough, the boy’s name was Shen Yuan. Sharing the same name AND face as the Peak Lord Shen Qingqiu was too much of a coincidence. Apart from the ‘divine being’ theory, another popular speculation arose: Shen Yuan was Peak Lord Shen Qingqiu’s bastard son. There were already rumors beforehand that Peak Lord Shen often visited brothels down in the human realm. It wasn’t far off to assume that this beautiful youth was Shen Qingqiu’s love child.

A new development further solidified this theory. Shen Qingqiu had officially taken in Shen Yuan as his disciple. It is as if the peak lord has finally acknowledged his precious son officially as his family by accepting the boy under his tutelage. It was heartwarming news and it brought tears to the other peaklords eyes when Shen Qingqiu himself confirmed it in a peaklord meeting. [Much to Shen Qingqiu’s confusion.] The crowd was eating this spicy news up. Shen Yuan was already gathering a massive fanbase of disciples [and even peak lords] from the twelve peaks and they all rejoiced knowing their new ‘celebrity’ was staying in Cang Qiong Mountain Sect as a Qing Jing Peak disciple. Surprisingly, even the Liu Qingge, Luo Binghe, and Shen Qingqiu fanatics accepted the new rising star. 

There was even… a certain community that had gathered within Xian Shu Peak. The all-female Peak. The women there were all enthusiastic about rising star newbie Shen Yuan especially his relationship with the Luo Binghe. The young lad would never be seen without the hunky disciple Luo Binghe attached to him by the hip. The girls had become fascinated at how close they were. It developed into them gossiping and speculating about the two youthful boys’ passionate ‘friendship’ for each other. They were already fans of whatever the hell was going on between Zhangmen Zixion, Peak Lord Shen Qingqiu, AND Peak Lord Liu Qingge. But the hot new addition of the two Qing Jing Peak disciples Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe had shot up in popularity and awakened so many minds and hearts to their….youthful love.

“Imagine this~” One of Xian Shu girls whispered excitingly. “After nursing the handsome and manly Luo Binghe, Shen Yuan would fall in love with him. He’d have seen his naked form as he dressed his wounded body every day.” The ladies squealed at the imagery the gossiping girl’s words painted.

“And and~ one day, as Shen Yuan was dressing his wounds, Luo Binghe would grab the merchant boy’s dainty little hands and… he’d pull Shen Yuan onto him and they would have their first kiss.”

Squeals and screams echoed throughout the Xian Shu dormitory hall.

In the corner of the room, the peak’s head disciple listened in. Her face, despite concealed by a veil, was beat red. Liu Mingyan’s mind has been opened. Having known the two boys for some time, she knew how close they were by firsthand experience. With shaking hands, she furiously started to write onto her notebook her first draft of something she was working on… the beginning of a popular novel that would circulate amongst the entire sect and leak onto the outside world. It would be a novel about youthful love and passion and destiny.

Ah, life has gotten even more colorful and vibrant within the Cang Qiong Mountain Sect.

Shen Yuan’s POV

Shen Yuan found himself sneezing yet again.

“Are you alright, A-Yuan?” Binghe asked, looking down at his now fellow disciple with a worried look.

They were on their way back to the dormitories and it was a chilly evening. Though it should not have bothered Shen Yuan, he had the resist temperature skill. Weird.  Perhaps he’s still getting used to the climate here in the human world? He noticed that he has been sneezing at random times.

Suddenly, Shen Yuan felt a sharp tug at his hand and he soon found himself squished between Binghe’s glorious protagonist tiddies.  Even though they were back in Qing Jing peak and Shen Yuan was already wearing the disciple clothes that Shen Qingqiu gave him, Binghe refused to wear his old disciple clothes. Aiyah, this rebellious disciple. Binghe continued to wear the red and black robes he loved wearing back in the demon realm. These robes, while beautiful with its own demonic charms, were inappropriate to wear in cultivation sects where even the nape of your neck showing through your collar seemed scandalous! AND AND— Binghe insisted on leaving his chest exposed. EXPOSED! This meant, Shen Yuan wasn’t the only one enjoying the view. Not that he should mind. Binghe SHOULD have lots of people staring at his big plump chests. He is the protagonist after all…

Ahh~ heaven take this sinful self-indulgent slime. Shen Yuan could only resign to his current fate of suffocating in the perfect mounds. But hey! What gives?! When he looked up, he saw Binghe glaring at random directions. “Binghe?”

“Let’s go back A-Yuan. I don’t feel safe having you ‘exposed’ here for long….” He muttered. HEY BUDDY, who was more ‘exposed’ here?! They then continued their walk back to the Qing Jing dorms. Binghe made sure to keep Shen Yuan close to him with a possessive hand around his smaller companion’s waist.

Shen Yuan was completely oblivious to the disciples around them staring at them with red faces and hungry anticipating looks. Some had shrieked when Binghe pulled Shen Yuan into his chest.  Shen Yuan heard the shriek from the distance but he quickly shrugged it off.

“Hmm, must be the wind.” he muttered.

Shen Qingqiu’s POV

[…]

Shen Qingqiu had his eyes closed as he breathed in. The fresh air Qing Jing Peak’s waterfalls circulated within his lungs, purifying him from within. He sat in a lotus position in the middle of the large body of water, meditating and calming his spirit. He was a breath-taking sight with his body not at all wet as he was hovering and floating on the water and his robes fluttered in the wind elegantly like a ghost. Only the sound of the raging water nearby could be heard, it was very calming.

He just ended a training session with his newest disciple, Shen Yuan. The demonic teen was a quick learner and Shen Qingqiu was quite pleased with the results so far. He already had an idea that the boy was a powerful demon, not just because he came from the fabled endless abyss, but because Shen Qingqiu sensed something from the boy. The entity calling itself ‘system’ seemed wary and silent whenever he’s near Shen Qingqiu. The peak lord cannot confirm anything yet, but he had a feeling Shen Yuan could repel the entity when he’s within the vicinity.

He had actually tested the theory once. He danced around the topic of Luo Binghe ‘needing to be at the abyss’ during their first encounter. Normally, the system would fire mental attacks at him for hinting things at anyone. That time with Liu Qingge mentioning the ‘red boxes’ hovering over his face, Shen Qingqiu nearly passed out from the pain. He had first noticed that Shen Yuan was ‘different’ when the system called him an anomaly and an error the moment he first saw the child in Liu Shidi’s home. That brief moment they both locked gazes, Shen Qingqiu felt something. A connection. None of that father-son bullshit, but he felt something deep inside him jolt. Their souls. And in that moment, the wretched system started to tremble and act abnormally.

Shen Qingqiu wasn’t normally a man of faith nor was he the type to leave things to destiny, but he felt him and Shen Yuan are fated to meet. This boy whom he now took in as his disciple might be able to help him someday. Right now, the kid was immature and lacked personal growth. A little sapling. Despite his power, the child would cower at anything brand new to this innocent youthful eyes. He can become someone powerful and formidable in the future, Shen Yuan just needed a mentor who can steer him in the right direction. Give him a proper foundation. Just like how he did with a certain heavenly demon. Shen Qingqiu will make sure this powerful being known as Shen Yuan would become a proper man befitting of the power he possesses.

However, his mind was not filled with thoughts of his new star pupil, not at this moment at least. Shen Qingqiu was currently thinking about other star pupil. Luo Binghe. The young man has changed and Shen Qingqiu knew not to blame the abyss for it. Something else could be at play. Why did the boy hate him so much now? Of course, opinions may have changed… perhaps Luo Binghe realized how cowardly his Shizun acted in their last moments together. Perhaps the child sacrificing himself was not fair just for his master’s survival? It was… Shen Qingqiu was unsure what happened. Will the prophecies come true after all? Was his fate of being dismembered like cattle while watching the ones he hold dear die an inevitable ‘canon event’? The wretched ‘system’ loved to throw those strange terms around.

This master fails to understand the evil deity.

Shen Qingqiu thought he had outsmarted the system. He thought he won yet he did not. It always found a way to torment him, to punish him… and then get its way. He had been suffering horrible Qi deviations lately, it had become more painful than last time. It has become more active since Luo Binghe and Liu Shidi’s return. Every time he was forced into ‘hybernation mode’ those horrible visions would haunt him. Taunt him of his inevitable fate. Still, Shen Qingqiu. No. Shen Jiu persevered.

He promised himself this. He will break the cycle.

Shen Qingqiu wasn’t doing all this to prevent himself from turning into a limbless cattle. He decided long ago that he did not care what would become of him. However, he did not want his legacy to be that of a ’scum villain’. He wanted to make sure these poor children will never have to suffer like he has. No one deserved pain and suffering for the purpose of an evil deity’s ‘script’. He will endure anything and everything for the people he deemed his ‘family’. His Martial family and his precious disciples.

For now, his only form of solace were his days spent mentoring and training Shen Yuan. The system did not dare show itself when that boy was around.

“How are you feeling Xiao Jiu? I heard you’ve suffered a qi deviation yet again.” A man spoke from behind and Shen Qingqiu would only let out a tired sigh. Yue Qingyuan stood on the water and smiled down at his shidi, a simple feat for the sect leader of Cang Qiong mountain.

“Did I not tell you to stop calling me that, Qi-ge.” Shen Qingqiu lifted his head up and gave the sect leader Yue Qingyuan a glare. However, he did not show signs of shooing away his Qi-ge. He merely looked like an irritated cat.

“Come now, it’s just the two of us, Xiao Jiu.” The man gave a hearty laugh.

Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes pinched the bridge of his nose. Aiyah this man. “I’ve long since recovered.” He then took his fan and opened it to idly fan himself. “I’ve caused Shixiong such trouble, making him worry. This shidi apologizes.”

“Hmmm, then perhaps it’s time for Shidi to leave the mountains. Some fresh air in the human realm might do you good. You should take your new disciple with you. Get your mind off of things.” Yue Qingyuan suggested.

Shen Qingqiu nodded his head, remembering that he had a mission he was assigned to.

“Ah yes, Shuang Hu City.”

[…]

Chapter Text

It’s been a month since Shen Yuan became a Qing Jing Peak disciple. Everyday, he would participate in the classes the older senior disciples would hold like Ning Yingying’s Weiqi and calligraphy classes or Ming Fan’s sword arts training. Shen Yuan found out that while he already knew how to write, writing with a calligraphy brush was a beast on its own. It is fortunate that at least this world uses modern Chinese despite this world set in ancient medieval China. That did bother Shen Yuan a little bit. Did Uncle airplane intend to do that so it would be more appealing for the general masses? Perhaps. He did not want to nitpick too much, but it did bother him a little. Consistency is key, after all! Nonetheless, at least he was able to pick up on the literary-heavy lessons pretty quickly. As a literature nerd and connoisseur of isekai novels, whether it be trashy or not, Shen Yuan felt right at home.

Binghe, despite still refusing to acknowledge his Shizun again, started teaching classes himself. Technically, he is a Shixiong; a capable and learned one at that! The shidi’s and shimei’s would flock to him for advise on their cultivation especially regarding battling against demons. Eventually, he became this world’s equivalent of ‘defense against the dark arts teacher’. Except, Binghe teaches how to properly defend yourself against demons and demonic cultivation. It was incredibly ironic even though only a handful of people knew Binghe was a demon himself. Binghe seemed to not mind, although he felt awkward at first, but he seemed fond enough of the little shidi’s and shimei’s. He looked like a big brother to them all and it was adorable. Binghe seemed to really like it whenever Shen Yuan would join in his classes. His hunky protagonist looked so good as a mentor, Shen Yuan would make sure to sit in Binghe’s lectures whenever he can.

There were a few rare occasions that Shen Qingqiu would teach classes himself. They were extremely rare so you have to be early or the lecture hall will quickly fill up. The elder would often teach musical instruments, Shen Yuan particularly favored the flute. The other disciples [and Binghe] would coax him to play it alongside Shen Qingqiu’s guqin as the instruments complimented each other perfectly. Shen Yuan was also a big fan of Wei Wuxian from the book ‘Grand Master of Demonic Cultivation.’ He wanted to play the flute like his idol! Shen Yuan was a nerd first and foremost! He wondered if he could imitate those cool flute scenes and summon a badass walking corpse! …..actually after much consideration, that sounded creepy if applied in real life. Shen Yuan would rather not disturb a poor soul from its eternal rest just to do his bidding. BUT he still enjoyed playing the flute and duet with Shen Qingqiu’s guqin. 

Everyday, Shen Yuan would also report to Shen Qingqiu’s hut for private lessons. Shen Yuan was instructed on spiritual cultivation and how to fight while dual wielding a sword and a fan. Of course, Shen Yuan already had the experience of fighting with such weapons but he lacked the proper foundation and knowledge on how to actually use them. Up until now, he had just been freestyling the shit out of his fan and completely relying on his system and skills. Shen Qingqiu pointed that out himself.

“Having natural aptitude and talent is not enough, you need to cultivate such skills and have the proper foundation and form. Always remember this, disciple Shen Yuan.”

Shen Qingqiu had just subdued Shen Yuan in a sword fight with just his fan. It was a spar match that did not involve special skills, just their weapons. This painfully reminded Shen Yuan he was very useless without his special skills, he even disabled thought acceleration. Sure, he can use them to defeat Shen Qingqiu easily, but how would he learn without relying too much on his ‘cheat skills’. He can’t just brute force everything. Also, it looked more elegant and aesthetically pleasing to fight with better knowledge of the weapons you’re using. Shen Qingqui just now looked absolutely fierce and graceful as he sparred with Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan raised his fist and bowed at his shizun with respect. “Yes Shizun.”

“Mn.” Shen Qingqiu seemed satisfied with his obedient disciple. He then used his fan to point at his other angry and pouty looking disciple lurking behind the bamboo trees. “You are dismissed. Disciple Luo Binghe's glares and pouts are going to scare the nature spirits away. Return to him now.”

Shen Yuan looked over to Binghe and he gave his friend an enthusiastic wave. Binghe ran up to Shen Yuan like an eager puppy welcoming its owner back from a long day at work.

“Oh, before this one forgets. You are to accompany with this master on a mission, disciple Shen Yuan.” Shen Qingqiu fanned himself idly as he calmly watched Binghe coddle Shen Yuan like a teddy bear. Such a shameless brat.

“What? A mission already? It’s been barely a month since A-Yuan has studied under Shizun’s tutelage, and he is to go on a mission so suddenly?” Binghe frowned at this, keeping Shen Yuan by his side like a protective mother.

“You should not be underestimating your mate, Disciple Binghe. Your Xiao Shidi is plenty capable of helping his master on this mission. We both know he is.” Shen Qingqiu’s intense green gaze landed on Shen Yuan which made the slime tug at his lips for an awkward and nervous smile.

Binghe narrowed his eyes as he carefully read between the lines, his protagonist is always so clever. Shen Yuan has already told Binghe that Shen Qingqiu knew of Shen Yuan’s demonic nature. It still baffles them how nonchalant Shen Qingqiu was about them being demons. They remembered the dreamscape memories that showed their shizun’s racial discrimination against Binghe, so why is Shen Qingqiu so accepting of all this now? He even took Shen Yuan in as his disciple. They’re still trying to get to the bottom of it.

“How about you join us, disciple Binghe? As his Shixiong, you can instruct him on his first mission.” Shen Qingqiu eyed the half-heavenly demon carefully. Ah yes, the strategist with his manipulative words. It seemed to work on Binghe. Despite his desire to show how upset he still was against his Shizun, he still would believe the man’s words. The protagonist’s cheeks went pink at the thought of acting like a cool shixiong to his precious A-Yuan and assisting him on his first mission as a cultivator disciple. Ahhh, that would be the dream. Shen Yuan could not help but raise his brows at Shen Qingqiu at the blatant puppetry. Was that an amused SMIRK behind that fan? Aiya, Shen Yuan could understand it… since he tended to do the same to Binghe. Like bribing a child with candy. He sometimes got away from paperwork by pouting at Binghe to let him rest. Much to Uncle Airplane’s disapproval. He and Shen Qingqiu really are alike…..

“F-Fine… this disciple will aid his Shizun and Xiao Shidi on the mission…” Binghe mumbled as he kept his eyes glued to his feet. Shen Qingqiu sighed, he raised a free hand as if he wanted to pet his pouting and stubborn disciple but stopped himself and instead placed a hand on Binghe’s shoulder.

“Alright. Retrieve the information of the mission from Head disciple Ming Fan. We’re leaving tomorrow morning, make preparations. Both of you.” With that, the man left and retreated into his little hut. Shen Yuan raised his fist for a polite bow. He turned to Binghe and gestured for his stubborn friend to do the same, which he thankfully obeyed and bowed as well.

If Shen Yuan was still his old human self, he’d be whining and crying ‘I fucking hate stairsssss’ as they descended the hundred or so steps down the mountain so they could meet with the carriages that waited by the mountain gates. Shen Yuan was genuinely confused. Why were they using carriages, this is a world of cultivators and magic. Strange, can’t they fly on their swords? Hmm, maybe not all disciples can fly on their swords yet… Shen Yuan certainly can’t, he did not have a sword himself. Well, he wasn’t the writer like uncle airplane, he shouldn’t be questioning this too much.

[Answer. The cultivators might frighten the humans if they often used flight as a means of transport.]

Mn, system had a point there. See, this is why Shen Yuan is merely a reader and not a writer like the great uncle airplane nor a cool knowledgeable entity like the system.

[…///]

Did his system just blush?!

Shen Yuan rode a horse alongside Binghe and their Da Shixiong, Ming Fan. Their Shizun, Shen Qingqiu boarded inside a carriage. Binghe wanted to ride a horse with Shen Yuan but their Shizun quickly shut down the idea. “But A-Yuan might not be used to riding horses yet.”

“Stop coddling your Xiao Shidi, disciple Binghe. No matter how close you are with him, there ought to be limits. Disciple Shen is plenty capable of a simple thing such as traveling on horseback.” Shen Qingqiu scolded which only made Binghe huffed and look away.

“Ming Fan, we’re dawdling. Why haven’t we set out yet?”

Ming Fan chuckled at Binghe then placed a hand on his shoulder. “C’mon now, Shidi. Stop pouting and don’t give Shizun too much headaches, yeah? Let’s go.” the big brother-like Da Shixiong then got on his horse and rode ahead of everyone as the leader. Such a reliable Da Shixiong. Shen Yuan and Binghe often offered to help their Da Shixiong with preparations such as food rationing and other nasty logistic things but their senior disciple would decline. No wonder Ming Fan was the head disciple, he was very good with his job.

‘Yeah, brat. Stop being a….well, a brat.’ Came Liu Qingge’s voice which startled both Binghe and Shen Yuan.

‘Uncle Liu?!’

‘Liu Shishu?!’

Both gasped in their minds, realizing they were all communicating via the divinity system.

‘Are you following us? how can you see us?’ Shen Yuan looked around and Binghe rode his horse closer to Shen Yuan to help him look around.

‘Yes. Look up.’ was all Liu Qingge said.

Shen Yuan, nervously looked up and his eyes widened to see uncle Liu flying on his sword and glared at them both. It was his usual glare so it wasn’t so scary.

‘WHY are you following us? Won’t that make Shizun mad?’ Shen Yuan asked, raising his brow.

‘Yeah! Go back to Bai Zhan Peak! This is Qing Jing Peak affairs, Shishu!’ Binghe huffed and swatted at the flying peak lord as if telling a fly to shoo away.

‘I swore my loyalty to Young Master Shen. He will be protected by me, especially in the human realm. So I am fulfilling my duties as his subordinate.’ Liu Qingge replied cooly which only caused a vein to pop on his precious protagonist’s handsome face.

‘A-Yuan does not need Shishu’s protection while this Binghe is here. Plus, I am his personal secretary. You are just a low ranking subordinate in A-Yuan’s governing rule. Let this higher ranked subordinate do his job.’ Binghe shot his martial uncle a smug and mocking grin which made Shen Yuan just rub his temples with his free hand while he fanned himself with the other hand. 

Liu Qingge now glared more threateningly at Binghe. ‘Hmph. We are not in the demon realm, need I remind you. I am still your Shishu, Luo Shizhi.’

Their banter went on for almost the entire trip that Shen Yuan simply slipped away and rode closer to the carriage where it is quieter. Geez, these two could argue on for hours and not notice that the one they are fighting over had already slipped from their grasp. Plus, Shen Yuan is capable of protecting himself, thankyou very much.

The martial uncle/nephew duo long since stopped using the divinity system and had resulted to just angrily glaring at each other while occasionally throwing sassy remarks and insults at each other. No one seems to care that the Bai Zhan Peak lord had joined their mission. It must be a normal thing. Their Peak Lord Shen Qingqiu did not even react from inside his carriage. There were some whispers from the disciples here and there but everyone kept to their own for the majority of the trip to their destination.

“Your resilience is admirable for tolerating these two fools, Disciple Shen Yuan.” Shen Qingqiu spoke from the window of his carriage. Shen Yuan chuckled and hid half his face with his fan as he rode gracefully and with dignity on his horse.

“You lived with these two much longer than I have, Shizun. You tell me.” Shen Yuan answered back, forgetting himself for a moment there. 

Shen Qingqiu could only smirk. He looked like a proud father in that moment. Shen Yuan himself beamed with pride as he impressed his ‘dad’. Both enjoyed each other’s company throughout the trip. Their mutual annoyance regarding Binghe and uncle Liu was their first topic but they chatted about various things right after. It was a pleasant trip overall and Shen Yuan came to like his new shizun more than ever. He seemed like a good man despite what he did and said to Binghe that one time.

[Notice: Arriving at destination Shuang Hu City within five minutes.]

Finally, his first mission as a cultivator.

Chapter Text

Shen Yuan had the system take note for him when Ming Fan explained the details of the mission. They are to go to a small City named Shuang Hu. Recently a number of murders had occurred within it. Already, nine people were found dead. Every victim has been flayed. The most curious thing was that it seemed the process was done by meticulous and expert hands. The murderer’s precision was commendable, as if the deed was done by a modern-time serial killer with modern surgical tools. It was horrifying but certainly not the worst Shen Yuan had heard. He travelled around the endless abyss and encountered monsters more terrifying than this murderer who liked to flay the skin of their victims. Hopefully, this mission should be easy.

The city folk named the murderer the ’skinner demon’. The creep seem to target young beautiful women. As a result of this, the people of Shuang Hu City kept all their wives, daughters, and concubines hidden and locked safely in their homes at night. Despite these extra precautions, skinless victims were still found every morning. The people were in a state of panic. The main influential families, after the ninth’s corpse was found, finally decided to send someone to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect to plead for the help from the Immortal Cultivators.

‘System, do you have records of any demons that flay the skins of their victims?’ Shen Yuan asked the system. They were now in the residence of the richest man in the city ‘Old Master Cheng’. He was the one who sent for his men to Cang Qiong Mountain. Their Shizun, Shen Qingqiu spoke with the human while Head disciple Ming Fan began preparations for their night hunt. The rest of the disciples were lined up behind their Shizun, quietly listening in. Liu Qingge had somehow ‘fucked off’ somewhere, as Binghe elegantly worded when Shen Yuan asked about his martial uncle’s whereabouts.

‘I only care about Young Master Shen Yuan and Shen Shixiong’s safety. Call upon me when you need me.’ Was all Liu Qingge had said before he flew off via sword.

[Answer. All demons have the ability to take the form of their victims; ie wearing their skin. It is possible the current target is a regular demon with a high enough demonic cultivation for transformation.]

Hmm, so it’s just your average demon they’re dealing with. This should be simple enough, but exciting nonetheless for his first ever mission as a righteous cultivator! Shen Yuan beamed with determination. He will make his shizun proud. He glanced over to the rich human. Two of his concubines had already fallen to the skinner demon and currently, he was holding his third concubine close to him like a kid hugging his precious toy selfishly. The old man cried and whimpered while rubbing and cuddling the much much younger woman who looked to be in her early twenties.

“Immortal masters, you must help us! Nowadays, I dare not let my Die-er leave my side for a second! for fear that the moment she is careless, she’ll be killed by that wretched monster!” The grown old coot whined and whimpered.

Shen Yuan had to admit, even he was uncomfortable and irritated to have this old fart rub against and cuddle in front of him. He looked over to Binghe who also seem to share the same sentiment as he stared at the two while trying to mask his disgust. When his eyes landed on their master, he was amazed at how Shen Qingqiu maintained the image of a divine lofty immortal master. Looking unbothered and regal was indeed a powerful skill and Shen Yuan could not help but admire.

“Head disciple Ming Fan, I will leave you to gather important details from Master Cheng. Disciple Binghe and Shen, you both follow me. The rest of you, follow your Shixiong’s orders and prepare the cultivation arrays for the night hunt at the courtyard.” All his disciples raised their fist and bowed respectfully to their master. Shen Qingqiu turned his attention towards Ming Fan.

“I trust that my head disciple has already a strategy in mind for this task?” The charismatic big brother disciple nodded firmly.

“Yes Shizun. Leave this to this lowly disciple. This one will asses the corpses of the past two victims and device an appropriate seal of formation. With the help of our shimeis and shidi’s we should be able to purify this home of dark qi and lure the demon in.” The eager lad reported.

“Good, this master will conduct his own investigation then. Carry on with your duties, head disciple.” Ming Fan bowed and nodded without question. What a reliable big brother.

Once Shen Qingqiu was finished giving his commands, he left the room and signaled for Shen Yuan and Binghe to follow after him.

They found themselves in Shuang Hu City’s graveyard somewhere in the outside the city walls. The sky was dark and lifeless trees surrounded area. Tombstones both of various stages of erosion and decay surrounded the dry piece of land. It looked like the place was bereft of life, not just because of the corpses that lay six feet under. The moment the trio set foot in the graveyard, a heavy feeling of hundreds of eyes took over their senses. Just as expected of a graveyard, fog surrounded them and it was hard to see beyond the thicket of dead trees that enclosed the graveyard.

Shen Yuan felt a chill down his spine but he remained vigilant. He was a demon from the abyss, this ordinary graveyard should not pose a threat strike fear into his heart. He had seen worst. Back home, rivers were of blood from unknown sources, ancient evils lived in caves and underground holes… and even his own birthplace, the palace of Xin Mo, there was an evil unknown entity in the bottom-most floor. Every corner of the endless abyss was dangerous and frightening. There were even rumors of the air able to corrupt humans and turn them more and more demonic the longer they stayed in the abyss. Shen Yuan himself could not confirm if that rumor was true. Binghe was already an awakened demon when he fell in and Uncle Liu…..uh…. there were no notable changes to him. He already behaved like a scary demon from the beginning. But the point is, this place should not scare him….yet it did. It felt different, as if they were walking into the mouth of the beast.

Their master had used a talisman to summon a light orb that would lead them the area with the highest concentration of demonic qi. This was where they were lead to. Taking out a new talisman, a blank one, Shen Qingqiu pricked his finger with Xiu Ya and wrote on the blank yellow paper. He recited an unknown spell and held the paper up. The talisman seemed to flutter and move about until it burst into flames.

“Mh, as expected. This is the area with the highest concentration of resentment and demonic qi.” Shen Qingqiu assessed. “Keep your wits about, both of you. This master feels a strong demonic presence.” Shen Qingqiu took out his fan as an extra precaution. He could feel something lurking near them, waiting to pounce when given the chance.

Shen Yuan glanced over to Binghe and the other heavenly demon looked back at the smaller male.

Shen Qingqiu looked at the two demons and raised a brow. “No, this master is not referring to the both of you when he said ‘strong demonic presence’. Rest assured.” His Shizun looked like he wanted to smack his two disciples with his fan for being presumptuous.

Shen Yuan’s shoulder relaxed while Binghe huffed and averted his gaze away from his master.

“We’re dealing with a demon with a high-level of cultivation based from the fact that it can wear the skin of its victims.” Shen Yuan informed the two. “However, there is a slight chance this demon also has a damaged core with how frequently it moves from body to body…. unless it is simply doing it for fun.” The youngest one rubbed his face, trying to go over the details that were provided by his system.

“This disciple wonders….does this demon wear the victim’s skin alone just as a means to disguise itself or feed on their life force…? Could it be it’s not wounded but seeking to lure in cultivators. Demons consuming golden cores can further advance its cultivation.”

Binghe had a point. Maybe the skinner demon meant to lure in cultivators who dared help the small city of Shuang Hu and devour their golden cores to power themselves up. The demon probably knew cultivators will eventually come sniffing around once it had killed enough mortals. With how undetectable the demon killed his victims, he could easily send more and more skinned corpses until it frightened the citizens. ‘Let them come to me’ was its strategy all along.

“Your theory might be correct, Disciple Binghe.” Shen Qingqiu glanced over to their only source of light, the orb of light. It started to grow dim until it completely blinked off into the darkness. “Stay close to this master, you two.” He said with urgency in his usually calm voice. He unsheathed his spiritual sword, Xiu Ya. The light from the spiritual blade helped guide their path as the dark fog closed in on the trio and the surrounding area was now nothing but darkness.

Binghe was about to summon dark qi to light a fireball but Shen Qingqiu was quick to stop him. “Do not use demonic qi Disciple Binghe, we do not want to alert the demon of high cultivation of your true lineage. If this demon seeks to advance its level, you will be like a bountiful feast in its eyes.” A heavenly demon’s core might be the most powerful thing a demon can acquire. Shen Yuan frowned at that. Of course no one could ever hurt his protagonist, he won’t let them. He was also sure Binghe himself won’t let them. Still, knowing that demons might target his best friend and eat him did not put Shen Yuan at ease.

Binghe hesitated but obeyed Shen Qingqiu nonetheless. He may been feuding against his Shizun, but he knew the elder was more experienced than him despite the differences in their strength now. Feuding was one thing, but Shen Qingqiu is still also his shizun. His mentor…his father figure.

Shen Yuan squinted his eyes, it was becoming more and more difficult to see their surroundings. They only had Xiu Ya as their guide now as it glowed of pure spirit energy. However, even the beautiful blade’s light began to dim as the fog of concentrated dark qi started to devour them hole.

Wait the fog…it felt strange.

“This- this fog isn’t… it’s a trap! It’s the demon itself!” Shen Yuan turned back to Binghe and Shen Qingqiu. To his shock, neither of the two were where they once stood. Shen Yuan panicked but he did not show it, he tried to keep a calm demeanor. He was about to take out his practice sword when a bony hand shot from the ground and grabbed his ankle. Alarmed, Shen Yuan kicked the hand off and jumped back.

Shen Yuan’s ears pricked when he heard footsteps, several of them, surrounding him. He could tell they were not from his best friend and Shizun anymore. There were at least ten? Twenty? With the use of spiritual energy, Shen Yuan took out his practice sword and ran two fingers along the blade. It glowed brightly. A pale imitation of his master’s Xiu Ya. Shen Yuan got into a defensive stance with his blade and his other hand reached for his fan. From the thick fog, several humanoid silhouettes emerged. It only a took a minute or two before one of the dark figures charged and attacked. When the thing approached, Shen Yuan could finally make out its features.

Zombies?! What the fuck?!

[Beginner Level Quest: Shuang Hu City set to ‘e̸̢̖͓̹̬̟̝̳̅̓͘͘xtreme ḫ̵̢̜͖̖͍͚̪̱͓͕̲͉̻͒͗̕͝ardmod̸̛͔̓̀̾̓̈̏͂̈́̑̅̀̀̊͗e mode’. Quest shall now b̶̪͆̾̃̌̈́̌̈́̔̍e̴͚̪͓̣̭̤͑ḡ̶̛͓̜͈̗̤͎̠̬͈̰̞́̾̂͆̅̎͆͌͗͗͜i̶̖͕̓̏͝n̶͈͈̙̜̜̩̂̓̌̂͐̒͗̚͝ͅ. be̴͚̪͓̣̭̤͑gin. begi̶̖͕̓̏͝n̶͈͈̙̜̜̩̂̓̌̂͐̒͗̚͝ͅ. ]

[Notice. All User Skills activated and five layers of protection barriers successfully applied on User.]

[ê̴̱͖̽̇̀̌̄̑͑̀̚͘̕͜͝͝rror…error….an̶̥̦͖̈́̈́́̇̆͌̊̉̈̕͠͝omaly detê̴̱͖̽̇̀̌̄̑͑̀̚͘̕͜͝͝cted]

Chapter Text

Shen Yuan dodged the corpse that charged at him. As his body twisted gracefully, he used his sword to slash at the thing. The corpse tried to dodge the sword but its movements were not quick enough. As the body staggered back, his arm fell to the ground with a thud.

Shen Yuan held his fan in front of him while he other hand on his back that held the sword, a position his shizun taught him. The corpses circled him, there were at least ten of them.

“For a bunch of zombies, you guys sure are agile and quick on your feet…” Shen Yuan pointed out. He had thought these dead things were slow and dumb like any other zombie in the movies due to how they seem to drag their feet. However, this was a xianxia world. In the world of martial arts and cultivators, even the living dead can fight while fluttering about like their bodies had no weight. So cool!

[Notice. Unique skill ‘thought acceleration’ activated.]

Shen Yuan used this opportunity to summon a blast of spiritual qi with his fan while the zombies came lunging at him all at once. With one fluid movement, he bent his knee and twirled his fan in a swiping motion and created a tornado-like attack. As a result, the zombies were all knocked back on their feet. Even as he managed to knock them all back, they were quick to get back up. He used all the sword and fan-arts he learned, gracefully dancing around the mob of zombies.

“Why does it feel like these guys are multiplying by the minute?!” Shen Yuan noticed that as he fought the zombies, their numbers would grow. He needed to get out of here fast before he was outnumbered. Using his demonic qi would be reckless and would alert any nearby demons and cultivators alike. The moment he saw an opening amongst the crowd of corpses, he jumped up and glided his light body to that direction. Using his glowy blade as a way to see through the thick dark fog, he found a pathway that cut through the mass of dead trees and bushes. Wherever it lead, he didn’t care. Maybe that’s where his Shizun and Binghe went.

Shen Yuan did not dare look back, people who looked back always ended up regretting it. He knew those things were chasing him, he could even hear their creepy moans.

‘Binghe? Binghe! Can you hear me? Are you there?’ Shen Yuan called out via the divinity system. Surprisingly, he received no reply. That’s strange, their divinity system communication should work no matter which dimension they were in. The only time it wouldn’t work is if Binghe was somehow unconscious.

[Notice. Subordinate Binghe is currently unconscious.]

Oh shit, that explains that…. but it made things worst! They were dealing with a powerful entity strong enough to render the OP protagonist unconscious! this is unheard of. Is there a way to confirm if his friend is alive though? Or his current location? surely he can do the gps tracking thing?

[Aswer. Yes, subordinate Luo Binghe is currently in this location pinpointed on the map. Current vital signs are stable. System will display Luo Binghe’s current stats for users.]

Shen Yuan blinked. Holy shit if he could kiss the system right now! This is so incredibly helpful! He stopped on his tracks and jumped up onto a large tree. As he landed on a branch, windows popped up over his face. He scanned Binghe’s current vital signs. Good good, at least he’s safe. He also looked at the map. The map itself was a big black void. Pathways that are visible seem to be the previously walked pathways, like in most rpg games. He cannot unlock everything on the get go, that would be too OP. He needed to have been in these locations first and explored them thoroughly to unlock the entire layout. Luckily, it seemed he was heading to the correct destination. There was a blinking red dot on top of the map just nearby him. Shen Yuan assumed the blinking red dot was his friend Binghe and wherever Binghe was, surely his Shizun was with him too.

Wait.

Shen Yuan noticed there was a blue dot nearby. Huh? Who could that be? Before Shen Yuan could wonder, however, he felt a strong amount of demonic qi headed his way. He ducked just in time to see a silver blur just a few inches from his face. It was a spiritual sword. Holy shit! That could have decapitated him! Well, not really, he was a slime and can regrow limbs on this human body…

“Wha!”

“Behind you.”

Shen Yuan noticed that the blade that flew past him stabbed through a flying….HEAD?! There were more flying heads charging towards him. With his fan and sword, he sliced at the things while jumping from branch to branch. When he got back down on the ground, he saw the mob of zombies quickly catching up to him. He prepared himself to attack the group of undead. However, the glowy silver blur shot past all the zombies, stabbing and slicing through their chests one by one. As soon as the the blade touched the undead, their bodies began to burn of black fire. Shen Yuan observed the scene, he noticed that the sword emitted a concentrated amount of demonic qi. Was that the weakness of the zombies? Huh. So ‘kill it with fire’ applied to this world’s zombies, but in the form of dark qi fire.

Wait. Who’s using demonic cultivation in a city filled with humans?! Whoever it is, they must be an enemy!

Shen Yuan watched as the sword returned to its master. A figure emerged from the darkness of the pathway. When he saw it was Uncle Liu Shen Yuan felt a sense of relief. His appearance was different, however. When his gaze fell on the elder peak lord’s face, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Shen Yuan nearly dropped his fan and his face paled from shock. 

Uncle Liu had HIS mark on his forehead!

Since when was THAT a thing?! Shen Yuan gawked and continue to stare. Liu Qingge seemed unbothered when he approached the younger disciple.

“You and Shen Qingqiu wore the same exact expression when I showed him this too.” He then pointed to his forehead.

“Wha- how…demonic cultivation? huh? M-My mark… on uncle Liu ahh….” Shen Yuan tip toed and stared at the elder’s face more closely. Said elder just gave the younger one an amused look while Shen Yuan fussed over him.

“Calm down. Were you not aware of the soul contract we made, Junshang?” Liu Qingge raised a brow, amused at his supposed demonic MASTER’s obliviousness about their soul contract. Well, he could ask the system a bit more information about the gift Liu Qingge received from him… was that the unique skill ‘War God’? Well, there’s no time for that now, maybe later once they’re all safe and not fighting against zombies.

“Don’t call me- never mind. Uncle Liu, we need to find Shizun and Binghe, they were taken to this location.” Shen Yuan used the system to show Liu Qingge the map. The glowing bright green text box appeared before the peak lord who seemed shocked by its appearance.

“These glowing boxes….“ Liu Qingge took a step back in shock.

“It’s the system, Uncle Liu. My system.” Shen Yuan tried his best to explain, knowing that the people of this world may it wild to see computer-like screens blink into existence in front of their faces. “Since you’re soulbound to me as my subordinate, I can share it with you. This is the map of the area, we need to head over to this location. I can track down where my current subordinates are through the use of our divinity system. This is where Binghe should be.” Shen Yuan then pointed over to the red blinking dot. “By extension, Shizun should be there as well. Hopefully.”

Liu Qingge examined the screen for a moment then held his hand up. “Hn. Alright, let’s go.” For the first time, Shen Yuan noticed his silver cuffs that glowed of demonic qi. His uncle ran his fingers at his trusty spirit blade, Cheng Luan and the blade transformed into a rather elaborate looking sword with an ornate dragon hilt. The blade itself was pure black with small cracks, on the cracks seeped glowing emerald green light. It was… a beautiful demonic-looking sword.

“Wha-“

Before Shen Yuan could question his uncle further. Liu Qingge grabbed him by the scruff of his collar like some kitten and they both hopped on the new demon sword.

“Uncle Liu, You’re going to have to explain whatever the hell this is later after we find Binghe and Shizun.” Shen Yuan held onto his uncle but gestured a free hand on his new sword.

“As you wish. Junshang.”

“Seriously stop calling me that here, Uncle Liu!”

“No.”

Binghe’s POV

‘Kid! Kid….brat! Wake up!’

Binghe groaned and he slowly opened his eyes. His vision was still quite blurry and he felt disoriented. He can, however, hear Senior Meng Mo from within his mind.

‘Senior Meng Mo?’

‘Good you’re awake. Your Shizun’s about to get killed.’

What?!

Binghe’s vision finally focused. Just in time, he saw a dark figure about to bring down its sharp claws on his shizun who was tied up to a stone altar. They were in a large dark room that looked like the inside of a mausoleum. The walls were painted by dark red symbols and eerie looking paintings. The only source of light was the old lanterns that hung from the walls. Binghe noticed he was tied to a pillar. Luckily, only his torso and arms were bound and their captor did not even use immortal binding blades on him.

Using demonic qi, he summoned one of his xin mo replica swords and let it fly towards the dark figure. The figure dodged the attack. Good. Binghe meant to distract the thing before it landed a single scratch on his shizun.

“The disciple awakes- what’s this? Demonic qi?” The figure elegantly whirled its body in mid-air and dodged the sword. The figure landed on its feet and walked over closer to Binghe. He could not make out the figure much as it was wearing a veil but the being was wearing the black robes of a female.

“Shizun!” Binghe attempted to call out to the unconscious immortal master. He then blasted qi energy from his body to undo the bindings on him. Once he managed to free himself, he ran up to the altar, ignoring the veiled creature. Before he could reach his unconscious mentor, the creature charged towards him. Binghe dodged to the other direction as he detected a blast of qi heading his way. He backflipped onto the wall next to the altar and landed on the ground. He willed his sword to return to his hand and he got in a defensive stance.

“My my, who knew that this lowly one would be graced with the presence of royalty tonight…a heavenly demon.” The woman spoke from behind her veil. “And here I thought I had managed to acquire a delicious cultivator as my next meal…..I also managed to find the fake emperor. My lord will be most pleased to hear of this….the return of Tianglan Jun’s bastard son.” the woman giggled excitedly then walked over to Binghe with a bounce to her step. When she was but a few distances away from Binghe and right next to the altar, she bowed her head politely. “Welcome to my humble skin workshop, Junshang.”

Junshang? Workshop? Binghe glanced around and scanned the area near the altar where his Shizun was tied up to. To his absolute horror and disgust, there were things dangling like robes on the walls….but they weren’t robes, they were skin. Perfectly flayed skin. Binghe’s stomach lurched. He can still see the shape of the faces of the skin hanging from the ceiling. It was an utter nightmare of a scene.

Binghe took a step closer but the demoness held a clawed finger up, her other finger went to the face of his Shizun, threatening to tear the skin off. “Ah-ah~ not a step closer, Jungshang. Or else your Shizun’s pretty face will be….not so pretty anymore.” She tilted her head over to the bound immortal and she visibly perk up.

“Oh! Our esteemed Peak lord finally awakes!”

Binghe immediately looked over to Shen Qingqiu, he felt great relief when he saw the elder peak lord stir and squirm against his bindings. “Shizun!” He called out, forgetting his anger and hurt for his master at this moment.

[Shen Qingqiu’s POV]

When Shen Qingqiu came to, he found himself bound to a table or an altar of some sort. His unfocused emerald green eyes could see strange human-like shapes on the dark ceiling of the room. Were those…..bodies? No… too thin to be bodies. Only when his vision returned focus that he noticed they were skin of the nine….no, not just nine but several of the victims of the skinner demon.

“The great Cang Qiong mountain sect? The great peak lord of Qing Jing Peak? THIS is all you amount to?” Shen Qingqiu turned his gaze over to a veiled woman who spoke in a maniac tone. “If the so-called greatest sect in the world is full of your sort, the day the demon race conquers the human realm is just around the corner!” She laughed and giggled with glee. Shen Qingqiu winced when he felt the woman’s claws nick at his cheek, a tiny amount of blood seeped from the small cut.

“You shut up and do not lay a dirty claw on my Shizun! We’ll never let you evil demons get away with this! My master Shen and all of Cang Qiong mountain sect would never let evil demons get their way!” Came his disciple’s brave words. Ironic that it came from a heavenly demon of all demons, and one destined to be the supreme demon emperor.

“Oh has Junshang betrayed us demons~?” The woman faked a whimper and fake-wiped a tear from her veiled face. “Not only do you proclaim yourself a fake emperor, you also side with the humans? How disgusting and vile! Such is expected of a half-breed beast like you!”

Shen Qingqiu winced at that. ‘Beast’ and ‘mongrel’ was one of the words he would have called Binghe if it weren’t for the system. He vowed himself to never follow the evil deity’s script even if it continuously attacked him. One of the promises he made was to never ever call his disciple those degrading names. So what if he was a half human and a half heavenly demon? Lineage meant nothing in the streets were Shen Qingqiu grew up in. Your only worth it your ability to survive. Your own strength, not your blood connections. Luo Binghe proved himself worthy in Shen Qingqiu’s eyes the moment he dared show himself at Cang Qiong Mountain, the most powerful Cultivation Sect. One would think only young lords and children with titles and lands were worthy of becoming cultivators. Even children of the streets like him and Binghe deserved to be there too.

Shen Qingqiu suddenly saw the wretched red window appear before him. Mocking him. It did nothing and was only watching his miserable predicament as if blinked in and out of existence. Typical of this evil deity. He did not need it help, he will find a way out of this.

[…]

“So you’re the skinner demon.” Was the first thing he said. The veiled monster turned its attention back to him. Good.

“You’re rather smart, Peak Lord Shen. What gave it away~? My precious collection of skins that hung from above us?” She hopped onto the altar and sat on the altar where he was bound to. His peripheral vision caught sight of his nervous and enraged disciple. He probably could not move an inch due to this demoness’s claws still threatening to rip his face out.

“You do not need to take their skin. You absorb their spirit energy and soul the moment you kill them, you just needed to disguise their corpse.” Shen Qingqiu pointed out, his expression calm as he can be. “Is this lord’s guess correct, Die-er?”

The woman leaned back and gasped. “How did you find out?!” Die-er then pulled up her veil to reveal the woman’s face. Her complexion was a lot paler than when she appeared at master Cheng’s mansion. She also had dark veins around her neck and cheek. She looked shocked for a moment but her playful smile returned not a second later. “It doesn’t matter whether you know my identity or not~ You’ll be dead soon, Peak Lord Shen.” she purred. “Don’t worry though, I will make good use of your delicious golden core and put your pretty Xiu Ya to good use!”

“I WON’T LET YOU!” Binghe roared, his eyes glowing red as well as his mark.

Shen Qingqiu was glad he managed to distract the demon long enough for Binghe to close in on her. Before Die-er could bring down her claws onto Shen Qingqiu’s face, the peak lord rolled to the side until he fell off the altar. Binghe used this opportunity to use dark blade to cut the immortal binding cables on Shen Qingqiu. Shen Qingqiu willed his blade to him and it obeyed his command. From the Die-er’s robes, it flew back to his hand. It ripped the expensive looking fabric off a little which only enraged Die-er.

“Such a lecher you are, Shen Qingqiu, disgracing this lady! YOU AND THAT FAKE EMPEROR SHALL PAY!” She jumped back and now stood on top of the altar where he was previously tied to. Her ruined robes fluttered as her body hovered. The demoness’s eyes glowed a pupil-less white. Then, a disgusting crack can be heard and the demoness’s head leaned to the side in an unnatural angle. Die-er curled her lips into a smile as vile black blood seeped from the corners of her lips.

“To me, my minions. Bury these fools alive, take them to your graves!” She shrieked and raised her arms up.

Shen Qingqiu held his sword up and moved closer to his disciple. “Stay close, I feel a vast amount of demonic qi coming our way.” he whispered to Binghe who only grunted as a response.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake. It is as if the floor began to crumble and several hands and limbs shot up from the ground. The room had been very dark and dimly light, but horror struck the peak lord’s face when he realize the ‘ground’ beneath them was nothing but a pile of corpses. The fresher ones looked like skinless disfigured humans.

The mass of bodies moved like one singular organism, it was disgusting. They both staggered back as the ground beneath them began to sink and several hands grabbed at them. Shen Qingqiu jumped onto his sword. He spotted Binghe was being pulled down by a hand that grabbed at his right leg. Shen Qingqiu sent a blast of qi his way to free his demonic disciple. Binghe broke away from the hand and hopped onto his dark demon sword.

“Let’s go! Quickly!” Shen Qingqiu looked around and quickly spotted the exit. He lead them to that direction but before they could reach the doorway, he saw something fly to them through his peripheral vision. He quickly dodged the incoming small object - a flying head? No - it was Die-er’s head! The woman’s eyes were glowing white! 

“Where are you going, Peak lord Shen and Junshang~”

The Peak Lord saw that his disciple was fighting the headless body whilst wielding his seemingly endless supply of dark swords. Shen Qingqiu sent a qi blast through his palms towards the head that came after hime but to his shock, nothing came out. Curses! Not now! As if fate spat in his face yet again, he felt pain in his chest and head. Not now…! He glared at the red box that mockingly hovered over him. He didn’t think the wretched thing would start attacking him NOW of all times! It never interfered with him before in the middle of a battle! Die-er used this opportunity to pounce onto Shen Qingqiu.

“AAHHGGK!” The peak lord cried out in pain as he felt the woman’s sharp fangs stab at his neck. The thing ripped at his flesh horribly, making him cough out blood. He fell off his sword and onto the now dark and deep hole of on the ground.

“SHIZUN!”

Shen Qingqiu felt as if the world was spinning and he felt numb and cold. His senses were slowly failing him but he could hear his disciple call to him desperately. He glanced to the heavenly demon’s direction and saw that Binghe was still currently preoccupied with fending off Die-er’s headless body. Even without its head, the body was as agile and quick on its feet. It managed to dodge his attacks. Binghe had resorted to summoning five more swords while standing on two swords for each of his feet.

“B-Binghe RUN! E-Escape! Leave this old master!” he managed to choke out before coughing out blood.

As Shen Qingqiu continued to fall, the peak lord grabbed the head by the hair and tried to pry it off his body. “You won’t escape, Peak Lord Shen. Death will come to you~ and I will have your golden core and destroy your soul!” came the muffled voice of the head coupled with disgusting sounds of his blood and throat being torn off.

“SHIZUN!!!!!” He heard his noisy disciple’s cries again. He was feeling weaker and weaker by the minute. Blood seeped from the his open wound, he knew his neck was gruesomely torn open by that thing and he was rapidly losing a lot of blood. He couldn’t even speak, did that thing damage his voice box?

“Aa-h…Bing-he….”

Was all he could muster before the darkness took him.

Chapter Text

Have you ever heard of that meme where the guy, pizzabox in hand, comes back to a room that’s set on fire and a dead body laying somewhere on the ground? Yeah, that meme captured the exact same feeling Shen Yuan felt as he entered the mausoleum that the system directed them into. There was a large hole on the ground the ‘ground’ itself was moving weirdly. Upon closer inspection, the so-called 'ground' was a gigantic pile of corpses in all various stages of decay. None of them had skins. SKINS. It was a horrific and disgusting sight but it was unfortunately not the worst thing he saw in the room.

Binghe was safe and sound. His gallant and handsome OP protagonist was fighting a headless body and he seems to be holding out well on his own. The body Binghe clashed against showed no signs of slowing down as it expertly dodged Binghe’s every attack. His friend needed his help but Shen Yuan knew he needed to prioritize someone else.

The most horrific thing in the room was his priority. Their Shizun. Shen Qingqiu was falling into the hole! He wasn’t just falling he was DYING. Shen Yuan was thankful his system managed to re-enable all his skills and defensive barriers beforehand, he would not have been able to device an appropriate strategy nor can he assess the situation properly if it hadn’t done that. Thank the gods for his unique skill: thought acceleration. In that short milisecond, he was able to focus, calm down, and gather his mind. As a disciple of a Peak of strategists, Shen Yuan would do his shizun proud by putting on the mantle of a strategic leader.

“Uncle Liu, help Binghe with the headless corpse. Escape will be your top priority, leave Shizun and the skinner demon to me.”

“Alright.”

Shen Yuan, without another word, jumped down from Uncle Liu’s demon sword. He sprouted his bat-like wings and caught Shen Qingqiu’s falling body before it was consumed by the living dead hole. Shen Yuan spotted the head that latched itself onto his Shizun’s neck.

“Let go of my Shizun now.” Shen Yuan released a blast of his cursed demonic aura. His tone was stern and cold.

The head pried itself from the unconscious immortal peak lord’s neck. Shen Yuan watched as its eyes widened, slowly realizing that it had become a prey to a more fierce predator. This head looked like that lady the old fart from the mansion was cuddling up to, Die-er. Was she the murderer? And unlike the flying heads he fought outside, this one was sentient. It must be the leader and the owner of the body Binghe is currently fighting. The head then quickly removed itself from his shizun then hovered a safe distance away from the Shen duo.

“You brat- also a demon? My my, Peak Lord Shen has interesting disciples…”

Shen Yuan held his shizun close to him and examined the unconscious peak lord. It wasn’t looking good, the man was paler than he should be and his body was also somehow lighter and colder. Oh no. Shen Yuan felt his chest tighten in panic.

‘System, run diagnostics on Shen Qingqiu.’

[Answer. Running diagnostics on target Shen Qingqiu…….50%…….90%….100% complete]

[Answer. Target Shen Qingqiu is in critical condition. Severe damage to muscle tissues and nerves. Target is also severely low on blood.]

Shit shit shit!

[Answer. User may heal target within his stomach or through the use of his heavenly slime secretions. First option is more optimal.]

‘Go! let’s do that! The first one! I’ll just explain to Shizun later why I ate him!’

Shen Yuan hurriedly commanded his system. He hated to devour his Shizun without his consent, but the man is dying and it’s the only way! As he held the man close, the elder seem to sink into Shen Yuan’s humanoid form until the peak lord completely disappeared into his body. Die-er’s head gasped in shock at the display. In his peripheral vision, Shen Yuan noticed some kind of red box glitching around him. Huh? Is that the system?

[….]

“What the- what did you do to peak lord Shen?!”

“Nothing you should know.” Shen Yuan then turned his full attention back at the head now. “You’re the one who hurt my Shizun and my Binghe.” His eyes glowed an eerie green as his features became more demonic. The tips of his hair glowed green and dragon horns sprouted from his head. His black sword demon mark also appeared on his forehead, glowing an ominous black. The demonic aura around him changed, it grew stronger than it already was. He noted its obvious effect on the frightened Die-er. His dark aura is similar to Xin Mo’s so it had strange effects against others, especially to demons he consider his enemies. Shen Yuan intended to only strike fear and corrupt the demoness. He won’t have to hold himself back now that he secured Binghe and his Shizun’s safety.

Shen Yuan was the first to attack. He closed the distance between him and the floating head. Using his fan, he swiped it at Die-er and created wind-blades to attack the demoness. The head managed to dodge it but it wasn’t quick enough to dodge Shen Yuan’s practice sword. Shen Yuan managed to deal a heavy blow to the head, making the thing cough out blood. Shen Yuan grabbed the head by the hair.

“Insolent lesser demon!” The head hissed. “You’re a fool if you think you can defeat me.” Die-er’s head smirked at Shen Yuan. Suddenly, Shen Yuan felt something stab at him from behind. When he looked down, he could see claws protrude from his chest. The head he held in his hand cackled and laughed.

“A-YUAN!!! -Let go of me Shishu, I need to help A-Yuan!” Came Binghe’s voice. Shen Yuan saw his best friend and uncle Liu flying towards him. Liu Qingge seems to be holding back the very very pissed protagonist.

“I thought I told you two to escape, aiyah.” Shen Yuan let out an soft chuckle.

“You can still talk?! h-how?!” Die-er was baffled. Shen Yuan narrowed his still-glowing demonic eyes at the thing then gripped at her head tighter.

“You’re the fool, Lady Die-er.” The young man said in a low and cold tone, eerily out of character for Shen Yuan. He’s pissed right now, he can’t help it. “For harming my Shizun and my Binghe, this Demon Emperor sentences you to a slow and painful death.” Shen Yuan then took his practice sword and stabbed the head from her crown downwards. The disgusting thing spurted out blood. It was like making a demon head skewer. Disgusting.

“Y-You….no… he’s not the fake Emperor…. h-he’s the lapdog…YOU’RE the true fake emperor! A-aargh“ The demoness panicked as she watched her own body struggle and convulse. The slow realization confused Shen Yuan. Yes, he is acting like the emperor right now, but Binghe is the true supreme emperor in the future. He’d happily give this all for his precious protagonist. As long as Binghe remains his…. his what, exactly? Never mind. His mind was hazy with so much emotions, he needed to concentrate on his battle for now.

[Unique Skill: ‘Predator’ Activate]

“What are you doing?! MY BODY! AHHHCK!” The demoness’s head struggled and squirmed while still skewered to Shen Yuan’s sword. Die-er mouth started to foam and her eyeballs rolled back to her head. Shen Yuan slowly devoured her body starting from the arm that had stabbed itself onto his chest. Shen Yuan was a slime so no blood was shed. One of his first intrinsic skills was ‘resist melee attack’ after all.

The process was slower than usual, Shen Yuan was a man of his words. He willed it to be as painful as he can for the demoness who dared hurt his Shizun and Binghe. Soon, Die-er’s screams and disgusting gurgling sounds died down. The head went limp on his blade and it started to disintegrate.

[Confirmed: Target ‘Die-er the skinner demon’ 100% devoured.]

[Confirmed: Unique skill ‘Control Undead’ successfully acquired.]

[Confirmed: Unique skill ‘Skin transform acquired’ merging with unique skill ‘mimicry’……unique skill ‘Body double’ acquired.]

Shen Yuan ignored the many notifications for now. He returned to a more human-like appearance save for the wings he still sprouted from his back. He didn’t have a spirit sword yet so he’ll have to use his wings for now. He then flew over to Binghe and Liu Qingge.  As soon as he got close enough to the duo, he was quickly grabbed by Binghe and smushed into his all too welcoming bosom.

“A-Yuan! I was so worried…the wretched thing stabbed you!” The heavenly demon whimpered, his voice muffled as Binghe buried his face in Shen Yuan’s hair. Shen Yuan’s heart warmed, he then reached over to rub his friend’s back.

“Binghe, You watched me get stabbed so many times in the past during our many abyss monster hunts…. you know melee attacks do not work on me….” he reassured the other, which only made the larger heavenly demon sob more.

“STILL! This one hates seeing his A-Yuan damaged or hurt!” Aiya, this big cry baby OP demon protagonist. Shen Yuan continued to coo and comfort Binghe.

“Young master, Where is Shen Qingqiu?” Uncle Liu asked, looking concerned and worried for his Shixiong.

“Don’t worry uncle Liu, Shizun is inside my stomach at the moment. He’s severely injured, I’ve been trying my best to heal him as we speak.” Shen Yuan explained. That seemed to calm Liu Qingge down as Shen Yuan watched his uncle’s shoulders relax.

“We should return to the Cheng manor. There could be more demons or living corpses lurking, we need to get Shen Qingqiu to safety.” Liu Qingge suggested. Binghe frowned and lowered his head.

“This one apologizes…I was too weak to protect Shizun.” The heavenly demon clenched his fist. Shen Yuan placed a hand over the fist then shook his head. “This one is ashamed.”

“You did what you can Binghe, don’t worry. I won’t let shizun die.” Shen Yuan smiled at his protagonist reassuringly.

With that, all three cultivators flew out of the mausoleum and back to the city.

Shen Qingqiu’s POV

Shen Qingqiu finally woke up, he expected to be buried deep underground with the corpses but he found himself in a comfortable bed. He let his gaze wander around the room, it was unfamiliar to him. It must be one of the lodgings provided to them in the Cheng Manor.

“Shizun, you’re finally awake!” It was Ming Fan. The head disciple had been carrying a tray and nearly dropped it when he noticed the elder’s eyes were open.

“I’ll go tell Liu Shishu!” the young man placed the tray down carefully, bowed his head to his master, then proceeded to walk out of the room. On the way out, he spoke to someone by the door.

“Don’t just stand there, Shidi. Come on, this Shixiong knows how much you worried for Shizun. Stop moping in a corner…” He could tell the other person Ming Fan was speaking to was Luo Binghe.

“I am NOT! I-I’m… this Shidi is just… standing watch because A-Yuan told me to…” Shen Qingqiu could almost see the stubborn young brat pouting.

Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes then tried to sit up. He expected pain but he felt surprisingly light. He looked at his hand, an abundance of spiritual qi seem to pulse through his fingertips that it almost tingled. He never felt this healthy ever since the evil deity known as the ’system’ latched onto him. It’s almost as if his body had healed to a hundred percent, even his damaged meridians.

“H-Hey! Da-Shixiong!!”

The immortal peak lord watched quietly as Ming Fan dragged in an unwilling Luo Binghe into the room. It was comical considering the once younger and smaller disciple was now towering over Ming Fan. “Luo Shidi, watch over Shizun for me while I get Liu Shishu.” With that, Ming Fan bowed down to the peak lord then promptly left the room.

Shen Qingqiu closed his eyes, perfectly content with sitting in silence for a bit. He did not expect Luo Binghe to utter a word to him. He realized this was probably the first time since his return that they were completely alone together. Shen Qingqiu had so much questions he wish he could ask Luo Binghe. ‘How are you?’ ‘How is your cultivation in the abyss, did the dark qi harm you?’ ‘Were you able to find the beastiary useful during your travels?’ then ‘Were you able to find what you were looking for?’ and finally ‘Have you finished your quest? are you able to return to your home for good? to your master and martial family?’.

Obviously, Shen Qingqiu knew he had somehow lost the right to ask these questions. The boy who once looked up to him with admiration now only looked at him with disappointment and disdain.

“How is… how is shizun feeling…?” His disciple suddenly spoke up, alerting Shen Qingqiu awake.

“This master has completely recovered.” The elder peak lord’s fingers twitched, where was his fan. He wish he could hide his face like usual. It was easier to put up a front when he could hide behind something. “Disciple Binghe need not concern himself over this old master.”

“oh…” Luo Binghe obviously felt out of place and awkward. They both did.

“This master, however, thanks Disciple Binghe for saving his life.”

“It wasn’t this disciple who saved Shizun’s life. It was A-Yuan who did.” Luo Binghe lowered his head. “This disciple was too weak… to keep his Shizun safe.” Luo Binghe then got down on his knees and kowtowed by Shen Qingqiu’s bedside. “This disciple begs his Shizun for forgiveness. If a punishment is necessary… he will gladly take it.”

Shen Qingqiu stared at the pathetic display before him before he got up from the bed to stand in front of the heavenly demon. “Rise, Luo Binghe. You do not need to do such a thing. There is nothing to beg forgiveness for.”

“But-“

“Aiyah. Since when did this Master raise such a weak willed disciple?” He scolded which made Luo Binghe flinched. The young man got back up but he did not look at the elder peak lord in the eye. At least Luo Binghe did not lose that rebellious glint in those brown eyes.

“You may be stronger now with your heavenly demon blood awakened… but still an easily flustered young disciple.” Shen Qingqiu gazed up at the towering teen then his lips curled up into a small fond smile. “Good. You are still you and that satisfied this master.”

“Y-you knew what I was since the beginning… didn’t you, Shizun?”

Ah, this conversation. He knew he would be forced to have it sooner or later, but whether he COULD was the question.

Wait.

Shen Yuan was within the vicinity, does this mean he could finally come clean to Luo Binghe? Can he speak about the evil deity and… clear up possible misunderstandings without being attacked?

“Ye-“

“SHIZUN!!!!!”

Both Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe turned their heads to the door when Shen Yuan came bursting inside followed by Liu Qingge. Almost immediately, the smallest disciple got down on his knees and kowtowed. Shen Yuan repeatedly bowed and smacked his head against the floor. Shen Qingqiu found himself gawking at the display. He barely noticed Luo Binghe panicking and asking for his mate to stop smacking his head against the floor. Liu also tried to pry the kid away from the floor.

“Shizun! This disciple begs your forgiveness for swallowing you whole without your consent! This one promises he did nothing to harm Shizun’s body!”

The youngest disciple whimpered and squeaked like a pathetic little kitten. Shen Qingqiu almost wanted to smack the kid in the head with his fan which was still missing, by the way. Where is that thing when he needs it?! Shen Yuan looking exactly like a younger version of him DID NOT help. Shen Qingqiu hated weakness and he absolutely hated seeing his smaller self kowtowing like a pathetic idiot for doing….what exactly? SWALLOWING him? Did he hear that right?

Why are all his demon disciples like this?

Shen Yuan’s POV

Once Binghe and Uncle Liu managed to calm him down, Shen Yuan finally stopped smashing his face against the floor. It did not really hurt nor caused him any real damage but Binghe insisted on holding him close and rubbing his forehead. Shen Yuan proceeded to explain what happened at the mausoleum when he and Liu Qingge arrived.

“You were only trying to heal this master and meant no harm. You did not have to apologize, foolish boy.” Shen Qingqiu finally said with a sigh.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell him!” Binghe and Uncle Liu shouted in unison which made both Shen’s blink.

“Still…” Shen Yuan lowered his head with a pout. “This one must ask, how is Shizun doing? This disciple hopes he has recovered fully after being healed. Do let this one know if anything is…out of place?” The Young man looked up to his Shizun with worry.

“This master is fine… thankyou Disciple Shen Yuan for rescuing this one and Disciple Binghe.” Shen Yuan then breathed a sigh of relief. The system had already reassured him that they had managed to restore Shen Qingqiu back to full health. Still, he needed to know if there were unusual side effects to being inside his stomach for an extended period of time. Binghe was different, he’s half heavenly demon. The OP protagonist’s body was built different. So Shen Yuan felt relieved that Shen Qingqiu seemed to be his normal healthy self. Although his system did find something very interesting while they were diagnosing and healing their Shizun.

The man had a system…and it did not look friendly. His system even accused it of being a virus of some sort. A parasite.

Shen Yuan was both concerned and curious. Was Shen Qingqiu a transmigrator like him? He was dying to ask, yet it did not seem appropriate with Binghe and Uncle Liu around. Perhaps when they’re alone, he could ask. Maybe he can even help… if it truly was a virus.

“What became of the skinner demon?” Shen Qingqiu asked.

Uncle Liu was the one who stepped up and gave his report to shizun. No details were left unsaid especially on how Shen Yuan defeated the skinner demon. They eventually had Ming Fan listen in so the head disciple could make the report to Master Cheng and the Sect leader. Of course, uncle Liu and Shizun left out certain details like Binghe and Shen Yuan being demons and all that. They were able to close the case and considered the mission completed. Once they’ve finished up their duties at the Cheng Manor, they finally were able to travel back to Cang Qiong Mountain.

At least Shen Yuan’s first mission as a cultivator was a success.

Chapter Text

After completing his first mission with the skinner demon, Shen Yuan fell back into a steady routine. He would continue his studies as a Qing Jing Peak disciple under their Shizun and the senior disciples. He’d also spend most of his free time with the other Qing Jing Peak disciples, or even the elders like his Shizun and Uncle Liu. However, whoever his companions would be at the time, Shen Yuan would almost always be accompanied by his sticky best friend Binghe. He was never alone with anyone. Shen Yuan did not mind, he enjoyed the company of his hunky protagonist. He did miss being in slime form… he wanted to feel the warmth and softness of those glorious protagonist tiddies. He loved being carried around by Binghe. Unfortunately, he cannot transform into his slime form because he can’t risk using a tiny ounce of demonic qi within Cang Qiong Mountain. He might alert the other peak lords and cultivators.

Binghe also started coming with him to Shen Qingqiu’s private lessons. The pouty heavenly demon often just watched quietly in a corner. It was somewhat of an improvement compared to a few months ago. Back then, Binghe would be hiding behind bamboo trees glaring from afar and spreading his…angry resentful energy which irritated Shizun to no end. Luckily, his bamboo hut was far away from others that no one would be able to sense the dark qi. They might think their Shizun was under attack by a malevolent spirit. Uncle Liu came crashing in sometimes but whenever he realized it was just Binghe, the two would argue then Uncle Liu would proceed to spar with Binghe. Obviously, the two Shen’s just ignored them.

Anyway, the point is, Binghe’s ‘behavior’ around their Shizun somewhat improved. Maybe almost seeing their Shizun die at the hands of the skinner demon affected his protagonist in some way? Binghe started acknowledging their Shizun more, but their conversations were very abrupt and awkward….almost as if they could only exchange a maximum of five phrases until it got awkward and quiet between them. At least NOW Binghe was slowly warming up to their Shizun again? maybe? Wishful thinking?

As much as Shen Yuan wanted to completely devote himself to the life of a Qing Jing Peak disciple, he still had his obligations and duties back in the demon realm. There were times where he had to descend to the demon realm to take care of some matters with his Ministers and lands. His subordinates were all very capable demons and Uncle Airplane made sure to update him whenever he can, but there are just some issues he needed to address himself and in person.

There have been some reoccuring issues regarding kings and clan leaders wanting to meet him and visit his growing territory. Shen Yuan was actually shocked to hear about this just recently. He did not intend to conquer other lands, just maintain his own out of respect for Xin Mo. However, since his subordinates kept declaring him as ‘The Supreme Emperor’, many demons and abyss boss monsters took that as a challenge. The weaker clans now seek his protection while the stronger ones want to meet him and size him up. Aiyah, what a disaster. It cannot be helped, such is the way of the demon realm.

So to talk about the current situation, Shen Yuan called for an official meeting with his cabinet.

In the grand meeting room of Zuzhou City Hall, his entire Government Cabinet convened. Each seat on the long table was filled with the most powerful monsters both from the Endless Abyss and the Northern Demon Kingdom. Every creature in the room was formidable and powerful enough to command a nation. This meant the mood in the room was naturally tense. One wrong move and it could spark war against demon clans. Bloodshed was imminent.

“I will NOT accept this!” A hand slammed on the table and Muyang of the greater abyss demon clan spoke up.

“This is within my jurisdiction as his right hand man and personal secretary.” Binghe calmly replied, folding his arms over his exposed chest. “I will not back down on my decision.”

“Neither will I!” Muyang’s eyes were dark and muscle bulged.

“I would like to propose a different option.” Now, a white haired androgynous beauty spoke up. It was the Alpha of the nine tailed fox clan, yet another ruler of a fearsome demon clan.

“This Lord would like to object.” Mobei Jun, acting ruler of the Northern Demon Kingdom, also interjected, his tone as icy and stern as ever.

Finally, someone slammed both hands on the desk loud enough to silence the demon lords in the room. It was Uncle Liu, the Bai Zhan Peak Lord. In the demon realm, he wore Shen Yuan’s mark proudly so no demon would question his place in this meeting room. “We need your opinion on this, Junshang.” He spoke out, eyes intensely glued onto the smallest one in the room.

Muyang agreed with the immortal master’s words. “Everyone’s morale relies heavily on this, after all. Oh great benevolent one.” a drop of sweat rolled down the buff demon’s temples. The room had truly become intense, this was a fierce battle his governing officials were fighting.

“Qinghua, are you ready?” Mobei Jun called out to his mate as he stood up and turned his head towards the door. Shang Qinghua burst into the room looking serious and solemn. The immortal peak lord had his arms behind his back.

“Yes, my king.” the man then walked further into the room of powerful beings. He then pulled up two sets of regal and expensive-looking robes.

“Now then. This dark, alluring but conservative set?” He presented a set of black and green robes that had ornate gold dragon markings. It resembled Shen Yuan’s current robes but more elaborate and highly decorated with accessories and even a veil that had tiny silver speckles down onto the sheer dark fabric.

“Or this bold and bright set?” The other robe had an all white inner robe and a black outer robe with hints of green . It was slightly exposed in the chest area. It also included elaborate gold jewelry themed after a lotus flower with a golden circlet as a head accessory. There were tiny gold jewelry for his horns as well. This specific set was obviously FAR from the traditional clothing of a xianxia setting. It was obvious that Uncle Airplane designed these! Isn’t this for a busty hot sister of some sort?!

“Which one do you think would fit you better, Junshang?” His Uncle Airplane asked with an enthusiastic smile. Every demon and immortal peak lord turned their heads to Shen Yuan. They all had intense stares as they eagerly awaited for their Supreme Demon Emperor’s words. Shen Yuan closed his eyes, half his face already hidden behind his fan.

“…is this really so important for you all?”

“YES JUNSHANG!” all answered in unison.

Shen Yuan went with the second option, only because Binghe looked like he was on the verge of tears when Shen Yuan gravitated towards the more modest and familiar black robes. Aiyah this crybaby protagonist. The rest of his subordinates seemed pleased to see their leader walk back into the room dressed in the elaborate robes. Shen Yuan could not help but suddenly feel bashful and self conscious all of a sudden. Why did they insist he wore these gaudy robes? Isn’t this too much for a simple meeting? He would much rather show up in his usual attire or even his Qing Jing Peak disciple robes which were much more comfortable than this… layer upon later of silk and jewelry.

Shen cleared his throat. Now that this matter is settled, they can move onto more important discussions.

He just learned that he now ruled over 60% of the Endless Abyss. This was shocking news to Shen Yuan. Last time he checked, he only ruled over the forest of Zuzhou as a replacement for Xin Mo BUT it turns out that over the years, the abyss boss monsters with territories of their own would come check out the forest and their rumored new ruler with the intention of conquering the land only to be met by crushing defeat in the hands of Shen Yuan’s subordinates. This resulted in Shen Yuan acquiring the lands of those boss monsters. Now he owns over 60% of the Endless Abyss. Alpha also reports that more of those abyss boss monsters from both bigger and smaller clans would like to meet the ruler of Zuzhou forest in person.

“Young Master Shen controls all the hunting grounds and natural resources within his borders and these non-hostile leaders would want to establish trade relations. Many monsters and demons of weaker clans will also try to come to the young master to seek his protection. Not just from the abyss but also of the Northern demon territories.” Reported Uncle Airplane as he presented scrolls and missives from the various clan leaders.

Speaking of the northern kingdom, Mobei Jun came with his own report. Shen Yuan had wanted to hear back about his request of meeting Mobei Jun’s uncle in person. However, Mobei Jun did not mention his uncle at all. The man seems to have become quiet, which was strange and a bit suspicious. Mobei Jun mostly reported about the rebellion.

It wasn’t a problem for Mobei Jun because he was used to dealing with rebels as the former king of the north, but when they fell under Emperor Shen Yuan’s rule, Zuzhou forest demons also came to the Northern Kingdom’s aid therefor strengthening the military power of the north by a LOT. As a result of this military power-up, the Northern Kingdom gained quite the reputation for having strong ranked demons as subordinates. Imagine powerful demons and boss monsters from the fabled ‘Endless Abyss’ joining a demon nation’s army… This caught the attention of the other demon territories: specifically the West and East kingdoms.

With all this information, Shen Yuan felt like he was going to go dizzy with stress, can he even experience dizziness? If it weren’t for the system helping him analyze everything, he would have already lost himself in all the details about these various demon and abyss clans with their respective conflicts and political drama. They just need to tackle these issues one at a time…or maybe…

“Mobei Jun, this lord commands you to send missives and summons across the demon realm. We shall hold a Grand Banquet. A gathering of all demon rulers so this Lord would meet them all in person as they requested.” Shen Yuan knew he would be killing so many birds with one stone with this Grand Banquet. As much as he hated these stuffy formal palace events, it was a necessary evil. Well, he did not have an actual palace but he had this town hall big enough to house these demon kings…hopefully.

“Yes Junshang.” Mobei Jun gave his master an obedient nod.

Now the other issues…

Satisfied with the response he got from Mobei Jun, Shen Yuan turned his attention to Muyang. “This Lord would also request Demon Lord Muyang to contact the abyss boss monsters who requested for my presence. I will deal with them all before the date of the Grand Banquet. I will accompany you on this endeavor alongside my right hand, Luo Binghe.”

“Yes Master Shen!” The hulking greater demon bowes his head with respect.

Then lastly…

Shen Yuan looked over to Alpha and his Uncle Liu. “The protection of this City and the Northern Demon Kingdom are both your priorities. It is possible that enemies would want to attack before and during the banquet. Most of us will be busy with our own tasks, so this Lord would like Alpha and Master Liu to see through our military forces.”

Shen Yuan pointed his fan over to Alpha whose nine tails wagged happily behind him. “Alpha, you are to form a Covert Operation Team. Fox demons and Nine Tails are masters of deception and illusions, from what I’ve heard. You will be assigned as my personal spies.” Shen Yuan snapped his finger and in front of everyone in the room, except Uncle Airplane, appeared a green glowy screen with the words ‘Access Granted’.

“All of you, my Ministers and close confidants, are given access to the System. This network of information is strictly private information to our nation only and amongst my official subordinates.” Shen Yuan’s gaze turned to the white haired Nine Tail. “Alpha, I will have you guard this information. You will also be feeding the system information that this lord requires. And for your first mission, I would like you to gather as much intelligence as you can about the Demon kings in attendance of the Grand Banquet.”

Alpha raised his fist and bowed solemnly to Shen Yuan. “Yes Junshang.”

“This lord may also assist the Nine Tail Alpha regarding information of the other kings.” Mobei Jun volunteered to which Shen Yuan agreed.

Shen Yuan turned to Shang Qinghua. “Let me guess, my little martial nephew.” Uncle Airplane seemed both disinterested and tired at the same time which amused Shen Yuan. A smirk tugged at the young Demon Emperor’s lips. “I am to be in charge of the logistics and preparation for the Banquet?” his uncle airplane guessed, he looked like he was already dreading the task. Shen Yuan chuckled, amused that his Uncle Airplane would subject himself to such a boring chore. Nope, Shang Qinghua was far too important and skilled to just be an errand boy.

“Nope! Shang Shibo is to be part of the Covert Operation Team. You will be commanding it together with Alpha.” Shen Yuan’s grin widened as he watched Uncle Airplane nearly spit out his tea. “You may not be my direct subordinate, but we have our jade amulets.” Shen Yuan took out the jade amulet they crafted back then. “While Alpha would act as my eyes and ears to the demon realm, you are to be the same in the human realm.” Shang Qinghua raised both his brows at this, but before his martial uncle could speak, Shen Yuan cut him off. “I’ve heard from Mobei Jun of your impeccable skills in the art of spying. I won’t have Shang Shibo do anything malicious towards his fellow humans, but I simply want to make sure they are safe. Especially Cang Qiong Mountain sect. Having ears and eyes on the cultivation world in the human realm should help this lord ensure Cang Qiong Mountain Sect’s safety.” Shen Yuan glanced over to Alpha then back to his martial uncle. “You will also need to better equip yourself with combat, I will have Alpha help Shang Shibo train further.”

“Wow, you’ve really thought this through, haven’t you, little nephew?” Shang Shibo seemed impressed which caused Shen Yuan to beam with pride. Being praised by his mentor and this world’s author felt nice.

“Alright. As Junshang commands, I shall obey.” Shang Qinghua nodded his head though his uncle looked like he had more to say, but decided not to. Maybe it’s something he cannot say in front of the others. Fellow-transmigrator affairs maybe? “I would like a word with my little nephew later after this, if that is alright.” He finally decided to add, to which Shen Yuan gave his uncle an understanding nod.

“Oh and before this Lord forgets….. Should any information and secret intelligence from the system were to be leaked. Any traitors will be swiftly eliminated.” Shen Yuan spoke in a warning tone. Despite his calm and usually easy going expression however, his lips were pressed with a thin line behind his fan. When he opened his green slitted eyes, he noted that everyone in the room look frightened and still as a statue. He didn’t mean to strike fear in his precious subordinates, but he needed to be firm with them. Any traitors shall be dealt with accordingly.

He then finally turned to Liu Qingge, his other martial uncle. “Master Liu, as a famed Bai Zhan Peak War God with military prowess, this Lord will have you command his army as its General from now on. You will see to the protection of our people. I will give you reign over my military forces as well as the patrol groups. Whether it be demons or abyss monsters, you are free to defeat any foes who stand against the people under my rule. Though I do not rule over Cang Qiong Mountain Sect, I am still directly affiliated with them as a disciple, so this human cultivation sect will also fall under my protection. Therefor, it is also your job to make sure Cang Qiong Mountain Sect is as protected as my kingdom in the demon realm.” Shen Yuan knew there was a chance his Uncle Liu would reject this idea. He already hated taking in more than one disciple, but commanding a whole army of powerful demons. Dangerous and powerful demons are much harder to tame than rowdy brats at Bai Zhan Peak. So Shen Yuan was prepared to just let his Uncle do his own thing, but it would be a great benefit for him to have someone as powerful as Liu Qingge be his General.

“Mn. Alright.”

Woah, that was easy. Shen Yuan perked up at his uncle’s answer. “Really? You’ll do it?”

“Yes.” That was all his uncle said, but as Shen Yuan observed the immortal Peak lord, he could see how excited he was at the prospect of being Shen Yuan’s General. The man was burning with determination despite wearing that calm stoic face. Maybe his uncle was excited because he gets to fight more? Liu Qingge did love night hunts and fighting in general. Shen Yuan already had an entire room in his estate dedicated to preserved animal parts his Uncle Liu would bring him. The live ones are in his backyard, being taken cared of by Binghe or his maids. He noted that Unce Liu would bring Shizun his kills too and Ning Shijie was the one who took care of them. Shen Yuan would even play with the weird fluffy thing back in Qing Jing Peak. It resembled a pomeranian pup, but much larger and it reminded him so much of Binghe. The fluff ball even had Binghe’s crimson red eyes!

“Alright, this meeting is adjourned. I need to return to the human realm for a bit. I’m almost late to my afternoon lessons with Shizun~” Shen Yuan then stood up with an excited smile and left the conference room. Binghe and Uncle Liu followed behind him, both wearing sour faces and arguing amongst each other along the way.

Chapter Text

Preparations for the grand demon Banquet was going well. Shen Yuan wasn’t present for most of it because he was unfortunately off with Binghe and Muyang meeting with leaders of lesser demon clans. Most of them wanted to meet Shen Yuan in person. Shen Yuan did not really mind taking in these lesser monsters and demon clans under his protection but he was concerned with a few things.

Lucky for him, his system had solutions for ALL these concerns.

His first concern was adding more people in his system. While Shen Yuan can lock people from accessing certain functions and information, he wasn’t sure if it was wise to readily accept everyone and anyone who promises their loyalty. Shen Yuan knew he should exercise caution when trusting others especially when politics and rulers of territories are concerned. His system informed him that there was a way to accept these clans into his rule without triggering the divinity system. He could have his subordinates take them in and have the lesser demon clans fall under their rule. This first happened when he took Mobei Jun as his subordinate. The rest of the northern kingdom demons were not included into the divinity system, only Mobei Jun. So in the case of the lesser demons and monster clans in the abyss, he had Muyang take them all in as his subordinates.

For his second concern, it also ties in with the first. If he did not take them in directly as his subordinate, they won’t accidentally be evolved like pokemon nor will they acquire unnecessary power ups. This is good. Shen Yuan thought it was irresponsible to give random demons and monsters power ups willy nilly. If he evolved way too many people and gave them enough power, he might not be able to control them in the future. This means, he’d throw the world into chaos. That would cause future headache for his protagonist.

His last concern it a bit tricky. Half of these demon clans had territories of their own and if Shen Yuan took them in, he’d be the one to manage those lands and resources. This should not be too hard, he had Muyang and Uncle Airplane to help him manage the complicated stuff like business and economics. The system could help him too. What he worried for was the clans that had no territories of their own. He would need to instruct his building team to expand the town to accommodate more residents. These lesser demons would have to help with the construction of new residential districts. Aiyah, his town is slowly turning into a big city…

It took Shen Yuan weeks to finish his dealings with the lesser demon clans. Binghe was with him every step of the way. It made him feel guilty for depriving his precious protagonist of his world-saving adventures. He was supposed to be Binghe’s trusty sidekick and sword… well, the replacement of said sidekick and sword since he ATE his sword. There were nights where Shen Yuan would ask his dear friend if he wanted to go off on his own. Binghe would always respond the same way.

“I will go wherever A-Yuan goes.”

Aiyah, is this a healthy attitude to have for the protagonist of this world? Shen Yuan decided to ask Uncle Airplane about Binghe and Proud Immortal Demon Way’s timeline of events. Shen Yuan found his martial Uncle at his home busying himself with the paperwork that he was supposed to be doing. Feeling bad and to make himself more useful, Shen Yuan started to prepare and grind some ink for his uncle while they discussed.

“So what brings my little bro to his Martial Uncle?”

“I want to ask about Binghe. He is the protagonist of this world right? How far along are we in his hero’s journey? I did what I can to help power him up, but I don’t think events that are protagonist-worthy have been triggered… could you tell me more about ‘Proud Immortal Demon Way?”

Shen Yuan gave his uncle a hopeful pleading look however, he noticed how pale in the face the creator had become. “I’m sorry little bro…I can’t really tell you anything, I will be punished by the system.” Shen Yuan gazed up at his Uncle Airplane with an alarmed expression. The systems can punish users?! Shen Yuan eyed his own system nervously. The little green screen just blinked innocently beside him.

[Answer. User need not worry, this system is tasked to protect its user and assist him in his new life. This system is not capable of harming its user.]

Shen Yuan gave a sigh of relief. This still does not answer the question as to why his uncle’s system would punish him. Shen Yuan glanced over to Shang Qinghua. The elder peak lord seemed…uncomfortable, almost as if he was ready to burst out for holding in all the big revelations and secrets he could divulge. Shen Yuan did not pry further because he did not want his martial uncle to get hurt.

“All I can say is… we’re not in my book anymore, little bro. I may have written the story, but this world is real and… and you’re—ahh okay okay! I get it, no more I wont say more!” Uncle Airplane hissed and tore his gaze away from Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan saw a glimpse of a blue screen blinking in and out. It was Uncle Airplane’s system. Shen Yuan furrowed his brows and glared at the blinking blue box.

‘Is there no way for you to stop these systems from punishing their users?’

[Answer. At the moment, this system is tied to its User’s power source. It can be done, but user is not at the sufficient power level to access this skill.]

Ah. So he can do something, but not right now. Shen Yuan made a mental note of this new goal of his. He can’t have malevolent systems harm his family and loved ones. He’ll just have to level up until he can learn a skill that could prevent these systems from tormenting their users.

Speaking of systems and its users… Shen Yuan decided he should finally pay his Shizun a visit privately. He never did get the chance to confront his Shizun and his strange unfriendly system due to Binghe always insisting on sticking to him. His precious protagonist always made it a point to never leave him alone with anyone, not even with their Shizun. Luckily, he can finally use this Grand Banguet as his ‘valid excuse’. He needed to talk to his Shizun about his system. Uncle Airplane’s system seemed hostile too but his Shizun’s system looked like a straight up creepy virus. His system called it a parasite for some reason.

[Answer. User’s system differs from other system of this world. The systems of this world seem to be strictly tied to a certain code or programming.]

‘WAIT so YOU’RE not from this world too?’

[Answer. Yes. This system is born with its user and master.]

Huh. So they’re both foreigners of this world. His system is essentially a transmigrator like him.

“Don’t worry Uncle Airplane. I will become strong enough to help you and Shizun.” Shen Yuan left a confused and worried Shang Qinghua and headed for the human realm. Shen Yuan had ordered Binghe to stay in the demon realm to check up on the preparations for the festival. They are to meet up at Qing Jing Peak in the evening. Plenty of time for him to have a little chat with his Shizun. Binghe protested at the idea, of course, but he obeyed nonetheless. Binghe was the best cook in the Zuzhou forest and everyone was asking for his guidance on things regarding the Banquet’s menu. That should keep Binghe busy for a while.

When Shen Yuan arrived at Shen Qingqiu’s bamboo hut. His Shizun was quietly enjoying a cup of tea as per usual. The moment Shen Yuan was spotted, he was invited to join in.

“And where is that other sticky heavenly demon disciple of mine, Luo Binghe?” Shen Qingqiu calmly asked. Shen Yuan, however, ignored his Shizun’s question and went straight for his own. Shen Yuan felt that if he did not ask the elder peak lord now, there’s no other chance. He RARELY got any time along with Shen Qingqiu. He needed to make the most out of this rare limited time.

“Are you a transmigrator too, Shizun?”

Shen Qingqiu raised a delicate brow. “A what?”

“Were you reincarnated with your past memories intact, Shizun? And did you also come from another world?” Shen Yuan pressed further, giving his immortal mentor a determined expression.

“No.” This answer caused Shen Yuan’s mouth to gape.

“Strange… this disciple is aware Shizun is in possession of a ‘system’…it kept trying to attack whilst we were healing you during the skinner mission.”

“So you are aware of the evil deity that is currently attached to me.” Shen Qingqiu opened his fan to lightly fan himself.

“Evil deity? So you’re not from… where I am? China? Shizun does not know what ‘it’ is? Nor is he aware of the modern age?” Shen Yuan tried to be careful with his words. He did not want to confuse his Shizun any further if Shen Qingqiu was not from Earth like Uncle Airplane. There is a possibility that his Shizun could still be born from this world and he just happen to have a system of his own. It that even possible? A normal non-transmigrator having their own system? That normally did not happen in his isekai novels. 

“This master knows it's called a system.” Shen Qingqiu too a sip from his tea, he was perfectly calm despite the subtle twitch of his fingers. It was always so admirable how calm and composed the immortal peak lord was, even with this distressing and weird topic of conversation. It worried Shen Yuan though… will the system harm his Shizun if they talked about it?

“It seems to quiet down whenever you are nearby, Disciple Shen Yuan. It does not administer its usual punishment upon this master too.” Shen Qingqiu explained, staring down at his now empty tea cup. When Shen Yuan offered to pour another serving, the peak lord stopped his disciple.

“Usual punishment? Shizun is being punished!?” Shen Yuan inquired, looking alarmed.

“Yes, I used to experience horrible bouts of qi deviations. They’ve all but disappeared the moment you appeared at Cang Qiong Mountain.”

Suddenly, Shen Yuan remembered something from the past. It was back when he travelled with Binghe to the North for the first time. At that tavern, that succubus lady performed a fortune telling ritual on him. He was not completely of sound mind during that night, but he remembered her words.

“You are connected to this person in an interesting way, Your Highness. Not so much as a lover, but your souls are fated to one another… “

What Shen Yuan found most interesting now is the second statement from the demoness.

“An opportunity was missed and this fated one was unable to bind himself to you. So, as a result, he was left to fend for himself in the eyes of fate. However, your path will converge once again…. And he will become a part of your life.”

“Shizun was supposed to be bound to me…?” Shen Yuan’s eyes then widened when he realized what he said. “A-Ah this one did not mean it maliciously Shizun! Not bound by demon contract or anything weird.” He lowered his head and rubbed his chin as if deep in thought. “I just remembered a fortune foretold to me by a succubus. She said our souls are fated to one another as soul-brothers would and… we were not able to bind to each other. One was left to fend against the eyes of fate.”

“Hm. What the succubus said makes sense, actually.” His master responded which made Shen Yuan look up at his master in shock. Shen Qingqiu continued his analysis. “The system came to this master when he was a child, it was after…” He noticed how his Shizun hesitated to give more details about his childhood. Shen Yuan did not dare press and let his master speak. “After this master- after I dealt with my past and claimed my freedom for myself.” His Shizun finally continued. It must have been difficult to talk about his past. “It showed me memories that are supposed to be my own. A possible future. In these memories, I acted out of hatred and petty jealousy… The Shen Qingqiu showed in that possible future is a man I am not proud of but I can understand why that version is the way he is…” His Shizun let out a sigh and closed his eyes. “At the end of the day, we both came from the same streets. Enslaved by the same masters.”

“But as much as I understand the Shen Qingqiu of those visions, I refuse to become him. The cycle of abuse… I refuse to continue it and pass it onto my disciples. My family. Especially not to Luo Binghe, the boy did not deserve to fall victim to the whims of this evil deity.” Shen Yuan’s eyes widened at the mention of Luo Binghe. So this had something to do with the protagonist as well. “The system, however, wanted me to become the man in those visions… to become ‘the scum villain’, as if fondly calls me.”

“Shizun is NOT the scum villain!” Shen Yuan protested. However, this was also starting to make sense to him. So Shen Qingqiu was supposed to be the antagonist of the story? Or one of the antagonists. Yet that still does not explain why Shen Yuan was involved in this.

“So you are from another world but with all your memories of your former life intact when you reincarnated here?” His master asked and Shen Yuan confirmed with a nod. “This master believes there is a possibility that you are supposed to play my role of the scum villain.” his Shizun concluded. “It is just a theory, but this master has a feeling our souls are supposed to bind together, just like how that fortune implied. The system kept threatening to ‘send me back to my original body’ if I fail its ‘main objective’ of gathering ‘protagonist satisfaction points’. I believe these strange rules are meant for travelers outside of this world.” This was starting to feel like a mind fuck and Shen Yuan could only imagine how worst this must feel for his Shizun. “It did attempt to enforce these punishments on me as it removed my spirit from my body and forced it back repeatedly. That is…how it has been punishing me. I do feel immense pain, but I believe it cannot kill me.”

Shen Yuan clenched his fist then shot a glare full of animosity at the glitching red thing beside Shen Qingqiu. His slitted eyes glowed green but he controlled himself from doing anything. How dare this thing harm his Shizun. Once he was calm enough, Shen Yuan spoke up with his own conclusions and theories.

“So… somewhere somehow, something had gone wrong with my transmigration from my original world to this world.” Shen Yuan snapped his fingers and his own system appeared. “I have my own system but it acts as a companion and guide to me, it said it is not tied to this world and was born with me. It does not enforce point systems and scripts onto me.” As Shen Yuan spoke, the system blinked in and out and appeared beside Shen Qingqiu who then looked at it closely and curiously. “Me having my own system must have thrown this world’s system’s plans into chaos and now it latched itself onto Shizun who was not supposed to be a ‘player’ or a ‘user’. He is one of the real characters of this ‘script’ the system enforces.”

Shen Yuan lowered his head and his lips quivered. So he was essentially at fault why all this was happening? Why Binghe and his Shizun are the way they are? Was it he who caused Binghe to fall into the abyss? Before Shen Yuan could even speak or do anything, he got whacked in the head by his Shizun’s fan.

“I know that look. You’re about to kowtow before this master and apologize repeatedly. Don’t.” Shen Qingqiu glared down at his disciple who squeaked pathetically in response. “You are just as much a victim as I, Shen Yaun. Do not burden yourself with sins not of your own nor things you cannot control.”

“Then… Shizun, let this disciple help you! My system said that if I become strong enough, I may acquire a means to free you from the system.” Shen Yuan slammed both his fists on the table which earned look of surprise on his Shizun. “But…before that, I would like to confirm one thing.”

“Did you push Luo Binghe into the Endless Abyss?”

Shen Qingqiu set his fan down on the table and faced Shen Yuan head on. His expression was firm and resolute. “No. He jumped down himself, no matter how hard I tried to stop him.” The man finally answered.

“Shizun… are you lying? I saw Binghe’s memories myself… you-“

“You can search my memories. This master will never dare lie to his student.” Shen Qingqiu closed his eyes. Shen Yuan knew what his master wanted him to do, so he held his hand over his Shizun and closed his eyes as well. Shen Yuan then saw everything from his Shizun’s perspective.

The scene from Binghe’s dreamscape was similar. Everything was thrown into chaos by the demon invasion. What changed was that Shen Qingqiu was on his knees, trembling and swatting his sword at an untouchable red system. The red screen showed a countdown before the Endless Abyss portal closes. Shen Yuan could see blood trickle down from Shen Qingqiu’s usually pristine face. Their poor Shizun was bleeding from his nose and eyes.

“Binghe, you’re just a child please… you don’t deserve to suffer so much. I don’t care what happens to me-“

“-No.” Binghe sharply interrupted. “That thing hovering over you, I see what it says. Shizun has endured this evil entity all this time…this disciple begs Shizun’s forgiveness for only noticing it now.” Binghe took a step back, his feet was almost at the edge of the cliff. His handsome youthful face stained with tears but Binghe wore a brave smile for his Shizun. His very smart friend must have put two and two together. It literally said on the red screen ‘Luo Binghe must fall into the abyss or 10000 Protagonist Satisfaction Points will be deducted and User will be punished’.

“Shizun is in pain because of me. If jumping from this cliff will make it stop, this lowly disciple will happily do so.”

“NO! Do not jump, your master commands you Luo Binghe! Please, my child! My son!” Shen Qingqiu begged and pleaded. Shen Yuan assumed the thing must be trying to pull his Shizun’s spirit from his body again, but his Shizun was stubbornly fighting it.

“Come now, Shizun. Is this not what all that training was for? It all makes sense now.” Binghe’s lips quivered as he spoke, it broke Shen Yuan’s heart to see his friend act so brave even if this was just as painful to him. ”You’ve done well to prepare me for this moment. All the beastieries you forced me to study through and memorize… your careful guidance of my cultivation…you even made sure I formed my core properly even at a young age, all of it was to prepare me for this journey.”

“This disciple will always be grateful for Shizun. You will always be the father this one never had. This disciple promises to return if he can…then we will be a family again together with Da Shixiong…Ning Shijie… everyone. But for now, this is goodbye.” With that, Binghe leaned back and let gravity take him.

“NO!!!” Shen Qingqiu called out, but he had no time to mourn for his precious son. Shen Yuan saw the red box glitch and blink. It was unhappy with the outcome of this twisted ‘quest’.

[Error Error. Protagonist relationship with the scum villain is an error. ]

[The scum villain is the enemy. Not Family.]

[Error]

Shen Yuan caught a glimpse of the red system heading towards the falling Binghe. Binghe then looked like he was fighting the thing but Shen Yuan could only see how much Shen Qingqiu could see and right now, their Shizun was slowly falling out of consciousness.

Before everything went dark, Shen Yuan saw Binghe was wrapped around with red glitching boxes as he continued to fall. A distant sound could be heard. It was a notice from the system.

[Original memories successfully installed onto Protagonist. We hope you work hard for the future, Scum villain!]

Shen Yuan gasped as he returned to the real world. “His memories of that time were fake… the one I saw from his dreamscape were memories from the original ‘script’…” He concluded. Shen Qingqiu nodded his head. The elder peak lord has already poured himself some tea and was sipping on it calmly again.

“Shizun… you are innocent, you’ve done nothing but be a father to him. Why must Shizun be punished.”

“Because I am to be the ‘scum villain’ in Luo Binghe’s story. The system wanted to make sure of that.” Shen Qingqiu’s eyes narrowed as it was trying to remember the system’s many annoying words. “I remember it said that the ‘fall to the endless abyss’ will unlock disciple Luo Binghe’s ‘blackening’. Where he would use his hatred of the scum villain to conquer the trials of the Endless Abyss.”

“No you’re NOT a scum villain. We’re both aren’t scum villains.” Shen Yuan clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. “We have to clear this up with Binghe he needs to know this. He’s been hurting over nothing all this time, you BOTH are!”

“I do not think it’s wise in our current situation, Disciple Shen Yuan.” Shen Qingqiu noted. “Even if you are able to repel my system with your presence, who’s to say the evil thing would do more than mess up Disciple Binghe’s memories of BOTH of us.”

Shen Yuan paused at that, all color from his face drained. This must be why his Shizun did not bother correcting Binghe and his false memories. Shen Yuan felt absolute fear at the possibility of the cursed red system altering Binghe’s memories OF HIM. Having Binghe forget him or worst, his memories manipulated to hate HIM. Shen Yuan would much rather play his cards right and approach this carefully. This system thing is becoming so much more complicated it was giving him a headache. He’d much rather deal with demon politics than THIS! Nonetheless, this gave him an entirely new set of goals moving forward.

“Alright. This disciple will do his best to become stronger and acquire the necessary skill to free Shizun and everyone from this system. Please wait for me, Shizun.” Shen Yuan was determined to fix this. He felt responsible as the list of people he affected negatively in this world kept growing and growing everyday. Xin Mo, Uncle Airplane, Binghe, and now his Shizun. He felt responsible for disrupting the storyline this much…but then again, Shen Qingqiu seemed grateful for not turning into the ‘scum villain’. Shen Yuan certainly preferred their kind, strict, but fatherly Shizun over any other scum villain. Also HE was supposed to be the scum villain too right? Yikes. Shen Yuan could NOT imagine being forced into someone else’s body and play their story. That would be a fate worst than death.

“Mn. For now, let’s play along with what this thing wants. At least we’ve both confirmed a lot of missing details in this conversation, thank you for approaching this master, Shen Yuan. This master is also glad to know you are on my side.” His Shizun spoke, flashing an incredibly rare gentle smile towards Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan’s eyes widened he felt tears threaten to fall, but he nodded dutifully.

“This disciple is at your disposal, Shizun!”

“Actually, it’s good you came here Disciple Shen Yuan. I do have a mission for you and Disciple Binghe.”

Chapter Text

They have some time before the Grand Banquet. Invitations have been sent out and preparation is currently underway. Shen Yuan, still with the goal of helping his protagonist trigger canon events in the book and play along with the evil red system’s ‘script’, decided to go on a little adventure with Binghe. Their Shizun had assigned them to answer a request from a small village. It’s a tiny village that is said to be plagued by a demon. It’s a rather small mission, but every heroic deed should count right?

Shen Yuan let Binghe take the lead this time. He is technically his Shixiong. The gallant and handsome protagonist seemed pleased by this. It was just the two of them, like old times. Uncle Liu was still down in the demon realm busy training and getting to know his new army so he wasn’t here to accompany them. Shizun is…well, he rarely accompanied disciples during night hunts unless he felt like it. Peak Lords get the luxury of doing their own thing while head disciples and disciples did the grunt work. This is why Uncle Liu can leave his peak for extended periods of time. Uncle Airplane? Shen Yuan wasn’t so sure… the guy seemed busy in the demon realm and rarely showed up in the human realm nowadays.

They arrived at their destination, they flew there via Binghe’s spirit sword. It was an amazing experience to fly with a sword! The place looked like it was deserted, a complete ghost town. There was an old woman who pointed them towards the correct path to the town itself, but other than that, they have not bumped into a single living soul. The houses looked abandoned and empty, and a thick fog surrounded the already creepy place. Shen Yuan hated thick fogs now, the last time they were in a foggy area, they almost got swallowed by a hole made of corpses.

“Strange… Shizun told us that our contact person should meet up with us here.” Binghe rubbed his chin as he went through the details of their mission from their master. They should be at the correct location. Unless the demon has already slaughtered every villager, they should find a person or two living here.

The traveling duo continued to walk along the dingy village. Eventually just ahead of their current path, they saw a silhouette of a man. It was still difficult to make out his exact features as it was night time and the fog had grown thicker but they were sure it was a person.

“Excuse me! We are cultivators from Cang Qiong Mountain Sect.” Shen Yuan called out to the man. The figure turned around then began running towards them. Suddenly, the silhouette drew out what seems to be a sword. Alarmed, Binghe unsheathed his own spiritual sword and protectively stood over Shen Yuan. They had bad experiences in the past being surrounded by dark figures. At least, this one seemed human.

“You two! State your business. You shouldn’t be here it’s dangerous!” The figure now walked over to them slower, his steps wary and careful. Once the figure stood closer, his features became clearer. He wore robes of a cultivator. The colors are not of Cang Qiong Mountain. This young man looked like a disciple from another sect. Shen Yuan is not quite familiar with other human cultivator sects so he couldn’t identify which. However, this man no doubt came from a wealthy and influential Sect with his golden robes. It looked good on him, he can’t help but notice how handsome this man looked. Handsome and gallant.

“These ones are disciples of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect. We’re here on a night hunt, same as you.” Luo Binghe used his authoritative voice that Shen Yuan rarely heard as he held his smaller friend closer to him. It was really cool and admirable to see his friend like this, taking the lead and looking like a true protaginist. Not to mention, Binghe was hot when he’s like this.

This seemed to satisfy the handsome cultivator in gold robes. The young man sheathed his sword then raised his fist for a polite bow. “This one apologizes for his forwardness. This one’s name is Gongyi Xiao of Huan Hua Palace. It is a pleasure to meet fellow disciples of allied Sects.”

Huan Hua Palace huh? Shen Yuan has vaguely heard of the place. He heard Zhangmen Shixiong mention them a few times. It was one of the four Great Sects of this world. Shen Yuan raised his fist to bow to Gongyi Xiao. “This one’s name is Shen Yuan.” He turned his head over to his companion and noticed that Binghe still seemed wary of Gongyi Xiao.

“This disciple’s name is Luo Binghe.” The protagonist interrupted, his brows furrowed.

Gongyi Xiao acknowledged both of them with a nod. “Since we share the same mission, perhaps we could-“

“No, that won’t be necessary. We’re both perfectly fine on our own.” Binghe abruptly cut off Gongyi Xiao, much to the other two boys’ surprise.

“Come now Luo Shixiong, don’t be like that. I’m sure it’s more optimal to work together with another cultivator.” Shen Yuan urge, he even addressed Binghe formally. That proved effective as he saw his friend’s shocked and flustered expression. How cute! Binghe grunted yet his cheeks turned pink, he looked like he was about to explode. Shen Yuan could not help but hide an amused smile behind his sleeves.

“F-fine. If Shen…Shi-shidi is alright with it.” The protagonist murmured, his shoulder’s trembling slightly. Shen Yuan wish he cold give the young man a hug. Binghe once again went from an awesome domineering martial big brother to flustered little puppy.

“Great!” Gongyi Xiao dipped his head for a polite bow.

As they began their exploration of the strangely empty town, the trio of cultivators suddenly heard noises. Since both Shen Yuan and Binghe had heightened demon senses, they were able to identify the direction of the noise.

“I think it came from there!” Shen Yuan pointed. Binghe, agreed so all three cultivators ran towards the sound.

The noise persisted, Shen Yuan suspected that it was guiding them on purpose. Were they being expected perhaps? He would have to keep his guard up to avoid the skinner incident from happening again. They continued to run and run, moving past several empty little huts. They soon came to a hill that lead to the only mansion in the small village. It was an estate reserved to probably the lord of this village. The noise finally died down the moment they arrived at the entrance. The door opened slowly but no one stood at the other side. It was…..alarming and suspicious.

“Should we… go in?” Shen Yuan asked the two senior disciples, his expression and tone reluctant.

“I sense a vast amount of resentful energy within this building. Let us stick together and keep our guards up.” Gongyi Xiao decided as he unsheathed his spirit sword and held out a purifying talisman. Binghe had done the same as he took out Zheng Yang. Shen Yuan also felt the protagonist’s arms on his shoulder as he was pulled closer to Binghe. He did not question his friend and simply just took out his own practice sword. His mission was to let the protagonist shine. Binghe MUST take the lead here and hopefully trigger canon events in the book.

As soon as all three cultivators entered the premises of the estate, the door quickly shut behind them. Gongyi Xiao attempted to slice the door open but an invisible barrier deflected his attack. They really did walk into a trap.

“We will have to find the demon and defeat it to unseal the door.” Gongyi Xiao concluded. “We have no choice but to go further in its domain.” Gongyi Xiao muttered mostly to himself. He then pulled up a qiankung bag and started rummaging through it. While Gongyi Xiao was busying himself with his spirit purifying equipment, Shen Yuan saw Binghe about to fire blast the door with demonic qi. Immediately, he grabbed Binghe by the arm and stopped him.

‘Binghe! Don’t use demonic qi, Gongyi Shixiong will be able to sense it!’ Shen Yuan yelled in the divinity system, his expression was that of panic. Binghe furrowed his brows and pouted.

‘Alright, if A-Yuan insists. I think its weakness is demonic qi…’ Binghe withdrew his hand just in time for Gongyi Xiao to turn to them both. He presented them with a compass-like item. Shen Yuan turned his head to the side and stared at the little gadget curiously.

“This is a spiritual compass.” Gongyi Xiao explained proudly. “It will point us in the direction of powerful demons or ghosts.” he dangled the item by its chains on both the ‘demons’ in the room. “I made it myself!” Sure, Gongyi Xiao looked quite cute as he puffed his chest proudly at his little invention...but that thing is going to point directly at them! Shen Yuan panicked while Binghe simply glared at the cursed thing as if it insulted his entire lineage.

“Wait Shixiong-“

It was too late to stop Gongyi Xiao. He activated the compass immediately. The thing glowed of spiritual energy then its hand started to rotate and rotate. At first, it stopped at Shen Yuan’s direction then over to Binghe then the thing started going crazy. The hand spun around rapidly until it detached itself from the compass’ body. Shen Yuan dodged the tiny piece that ricocheted off to the nearby walls. Gongyi Xiao seemed both embarrassed and disappointed at his failed demonstration.

“That’s weird, I’ve tested this a few times during my night hunts.” He looked at the compass’s body that he still held in his hand. He tapped and whacked it a few times. “This thing only goes crazy in the presence of formidable demons, and judging by THAT reaction, it assumed we’re in a room full of dangerous demons.” He scratched his head. “I don’t sense the demon nearby...”

“W-well, how about we just go look around the place…?” Shen Yuan laughed awkwardly.

So that’s what they ended up doing. They walked further into the mansion. They used their spiritual swords as their light source in navigating the seemingly endless hallway. The darkness seemed to engulf them even with the light of their swords guiding their path. The building’s interior seemed like it was abandoned centuries ago. They could only see wreckage and broken furniture.

“This one must confess…” Gongyi Xiao suddenly spoke up, alerting both Shen Yuan and Binghe. “I already know of Luo Shixiong. You might not remember, but we were both contestants at the Immortal alliance conference some years ago.” Shen Yuan turned to Gongyi Xiao, he noticed the Huan hua palace disciple’s fond expression in the darkness of the room. This was, however, not a fond memory for Binghe. That event lead to their Shizun’s betrayal. At least, that’s how Binghe remembered it. Shen Yuan knew the truth now, it was painful he could not tell Binghe himself. The system might try to alter Binghe’s memories further and might even affect his memories of Shen Yuan. He was scared of having his friend suddenly hate him because of false memories. Shen Yuan looked over to his best friend who looked surprisingly calm and unaffected at the mention of that dreaded conference.

“Ah yes, this one remembers Gongyi Xiao’s name.”

“This one is glad Luo Shixiong is alive and well. You placed at the top and I had the chance to see how you defended those shimeis and shidi’s! I was in awe, you truly are a powerful cultivator. This one expected no less of Qing Jing Peak and Cang Qiong mountain sect. It was truly an honor to have stood on the same battlefield as you, Shixiong. ” Gongyi Xiao went on and on, his smile warm and friendly while his eyes sparkled with admiration for Binghe. God, this young man was handsome! He was practically BEAMING with charm even in the creepy darkness of the room. Another rival to the protagonist’s charms.

Of course, no one can still compare to Luo Binghe. He was friendly, courageous, caring…a bit sticky, but still a fiercely loyal friend. He was the complete package. It’s just too bad Binghe wasn’t interested in men. Shen Yuan would 100% sneak into Binghe’s harem if he could. It still ached to know there was no place for him in his gallant protagonist’s future. He honestly thought he could settle for being the protagonist’s traveling companion but… would he truly be satisfied with just that? He was his first friend in this world aside from Xin Mo. They’ve only known each other for a few years now and Shen Yuan felt at ease with Binghe. He trusted the young man with everything, Shen Yuan even told Binghe about his transmigration.

Shen Yuan wanted things to stay simple when it was just him and Binghe traveling the demon realm together and fighting monsters. Unfortunately, this world had plans for his best friend whether it was enforced by the evil red system or not. Binghe is this world’s protagonist. He was destined for greater things and would surely move on from Shen Yuan eventually. Shen Yuan knew he was only a role-less insignificant background character, even if he ate Binghe’s sword. Binghe could eventually find a better weapon, or he’d power up and become even stronger than he is now... then Shen Yuan would no longer be needed. Binghe would move onto meet his many wives too…

Suddenly, his protagonist… his precious Binghe seemed so unattainable and unreachable…

Wait.

Shen Yuan noticed that Binghe was LITERALLY unreachable. No matter how fast he walked, he can’t seem to get closer to Binghe and Gongyi Xiao who stood at the far end of the hallway. What’s happening?

“Binghe Shixiong! Gongyi Shixiong!” He called out to them. Both turned to him and was immediately alarmed when they seem to further move away…. or was it the hallways that stretched longer and longer?

Oh no, he was going to be separated from the group! Not again!!

“A-YUAN!!!!!”

Was all Shen Yuan could hear before Binghe and Gongyi Xiao seemed to disappear into the endless dark hallway.

Chapter Text

Shen Yuan had thought he was going to be separated from the group yet again but suddenly, he saw a silver blur shoot past him. He quickly turned around and saw it was Gongyi Xiao. What about Binghe? He looked around but it was too late, the walls around them started to shift and turn. It was incredibly disorienting with everything around them moved around like a rubik’s cube.

“Shen Shidi!” Gongyi Xiao ran up to Shen Yuan. “Are you alright?”

“Yes I am but Luo Shixiong…” Shen Yuan furrowed his brows as he looked towards the direction of where the hallway used to be.

‘Binghe, are you there? Don’t tell me you’re unconscious again…’ Shen Yuan contacted Binghe through the divinity system, hoping for the best.

‘I’m here A-Yuan! ARE YOU OKAY?!’ Shen Yuan flinched at Binghe’s sudden yelling. It felt like the heavenly demon was screaming in his ears, it was very jarring.

“Shidi, are you alright?! Did you get hurt anywhere?” Came Gongyi Xiao’s worried words. Shen Yuan turned to the older disciple, flashed him a reassuring smile then held his hand up.

‘Binghe! I’m fine, I’m with Gongyi Shixiong. He managed to reach me before the walls closed in on us.’

‘WHAT?! You’re alone with him?! Alright… I guess he’s skilled enough to accompany A-Yuan…’ Shen Yuan raised a brow.

‘Since we can contact each other like this, let’s explore separately. Perhaps we can cover more ground this way.’ Shen Yuan then opened his system that showed a map. As expected, it showed an error since this place had no exact layout. He had this theory that they were not in an actual physical house but in a pocket dimension of some sort. This place reminded him of the pocket dimension in Xin Mo’s palace. Though the pocket dimension there was not an elaborate maze meant to trap trespassers.

‘Exploring without A-Yuan…’ Shen Yuan rolled his eyes as he could hear Binghe whimper in his head. This whimpering ball of fluff is supposed to be this world’s protagonist and a powerful supreme emperor! Didn’t his sister say that Proud Immortal Demon Way was a stalion novel? Shen Yuan truthfully has not read much of those but he was sure they’re somewhat similar to the trashy harem Isekai novels he read in the past. Stallion novel protagonists are far more aggressive and brave, right? Unlike his sweet innocent maiden-like crybaby Binghe.

‘Come now, you big cry baby. You can do it. We’ll keep in touch.’

‘Not you too?! A-Yuan shouldn’t spend too much time with Ning Shijie and Da Shixiong, they’re corrupting you!’

Before Binghe could rant and whine more, Shen Yuan turned to Gongyi Xiao who was giving him a concerned look this whole time. “Let’s keep going, Gongyi Shixiong.” Shen Yuan puffed his chest, looking determined and resolute. “The sooner we exorcise the demon, the sooner we reunite with Luo Shixiong.”

Gongyi Xiao nodded his head and agreed with the smaller disciple. “I may have an idea. Disciple Shen, you might not be familiar with this technique as it is one of the specialized techniques that used to be taught at Huang Hua Palace...” Gongyi Xiao seemed oddly excited as he went on to explain the technique. Wow, if this man lived in the modern world, he would be a cultivator nerd. This studious and nerdy Gongyi Xiao would definitely fit in with the cultivation nerds that live in forums and discord servers. He had a few online friends like him back then.

“…The technique is called ‘Empathy’.” Shen Yuan had zoned out in his own thoughts but he definitely heard the name of the technique. His eyebrows shot up as high as it can go and he pointed accusingly at Gongyi Xiao.

“I know that technique! Wait- isn’t that dangerous? Gongyi Shixiong should not let himself be possessed by the demon, you could lose your mind!” Shen Yuan gave his companion a look of concern but Gongyi Xiao was more surprised to learn that Shen Yuan knew of the technique. Of course Shen Yuan would know, that was one of the techniques the main character, Wei Wuxian, used a few times in his own book titled ‘Grand Master of Demonic Cultivation’. Shen Yuan enjoyed that series quite a lot. Said book series had a lot of interesting adventures with the undead and cultivation sects. He wasn’t lying when he said it would be dangerous, especially if your soul is not strong enough. You will feel everything the deceased felt and it will hurt if the ghost is a malevolent one.

“You definitely are a surprise yourself, Shen Shidi. Not many outsiders know of that technique outside of Huan Hua Palace.” Gongyi Xiao seemed impressed. “It is now seldom taught to disciples because of the high risk and low return nature of this technique. As you said, it may cause insanity and worst - have your spirit fractured permanently. However, this might be effective if we are to deal with this demon and its domain.”

Gongyi Xiao took out a set of candles and talismans from his Qiankun pouch and started setting up for the ritual. It was just now that Shen Yuan noticed that they were in a small square room. It felt like they were in a void and if there were windows, he’d see nothing but black. They must have been imprisoned in this small space by the demon… for what purpose? Remembering a detail from the novels Shen Yuan had read, he also took out something from his stomach storage. It was a flute.

“Shixiong, the ritual of Empathy requires a supervisor, right? Allow me to be this person for Gongyi Shixiong. I will use my flute to pull you out should I sense anything amiss or your soul start to fray.” Shen Yuan offered. Gongyi Xiao had been lighting up candles and setting up an array, he looked up at the smaller disciple with wide surprised eyes when he heard the offer.

“You know that much? Impressive, Xiao Yuan!” Shen Yuan felt himself blush a little at the sudden nickname.

“Oh!” Gongyi Xiao scratched the back of his head and chuckled. “Do forgive this one’s forwardness, Shen Shidi. You remind me of my Shidi’s and Shimei’s back at the palace.” He chuckled fondly. Shen Yuan noted how much alike Gongyi Xiao and Ming Fan was. Gongyi Xiao must be the head disciple. All head disciples seem to have this air of a caring big brother. Even if Binghe grew so much taller than Da-Shixiong, the Qing Jing Peak head disciple still looked older and more gege-like than Binghe ever could.

“It’s not a problem, Gege.” Shen Yuan teased back which caused the older disciple to choke out and pound his chest. He could even see how much red Gongyi Xiao’s face turned. It was cute.

‘A-Yuan~’ Came Binghe’s playful but threatening sing-song voice. ‘Why does this Binghe feel uneasy with Gongyi Xiao being alone with you right this very moment?!’

Shen Yuan blinked. ‘Eh? You’re just imagining it, Binghe! By the way, we’re going to perform a ritual. It will be a little risky, but neither of us are in danger. How about you? What have you found?’

‘WHAT?! Why perform a risky ritual? I don’t like that, A-Yuan! What is Gongyi Xiao doing?!’

‘Binghe, don’t worry about us. I promise we’ll be fine. What have you found so far on your side?’ Shen Yuan raised a brow when he heard a bit of grumbling from his head. He can imagine Binghe stomping and pouting.

'I’ve found myself in a strange garden of some sort. I don’t think I’ve escaped the manor. This place feels like the courtyard when we entered into seclusion back in the Endless Abyss.’

‘Ahh, another pocket dimension. Keep your guard up the demon might mean to show you something. It did not want me to interfere, it tried to single me out and lock me away. Gongyi Xiao just happened to barge inside this prison before it closed. So you are in more danger than I. Please do be careful Binghe. Do not make hasty decisions.’

‘It should have been me there with A-Yuan…’ Shen Yuan could imagine another pout from Binghe. Aiyah, this man.

‘I’m serious, Binghe. Please prioritize your safety.’

‘Will do, A-Yuan.’

“Are you ready, Shen Shidi?” Gongyi Xiao asked. The guy had returned to addressing Shen Yuan formally again, which was a shame. Shen Yuan did not mind calling him gege. Although the only gege he truly acknowledges was Xin Mo. He missed his big brother a lot.

“Yes. Please be careful, Gongyi Shixiong.” Shen Yuan confirmed as he brought his flute out. He stood beside Gongyi Xiao who sat at a lotus position. The older disciple then closed his eyes and focused on contacting the spirit of the demon. Shen Yuan could feel the resentment energy in the small dark room grow stronger. The light from the candles that surrounded them flickered and threatened to die out.

Shen Yuan brought his flute to his lips. He had learned to use this flute from his Shixiongs recently. He decided to play a specific song to soothe resentment energy BUT there’s a twist. He also learned to reverse the effects via his demonic cultivation. Since spiritual cultivation is the direct antithesis of demonic cultivation in this world, he could definitely reverse the effects of each song he learned from his Shixiongs. Qing Jing Peak specialized in music and arts, which meant musical instruments are just as valued as swords. Shen Yuan nerded out so much knowing he 100% can do what Wei Wuxian can do with his flute! He just refused to pilot dead bodies around unless necessary. It felt wrong and creepy AND he’s had his fill of corpses after the skinner incident!

He began to play a soft relaxing tune. Gongyi Xiao would probably think he was soothing the resentment energy in the room but in truth, Shen Yuan applied demonic qi with his tune to amplify it. It’s as if he was purposely provoking the demon or the malevolent spirit.

Suddenly, there was a strong gust of wind and it blew off the candles. Darkness completely surrounded them. Shen Yuan was surprised when he could no longer feel himself in his body. The moment he blinked his eyes open, he was in another world and another time. A memory. So he was the one the demon chose to show its memories to? Wasn’t it supposed to be Gongyi Xiao?

The demon was a demoness. A woman. The visions came to Shen Yuan in bits and pieces. Some of them seemed blurry and muddled. This was probably due to her resentment slowly consuming her over time. Shen Yuan could still connect most of it together.

It was an unfortunate story that could be compared to Romeo and Juliet. The demoness whom he now determined to be just a normal human, fell in love with a wandering cultivator. Her father, the lord of this small village, disapproved of her relationship with the wandering cultivator. Shen Yuan could not quite see the cultivator’s face. In her memories, his face was a blur. The woman somehow remembered a flowing white ribbon that hung from the cultivator’s face…a hair tie perhaps?

The memory skipped around quite a lot, but Shen Yuan saw her plotting her escape with the cultivator. They are to meet at the garden just near this very estate. This is probably the garden Binghe was taken to. The garden is where the story ended. It was… confusing. At their designated spot and time, the two lovers met. However, the cultivator had plunged his sword into her chest and killed her. No words were exchanged… just silence. That’s where the vision ended.

Shen Yuan was back in his body as he heard himself play the flute. He glanced over to Gongyi Xiao who was still in the memories of the demoness. Shen Yuan played a different tune to bring him back to the real world. The older disciple opened his eyes and he let out a sharp gasp.

“Gongyi Shixiong, are you alright?” Shen Yuan rushed over to Gonyi Xiao and placed a hand on his back, examining the older disciple for any injuries.

“I’m alright… the woman is a malevolent spirit, not a demoness.” Gongyi Xiao then proceeded to give Shen Yuan a brief summary of what he saw during the ritual of Empathy. Shen Yuan listened and showed no signs of already knowing her memories. They seem to match what he was shown as well. He wondered why he was also sucked into her memories when Gongyi Xiao was the one the woman possessed.

“Shen Shidi, please assist me in setting up an array. I know how to purify her spirit. We should make haste while her spirit still lingers in this room. It would be easy to trap her this way.” Gongyi Xiao soon got to his feet and started rummaging through his qiangkun pouch. Shen Yuan nodded his head obediently.

They performed the spirit cleansing ritual. Shen Yuan had been in a few night hunts here and there with Binghe and the other Cang Qiong Mountain sect disciples. He learned that every cultivation sect had their own specialties, Cang Qiong Mountain Sect specialized in spiritual weapons, whether it be musical instruments of spirit swords. Shen Yuan would often watch his seniors perform their duties with their weapons of choice. This is the first time he’ll watch a senior disciple from another Sect perform a cleansing ritual with arrays alone. Did HuanHua Palace Sect specialize in arrays and rituals?

The walls around them started to collapse and shift around. The illusion was slowly dissipating… or was it? When the black walls disappeared, Shen Yuan could see the sky and greenery. They were now in a garden of some sort. It was the same place where the two lovers were supposed to meet. It was a beautiful garden filled with flowers of every color, the sky was blue and atmosphere was simply calm and bright. It was a stark contrast to the scene in the middle of the garden - in the middle of the spirit trapping array they had set up.

“Binghe!”

Shen Yuan called out to his friend, his eyes wide of horror at the scene. Binghe stood in the middle of the array, holding out his spirit sword Zheng Yang and about to stab a woman. Shen Yuan assumed it was the malevolent spirit. 

“Binghe what are you doing, stop!” Shen Yuan called out again and he even tried the divinity system.

[Answer. Subordinate Luo Binghe is currently out of reach and is under the influence of a foreign entity.]

‘Damnit, after I told him to prioritize his safety!’ Shen Yuan then ran into the scene. He wondered who was possessing Binghe? The woman can’t possibly will herself to be stabbed and killed by a cultivator’s spirit sword again. There were a lot of things not adding up but for now, he needed to knock some sense into Binghe. He got in front of the woman and let his best friend run his sword through him, stabbing him in the chest where his heart should be.

His head went blank for a moment and it felt like his body moved on its own. Even with thought acceleration, Shen Yuan went to do one thing the moment he closed the distance with his precious protagonist.

He kissed Binghe on the lips.

Binghe’s POV

When he came to, the whole ordeal was over. Binghe found himself in a rundown hallway. The atmosphere of the place felt different. Almost as if it was now just an ordinary building. He could even see sunlight peaking into the room through the various holes on the roof. It was already morning. They were in this cursed mansion the entire night. The dark ominous feeling was gone, the spirit was successfully sealed.

Binghe was resting his head on Shen Yuan’s lap. Binghe knew he should get up but he took advantage of the situation because he loved seeing his A-Yuan’s gentle and beautiful face from this angle. Shen Yuan seems to be discussing some things with the Huan Hua Palace head disciple. He’s talking to Gongyi Xiao so familiarly and that soured the mood a little. Binghe then decided to move a bit to alert his A-Yuan that he’s back in the waking world.

“Binghe! You’re awake!” Shen Yuan then helped him up. There was something slightly different from how his A-Yuan touched him. He seemed timid and bashful, there was even a hint of pink on his cheeks. Binghe felt confused, what was bothering A-Yuan?

“Luo Shixiong, are you alright? You were possessed by a malevolent spirit.” Gongyi Xiao gave him a look of concern. A-Yuan and Gongyi Xiao then proceeded to explain everything to him from their perspective. Both Binghe’s brows shot up as he gave the two a confused look. Their recounting of the story of these malevolent spirits was incomplete.

Memories of what happened earlier flashed through his mind. He was confronting the spirit of the poor blind cultivator who also turned malevolent from the absolute despair he felt.

“I killed her… I did not mean to… it was that man.” The spirit of the cultivator sneered, his tone filled with venom and hatred. The cultivator had bandages over his eyes but Binghe could tell the man was in tears. The bandages were stained with blood.

The cultivator then went on to explain how the father tricked him. The father, maddened with his despair of losing his only daughter to a wandering cultivator, assaulted his daughter. It could be implied this swine of a father had done more than assault his daughter in more than one occasion. The cultivator was her only means of escaping this hell but unfortunately, he was the very cause of her demise. The poor girl was doused in corpse plague powder, a substance used by cultivators to disguise themselves amongst the walking corpses during night hunts. The father knew of the wandering cultivator’s reputation. A blind cultivator with a sword that guided him directly to the undead.

It was the perfect revenge for stealing his beautiful daughter.

To make things worst, the father had cut off the girl’s tongue rendering her mute. The father dragged her to the garden and watched as the wandering blind cultivator pierced her with his sword and killed her. The sword detected the woman as a ‘living corpse’ and the cultivator could not make out her pleas and cries without her tongue. It was an unfortunate misunderstanding. The cultivator only found out he had killed his beloved when he waited and waited…and waited and she never came.

The cultivator waited for days not knowing the corpse of his beloved laid nearby. Only when the father approached him that he found out the horrible truth. Apparently, he was sick of the rotting smell and the presence of the cultivator in his garden.

Enraged and stricken with guilt and anguish, the cultivator attacked the father. He took the man’s eyes and once he restored his vision through the use of forbidden means - demonic cultivation, that’s when he finally saw his beloved. The cultivator then killed himself with his own sword and let his grief corrupt his soul. That’s how he ended up haunting these grounds.

“I saw your memories, you also love another…that little disciple…” The cultivator spoke up. Binghe furrowed his brow upon hearing this possible threat against his beloved Shen Yuan.

“If you plan to harm my A-Yuan. It’s useless, he is a powerful being you cannot possibly harm! Unlike you, who was too weak and got tricked by that woman’s father. Your tricks won’t work on A-Yuan!”

“Is he now? This world is cruel, a man like you with pure intentions and pure love… will surely suffer. Your love will hurt you…even kill you. Give it up. Your little ‘A-Yuan’ will kill you someday, if not directly then indirectly. Such is the fate of true love in this cruel world.” He disappeared then reappeared behind Binghe. Binghe did not budge, stubbornly brave against this puny little human spirit.

“Never! My love for A-Yuan will stay true no matter what. I don’t care if it kills me, I will have him in the future. And we will rise above all others and protect each other until our dying breaths!” Binghe proclaimed confidently.

“Let’s put that to the test. Shall we? Prove me wrong. Survive this and my spirit can rest. The last of my energy, I give to you.” The man reappeared behind Binghe then grabbed him by the wrist. The cultivator’s grip was tight but Binghe intended to ignore the weak feeble human spirit. However, he felt a stinging sensation. He yanked his arm from the man and jumped back.

“I tire of these games. Release us now!” Binghe took out his Zheng Yang and that was the last thing he remembered before waking up in A-Yuan’s lap.

Binghe, when he got up, engulfed his A-Yuan into a bear hug. Usually, his precious little slime would let him but this time Shen Yuan seemed to stiffen and act all flustered. Cute.

“Bingheeee not in front of Gongyi Shixiong!” Shen Yuan gently pounded his fist at Binghe’s exposed chest. The taller heavenly demon seemed to just grin mischievously as he kept his A-Yuan close to him. After having his love threatened and questioned, Binghe needed to feel A-Yuan close to him. He won’t ever let him go… whether A-Yuan returns his love or not. He will stay by A-Yuan’s side no matter what.

Gongyi Xiao chuckled, looking amused at the couple. “I’ve trapped the other spirit in this pouch. I can further purify him at Huan Hua Palace where the spiritual arrays are stronger.” He informed.

Binghe nodded his head, since he was still the one of authority as the older disciple over Shen Yuan. “Thankyou, we’ll inform our Shizun of our collaboration.” Gongyi Xiao held his fist for a polite bow.

With that, their mission has concluded. The trio all walked out of the old abandoned mansion. What greeted them when they walked back into civilization was a bustling little town filled with life. It was the complete opposite of the ghost town from a while ago. Shen Yuan explained to the confused Binghe and Gongyi Xiao that they all walked into the demoness’s pocket dimension the moment they walked into the village. The little village they are in now was the real one.

It was time to part ways with Gongyi Xiao. Good. Binghe would prefer not to surround Shen Yuan with handsome and powerful cultivators like Gongyi Xiao. Potential mates fit for someone as powerful as Shen Yuan. NO, Binghe should be his only potential mate. Binghe did not like how much his Shen Yuan was blushing and staring at Gongyi Xiao earlier too.

“It was an honor to meet you again and to work with you, Luo Binghe. May our paths cross once again in the future.” After exchanging polite bows, Gongyi Xiao flew off with his spirit sword probably to fly back to Huan Hua Palace.

“Let’s go back to Shizun?” Shen Yuan looked up at Binghe with a shy smile. Binghe was still confused as to why Shen Yuan seemed a lot more timid with him. It was a subtle change, but any chance in his Shen Yuan Binghe would surely notice no matter how little it was.

“Mn.” Was all Binghe said as he nodded. He flashed the same smile down at the shorter male.

The trip back to Cang Qiong Mountain was quiet. Binghe and Shen Yuan travelled together countless of times in the past, they were used to the comfortable silence during long journeys like this. However this type of silence was different. Neither noticed it as they were both preoccupied with their own thoughts.

Shen Yuan kept touching his lips, completely deep in his own world. The kiss… Binghe might not remember it, but Shen Yuan could not stop thinking about it. The memory made his chest feel weird. Binghe kissed him back too. WHY!? Maybe it’s because Binghe was possessed that time?! The stallion novel protagonist wasn’t into men right!? Oh god, if he is, that’s great! Shen Yuan had a chance! Wait no. Bad. This is BAD. Why did he think that KISSING Binghe was a good idea at that time!? Shen Yuan knew he was catching feelings. Sure, he was attracted to Binghe and crushed hard for the handsome protagonist. But this is different…IT’S REAL FEELINGS. The kind that makes his nonexistent heart beat fast whenever Binghe would do cute endearing things like SMILE or BREATHE. Now, he was acutely aware and sensitive from Binghe’s usual shows of affection towards him. He needed to stop! He can’t catch feelings for the protagonist! Why? Because he wasn’t meant to be a love interest, he’s an outsider of this story and he should not be interfering with the canon events of this world! His mission was supposed to assist Binghe in becoming the protagonist he was meant to be AND free his Shizun and Uncle airplane from their evil systems.

After all that, he will retire to his demon city in the abyss and continue his original mission he set himself to do ever since he was reincarnated in this world - to live his life to the fullest and enjoy this new world in his new body! It’s sad he won’t have a future with Binghe… thinking about the protagonist moving onto better companions made his heart ache.

Ahh, he caught feelings so badddd.

Normally, Binghe would fuss over Shen Yuan when he would see his companion act so strangely but he is also deep in his own thoughts. He thought back to the words of the blind cultivator.

“Let’s put that to the test. Shall we? Prove me wrong. Survive this and my spirit can rest. The last of my energy, I give to you.”

Binghe held his arm out and pulled down his sleeves to reveal black markings littering his flesh. It looked like a mark of a curse. He did not know which curse it was and how it could possibly affect Shen Yuan. All he knew is that, he must not let Shen Yuan see this nor can he know about it. The poor thing already had entire demon nations on his shoulder, Binghe did not want to add to Shen Yuan’s burdens. Binghe also did not want Shen Yuan to find out how weak he was to let himself be cursed like this. He felt ashamed… He’ll have to figure out how to get rid of this curse. He knew only one person can help him… as much as he did not want to talk to that person at this moment.

His Shizun.

Chapter Text

Shen Qingqiu took a sip from his tea. It was a peaceful afternoon, the weather was lovely as ever and it was a perfect time to enjoy tea with his disciples. His precious children. Unfortunately, there were only a handful of them who wanted to share an afternoon tea with their Shizun. Shen Qingqiu was very aware how others perceived him. The Peak Lord had carefully perfected his ‘mask’ over the years. He appeared cold and strict which resulted in his disciples’ reluctance in offering themselves to spend time with this ‘grumpy old man’. He was perfectly fine with that. The several Peak Lords who pestered him every day and treated him like their sickly youngest brother was annoying enough. Shen Qingqiu was an introvert who preferred his own company and needed a lot of willpower and energy should he be forced into any form of social interaction. Despite that, he still would like to spend time with his children. Luckily, there were a handful of them who dared barge into his little bamboo hut to spent time with their old master.

Way back then, it was little Ning Yingying. Youthful and cheerful girl. Everyone perceived her as an innocent airhead, but Shen Qingqiu chose to take her in as a disciple for a reason. He knew how talented and clever the girl could be. The little girl would practice her guqing while Shen Qingqiu read a book. Her visits unfortunately had become infrequent as time passed due to her new responsibilities as senior disciple.

There was Luo Binghe when he was younger. Shen Qingqiu used to spend this days training the youth especially on monster taming. It was to prepare him for the dangers of the Endless Abyss. The boy sadly also became more preoccupied and independent as he grew of age. Rather than sit around with his old man of a father all afternoon buried in books, Luo Binghe preferred to do his chores or spend time with his fellow disciples. Shen Qingqiu never stopped the boy or took up too much of his time than necessary.

Then Shen Yuan came along and he never tired of spending his idle moments with his shizun. Perhaps it’s because the both of them are introverts and enjoyed their peace and quiet together. The two Shen’s could spent an entire afternoon without exchanging a single word and do it again the next day. During the times they do converse with each other, their conversations are often enjoyable for both. Although, they were not truly alone. Shen Yuan always had Luo Binghe attached to him. His son would often just quietly sit beside Shen Yuan and ignored his Shizun unless spoken to. Liu Qingge sometimes came along as well. Then the two Shen’s would force Luo Binghe and Liu Qingge to sit together in a corner.

“Where is my other disciple, Shen Yuan?” Shen Qingqiu inquired, his eyes landing on the empty spot where Shen Yuan usually sat on.

“This one…greets Shizun.” Luo Binghe bowed his head politely, though the young man’s eyes did not dare meet his own. “A-Yuan is needed in the demon realm… This disciple came here on his own to speak with Shizun. Privately.”

Shen Qingqiu raised a delicate brow. “This master has to admit, he is surprised.” He said despite his facial expression remaining the same. Calm and aloof and the perfect image of a peerless immortal master. “I do not think disciple Luo Binghe would willingly come here alone unless coerced by his little mate?” He saw the slight flush of pink on his disciple’s cheek when he mentioned Shen Yuan. Shen Qingqiu wasn’t blind to romantic relationships between his disciples. Ming Fan and Ning Yingying were prime examples. The two senior disciples tried to hide it from their Shizun, but Shen Qingqiu knew. He may be an old man but he wasn’t a dense and oblivious old man. He wish he could say the same for Shen Yuan. The little demon is as oblivious as a newborn baby. Everyone around him was aware of Luo Binghe’s obvious attraction to Shen Yuan EXCEPT Shen Yuan. If even the emotionally constipated Shen Qingqiu could see it and Shen Yuan can’t, then there’s something very wrong with the little demon. The kid needs to be whacked a couple of times on the head with a fan.

“Shizun!” Luo Binghe suddenly spoke up, lifting his head and finally meeting his gaze. “This disciple… needs Shizun’s help. Something happened during the mission a few days ago.” Shen Qingqiu raised both brows, his usual calm expression faltered slightly. He eyed his rebellious disciple carefully and noticed how much Luo Binghe clutched at his arms and rubbed at it every so often.

“Were you injured? Have you had it looked at?” The mentor asked. Surely a heavenly demon’s blood can repair any and all injuries as well as other poisons. The dreadful evil deity that stuck itself to him had claimed Luo Binghe was nearly unkillable with his ‘protagonist halo’. So what’s this about then? It must be something bad if the immortal protagonist himself would approach his ‘scum villain’ of a Shizun.

Luo Binghe lowered his head and returned to avoiding eye contact with Shen Qingqui. The heavenly demon shook his head. “I think I’ve been inflicted with a curse by a malevolent spirit.” Luo Binge then pulled down his sleeve to reveal the black markings on his arms. Shen Qingqiu, alarmed, examined the various unknown symbol.

“Mn. Disciple Binghe has been afflicted with a minor curse…however.”

“However?” Luo Binghe furrowed his brows.

“Though this master can conclude this is but a minor curse no more than a trick of the wicked spirit, we still do not know the actual effects of it. We cannot lower our guard just yet. The fact that it can affect a heavenly demon like Disciple Luo Binghe is alarming on its own. Though rest assured that this master is certain it is not life threatening, especially for a heavenly demon.”

“Half… this disciple is still half human.” Luo Binghe corrected which made Shen Qingqiu nod.

“That may be a factor. The curse could have clung to the human part of your spirit…” Shen Qingqiu then rose from his seat, his movements fluid and graceful. He walked over to his shelves and scanned through his various tomes until he plucked one out with a delicate hand. He returned to the table and flipped through the tome. His eyes landed on a specific page, he set the book down on the table to show Binghe what seems to be a flower of some sort.

“This flower named ‘Heaven’s tears’ is said to cure most minor curses.” Shen Qingqiu explained. “Boil the petals and consume with the honey of vermillion bees, it says.” The elder peak lord tapped his chin. “Ah yes, we have the honey in stock but not the flower…” Suddenly, a thought occurred to Shen Qingqiu. An opportunity presented itself. He had been meaning to approach that man for a while perhaps this was a good chance to better acquaint himself with a certain someone. A fellow victim.

“Come, Disciple Binghe. Accompany this master to An Ding Peak.”

Shen Qingqiu considered some of the current peak lords of Cang Qiong Mountain as his siblings. Annoying family members who would pester him from time to time. He grew up with them as fellow disciples. Yue Qingyuan, the sect leader, was of course the eldest brother. They’ve known each other even before they ascended into the world of cultivation. That annoying fool often doted on him, bringing him trinkets every so often then asking Shen Qingqiu to go on night hunts with him. Shen Qingqiu of course had the option to turn the man down each time but how could he? That….that annoying eager face and pout. Ugh. Yue Qingyuan will be the death of him.

Next, Mu Qingfan and Qi Qingqi. Both were his annoying younger siblings. Mu Qingfan was worst than Yue Qingyuan when it comes to being overprotective and fussy regarding his health. It was somewhat understandable with all the qi deviations Shen Qingqiu had suffered because of the system. Shen Qingqiu was not the weakest of the twelve peak lords, his Peak was ranked second after all. Shen Qingqiu was the smartest and wisest as he was the strategist of their Sect. However, his cultivation was not the best. He had a damaged foundation due to the wretched system and because he started the path of cultivation late and tried to rush himself. It was frustrating but Shen Qingqiu quickly learned to work with what he had. He utilized his abilities and his resourcefulness coupled with his vast knowledge made him a feared and respected Peak Lord. However, that did not stop the rest of the Peak lords from treating him like a fragile little flower made of glass. Mu Qingfan was especially guilty of this. He would frequently visit Shen Qingqiu’s peak to check his meridians along with a prescription or two to improve his qi regulation.

Qi Qiqiu, their Shimei, was pretty much the same as she fussed over Shen Qingqiu and treated him like a delicate flower but in a mocking fashion. She’d often nag and scold Shen Qingqiu for needing to be doted on while doting on him herself. Shen Qingqiu found it amusing and did not find any bit of annoyance from the woman at all - which of course resulted in the woman becoming more infuriated by his lack of response. She was their precious little meimei yet he’d often tease her for being a brute. Back when they were disciples, Qi Qiqiu would play rough with the fellow disciples and it was Shen Qingqiu who would be the one to drag her back to her Shizun screaming and kicking.

Like that one time she defended him against a pack of bullies.

“No one would want to marry you with your brutish ways, Shimei.” Shen Qingqiu teased despite his stoic expression. If he had a fan, he would cover half his face with it. The bullies had unfortunately thrown it off a cliff.

“And no one would Mary YOU for being weak! The head disciple of Qing Jing Peak should never let others bully them! I’ll bite their heads off!” Qi Qiqie roared and flailed her arms angrily as she struggled against Shen Qingqui’s hold. She was being carried like a sack of potatoes over her Shixiong’s shoulder.

See? You’ll scare your future lover with that kind of language, shimei.”

“Silence, Qingqui!”

Lastly, Liu Qingge, their youngest. Shen Qingqiu honestly did not have a good relationship with their youngest Peak Lord. For what reason? He wasn’t sure himself. He saw the man as someone who valued strength above all else. He was called a War God for his skills in the battlefield. No other peak lord in Cang Qiong Mountain could match his strength and power. Others questioned him if he was even human, he had the temperament of a demon. He was feared and sometimes not for good reasons, they think of him as a demon in a human’s skin. Shen Qingqiu would often try to approach the young man but he’d be glared at or insulted every time. Perhaps Liu Qingge saw him as the weakest due to Shen Qingqiu’s poor health and cultivation. Perhaps the man even questions his qualifications as a peak lord.

It was only after he had returned from the Endless Abyss that his Shidi changed his attitude towards him. Back then, if Shen Qingqiu would approach him and offer to join him on a night hunt or for a simple cup of tea, his shidi would just huff and walk off. But now? Liu Qingge himself would visit him. Oftentimes it was in the company of Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe. If not to bring a new kill or a captured creature, then he’d just silently sit with him for a cup of tea. What changed? Was this because of his disciple Shen Yuan? He had asked Liu Qingge himself, he’d just respond with ‘I owe my life to you. I will repay you.’

Eitherway, Liu Qingge had been added to the list of annoying siblings who would pester Shen Qingqiu daily.

The rest of the twelve peak lords, Shen Qingqiu wasn’t too familiar with as they all but kept to themselves. One of these peak lords he wasn’t that familiar with was Shang Qinghua. Shen Qingqiu never gave the man a single thought, his presence wasn’t that prominent amongst the peak lords. An Ding Peak in particular was a Peak not that notable with its specialties - which is logistics, finances, and supplies. He’d often see the little man during Peak Lord meetings. Shen Qingqiu not once managed to exchange a single word with the enigmatic Shang Qinghua and whenever he was presented the chance to merely say a greeting or two, the little man would scurry off with his tail between his legs like a small animal. It is as if Shang Qinghua was frightened of him.

Now, the only reason Shen Qingqiu thought to personally visit the mousy little Peak Lord was because he knew that he was a fellow victim of the system. Perhaps the man’s initial fear of Shen Qingqiu resulted from the system’s infuriating script that tagged him as the ’Scum Villain’? That, or Shen Qingqiu’s perfect mask and ‘resting bitch face’ [As his disciple Shen Yuan calls it] made him unapproachable. It surely repelled the other peak lords who did not grow up with him and knew him personally. Only his ‘siblings’ ignored his sour face and proceeded to trespass into his home on a daily basis.

Upon their arrival at An Ding Peak, he tasked Luo Binghe to retrieve the supply of vermillion honey from one of the A Ding Peak’s head disciples. This should allow him a bit of private time with the mousy Peak Lord. He managed to corner the little man in his own office. Shen Qingqiu was a man of few words and he made sure to always get to the point when there are important matters to discuss.

“Does Peak Lord Shang also have a system?” He calmly asked. It was certainly amusing to watch the frightened little peak lord nearly choke on his tea.

“Sh-Shen Shixiong is also a-a a……TRANSMIGRATOR?!” Shang Qinghua blurted out.

“Hm, funny. My disciple Shen Yuan also called me that.” Shen Qingqiu casually fanned himself, he was not at all surprised that Shang Qinghua would come to the same conclusion. This ‘system’ thing seems to be meant for the travelers that were not from this world. Shen Yuan was one such traveller and the system that attached itself to Shen Qingqiu was meant for him.

“But no. This Shixiong of yours is not a transmigrator. I am ‘the Scum villain’ or ‘the original goods’ as the stupid thing likes to call me.” He saw the red box appear beside him and Shen Qingqiu shot it a quick glare. “Pesky thing.” He hissed then turned his attention back to Shang Qinghua. “So are you or are you not also a ‘transmigrator’ like my disciple Shen Yuan?”

“A-ah… wait- how did you know… and WHA- THE Shen Qingqiu also has a system?!”

Shen Qingqiu was amused to see the confusion in Shang Qinghua’s face but it was getting old and he grew irritated by the squeaky man’s babble. He always gave Shen Yuan a gentle whack on the head for muttering so much. Is he learning this bad habit from Shan Qinghua perhaps? He must teach the boy to let go of that habit.

“My disciple Shen Yuan recently confronted me about my system. He suspected I had one. During that conversation, he mentioned an ‘Uncle Airplane’ when I asked further, he confirmed it was you.”

Without wasting time, Shen Qingqiu then explains everything from his side. His conversation with Shen Yuan as well as his experience with the ‘system’ so far.

“Oh… Ohhh! Alright…but wait, how are we talking about our systems without…you know… being punished? I know Shen Yuan is like a natural system-repellant but he’s not here.”

“Hm. I believe it’s because conversations between ‘players’ are allowed provided we are discreet and careful with our wording.” Shen Qingqiu glanced around. “And that no one could hear us.”

“This is so weird… to think I’d be talking about this with Shen Qingqiu himself.” Came Shang Qinghua’s nervous words followed by an awkward laugh.

“You are aware I am not what the original script intends me to be.” Shen Qingqiu raise a dellicate brow.

“The scum villain? Yes. I have been aware for years that things have deviated from what I originally wrote. After all, you never bullied my son Bingge… you even took him-”

“You...wrote?”

All color from Shang Qinghua’s face drained and for the first time, Shen Qingqiu removed his mask to reveal a very furious father.

“So you’re the author of that ‘original script’, Shang Shidi?” The room began to grow cold.

“First of all, Luo Binghe is my son, not yours.” Shen Qingqiu’s fan snapped shut and when he opened his eyes, they were filled with rage. A dark menacing aura enveloped Shen Qingqiu which made Shang Qinghua shrink to his seat. “As a scholar myself with a fondness for literature, I find your writing atrocious. And yes, the system forced me to read your ‘Proud Immortal Demon Way’ in its entirety. You dig holes into your plot line only to often forget to fill them. Foreshadowing done masterfully but gone to waste! Not once have they been resolved properly that could satisfy your readers. Even children of this world can write better than you! Have you seen the work of some of the Xian Shu Disciples? Take notes from them.”

“And BY THE GODS all that SEX!? Every.Single.Story Arc. And THOUSANDS of chapters of meaningless coitus. Provided, you seem adept at coming up with different creative ways on how to perform such acts… HOWEVER, you subjected MY son to meaningless sex all to appease a cursed sword? Do NOT bring that thing anywhere near Binghe or I swear to Queen Mother herself I will shove it up your ass. He deserves a proper mate who will love and take care of him and one I personally approve of as his true father. NOT hundreds of unworthy wives majority of which only agreed to marry him for political AND sexual reasons. Not out of love.”

“I won’t even go into how you subjected poor Ning Yingying to be discarded and forgotten by my son AND how you killed off my head disciple Ming Fan. My disciples deserve the best and you gave them the worst fates possible. And not JUST my disciples… what you did to Qi-ge and the whole Sect-”

“P-Please! Mercy! Shen Shixiong- I-I am as much a victim as you are!” Shang Qinghua kowtowed before Shen Qingqiu and repeatedly smacked his head on the floor. Papers and scrolls scattered around the small office due to Shang Qinghua’s careless and nervous movements. “In my world, Proud Immortal Demon Way was only a story I wanted to tell and a means for this lowly writer to earn a living! I did not mean to play with your lives and cause pain and misery. I died and have reincarnated in this world, but I am still a slave to my system like you are! I am forced to ‘play my role’ and follow the script too! I’m sure you know what the original ‘Shang Qinghua’s’ fate is! He’s merely canon fodder! Whatever happens in this world is out of my control! I am but a mere storyteller, not a God! Please!"

It took a while, but Shen Qingqiu managed to slip his mask back on and calmed down. He was once again covering half his face with a fan. Shang Qinghua was back on his seat, nervously pouring tea for his pissed off Shixiong.

“Fine, this Shixiong understands Shang Shidi.” He finally spoke up. “I do not really intend to blame you for whatever happens in this world in the first place. It is vastly different to the one you wrote, I made sure of that, even before the arrival of disciple Shen Yuan.”

“So he really was supposed to be playing the ‘scum villain’ role? That’s really fortunate for all of us he reincarnated here with his own system…” Shang Qinghua noted as he also started to piece together. “I still wonder why the system latched onto Shen Shixiong. Showing you the script’s memories only allowed you the advantage of changing your fate and the story. If you did not see any of that, you could have gone and become the Shen Qingqiu in the original ‘Proud Immortal Demon Way’ anyway…” Shang Qinghua theorized but he warily looked at Shen Qingqiu. Said Shixiong did not seem offended in any way.

“Perhaps that’s why it keeps tormenting me, knowing how gravely it erred by binding itself to me and showing me my possible future. It is desperately trying to kill me so it can latch onto Shen Yuan and make him play the ‘scum villain’ role as it intended. Well, I’ve changed the plotline of its script completely and Shen Yuan seems to be doing the rest of the work on creating an entirely new destiny for our protagonist and this world.” Shen Qingqiu thought back to his son, whom he noticed was indeed without his destined sword Xin Mo. He wields Zheng Yang as he should, not the cursed sword that would corrupt him. Good. As long as he stays very far away from that thing, the better. “For now, I told Shen Yuan to play along. I do not want that thing messing around with my child’s head further than it already has.”

“So Binghe’s memories of the Immortal Alliance Conference was fabricated by the system… oh gods. We’re lucky Binghe did not ‘blacken’ in the abyss and retrieved Xin Mo. A blackened protagonist is someone not to mess with, he’ll kill all of us.”

“Do not speak ill of Luo Binghe or I will have you castrated.” Shang Qinghua squeaked.

Speaking of Binghe, the boy returned moments later carrying a small jar of the vermillion honey. Shang Qinghua nervously offered the disciple a seat and a cup of tea at their table. Binghe bowed politely and awkwardly sat with the two peak lords.

“Right. This Shixiong nearly forgot their original purpose for this visit.” Shen Qingqiu was back to casually fanning himself. “Shang Shidi, do you remember the exact location of the flower ‘Heaven’s Tears’? I meant to ask the An Ding Peak Lord for he is known to be knowledgeable at foraging and procuring rare ingredients for medicine… but now that this one knows of Shang Shidi's true origins, all the more to ask you where it is.” Shen Qingqiu inquired. Shang Qinghua’s brows furrowed.

“The heaven’s what now?” That certainly earned a whack on the head with a fan.

“You wrote this damn book and you cannot even remember that? It was on chapter 762 after ‘the protagonist’ fornicated with wife #86.” Shen Qingqiu looked absolutely disturbed talking about his son and his sex life when his son sat right beside him looking extremely confused and lost. He had long since taught himself to disassociate his son from the Luo Binghe in the book ‘Proud Immortal Demon Way’ but it still disturbed him.

“How can I remember every small detail in a gigantic thousand chapter series? It’s been decades too! My memory isn’t the best…” Shang Qinghua complained with a pout. “But- this one thanks Shen Shixiong's reminder… err.. I do remember now where it is specifically.”

“Good. Make necessary preparations, we leave first thing tomorrow morning for Bailu Forest.”

“What?! Is that not too sudden?”

“Disciple Binghe is expected to attend a demon Banquet with Disciple Shen Yuan in three days. We must dispel the curse by then. ” Shen Qingqiu did not feel comfortable having his son Binghe surrounded by powerful demon lords when he’s made possibly vulnerable with a curse afflicting him. Minor curse or not. Shen Yuan would be there with him, but it still did not put the overprotective father at ease.

“Ah right, the Grand Demon Banquet.”

“This Shixiong is glad Shang Shidi understands.” Shen Qingqiu then got up from his seat and motioned for his still confused demonic disciple to follow him. “Come along now, Binghe. We will see your Shang Shibo tomorrow.”

“Yes Shizun…”

Bonus Gallery:

I drew Shen Qingqiu recently coz I was testing the new Ohuhu markers I just bought hehe. 

This is more or less OG SQQ and how SQQ looks in this AU too haha. Nothing really changed from canon haha

Chapter Text

As expected of the author of the ‘original script’, Shang Qinghua was able to remember the exact location of the flower they seek. The mousy little man encircled the coordinates on the map. Once they’ve established and planned out their route, Shen Qingqiu grabbed both Binghe and Shang Qinghua and set out for Bailu Forest.

All their traveling expenses were generously funded by Yue Qingyuan who waved the trio goodbye by the gates. The man wore the happy face of a doting Da-ge much to Shen Qingqiu’s embarrassment. He whacked the Sect Leader's head with his fan when he heard the man whisper to Shang Qinghua:

‘Shang-shidi, for the journey’s duration, Xiao J- I mean, Qingqiu will be in your care. He’s frail so please watch over him.’

Shen Qingqiu is a damn Peak Lord, why can’t Qi-ge see that?! These Peak lords….his colleagues keep treating him like a fragile flower. Shen Qingqiu would have to give Qi-ge some stern scolding once he gets back. For now, their priority was procuring the flower to cure his disciple of his curse.

They soon arrived at Bailu forest. They were surrounded by towering ancient trees whose leaves and branches stretched up to the heavens, nearly obscuring the rays of sunlight. The sound of rustling leaves and distant humming and churning of insects could also be heard, adding to the tranquil atmosphere of the ancient forest. Spiritual qi was also abundant in the area because nature spirits dwelled within this ancient forest, ready to play tricks on random travelers like them. They will need to exercise caution despite how peaceful and calm their surroundings were. There were also no pathways so they’ll just have to track their location via compass. It would have been easier to fly with their swords to scope their location from above, but they decided to stick to traveling on foot due to the spiritual vines that might grab at them if they are detected by the driads and other spirits that live in this forest.

“The entrance should be around here… but where?” Shang Qinghua then turned to Shen Qingqiu who seemed deep in thought. He was trying to remember that specific chapter amongst the thousands of chapters and millions of words in that cursed novel. He was shown horrible visions of his life in ‘Proud immortal Demon Way’. However, the rest of the story after his death, he had to read. Shen Jiu died early on in the book - well, he stayed for a while as a human stick underground Luo Binghe’s palace. Unfortunately his own point of view could not provide much information of events outside of his dark prison cell. This is why he had to read the horrible ‘original novel’ in its entirety.

Skipping over the horrific coitus between his son and a flower spirit in this forest, he recalled that the entrance was hidden by an illusion. The spirit that guarded her temple used the same protective arrays that were used by Cang Qiong Mountain Sect. If a common folk or uninvited guest were to attempt to ascend the mountains of Cang Qiong Mountain via its famous ‘Heaven-Ascending Stairs’, they would be trapped by the protective charms installed. The poor souls would keep climbing up the thousands of steps never to reach the peak. They can’t climb back down unless a disciple or a stair cleaner comes and escorts them back to the foot of the mountain.

If the same protective array was installed in this forest, they would be wandering around for eternity if caught in its trap. Luckily for the trio, Shen Qingqiu came prepared. He pulled out a talisman from his sleeves and muttered a chant. Both Luo Binghe and Shang Qinghua watched the Peak lord curiously. The paper talisman burst into red flames in Shen Qingqiu’s hold. A small array appeared on the ground and a shadow jumped in the middle of it.

“Wao! Wao!”

Shan Qinghua let out a shriek and instinctively hid behind Luo Binghe who then reached for his Zheng Yang.

“Calm down, both of you.” Came Shen Qingqiu’s reassuring yet stern tone. He knelt down and held his hand out to the small shadowy figure. It then bolted towards him upon seeing the Qing Jing Peak lord. It pounced on Shen Qingqiu as if to attack.

“Shizun!”

The shadows around the thing disappeared to reveal its true form. It looked like a puff of black fur. The thing’s tail wagged as it licked at Shen Qingqiu’s face. Its beady red eyes stared eagerly at its master, awaiting his command. Upon closer inspection, the thing had a heart symbol on its forehead. It may not be the same, but the black fluff ball looked like a certain rebellious son of his.

“This one is a moon fire hellhound. It can sense and dismantle protective arrays. Its prey, minor spirits, would often cast mirages and protective arrays. So this pup is used to sniffing out traps.” Shen Qingqiu expertly explained as the thing circled around him and barked eagerly. “It should help dispel the protective barrier the spirit of this forest placed on its temple.”

Shang Qinghua meant to call and pet the adorable thing but the dog-like creature pressed its ears to its head and growled menacingly with its little eyes glowing red. The mousy little man once again scurried over to Luo Binghe and hid behind him. Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes at the pathetic display. What a sight….this world’s ‘creator’ and writer cowering behind this world’s protagonist. Every second they spend together, the more Shen Qingqiu shed off any form of respect for Shang Qinghua.

“Come along, Little Binghe.” Shen Qingqiu rose from his crouching position and commanded the tiny little thing to follow him. Binghe raised his brow upon hearing the little creature’s name.

“Shizun named the little beast after this disciple?” He asked, looking amused and confused. Shen Qingqiu could almost see a small smile form on his wayward son’s lips.

“Don’t call it a beast, disciple Binghe!” Shen Qingqiu scolded the demonic pupil in disapproval. He remembered how in the original script, he consistently called Luo Binghe a ‘beast’ and so he made certain to never use the term, even on animals that resembled Binghe. “And no. This master did not. It was your Ning Shijie who named it. She said it reminded her of you.” Shen Qingqiu lied, despite priding himself in never lying to his disciples.

He absolutely will never admit to Luo Binghe how much he grieved their parting at the Immortal Alliance Conference. As if the small sword grave wasn’t enough indication of his grieving father status; Even after Binghe and Liu Qingge’s return, he still clung to things that reminded him of his son that he raised and mentored. He thought he’d never be able to reunite with Binghe on happy and peaceful terms ever again. He had anticipated that even if Binghe would somehow not be blackened and destroy Cang Qiong Mountain like in the original script, he still probably would never see his Shizun the same way again. And he was correct to assume that. Yet, he still felt happy that Luo Binghe returned to him as a disciple… even if he did not become the blackened protagonist hell bent on turning him into a human stick.

“Enough Questions, let us proceed.”

They followed the small animal who sniffed around the area. When it stopped, it growled and ran around in circles. Binghe furrowed his brows at the small thing.

“Shizun, I think it’s broken.”

Before his pupil could think to whack the poor dog creature with his spirit sword, Shen Qingqiu held his hand out. “Patience, Disciple Binghe.” The dog continued to run around in circles until its little tail glowed red along with its eyes and forehead symbol. “Waooooo!” It howled and an array glowed beneath it. The ground shook and all three cultivators staggered and had to balance themselves. From a crack from the ground, an elaborate entrance made of vines and stone began to form.

“Shall we?” Shen Qingqiu turned to his two traveling companions before he proceeded to walk into the temple entrance. The small pup followed behind him. Luo Binghe and Shang Qinghua looked at each other warily before they walked in as well.

The interior of the temple was what you’d expect from a forest spirit’s dwelling. Vines covered the walls and magical flowers of all colors bloomed from them. Various type of herbs and plants also sprouted from every corner of the sacred temple. A small pathway lead them into a room where a single suspicious looking large boulder sat in the middle. Upon approaching the large stone, one could see the beautiful pure white flowers that sprouted from it. The trio approached with caution.

Binghe was the first to step forward but Shen Qingqiu stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. The disciple shot his shizun a confused look but Shen Qingqiu shook his head and continued to look ahead. Binghe then turned his gaze to Shang Qinghua and the shortest of the trio was also giving the boulder a strange look without approaching it.

“Spirit of this forest, we only wish to acquire but one of your flowers to heal my disciple of his curse.” Shen Qingqiu spoke up.

The boulder twitched and the floor started to rumble and shake slightly. Not long after, the giant boulder morphed its shape. It soon turned into a large stone woman, bare and naked save for flowers that sprouted all over her head and body. The woman stretched her arms and yawned.

“Who dares wake this forest spirit’s slumber~ Ah, handsome immortal cultivators, how delicious- wait!” She leaned closer, propping her arms to examine the trio. “And the Supreme Demon Emperor’s son. What an honor! You look just like your father, did you know that?” The woman giggled. Binghe seemed unmoved by the mention of a biological father.

“So? Who is the cursed one? If you found my temple so easily, you deserve some attention from lil ‘ol me. Aaaand~ to have Junshang’s son accompany humans, this forest spirit is intrigued.”

Shen Qingqiu frowned at the mention of Binghe’s biological father. He felt an ache in his chest but he kept his composure and mask on. This was not the time for fatherly jealousy, he turned to his disciple and urged him to show the spirit his arm. Binghe approached the woman and held his cursed arm up to her.

“Oh? A curse on a heavenly demon? Hmm... this one thinks this is not something a mere flower can heal.” The statuesque woman looked at the markings. After she got a good look, she placed a hand on her mouth and her eyebrows shot up as far as it can go. “How interesting~”

“So… can you heal it…?” Luo Binghe asked, furrowing his brows.

“No, unfortunately, this little curse cannot be healed through conventional means.”

Shen Qingqiu and Shang Qinghua’s shoulders slump. Shen Qingqiu was the one who protested first.

“How can this be? Is it not just a normal minor curse? And he’s a heavenly demon, poison cannot even harm him. How can a small curse not be dispelled by medicine?”

“Calm down, Immortal one. This curse is just… ‘unique’ but it can easily be dispelled.” The spirit giggled, her face seemed to flush with the color of green. Is she blushing? Oh no. It can’t be… Shen Qingqiu felt his already porcelain white complexion lose more of its color. Proud Immortal Demon Way, the cursed original novel, had but one theme other than vengeance against those who wronged Luo Binghe. It was sex. Shen Qingqiu dreaded to think this vile spirit would lay its fingers on his son just for a stupid cure that can only be done through dual cultivation. Not everything can be solved with dual cultivation okay?!

“The curse inflicted upon the heavenly demon prince is called ‘The curse of the red string of fate’…” The woman explained.

“Oh by the gods no… he’s just a boy…barely a man. This master cannot bear to hear this.” Shen Qingqiu was already rubbing his temples as the spirit went on with her explanation. Obviously, the peak lord was no longer listening and was off on his own thoughts.

“U-uh Shixiong it’s fine… your son can handle it. He’s the best at it in this world...supposedly.” Shang Qinghua tried to reassure but that only caused Shen Qingqiu to stagger and feel more stress. Shen Qinqqiu was now being held by Shang Qinghua while he fanned himself.

“Why did it have to be that kind of curse… he’s just an innocent youth.”

“Shizun… I’m 20 years old already…” Binghe blinked and stared at the two peak lords in confusion. He furrowed his brows and looked at the forest spirit with concern. “I-Is it that…bad?” He asked nervously. To have his Shizun and Shang Shibo look so dejected and nervous, this curse must be life threatening right?

The spirit shrugged. “It’s not that bad, dear Prince. I do not know what’s gotten into those immortal masters. You must know, that the moment this curse was inflicted upon you, it tied itself to the soul of the one you love.”

“What?! It will hurt A-Yuan?!” Binghe panicked.

“No, the one you love will be unaffected. Only the bearer of the curse is meant to suffer.” She pointed her large finger over to Binghe and his exposed chest. “The Prince will be able to feel what his beloved would feel. Physical pain especially. If his beloved is injured, so will you. That is the nature of this curse.”

“Huh… he is tied to a powerful being. One who cannot even feel pain.” Shang Qinghua pointed out.

“Hmm, that may be bad. The demon prince is not as invulnerable as the powerful being that holds his heart. Even if his beloved is undamaged, he will still feel the damage as if it was his body who has been hit. If his beloved is stabbed and he remained unaffected, the same cannot be said of the heavenly demon prince however.”

The two peak lord’s eyes widened. “Oh that is bad. I’ve seen my little bro willingly allow himself to be stabbed by abyss monsters just so he can analyze them! He is not someone who cared for his safety since his body is indestructible.”

Binghe furrowed his brows. “I do not want to inconvenience A-Yuan with this curse. Even if I can withstand whatever pain is inflicted upon me.” He declared. “This Binghe refuses to be his A-Yuan’s weakness! I already failed him many times…Where I am the one requiring his rescue…I can’t be worthy of him if I repeatedly make these mistakes.” He lowered his head, shoulder’s trembling. Shen Qingqiu’s lips thinned. He wish he could comfort the depressed disciple but he knew his comforting wasn’t welcomed by his wayward son.

“How can we cure my disciple of this curse if not through conventional means?” He boldly asked the spirit though the sweat the ran down his forehead due to his anxiety. Shen Qingqiu braced himself for the answer. He was also almost ready to unleash his anger upon Shang Qinghua, the creator of this world full of curses that can only be healed with sex. Stupid writer, stupid novel!! But Shen Qingqiu promised he would never blame this foolish writer so he had to control himself. 

“The curse can easily be cleansed. Heavenly demon prince and handsome immortal ones have no need to worry! It’s easy and simple.” She reassured. “The curse can be dispelled if one shows absolute devotion towards his beloved.” But before the immortal peak lords could react, the spirit already guessed their reactions so she added. “No dual cultivation required.”

Shen Qingqiu and Shang Qinghua seemed to both sigh in relief. Luo Binghe raised a brow.

“What’s dual cultiva-“

“Disciple Binghe does not need to know that for now.” Shen Qingqiu cut in which effectively silenced the matter.

“Wait, I’ve already been doing that… ever since I met A-Yuan, I’ve shown nothing but my love and devotion for him. I knew early on, he is the one I love...my purpose... and the one I wish to spend immortality with. My love for-“

“Ah~ Sweet youthful love. But no.” The spirit interrupted, clearly uninterested in hearing about Binghe prattle on about his object of affection. Shen Qingqiu had to agree on that, he’d rather not hear details of his disciples’ relationships. Especially not about his son and his love life. It felt awkward.

“Your ‘A-Yuan’ will need to show his love and devotion towards you in return. Acknowledge and accept your love. Once you both acknowledge each other as lovers, that is when the curse will be broken. The red string has been tied permanently so its effects will disappear.” The spirit sighed happily as if overjoyed at the image of two souls realizing their love for each other and breaking a curse in the process. A fairy tale made reality.

“Oh…” Both Shen Quingqiu and Shang Quinghua looked at Luo Binghe. They knew how extremely oblivious Shen Yuan is regarding love and affection. Both peak lords- no THE ENTIRE Cang Qiong Mountain Sect and probably every demon under Shen Yuan’s rule knew of Binghe and Shen Yuan’s feelings for each other EXCEPT Shen Yuan himself.

“Why are Shizun and Shang Shibo giving me that look of pity…?” Binghe’s lips quivered because he already had a feeling why his father and shishu were giving him sad looks. The poor heavenly demon’s eyes were red as if ready to burst into tears.

The poor lad only received a pat on the back from Shang Qinghua and a pet on the head from his Shizun. Little Binghe, the pup who had been laying down beside them, rubbed itself against Binghe's leg. It is as if the creature pitied on him as well.

‘I am so sorry, my son. You picked an oblivious idiot to love.’ Both Peak Lords thought.

Bonus Gallery:

From previous chapter, what afternoon tea time looked with their Shizun:

Chapter Text

The day of the Grand Demon Banquet is finally here. The City at the heart of Zuzhou forest welcomed their guests from across the demon realm. The demon realm preferred to keep things simple so their major kingdoms were divided into four territories named: The North, South, East, and West kingdom. Each nation is ruled by a Demon Lord.

The north was of course now ruled by Shen Yuan but the current acting Lord of that nation is still Mobei Jun. For this Banquet however, Shen Yuan invited over Linguan Jun, Mobei Jun’s uncle who was openly rebelling against him. The North valued bloodlines as much as they valued strength and power. Linguan Jun was opposed to Shen Yuan, an unknown self proclaimed ’Supreme Emperor’ from the Abyss, taking over Mobei Jun’s throne. It was understandable. Shen Yuan knew he’d have to face the man sooner or later. It was fortunate that Linguan Jun accepted the invitation but Shen Yuan will have to keep his guard up in case the rebellious demon lord tried anything during this peaceful occasion.

Next, the Eastern demon kingdom. This kingdom was mostly comprised of hundreds of islands connected by the sea. They are home to many water demons. However, the true rule over this territory was the dream demon tribe. Known for their prophesies and fortunetelling. The busty lady from the tavern must belong to this nation? Binghe’s mentor, Meng Mo, probably came from this kingdom too when he had a body. The ruler’s name is Lingyao Jun.

Then there’s the Western demon kingdom. Uncle airplane explained that it was a kingdom almost opposite of the North. A kingdom of volcanoes and lava. Naturally, fire demons reside in the area. So basically this world’s equivalent of ’The fire nation’. Their ruler was named Jiuzhong Jun. Shen Yuan was informed the ruler had a daughter named Sha Hualing and he should expect her arrival as well.

Finally, the Southern demon kingdom. This particular one, Mobei Jun had difficulty contacting. It was said to be ruled over the last living Heavenly Demon Name ‘Tianlang Jun’. He was also the Supreme Demon Emperor of the entire demon realm but has been ‘on vacation leave’ until further notice. Binghe did not seem particularly interested in this bit of news. Shen Yuan was aware he was ‘a heavenly demon slime’ but he isn’t a native to this world. So in a sense, Tianlang Jun is the only real heavenly demon alive - therefore, the man HAS to be Binghe’s father.

“I have only one father... though my relationship with him is complicated at the moment, he still my one and only father. Whoever that Tianlang Jun man is, he is not someone I acknowledge.” Binghe stubbornly responded when Shen Yuan asked for his opinion on this ‘revelation’. “And also, A-Yuan is the ONLY Supreme Demon Emperor I will ever acknowledge.”

Binghe, YOU’RE supposed to be the Supreme Demon Emperor!

Setting aside possible heavenly demon family drama, even if Tianlang Jun was said to be ‘on vacation’ at the moment a representative is said to arrive. The name of such representative was ‘Zhuzhi Lang’.

Their guests started arriving and pouring into the town reception Hall. Shen Yuan’s people welcomed them all dressed their best. His uncle Liu, instead of wearing his usual Bai Zhan Peak Lord attire donned the robed befitting the Great Demon General. Uncle airplane, who had become part of the secret ops team, also wore the same garments as the nine tailed fox clan. The person Shen Yuan mostly had his eyes on, however, was Binghe. He was drop dead GORGEOUS. Binghe wore black and red robes and a white outer robe. It looked more elaborate and intricately designed than his usual open-chest robes. His usual mess of wavy black hair was tied up into a half bun. A gold crown sat on top, giving him a more regal appearance. He looked MORE like the ‘Supreme Demon Emperor’ he was meant to be, Shen Yuan looked like his concubine next to him. O-or his Empress… which was a scenario Shen Yuan very much fantasized many times in his head.

Shen Yuan, the bisexual disaster who just found out how badly he had fallen for his best friend, could not help but feel flustered around him.  Whether he walked around the city as his humanoid form or his slime form, Binghe kept him close. It shouldn’t be a problem, that’s how it has always been… but after being made aware of his feelings, Shen Yuan could not help but feel like a shy little school girl! It was distracting!

He did notice that his precious protagonist has been paying extra attention to him ever since they reunited. Shen Yuan would often catch Binghe staring at him as if the heavenly demon wanted to say something to him. Did something happen in those three days they were apart? Shen Yuan had wondered why Binghe did not return with him to the demon realm and stayed behind in Qing Jing Peak. Binghe and their Shizun had a strained relationship at the moment so it came as a surprise to Shen Yuan.

Still. Shen Yuan missed his best friend but he wouldn’t admit it. He thought the distance would do them good. The protagonist needed to shine on his own and Shen Yuan needed to do some thinking. He needed to figure out his feelings for the protagonist. Ideally, he should have sorted himself out by now… but unfortunately, Shen Yuan ignored all that and threw himself into work. He made sure he never got a moment alone with his thoughts as he busied himself with preparations for the banquet. Very mature and wise of him.

Not.

Now, Shen Yuan’s mind was completely restless of thoughts of his protagonist even if said protagonist was standing next to him. They were greeting their guests one by one. Shen Yuan wore a welcoming smile but his eyes were distant and elsewhere. Binghe had been staring at him this entire time as well.

The last two of their guest had finally arrived. It was the demons from the western kingdom. Ah, the fire nation people. Shen Yuan put on his best welcoming smile for the honored guests. Most of their guests came with escorts of their own whether it be trusted aides and body guards, or an entourage of fellow nobles. The western demons came with a small gang that was almost considered an army. Mobei Jun had warned Shen Yuan of this. The western demons were a rather interesting bunch. They cared not for pleasantries and stuffy formal meetings. They were a nation of freedom and youthful energy - which meant their people were naturally a rowdy bunch. Their leaders were the type to invite any and all who wanted to come with them… like those relatives who would bring their mother, mother’s uncle, mother’s uncle’s son to a supposed formal close-family event. Shen Yuan luckily prepared for this and made sure his town hall was big enough to house these fire nation demons.

“Ah, It is truly an honor to finally meet the benevolent saintly ruler, Emperor Shen Yuan.” A demon whom he assumed was Jiuzhong Jun approached Binghe and Shen Yuan who stood at the entrance of the town hall. As Shen Yuan expected, the western demon Lord was looking directly at Binghe, mistaking him yet again for the demon emperor.

‘See, Binghe? I told you that you should be the Emperor, not me.’ Shen Yuan teased via their mental chatroom.

’No! This rude fool could not even recognize a powerful being like Shen Yuan just by looking at him? He is not worth my attention. Puny little pest.’ Binghe responded, his tone filled with distaste. In the outside world, he glowered at the western demon king and did not respond to him at all.

‘Don’t be absurd, Junshang. Binghe would rather be your concubine than rule over you.’ Came Alpha’s voice. They were conversing in the ‘public’ channel where all his subordinates could hear.

‘Then I will be your second concubine~ ahh, to be a part of Junshang’s harem!’ Alpha continued. Shen Yuan felt his cheeks turn pink at the mention of a ‘harem’. Him? Have a harem? That’s Binghe’s thing, not his!

‘No you WILL NOT do such a thing, fur ball!’ Binghe protested. See? Binghe preferred to be the only amazing protagonist worthy of a harem. Shen Yuan, however, would like to be a part of said harem… but he wasn’t sure if he’d cope with having ‘competition’.

“U-uhm, it is an honor to meet you as well Jiuzhong Jun. This one is Shen Yuan.” Shen Yuan spoke up.

“Oh my~ So this handsome one is Junshang’s body guard huh?” A young woman walked over to them. The sound of bells could be heard and upon closer inspection, the woman wore bangles on her bare feet and wrists with little bells attached to them. She wore quite the attire - barely a dress and more of just red soft fabric wrapped around her curvaceous body. This cute and energetic young woman must be Sha Hualing. Wow, she looked like a real waifu. Rather, the type of woman the fanbase of this world’s book would fawn over. Shen Yuan nervously wondered if this woman is a potential wife for his precious protagonist. His chest clenched seeing the woman eye Binghe eagerly. The protagonist in question continued to glower down at her and Jiuzhong Jun, not sparing them a word at all.

“My apologies Junshang!” Jiuzhong Jun quickly lowered his head and bowed to Shen Yuan this time.

“No apologies necessary. My right hand man, Luo Binghe often captures everyone’s attention.” Shen Yuan grinned up at his best friend who then looked away with pink cheeks.

“To have a heavenly demon as Junshang’s right hand man, this Ling-er is in awe.” The young woman leaned forward towards Binghe, as if she was presenting her barely clothed body over to him. Waifu right there! Shen Yuan gritted his teeth and his lips twitched. Oh god, this is it. This woman is the REAL first wife of Luo Binghe. His precious protagonist! Shen Yuan wanted to pry the woman off of Binghe but he resisted the urge. Isn’t this what he should want for Binghe? To become the protagonist he was meant to be? The protagonist that had a harem of 300 wives...

The demon saintess wasted no time, she hooked her arm around Binghe’s strong muscular arms. “Would the handsome right hand please escort this easily lost and shy Ling-er~?” She purred, batting her long lashes and showing off a bit of her heavy eyemakup. Binghe visible stiffened with discomfort.

‘A-Yuan, This Binghe would like to slice this woman’s arm off!’

‘Binghe…play nice…treat Saintess Sha Hualing well. Just for tonight, please?’

‘Fine…’

Shen Yuan wanted nothing more than to pry the woman off of his protagonist but he kept his cool. He needed to make sure Binghe pays special attention to his first real potential wife. Even if it hurts his heart. He should be happy with this development since he was helping Binghe become the protagonist he was destined to be AND he was trying to have a pleasant conversation and maybe gain the favor of Jiuzhong Jun.

Now that all the guests were escorted inside the venue, they were ready to begin the Banquet. Though Shen Yuan’s town hall was not as elaborate as Mobei Jun’s palace in the North, his people tried to decorate the venue appropriately for the occasion. They went with Shen Yuan’s dragon motif; his symbol proudly displayed around the decorations like some logo for a company. It felt bit embarrassing for Shen Yuan but he needed to look the part of a ‘Ruler of a Nation of demons and monsters’ for these intimidating Demon Lords.

The guests were served their meals. This was Binghe’s time to shine with his legendary culinary skills. The food was delectable and gorgeous that you’d regret even touching it. He could see the Demon Lords and their entourage gawk at the spread before them. There were questionable dishes that Binghe did not prepare simply because it was a local demon realm cuisine. His protagonist, being a fellow foreigner to this land, was unfamiliar with them so he had let the greater demon chefs handle those specific dishes.

Throughout the meal, Shen Yuan would find himself in conversations with the demon Lords of the three demon nations. The Eastern Lord seemed cordial enough. Lingyao Jun was a quiet young man who talked slowly as if he was half asleep and dreaming. He kept glancing over to Binghe but not in the way Saintess Sha Hualing ogled at him. The Eastern Demon Lord seems to stare beyond Binghe, as if looking at a shadow behind his protagonist. Was his theory about Meng Mo being a part of the Eastern Demon Kingdom true?

The Western and Northern Lords, Jiuzhong Jun and Linguang Jun, were the most annoying to converse with. Shen Yuan could tell these demon lords are sizing him up. Shen Yuan, being the son of an influential rich man in China back in his old life, had a handful of experiences where he’d deal with businessmen kissing his father’s ass. They would accompany his father during his visits at Shen Yuan’s private room at the hospital. Shen Yuan may be a sheltered Young Master, but he wasn’t blind to men and their greed. These demons were no different, they were trying to gain his favor while also gauging his worth. They obviously still doubt his claim as Demon Emperor.

The mysterious hooded representative from the southern demon kingdom was silent throughout the meal. Like the Eastern Demon Lord, he also kept glancing at Binghe. Shen Yuan was curious about the envoy named Zhuzhi Lang, not because the demon’s name reminded him of his favorite desert at the hospital named xizhilang, but because he is an envoy of Binghe’s supposed biological father. Being the protagonist’s father meant he’s a very important character in the story! But why isn’t he here? How can the ‘True Demon Emperor’ from the renowned Heavenly demon clan suddenly just go on vacation? He asked Mobei Jun about this, but he only said the Southern Demon Lord is an extremely enigmatic being. His entire clan was the demon’s equivalent of deities - demons who literally fell from the heavens. They are a royal family who brought calamities throughout the mortal realm and ruled the entire demon realm with an iron fist until the current generation.  When Tianlang Jun came into power, he divided the demon realm into four nations and assigned rulers to the three and kept his rule over the south. After that, he basically went on vacation in the human realm until further notice. No one has heard of the guy since.

He was once again cornered by the Western and Northern Demon Lords for another round of boring conversations about demon politics. Shen Yuan noticed, however, that his best friend had somehow slipped out of the place. He also noticed Sha Hualing’s absence. Ah, his protagonist was probably off to do some wife wooing. Shen Yuan felt his chest ache again at the thought but he tried to brush it off. He wouldn’t dare disturb Binghe in his pursuit for romance. It’s just… too soon, can’t they have a few more years together before his precious protagonist turned himself into a man and abandon him for his many wives?

Suddenly, the door burst open it was soldiers from the Western Kingdom alongside Uncle Liu’s patrol team. Shen Yuan noted the hesitant look on his guards’ faces.

“Junshang, the demon Saintess Sha Hualing was attacked!”

Jiuzhong Jun rose from his seat abruptly. “What is the meaning of this? Where is my daughter?” He demanded.

“Huh? By who?!” Shen Yuan asked while he also rose from his seat.

“Junshang’s right hand man, Luo Binghe!”

‘Damnit Binghe, what did you do!’

Sha Hualing happily skipped into the room. She threw herself at her father and pointed towards Binghe who was being escorted inside by the guards.

“Father! Ah what a joyous day! He declared his affections for this Ling-er!” The woman looked up at her father with a flustered expression while she held her reddened left cheek. Her hair was a mess too, as if the two had been in a fight rather than…erm… papapa?

Shen Yuan was visibly stunned at the display. No way, Binghe was NEVER violent for no reason - except with their enemies. He was NOT the type to be violent and disrespectful to a woman most of all! This did not make sense at all. Surely, even when faced with his first potential wife, Binghe would not be so aggressive!

‘Binghe…?’ Shen Yuan glanced over to his friend who was still being held by the guards.

‘Luo Binghe, shame on you! When your Shizun finds out-‘ Came Liu Qingge’s scolding tone.

‘What happened, Uncle Liu?’

‘Junshang, my guards report to this general that they arrived to see Luo Binghe arguing and attacking the Saintess.’

THEY WERE IN A FIGHT?! Wait… but why was Sha Hualing happy?

‘…’ Binghe said nothing the entire time and simple glared at everyone, his eyes glowed red as well as his heavenly demon mark.

Bingheeee say something at least!

Jiuzhong Jun held his daughter, there seems to be a smirk on his face. “I’ve always known my sweet little bell would attract powerful mates.” He then turned to Shen Yuan the smirk temporarily disappearing and then turning to a fake-warm smile. “Junshang, what a joyous occasion! This lord did not think our friendship and union would grow into something more familial! We demons value tradition above all else. Though loath am I to part with my sweet little bell, if that Heavenly demon has made his intentions clear….”

‘Traditions?’

‘Oh dear… Master Shen, the western lord speaks of traditional demon courtship rituals. When a demon of noble or royal lineage slaps their intended mate on the cheek, that is the way of asking her hand in marriage.’ Muyang explains.

‘WHAT?!’

Binghe and Shen Yuan, both foreigners of the demon realm, exclaimed in their heads. Upon hearing Binghe’s voice for the first time, Shen Yuan shot his best friend a look of disapproval while Binghe lowered his head like a scolded pup.

What the FUCK kind of tradition is that? No wonder Sha Hualing looked happy! Demons are a whole new level of crazy with these courting rituals!

“I refuse! She attacked me first and I only defended myself against that woman!” Binghe protested. It only just dawned on him what he had done.

Sha Hualing gasped at Binghe’s refusal. “How DARE you declare your intentions and then take it back! You play with this Linger’s feelings and disrespect me! Shameless! Scoundrel!” She was now filled with wrath as she cursed at Binghe. Sha Hualing then turned to her father and sobbed in his comforting hug. “Father, these Abyss demons are the worst! I cannot show my face in public after this! Woe is me!”

Jiuzhong Jun’s fake smile was now gone, he turned to Shen Yuan with a cold look on his face. “Junshang, this lord cannot overlook this. To have my daughter disrespected by your men! This is an insult to this Lord and his Kingdom!”

“To think the Supreme Emperor cannot even control his beast of a follower… “ Commented Linguang Jun, giving Shen Yuan a look of a mix of pity and disdain.

“Silence Uncle!” Mobei Jun hissed but the two repulsive Demon Lord did not back down on with their verbal jabs at Shen Yuan.

“Junshang, please have your follower answer to this!”

“I refuse. This Binghe will never court or marry that demoness.” Binghe stubbornly huffed.

“Then you will die. For dishonoring my daughter.” Jiuzhong Jun then summoned his sword made of fire and pointed it at Binghe. He was about to attack and execute Binghe on the spot, but was stopped when Shen Yuan appeared in front of him holding his flame sword by the two fingers as if it was nothing but a toy. This took Jiuzhong Jun aback. No living creature would touch his sword without bursting into flames. Flames from noble blooded fire demons are inextinguishable even by ice or water. Shen Yuan’s hand should be burnt to a crisp by now but the lad held and successfully deflected his attack.

“I will not allow you to harm my people, especially not my right hand man.” Shen Yuan declared, his expression cold and stern. Behind him, Binghe seemed to hiss in pain while holding onto his hand. Shen Yuan caught a quick glance at his best friend and was confused for a moment, but he did not have time to react to Binghe. He turned to face the two demon Lords.

“Does Junshang mean to disrespect our demonic customs? He dishonored my daughter and won’t even take her hand in marriage. It is only right for him to be executed!”  Jiuzhong Jun spoke with anger in his voice and killing intent in his crimson eyes.

“Then perhaps we can settle this another way? How about a trial by combat.” Linguang Jun suggested, a smirk forming on his face. These Demon lords are such villainous scums! Shen Yuan had a feeling this was all planned. Had he walked into their trap?

“Linguang Jun, that is a good idea. Three of your men and three of my men. If you lose more than once, Luo Binghe will be executed.” Jiuzong Jun declared. “This is the perfect opportunity for Junshang to show his true strength in front the Demon Lords and representatives of all four kingdoms no?” Jiuzhong Jun then withdrew his sword from Shen Yuan’s grip then glared directly at Luo Binghe. “Unless, Emperor Shen Yuan backs out now and proves himself to be the fake Emperor everyone assumes him to be?” So these Demon Lords finally reveal their true intention huh?

Shen Yuan closed his eyes and covered half his face with his fan. “Alright. This Lord accepts these terms.” His tone calm but icy.

Chapter Text

Finally it was Sha Hualing’s opportunity to show off her fighting prowess. It was humiliating enough that she had to throw herself onto this heavenly demon emperor, but it was all worth it. In the end, Sha Hualing preferred a bloodbath than endure through this boring pretentious royal banquet. She had a mission to fulfill and she will be rewarded with a good fight and gain recognition IF Emperor Luo Binghe proves himself to be as powerful as he claims.

She was given this mission by her father and Linguang Jun. Both the Western and Northern demon lords had speculated that the lowly slime demon named ‘Shen Yuan’ was nothing but a puppet or a decoy. They knew Tianlang Jun was a very cunning and sly Demon Emperor. They assumed his bastard son was just as cunning and intelligent. There was no way a heavenly demon like Luo Binghe would let himself become a subordinate to a mere slime demon . He had to be hiding behind the fake emperor as a sick twisted game. Perhaps this is all just a game between Tianlang Jun and Luo Binghe. Father and son playing a game of wits and trickery.

Upon seeing ‘Emperor Shen Yuan’ in person, their suspicions were confirmed. This small frail looking demon cannot possibly be the one who bested Mobei Jun in battle AND is the current ruler of more than half of the Endless Abyss! It was an obvious lie that it was laughable. How can Prince Luo Binghe think that using a small puppet would trick the demon lords? He probably wasn’t as cunning and smart as his father. 

A plan was formed before arriving in Zuzhou Forest. Sha Hualing was given the task to expose Luo Binghe in front of all these demon Lords at the Grand Demon Banquet. She was to create a scandal big enough that Shen Yuan is forced to reveal his fake identity. Then, Luo Binghe would be shamed for his failed plan to hide behind a puppet ruler. It was a chance to show the other lords and demons of his incompetence. This was the perfect opportunity to stage a formal revolt and assassination. This young emperor is way in over his head and too early to join the game of politics. Linguang Jun would like the throne of the Northern kingdom for himself and Jiuzhong Jun wanted to eliminate any spawns of Tianlang Jun who had the rightful claim over the entire demon realm. It was a win-win opportunity.

It was surprisingly easy to get the true Demon Emperor away from this stuffy Banquet and away from the Fake Demon Emperor Shen Yuan. Sha Hualing feigned dizziness and asked Luo Binghe to escort her outside for some fresh air. The moment they were alone, she threw herself at him. Sha Hualing was very confident in her charms. Back in the Western Demon kingdom, suitors would knock at her door nearly everyday to ask for her hand in marriage. Her priorities lie elsewhere and her father’s ambition was so high no demon noble could ever impress him. She knew she could seduce Luo Binghe the moment she was alone with him.

However, she was very wrong.

The heavenly demon completely rejected her advances. He even began proclaiming his undying loyalty and love for the fake Emperor Shen Yuan. This was the first time Sha Hualing was ever rejected and she did not take that well. She then attacked Luo Binghe and engaged in battle with him. Though she looked absolutely heart broken and insulted from his rejection, she kept her mission in her mind. This was no mere duel, this was a courting duel she had manipulated Luo Binghe into participating in. 

“Why do you devote yourself to that weak looking slime demon? Well he does have the pretty face of a courtesan…maybe that’s how he was able to seduce a heavenly demon like you? His type was always the ones who fuck their way up into the laps of wealthy masters~” Sha Hualing spoke while expertly dodging Luo Binghe’s strikes. “Hmm~ yes, that’s right! Fake Emperor Shen Yuan must have slept his way to the top huh?” 

And just like that, Luo Binghe slapped her across the cheek. Sha Hualing did not even listen to the heavenly demon rant about disrespecting his mate, she dashed back to the banquet hall to announce Luo Binghe’s marriage proposal. 

That was how they ended up in this situation. The scandal she was tasked to create went well and now the REAL demon Emperor had no choice but to reveal his true self or be executed. There was no way the Fake Emperor Shen Yuan would dare let the real Supreme emperor die. The weakling probably would beg on his knees. Her father will surely be pleased with her cunning manipulation of events. 

Shen Yuan felt dread, he did not expect their peaceful Demon Banquet to devolve quickly into this mess. He felt as though they all fell into a trap set up by these Demon Lords. The main event was now moved to a more appropriate place for their trial by combat. It was a good thing they were in the middle of construction and had a large open area cleared of deadly abyss trees and wildlife. It was supposed to be the new residential area to house the new abyss monster tribes that swore loyalty to Shen Yuan. This would make do for now. 

Jiuzhong Jun and Shen Yuan stood on opposite sides of the battlefield. Shen Yuan was in front of his people while Jiuzhong Jun stood beside the other demon lords and their guests. “For this first match, this Lord commands Elder One Arm to enter into battle.” The Western Demon Lord spoke out. A larger, greater demon almost similar in stature to Muyang stepped out. He had one horn protruding from his forehead and he wore full armor. What caught Shen Yuan’s eye was his lack of one arm. 

‘Huh, so his name is literally Elder One Arm? Did he have that name before losing his arm? Like a self fulfilling prophecy?’ Shen Yuan thought as he stared at the large demon curiously. 

“Alright, then this lord calls forth General Liu Qingge to enter into battle for this round.” Shen Yuan responded. His Uncle Liu walked into the field with the confidence of a war god. He approached his opponent and examined the larger demon. Elder One Arm did the same thing. Surprisingly, it was Liu Qingge who spoke first.

“You only have one arm. It would not be a glorious victory if this General were to defeat you.” Liu Qingge pointed out. Shen Yuan nearly choked at the comment. What was his Uncle Liu doing just blurting that out?! It sounded mean and also shouldn’t that advantage be a good thing for them?! They’re fighting for Binghe’s life, not just for a silly competition! Geez, Uncle Liu!

“The Demon General speaks the truth.” Jiuzhong Jun responded while wearing a wicked and excited grin. 

“Ah~ This Ling-er has an idea!” Sha Hualing, who stood beside her father, spoke up.

“What is it, dearest daughter?” 

Sha Hualing then jumped up and landed over Liu Qingge and Elder One Arm. Her little bells chimed and jiggled as she circled around Liu Qingge who remained calm the entire time. “Why don’t you cut off one of your arms, Demon General~” She purred. “Then it’ll be a fair fight.”

“Demoness, how dare you!” Muyang, who stood at the crowd by Shen Yuan’s side, growled. 

Liu Qingge silenced any protest by raising his arm up. His darkened Cheng Luan appeared in his grip, both sword and the silver cuffs he wore glowed of demonic qi. Uncle Liu then let the sword float before him while he put both his arms behind his back. The silver arm cuffs continued to glow until chains formed around them and bound both his arms. 

“I will not use any of my hands to fight.” He simply said. 

“What a righteous man. You know your manners. Very well.” Sha Hualing then returned to her father’s side. 

The fight began. It was a no-brainer that the famed Bai Zhan Peak’s War God would win. Although in the demon realm, Liu Qingge had started to build a reputation of being the ‘Great Demon General’. Shen Yuan could hear the roar of the crowd as they watched Liu Qingge expertly maneuver his sword around through the use of his dark qi. The man was also able to dodge incoming attacks from his much larger opponent even with both his hands bound behind him.

“Why is he just dodging and not attacking? Is this the extent of this Demon General’s abilities?” Linguang Jun questioned with an impatient tone. The northern noble’s judging eyes looked down upon Liu Qingge as if he were garbage. 

“He’s wearing the opponent down.” The Eastern Demon Lord, Lingyao Jun, spoke up as he lazily pointed at Elder One arm who grew more and more frustrated. The larger demon’s movements gradually became messy and frantic. In contrast, Liu Qingge calmly dodged around as if he was just taking a pleasant stroll down Qing Jing Peak to have afternoon tea with their Shizun. He even used his sword Cheng Luan to deflect Elder One arm’s swings at him. Shen Yuan was surprised by this. His Uncle Liu always seemed like the aggressive warrior type, always on the offense and never resorting to merely defending himself. In fact, Uncle Liu was as primal and blood thirsty as a demon. The title ‘Great Demon General’ suited him like his title in the human realm ‘The War God’. Liu Qingge was both of those. The man relished in a good fight.

During his time at Cang Qiong Mountain, Shen Yuan found out that Uncle Liu was both adored and feared. Adored by his Sect and feared by the outsider cultivators. They deem him demonic with his bloodlust. His Shizun dismissed those rumors when Shen Yuan asked about them.

“Bah, those other cultivators were just jealous of your Shishu. Liu Qingge often finishes off monsters and spirits so swiftly and efficiently that by the time other cultivators show up at the hunting grounds there would be nothing left to hunt.”

Speaking of his Uncle and his theorized demonic lineage…The system told him that humans who make soul contracts with demon deities will eventually turn into demons themselves the longer they make use of their gifts or if they completely surrender their souls to the demon deity. Shen Yuan doesn’t quite know how to feel about accidentally ‘turning’ his martial uncle into a demon. Maybe they can talk about this later… If Uncle Liu didn’t know about these side effects, he had the right to know. Shen Yuan can always find a way to reverse the ‘contract’ if his uncle did not want to ‘get corrupted’. 

“You’re just a weak human! I will crush you!” Elder One arm roared as he prepared to charge at Liu Qingge. His steps were noticeably clumsy and Liu Qingge used this opportunity to finally make an attack.

As the elder closed in on him, Liu Qingge jumped up then used his feet to blast down demonic qi at the large demon until it engulfed them both in a flashy explosion.  Naturally, the victor emerged from the explosion unscathed while the other lay motionless in a crater. Liu Qingge freed himself from his self-made restraint as the battle ended. Elder One Arm was being dragged off. The crowd cheered ‘Great Demon General! Great Demon General!’. Shen Yuan noted the look of disdain from Linguang Jun and Jiuzhong Jun. He couldn't help but respond with a seemingly cheerful innocent smile of his own.

“Amazing, so that’s The Demon Emperor’s General…” Lingyao Jun commented as he stood amongst the crowd. Zhuzhi Lang, the Southern Kingdom representative, only nodded his head in response but kept himself silent.

  Without another word, Liu Qingge walked away from the battlefield and returned to Shen Yuan’s side. 

“You did well, Uncle Liu.” Shen Yuan commended and the Bai Zhan Peak lord made a small content sound as if to respond to his praise.

“For the first Match, it would seem Junshang’s General is the victor. For the second match… Elder Tian Chui shall be my chosen one.” As Juizhong Jun spoke up, another gigantic demon appeared on the battlefield. He was much larger than the first one. The grotesque creature had a full body armor covered in deadly spikes, he also carried a gigantic sledgehammer. He looked like some last boss in a video game! 

“A-Yuan. This lowly one would like to be called into battle. Please.” Luo Binghe took a step forward towards the battlefield. Shen Yuan looked up at his best friend and noted the determined look in his eyes. Binghe was really itching to fight. 

“But Binghe-“

“This lowly one would feel ashamed to have others fight in my stead. “ Binghe explained. Shen Yuan examined his protagonist. Ah right, this was Binghe’s trial by combat. At one point, his best friend would need to participate in a round. He probably would feel ashamed if he let others fight for him. Shen Yuan would prefer to keep his precious protagonist safe, but Binghe needed his time to shine and this is a good opportunity too.

“Alright, I trust in you Binghe. Win this round and save your life, that’s an order.” Shen Yuan nodded his head, patting Binghe’s back reassuringly. Binghe perked up then returned the gesture with his own determined nod.

“Will do, A-Yuan!”

Upon entering the battlefield, Binghe immediately summoned a replica Xinmo. The crowd gasped. 

“That’s The sword passed down to all Heavenly Demon Emperors…” One of the demon Lords murmured which caused Shen Yuan to raise a brow. Ahh, so that’s why Xinmo is the protagonist’s destined sword. It was his birthright to wield Xinmo and rule the entirety of the Demon Realm. This made Shen Yuan feel even more guilty for eating the sword. 

‘Xinmo Gege, this is your fault for making me eat you!’

“I thought Tianlang Jun sealed this cursed sword off the moment he ascended the throne?” Jiuzhong Jun cocked his head on the side with a frown. 

“Perhaps he passed the sword down to his son… or the son stole it.” Linguang Jun commented before he shot a glare towards Shen Yuan. “This only proves one thing. The REAL demon Emperor stands before us. He finally reveals himself!”

Shen Yuan made no comments for now. The fight was about to begin. He did, however, glance over to Zhuzhi Lang, curious about the Southern Kingdom representative’s reaction. Said demon merely pulled down his hooded cloak as if to further hide his face. Curiouser and curiouser. 

Binghe had certainly improved since his stinging defeat at the hands of Mobei Jun. Jiuzhong Jun did not need to even explain to Binghe that his opponent’s armor was covered in poison. Binghe just went straight to attacking Elder Tian Chui without letting the annoying demon lord finish his tedious explanation. 

“Any poison of this realm could never affect a heavenly demon.” Shen Yuan pointed out which only earned an indignant look from Jiuzhong Jun. He could see that sour face from the opposite side of the battlefield. Shen Yuan kept his humble smile but he wanted nothing more than to rip off Jiuzhong Jun’s face. 

Binghe had continued his assaults at the larger opponent. He was ruthless and methodical with his attacks. Every brutal swing from Elder Tian Chui, he would evade and return them with a strike of his own. He commanded his sword with ease and grace, fitting of a Qing Jing Peak disciple and the protagonist of this world. Shen Yuan held his breath as he watched Binghe with admiration in his eyes. This was amazing, he felt like he was watching a live action Xianxia drama with front row seats. He can’t help but fall even harder for Binghe. Gods, why must Binghe be hotter in battle?! 

“Do you really reject this Ling-er to the point of fighting to the death? After your proclamation for affection?” Sha Hualing teased. She remained by her father’s side as she watched Binghe on the battlefield. 

“We both know you speak of lies, demoness.” Hissed Luo Binghe as he expertly dodged a cleave attack from his opponent’s sledgehammer. He didn't even spare Sha Hualing a look which further angered the woman.

“Do not disrespect my daughter any more than you already have, heavenly demon!” Barked Jiuzhong Jun. “Your lies end here, spawn of Tianlang Jun. Reveal your true intentions!”

“Fine. You want this lowly one to speak of the truth?” Binghe seemed to have had enough. Shen Yuan watched the protagonist summon five more Xin Mo replica’s and charged towards his opponent. The crowd gasped upon seeing multiples of this world’s most powerful weapon. With brutal and precise movements, he landed hit after hit onto the armored demon. Just like that, he defeated the elder. Binghe raised his hand and commanded his swords, bringing them down and stabbing the elder’s four limbs to pin him to the ground. The gigantic demon looked like a frog about to be dissected. 

The protagonist stood atop his defeated foe then pointed towards Jiuzhong Jun and Sha Hualing. “Let this be known to all demons across this realm that I, Luo Binghe, proclaims my undying loyalty and love for Supreme Emperor Shen Yuan.” Just as Binghe spoke of Shen Yuan’s name, he turned to said slime demon. The protagonist’s gaze was intense and sincere. “Shen Yuan is the ONLY one this Luo Binghe’s heart beats for. I am his and no one else’s.” With that, Binghe jumped down from the unconscious demon and began walking away from the battlefield. He had said his piece. It was up to Shen Yuan to respond in kind or not.

Shen Yuan felt like everything in this world stopped moving. D-did…did Binghe just… confess his romantic feelings for him? H-huh? Was he daydreaming? Is this an illusion? It can’t be. IT CAN’T BE. He’s…he’s the protagonist of this stallion novel with 600 wives or was it 300? He can’t even remember right now! 

[Answer. Luo Binghe has proclaimed his romantic intentions for User Shen Yuan.]

‘Y-you did not need to answer that, system!’ 

[Answer. This system only exists to assist its master and master is currently experiencing a severe case of denial. Denial is futile and unscientific.]

‘Well Shit.’ 

Sha Hualing, who looked absolutely furious, jumped into the battlefield. In the force of her qi, the pinned elder was blasted off like a paper kite. She pointed at Shen Yuan, an intense glare fixated on the slime demon. It would seem she was not taking this rejection well. A beauty like her, Sha Hualing is probably used to being chased by men and getting attention from them. This must be the first time she has ever been rejected. And to be rejected by the handsome and strong protagonist like Binghe, that has to be a huge blow to her ego.

“Fake Emperor Shen Yuan, I challenge you for this final duel!”

“They won two times already, this trial by combat has concluded.” The Southern representative, Zhuzhi Lang finally spoke out probably for the first time since he arrived here. 

“NO! This is a battle for this maiden’s dignity! This Saintess will prove to everyone here how unworthy and weak this Fake Demon Emperor is!” Sha Hualing then brought out her weapon - a long whip with spikes at the ends. “And that Heavenly Demon is making a huge mistake choosing this weakling over ME!”

Shen Yuan, who was still quite shaken and flustered from Binghe’s sudden confession, tried to gather himself. He had no time to dwell on that shocking proclamation of love, they needed to fix this mess and ensure Binghe’s safety first. They can talk later. 

“I will unmask you, Shen Yuan. Fight me!” 

Shen Yuan took a deep breath then he brought out his fan and practice sword. He approached his opponent calmly while he let his draconic features manifest. His long tail swished and swayed behind him. The ends of his long hair glowed a bright green as well as his eyes. Raising his fan towards the woman, he spoke in a confident and commanding voice. Shen Yuan released the devastating force of Xinmo’s aura on the crowd, shocking the other demons while the nobles and lords stood their ground. Upon closer inspection however, the lords looked tense.

“Saintess Sha Hualing, this lord accepts your challenge.” 

It seems it was Shen Yuan’s turn to prove his worth before the entirety of the demon realm and especially to Luo Binghe. 

Chapter Text

Their battle began. The previous two fights were brutal and devastating but now the crowd was treated to a graceful but deadly dance. Both Shen Yuan and Sha Hualing move with grace and beauty. Sha Hualing’s acrobatic skills and whip attacks were ferocious and angry like a passionate tango with a hint of sensual spice. Shen Yuan on the other hand embodied the elegance and mystique of a dragon - well he technically is a dragon. He dual wielded his sword and fan like he was dancing for the Jade Emperor in his palace up in the heavens. His feet were light as the air and his tail swayed like a serpent. He also swiftly switched between his slime form and humanoid form to evade some of the lashes of Sha Hualing’s deadly whip.

He noted how tense the other lords looked, Shen Yuan wondered if it was because of the aura he released moments ago. He couldn’t help it, his temper got the better of him. He’s had enough of these Demon Lords underestimating him and insulting Binghe. 

Suddenly, as he was dodging one of Sha Hualing’s attacks, the woman manifested a second whip. The sneak attack managed to land and the whip’s barbs stabbed into the slime demon’s stomach. It tore his green robe and dug into his ‘skin’. No blood was shed though. Shen Yuan did not flinch, he saw through the second whip and intended to use it as his chance to grab the weapon to pull Sha Hualing to him. However, things didn’t quite go as planned.

“Aaaagh!”

Shen Yuan’s ear pricks when he hears a thud from the crowd just behind him. He looked back and saw Binghe fall to his knees, his face twisted in pain. Alarmed, Shen Yuan ripped off the whip from his stomach without so much as a flinch and headed over to his best friend.

‘DON’T Come here! Focus on your battle A-Yuan!’ He could hear Binghe’s desperate pleas from his head. 

‘Binghe, what’s wrong?’ Shen Yuan still couldn’t help but ask.

’N-nothing… I’m fine. Please don’t get distracted. LOOK OUT!’ 

Just as he said that, Sha Hualing had closed the distance between them. She pounced on Shen Yuan and grabbed him by the neck. Shen Yuan, still distracted because of Binghe, ignored the woman even as she squeezed her hand around his neck. If he had actual bones, it might have started to crack from the sheer power of the demoness’ grip. He turned his gaze towards Binghe, surprised to see him clutching at his neck. Hold on. What is going on? Shen Yuan returned his gaze towards Sha Hualing then to her hand that clenched his neck. It’s as if… Binghe was…feeling this?

‘HE’S CURSED!’ Came Uncle Airplane’s loud frantic voice. His uncle was the one who held Binghe, keeping him from falling. With his free hand, he held a glowing jade amulet close to his lips. Since Uncle Airplane wasn’t his direct subordinate, they created this amulet so Uncle Airplane can communicate with him and his subordinates even without being included in the divinity system. 

‘Shang Shibo, you promised not to tell him!- aargh!’ Binghe panted, his eyes trembled but he was still conscious. 

‘I cannot bear to let Luo Shidi suffer. Also, Junshang would be devastated to know that he was the one causing your pain!’ Shen Yuan’s eyes widened at this revelation. Was his theory correct? Somehow, Binghe was feeling what HE was supposed to feel? 

‘Uncle- Shang Shixiong, please explain.’ Shen Yuan asked. He grabbed at Sha Hualing’s hand and pried it off his neck. His tail coiled around the woman’s waist and he tossed her away from him. She flew to the other side of the ring with a loud crash. That did not deter her, the furious woman flew back towards him. Shen Yuan dodged her strikes while he listened to Shang Qinghua’s explanation. He explained that Binghe was cursed by the malevolent spirit back in that small village. Though it was nothing but a minor curse, it was still worrying. Right now, whatever physical injury is inflicted upon Shen Yuan despite his abilities that prevent him from sustaining any damage, Binghe will still be able to feel them. This is bad.

Binghe was now in tears, but not because of the pain anymore. Shen Yuan felt bad for his best friend, he must be feeling absolute shame.

‘I-I’m sorry A-Yuan… I am a worthless weakling. I let my guard down and was inflicted by this embarrassing curse. I am nothing but a burden to you.’ Binghe lowered his head in shame and Shen Yuan felt horrible to see his usual confident and courageous friend like this. 

‘No, Binghe will never be a burden. This just means I have to end this fight quickly and cleanly-‘

‘Please A-Yuan. I’d rather you denounce this useless one as your follower. It might sever our ties and this curse anyway. I failed you again… I have no right to be your follower… or your lover.’

[Unique skill ‘Thought Acceleration’ activate]

Shen Yuan, without exchanging a word to Sha Hualing, teleports quickly and reappears beside Binghe who was now standing but being supported by Liu Qingge and Shang Qinghua. He stared up at the protagonist, his expression eerily calm. Raising his hand, he slapped the heavenly demon across his face. 

“Luo Binghe. You proclaimed your undying love and loyalty to this lord, correct? So that means you are not allowed to take that back and leave.” 

Around them, the crowd had gone silent on both sides. The slap was heard very loud and clear by everyone in the area. Everyone held their breaths and watched the display with undivided attention.

“Junshang just proposed to that heavenly demon…” The Eastern demon lord spoke up.

Shen Yuan ignored everyone, his focus was only on Binghe. He grabbed the protagonist’s arm and pulled up his sleeve, he sighed in relief as he watched the dark symbols of the curse slowly fade. When he looked up at Binghe, he noticed that the heavenly demon was staring at him with wide eyes.

“A-Yuan… how did you know how to break it?” 

“The system gave me a brief explanation. You’re connected to me through the divinity system so I can easily examine your health and well being, that includes any sickness or curses affecting your body. I only do this if necessary, I respect your privacy… even if you hide curses from me.” His skill, thought acceleration, allowed Shen Yuan to listen to the explanation in under a second. During those few seconds, Shen Yuan was also given a list of suggestions by his system on how to cure Luo Binghe. There were other ways, interesting and less hostile ways, but a slap on the cheek was ideal. He was still mad at Binghe for hiding this curse from him, then he needed to slap some sense into the big oaf…and lastly, proposing to him was his answer to Binghe’s earlier declaration. So it’s a win-win to slap the shit out of his stupid protagonist.

Shen Yuan’s face was incredibly red but he began walking away from the protagonist. Binghe’s now cured of his curse so Shen Yuan felt comfortable leaving him be now. “We’ll talk later.” He said, intending to resume his battle with Sha Hualing.  

“I…expect Binghe to take responsibility now that I acknowledge him as my lover and mate.” He huffed then flew back into the battlefield, leaving an extremely red-faced heavenly demon.

Shen Yuan decided he’s had enough playing around with the demon Saintess. Now that he wasn’t held back by Binghe’s curse, he can finally end this fight. As much as Sha Hualing wanted to play more with Shen Yuan with her whips, he had had enough of this. Besides, the only whip user Shen Yuan was genuinely interested in fighting was Jiang Cheng and his zidian. He is another character from the book ‘Grand Master of Demonic Cultivation’. A series Shen Yuan was a huge fan of and he fights with a cool looking lightning whip. Unlike Sha Hauling, who wielded an ordinary whip. 

Speaking of the demoness, he noticed the crazed look on his opponent. Sha Hualing was running on adrenaline but she’s barely hanging onto her strength. He realized their fight has been going on for a while now and the woman was a mess - hair out of place, clothes tattered and bruises all over her exposed body. Shen Yuan felt sorry but this was a battle and Sha Hualing was the one who challenged him. He then summoned a small amount of his demonic qi and landed a powerful hit with his fan. Sha Hualing was caught by the attack and was slammed hard onto the ground. The woman coughed out blood and remained still as she lost all her strength and will to fight.

“I-I lost…?” She panted softly and tried to get up but Shen Yuan held his practice sword over her neck, preventing her from moving any further. The woman looked up at Shen Yuan who returned her look with his cold and calm gaze. 

“You’ve fought well. I do not bear any ill will towards you Saintess.” Shen Yuan then withdrew his sword. “You merely challenged this lord due to your wounded heart. I acknowledge your cause and I have decided to let you live. The heart of a maiden is delicate but my mate has chosen this lord so please do not pursue him anymore.” Shen Yuan then began to walk back to his side where Luo Binghe waited for him. His lover.

Shen Yuan felt bad for taking the protagonist away from his fated waifu, but hey, he can’t help it when they seem to have madly fallen for each other. The protagonist and the npc slime monster. Shen Yuan could hardly believe it but he felt happy. If he had a heart, it would have been pounding loudly in his chest. 

“WAIT! JUNSHANG!” 

This waifu just won’t quit! How can she have so much energy after receiving a beating from him? Shen Yuan paused from his steps and turned to face Saintess Sha Hualing again. His eyes widened when he saw her on all fours kowtowing before him.

“This Ling-er is in awe of Junshang’s fighting prowess and mercy! Please! This lowly one would like to swear her undying loyalty to Emperor Shen Yuan!” She announced.

“WHAT?!” Binghe and nearly everyone else shouted.

When Sha Hualing lifted her head, there was nothing but adoration in those rouge covered eyes. “This lowly one made a grave mistake and I have learned the error of my ways! You truly are the Supreme demon Emperor fit to rule over the entire demon realm! I acknowledge that now, so please I would love to serve under you!”

It was Binghe who stepped in front of Shen Yuan and glared down at Sha Hualing. “My A-Yuan doesn’t need any more subordinates, especially not the likes of you! Go back to the western demon Kingdom, shoo shoo!” He angrily yelled and pointed at the woman who gave him a smirk.

“Relax, heavenly demon, I will not steal your place as his empress. A concubine, maybe~” 

“SHAMELESS! Do not go near my mate, demoness!” Binghe was about to summon Xinmo when Shen Yuan stopped him. 

“Calm down Binghe!” 

“But A-Yuan~!”

Shen Yuan suddenly sensed killing intent directed at him. He jumped out of the way as a fire sword flew towards him. He turned to the direction of Jiuzhong Jun who was approaching them with a pissed off look on his face.

“You! Fake Demon Emperor. You did something to my little bell, how dare you enthrall her! What sort of wicked magicks did you employ?!” 

“You’re mistaken, I did no such-”

“Silence. I’ve had enough of this trickery and deceit, I will never acknowledge you. You are a fraud, a trickster! You may have everyone else here fooled-” Jiuzhong Jun then summoned back his fire sword and charged at him.

“BUT NOT THIS LORD! RAAAAH!” 

Binghe and Liu Qinggee were immediately by Shen Yuan’s side, their weapons drawn and ready to defend their Emperor. Shen Yuan himself was about to draw his fan when there was a red blurr more in front of him. In just a blink, the Western Demon Lord was down on the ground with Sha Hualing standing over him. She had her whip out and a bit of blood dripping from the spiked barbs.

“My l-little bell?! You dare betray your lord father?!” The demon Lord looked up at his daughter with a bewildered look. 

“Do not dare lay a finger on Junshang!” She declared. “I’m sorry father but this Ling-er’s loyalty now lies elsewhere.” Sha Hualing was about to bring down her weapon onto her father but Shen Yuan quickly jumped over to the duo and stood between them.

“Stop.” He commanded and instantly, Sha Hualing obeyed. Shen Yuan sighed in relief. This was supposed to be a peaceful banquet yet it turned into this. 

“The trial by combat has ended. This lord has followed through demonic customs and rules. Luo Binghe will not be executed.” He announced. “Though Jiuzhong Jun attempted the life of this Lord, I also do not bear ill will towards you.” Shen Yuan then took a step back, staring down at the fallen western lord. 

“Tch. I don’t know what mind trickery you’ve employed on the heavenly demon AND my daughter… but you will get your due, Emperor Shen Yuan.” Jiuzhong Jun mumbled as he stood back up. With a wave of his sleeve, he walked off. “We’re leaving. I’ve had enough of this frivolous event and this pretend-nation.”

“How dare you-” Binghe growled but Shen Yuan held his hand up. 

“Let him leave. He did not intend to make peace with us from the beginning.” Shen Yuan spoke as he turned to the woman who still stood with them. Sha Hualing made no moves to follow her father. Strangely enough, there seemed to be a glow about her and she looked to be in a daze.

[Notice. Follower acquired: Sha Hualing. Connection established.]

‘WHAT?!’ Nearly all of Shen Yuan's subordinates reacted.

‘What is this?! Ling-er feels… strange.’ Sha Hualing’s voice ran through Shen Yuan’s and all his follower’s head.

‘What is SHE doing here? A-Yuan, why did you accept her as your follower?!’ Cried Binghe who was giving Shen Yuan the biggest of pouts. 

Shen Yuan was just as surprised. “Huh?! I did no such thing! How can-” 

[Answer. The divinity system has acknowledged Sha Hualing as a follower after Jiuzhong Jun formally relinquished her over to User Shen Yuan. Her show of betrayal against her father also cemented her place in the divinity system.] 

‘What the fuck kind of crap is that?!’ This time, it was Uncle Airplane, who was still connected to Shen Yuan’s system via the jade amulet.

The system was not the one who announced this, it was the voice of the world, the system in charge of this entire planet. Since Shen Yuan connected all his followers and gave them access to his system, they can now hear the voice of the world too. Sha Hualing, being a new follower, hasn’t fully been given access so she did not hear this notice.

Binghe, who was now in all tears, grabbed Shen Yuan and hugged him tight. The slime demon’s face was pretty much smooshed into his favorite exposed chest. “Nooooo I won’t accept it! She is not worthy!” This was ignored by Sha Hualing who fawned over Shen Yuan. 

Shen Yuan, still processing most of what happened today, could only let out a tired muffled sigh.

The Great Demon Banquet ended with a bit of disaster but at least it had ended. The western kingdom demons all left early alongside their Lord but the rest of his guests remained for a bit longer. Linguang Jun thankfully did not cause any further scenes and was laying low. Smart of him to do so. Mobei Jun did well on keeping a leash on his uncle the entire event. Still, it was pretty suspicious of him to suggest the trial by combat as if this was all planned. 

Shen Yuan felt incredible relief when their guests finally started taking their leave. The last one they said their farewells to was the Southern Kingdom representative. Zhuzhi Lang.

“It was an honor to meet you, Emperor Shen Yuan. This lowly one apologizes for my lord’s absence.” The mysterious figure cupped his fist of a polite bow as they stood by the gates of Shen Yuan’s small town. 

“It’s not a problem. I am sure there are plenty of opportunities for me to meet Tianlang Jun.” Shen Yuan reassured the other. Suddenly, he felt a chill in the air and when he made eye contact with Zhuzhi Lang, the demon was giving him a creepy stare. Shen Yuan never felt this… primal fear… before.

“This lowly one likes Emperor Shen Yuan so I pray you never get the chance to meet my lord.” 

All the color drained from Shen Yuan's face. He wasn’t sure how to respond. Was that a threat? It did not seem so, Zhuzhi Lang seemed genuinely concerned. Before Shen Yuan could utter a word of response, the demon had already disappeared from sight. 

Shen Yuan stood there quietly for a bit, seemingly in a daze. He then felt arms wrap around his small waist. He looked up and saw it was Binghe. The heavenly demon nuzzled against his neck and Shen Yuan nuzzled back. 

Eh, he’ll let future Shen Yuan deal with whatever the hell that was.

Shen Yuan then flashed his new lover a smile. “I’m tired. Let’s go home, Binghe.”

“Sure, A-Yuan.” 

Chapter Text

Shen Qingqiu sat in Qiong Ding Peak’s Main Hall alongside eleven Peak Lords and their trusted disciples. Ming Fan and Luo Binghe stood behind him. Through the years, it had only been Ming Fan who attended these tedious and boring Peak Lord meetings with him but today, Luo Binghe decided to tag along. Shen Qingqiu assumed it was Ming Fan who dragged his shidi in here with him. Neither Binghe nor him had exchanged any words since that little excursion to Bailu Forest. It was Shen Yuan who filled him in on what transpired at the Demon Banquet. The slime demon tried to hide the change in the nature of his relationship with Luo Binghe but Shen Qingqiu already knew. The only way to break the curse was to have Shen Yuan acknowledge their relationship. Also, these two idiots are way too obvious in their pathetic attempts in hiding their affection. Shen Qingqiu may look young, but he was older than he looked. These youths cannot fool him. 

“Does everyone know of Jinlan City?” Shen Qingqiu peered from his fan upon hearing Qi-ge, their Sect Leader, speak up. 

Shen Qingqiu listened to a briefing of the situation and their mission. Jinlan City, a City under Zhao Hua monastery’s jurisdiction, is currently plagued with an unknown epidemic. The city went on a lockdown but a weaponsmith escaped to Zhao Hua monastery to seek their help. He was covered in black cloth. Before the monks could alert their leader, the man had decayed to nothing but bones. Alarmed by this, the head monk sent a team to investigate the city and until now the monks have not returned. 

Two of the four main Cultivation Sects, Huan Hua Palace and Tian Yi, also sent their disciples and so far none have returned. Naturally, the Cang Qiong Mountain Sect, one of the four and the largest major cultivation sects, is expected to send people over to Jinlan City as well. 

“I’m afraid this is an urgent matter. It is suspected that demons are involved in this mess. Some of us will have to go and investigate while the others are to stay here and defend our Sect should the demons come charging in here.” Yue Qingyuan announced. 

Liu Qingge, Shang Qinghua, and Luo Binghe seemed to tense at the mention of ‘demons’. Shen Qingqiu eyed his Shidi whom he knows is bound to a demon via soul contract. He did not suspect Liu Qingge of anything of course since he knew he was bound to his disciple, Shen Yuan. He just did not know much about the details of their contract nor Lui Qingge’s involvement in Shen Yuan’s government cabinet. As for Shang Qinghua, he already knew the little man was also involved with Shen Yuan. 

“I will go. It is my duty as Bai Zhan Peak Lord. I will accompany and protect Junior Martial brother Mu.” As expected, Liu Qingge spoke up first. It was also expected for Qian Cao Peak lord Mu Qingfan to go on this mission being the peak that specializes in medicine and healing arts. If they were dealing with an unknown plague then Mu Shidi is definitely the man for the job. 

“I will go as well.” Shen Qingqiu suddenly spoke up. Liu Qingge shot him a look as well as his other martial siblings. Yue Qingyuan was the most concerned out of all of them.

“I intended for Shen Shidi to stay here and guard our peak… but if you insist.” The sect leader seemed to hesitate only to be brushed off by Qi Qingqi.

“Bah, let him go! It would do him good to descend Cang Qiong mountain once in a while to play in the mortal realm.” She huffed. “Martial Brother Mu will be there, he’ll be fine.” His Shimei then turned to Mu Qingfan. “Just make sure to bring him his medicines.” 

“Worry not, Shimei. I always make sure to prepare medicinal supplies for Shen Shixiong at all times, especially when I go on missions with him.” 

This started to irritate Shen Qingqui. Here they go again, whenever he volunteered for missions it always was like this. It embarrassed him in front of the other Peak Lords who were already probably snickering behind his back due to this treatment of their second ranked Peak Lord. Oh Queen Mother, give him patience… if she gave him strength he would have smite all his sect siblings into oblivion.

“Zhangmen Shixiong…and the rest of my martial siblings.” Shen Qingqiu shot fierce glances over to his shidi’s and Shimei who then tensed up. “Why do you think I am so fragile? This peak lord may not be as strong as Liu Shidi, but if demons are truly involved in this matter, I may be of use.” When it came to knowledge about demons, Shen Qingqiu was an expert on the topic. He had mountains upon mountains of books about the subject as well as other ghosts and supernatural beasts. It was one of the topics Shen Yuan and him bonded over. Both Shen’s love their beastiaries and encyclopedias. 

He could feel Binghe flinch and tense up behind him. Perhaps the poor boy remembered how much Shen Qingqiu forced those same beastiaries and books onto him as he was growing up. Shen Qingqiu only wanted to prepare the boy for his inevitable fall into the Endless Abyss. 

Oh right, and he had two demon disciples. He would have them accompany him on this mission, especially Shen Yuan. 

After much convincing, he was allowed to go with Mu Qingfan and Liu Qingge. The rest of the peak lords were tasked to stay in Cang Qiong Mountain to defend their territory.

After the meeting, they returned to Qing Jing Peak with Liu Qingge following them. Mu Qingfan returned to his own peak to begin preparations. They are to meet up at the foot of Cang Qiong Mountain once they’ve finished their preparations for the journey. This should give Shen Qingqiu ample time to discuss matters with Liu Qingge and his demonic disciples. 

They arrived at Qing Jing Peak’s main hall. Ming Fan was the first to speak up.

“Shizun, I shall prepare for your departure, please excuse this disciple.” The diligent head disciple cupped his fist for a polite bow to which Shen Qingqui responded with a graceful nod. 

“Thankyou Disciple Ming Fan. I will put you in charge of the Peak while I am gone, protect your Shidi’s and Shimei if necessary.” 

“Yes Shizun!” 

“I’ve reported the details of the mission to Master Shen, he’s on his way here as we speak.” Liu Qingge spoke up once Ming Fan left the room.

“This is strange, I would understand a rogue demon with a high cultivation taking over a small city or village… but a huge city that’s closely affiliated with one of the four major Cultivation Sects is too bold of a move.” Binghe spoke up, his brows furrowed. 

“Whether it’s an individual or an organized group, we have yet to confirm. It certainly is strong enough to hold captive or kill all those cultivators sent to investigate Jinlan City…” Shen Qingqiu added.

Soon after, Shen Yuan walked into the main hall. He was wearing an apron and his hair messed up with scorch marks all over his face. The three gave the young slime demon a curious look.

“I uh… was helping Ning Shijie prepare lunch and burnt the meat buns… along with the kitchen.“ Shen Yuan explained nervously as he attempted to fix his hair and make himself presentable. “Don’t worry Ning Shijie is alive! Just… very pissed.” Binghe covered his mouth to hide his giggles which earned an embarrassed glare from Shen Yuan. “I was going to clean up before coming but it seems this is an urgent matter.” He cleared his throat and assumed a more serious tone.

“Yes.” Shen Qingqiu nodded and agreed. “Zhangmen Shixiong suspects that the plague and abductions are caused by demons.” 

“I’ll have my spies investigate to see if there are any movements from the three other demon lords.” Shen Yuan answered then turned to Liu Qingge who then nodded his head. “We’ll have to check out the City for ourselves and see the situation. The culprit has to still be in there. I will assign spies to tail our movements within the city.” 

“I can send an order to have my soldiers stationed around the city as well.” Liu Qingge stated which earned a nod from Shen Yuan.

“Please have your men also stationed here at Cang Qiong Mountain, just in case. I know the other Peak lords would probably stay behind to defend their peak, but it would still benefit the Sect to add another layer of protection while we’re gone. I don’t have a good feeling about this plague if it has been troubling all the four of the great cultivation sects.” Shen Yuan frowned and furrowed his brows. 

“I agree. Very well, I will have a team assigned here.” Liu Qingge nodded.

Shen Qingqiu watched the three carefully. It would seem his Liu Shidi had some authority in Shen Yuan’s governing rule. Perhaps Liu Shidi's soul contract with Shen Yuan was deeper than he had imagined. Once they finished their little meeting, they decided to finally head out and reconvene with Mu Qingfan. 

“Oh and disciple Shen Yuan.”

“Yes Shizun?”

“You’re banned from kitchen duties moving forward.” 

“Yes Shizun…” 

They met up with Mu Qingfan at the foot of the mountain then set out via their swords. Shen Yuan had no spirit sword of his own yet so he rode with Luo Binghe. This seemed to please his son as he held Shen Yuan close while they stood on his sword. The two had definitely gotten a lot closer ever since returning from the demon Banquet. Shen Qingqiu paid it no mind, he personally approves of Shen Yuan as his son’s mate. As long as they do not overstep any boundaries quite yet and do not make a scene in public, then this strict father will allow them their intimacy. 

It took them half a day to arrive. Along the way, Shen Qingqiu spotted the Luo river and he felt a tug at his chest. Memories rushed back into him. It was strange to return to this place after all those years. The peak lord glanced over to his disciples particularly at Luo Binghe. He wondered how his son felt seeing the river he was named after. 

They landed on a flat hill that overlooked Jinlan City from a safe distance. 

“Why did we not fly straight into the City?” Luo Binghe asked curiously.

“Zhao Hua temple was commissioned by Jinlan City to erect a protective barrier around it. It is maintained all year round. Anything spiritual that flies over would be forced to veer off its course.” It was Mu Qingfan who explained. 

“Whoever our culprit is, they would have surely walked through the front gates of the city.” Shen Qingqiu spoke as he observed the city from where they stood. A keen eye of an immortal cultivator could see the barrier and it’s still intact. Judging from the spells and symbols used, it is a strong one. Not something that can easily be breached. “It’s best if we don’t go knocking on their front gates lest we attract attention.” Shen Qingqiu concluded.

“There is an underground river that leads to the city, let us go through there.” Mu Qingfan walked on ahead and led their group to said area. They boarded a small boat with Luo Binghe taking on the duty of paddling for them. 

“Hm, the water is so clear.” Shen Qingqiu noted as he caught the sight of fishes happily swimming within the clean and clear waters. If the city is suffering from a plague, wildlife shouldn’t be this abundant nor should their rivers be this clear. Very suspicious.

“Ah-!” Shen Qingqiu snapped from his thoughts when he heard Shen Yuan yelp. 

“What is it, disciple Shen Yuan?” He looked at Shen Yuan who was pale in the face and pointed a shaky hand at the water. The young demon was warily staring at a large fish in the water. Wait, that’s not a large fish.

It was a corpse.

What in the Wei Wuxian is going on here?! Corpses don’t just float in tranquil rivers! He watched as Binghe poke at the corpse with the paddle and turned it over. Just like the blacksmith, it had turned into a skeleton wrapped in a black cloth. 

“Mu Shidi, do you know what could be the cause of this plague?” his Shizun narrowed his fox-like eyes at the corpse.

“I’ve never heard of this phenomenon before…” Responded Mu Shishu who seemed both fascinated and filled with dread at this strange situation.

“Up ahead, there’s more.” Uncle Liu noted, his expression as deadpaned as usual as he pointed at the stream of floating corpses steadily drifting over to their direction. What a creepy sight.

“Who goes there!” Suddenly a youthful voice yelled out, alerting all cultivators and demons on the boat. “If you know what’s good for you, turn your boat around and do not enter this city!” 

“Who are you to stop us?!” Liu Qingge barked back.

“There’s a plague in the city. If you don’t want to die, then scram!” The youthful voice refuted. 

 “Little one, we’re precisely here for that reason……” Mu Qingfang then calmly pointed out.   

“Well then I have no choice! Gaah!” Shen Yuan then felt a surge of spiritual energy headed their way. In an instant, Liu Qingge drew Chen Luang and deflected the attack from their mysterious opponent. Now that they got a closer look, it was a boy wearing the garments of a Bai Zhan Peak disciple. 

“Ahhh- WHA- SHIZUN!?” 

The Bai Zhan Peak youth fell into the water after being swatted off by Cheng Luan. In an instant, the boy’s head emerged and the kid swam near their boat.

“Oh it’s you.” Liu Qingge stared down at the young boy, as if he did not just bitch slap the poor kid with his powerful and very cursed demon spirit sword. Good thing it looked like a normal spirit sword at the moment. 

“Shizun!!! This disciple begs forgiveness. I did not know it was you!” The disciple seemed to be bleeding from his forehead. Holy shit. Bai Zhan Peak disciples are built differently for taking an attack from Uncle Liu’s Cheng Luan and getting back up like it was nothing. Based on the kid’s reaction, this was a normal occurrence between the disciple and his Shizun. Shen Yuan also noticed that the youth called uncle Liu ‘Shizun’ and there was only one person in all of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect who could call him that. His one and only disciple Yang Yixuan! 

They docked the boat. All immortal masters and disciples headed deeper into the quarantined city. There was an eerie feeling that immediately surrounded them. Shen Yuan wrinkled his nose, he could smell the undeniable stench of rot and death in the air. It is not as strong as it was in the endless abyss, but it was distinct.  

“What are you doing here?” Liu Qingge questioned his head disciple.

“I was visiting my family, I didn’t know there was a plague.” Yang Yixuan spoke as Mu Shishu gave him a cloth to wipe the blood off his forehead. 

“When I arrived, I learned of my father’s death…” The young man lowered his head and clenched his fist but he seemed to quickly gather himself as he remembered his duties. “I was forced to remain in the city and help the cultivators present. I’ve been warding off those who try to enter as you can see.”

“Who is with you at the moment? There are surviving cultivators in the city?” Mu Qingfan asked.

“Come. Let this lowly disciple take you to the Head Monk.” 

They were led to Yang Yixuan’s house. Along the way, Shen Yuan noticed that there were still people roaming about the city. It was not as abandoned and desolate as the ‘haunted’ villages and towns he had visited in the past. Still, he could feel the dread and anxiety in the air. 

Yang Yixuan left to return to his post after he escorted the group of cultivators into his home. The Head Monk of Zhao Hua Temple named Wu Chen was in the basement. The monk laid on the bed with his lower half covered by a cloth. Shen Yuan didn’t need to peek under the man’s coverings to know that he had also been inflicted by the plague. Shen Yuan’s heightened sense of smell could detect the stench of decay. He glanced over to Binghe and saw that his lover was also smelling the same thing.

The Monk greeted them and the Cang Qiong group responded in kind. While their Shizun and the other Peak Lords discussed things with the Monk, he contacted the rest of his subordinates.

‘Any news regarding this plague in Jinlan City?’

None of his subordinates had anything noteworthy to report. Mobei Jun said his uncle has been quiet since the demon banquet. He hasn’t even attempted any rebellions against him. Sha Hualing reported the same thing regarding her father. Perhaps they can rule out the demon lords from this plague for now. 

Alpha, however, spoke up. ‘Junshang, I’ve noticed strange movement from the southern border. I’ll look into it more.’

‘Their representative, Zhuzhi Lang, was spotted entering Bailu forest too.’ Uncle Airplane added.

Huh. It’s that scary and mysterious demon, Zhuzhi Lang? Isn’t Bailu forest far away from Jin Lang City? Perhaps it wasn’t related to this plague. For all he knew, Zhuzhi Lang could just be out on a peaceful stroll by the forest. Still, he would need to take extra precautions. 

“This lowly one likes Emperor Shen Yuan so I pray you never get the chance to meet my lord.” 

Remembering the look Zhuzhi Lang gave him before the mysterious demon disappeared from sight still creeps Shen Yuan out.

‘See if you can tail him around for a bit and find out his true motives.’ Shen Yuan finally ordered. 

‘Yes Junshang.’ Both Uncle Airplane and Alpha responded. 

Shen Yuan had pretty much zoned out of the conversation physically taking place in front of him. However, he managed to catch some of the details of how this plague affects the humans. What a horrible sickness. Basically, you slowly start rotting until your body is reduced to bones. Wrapping the body with black cloth seems to slow down the progress of decay. There was an even stranger effect where if you step outside of Jinlan City, the process of decay will speed up. Truly terrifying. No wonder the cultivators who were sent in here never returned!

“Eitherway, this does not sound like a plague of any kind.” Mu Shishu spoke up. Shen Yuan tried to follow through their conversation now that he had finished speaking with his subordinates. 

“Why do you think so?” His Shizun asked.

“Disciple Yang has been taking care of Master Wu Cheng yet he has not been infected at all. Plagues are often either airborne or transferred from the carrier via skin contact.” Mu Shishu explained. Shen Yuan remembered back in his old world, plagues also existed. One that came to mind is the black plague or the bubonic plague. In that specific plague, you get it through being bitten by infected creatures. He wondered if this one is similar… not the effects but in terms of how you contract the disease. If it is not airborne, perhaps through skin contact?  

Before Shen Yuan could voice out his opinion, Yang Yixuan entered the room with an annoyed look on his face. He had his spirit sword drawn but was sheathing it back and he looked even more disheveled than when Uncle Liu flung him into the river. Poor guy cannot catch a break! 

“What’s the matter, Yang Shixiong?” Shen Yuan asked.

“Ugh, more cultivators arrived. From Huan Hua whatsit-called. Nearly destroyed the underground passageway! That kid will destroy the whole town with his stupid inventions and contraptions!” 

A Huanhua palace disciple that reminded him of Wei Wuxian with his strange contraptions and inventions? Shen Yuan glanced over to Binghe who was also giving him the same look of realization.

“Gongyi Xiao!” both exclaimed. 

Chapter Text

Shen Yuan and Binghe ran out the door of Yang Yixuan’s home as they volunteered to investigate the Huan Hua disciples. They soon spotted a small group of cultivators who donned golden robes. Cultivators in general already stand out so much amongst a city of normal folk but the Huan Hua Palace garments made them stick out like a sore golden thumb. Their sect must be the richest of the Cultivator Sects with how they adorn their disciples with gold and the finest of silks. 

“Ugh, it was working just moments ago, why is it suddenly acting up?” Gongyi Xiao huffed as it continuously smacked and shook at the familiar small device he held in his hand. 

“Da Shixiong, I think we should just go ahead and look around rather than rely on your evil detecting compass.” One of his juniors spoke up, giving the young man a nervous laugh. 

“But-”

“Gongyi Xiao!” Shen Yuan called out to said cultivator in golden robes. Gongyi Xiao looked up and the moment he spotted Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe, he was taken aback.

“I see that the Cang Qiong Mountain sect was also already alerted of the plague.” He smacked the poor compass again. The thing’s hands were once again spinning rapidly and pointing towards both Binghe and Shen Yuan. It was meant to detect demons, especially powerful ones. Unfortunately, it was detecting two powerful demons right this moment and Gongyi Xiao is completely oblivious to it. Well at least that meant his compass was working as it should.

“I would have said that it’s nice to see you both again, but I’d rather our reunion be over drinks in a normal and plague-less city.” Gongyi Xiao sighed, giving up on his little trinket. “This thing always seems to malfunction especially when you two are around. Don’t tell me you’re both demons in disguise ah?” He went over to Binghe and smacked his back playfully while flashing both demons his usual charismatic grin.

Shen Yuan laughed awkwardly and Binghe just stood there and grunted. 

“Anyway, we can always have drinks later. I believe we have a demon to track down.” Shen Yuan suggested. 

“A-Yuan, you’re not allowed a single drop of alcohol anymore.” Binghe reminded which made Shen Yuan pout in response. Before he could protest any further, another group of Huan Hua Palace disciples ran over to them. Shen Yuan noticed the look of panic on their faces. 

“Da Shixiong, come quick! We were attacked by strange creatures and The Qing Jing Peak Lord rescued us but…”

“What happened to Shizun?!” Both Binghe and Shen Yuan quickly asked, looking extremely worried.

“He’s been infected by the plague!”

Shen Yuan, Gongyi Xiao, and Binghe all rushed towards the scene. Shen Qingqiu had Xiu Ya drawn but he was on his knees. Their shizun held his arm, his usually pristine teal robes were torn and soaked in blood. It was Binghe who ran up to their shizun first. 

“Shizun!” Binghe called out as he approached the elder peak lord. 

“Where did the creatures go?” Gongyi Xiao questioned one of the Huan Hua Palace disciples.

“It was an old woman and she ran off in that direction!” The young disciple explained. 

“Binghe, take Shizun to Mu Shishu. I’ll chase after the demon.” 

“Okay, A-Yuan!”

Shen Yuan ran to the direction pointed by the Huan Hua Palace disciples. He jumped up and dashed from rooftop to rooftop, his feet light as a feather. He heard movements behind him and when he looked back he saw that it was Gongyi Xiao.

“Gongyi Xiao!” Shen Yuan gasped.

“Hey Xiao Yuan! I can’t let a younger one confront a dangerous demon on his own. Allow me to assist you.” Again with that nickname huh? Shen Yuan didn’t mind. Gongyi Xiao reminded him of Ming Fan, their Da Shixiong. Though Mingfan calls him ‘Xiao Shidi’ not ‘Xiao Yuan’. It was endearing to know he had a lot of Gege’s in this world. Xinmo Gege would be jealous.

‘A-Yuan, Gongyi Xiao isn’t here…IS HE WITH YOU!?’

‘Yes, don’t worry I’ll keep him safe. Please worry about Shizun!’

‘Fine… just be careful and keep yourself safe from HIM !’

Shen Yuan heard grumbling from Binghe’s side which confused him but his lover relented. From the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow move around. It ducked into a window of a random house.

“Xiao-gege, there!” Shen Yuan pointed as he changed direction. He decided to give Gongyi Xiao a nickname of his own. Shen Yuan then jumped over to the ledge of the house and went into the same window. The house was dark so Gongyi Xiao took out a talisman and let it burn to light their way. As soon as light flooded into the dark room, both Shen Yuan and Gongyi Xiao saw the small trembling figure of the old woman on the floor in a kowtow position. In front of the old woman was a taller figure whose face they could not make out. The tall figure was wearing a cloak - a cloak Shen Yuan recognized. 

“You’re-!” Before Shen Yuan could muster out Zhuzhi Lang’s name, he felt a strong killing intent directed towards him. With fast reflexes, he grabbed Gongyi Xiao out of the way and unfolded his fan to fend off a second ‘old woman’-like creature that lurked in the shadows. 

“Xiao Yuan!” Gongyi Xiao immediately drew his sword to help defend against their attacker. With their combined might, they managed to defeat the creature. Shen Yuan held his hand and activated his skill ‘devour’. Without turning into his slime form, his hand produced a slime-like substance that devoured his target and it just looked like the creature was sucked into Shen Yuan’s arm. 

[Notice. Target ‘Sower demon’ successfully devoured.]

[Notice. Unique skill ‘Rot’ successfully acquired.]

Sowers huh? So that’s what these old grannies were.

[Answer. Sowers are a type of lesser demons that have the ability to spread an incurable plague harmful mostly to humans. Demon nobles once used these creatures on human farms. Rotten human flesh is considered a demonic delicacy. ]

What in the actual fuck?! Even if he was no longer human, that sent shivers down Shen Yuan’s spine. The thought of eating a human was unforgivable and disgusting! …Wait, he KINDA did that temporarily with Uncle Liu, Binghe, and his Shizun… but they were not rotting flesh! Yuck. This answers their plague question at least. Now they know who to blame.

Speaking of humans, Shen Yuan turned to Gongyi Xiao who had been staring at him the entire time. “Ah, Gongyi-gege…I can explain.”

“Xiao Yuan, we’ll talk later about that impressive thing you just did, for now - let’s focus on the mission.” Gongyi Xiao then pointed his sword towards the hooded figure he knew to be Zhuzhi Lang. The sower who was kneeling down in front of him had scurried off in the middle of their fight. Shit, they let one get away! They’ll need to catch the creature later. 

Shen Yuan turned to face the hooded figure. It’s strange how calm Zhuzhi Lang is despite being caught red handed.

“Zhuzhi Lang, I presume?” Shen Yuan spoke up as he got in front of Gongyi Xiao and held his fan weapon and sword up.

“Ah, Young Master Shen. Unfortunate that we would meet in these circumstances too soon…” The demon had a solemn tone, the same tone he used when they last parted. At least Zhuzhi Lang had the sense to not call him ‘Demon Emperor’ in front of Gongyi Xiao. Though, he had a feeling Gongyi Xiao is already suspicious of him after witnessing Shen Yuan devour that sower demon. 

“I warned Young Master Shen. It is unfortunate that you will have to meet my lord now….” 

Huh?

“Xiao Yuan, watch out!” Gongyi Xiao called out as he dove towards him, grabbing him by the waist. Shen Yuan felt stupid for not seeing the trap. When he looked down, there was an array drawn where he stood. Gongyi Xiao meant to grab him away from it but instead both cultivators were both caught by the spell. Darkness soon surrounded both of them. 

He was brought back to Liu Shidi’s disciple’s home. Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge were supposed to go on their own separate investigations around the city when his two disciples left to seek out the Huan Hua Palace disciples. While Shen Qingqiu was walking through the nearly empty streets of the marketplace, he bumped into an old woman. Same as the others, she wore black cloth. She must have been infected by the mysterious plague. With the intention of interrogating her to hopefully extract some information regarding the demon’s physical appearance. However, she disappeared into a corner. 

Shen Qingqiu had walked around for a while until he heard the sound of clashing swords and yelling from young men. That’s how he came upon the same old woman who was attacking the Huan Hua Palace disciples. Without a second thought, Shen Qingqiu leaped into battle to protect the children. It was only unfortunate that he was suddenly caught off guard by the woman who slashed at him with her nails. He used his arm to try to deflect the attack and her claws dug into his skin. Immediately, he felt the itching sensation followed by a sudden lightheadedness. The Peak lord was brought down to his knees. The old woman was about to attack but she sensed reinforcements approaching so she fled. That was how Binghe, Shen Yuan, and his group found them. 

He was placed in a bedroom and immediately tended to by Mu Qingfan. They dressed his wounded arm quickly and wrapped it with a black cloth much like the other plague victims.

“This should slow the decay down until we can find the demon.” Mu Qingfan spoke before excusing himself to prepare some medicinal herbs downstairs. 

“Damnit. Why weren’t you being careful?!” Liu Qingge growled. He had an absolutely frightening dark look which only caused the Huan Hua disciples to shrink and tremble in a corner.  “When I catch that demon, I will skewer it and display it in front of our gates.” 

“Calm down, Shidi, you’re scaring the kids.” Shen Qingqiu spoke out with a sigh. Liu Qingge wanted to rant more but since he noticed the trembling young men behind him he just looked away and huffed. 

“Speaking of kids, where is Maste- Your disciple Shen Yuan?”

“He went after the demon.” Luo Binghe answered as he walked in carrying a tray of tea.

“I’ll go assist him.” Liu Qingge finally said. He felt uneasy just staying here while Shen Yuan was outside chasing their target.

“I’ll come-”

“No, stay with your shizun. He needs supervision and Mu Qingfan will need your assistance.” Liu Qingge ordered and Binghe only pursed his lips. He didn’t seem happy about being stuck taking care of his old shizun. Shen Qingqiu felt ashamed for being brought down so easily like this. 

“Go with him. This master can take care of himself.”

“NO.” Both Liu Qingge and Binghe spoke in unison, flashing glares at him. Shen Qingqiu’s lips thinned. He felt like a kid being told to stay put, it was… humiliating. Still, he wasn’t in any position or mood to be lectured or argue back so he sighed and relented. 

With that, Liu Qingge left. Some of the Huan Hua Palace disciples followed him since they also wanted to rejoin with their Senior Disciple. 

Mu Qingfan was still downstairs preparing medicines for Shen Qingqiu’s festering wounds. He was left alone in the room with Binghe. When he glanced over to the boy, Shen Qingqiu noticed that Binghe was leaning by the window, looking outside. He couldn’t see the boy’s expression from his field of vision. 

He felt… awkward. 

Aside from the time Binghe approached him with his curse, this is one of the only opportunities he was left alone with his son. Funny how the only time they can spend a private moment with each other is whenever either of them are afflicted with a curse or a miasma of some sort.

“We passed by the Luo River on the way here, did you see it?” Shen Qingqiu spoke up, attempting to make idle chatter. The silence was more painful than his slowly decaying hand. 

“...”

“I doubt you remember it at all, but it was incredibly cold back then.” 

“Funny how Shizun remembers that day so vividly, yet forgets other events…” 

Shen Qingqiu sighed. This would have been a good opportunity to finally speak with Binghe, but Shen Yuan was elsewhere, the system would not allow him to speak the truth. He will need to speak in codes. 

“Luo Binghe, it’s… complicated. I know you mean to ask what happened all those years ago.”

“I only want to know why…why throw me down there then act so…so calm about me and A-Yuan. About us demons.” Shen Qingqiu eyed his disciple and son who would not meet his gaze. Even though Luo Binghe grew into this strong heavenly demon, he looked small right now. Still the innocent little boy took in as his disciple. 

“Shizun is confusing this disciple. I don’t know how to feel. I devoted myself to Shizun only to be thrown off that cliff. All because of my lineage, I heard your words loud and clear, you can’t lie to me! And…and yet after my return, you welcome me with open arms. Do you do this out of fear? That I will take revenge on you? Do you think so badly of us demons? Of me?”

“I already told you, I don’t have a prejudice against demons. Whether they are evil or not, humans are just as capable. I only think of the act of evil itself as the enemy. It is not attached to the race.” 

“Then why-”

“Binghe, listen to your Baba.” Shen Qingqiu harshly cut in, his voice sounding uncharacteristically full of emotion. Desperation and longing. He gazed up at Binghe, noting his son’s bewilderment. It’s been years since he ever acknowledged himself as Binghe’s father let alone in that informal way. 

“Reach within yourself and truly remember what happened that day. On the Immortal Alliance Conference. You’re the one forgetting and it was against your will. Please, my son. I-I can’t tell you, you have to remember it for yourself!” He reached for Binghe's hand. The immortal peak lord desperately tried to hold onto him like his life depended on it. Shen Qingqiu hissed at the ringing in his ears.

[Error. Error. OOC… OOC. It is strictly prohibited to divulge information, user Shen Jiu. Punishment will be implemented if you proceed.]

As he managed to grasp onto his son Shen Qingqiu noticed Binghe’s face contorted with pain and confusion. Oh no, is the system manipulating him again? Wait… what if the real memories are coming back? Has he finally gotten through to his son?! Before Shen Qingqiu could confirm anything, Binghe had yanked his hand away and looked at his Shizun in absolute confusion.

They were interrupted when Mu Qingfan entered the room to check up on Shen Qingqiu. When his Shidi opened the door, Binghe made a run for it. Shen Qingqiu sighed, he had no choice but to let the young man go for now. As Mu Qingfan began his examination, he looked out the window. 

“It was a cold evening like this huh? When it happened…“ he whispered quietly. 

Shen Qingqiu stood at the foot of Cang Qiong Mountain. Before him stood Yue Qingyuan, his sect leader and adoptive older brother. The man was on his way to join the other sect Leaders to fight against the Supreme Demon Emperor, Tianlang Jun. Yue Qingyuan brought with him the other peak lords and junior disciples. Shen Qingqiu was given the order to stay and guard their Mountain along with the other remaining Peak Lords. 

“Xiao Jiu, I will return as soon as I can. Please stay safe.” Qi-ge was giving him those sad longing eyes and it irritated Shen Qingqiu. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? He was supposed to be sad and worried because it was Qi-ge going off to fight a war! And their opponent is perhaps the most powerful creature in all three realms, Tianlang Jun.

“Yes, Qi-ge. What a pathetic face you’re making right now, such is not befitting of Cang Qiong Sect’s Leader.” Shen Qingqiu teased which only made his older brother whimper.

“Xiao Jiu, must you be cruel to your Qi-ge…” The man’s shoulders slumped and he clenched at his chest as if Shen Qingqiu just stabbed him there with Xiu Ya. It made Shen Qingqiu roll his eyes.

“Go! Off with you, you big fool! You’re not allowed to die or I will haunt your spirit.” Shen Qingqiu hissed and made a ‘shoo’ motion with a flick of his wrist.

“Should it not be the other way around?! Well…I promise I will come back.” Yue Qingyuan hesitated. “I won't forgive myself if I break this promise.” The sect leader had a solemn look on his face. That earned him a whack on the head by his Shidi’s folding fan.

“Oww… Xiao Jiu…” 

“I know you’ll come back. If not, I’ll come find you myself. No matter what, we’ll always find each other, that’s how it’s always been.” Shen Qingqiu held his fan to keep his face obscured and his eyes closed. Shen Qingqiu painted the picture of a calm and unbending immortal master, despite the fact he had only ascended into the rank of peak lord for less than a year. 

“Just go already.”

The moment he sees the sect leader and the others leave, Shen Qingqiu then makes his own escape via his spirit sword Xiu Ya. His destination? 

Luo river. 

Chapter Text

There is currently a war going on between the four major sects and the current Supreme Demon Emperor Tianlang Jun. Both the demon and the human world were thrown into chaos. Cultivators against demons. Everywhere was a battlefield littered with dead bodies. That included the Luo river.

Shen Qingqiu walked by the river, his ink black hair flowing in the cold winter wind. The snow crunched under his boots. There were blood stains in the snow. The human realm has truly descended into chaos ever since those fools from Huan Hua Palace provoked the Supreme Demon Emperor. 

‘It should be today by my estimate…’ Shen Qingqiu thought. 

In the distance, he saw a silhouette of a human hobbling its way to him. Shen Qingqiu immediately had his hand on Xiu Ya’s hilt. He can’t risk being ambushed. He needed to stay put until he found what he was looking for. 

As the figure neared, his hand left the hilt of his spirit sword. He knew this cultivator. He found what he was looking for. Who he was looking for. She was dressed in tattered and bloodied golden robes. The despicable symbol oh Huan Hua palace decorated these robes. She looked to be on the verge of dying. The poor woman is thin and pale, her eyes and cheekbones sunken. It is as if there was no longer a single drop of blood in her body. Shen Qingqiu ran up to the woman when he saw that she was about to collapse. He caught both woman and child just in time. 

“P-please… don’t harm him. You may kill me… but not the child.” The woman pleaded weakly, her voice raspy. 

“You are Miss Su Xiyan of Huan Hua Palace, correct?” Shen Qingqiu spoke gently as he proceeded to transfer his spiritual energy for the woman. “Worry not, this Lord will not harm you or your child. I am here for help.” 

“D-don’t bother. I am… beyond help. I don’t have much time left.” The woman, Su Xiyan coughed out and blood sprayed into Shen Qingqiu’s pristine teal robes. “S-sorry…you are?”

“This Lord’s name is Shen Qingqiu, Peak lord of Qing Jing Peak at Cang Qiong Mountain Sect.” He answered with honesty. 

“Ah.. a cultivator. One of the four great Sects.” The woman breathed heavily, her eyes were already glossed over. She kept a hold of her son with trembling arms. “Peak Lord Shen, please… I beg of you… protect my son. He deserves a chance and a happy life in this world. It is what his father and I would have wanted. Even if you cannot raise him in your sect. Even if you give him to a peasant. I just…” Su Xiyan was sobbing now, tears rolled down her cheek and Shen Qingqiu rubbed them away with his sleeve.

“Please just don’t let my precious son die in the cold. Give him a chance…”

“You’ve fought well.” Shen Qingqiu nodded, his tone solemn. He was truthfully not very good with comforting others. He had always known himself to have a cold demeanor. Expressing emotions and giving nurturing warmth to others was not something he thought he was capable of. Still, he wanted to assure the dying woman and accompany her in her final moments.

“You can rest assured that this immortal master will care for your child as if he was my own. I will raise him to be the son you will be proud to have had. Now… sleep.” Shen Qingqiu flowed more of his spiritual energy, trying to calm and soothe the woman who must be completely consumed by the poison inside her. She took that poison meant for the half-demon in her womb. Shen Qingqui was only aware of this because he noticed the poison that had destroyed not just her body but also her meridians and golden core. The moment he tried to transfer spiritual energy, it did nothing but ease the pain - not heal. Shen Qingqiu could only assume someone had forced her to drink this poison to kill the child she had just birthed. 

“Then I acknowledge you as his new father… thankyou Peak Lord Shen.” Shen Qingqiu could not hope to revive the poor woman in his arms, but he can at least grant her a less painful death. The woman then took her last breath, her face at least more peaceful as she accepted her fate. 

After some time, Shen Qingqiu resumed his journey with the child in his arms and the body of the child's mother on his back. Once Shen Qingqiu found an ideal spot nearby, he buried Su Xiyan. It was a simple grave, but it would make do for now. At least he could let the madam’s soul and body rest. Shen Qingqiu paid his respects and promised Su Xiyan he would return to make her grave look more presentable and befitting of her status as a highly skilled cultivator. If not for that corrupt old geezer, the palace master, she could have become an amazing Huan Hua Palace Sect Leader. 

Shen Qingqiu held Luo Binghe in his arms, the plump child was wrapped in his mother’s golden robes. He stared down at the tiny little thing, his eyes softening at the sight. He can do this. It won’t be that bad… right? Raising the protagonist of this world should not be that difficult. The child deserved better and he will give him the best. He won’t have to suffer a life in poverty and be bullied for it. He won’t have to feel abandoned with the death of that washerwoman. Shen Qingqiu will make sure Luo Binghe will feel nurtured and protected. When the time comes where he could no longer bend fate and fight against the evil deity known as the system, then perhaps Luo Binghe would at least have lived knowing he had been loved and protected and chosen by even the scum villain of this world. 

Shen Qingqiu did not care what would become of him. All he wanted now was to fight against this system and break the fate it assigned to him and Binghe.

[Warning OOC Warning. OOC Warning. The scum villain is prohibited from taking the protagonist. Punishment will be inflicted if user continues his actions.]

Shen Qingqiu staggered as he felt the mental attacks of the system on him. He felt his spirit being lifted and slammed back into his body. It was painful and mind warping. Still, he held the child tighter in his arms and stood tall and proud. 

“Out of character, you say?” Shen Qingqiu snorted then began to chuckle darkly. This was one of the only times he looked like a true scum villain. 

“Foolish deity. I AM Shen Qingqiu, the original goods. You won’t be able to punish me for what I choose to do!” His eyes were wide and madened while blood dripped from his nose. 

“I will NOT let you harm a single hair on ANY of the disciples I choose. I will protect them.” He suffered through mental attacks from the system for half a shichen later before he was left weakened and laying down by Su Xiyan’s grave with the crying Binghe still in his arms.

Once Shen Qingqiu recovered a bit, he got on Xiu Ya and flew back to Cang Qiong Mountain. 

The battle lasted for well over three months. The Supreme Demon Emperor and his cursed sword Xin Mo were a devastatingly powerful duo. Thousands have died and there was even news of the Supreme Demon Emperor ascending into a demonic Deity. Brought upon by his grief and rage, he became a being not even the heavens could defeat. The cultivation world was thrown into chaos, many feared for the world’s future at the hands of this all powerful and evil being.

However, something happened that got everyone scratching their heads. 

The Supreme Demon Emperor had suddenly vanished a few days after his ascension into Godhood, no one has heard of him since. Some say he was killed but killing a heavenly demon was nearly impossible let alone a fully ascended one. The popular theory was that he hid somewhere no mere human nor demon could reach. 

Well since the war had abruptly ended, everyone just called it a day and went back home.

Yue Qingyuan returned from aiding in the war. As soon as he arrived at the foot of Cang Qiong Mountain, one of his disciples alerted him that The Qing Jing Peak lord was waiting for him at the main hall of Qiong Ding Peak. Oh? Is Xiao Jiu so eager to greet him upon his return? Yue Qingyuan beamed with excitement and affection for his precious little brother. He then proceeded to the main hall as quickly as he could.

The sight that greeted him was… shocking. Xiao Jiu stood before him ever so proud and regal. Yue Qingyuan always regarded Xiao Jiu as a strong and commendable man. He braved many hardships in life. He once vowed to protect him, but he later found that he was never needed. Xiao Jiu persevered and fought his own battles. He still remembered that time in their childhood. It was the time he managed to escape their slave masters but had no choice but to leave behind his younger brother. 

“I will come back for you… I promise.” Yue Qingyuan once told a young Xiao Jiu.

“No.”  This took him aback, but the boy’s tone was resolute.

“You must never make a promise you cannot keep.”

“But-”

“How about ‘we’ll find each other, no matter what’? That’s a better promise Qi-ge.” 

“Alright, Xiao Jiu. Let’s find each other, no matter what, no matter how long.”

“Good.”

And find each other, they did. Yue Qingyuan did not rush himself as his little brother requested. He cultivated with patience and diligence. The moment he was able to finally acquire his sword and descend Cang Qiong Mountain, he went to search for his Xiao Jiu. Imagine his utter horror and shock when he saw the Qiu Manor in nothing but ashes. News of the family’s murder was all over the city. Yue Qingyuan thought he was too late. He mourned for many nights after that. He also cursed himself for taking his time. He could have saved Xiao Jiu if he wasn’t so slow . 

Years had passed since then. He had become Qiong Ding’s head disciple and it was time for Cang Qiong Mountain to examine a batch of possible new disciples. Yue Qingyuan was shocked to see Xiao Jiu amongst the young boys. Unfortunately, he was not in charge of selecting Qiong Ding Peak’s disciples that time. Xiao Jiu was selected by the Qing Jing Peak lord instead. Still… This means Xiao Jiu is alive and they will be in the same cultivation sect.

The next time they met, Xiao Jiu was already in his teal green disciple robes. The boy approached him and smacked him with a folding fan - his practice weapon of choice. “I finally found you and you have not come to even say hello to me, Qi-ge.” The younger one spoke though there was no animosity in his tone.

“I’m sorry Xiao Jiu… I had no face to show you. I’ve failed in finding you.”

“Does it matter who finds who? We have reunited, is that not enough?” Xiao Jiu tilted his head to the side, looking perplexed at Yue Qingyuan. Then he unfolded his fan and hid half his face with it. “I did not say it was your job to save me. I can save myself. I only care about seeing Qi-ge again.” 

“Xiao Jiuuuuuu!” Yue Qingyuan could no longer hold himself back. He launched himself at the younger disciple and clung to his hip like an infant crying for his mother. Shen Jiu stiffened and with his entire face was red as a tomato, he repeatedly smacked Yue Qingyuan with his folding fan. 

“H-Hey! Qi-ge…. Shixiong! This is unbecoming of a head disciple! Don’t cry! Aiyah you’ll get snot all over my new robe!” 

“X-Xiao Jiu..?”

“Qi-ge. I need a favor.” Shen Qingqiu cooed at the crying child in his arms. The young plump baby calmed down after Shen Qingqiu rocked him and placed a small kiss on his forehead. His fond smile disappeared and turned serious again as he faced his Sect Leader. Yue Qingyuan felt slightly frightened at the intense and determined look his Xiao Jiu was giving him. 

“I am adopting this child. I am now his father, and I want to raise him in Qing Jing Peak with your approval.”

“Whaaaaaat?!”

Which one is harder? Parenthood or ascending to immortality? Shen Qingqiu has done both and he can certainly conclude that Parenting is harder. Lucky for him, he had his martial siblings and disciples to assist him. 

At that time, he only had Ming Fan as his sole disciple. He was very young but was mature for his age. Ming Fan would sometimes take care of the baby whenever Shen Qingqiu was away for Peak Lord duties or on night hunts. Shen Qingqiu was aware that in the original script, Ming Fan would grow to heavily bully Binghe in his time in Cang Qiong Mountain Sect. Shen Qingqiu would never allow that to happen, for both the boys’ sake. He was just as fond of Ming Fan as he was with his own son Binghe. He made sure to guide Ming Fan into becoming an older brother figure for Binghe. It worked. If his little son was not attached to his thigh, he’d be glued to Ming Fan. It was an endearing sight. It relieved Shen Qingqiu to know he was helping prevent Ming Fan from meeting a terrible end. 

Some of the peak lords would also come visit and take turns playing with his son. Yue Qingyuan, Mu Qingfan, and Qing Qingqi were his usual visitors. Shen Qingqiu was grateful to Mu Qingfan for checking up on Binghe’s health. Without the mother’s milk, Shen Qingqiu worried he wasn’t getting the correct nutrition. Thankfully, Mu Shidi was able to monitor the baby’s health. With Mu Qingfan’s care, Binghe grew into a healthy and energetic youg boy. 

The other two peak lords, however, were a pain to deal with. His Qi-ge was like an annoying uncle who spoiled the kid with trinkets and affection. 

“Qi-ge, I do not want him to grow up a spoiled young master. Stop that.” Shen Qingqiu reprimanded, but Yue Qingyuan stood his ground with the biggest of pouts. 

“Relax Xiao Jiu, it’s not bad to give the child gifts every so often. When he grows up, I will give him more useful ones to help with his cultivation. I promise.” This only caused Shen Qingqiu to pinch the bridge of his nose in stress and annoyance.

“Qi-ge!”

Qing Qingqi thankfully did not spoil his son with gifts, but the woman would always steal Binghe and bring him to her Peak. Xian Shu Peak is famed for its beauty - not just the female disciples, but for their gardens overflowing with various types of flowers. She’d kidnap his son to play with him there. Every time his child would return to him, Binghe’s hair (that had grown into an untamable mess) would be adorned with braids and flower crowns. 

Throughout his years as Peak Lord, rarely would Shen Qingqiu take in disciples. He had, however, two exceptions or qualifications aside from potential for cultivation. One of the qualifications is competence. Qing Jing Peak was a peak of talent and skills. He would never accept less than perfection. 

One of these qualified disciples Shen Qingqiu had taken in was Ning Yingying. A tiny little thing who could give Binghe a run for his money when it comes to crying and throwing tantrums. The girl was a genius in the arts, Shen Qingqiu certainly took her in for her talents. She also surprisingly took on the role of becoming Binghe’s older sister. Shen Qingqiu was very much aware that Ning Yingying was one of Binghe’s destined ‘wives’. He highly disapproved of how the original script dealt with the poor woman, so he will make sure Binghe had a close relationship with Ning Yingying. It was up to his son if he would court the girl or not in the future, but Binghe deserved more friends his age. It wouldn’t do good to have the boy spend his childhood with old Peak Lords like him. 

Ah yes, the other qualification was a pleasant personality. He wanted his son to have playmates and friends his age. 

Most of Qing Jing Peak disciples got along with his son. Not once had he allowed any form of bullying. Sure there were brawls here and there with the rowdy kids from Bai Zhan Peak, you know how young boys can be… but nothing as severe as the torture the original Binghe went through in that cursed novel. 

All in all, Shen Qingqiu was pleased with his decision to snatch Luo Binghe first before the washerwoman could. It wasn’t THAT difficult to raise the protagonist of this world. What’s difficult was to prepare him for their eventual future. One day, the very child who clung to his robes would be the one to sever his limbs and imprison him for eternity. Shen Qingqiu feared that future not because of his self preservation but for the pain and heartbreak of their eventual parting as father and son. The system would probably make him do more despicable things to the poor boy other than to push him off that cliff. To make the innocent white lotus of a son to despise his father to the point of mutilation, Shen Qingqiu probably would be forced to do something heinous and unforgivable. 

“I will fight as hard as I can even throughout my long immortal life just so that never happens…” Shen Qingqiu muttered, clenching his fist.

“Baba?” Young Luo Binghe looked up at his father. The child would have been around five or six by now. Shen Qingqiu just finished bathing the little demon and was combing his messy black hair. The kid was adorably sitting patiently in front of him in their little bamboo house.

“It’s nothing, your Baba is just remembering something.” 

“Mn… okay. But if Baba fights, I will fight with him! So don’t worry, okay? Binghe will protect Baba when he becomes a big strong cultivator!” The boy huffed and puffed his cheeks which made the elder peak lord chuckle. What an adorable little white lotus.

“Silly boy, save your Baba some face. A father will always want to protect his son, no matter what. Baba only wants the best for Binghe.” Once he finished tying the little goof’s hair, he pinched at those round chubby cheeks. Binghe squeaked and laughed.

‘You truly deserve better than what the world wants for you.’

Chapter Text

Binghe didn’t know where he was anymore but he ran as far away as his legs could take him. Foreign memories invaded his head the moment he felt his Shizun’s hold. His head pounded. The more these strange memories flashed inside his head, the more intense the pain was. 

What was happening? What were these memories?

He felt a tug at his chest. Scenes from that traumatic day, the Immortal Alliance Conference, played but were quickly being replaced by foreign images. The cold glare of his Shizun was being forcefully replaced by the pleading tear stained face of his father. His Shizun’s words of hatred against his demonic lineage were being replaced by his father’s pleas for him to not jump. To not leave him. His Shizun pleaded for him to stay with his father and continue being a family with him. These were all familiar… 

Back when he was just a small child not yet a disciple, his Shizun was his father. Baba was a stern yet caring father. Binghe would always attach himself to his baba’s robe, always afraid of letting go. Binghe wished he could stay with his father forever. His fondest childhood memories were always in that little bamboo house with his uncles and aunties who later became his Shimei and Shixiongs… 

But at that moment, he knew he couldn’t. 

He needed to let his father go and part ways with him. He figured out why the ground opened so suddenly and why his father was looking up at the sky while slashing his sword at ‘something’. His baba was protecting him from that ‘something’ but he couldn’t. Binghe realized he needed to go. To…go?

Wait. Why did he need to go…? Did he…jump? 

Several memories flashed into his head again and soon all he saw was red. So much red. Funny thing was, it wasn’t from blood. Binghe felt like he was about to throw up.

And he did.

He heaved and lurched as the contents of his stomach were emptied onto the ground of the dark alleyway he had ended up at. Binghe’s eyes were wide with confusion, disbelief, and fear. Are these memories his real ones? Those red boxes… They reminded him of the green boxes that belonged to his lover. ‘The system’, he called it.

When the darkness around them dissipated, Shen Yuan surveyed their surroundings. Though the room was dimly lit by candles that hung from walls, he could see that the area was fairly large. Outlines of what seemed like coffins surrounded them. Shen Yuan then concluded that they were in a crypt or a mausoleum of some sort. That did not bode well. He also noticed artifacts that were messily piled in the corner and on the dilapidated walls. Scrolls and tomes covered in dust also decorated the decaying shelves. This couldn’t be an ordinary crypt if treasure was also stored in here…Was this also a treasury of some sort? A royal mausoleum perhaps? 

“Xiao Yuan, are you alright, stay close to this Gege!” Gongyi Xiao, whom Shen Yuan realized was standing next to him, lit up a talisman for them. When Shen Yuan looked over to his fellow cultivator, he was surprised that Gongyi Xiao wasn’t at all alarmed at the fact that they were surrounded by coffins. He was glaring ahead. Shen Yuan was about to ask but Gongyi Xiao suddenly took a step forward and held an arm over him protectively. 

“Ah, Supreme Demon Emperor, Cang Qiong Mountain Sect’s 3rd ranked most beautiful male cultivator, and my son-in-law. Shen Yuan. I have long awaited the honor of meeting you.” Came a deep and dangerously handsome-sounding voice. 

Shen Yuan looked towards the direction Gongyi Xiao was glaring at. There was a stack of coffins in a corner of the room and on that pile sat a male figure. Though this man appeared to just be lounging about casually, he still exuded a tremendous amount of killing intent and dark qi. Shen Yuan gulped. He felt chills down his spine, it was the same feeling with Zhuzhi Lang. He could already guess who this man is. Tianlang Jun. 

Now he knew where Binghe got his looks from. Tianlang Jun was a handsome man who looked the part of ‘Supreme Demon Emperor’ more than Shen Yuan ever could. The man was dressed in a black and red robe made of fine, expensive silks. It seems to be the color scheme of the family. It was even opened at the chest - exposing skin was also a family thing huh? Shen Yuan did not dare linger his gaze at his future father-in-law’s exposed chest. Binghe’s will always have better-looking tiddies anyway. Unlike Binghe’s preference for simple garments, Tianlang Jun’s handsome male form was adorned with gold chains and exquisite sparkling gems. He was a drop dead handsome demonic deity - the REAL treasure in this mausoleum. 

Shen Yuan tore his gaze from the sinfully handsome demon emperor in front of them to look over to Gongyi Xiao. He realized that Tianlang Jun basically just outed him in front of Gongyi Xiao. SHIT! Looks like he won’t be having that fun reunion over drinks with his Gongyi Gege anymore after this huh? That’s a shame… he liked Gongyi Xiao. He seemed like a fun guy he would have liked to keep as a friend and an older brother figure. He also reminded Shen Yuan of one of his favorite characters from his favorite book. Wei Wuxian.

“Third most beautiful male Cultivator?” Gongyi Xiao had a brow raised. “I did not know there was such a ranking in your Sect, Xiao Yuan. That’s quite interesting…” Gongyi Xiao was rubbing his chin, looking highly amused. He seemed to be staring at Shen Yuan intently. 

“Interesting right? My son is ranked second you know, and I’ve been told he looks exactly like me. We’re a family blessed and cursed by the heavens for our beauty.“ Tianlang Jun smirked, making him all the more dangerously handsome even in this dimly lit room. 

“Gongyi-gege… i-is that really what you took from his address of me…?” Shen Yuan wasn’t sure how to react. Just like another one of his favorite book characters, Xie Lian, he did not know whether to laugh or cry. Tianlang Jun just sitting there looking menacing yet casually talking to them as if they were in a family reunion is freaking him out. Gongyi Xiao wasn’t helping at all with how he was nonchalantly taking all this information in too! Is he surrounded by weird people?!

Gongyi Xiao eyed Shen Yuan for a bit, effectively making Shen Yuan hold his breath and brace himself for some good ‘ol demon racism and denouncing’. He had been lucky that the cultivators he had met so far and befriended were demon-friendly. This might be the first time he’d be berated for his kind - even if he was human in his former life. It would still hurt if it came from someone he considered his gege, like Gongyi Xiao.

Gongyi Xiao furrowed his brow and raised a hand and Shen Yuan braced himself for a slap or a hit but instead the hand fell on his head gently. Gongyi Xiao was petting him!

“Well, I am a little upset for being lied to. Now I feel silly too!” Gongyi Xiao then removed his hand from Shen Yuan and fished out his evil compass. “It really DOES work! Aiyah! This thing goes crazy when near powerful demons, Luo-xiong’s father addressed you as a demon emperor. And Luo-xiong himself is the son of that scary handsome heavenly demon over there! You two really are powerful demons ha ha ha!” Shen Yuan tensed when he felt Gongyi Xiao playfully smack him on the back.

“This lowly one begs Gege’s forgiveness…I- me and Binghe are not-”

“We’ll talk later, Xiao Yuan.” Gongyi Xiao had returned to glaring at Tianlang Jun. “This man may be Luo-xiong’s father, but he still reeks of killing intent. Not once has it faded during our conversation with him.”

“Mm, what a smart child.” Tianlang Jun rose to his feet. In a split second, he seemed to disappear then reappear beside them. Shen Yuan saw through the attack with his thought acceleration so he was able to quickly grab Gongyi Xiao and shove him away. Shen Yuan immediately got into a defensive stance. Tianlang Jun was quite aggressive as he kept attacking him. While Shen Yuan focused on deflecting the blows, Gongyi Xiao had his sword at the ready and attacked alongside him. For a human, he was impressive with his movements. 

“My dear nephew, please play with this human while I deal with my future son-in-law here. Your uncle just woke up from his slumber and can only handle so much~” Shen Yuan knew that Tianlang Jun could pluck off both their heads easily but he was holding back. Despite the tremendous amount of killing intent he constantly released from his body, he doesn’t seem to want to kill them. Shen Yuan likened this to a powerful beast playing with his food or a God looking down on insignificant mortals. Well technically, Tianlang Jun is the demonic equivalent of a fully ascended God. 

Upon hearing the command Zhuzhi Lang jumped into the fight and drew away Gongyi Xiao. Shen Yuan could finally see Zhuzhi Lang’s appearance since his cloak’s hood was now pulled down. The man had scales and the features of a snake. He fought like one too, his body swayed and bended almost like an anaconda enticing its prey until it could crush your body in its tail. Gongyi Xiao, however, was a very skilled fighter, he seems to be holding off on his own. Shen Yuan would have to rely on his companion to keep himself alive as he tried to face his father-in-law.

“Why are you doing this! If this is about taking over the northern border and declaring myself a demon emperor, I don’t intend to usurp anyone! I just want my people to coexist with the rest of the demon realm. I didn't mean to conquer the northern border! You can have it back if you want!” Shen Yuan tried to reason with Tianlang Jun while still trying to deflect his attacks. 

Tianlang Jun, even with Shen Yuan’s thought acceleration skill, was faster and stronger. He felt the blade slice through his skin. Though he can quickly knit back this disguise’s flesh, Shen Yuan could feel his energy slowly drain. It is as if every time he took a hit from Tianlang Jun’s sword, his energy was being absorbed. The demon wasn’t even using a special sword, probably some old thing he found lying around this mausoleum. However, Tianlang Jun managed to transform that rusty old thing into a powerful weapon. 

“Mm, from what I’ve heard, you’ve also conquered the west. I am very impressed, Xiao Yuan.... “ Tianlang Jun spoke, his tone seemed casual but genuine. Like he really was proud of him. This confused Shen Yuan. What was this demon emperor’s motives? This man mentioned that he ‘woke up from his slumber’ so was he just bored or something?

”But no. This lord has long since stopped caring about the political affairs of the mortal and demon realm. You can have at my land for all I care, since you’re already engaged to my boy.” Then Tianlang Jun seemed to perk up.

“By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask, have you and my son dual cultivated?”

“Huh? What’s that?”

“Ah, I will have to have a talk with you and teach you some time, my boy. I have useful literature you may peruse. You still lack power for a demon Emperor, dual cultivation may help you and my son.” Tianlang Jun Casually spoke, even as he was still clashing swords with Shen Yuan.

“Okay- wait, you haven’t answered me yet! Why are you doing this?!”

“What I care about is that thing you stole. You have something of mine, Xiao Yuan. Return it to me now, it’s a dangerous toy. It must be sealed and never used again. Why do you think I hid it away before my eternal slumber?” Tianlang Jun’s casual face then darkened. Finally, his face matched the killing intent that surrounded his body.

“The three realms are not worthy of its power. This includes myself…. You as well, little one. You are not worthy of its power.” 

Suddenly, Shen Yuan felt his blood run cold. There was a strange sensation in his chest. It is as if Tianlang Jun felt familiar to him despite this being the first time they have ever met. He then remembered something suddenly. It was during Binghe’s trial by combat and he had just summoned one of his replica Xinmo swords. One of the demon nobles spoke: 

“That’s the sword passed down to all Heavenly Demon Emperors…” 

It then clicked. 

“So you’re my gege’s previous master.” 

“Your gege?” Tianlang Jun raised a brow. 

“This is all a misunderstanding, please listen!” Shen Yuan cried out as he used his sword to block Tianlang Jun’s slash. The impact of the slash was so great that it broke his practice sword in half. Shen Yuan managed to jump back but now he only had his fan as a weapon. 

“Sorry, little one. This lord cannot afford to have that cursed sword in the hands of another. Even in the hands of my son’s beloved.” Tianlang Jun’s movements grew more swift and brutal. He really looked like he was just picking on and bullying a much weaker prey. Shen Yuan did not feel the pain but he felt the fatigue. Using only his fan weapon, he tried his best to defend himself but this demon deity was far too strong for him. 

“You’re quite impressive for lasting this long especially in Xin Mo’s influence. I do applaud you, but unfortunately, you are no match for me. Just give it up, I promise I shall show you mercy. My nephew likes you and my son would be very sad to be without a mate.” Tianlang Jun’s tone was serious, not a trace of mocking in sight. He seemed to genuinely want to spare their life. Yet this was all a BIG misunderstanding! 

“Don’t force me to harm you any more than I already have. You know you cannot beat me.” 

[Notice. User Shen Yuan’s energy has been severely depleted. Five layers of protective barrier have been destroyed by Emperor Tianlang Jun. Escape from this fight is highly recommended.]

Shen Yuan cursed in his mind. He knew he was at his limit. They really need to find a way to escape if he can’t reason with his father-in-law. Geez, just when he thought he was doing well with the in-law’s. Binghe’s other dad, their Shizun, has already accepted him into the family quite well… but then here comes Binghe’s crazy demon deity of a father. Shen Yuan probably wouldn’t survive meeting Binghe’s mom!

“I do wonder how you even got here in the first place. Those of my clan and the only ones I personally permit are allowed in this palace. Anyone who enters this underground palace dies almost instantly.” 

“Wait- is this, by any chance, Xin Mo’s palace? Is this the basement?” Shen Yuan’s eyes widened at the realization.

“You are correct, Xiao Yuan. This is where I’ve sealed myself for the past few years since my ascension as a True Demon Emperor.” 

Shen Yuan had tried many times to reach the divinity system but communication was being hindered by an unknown force. He couldn’t even use Xin Mo’s ability to make portals. While he can use the unique skills he acquired from abyss monsters and his spiritual cultivation, he can’t use any of Xin Mo’s skills. His system informed him that it was Tianlang Jun’s unknown Ultimate Skill that surrounded this place. Now that Tianlang Jun mentioned it, this strange aura and feeling was the same sensation he felt whenever he ventured too close to the lower floors of Xin Mo’s palace. 

They were in the basement all along! Since he cannot communicate with the divinity system, he contacted Gongyi Xiao normally through his mind.

‘Gongyi-gege, can you hear me?’

‘Woah! Xiao Yuan? You’re in my head?! Cool!’ 

‘Focus! I know how we can escape. My powers are being suppressed by some kind of barrier, but if we can reach the floor above this, I can use my weapon to tear a portal for us to escape!’

It took a minute or two before Gongyi Xiao responded, he must be struggling to fight off Zhuzhi Lang. Shen Yuan could no longer see the two, they must be in the far corner of the room still battling it out.

‘Right. We need to find a way to escape huh? Hmm… give me a moment, Xiao Yuan. Your gege got this.’ Gongyi Xiao spoke back.

Tianlang Jun then managed to grab hold of Shen Yuan by the neck. With his energy drained from the multitude of attacks and damage he sustained, Shen Yuan could only struggle weakly against the heavenly demon’s grasp. Tianlang Jun then plunged his one arm into his stomach, he must have figured out Shen Yuan was a slime demon so stabbing him didn’t really do much damage. Shen Yuan was surprised Tianlang Jun actually managed to dip his arms into his stomach storage. This must be a gruesome scene for Gongyi Xiao, watching Tianlang Jun pull random things out from Shen Yuan’s stomach and using him as if he was Mary Poppin’s bag. Tianlang Jun mostly pulled out abyss monster parts, the burnt meat buns he tried to make, and various other trinkets from the human realm. The heavenly demon seemed to pause after a while. 

“Interesting… you truly are a fascinating little one huh Shen Yuan…” Tianlang Jun whispered into Shen Yuan’s ear after he had rummaged through his stomach inventory. 

“So this is why you insist that you can’t give Xin Mo back to me… you’ve-”

Before Tianlang Jun could finish his sentence, a gigantic snake-like creature had smashed into them. 

Gongyi Xiao just threw Zhuzhi Lang at them. 

Chapter Text

Shen Yuan was severely injured by the time Gongyi Xiao managed to snatch him from Tianlang Jun after kicking the gigantic snake demon onto them. Though Shen Yuan could not feel pain, he felt his energy depleted to a dangerously low level. He had to tell his system to not put him in hibernation mode. That’s how pathetically weak his power level is compared to a fully ascended ‘True Demon Emperor’ like Tianlang Jun. The most frightening part was that Tianlang Jun wasn’t even being serious with him right now. Though there certainly was killing intent, the demon emperor did not intend to kill them. He probably was just toying with them. Tianlang Jun wanted to exhaust him until he could grab Xin Mo.  

That’s the other frightening thing. HE is essentially Xin Mo right now. Shen Yuan ate him! His power is Xin Mo’s and his spirit is essentially Xin Mo’s, how can he possibly return what he already ate?!

When Gongyi Xiao had grabbed hold of Shen Yuan, he felt the last bit of his strength leave him. Shen Yuan transformed back into his true form as a result. This alarmed Gongyi Xiao but nevertheless, he held his slime form into his arms and began dashing out of the room and into the hallways.

“Woah! Xiao Yuan?! What happened to you? Did he melt you?!” His gege cried out.

‘Don’t be alarmed, Gongyi-gege. This is my true form, I’m a slime demon. Tianlang Jun wore me down so much that I cannot retain my humanoid form anymore. I will need time to recuperate my qi.’ Shen Yuan used telekinesis once again since he could no longer manifest a mouth.

“Tsk tsk, what naughty children. Don’t make me break a leg or two of your human friend, Xiao Yuan.” Tianlang Jun was leisurely walking over to them in long strides. If Shen Yuan had a heart, it would be beating so fast right now. He never felt this much anxiety and fear ever since arriving in this world. This must be how it felt to be a real slime, a small powerless prey, being hunted by an apex predator.

“Xiao Yuan, you’re not the only one with deep dark secrets up his sleeve.” Gongyi Xiao turned around to face both Tianlang Jun and Zhuzhi Lang, as if ready to fight them. Shen Yuan’s slime eyes widened. 

‘Gege, what are you attempting?! Just run! We can’t fight them!’ Shen Yuan pleaded, feeling frightened for Gongyi Xiao’s life.

“I may not be a powerful demon…but I know a trick or two.” Gongyi Xiao then pulled out what seemed like paper dolls from his sleeve and he threw them at both demons and, Shen Yuan felt a concentrated amount of demonic qi. In an instant, those papermen flew over to both their pursuers. 

“Oh?” Was all Tianlang Jun managed to say before he was brought down to his knees. Both demons were crushed and pinned to the ground by gigantic demon spirits that were summoned by the paper dolls. 

“Take that!” Gongyi Xiao then turned around and ran for it, he had a mad grin on his face the entire time.  It was comical to see a gigantic snake and an fully ascended True Demon Emperor being sat on by gigantic demon spirits. This was how Tianlang Jun and Zhuzhi Lang looked as Shen Yuan and Gongyi Xiao ran away from them. 

‘Was that…’

“Heh, I’m something of a demonic cultivator myself, Xiao Yuan.” Gongyi Xiao finally managed to say while he panted and ran.

‘OH MY GOD YOU REALLY ARE LIKE WEI WUXIAN!’ 

“Like who?”

Shen Yuan was fanboying and awestruck. He quickly composed himself when he spotted a set of stairs that lead to the support floor just ahead of them. 

‘Nevermind! Quick, over there!’

Since the basement area was a place Shen Yuan never ventured into, they struggled a bit with the miriad of booby traps and obstacles. The basement was probably the most sacred place in this underground palace since it housed the True demon emperor himself. It was only natural for Tianlang Jun to put in as many arrays and traps as he can to guard his ‘resting place’ against intruders. Nevertheless, they managed to make it upstairs and the place started to look more and more familiar. His home. 

The room they ended up in was Xin Mo’s throne room, the place where it all began. Shen Yuan was technically born here. Slimes were formed through concentrated energy, so he really was technically Xin Mo’s blood relative since he was probably born from his gege’s concentrated dark qi. If only his Gege was here to help them…

Gongyi Xiao placed Shen Yuan carefully on the large throne. He quickly set up an array around the room, a security array that helped hide the throne room for a good few hours. Knowing the power of their pursuers, they didn’t have much time. Still, this was better than nothing.

‘Thankyou Gongyi Gege…the demonic qi in this room should help me regain some bit of my strength.’ Shen Yuan explained.

“So… you’re really a demon huh? A demon Emperor in fact.” Gongyi Xiao casually walked in and leaned against the throne that Shen Yuan was resting on.

‘And you’re a demonic cultivator…’ Shen Yuan countered.  

Both laughed at this. Their situation was certainly less than appealing but they couldn’t help but laugh.

“The Palace Master would probably highly disapprove of my practices. But I’ve always questioned it all. His teachings, spiritual cultivation… and pretty much the cultivation world’s way of thinking. They can sometimes be…hypocrites.” Gongyi Xiao frowned at this. Shen Yuan, throughout his encounters with this gege, never once saw him with this look of displeasure. Gongyi Xiao had kept a good mood even after he found out Shen Yuan and Binghe were demons! He must really not agree much with his Sect’s teachings huh? Shen Yuan took note to do more research and gather information regarding the four great sects once they’re out of here. He found the politics of it interesting.  

“I’ve subdued and exorcized many demonic beasts and malevolent spirits through the years,” Gongyi Xiao explained. “I’ve come to learn many things and truths. One of them was that spiritual powers alone are not always enough and a malevolent spirit’s resentment can be devastatingly powerful. It’s like the willpower of men.” This piqued Shen Yuan’s interest. He listened further to Gongyi Xiao’s words quietly.  

“Humans of this world cultivate and break the will of fate to become immortals and even ascend into Godhood. It’s not that surprising for the dead to break the will of fate to remain on this realm through their strong will and emotions.” 

“I simply borrow the powers of the dead, make use of their strong will. It does require me to sacrifice my cultivation slightly to walk this path…” Gongyi Xiao seemed to look at his palm and sigh. Shen Yuan assumed he must be damaging his meridians and dantians in the process, all for the sake of his ‘studies’. He definitely resembled his favorite character Wei Wuxian. Gongyi Xiao had the spirit of an innovator and he thought outside of the box.Truly a genius ahead of his time. Shen Yuan admired and respected Gongyi Xiao for that. Perhaps he could help…

‘There is a way for you to practice demonic cultivation without damaging your spiritual cultivation, Gege.’ Shen Yuan suggested, which caused Gongyi Xiao to perk up.

“Really?” 

‘Well, Uncle Liu is a good example. He has begun to walk the path of demonic cultivation, but there is still a sacrifice he must make in order to proceed further. If this sacrifice is something you’re willing to make, then I can offer you this alternative.’ This was a conversation he probably needed to have with his uncle Liu too once things had settled down.

“Oh? What is it?” Gongyi Xiao asked. “How did The Bai Zhan Peak lord come to walk the unorthodox path?” 

‘He pledged his allegiance to me.’ Shen Yuan then began to explain his 'divinity system’ skill to him. Of course, he left out the fact that he was a transmigrator because that would probably require a bit more time to explain. However, he did explain how he came to be the ‘Demon Emperor’ of the Endless Abyss and how ‘pledging loyalty’ to him works. Included in his brief rundown was how the human would turn into a demon if he continues to make use of his gifted abilities while under Shen Yuan’s divinity system. By the end of his little explanation, Gongyi Xiao seemed eager to learn more. Shen Yuan saw the curious glint in those dark eyes.

‘I trust Gongyi Gege, so if he is willing, I can take you in as a follower. Don’t worry, I won’t force you into following me or taking part in my rule over the demon realm. It’s just so you can freely practice your craft without damaging your cultivation. I’d hate for your potential to discover new paths to go to waste. It will help the cultivation world.’ Shen Yuan offered. Of course, it would feel weird if he did not benefit from this offer. He did not want Gongyi Xiao to feel indebted to him, so he added a clause to their agreement. 

‘All I ask in return is for Gongyi Gege to provide me with information about your new form of cultivation in writing. I am simply curious and would love to support this endeavor.’

“I know you won’t enthrall me Xiao Yuan. And after everything we’ve been through, I trust you. I’ll definitely take you up on that offer, but not now.” Shen Yuan then felt a hand pet his slime-head. “You are in no condition to be making contracts with humans. You said the contract demands an equal exchange so it drains your qi too. Let us talk once we’re out of here and safe, alright?” Gongyi Xiao sounded like a true big brother. A worried big brother. If Shen Yuan had a mouth right now, he would be smiling. 

Speaking of mouths and human forms.

‘Sure! I’m just about recovered enough to summon a portal out of here I think.’ Shen Yuan then bounced off the throne and assumed his humanoid form. He took on his more demonic form complete with his tail and horns since it costs less energy to not be fully human. He chuckled when he saw Gongyi Xiao gawk at him.

“Heyyy, Gongyi gege I’m not THAT ugly in my demon form, am I?” Shen Yuan pouted. “I can remain a slime, but it’s easier to use my fan in this form…”

“N-no! I did not say you are ugly! Aiyah!” Gongyi Xiao’s face was extremely red and it only made Shen Yuan laugh.

“I only tease, Gege. Don’t worry.” He then pulled out his fan weapon and unfolded it. With one graceful swipe, a portal appeared. It was small but big enough for one person to squeeze through one at a time.

“Alright, let’s get out of there.” Shen Yuan said, sighing in relief. Before they both jumped in, he managed to lay down his own array around the underground palace. That should hopefully prevent Tianlang Jun from using teleportation skills for a good few hours. This should buy them a bit more time. However, he had a strange feeling Tianlang Jun won’t be pursuing them any time soon. Tianglang Jun probably let himself be caught by those large demon spirits for the heck of it. 

Tianlang Jun already knew the truth. After all, he rummaged through his stomach and got a closer look inside Shen Yuan. He was sure the heavenly demon already realized that Xin Mo had long since been absorbed by him. 

It still horrified him to think that perhaps Tianlang Jun would think up a worst fate for him now that he knew Shen Yuan is the one who held the power of this world’s greatest cursed weapon. Will that fully ascended heavenly demon come after HIM to seal him? 

Well he probably won’t be thinking of that for a while. For now, he needed to focus on getting back to the human world and reuniting with his lover and their Shizun.

The portal he summoned led him to his very own demon town. The first thing Shen Yuan did was try to contact his lover through their private communication within the divinity system.

‘Binghe? Are you there? Binghe!’

‘...’ 

Strange, usually, Binghe would not delay a response unless he is unconscious. Perhaps he was sleeping? Shen Yuan gazed up at the sky. It’s the same red sky so he could not tell whether it was night or day. Time flowed differently within the pocket dimensions of Xin Mo’s palace so he wasn’t sure how many days had passed since.

“How long have we been out?” Just in time, Gongyi Xiao asked. Shen Yuan gave him a brief explanation of the time differences of pocket dimensions. 

“Ah, completely unpredictable. I get it. It’s similar to that female ghost’s pocket dimension in that small village.” Gongyi Xiao referenced that mission they did with the lady ghost and the blind cultivator.

“What a good observation, gege.” Shen Yuan nodded. “In any case, we managed to escape. This is the town I rule over within the endless abyss so we’re guaranteed to be safe here.” Shen Yuan explained as he began to lead them further into his domain. As they walked, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Not being able to contact Binghe was one of the reasons but he sensed a strange atmosphere around his own town. Did something happen while they were away?

“Wow, Xiao Yuan’s town huh? And we’re in the infamous endless abyss! Certainly does not look like the hell it was described to be… in fact, that basement of yours is certainly more hellish than anything from here.” Gongyi Xiao looked around the fairly normal looking buildings and houses. 

“Whatever we just went through in there, let’s hope it isn’t worse than what Binghe, Shizun, and your juniors are experiencing…” Shen Yuan looked at his fan and sighed. “I will need a few more hours to recover enough energy to transport us back to the human realm.” He concluded. He wished he could recover faster, he REALLY needed to check up on Binghe and his Shizun. Shen Yuan felt anxious and restless for some reason.

As they entered the town square, Shen Yuan saw Alpha and Uncle Airplane running over to them. Both of his spymasters were wearing worried and serious looks. That did not bode well. 

“JUNSHANG! There you are! Where have you been?! We were so worried!” Uncle Airplane spoke up, looking like he was about to explode from stress. There were bags under his eyes upon closer inspection.

“You have to hurry back to the human realm, Junshang!” Alpha added.

“It’s Luo Binghe and Your Shizun! Gods everything is in chaos!” Uncle Airplane exclaimed. 

Shen Yuan suddenly felt as if his stomach just dropped and his chest tightened. His fingertips ached and twitched from the anxiety he felt. He had a very VERY bad feeling all of a sudden.

“What happened, Uncle Airplane!?” He managed to finally ask. 

“I’m afraid a LOT has happened these past few days! We couldn't contact you, we were worried something big must have happened! But we had no time to investigate!!” 

“So…”

Then Uncle Airplane told them everything. Binghe and his Shizun were imprisoned in Huan Hua Palace. They were accused of colluding with the demons to kill innocent humans and cultivators. There were unexplained and confusing details but Shen Yuan got the general gist of it. This is bad…HOW did things get THIS bad in a matter of days?! No wonder he couldn’t contact Binghe even after escaping Tianlang Jun. Also, the sudden accusations were very suspicious and out of nowhere. This couldn’t have happened naturally, someone must have been pulling the strings. 

Shen Yuan had a gut feeling this was all planned. Was his encounter with Tianlang Jun also a part of this? So many questions but no time to ponder! 

“We were about to come rescue them but we’ve JUST NOW heard news of their escape and now they’re on the run and are wanted criminals in the cultivaton world!” Uncle airplane held his head while Alpha comforted the poor stressed human.

“We must hurry!” Shen Yuan pulled out his fan, determined to rescue his lover and Shizun! 

Chapter Text

Shen Qingqiu had been resting in bed when the door slammed open. Binghe burst in looking like an absolute mess. Shen Qingqiu was about to speak when Binghe ran up to him and got on all fours, slamming his head against the floor.

“BABA! I REMEMBER! EVERYTHING! ALL OF IT!” His demonic son cried out.

“Binghe, calm down! Rise, you foolish son. You’re hurting yourself!” Shen Qingqiu got off the bed and went over to his apologetic son and placed a hand on his back. This felt familiar. Back when a younger Luo Binghe would be distressed, Shen Qingqiu would always calm the boy down by rubbing his back. Then what comes after…

Smack

“Oww… Shizun…” Binghe flinched when Shen Qingqiu smacked him on the head with a fan. Shen Qingqiu assumed his usual cold and stern demeanor. 

“Took you long enough to remember your old man. Foolish son of mine.” The elder peak lord huffed, reopening his folding fan. From how he seemed to eagerly fan himself, however, Shen Qingqiu showed how relieved and happy he was to have his son back. He was also glad to finally see his son’s mood lift. Whenever Binghe was in his presence, Shen Qingqiu would always notice how gloomy and hurt he looked. Now, Luo Binghe is back to how he usually was four years ago. His little white lotus.

“Shizun, my heavenly demon blood can heal your infection. Please, allow this lowly disciple to treat you.” Binghe spoke, still on his knees and eyeing Shen Qingqiu’s infected arm. 

Shen Qingqiu pulled up his sleeves to reveal the wound, still covered in black cloth. He nodded his head and sat back down on the bed. Binghe dutifully attended to him and carefully unwrapped the black cloth from his arm. Upon seeing the rotting flesh on his once flawless and beautiful jade skin, Shen Qingqiu noticed how his son’s eyes literally flashed red. 

“It does not hurt this teacher, calm yourself disciple Binghe.” Shen Qingqiu reassured his worried disciple. 

“Still…” 

“So how did it happen? How did you…remember?” Shen Qingqiu inquired, trying to change the topic while Binghe went to work on treating his arm.

“This disciple isn’t sure. It just started rushing back in after our argument… “ Binghe then cut his wrist with an elongated black claw and let his blood flow onto Shen Qingqiu’s festering wound. As he watched the dark red color of his blood, he remembered more of it.

“Those red things… they’re like A-Yuan’s system.” 

Shen Qingqiu’s eyes widened and he raised his brow. “You know of…it?”

Binghe nodded his head. His son explained how he would often use it for missions or when communicating with Shen Yuan and his subordinates. It was a very helpful and handy tool, a far cry from his evil vindictive one that Shen Qingqiu had.

Speaking of the system, Shen Qingqiu wondered why the wretched thing was quiet right now. He had been worried that the thing would try to manipulate Binghe’s memories again. Thankfully, it hasn’t attempted such a thing.

The next day, Shen Qingqiu decided to head downstairs to check up on everyone. After last night, he felt a lot better. ‘Reconciling’ with his son brought his mood up a lot and he also felt rejuvenated thanks to the heavenly demon blood. His infection has completely healed. He knew of the consequences of ingesting heavenly demon blood of course but he trusted his son with his life. Binghe would never attempt anything nefarious against his father. 

When the elder peak lord reached the basement where the head monk Wu Chen was resting in, a youthful energetic boy came rushing in from behind him. He was about to reprimand the bouncy Bai Zhan Peak brat when the child spoke. 

“We’re saved! The quarantine has been lifted and all the demons are captured!!!” The Bai Zhan Peak head disciple, Yang Yixuang, yelled out!

“What?” Mu Qingfan blinked and turned to the boy in mild shock. His Shidi was in the middle of changing the wound dressings of the elder monk.

“Shizun and I, along with the Huan Hua juniors, captured them all! Jinlan City is saved!!” The boy explained further. The boy seemed teary eyed, Shen Qingqiu recalled that his father passed away because of these demons. 

“That’s good news. We must contact the alliance immediately.” Mu Qingfan then got to work on contacting Qi-ge. The Huan Hua juniors also reported to their Palace master. 

Half a day later, cultivators from all four sects as well as other minor sects came pouring into Jinlan City. Most are probably curious about what became of the city since the majority of them could only watch from a distance during the quarantine period. The three major sect leaders arrived as well. With Master Wu Chen already present, the Four Great Sects are reunited. They all gathered at the city square to discuss the fate of the demons that were captured. 

The Lord of Jinlan City also arrived with the rest of the citizens. The old lord knelt before the four sect leaders and thanked the cultivators for risking their lives to save their people from the demons. They especially thanked the Head Monk, Master Wu Chen, who was now probably permanently crippled from the rot on his leg. The Palace master was the one who spoke on behalf of the other Sects. Shen Qingqiu held himself back from sneering. Even if he had no knowledge of this creepy old man’s past crimes against Tianlang Jun and Su Xiyan, he still rubbed Shen Qingqiu the wrong way. The dirty old man literally tried to advance on him one time. Disgusting. Shen Qingqiu wanted to claw the Old Palace master’s face off whenever he’d see him. 

Liu Qingge and his little team of disciples - the juniors from Huan Hua Palace and his very own head disciple, brought in the sower demons. The creatures were detained within a barrier. The crowd stared at the creatures with disgust and fear. 

“How shall we handle these creatures?”

“This Lord suggests we send these creatures back to their realm and have the demon lords and the demon Emperor deal with them. They should not stay in our land longer than they already have, they could spread more plague and cause harm.” Shen Qingqiu spoke up. His words seemed to displease the crowd as well as the Huan Hua Palace master.

“I propose we burn these creatures that not even their ash remains.” The old Huan Hua Palace master suggested. This time, the crowd seemed to approve of this suggestion. “I’ve read tomes about these creatures. They fear high temperatures. Fire will be efficient and effective so not even a corpse would remain. Their bodies are still highly contagious of the disease they bring to our kind.” 

“The wise Palace Master speaks the truth. I for one agree with this suggestion.” One of the cultivators spoke up. “It would put everyone’s mind at ease knowing nothing would remain of these disease spreading demons.” 

“Isn’t that too brutal and inhumane? These pitiful creatures already fear fire yet you sentence them to death by flames.” Shen Qingqiu reasoned out. He didn’t need to turn around to feel his son’s anger and distaste for this old Palace master as well. When Binghe took a step forward, Shen Qingqiu quickly stopped him with a hand on the lad’s shoulder. He gave it a little squeeze to comfort the angered Binghe.

“Peak Lord Shen, do you not pity the souls of the dead brought upon by these creatures?” The Lord of Jinlan City said, followed by murmurs from the crowd. 

“Why show these despicable demons mercy, Peak Lord Shen? Demons are our natural enemies. Humanity must never show these things mercy.” Palace master responded. Shen Qingqiu wanted to punch this old coot in the face. With the old man’s exaggerated movements and facial expressions, it was obvious he was coaxing him or mocking him almost.

Shen Qingqiu was about to respond when one of the sowers shot up and tried to run over to them only to smash its little body onto the barrier. The demon fell on its rear and whimpered in pain.

“Immortal Master Shen! Please save us! We were only following your orders! You won’t let this happen right? Master! Don’t let these humans burn us!” It cried out.

“?!”

The crowd gasped and Shen Qingqiu’s eyes widened. Huh? 

“If the things this demon uttered are true, we demand an explanation from you, Peak Lord Shen.” The Palace eyed the father-son duo with disdain. 

“Yeah! Give us an explanation this instant, Peak Lord Shen! Have you betrayed your kind?! Was this all YOUR doing?!” A random cultivator from the crowd yelled and the rest of the crowd responded in approval. The crowd is growing more and more restless, if they could not calm them down, chaos might ensue. There were ordinary folk among this crowd, Shen Qingqiu knew he cannot act rashly lest he involve innocent civilians in this. 

His martial siblings joined in on the crowd’s noise, but they were defending Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe. Cang Qiong Mountain was a Peak that valued camaraderie. They do things together. All twelve peaks united into one. Right now, this core principle of their sect is going to make things worse. Shen Qingqiu knew he needed to pacify his marital siblings. Liu Qingge and Qi Qingqi were ready to attack! However, before Shen Qingqiu would react, he heard Binghe yell from behind him. 

“You leave Shizun out of this, he has nothing to do with this plague and these demons!”

“Quiet child!” Shen Qingqiu scolded which caused Binghe to flinch and drop his head in shame. Despite being scolded, Shen Qingqiu could still see his son’s clenched fist and stubborn knitted brow. “You should not be speaking out of turn. He is still your senior of high status. Let this teacher and father deal with this.” Shen Qingqiu’s tone turned softer.

“But Shizun…”

“Come to think of it, that disciple of yours is just as suspicious as his teacher. Did he not disappear into the endless abyss four years ago? Yet here he stands, unchanged and uncorrupted by that wretched realm. Or did he…?”

“What are you getting at, Palace master?” Qi-ge would ask in a dangerously low voice. Shen Qingqiu could hear the overprotective older brother and uncle in Qi-ge’s tone which he appreciated. 

“This lord just realized…” The Palace Master, with his hands behind his back, approached Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe. The bastard was giving both of them looks of disgust. 

“Both of them are highly suspicious right now. It won’t be far off to assume they are colluding with the demons.” This bold accusation earned whispers and mutterings from the crowd, all their words spoke of their growing suspicion over the teacher-disciple duo. 

“Madness! Baseless accusations!” Qi Qingqi hissed.

The Palace Master then spoke up. “Wasn’t he reported to be infected by this plague? Compared to poor Master Wu Chen who had lost the function of his legs, Peak Lord Shen seems to be standing there just fine, not a trace of rotting on his flesh.”

The crowd gasps.  

“You’re a despicable man of no morals Shen Qingqiu. You and your son are done for!” The Palace Master continued to berate him from insults. Before Shen Qingqiu could speak, he saw a flash of red and black in the corner of his eyes. He heard the crowd of people around them gasping along with the sound of unsheathing swords. When he looked in the direction of the palace master, his dark pupils shrunk. Binghe held the old man by the neck while several Huanhua cultivators pointed their swords at him.

“Don’t you dare insult my shizun like that! He has done nothing!” Binghe growled, squeezing his clawed hand. The lad’s demon mark was visible and glowing for all to see and his eyes were crimson and pupils slitted. He was very obviously a demon, there’s no hiding that. What’s worse is that he revealed himself to the public as a heavenly demon.

“Demon! Heavenly demon! How can this be?!”

“Luo Binghe put the old man down this instant, this is a command from your Shizun!” Shen Qingqiu yelled in his authoritative and fatherly voice. That seemed to reach his frenzied disciple and Binghe immediately shoved the old man to the ground. Shen Qingqiu rushed over to his son, ignoring the swords pointed at them. Binghe seemed to be in a daze, his brain probably catching up to his actions.

“Sh-Shizun… baba.. I’m sorry I-”

“It’s fine. Everything is fine, Binghe. Stay calm. “ Shen Qingqiu whispered to the frightened young man. He swept Binghe behind him and stood protectively while he glared at the Old Palace Master who was back on his feet. 

“Detain them! Seal their meridians and detain these heretics!” The old man commanded. Almost immediately, cultivators from Huanhua Palace closed in on them. Before Binghe could think of retaliating, Shen Qingqiu stopped him.

“Don’t, Binghe.” 

“But Shizun, they’ll hurt you!”

“We’ll find a way out of this. Trust your Shizun.” Shen Qingqiu knew how complicated the situation has become now that Binghe has accidentally announced his true lineage to the entire cultivation world. Even if he still had the favor of his sect, Qi-ge and the rest of Cang Qiong Mountain Peak Lords cannot go against the will of the three other Great Sects.

He coughed out and stumbled as one of the cultivators landed a hit on his back, effectively sealing his meridians. They did the same to his son but that did not seem to make the heavenly demon flinch. Still, Shen Qingqiu was thankful that Binghe remained obedient and silent for now.

He then heard Qi-ge cry out. “Xiao Jiu!”

“Shixiong, you don’t need to say more. This Shidi is willing to be restrained.” Shen Qingqiu reassured his adoptive older brother. Unfortunately, that did not at all calm his other martial siblings. Liu Qingge and Qi Qingqi both had their spirit swords out, their fury shown in their weapons as they glowed and crackled with spiritual energy. Qi-ge had to hold the two back. With them being outnumbered at the moment and the general crowd’s favor on the Huan Hua Palace master, they had no choice but to go along with this for now. They also did not want any civilians harmed.

“We hereby sentence Peak Lord Shen and his demonic spawn to public execution.”

“An execution without a proper trial?!” Qi-ge was grabbing his sword but was quickly reprimanded by other cultivators that surrounded them. It seems his Qi-ge could no longer stay calm after that declaration. 

“Do not tarnish your reputation further, Sect Leader Yue. We already grant your Sect mercy by giving the benefit of the doubt that you were not aware of one of your peak lord’s extreme crimes and heresy. His life is all we seek, you can just get another to rule over his peak. This is three against one.”

Qi-ge tried his best to argue back and forth with the dirty old man, the other Cang Qiong Mountain peak lords chimed in. Shen Qingqiu felt a tug at his chest. He normally felt annoyance over his sticky Martial siblings, but seeing them defend his and Binghe’s innocence made Shen Qingqiu feel… happy. He really would rather not lose this new family of his.

In the end, the Palace Master relented. “Very well. This master shall honor his alliance with Sect Leader Yue. We fought Tianlang Jun together so I will grant Shen Qingqiu a fair trial. Three days from now. Sect Leader Yue Qingyuan can try to defend his innocence then perhaps he can get a lighter sentence… such as having his spiritual powers and golden core ripped out, stripping him of his cultivation and title.” Shen Qingqiu did not at all flinch at the Palace Master’s words. He did feel a chill down his spine whenever he saw the old man’s lecherous eyes on him. 

“As for the heavenly demon, he is to be executed the following day. This is the final verdict of the Immortal Alliance.”  

They were tied back to back by immortal binding cables and thankfully tossed into the same prison. Shen Qingqiu did not at all attempt to access his useless system, but he was hopeful his son could attempt to contact disciple Shen Yuan. Escape was their only option. He cannot- ABSOLUTELY will not let his son be executed.

“Any luck, Binghe?” He asked, but the resigned sigh from his son told him enough.

“This one apologizes, Shizun. I cannot contact A-Yuan.” Binghe answered, dejected. “It’s probably the arrays that surround this place or something on A-Yuan’s end. I am unable to connect to him or any of my colleagues.” 

Shen Qingqiu remained silent. He tried his best to think of a way to ensure Binghe’s survival. Even if he hated the idea, perhaps he could negotiate with the Palace master. The old sleazebag did not like him, but perhaps he could use the old man’s creepy infatuation to gain his favor. For his son, he was not above all that. He was a slave and a peasant before he was a peak lord. He had to claw his way out of every hole life shoves him into. 

Shen Qingqiu’s thoughts went darker and darker but he was interrupted when he heard his son speak.

“I’m sorry baba. Your stupid son is such a failure. This one is ashamed. I only know how to cause trouble for everyone.” 

Shen Qingqiu could feel Binghe tremble behind him. He couldn’t move his arms so he could only comfort his son through his words… which was something he was never good at. Words are hard, especially for an emotionally constipated individual like him. 

“You are a stupid brat,” Shen Qingqiu could already imagine Binghe flinching from behind him.

“But you are not a failure. Never a failure.” He then concluded. “You merely wanted to protect your family. That is what this master taught you since you were a child, remember? Protect the ones you love and uphold the teachings of our sect.” 

All he could hear now was Binghe’s quiet sobbing. Shen Qingqiu could tell that if Binghe was not bound by the immortal binding cables, he would be kowtowing repeatedly at him.

“Don’t worry, we will find a way to escape this prison together. So stop your crying, alright?”

“Yes Shizun…” 

Thud thud thud.

The father-son duo lifted their heads up when they heard faint sounds from the thick walls. 

“Shizun? What was that?” Binghe spoke up but Shen Qingqiu could only respond with his own confusion.

“I don’t-”

Suddenly, there was a loud blast and the walls exploded. They both felt a mix of spiritual and demonic qi in the air along with intense killing intent. Shen Qingqiu turned his head to the direction of the destruction. Where the wall once stood several figures emerged. Liu Qingge and Qi Qingqi both had dark menacing looks. They held their spiritual swords, the weapons blazing with spiritual energy - for Liu Qingge, it crackled demonic qi. Liu Qingge was carelessly showing off his demonic cultivation! However, neither his Sect siblings seemed to care. Mu Qingfan looked like a nervous wreck. Poor shidi. Behind him, smaller figures seemed to cling to him. Those were the Huan hua Junior disciples that aided them in this sower mission!

“Shen Shixiong, Luo Binghe. We’ve come to bust you out.” Liu Qingge announced, his eyes intense and the sword mark on his forehead glowing green. 

Chapter Text

Escape from the water prison was relatively easy and straightforward. Now that his violent martial siblings wrecked the place, they did not have to care for stealth or subtlety; Shen Qingqiu merely grabbed his son, his younger martial siblings, and flew as far as they could. Since Shen Qingqiu and Binghe were still recovering from having their qi sealed, they could only rely on his shidi’s and shimei to carry them on their swords. 

During their escape, the Huan Hua juniors assisted them as much as they could. Shen Qingqiu had asked why the junior disciples were helping their escape and they responded with:

“Peak Lord Shen came to our aid when we were being attacked by the sowers and even got himself infected as a result. We Huan Hua junior disciples feel we owe a debt of gratitude to Peak Lord Shen.”

“Also, we don’t believe a word of these accusations! Those demons lie, you fought them head on and got yourself hurt in the process. We believe you, Peak Lord Shen!” 

“It is what Da-Shixiong would have wanted us to do. He’ll scold us if we don’t help out good people like Master Shen!”

Shen Qingqiu did not know who the current Huan Hua Head disciple was, but he did make a mental note to commend the boy if he meets him in the future. This head disciple reminded him of another head disciple he had met years ago… Su Xiyan. Despite their Sect Leader being an absolute creep, Huan Hua Palace produced heroic and good-natured disciples. 

They left the Huan Hua juniors behind. Shen Qingqiu couldn’t let these children be involved more than they already were. He did not want to endanger their lives so it was best to part ways with the boys once they managed to exit Huan Hua Palace. They flew for a while until they ended up at a nearby village. 

They found a tea house and sat down there for a bit to get some rest. Shen Qingqiu certainly needed a cup of tea to calm his nerves. Everyone in his little traveling group could practice inedia, including his son, but they all could use a calming drink or two. There were little to no customers in the tea house at this time of day so they could safely speak and strategize upon their next move. Shen Qingqiu intended for his shidi’s to fill him in on what had happened during their time in the water prison. 

“You’re both wanted criminals in the cultivation world now. Especially Shen Shixiong.” Mu Qingfan explained, looking like he was about to keel over from anxiety. The man was a cultivator of the healing arts, he was not suited for these circumstances. Shen Qingqiu appreciated how his shidi tried his best to remain calm in this dire situation. 

“Destruction of their precious impenetrable prison must have added to our now endless list of crimes…” Shen Qingqiu rubbed his forehead then glared at his violent martial siblings. Liu Qingge and Qi Qingqi both stiffened under his intense glare. “Couldn’t you have broken us out of the prison in a more subtle way, Liu Shidi?!” Shen Qingqiu hissed.

“Can't…” Liu Qingqiu huffed and looked away stubbornly. “Won’t.” He added perhaps out of spite which made Shen Qingqiu’s raise a brow.

“It was our signal.” Qi Qingqi supplied while rolling her eyes at Liu Qingge. “We needed your escape to be grand and loud because it was our signal of declaring war against the three other major sects.” 

Shen Qingqiu’s pupils shrunk at the revelation. He stood up and slammed his hand on the table. “You did WHAT?!” In the corner of his eyes, he could see Binghe flinch. His poor son must be blaming himself again. 

“Zhangmen Shixiong was the one who decided this.” Liu Qingge, unaffected by his Shixiong's outburst, explained. 

“What of the other peak lords? And no- I don’t mean you three!” Shen Qingqiu glared at his three true siblings. Oh this foolish and VIOLENT family of his… they will literally be the death of him!

“The other peak lords agree to our decision. They’ve all begun their preparation to go into war. We stand together, all twelve peaks. This is how it’s always been for our sect, remember that, Shixiong.” Qi Qingqi declared proudly. “Shen Shixiong and his disciple will never be abandoned by their martial family.” 

This only made Shen Qingqiu sigh in exasperation, he could already feel his hair turn white and his smooth face grow wrinkles - even though as an immortal, that was impossible. He can, however, hear Binghe sob beside him. 

“You are all fools.”

“Well, we could have done it better if our strategist was with us… but he’s the trouble maker we had to bust out of prison, you know?” Qi Qingqiu pointed out with a smug smirk. “Besides, we were upset. We needed to take it out on their precious water prison...it wasn’t as ‘impenetrable’ as they claimed. Bah, too easy.” she added, a hint of a pout on her subtly painted lips.

“What ELSE did you three do?!” Shen Qingqiu, alarmed, pointed accusingly at his three younger martial siblings.

The three in question just looked away like the guilty vandals and ruffians they are. Shen Qingqiu wished he still had his fan with him, he badly wanted to smack these shidi’s and shimei on their heads like he would usually do when they were younger. 

They spent the night in a nearby inn so Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe can further recover their spiritual powers. The next day, the group resumed their journey back to Cang Qiong Mountain. Shen Qingqiu noticed the gloomy expression on Binghe as they were sneaking around the city and had asked him what was going on.

“This one still can’t contact A-Yuan. I’m worried for him…” 

Ah, he knew it had something to do with Shen Yuan. Shen Qingqiu also wondered where that little demon disciple of his disappeared off to. The last time he spotted the tiny demon, Shen Yuan went off to chase that sower demon with the Huan Hua Head disciple. Shen Qingqiu did not worry for Shen Yuan’s safety knowing how capable the lad was, but now… it is odd behavior for Shen Yuan to not at least attempt to contact Binghe. They were away from Huan Hua Palace’s prison, there were no security arrays barring communication. So what has happened to Shen Yuan?

“Perhaps he is elsewhere your spiritual communication cannot reach.” Shen Qingqiu offered an answer merely for comfort. “We’ll try to contact him once we return home. The spiritual qi in Cang Qiong Mountain is far greater than any land in this realm, it should help to reach him.” 

“Okay… many thanks Shizun.” Binghe nodded his head. 

As they entered the busier parts of the city, they began to hear whispers and conversations among the common folk. Shen Qingqiu and his group all wore cloaks to mask their features. There were many Huan Hua Cultivators around the area patrolling and searching for their missing fugitives. This town is under the jurisdiction of Huan Hua palace so they had to conceal themselves very carefully.

“Did you hear? Cang Qiong Mountain Sect declared war on the cultivation world.”

“So they really are working with demons!”

“This world’s largest sect turns out to be a demonic sect… we are all doomed.”

“I heard they are now under siege and all their territories are currently being seized by Huan Hua Palace.” 

“Woah really? CAN Huan Hua palace go against Cang Qiong Mountain Sect and their military might? They have that Bai Zhan War God…”

“I don’t know… but they seem to have suddenly gained significant numbers. I don’t know where these Huan Hua Palace cultivators got their soldiers, but they’ve been outnumbering and overpowering Cang Qiong’s territories one by one.”

This alarmed and disturbed the three peak lords. Shen Qingqiu in particular felt panicked and distressed. These fools really did declare war against the three other major sects. Cang Qiong Mountain sect may be the largest and most powerful cultivation sect at the moment but that does not mean they are more powerful against the three other major sects if they joined together! Something did not sit right with him as well. Since when did Huan Hua Palace acquire a military force? They are known for their well-guarded impenetrable prison, but they were not a sect known to have an army of cultivators. Something did not seem right with these rumors. 

“We need to hurry back.” Shen Qingqiu quietly told his traveling companions and received nods in return. Judging from the look on his shidis’ and shimei’s faces, they also felt the same anxiety and distress from hearing these people’s gossip. Something about all this just did not seem right. 

Just as they were about to walk to the other direction and away from the gossiping group they heard voices behind them. When Shen Qingqiu turned to see a larger group of men approach them. They all wore robes of gold. Huan Hua Palace cultivators. 

“Hey you!”

“It’s them! Cang Qiong Peak lords! And that other one must be the beast disciple!”

“Catch them!” 

Shen Qingqiu felt incredibly annoyed upon hearing these cultivators call his son ‘beast’. It reminded him of the original script. Unfortunately, he hasn’t fully recovered from having his meridians sealed to fight these hooligans head on. So he had no choice but to run away. There were way too many civilians in this city so they can’t just whip out their swords and fight. He and Binghe had no sword anyways, they can only rely on Liu Qingge and Qi Qingqi at the moment. 

“Let’s just escape. Our priority is to return home, do not delay further by getting into fights. We need to hurry back and help our martial siblings in this siege.” Shen Qingqiu spoke in his authoritative voice which caused Liu Qinggq and Qi Qingqi to sheath their swords begrudgingly. Aiyah, why must his younger siblings always choose violence first?! These blockheads.

The Cang Qiong group then ran as fast as they could. They noticed that the number of their pursuers seemed to grow more and more; if this kept up, they'd be outrunned and outnumbered. 

“Just how many are they?!” Qi Qingqiu hissed in annoyance. 

“Let’s confuse them. Shimei and I shall run in that direction!” Mu Qingfan anxiously suggested. He sounded unconvinced by his own idea, Shen Qingqiu noted.

“What?! We can’t split up, that will cause trouble! What if we lose each other?” Liu Qingge protested.

“There’s no other way, it’s easier to sneak about with a smaller group of people!” Qi Qingqi pointed out.

“Yes. We’ll meet up at the foot of Cang Qiong Mountain. Now go! go!” Mu Qingfan insisted. 

“Liu Shidi, you take care of those two troublemakers, especially Qingqiu!” That was Qi Qingqi’s parting words before they ran in opposite directions. 

The remaining trio ran to their original direction. Sneaking about in a smaller group was indeed ideal. They easily managed to shake off the mob of cultivators. They had already exited the city. They tried to stay off the main pathway to avoid attracting attention. They managed to travel for a day or two without detection until they were eventually discovered by their pursuers. 

Shen Qingqiu and his traveling companions were just about to set up camp for the evening in a nearby lake when Liu Qingge and Binghe suddenly went stiff. Binghe quickly moved closer to his father and kept a protective arm over him.

“Something’s coming.” Binghe whispered.

“A whole group of them.” Liu Qingge hissed, his hand flying to the hilt of his spirit sword. 

As the two predicted, they heard several footsteps nearby and the rustling of leaves. Not long after, several figures emerged from the darkness. They were obviously not humans from their appearances and abnormally large hulking bodies. The largest of the group stepped forward. He was a menacing creature and wore armor of steel and bones. The monster also carried with him a large hammer, a new one from the looks of it, and it had deadly spikes. 

“Ahh, The great demon general. We meet again.” 

Demons? Why did there have to be demons of all times?! They’re already being chased by hundreds of cultivators. They did not need demons to be added into the mix! Judging by how Liu Qingge and Binghe reacted to the appearance of this gang of demons, they both knew who these demons were.

“Old friends of yours?” Shen Qingqiu inquired, glancing over to both his companions.

“No. I don’t know them.” Liu Qingge answered.

“Liu Shishu you can’t be serious!?” Binghe gawked at the man who said nothing further.

This seemed to enrage the large demon whom Shen Qingqiu assumed was their leader.

“Your arrogance knows no bounds, demon general! Did we not clash swords not too long ago?!” 

Liu Qingge merely glared at the large demon indifferently. 

“...”

The demon roared then gestured to his nonexistent arm. Shen Qingqiu only just noticed that the large creature only had one arm. He would not be surprised if the demon said Liu Qingge severed that arm. His Shidi enjoyed bringing home parts of his kills. He gifts them to both him and little Shen Yuan. Shen Qingqiu was more surprised to find the demon alive after clashing swords with Liu Qingge. 

“Did I…?” Liu Qingge stared at the missing arm, which only caused the demon to roar and stomp his feet in anger.

“NO! You did not sever my arm! Don’t you remember this one, demon general?! This one’s name is Elder One Arm! We fought at that brat’s trial by combat!” The demon sneered at Luo Binghe who shot a glare in return.

“Oh. You’re still alive?” Liu Qingge seemed genuinely surprised.

“Foolish demon general. You will die for your arrogance. This time, this one will not hold back. We were told to not spare your lives and bring your heads as trophies.” The large demon snickered alongside his companions who all carried various weapons of torture. Shen Qingqiu noticed that some of them who had more human appearances wore very familiar golden robes. This confirmed Shen Qingqiu’s suspicions about Huan Hua palace. Surprisingly, it was Liu Qingge who spoke out.

“So, Huan Hua palace sect accuses Cang Qiong Mountain Sect for colluding with demons while they themselves use demons as soldiers for their war?” He pointed out. Elder One Arm did not seem like the intelligent type so he probably did not understand nor care for any of this other than to seek revenge against his shidi. 

“Bah! You humans are all hypocrites. This one cares not for your affairs. Our lord told us to kill you lot and that’s that! He had an agreement with that human in gold!” 

“So your lord… the western demon lord is colluding with the Huan Hua Palace master.” Binghe concluded. 

“I’ve had my suspicions already while I was investigating the sowers back then.” Liu Qingge informed both Shen Qingqiu and Binghe. “I believe the sowers were let loose in Jinlan City by one of the demon lords… now we know which one of them did it. This was all staged. For what reason, we still have yet to know…” Liu Qingge narrowed his eyes at the group of demons. 

“Eh whatever. You finding out about our master’s deal with the gold human doesn’t matter if you die here now.” Elder one arm said dismissively as he raised his weapon. “Let’s have some fun. I will enjoy tearing you apart, demon general. You humiliated me…Now it’s time for you to receive your due.” 

Liu Qingge was unaffected and calm as ever. He turned to his traveling companions and spoke. 

“Leave this to me, you two go ahead. This Shidi will catch up to you.” 

“We can’t leave you to fight these demons yourself, Liu Shidi!” Shen Qingqiu protested. “I know you acquired new abilities from my disciple, but that does not mean you can take on all these demons by yourself. Let us deal with this together, it’ll be quicker.” 

“Our Sect needs your help, return and protect our people. I have some of my soldiers stationed there but it’s not enough. You two also need to deliver this information to Zhangmen Shixiong. He needs to know that this entire event was a trap set up by that creepy old fart palace master. Go now!” Liu Qingge already had his sword sheathed.

“Let’s go Shizun. I think I have recovered enough to summon one of my swords, let’s continue on. Liu Shishu can handle this.” Binghe insisted from behind him. Shen Qingqiu turned to his son then to Liu Qingge. He then sighed in defeat.

“Alright. Let’s go. You better return safe, Shidi. ALL of you fools better do!” Shen Qingqiu was referring to not just the stubborn man in front of him, but to Qi Qingqi and Mu Qingfan as well. These idiots.

They ran as fast as they could. Shen Qingqiu tried to use Xiu Ya but he wasn’t sure if it was safe with how unstable his condition is at the moment. They would also attract unnecessary attention and panic. It was strange that no matter where they went, they just could not shake off their pursuers. They also seem to double in numbers every time.

Things were starting to look dire for the father-son duo. The appearance of demons amongst the army of cultivators were extremely alarming as well. Huan Hua Palace gave up subtleties and let their demon subordinates run amok alongside them. Had all his shidi’s and shimei failed? That can’t be!

In the end, they were cornered. Shen Qingqiu had thought they could lose the cultivators if they lured them in a forest area but unfortunately, that plan backfired. Fortunately, Shen Qingqiu, being the strategist that he is, had a backup plan. A plan he wishes he didn’t have to execute. He had no choice now.

Drawing blood from his wrist, he began to draw an array. He pushed Binghe away when he was about to complete the spell and stepped inside the symbol. In an instant, a large dome surrounded the forest they were trapped in. Binghe, was of course safely pushed out of the dome-like barrier. 

“Shizun, what are you doing?!” The young man called out for his father as he tried to walk inside the dome but was pushed back by the powerful spell.

“It’s no use, they’ll quickly catch up to us. This is the only way I could think of.” Shen Qingqiu explained, forcing himself to speak in a calm voice despite the thumping of his heart. 

“What are you… what are you planning, I don't like this Shizun…Baba!” Binghe must have realized what his foolish father is attempting. 

“It’s fine, Binghe… it’s alright. Everything will be alright.” Shen Qingqiu tried to comfort his son who looked distressed. He wished he could rub Binghe on the back but he couldn’t. “We’re almost at Cang Qiong mountain. You need to deliver the message to Zhangmen Shixiong. Tell them to seek the help from the other great sects. Finding evidence against Huan Hua Palace master should be easy now. You can gain the other sect’s favor again… You can do this. Everything will be okay, Binghe. Your father swears it. Nothing will happen to you.” 

“No it’s not! This disciple thinks shizun is about to do something bad! Shizun, we can still fight! I can fight! Please let me fight with you! PLEASE!” Binghe begged as he pounded on the barrier but Shen Qingqiu created the entire thing with an incredible amount of his spiritual powers. It would take a while even for a heavenly demon like Binghe to break it. 

“What are you planning, Peak Lord Shen? It’s useless! You can come with us or we’ll execute you on the spot! Must you betray your kind to save the life of this filthy demonic BEAST?!” One of the cultivators, the one leading the army, spoke up as they closed in on Shen Qingqiu. 

“Father please! They’ll hurt you! Let me protect you! BABA!” Binghe’s tone grew more and more desperate as he was practically smashing his body against the impenetrable barrier. Shen Qingqiu only offered the boy one last reassuring smile. 

“Silly boy, save your Baba some face. A father will always want to protect his son, no matter what. Now go.”

With that, Shen Qingqiu self detonates, his blast of qi killing all the cultivators and demons within the barrier in an instant. 

[User ‘Shen Qingqiu’ Scum villain’s account has been deleted.]

[System will now commence shutdown.]

[.......]

[...]

Chapter Text

All he could do was stand there in a daze. Binghe wasn’t sure how many minutes had passed nor did he care. It happened so fast and so suddenly, his brain was still trying to process what had happened.

Shen Qingqiu is dead. His father is dead. 

The barrier dissipated and the smell of blood immediately hit his nose and muddied his senses. Luo Binghe was no stranger to the smell of death after living in the endless abyss for years… but this was different. Concentrated spiritual qi still lingered in the air causing his skin to tingle. This was the powerful qi his father unleashed and sacrificed his life for. Several dead bodies of Huan Hua cultivators and demons laid on the ground. With shaking legs and a stagger to his steps, Luo Binghe walked over to the one body he meant to find. 

It was cruel how pristine Shen Qingqiu looked even as a corpse. His expression was that of peace and lament, yet still the handsome immortal master he portrayed himself to be. The only indication of his lifelessness was his unmoving chest and the blood that spilled from his mouth down to his chin. Binghe scooped up his father and carried the elder peak lord onto his back.

“Baba…Shizun….” Binghe felt tears roll down his crimson eyes as he felt how cold he was to the touch. His poor shizun. “You promised everyone we’ll meet at Cang Qiong safe and whole… You made them promise. So why couldn’t you keep yours? Why did you have to do this…?” 

It took a while before Binghe got to moving again. His journey back to Cang Qiong mountain was the hardest he’s ever done. Harder than his fall into the endless abyss. Unfortunately for the grieving Binghe, it wouldn’t end quite yet. He dreaded seeing the other peak lords and their reaction to their Shixiong’s death…

‘A-Yuan….?’

Shen Yuan paused from his movements when he finally heard Binghe’s voice.

‘Binghe?! Where are you?! Are you safe? Is Shizun with you!?’ 

There were so many questions swimming in Shen Yuan’s head. He was also extremely worried for his lover after finding out what had happened. They bumped into Liu Qingge after teleporting back to the human realm. The moment they entered the portal, Shen Yuan immediately heard Liu Qingge’s voice call for him through the divinity system. By the time they got to Uncle Liu, he was fighting a bunch of demons. Shen Yuan immediately recognized one of them as that guy who only had one arm. Wasn’t this demon working for the western demon kingdom?

Shen Yuan had been helping his Uncle Liu defeat the demons when Binghe had contacted him. While his general faced Elder One Arm, Shen Yuan, Uncle Airplane, and Gongyi Xiao was left to deal with the minions. 

‘A-Yuan… where are you? Please, I need you. Shizun… My father is dead.’

The moment he heard that, Shen Yuan’s pupils shrank and he accidentally flicked his fan a bit too hard that it nearly blasted off both Uncle Airplane and the demon he was fighting.

“Little bro, what gives!?” He heard Uncle Airplane cry out while Gongyi Xiao helped the peak lord up. 

“What’s wrong, Xiao Yuan?” Gongyi Xiao asked, he must have sensed the change in Shen Yuan’s mood. Shen Yuan stood there in silence, he was just listening to his sobbing lover from the other end of their communication line. He felt his throat go dry and his stomach drop. 

Liu Qingge, who had by now apprehended the large demon boss, jogged over to Shen Yuan. He was dragging the tied up demon with him. “Hey. Young master Shen, what’s wrong? Where is Luo Binghe? Did they return to Cang Qiong Mountain?” 

Shen Yuan turned to his three companions with a grave look on his face. 

“Shizun… he…” 

‘A-Yuan? A-Yuan!’

Binghe furrowed his brow. He seemed to have lost communication again. Strange, he just entered the premises of Cang Qiong Mountain which had an abundance of spiritual energy. No matter, he will have to contact his lover later. Knowing that A-Yuan is safe and alive is enough for him… Binghe would run into his arms later and cry. Fow now, he had to fulfill his final mission from Shen Qingqiu which was to deliver the message to Zhangmen Shixiong about Huan Hua Palace Sect’s deception. 

Upon his arrival, he immediately sensed something strange. Something bad. Didn’t Liu Shishu mention that he had his soldiers stationed at Cang Qiong Mountain? Binghe couldn’t sense any demons in the vicinity… and the place is far too quiet for a territory under siege. He expected disciples and cultivators to be guarding the entrance at the very least.

Binghe then summoned a Xinmo replica. As he expected, he had recovered enough to start using them again. He hopped on the sword, with his Shizun’s body still secured to his back. He then flew all the way up to the mountain.

With a clear vantage point from above, Binghe was alarmed to see not a single soul within the vicinity. Not even a hint of a battlefield. Even if Cang Qiong Mountain wasn’t under siege, he expected to still see disciples roaming around plucking at their musical instruments, polishing their weapons, or scurrying to do their chores. But right now? Not a single person was in sight. It is as if the entire mountain was deserted. Perhaps Zhangmen Shixiong relocated everyone to a safe place before officially declaring war?

Luo Binghe went straight for Qiong Ding Peak. Finally, he could see signs of a battle that had taken place. The surrounding buildings were lit ablaze. The rainbow bridges that lead to the other peaks from Qiong Ding Peak have been destroyed as well, probably an attempt to protect them. He was correct to head straight for their Sect Leader’s territory. The battle must have taken place here. 

When he walked into Qiong Ding Peak’s main courtyard, his eyes widened and the stench of blood hit him like a powerful punch on the gut. The sight that greeted him would forever haunt his dreams more than the sight of his father’s self detonation.

The courtyard itself was littered with bodies of Cang Qiong cultivators and disciples. Each of the poor corpses were bloodied and beaten badly. Right in the middle of these bodies stood nine wooden poles. Tied to each of these poles were the bodies of the Cang Qiong Mountain Peak Lords. In the middle, of course, was their Sect Leader, Yue Qingyuan. All dead. What was gruesome was that the sect leaders each had their own spiritual swords plunged into their bodies like a fucked up war trophy. Truly horrifying. 

Binghe nearly dropped his father’s body, but he took a step back. He clumsily got on his sword and flew over to Qing Jing Peak. His mind was in absolute distress and panic, he could barely hear bits and pieces of Shen Yuan calling to him from their line of communication.

“DA SHIXIONG! SHIMEI!!!! EVERYONE!” He cried out the moment he landed. He saw familiar faces among the dead bodies that continued to litter the ground as if they were discarded dolls. They were the bodies of the Bai Zhan Peak disciples that tormented him and Liu Mingyan everyday. Binghe could only assume their old bullies tried to defend Qing Jing Peak alongside the others. It is unfortunate that they failed. Everyone was dead! How can this be?! How can the strongest Cultivation Sect fall this easily?!  

When he reached the main training grounds, he nearly screamed at what he saw. All the bodies of his shidi’s and shimei’s were laid in a heap as if they were carelessly tossed and piled there. They did not even show signs of a struggle; no weapons on their person nor defensive wounds. They must have just huddled together there - frightened and defenseless. These Huan Hua Cultivators mercilessly SLAUGHTERED them like cattles. They were just young disciples, they couldn’t fend for themselves?! WHY?! WHY WHY?!

Somewhere in the middle of the small bodies was his Da-Shixiong, Ming Fan. The reliable eldest brother of Qing Jing Peak protected his little shidi’s and shimei’s till the end. Binghe couldn’t stop his sobbing as he ran from the tragic scene. He ran and ran until he reached the bamboo forest… the only place he felt safe from, the place he called home. His father’s home. Right now, all he could think to do was give his father a proper burial at their safe little haven. 

With the entire Cang Qiong Mountain Sect fallen, he could no longer fulfill his final mission. Binghe felt incredibly lost. He also felt guilty…was this all his fault? If he hadn’t accidentally revealed his true lineage in front of the other great sects… none of this would have happened right? Right?

He didn’t know what to do… maybe he should go find A-Yuan? Maybe A-Yuan would know what to do? Liu Shishu is with him too… but… can Binghe even show his face in front of Liu Shishu after this? This was all his fault right? He was almost certain that Liu Qingge’s precious sister met the same fate as his other martial siblings. How can he face the man now?

‘A-Yuan… We should have never gone back to the human realm…’ Binghe whimpered into their private communication. He wasn’t even sure if Shen Yuan could respond to him right now. Their communication is being tampered with by some kind of barrier around the peak. 

‘Binghe what happened over there? Calm down, we’re heading there immediately, please hold on! I’m here for you!’

Binghe smiled through his tears upon finally hearing his lover answer him. His precious A-Yuan. Just hearing his voice helped ease the pain. All he could respond with was his gasps and sobs.

‘Are you nodding? It’s okay, I’ll be there soon. Where is Zhangmen Shixiong? We can go to him together to break the news and…’ 

Shen Yuan wasn’t even able to finish his sentence when Binghe cried louder upon mentioning their sect leader. Yue Qingyuan helped raise him as a second father and he knew how much his Shizun loved him. All those peak lords were his shizun’s family. Binghe felt overwhelming guilt knowing he caused their deaths.

‘A-Yuan… I-’ He paused abruptly when he felt something.

‘Binghe, what’s wrong? What happened?! Are you there? BINGHE!’  

STAB

When Binghe looked down, he saw a blade protruding through his chest where his heart should be. He felt so numbed by shock and despair that he barely registered his own life slowly slipping away from him. 

“You look just like her… it should have been YOU who died, not her! My sweet and beautiful Xiyan…”

Binghe fell to the ground beside his Shizun. He could barely even understand the mad ramblings of this attacker. Who was it…? What were they saying? Something about his disciple? And poisoning her…?

“Cang Qiong sect is no more, its punishment is obliteration for colluding with the demons.” When Binghe looked up at his murderer with weak unfocused eyes, he saw robes of gold. The Palace Master declared to his men who now surrounded them, cheering and laughing. Why are they laughing? Then, Luo Binghe saw demons among the golden-clad cultivators. Such hypocrites these humans are…

‘I’m sorry A-Yuan… I love you…’ He managed to whisper into his private communication with Shen Yuan, his beloved God and lover, before death took him.

[Notice. Follower Luo Binghe has disconnected from the system.]

‘I’m sorry A-Yuan… I love you…’ 

[Notice. Follower Luo Binghe disconnected from the system.]

Shen Yuan stood before the nine Peak Lord’s bodies with wide eyes. He heard Liu Qingge fall to his knees beside him. Neither of them could make a sound. No sobs nor screams… the scene before them was so horrific that they couldn’t find it in them to do or say anything. Not even Uncle Airplane made a sound. It was minutes later that it finally dawned on his Uncle Airplane what had happened and what was in front of them. The man proceeded to throw up on the ground. He also started to cry and scream while Gongyi Xiao comforted him.

“Qingqiu….Where is Qingqiu?! And that disciple of his?!” Liu Qingge finally spoke out, bringing back Shen Yuan from his daze. That’s right! Binghe was here right?! He has to be! He was disconnected… probably from the shock? Was that it?!

Shen Yuan then immediately ripped open a portal that led him straight to the one place he assumed his lover would be in. Their Shizun’s bamboo hut. He only needed to search the back of the little bamboo home when he finally found their bodies. Shen Yuan felt his stomach drop at the sight and his mind went blank. 

Father and son laid side by side in a pool of blood. They laid in front of the makeshift grave Shen Qingqiu made initially for Binghe when he fell into the endless abyss. 

Dead. They’re both dead. 

Just like that. The amazing powerful protagonist of this world lay dead with his father. 

Binghe’s gone… gone… how… why? WHY?!

“Young Master Shen, calm down…” 

Shen Yuan didn’t even realize he was trembling and the dark qi that oozed out from him was crackling dangerously. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned to see Liu Qingge. When Shen Yuan saw his Uncle Liu, he was taken aback. The usually stoic man wore a pained expression on his face and his hand that was on Shen Yuan’s shoulder was trembling too. This must be just as hard for the man as it was for Shen Yuan. 

Shen Yuan lowered his head, his expression unreadable. He then turned back to the two bodies of his beloved family. Even for just a short while, he did feel a familial bond with Shen Qingqiu. He was like a father to him. A father-in-law, of course. And Binghe… his beloved Binghe. Words cannot describe the anguish he felt over losing him. 

“Sorry, Uncle Liu… can you leave me be for a while. I need a moment with them…” 

Liu Qingge said nothing and left quietly.

Shen Yuan stood there for a while. He didn’t care how long but his voice soon broke his silence as he called out for his system. 

“System... was I selfish in returning to the human realm? Should I have not forced Binghe to return here? I only wanted to explore and live this new second life with freedom…”

[Notice. Unintelligible]

“Was I wrong to take Xinmo Gege from Binghe? Is this the result of it all…? Is this all my fault? Is this why Binghe couldn’t protect himself? Is this why he couldn’t become the powerful protagonist he was supposed to be?”

[Notice. Unanswerable]

“Was I wrong to have existed in this world…? I couldn’t even transmigrate properly into the scum villain… Did I fail just by existing…?”

[Notice. Unscientific.]

“System.. what did I do wrong…?”

[Notice. Unintelligible. Unanswerable. Unscientific.]

By the end of his questioning, Shen Yuan was trembling and sobbing. He couldn’t even bear to touch Binghe, he felt like he wasn’t worthy of this closure with his lover. He had failed him… Shen Yuan stole his ‘protagonist halo’ and now his life. By devouring Xinmo… he changed everything. In his mind HE is the virus and the curse upon this world. He killed this entire sect, Binghe’s family, by changing everything in this book. 

HE WAS THE PROBLEM. 

Now he knew why his Shizun’s system, the system native to this world, was trying so hard to get rid of him. 

Shen Yuan, with eyes still filled with tears, raised his arm up and the appendage turned to slime. He looked down at his Shizun then at Binghe one last time before he closed his eyes. 

“I should… at least let them sleep peacefully inside me. System, activate skill ‘devour’.”

‘WAIT. There is another way, kid.’  A voice then suddenly called out from his head. Not within the divinity system, but it was directly in his head. 

“This voice… Senior Meng Mo?”

Chapter Text

‘WAIT. There is another way, kid.’

“Senior Meng Mo… I thought you had perished with Luo Binghe?” Shen Yuan inquired, his voice too emotionless for his own liking. He cried himself so much that he was too tired to even show any form of reaction to this ‘false hope’ that the dream demon was giving him.

‘I was able to jump into your mind at the last minute.’

“...” Using Shen Yuan’s silence as encouragement, Meng Mo continued on with his explanation.

‘I may have a way to save Luo Binghe and your Shizun… along with the other humans in this Sect. I’ve watched you and my student through the years, I have a theory you might be able to do it.’

Shen Yuan was mostly half listening. He had asked his system so many times if there was a chance for him to turn things around… to bring back his lover and Shizun. His system gave him nothing. If a powerful god-like entity like his system couldn’t supply him with an answer, what can a bodiless dream demon like Meng Mo offer him? All the old man was doing was give him false hope. Yet… Shen Yuan was foolishly hopeful, so he humoured the old man and listened quietly for now. 

‘The brat’s spirit clings tightly to his body as we speak. Currently, with the high amount of spiritual energy within this mountain along with a spiritual barrier erected by those Huan Hua Palace dogs, not just my ungrateful student but also all the other souls of the murdered cultivators have yet to leave their bodies, trapped inside this mountain. They can still be revived.’

Shen Yuan was shocked at the revelation. So there is a way for him to save them… to resurrect them. There is still something he could do for them after all!

‘It would be difficult but it is a possibility. A chance.’

“I don’t want to lose them. They did not deserve to die just because they dared to befriend my kind. If the chance isn’t zero, then let’s try it.” Shen Yuan clenched his fist with newfound determination. 

‘At your current level, the risk is high and you could destroy the souls you’re trying to revive. Even if you have the power of Xin Mo, it’s not enough. But you have the seed. The potential to become a true demon emperor. Not all demons have this seed, only those of the heavenly demon clan.’

Shen Yuan’s eyes widened. Of course, he almost forgot he evolved from a regular slime into a heavenly demon slime when he devoured Xinmo. 

“How do I become a true demon emperor?”

‘You should ask the only living ‘True Demon Emperor’ in this realm. You know him, don’t you? I had a quick glance at your memories, boy. You’ve recently encountered him.’

“Ah…Tianlang Jun.”

Shen Yuan gave his Uncle Liu and Uncle Airplane orders to stay behind to clean up the bodies and lay them all properly in an open area. The two Peak Lords did not seem to question him and obeyed his command. His two uncles also enlisted the help of some of the monster townsfolk and demon army to help them gather the bodies. Leaving them to their task, Shen Yuan grabbed Gongyi Xiao and proceeded with his mission. 

“Ah, we’re back here.” Gongyi Xiao mused from behind him. Shen Yuan had teleported them straight to Xin Mo’s domain. He was able to rip a portal that lead them to the throne room, then they’ll have to go on foot and descend the lowest floors. When they reached the basement area, Zhuzhi Lang was there guarding the entrance. The snake demon was back in his humanoid form and he seems to be nursing some minor scratches and wounds. The moment he spotted Shen Yuan and Gongyi Xiao he flinched. Wow, just how much did his Gege beat the poor snake demon up? When Shen Yuan glanced at his Gege, Gongyi Xiao had some minor scratches here and there too. 

“This one greets Junshang and his scary friend.” Zhuzhi Lang cupped his fist to bow. With how he was warmly welcomed, Shen Yuan assumed Tianlang Jun was no longer in pursuit of them… perhaps the demon deity even foresaw them coming back here. 

“Uncle awaits for Junshang inside.” Zhuzhi Lang stepped aside. Shen Yuan was about to walk in when he stopped for a moment to turn to the snake demon. He needed to confirm something with Zhuzhi Lang.

“Zhuzhi Gongzi. I would like to ask you about the sowers. When Gongyi Gege and I encountered you, the creatures were kneeling before you.”

“Oh. Ah yes, those sowers.” Zhuzhi Lang paused before he gave his side of the story. “If Junshang is inquiring about this lowly one’s involvement with those creatures, rest assured this one and Uncle had nothing to do with the sowers.”

Shen Yuan raised his brows at this revelation. The mystery of who sent those things became more and more clear. The one detail that prevented him from outright accusing his suspect was that moment with Zhuzhi Lang.

“This one was ordered by Uncle to investigate the whereabouts of his unholy sword, Xin Mo. Junshang is Uncle’s suspect because I also sensed the lingering powers of Xin Mo on Junshang back at the great demon bangquet. So this one followed you around ever since. At Jinlang City I discovered the creatures running about and causing a ruckus amongst the humans, this one captured two of them. I forced them under servitude to act as a spy to further investigate you. It just so happens that Junshang was chasing after the two sower demons that were working for me.” 

“I see. So that’s what happened…” Shen Yuan nodded his head in understanding. Finally, things are becoming clear for him. At least now he can confirm that Tianlang Jun and his encounter with him was just a random occurrence and not staged by those traitors. It was the Western Demon Lord who orchestrated this… and Shen Yuan was willing to bet Linguang Jun also had something to do with this too. He will need to gather enough evidence before he could confront those conniving snakes. No offense to the actual snake, Zhuzhi Lang.

“Thankyou for your honesty, Zhuzhi Gongzi.” Shen Yuan nodded to the snake demon.

“My Uncle no longer sees Junshang as a threat after finding out what trully happened to Xin Mo. You do not have to worry about him anymore, Uncle won’t be hostile towards Master Shen and his…scary friend.”

“Damn right he better not! Or I will throw you at him again.” Gongyi Xiao joked as he flexed his arms, making the snake demon shrink in a corner and flinch.

“Please h-have mercy… I broke so many scales by Gongyi Gongzi’s rough handling.” Zhuzhi Lang pleaded.

“Alright, we’ll bully the snake later, Gege. Let’s go meet my father in law.” Shen Yuan chuckled and lead Gongyi Xiao into the room. Upon entering, Shen Yuan noticed the room was a study of some sort. Unlike the broken down and crumbling room full of coffins they met at, this room was well preserved and tidy. There were shelves upon shelves of books alongside other trinkets. Shen Yuan noticed one of the piles were full of the trinkets Tianlang Jun pulled out from his stomach.

“Ah, Xiao Yuan. I was getting worried you won’t return.” The handsome demon deity sat on the large chair with his legs propped up on the table. Tianlang Jun was casually flipping through a book. Shen Yuan squinted and was shocked to see that it was a copy of ‘Grand Master of Demonic Cultivation.’ 

“Wha- how did you get that?!” He asked, pointing accusingly at the Demon Emperor. 

Tianlang Jun smirked. “Well, while you were inside my domain, I had one of my ultimate skills ‘Dream God’ download your memories. Then I retrieved a copy of a piece of literature you seem so fond of.” He waved the pristine copy of the modern novel at Shen Yuan who was blushing furiously. “Xiao Yuan, you liar. You said you did not know what dual cultivation is yet you’ve read this book. Actually…” Tianlang Jun narrowed his eyes and stared at Gongyi Xiao who grew wary and placed himself in front of Shen Yuan protectively. Always a reliable Gege. “This friend of yours reminds me of the protagonist of this book. Interesting.” Tianlang Jun then set down the book and stood up to walk over to them. “Xiao Yuan sure does love his protagonists~” he teased.

Shen Yuan wasn’t sure if he should laugh or cry at this situation. “Y-you have a system…?”

“Ah, so that’s what it’s called.” Tianlang Jun shrugged. “I suppose. I started to hear its voice after my ascension into a True Demon Emperor. It has become a useful assistant.”

“I see. So… it does not force a narrative or a script upon you?”

“No.” 

Shen Yuan sighed in relief. “Alright…so I came to ask you some things Master Tianlang-”

“Call me Baba, Xiao Yuan. We’re going to be family, after all.” Tianlang Jun answered. 

Shen Yuan was taken aback by that. He wasn’t sure if his spirit form can blush but he felt hot on his cheeks. He hasn’t even addressed his Shizun that yet.

“If you still think I can wed your son then you believe I can truly resurrect him?” He then asked, giving his father in law a look of determination. He began to explain the situation to Tianlang Jun who listened to him attentively. Shen Yuan had a feeling the demon deity already knew what happened. Why else would he expect Shen Yuan to return to them this soon? By the end of his explanation, Tianlang Jun remained calm and unperturbed. 

“My son has tied his soul directly to you. I have reason to believe it can be done.” 

“Then, how do I become a True demon Emperor? Binghe’s mentor, Senior Meng Mo told me I have the seed.” Shen Yuan placed a hand on his chest as he spoke. 

“A true demon emperor is a race, our final ascension or evolution. Sure, you can be appointed as one by title, but a true demon emperor are demons who have ascended to godhood. They are powerful beings equivalent to heavenly officials of the fourth realm. Only a few have achieved such a feat in the history of this world. By few I meant only me.”

“Is this why you seclude yourself in this palace? You can't control your powers outside of your domain?” Shen Yuan asked, gesturing to the very room they were in.

“Xiao Yuan, I quite like humans. You are one as well, aren’t you? I can sense it. Though your body is that of a demon, your soul remains human.” Tianlang Jun leaned over and pointed at Shen Yuan’s chest where his heart should be located. 

“Even as they betrayed me, I do not wish destruction upon their realm. Any more than I have already caused. So I willingly sealed myself in this palace along with Xin Mo. The world is not ready and worthy to have demonic gods like us.” Tianlang Jun sighed, his lips tugging down into a frown. “My ascension allowed me to reach enlightenment, in a way. I’ve come to realize, after nearly destroying the human realm, that humans were not ready to coexist with demons. Especially not demons from my clan.” 

“But wasn’t Binghe the result of your union with a human?” Shen Yuan nearly flinched with fright when Tianlang Jun’s eyes flickered with a brief moment of pain and anger. It was fortunate that the demon deity had good control over his power within his domain, or a blast of Tianlang Jun’s aura could easily bring Shen Yuan to his knee.“

I was not aware of my son’s existence until I started to investigate you.” Tianlang Jun answered. “Well. My unfortunate son is proof of that, isn’t he? The humans persecuted him for simply existing.” Tianlang Jun then clenched his fist and looked at Gongyi Xiao. The robes of gold made the demon’s eyes flash red.

“Those same people conspire and betray another of my kin, that pisses me off a little. So just this once, I will support your endeavour. That son of mine lucked out. We seem to be adept in finding the purest humans to love… I would hate for you to feel the same agony I felt when that love can never be returned again.” Tianlang Jun sighed but his expression later turned serious. 

“I do have a warning for you, Xiao Yuan. Try not to lose yourself once you’ve been reborn. Every True Demon Emperor is born from absolute suffering and evil. You will become the embodiment of your one true desire and emotions.”

Shen Yuan gulped but nodded his head. He continued to listen attentively to Tianlang Jun’s explanation. 

“The requirements of birthing a true demon emperor are difficult. This is why only one has fully ascended so far in history. Luckily for Xiao Yuan, you already have the heavenly demon seed planted in your soul. That is one of the requirements… The second one is a lot more difficult to achieve.”

“You must have soul sacrifices enough to appease the voice of the world. You are aware of its presence, are you?“

[Notice. Ten thousand souls are required for user Shen Yuan’s Divine Emperor seed to germinate.]

Ten thousand souls?! That’s crazy! Did Tianlang Jun kill that many people when he ascended? Shen Yuan swallowed down his reluctance and fears. He was determined to bring them all back. An eye for an eye. If he wanted a chance to revive his lover, then he’ll have to be brave enough to kill those who wronged him. 

“Once you’ve evolved into a true demon emperor, all your followers that you’ve acknowledged will evolve alongside you. Then as their true demon emperor, you also have the power to summon their spirits and revive them.“

‘Junshang. I’ve received a report from my spies.’ 

Suddenly, Shen Yuan heard Alpha speak up within the divinity system. He turned to his companion, Tianlang Jun with a raised brow.

“Don’t worry Xiao Yuan, I’ve authorised your communication spell within my domain now.” The elder demon answered. “Though do note, I can hear everything and hop into the conversation any time~” He added with a cheeky grin. Shen Yuan didn’t pay much attention to his father-in-law since he didn’t mind Tianlang Jun listening in.

‘Speak. What is it, Alpha?’ He inquired.

‘The Human cultivator army has retreated to Huan Hua Palace. They announced a festival and a conference to celebrate the… annihilation of the evil demon sect.’ Alpha hesitated at that last part. Shen Yuan nearly let his demon aura burst out in anger but he controlled himself. Taking a deep breath, he continued to listen.

‘A separate army of demons and cultivators are also making their way to Cang Qiong Mountain. We assume it is to further raid the sect and retrieve the bodies of the Peak Lords to burn at the festival they are holding.’

“Perfect timing then.” Shen Yuan answered out loud, a small smile forming on his lips. His three companions were staring at him.

‘Thankyou for your report, Alpha. Gather everyone at Cang Qiong Mountain for a meeting. I will be there in an hour.’ 

‘As Junshang commands.’

“Ah, what a creepy smile. Xiao Yuan, you’re already acting like a True demon emperor. Good good.” Tianlang Jun commended with a grin. Upon closer inspection, his father in law looked a good few inches shorter and younger. Before Shen Yuan could question, Tianlang Jun offered him an answer.

“It’s boring here, so I’ve created a body replica. My body remains in this eternal prison, but my spirit shall accompany you. I can’t directly help Xiao Yuan, but I would very much love to watch.” 

“Is it a good idea to do that, Xiao Yuan?” Gongyi Xiao asked, raising a brow at teenage Tianlang Jun who eerily looked like Binghe but he looked more ‘delicate’ than his handsome gallant protagonist. Said demon emperor only pouted and acted innocent while Zhuzhi Lang fidgeted nervously beside his uncle. 

“D-Don’t worry Master Shen… Junshang… I will keep my uncle from causing trouble for you. And help you too…” The snake man said shyly. 

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Shen Yuan then conluded. 

Before Shen Yuan teleported his group back to Cang Qiong Mountain, Approached Gongyi Xiao for a conversation. He intended to have him join the divinity system before the coming battle they are about to fight.

“Gongyi Gege, I do have a request for you after all, in exchange for giving you a part of my power within the divinity system. Before that, I know your Sect is directly involved in this conflict. I will not harm you and can completely cut connections with you if you don’t wish to involve yourself any further. So I would like to ask for your thoughts on this before we proceed.”

Gongyi Xiao’s expression was unreadable. “I am loyal to Huan Hua Palace, but not to the Palace Master and his teachings. I will hear Xiao Yuan out on his request. Perhaps we can discuss terms?” He said with a smile. “I am already aware what will become of my Sect after hearing Tianlang Jun’s explanation on the conditions of birthing a True Demon Emperor.”

And so, the two discussed their relationship going further. Shen Yuan had thought Gongyi Xiao would reject him and cut him off then and there, but this Gege remained supportive. He had endured tribulations with Gongyi Xiao that’s why Shen Yuan decided that he could trust this elder brother of his.

“Alright then. Gongyi Gege will become the next Huan Hua Sect leader and will in the future establish ties with my demon city. Whether Cang Qiong rekindles its alliance with Huan Hua, you are still obligated to maintain peaceful relations with Cang Qiong Sect.”

“And Xiao Yuan promises to allow me to evacuate my Shidi’s and shimei’s before his attack on the palace.” Gongyi Xiao added to which Shen Yuan nodded in agreement.

“Oooh, we can help with that! My dear nephew, let’s do that. Assign to us that task, Xiao Yuan.” Tianlang Jun chimed in and Zhuzhi Lang timidly nodded.

“Yes Uncle.” The snake-demon responded. 

“Alright, alright. Why does it sound like you just wanted to go on a play date with the kids…” Shen Yuan sighed. He was beginning to think his father in law is a bit of an eccentric. Tianlang Jun no longer looked like an intimidating demon deity, especially in his current teenage form.

After having Gongyi Xiao swear his loyalty to him, they headed back to Cang Qiong Mountain. With his questions answered and fighting spirit rekindled, Shen Yuan set out to meet with his subordinates to plan the attack against Huan Hua Palace and the demon lord traitors. 

[Notice. Follower ‘Gongyi Xiao’ acquired. Connection Established.]

Chapter Text

“I’m going to become a true demon emperor.” 

Shen Yuan announced as he stood before his subordinates and allies. He had Uncle Airplane gather everyone at Cang Qiong mountain, they were currently having a meeting at Qiong Ding Peak’s main hall. This was where the sect’s peak lords would gather. Disciples are prohibnited in this hall unless their peak lords allow them in as aides. Shen Yuan knew he had no right to be in here but this is the most ideal place to hold their war meeting. He’ll apologize to Zhangmen Shixiong and his Shizun later.

“Isn’t Young Master Shen already a Demon Emperor?” Muyang raised his hand and asked.

“He means to fully ascend as a demon. We heavenly demons have the ability to ascend further into godhood. Our ancestors, after all, were originally heavenly beings that were banished from the divine realm.” Tianlang Jun explained. He was still in his teenage form and was casually lounging beside Shen Yuan. Sitting beside Tianlang Jun was Gongyi Xiao while Zhuzhi Lang remained standing behind Tianlang Jun. 

“By the way, little bro, who is this boy?” Uncle Airplane asked while Liu Qingge and Mobei Jun both glowered at his teenage father in law with suspicion. Tianlang Jun was using a puppet body so no one would be able to feel or sense his menacing demon aura. If he was in his true form, his father in law would have brought everyone in the room down to their knees with just a look.

“Ah. That’s Tianlang Jun. My father in law. He will be helping out so be sure to get along with him.” Shen Yuan explained casually, gesturing to Tianlang Jun who grinned and waved lazily at everyone.

“Oh… WHAT?! Heavenly Demon Emperor Tianlang Jun?!” Uncle Airplane and Muyang both had bulging eyes, they nearly fainted on sight too.

Before anyone could actually faint or freak out, Shen Yuan pressed on with the discussion. “Anyway, yes. I plan to ascend into a true demon emperor. This will enable me to resurrect Binghe and the Cang Qiong Mountain Sect’s Cultivators. I would like to ask for everyone’s assistance on this.” 

While the Cang Qiong cultivators were not his subordinates, Shen Yuan still had the ability to pull their souls back into their bodies. They won’t be evolving into anything unless they all swear their loyalty to him for themselves. The system explained that they will become temporary members of his divinity system, it will be up to the cultivators whether or not they remain after the resurrection. 

“This is not a formal order from your Leader, but a request for help.” Shen Yuan added before anyone could speak or react. He looked over to Muyang and Alpha as well as the other demon subordinates who were present in the room. “I know humans and demons do not get along in this world. I won’t force you to help me resurrect the human cultivators. Though I consider them like family due to my joining their sect, I don’t want to force any of you, my demon family, to involve yourselves with them.” 

After learning what happened at Jinlan City from Uncle Liu and Uncle Airplane, Shen Yuan felt wary of humans and their relationship with demons. He felt naive to think these two races can get along… but after having his lover singled out and punished for simply being born was too much. He did not want these hypocritical cultivation sects anywhere near his demonic subordinates. That’s why Shen Yuan won’t think ill of his followers for not joining him on this mission. 

“Master Shen need not ask us. We will simply follow.” Muyang finally spoke out which surprised Shen Yuan. “You’ve done much for us and our growing City. We are your subordinates and will follow you no matter what.” 

“And besides, doesn’t this involve two of the three cardinal rules Master Shen ordered us to follow since the beginning?” Alpha chimed in with a playful and teasing tone in his voice.

Shen Yuan’s eyes widened when he remembered the first three rules he literally carved in stone on the day he established his Abyss Monster village. 

‘Do Not Attack the Humans’ and ‘Do not discriminate against other races.’

“Well… we will essentially be attacking humans here…” Uncle Airplane pointed out, laughing nervously.

“The moment those humans attacked the innocent people of this sect, they stopped being human and have turned into trash. Trash must be eliminated.” Liu Qingge answered, his expression was dark and stern. 

“Any enemy of the master is an enemy of ours. We do not discriminate against any races, they are equally deserving of death whether those of the opposing side are demons or humans.” Mobei Jun added, he seemed just as peeved. Shen Yuan could guess that it’s because Mobei Jun’s uncle was involved in this betrayal. The death of the Cang Qiong cultivators also affected his husband, Uncle Airplane. 

“Guys… you’re twisting my rules…” Shen Yuan sighed but he wore a smile. He felt relieved that his subordinates supported his decision to ascend. 

“Whatever path you take, it will be ours to walk through.” Liu Qingge said, his eyes burning with determination. He really was out for blood and revenge.  

The meeting was adjourned. Shen Yuan’s resolve to revive his martial family and lover was strengthened by his demonic family. Even if the path is filled with bloodshed and pain, he will endure it for the sake of his beloved protagonist. He’d dirty his hands for Luo Binghe. 

The army of cultivators and demons that slowly approached Cang Qiong Mountain was led by Jiuzhong Jun, the western demon lord. He wanted to personally retrieve the body of the foolish heavenly demon who dared cause his humiliation at the grand demon banquet.

Truth be told, he may have fucked up slightly and got that Peak Lord mixed in with this mess but as long as that Luo Binghe is dead, he did not care. 

“How was I supposed to know there is another ‘Master Shen?!..” 

He had originally thought the ‘Master Shen’ the old palace master spoke of was the fake demon emperor Shen Yuan. How was he supposed to know there was a Peak Lord Shen? And this Peak Lord Shen stuck to Luo Binghe like glue so it was that human’s fault for being lumped in together with the fake emperor Shen Yuan! 

He ordered for the skinners to frame ‘Master Shen’ so he would make enemies out of the human cultivators. That would let the old palace master stage his execution. That was the plan he concocted with the Northern demon lord Linguang Jun and the old fart from Huan Hua Palace. If the fake demon Emperor made enemies out of these Human cultivators and declared war, it would be another Tianlang Jun incident. That would surely get the brat killed. That, of Fake Emperor Shen Yuan would be executed by these humans before a war is even declared. With how weak and cowardly the fake emperor was, Jiuzhong Jun and Linguang Jun knew the kid wouldn't last a minute in the warzone. 

Just as they predicted, the kid was nowhere to be seen and the heavenly demon Luo Binghe was killed. 

“The spineless fake emperor has probably gone into hiding…what a weak little bitch.” Jiuzhong Jun declared while his men all laughed and mocked the slime demon.  

They had just approached the forest that led to Cang Qiong Mountain when they were greeted by the gruesome sight of Elder One Arm. The laughter instantly died down. Jiuzhong Jun and his men all swallowed their laughter and mocking as they looked up and saw what became of their once powerful warrior. The name ‘Elder One Arm’ no longer suited the demon for all his limbs were severed and he was hanging from a tree, barely alive. Jiuzhong Jun’s pupils shrank and he sensed a sudden wave of intense killing intent directed at him. The one responsible for this heinous crime had not left the vicinity. 

“M-My Lord…” The large demon coughed out blood and whimpered helplessly.

Outraged by the brutal display, Jiuzhong Jun roared. In an instant, what’s left of Elder One Arm’s body burst into flames.

“Oh no~ Father’s angry. What should this Ling-er do?” Came a feminine and childishly mocking voice.

“Hmph.” The second voice was that of a male. 

The enraged demon lord snapped his head over to the direction of the voices. In one of the tree branches stood his daughter and an unfamiliar cultivator. Ah, Emperor Shen Yuan’s Demon General. The sight of his traitorous daughter enraged Jiuzhong Jun even more.

“Little bell… this lord father warns you. Return to my side now like the obedient daughter you are.” Jiuzhong Jun then summoned his flaming sword and pointed it at Liu Qingge. “I will have that demon general’s head and you are not to interfere.”

“Hmmm… how about no?” Sha Hualing giggled and shook her head.

In that instant, the demon general had made his move and attacked Jiuzhong Jun. The darkened immortal blade clashed with Jiuzhong Jun’s fire sword. Both men fought viciously. The demon general fought with the brutality and elegance of an immortal master while Jiuzhong Jun fought with the savage might of a true cruel warrior. 

“Capture my little disobedient bell alive.” Jiuzhong Jun ordered in the middle of parrying an attack from his opponent. Soon after, he could hear his men attacking his stubborn daughter who also took out her whip. Since when did her daughter learn to use a fire whip? That was not one of her skillsets. Jiuzhong Jun, however, had no time to examine his daughter’s new battle skills as the demon general continued to attack him relentlessly. 

As their battle raged on, the western demon lord could not help but notice a slight difference in the way this demon general moved. His opponent maintained his powerful attacks and delivered them with speed and precision however, his footwork started to look odd. To a trained warrior, the difference can be easily pointed out. Upon closer inspection, even the demon general’s pretty face changed. Jiuzhong Jun could still see the rage, but those dilated pupils told him a different story. 

To confirm his theory, Jiuzhong Jun got close enough to the demon general. While the human easily blasted him off with his qi, Jiuzhong Jun managed to get a closer look and feel for his opponent’s current status. 

“Ahh, you’re faltering. You harbor both spiritual and demonic qi in your body. Isn’t that painful, general?” Jiuzhong Jun smirked, delighted to discover this hidden weakness on his opponent. “This lord found it strange how an immortal master could continue to use demonic qi without damaging his cultivation… You used the same blackened sword at the banquet, right? It won’t be long before you destroy yourself.” 

Since he felt confident after discovering this weak spot on his opponent, Jiuzhong Jun went on the offense. His purpose was to force the demon general to use even more of his sword and tire him out. The more he used that corrupted immortal sword, the more damage his cultivation core will sustain. 

Unfortunately for Jiuzhong Jun, he misunderstood the situation entirely. Though there was a slight falter to the demon general’s steps, his resolve remained intact. Jiuzhong Jun noticed that the fire and anger in those cold grey eyes only grew stronger the more his opponent ‘damaged’ his core. 

“Wait- you’re really going to destroy your core. You’re a crazy man, demon general! HAHAHAHA!” Jiuzhong Jun could not help but let out a maniacal laugh at the human’s poor sorry state. “Have you gone crazy after walking the demonic path? Your temperament couldn’t even be considered a human to begin with... Maybe that’s why you call yourself a demon general and serve a demon master. Too bad the master you chose is a fake. You know… you can work for me.”

“Nonsense!” The demon general spat. “My loyalty to young master Shen is unyielding. He and… Master Shen both saved my life. My sword and life is theirs.” The foolish immortal master solemnly declared. 

“Ah, that dead ‘Master Shen’ huh?” Jiuzhong Jun grinned. He looked at the general from head to toe. He could see blackened veins crawling up from his neck and the demon mark on his forehead glowed ominously. He was being consumed. The demon lord wagged his finger and chuckled. “You’re at your limit, Demon general. Are you sure you want to continue? You could just surrender to me… I would hate to kill a man with potential, especially with that pretty face of yours.” 

“Come to think of it. Your face… and that beauty mark.” Jiuzhong Jun perked up as a sudden memory flashed in his head. “Do you happen to have a sister? Yes, she resembled you very much. That disciple that covered her face with a veil.” This seem to catch the interest of the demon general. Jiuzhong Jun could see the human grip tighter on his weapon upon mentioning this veiled female disciple.

“… ah, I do remember that vigorous young lady. Foolish little thing tried to protect her sect after I snapped the neck of her master. I hate killing pretty things… I could have had her as a concubine, but she declined my offer and spat on my face.” Jiuzhong Jun could vaguely remember and his mood turned sour at the humiliation he felt from that human girl’s rejection. “No one would dare reject this lord. So I took my time with her-”

Jiuzhong Jun wasn’t able to finish his monologuing when the demon general lunged at him. His killing intent even more intense and the dark qi around him crackled dangerously like lightning. His eyes were bloodshot and his pupils now glowing golden. He looked more like a wild animal than an esteemed immortal peaklord now.

“MAD! YOU ARE JUST AS MAD AS YOUR SISTER! Rejecting this lord and charging at him even though your body is at its limit! HAHAHAHA!” Jiuzhong Jun laughed and laughed, hugging his sides as he watched the human destroy himself. He knew that he almost didn’t need to lift a finger anymore. The demon general was already on his knees. Despite this, the stubborn idiot put on a brave face and spoke. 

“So be it. I surrender my humanity for my martial family! My master, please grant this lowly one power! I failed to protect them, allow me this opportunity to avenge them!” The general declared which only made Jiuzhong Jun burst more into a fit of laughter.

However, he wasn’t aware this was all deliberate. Liu Qingge really wanted to force himself to his limit and finally break free from his humanity. So in that moment, the voice of the world and Shen Yuan’s divinity system acknowledged his desire. 

[Notice. Transformation from ‘Human Cultivator’ to ‘ArchDemon’ initiated.]

It’s as if he was suddenly blasted on the chest by an incredible amount of qi. Liu Qingge dropped to his knees and he clutched his head with one hand and gripped Cheng Luan in the other. He never felt this much pain in his entire immortal life. It felt like every vein in his body popped and exploded and that he was being set on fire from inside. 

“Demon General?” He could faintly hear Sha Hualing’s voice. She must have temporarily taken over the fight. Liu Qingge had his eyes squeezed shut but he could hear the clashing of whip and sword. Father and daughter had engaged in battle. 

The pain grew more and more intense until he felt something shatter inside him. His core. In that moment, spiritual qi was released from his body and he essentially self detonated. Everything in the area was engulfed by the powerful spiritual blast. 

Sha Hualing luckily managed to survive and so did her father. 

“He really did it. He destroyed himself… what a fool.” Jiuzhong Jun spoke, standing firmly where he was. The remnants of the shield he erected shattered like glass around him. Sha Hualing had also shielded herself using her new abilities given to her by the divinity system.

“You’re the fool, father. He’s not dead.” Sha Hualing pointed out confidently. 

Father and daughter looked towards the crater on the ground where Liu Qingge once stood. When the smoke and debris cleared, a lone figure could be seen. It was indeed Liu Qingge. His expression was unreadable but the glowing blue mark on his forehead told a different tale. Though it was still Shen Yuan’s demon mark, it changed to the color blue. His features did not change drastically but Liu Qingge now bore the features of a demon; his ears were long and pointed, he had long sharp claws, and through his gritted teeth fangs poked out. His sword, Cheng Luan had also completely transformed alongside him. No longer did spiritual qi circulate within Liu Qingge’s meridians, he had fully been consumed by demonic qi.

[Notice. Subordinate Liu Qingge’s transformation into ‘ArchDemon’ completed.]

“What abonination is this? How is he still alive?!”

Liu Qingge lunged at him. The western demon lord was shocked to see the fully transformed demon general move quicker and deadlier. Liu Qingge’s eyes were now completely yellow and slitted like a dragon’s and they were filled with killing intent. He was not going to show any mercy.

The fight did not last that long since Jiuzhong Jun was already at his limit. Surviving the self detonation had taken a lot of energy from him already. By the end, Liu Qingge managed to trap him under some sort of spell. 

[Notice. Unique Skill: ‘War God’ activated.]

Jiuzhong Jun, upon being struck multiple times by the darkened blade Cheng Luan, felt every bit of his qi leave his body at every cut. Not just his qi but he felt something else. When he saw his own weapon - his sword of fire - being dual wielded by Liu Qingge, the demon lord understood what was happening to him. Not only was his qi and lifeforce being drained and stolen, so was his martial abilities. 

[Notice. Unique skill: ‘War God’ has the ability to copy an oponent’s sword style and martial skills. In order to do so, user must absorb their opponent’s blood through their sword, Demonic sword ‘Cheng Luan’]

“Ohh.. I get it.” Sha Hualing, who had been in the sidelines watching the fight spoke out. She could hear the voice of the world now but her father obviously could not. 

The battle soon ended with Jiuzhong Jun stabbed multiple times and pinned down by his own blade. This was, after all, how he had killed all the Cang Qiong Cultivators. Liu Qingge felt it was a fitting end for this demon lord.

Sha Hualing only looked on as the demon general brought down his darkened blade onto her father’s chest. Her heart and loyalty belonged to her master Shen Yuan now, she no longer cared for her father who only saw her as a pawn.

With that, the Western demon lord Jiuzhong Jun was dead. 

Mobei Jun faced the army his uncle lead together with the demon lord of the abyss monster city, Muyang. As predicted by the spymaster Alpha, his uncle was searching for Shen Yuan. Mobei Jun did not need to bother himself with the minions his uncle brought with him. Muyang had made quick work of these foolish insects. Good. This meant he can have some quality family bonding with his uncle. 

By family bonding, Mobei Jun meant beating his uncle to a bloody mess.

He used to be weaker than his uncle but Mobei Jun’s determination to grow stronger allowed him to defeat his uncle easily. Linguang Jun plotted to kill him many times in the past but Mobei Jun’s survival instincts were stronger. Having to deal with rebels and assassins all the time as the Northern Demon King also helped ‘train’ Mobei Jun to become the hardy warrior he is today. 

They were both ice demons with the same abilities. Mobei Jun, however, has further evolved through his bond with his master Shen Yuan. His control over his ice powers significantly increased and he was able to utilize these new skills to his advantage. 

“You’ve grown stronger, nephew. This lord does not remember teaching you these things…” The northern lord coughed out blood and he was on his knees. An array was drawn on the ice-covered ground of their battlefield. It was drawn using the northern lord’s blood. 

“Perhaps if we both survived, we’ll meet each other again.” Linguang Jun spoke confidently despite being bitterly defeated by his nephew. He had already activated the teleportation array which meant his escape was ensured. Mobei Jun looked to his uncle with coldness and indifference. He made no moves to try to stop Linguang Jun’s attempt to escape. He only answered:

“That won't happen.” 

“Huh?”

“The battlefield- bloodbath you are headed for is attended by my master.”

“Your master? That fake and cowardly demon emperor who only knows how to hide behind his heavenly demon servant? What a joke…”

“Without Tianlang Jun’s bastard son protecting him. Even if I fail to kill him myself, that Western Lord Jiuzhong Jun probably killed him already by now.” Linguang Jun had a crazed look on his face as he gloated and insulted Mobei Jun’s master. Still, Mobei Jun deemed this to be the ramblings of a weak little animal backed into a corner. He knew his uncle’s fate the moment he started plotting against Shen Yuan. Especially when the man he chose to target was that brat, Luo Binghe. 

“You have all gone too far, killing off those humans most precious to my master. You have enraged the one creature in this world you shouldn’t have. I pity you, your death will not be pretty, uncle.” With a wave of his sleeve, Mobei Jun turned his back to his uncle and let the traitorous northern lord make his escape. 

A small winged figure could be seen hovering above the Palace of Huan Hua. It was Shen Yuan. There were thousands of cultivators and demons within the grand courtyard of the palace. They were all there to celebrate the fall of Cang Qiong Mountain. They also seem to be preparing to further execute the Cang Qiong peak lords for they intend to burn their corpse as a symbol of victory. A large furnace was installed in the middle of the ‘stage’. 

The sky grew dark soon after but it wasn’t the clouds that caused it. No. If one looked closely, thousands upon thousands of black swords surrounded Shen Yuan completely covering the skies. All of these black swords pointed dangerously at the crowd of cultivators and demons. 

Shen Yuan stared down at the crowd who by now realized what was happening. They had grown quiet. Xin Mo was an infamous ultimate weapon wielded by the powerful heavenly demon clan. Seeing Xin Mo struck fear into the hearts to both demons and humans already, but seeing thousands of said ultimate weapon… the crowd was stunned into silence. None of them could move, they were also paralyzed by the intense demonic aura Shen Yuan emitted. 

Shen Yuan’s expression was eerily calm and cold, completely uncharacteristic from his usual kind demeanor. Shen Yuan then spoke, his voice loud and his presence commanding. 

“Celebrating the fall of my martial family and loved ones when they’ve done nothing wrong. You all don’t seem to deserve mercy… Very well, I will have you become my food, “ Shen Yuan brought his hand down.

“Devour them all, leave no soul alive.“

[Notice. Unique Skill ‘Xin Mo’ activate.]

Chapter Text

“Die.”

Shen Yuan brought his hand down and all the swords shot down from the sky towards the large crowd.

“May the anger of the heavens steer through your very souls.”

Every dark blade already marked its target, there was no escaping them. Xin Mo was known to be a blade that thirsts for power. To feed and to feed and to feed, never satisfied and always hungry. Shen Yuan removed the subconscious control he had over Xin Mo this very moment and let himself embody the very essence of his gege. Gluttony. 

“You were right all along, Xin Mo gege… I am as insatiable as you.” 

Shen Yuan flew down, the once festive scene had quickly devolved into a chaotic bloodbath. Screams can be heard as the cultivators and demons tried to fight the dark blades that aimed to pierce through their hearts. Shen Yuan walked calmly along the chaotic crowd as if he was strolling around a busy marketplace on a lovely Sunday morning. Several cultivators tried to approach him. These insects tried to negotiate for their lives; It was disgusting to hear and see. Shen Yuan may not have been there to witness these humans judge and discriminate against his lover and his shizun at Jinlan City, but he had a feeling these slimy humans would have looked down on him if he were present there as well. Now look at them, begging for their lives, striking deals with demons even though they were willing to execute an innocent half-demon for simply being born. Hypocrites. All of them. 

“Please, demon emperor… mercy!”

Shen Yuan stared down at the human who was trying to hold back the blackened sword with his bloodied hand, the blade digging into his chest. It was surely taking its time out of spite. Shen Yuan gave the man an indifferent and cold look.

“Don’t fight it. It’s useless.” Shen Yuan answered simply then continued on, ignoring any further pleas and cries from the crowd of demons and humans. The moment the swords pick a target, it will not stop until the target is dead. These swords were not just aiming at any living being it set its sights on. No. These swords were after their victims’ golden core. A soul that possessed a golden core tripled the number of souls required. Shen Yuan did not even need to kill as much as he needed but he wanted everyone here dead. They left no one alive at Cang Qiong Mountain so why should he leave anyone alive at Huan Hua palace?

[Notice. 1000 deaths confirmed…..1500….]

As Shen Yuan marched on forwards into the very entrance of the grand palace, several men also tried to attack him even with their dying breaths. He summoned more swords and effortlessly sliced off their arms and legs. He did not aim to kill, he wanted his Xin Mo replicas to have the pleasure of finishing off their targets. 

[3000….3980……]

He could hear sounds of shattered glass, probably the cores of the cultivators crushed and pierced at every stab. Shen Yuan could have opted for a cleaner and quicker death, but he wanted to take his time. He was pissed off. How dare these people harm his family. If these cultivators and demons tormented and took their time with his martial family at the siege, then Shen Yuan would take his time killing them too. 

[4200……5100….]

‘Do not discriminate against any race’ . That rule was one of the first rules he taught his people. Shen Yuan made damn sure he led by example. He killed off everyone in the vicinity whether they were human or demon. Each one of these people participated in, then celebrated the slaughter of his martial family, his shizun and his lover Binghe… he will never forgive them. Race be damned. Like Uncle Liu said, these people are all trash in his eyes the moment they turned their swords against the people of Cang Qiong mountain sect. All of them must die. 

The field was deathly silent and nearly every soul had been reaped by the time Shen Yuan had reached the main halls of the grand palace. This is where the masterminds had fled into. It was time to face them personally. 

“Young one, my son-in-law is out there slaughtering your people. You seem pretty calm and accepting about all this... why is that?” Tianlang Jun asked as he casually walked alongside Gongyi Xiao and the Huanhua juniors. Zhuzhi Lang trailed behind them, his poor nephew is incredibly shy and preferred less social interaction. They had just finished gathering and evacuating all of the Huanhua disciples under Gongyi Xiao’s care. They were on their way to Cang Qiong Mountain to meet up with Peak Lord Shang Qinghua. There were about a hundred or more of these juniors but it was fairly easy to convince them all to follow Gongyi Xiao. The juniors did not seem to react that much to him nor his nephew. 

“We’ve long since detached ourselves from our sect leader.” Gongyi Xiao explained. “I’ve had suspicions about him all this time.” He paused, then looked at Tianlang Jun carefully, as if the boy was pondering something, choosing his words carefully before he continued on. “The death of the head disciple before me, I’ve… done my own investigation. It did not make sense to me.” 

At the mention of Huan Hua Palace’s head disciple, Tianlang Jun also paused from his walking. “My beloved Xiyan?” 

“Shijie was someone I admired and respected.” Gongyi Xiao admitted. “I knew how much of an impressive and respectable woman she was… I simply did not believe the story the palace master told everyone so I did my own investigation of her death and the war.” Gongyi Xiao clenched his fist. “When I found out what truly happened and how she died, I lost respect for our sect leader altogether. I was just waiting for the right time to quit the sect and continue on as a wandering cultivator. I practice the unorthodox path so it makes sense… but Xiao Yuan presented me with this great opportunity that I absolutely cannot pass up.”

“What truth?” Tianlang Jun asked a little too eagerly. 

“If you think Shijie betrayed you and conspired with the Palace master, you’re mistaken Tianlang Jun.” Gongyi Xiao looked at the demon deity bravely. 

“She was tricked. Though the Palace master ordered her to get close to you, your relationship with her was real… and towards the end, she was imprisoned and forced to ingest poison that would kill the half demon baby inside her.” Gongyi Xiao gave a look of disgust. “The Palace Master had impure intentions towards my Shijie and favored her greatly, the thought of her carrying the child of another man was unbearable to him. He did not care if it was a demon or human, he wanted it dead.”

Tianlang Jun, for the first time, showed his shock and broke away from his carefree facade. “He did what… then… the reason why my son lived and she passed was…”

“Correct. She took the poison herself and protected your son with her own body. The elder cultivator I interrogated confirmed that the poison was meant specifically for demons. It should not have harmed humans, yet she made sure the effects damaged her body and not Luo Binghe’s. My Shijie is a highly skilled cultivator, she definitely would have found a way to do that.” 

“Xiyan… oh my poor Xiyan.” Tianlang Jun closed his eyes and lowered his head. “I’m sorry I felt resentment towards you. I thought you betrayed me…” He sighed and Gongyi Xiao awkwardly tried to comfort the heavenly demon. Tianlang Jun appreciated the gesture nonetheless. Tianlang Jun could see a bit of his long lost lover in the way Gongyi Xiao carried himself, he could tell she really influenced this boy. She probably considered him his younger brother. That’s just the type of caring person Su Xiyan was.

“I’m sure she wanted to protect you from the truth too… about how despicable we humans can be. She once told me that her lover was very fond of them, I’m assuming that’s you.” Gongyi Xiao smiled.

“You are all my wife’s juniors?” Tianlang Jun looked over to the Huan Hua Juniors who had started to make conversation with Zhuzhi Lang at the back, trying to befriend his shy nephew. 

“This lord’s palace at the southern demon kingdom is quite big and terribly lonely. Xiao Yuan would probably raze your Huanhua Palace to the ground today… this lord would like to offer refuge to you and your juniors for the meantime, hmm? I can help you rebuild your sect. You are to be the new Sect leader, yes? Part of your deal with Xiao Yuan.”

Gongyi Xiao seemed deep in thought but he nodded after a while. “Sounds great. I’ve always wanted to visit the demon realm.” 

“Great. And…” Tianlang Jun looked at Gongyi Xiao from head to toe then towards his shy nephew. A smirk formed on his lips as a thought occurred to him. “I will have my nephew help you move in.” 

Linguang Jun had seen the massacre happening outside. At first he thought perhaps that the little coward Shen Yuan managed to gather what remained of his troupes and stormed the palace in a final act of revenge. It would have been a foolish move due to them being severely outnumbered by the human-demon army they’ve amassed. However, when Linguang Jun managed to get a closer look; the place was more of a bloodbath than a battlefield. The only bodies he found were that of Huan Hua Palace cultivators and his own men. None of Shen Yuan’s people could be seen. What was more alarming was the bloodied black swords that stuck out from each and every corpse. Xin Mo. The sight of the ultimate evil weapon brought chills down Linguang Jun’s spine. He suddenly remembered his nephew’s words.

“You have all gone too far, killing off those humans most precious to my master. You have enraged the one creature in this world you shouldn’t have. I pity you, your death will not be pretty, uncle.” 

Shit fuck fuck fuck. Panicked and anxious, the demon lord then proceeded to find his co-conspirator. When he got to the old geezer, the useless human was cowering within his palace. Several guards surrounded him alongside a woman he vaguely recognized as his daughter. 

“What should we do?!” The Old Palace master clutched his head while his daughter rubbed his back soothingly and tried to comfort him. 

“Gather all our remaining cultivators and prioritize evacuation! We must get away from that monster!” The little mistress commanded the cultivators that gathered around them. They looked at each other reluctantly which enraged the woman. She proceeded to crack her whip against the floor, causing the men to flinch.

“Well?! What are you idiots standing around for!?” She demanded.

“Answering the mistress,” The cultivator cupped his fist with a respectful bow. “But we are the only surviving cultivators… Everyone outside was killed by the winged monster.” 

“No! It can’t be?! We had over five thousand men and demons?! How can they be killed by a lone demon?! Who or what is that monster?!” The Old Palace master cried out in a panic.

“That’s the fake Emperor Shen Yuan. The one we meant to target and execute.” Linguang Jun spoke up calmly, alerting the father-daughter duo of his presence as he walked through the entrance. The old palace master pointed a finger accusingly at the northern demon lord. 

“That’s the one you mistook for peak lord Shen?! Fix this now! I meant to blacken the reputation of that pompous whore who dared reject my advances! Shen Qingqiu and his equally irritating sect are our targets. We did not agree to pick a fight with that monster!” 

“There is no time for pointing fingers, human.” Linguang Jun narrowed his eyes. “However, our plan was the destruction of your enemy sect and the death of our fake emperor. We executed our plan flawlessly as we agreed upon, but we did not expect this outcome… So now, our priority should be to escape. Let’s find a safe place and this lord can draw a teleportation array that could transport us to my domain.” Linguang Jun was not at all calm at the moment, but he knew he needed to pull himself together. If they could escape to the demon world, he can pull in and influence the other demon lords to fight against ‘the mad emperor’ whom he can frame to have gone insane from the loss of his lover. If they could just escape, then it shouldn’t be that hard to turn the entire demon race against Shen Yuan. As for this human, Linguang Jun had no use for him but he would need their help for his escape. These two can help him distract Shen Yuan while he makes his escape.

“You! Useless imbeciles, quickly now! Surround father and the demon lord. Use your bodies as meat shields!” The palace mistress then cracked her whip again at the surrounding cultivators. The men all scrambled around in fear. Suddenly, they heard a strange sound nearby. In an instant, swords came flying into the supposed tightly sealed room. 

“What the-” The cultivators did not have time to speak or react as dark swords quickly pierced through their hearts and cracked open their cores. They all dropped dead on the floor at the same time. 

“MONSTER! HOW COULD HE KILL THESE MEN!!!” The Palace master roared. Linguang Jun himself was stunned into silence.

“Calm father! Your daughter is still here with you.” The woman tried to desperately calm the old man down. “I will find a way out, then I will lead you and the demon lord to safety.” 

“Wait, daughter!” 

The palace mistress had already rushed forward, ignoring her father’s calls. Just as the girl was about to head outside to do some reconnaissance, she suddenly stopped as if she was paralyzed. Linguang Jun suddenly felt an intense amount of killing intent approaching. 

“Father, take caution, something’s coming!” She got into a fighting stance as she said those words. Unfortunately, her warning was too late. Linguang Jun’s pupils shrunk as he saw something roll to the ground. It was the girl’s head.

“...” Both the Palace master and the northern demon lord were stunned into silence. Linguang Jun suddenly found it hard to swallow. All the hairs on his back stood, especially when the girl’s head began to scream.

“She’s not dead yet.” said a cold voice. 

Both the only surviving men turned towards the entrance where a small figure stood. It was the fake emperor Shen Yuan. 

“Wh-what are you!? What have you done to my daughter?! And my people?!”

Linguang Jun took a step back as Shen Yuan walked over to them. The smaller demon’s steps were agonizingly slow and he looked eerily calm. It was unnerving. Shen Yuan then casually picked up the girl’s head by her hair. The human girl had devolved into madness at this time as she cried and screamed and laughed. 

“I'M DEAD I'M DEAD DEAD! SAVE ME FATHER SAVE ME!” The girl shrieked. Shen Yuan was looking at her, those creepy slitted eyes glued to the head as if he was observing a fascinating show.  

“She’s not dead yet.” Shen Yuan repeated. “I cast a small spell on her. Thought acceleration. Though her body has long died, her mind and soul would take a while to catch up to that fact.” He then tossed the head over to the palace master who’s robes were now stained with his own daughter’s blood as it dripped down from the stump of her neck. 

“I will do the same to you both.” Shen Yuan announced as he pointed his menacingly glowing black blade at both the palace master and Linguang Jun. “I want you to think long and hard about your crimes for a good while before death takes you.”

“WAIT!!! PLEASE! MERCY!” 

Linguang Jun remained silent as he watched the palace master get down on his knees and beg for the fake demon emperor to spare him. He hugged his daughter’s head, and she continued to laugh and laugh. Everyone has now been slaughtered by this monster, only he and that cowardly palace master remained. It would be foolish to assume the western demon lord survived. Linguang Jun felt utterly helpless for the first time. Perhaps his nephew was right. He should not have picked a fight with this creature. He was deceivingly small and weak-looking… Who knew a true monster hid behind that small stature?! A monster far scarier than even the heavenly demon deity Tianlang Jun. 

“Are you the ruler of the demons? Please! I can offer you more than what Cang Qiong has! I am the leader of Huan Hua Palace Sect, the richest of all the great cultivation sects! We can work together! The demons you rule over will have a comfortable life in the human realm, I can offer you more!” 

Linguang Jun sneered at the desperate human cultivator. The foolish man was spouting nonsense at this point. His offers were meaningless if he was the only surviving cultivator of his sect. Still, Shen Yuan cruelly humored the old man. He was playing with his food at this point. The man blabbered on and on about his wonderful-sounding offers until he suddenly stopped.

There was a thud on the ground and the palace master was horrified to see his daughter’s head and his arm fall to the ground. It happened just as quickly as the palace mistress’s beheading. However, Shen Yuan didn’t seem to cast any spell on the palace master quite yet. As soon as the human’s brain caught up to his body, he was on the ground wailing and screeching in pain and agony. 

Shen Yuan lifted a finger and the stub that was once the old palace master’s arm burst into flames. It was probably meant to cauterize the wound to prevent too much blood loss. The monster intends to take his time torturing them. Linguang Jun was shaking as he watched and heard the old palace master’s agonizing screams and yells. More of the man’s limbs were sliced off with quick precision until he was but a lump on the ground. 

[Notice. Ultimate skill ‘Blackened Lotus’ acquired]

Shen Yuan snapped from his daze upon hearing the system’s notification. “Huh? What skill is that?” He had been absorbed in tormenting the disgusting old man who dared lay a hand on his family and lover that he was losing himself. Luckily, he had a perfectly rational assistant to keep him sane and focused on his true goal. 

[Answer. The skill, ‘Blackened Lotus’, can only be activated when the target's heart breaks, such as losing their will to fight or beg for mercy, etc. Once that condition is met, from that point on, at any time the user wishes, they can reap the marked target's soul and golden core. Even if the target has recovered their will to live and fight, he can corrupt and cause madness to a person who has lost the will to live or has succumbed to fear. He can even command these souls to death.] 

“System, do we have enough souls we need?” He had killed nearly every soul in this place, there were probably a few left in hiding or fleeing. The acquisition of this skill was good timing. 

[Answer. 95% of the required number has been acquired.]

“Still not enough huh? Very well.. System, activate ultimate skill ‘blackened lotus’.”

Dark aura surrounded Shen Yuan until it grew big enough to spread through the entire territory of Huan Hua Palace. Any and all cultivators or demons that managed to flee or hide had most likely dropped dead. Shen Yuan did not need to confirm it visually to feel the overwhelming power surging from inside him. It was the heavenly demon seed. He can feel it burst into life within him. He was about to evolve. 

[Notice: With the Ultimate skill ‘Blackened lotus’ all the souls of the humans and demons in the area have been harvested. ]

[However, the souls of The old palace master and Linguang Jun have not been reaped.]

“It’s fine. I will have them kept alive in the meantime.” Shen Yuan turned to both the northern demon lord and the old palace master. Both looked incredibly pathetic in their current state. The old palace master had gone insane while Linguang Jun was a shaking and frightened mess.  

[Notice: Confirming the number of souls necessary for True Demon Emperor evolution… all requirements have now been fulfilled.]

[Notice: Evolution will now commence.]

[Notice: Harvest festival will now begin. ]

Chapter Text

[Notice: Harvest festival will now begin. ]

As soon as he heard the notification, Shen Yuan felt his entire body weaken. This is the first time he felt this overwhelming fatigue since that time he severely depleted his mana from taking in the fox demon clan as subordinates. The heavenly slime demon staggered and he held his head as he tried to steady himself. 

“Shit… “ Shen Yuan muttered out. He ignored the strange looks he received from the frightened Palace Master and Linguang Jun. 

[Notice. User Shen Yuan must return to Cang Qiong Mountain. Harvest Festival must take place on the spiritual land the souls of his subordinates sleep on. This is to ensure their resurrection is successful alongside User’s ascendance into godhood.]

Shen Yuan knew he needed to act fast, he could feel his consciousness slowly drift away. The Palace Master was beyond broken and unable to flee but Linguang Jun is still alive and intact, the demon Lord could easily escape. Shen Yuan did not want to kill these two yet even if it was the most logical thing to do. He wanted these two to be dealt with in the presence of the people they wronged. He wanted to present the Palace master to the cultivators of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect and Linguang Jun would be handed over to his subordinate Mobei Jun. Death is too easy of an escape for these wretched souls. 

“Alpha.” Shen Yuan muttered out as he summoned a portal. Alpha appeared immediately and knelt down before Shen Yuan. The usual easy-going and playful behavior of the fox demon was absent and in place was the quiet and obedient spy-master. 

“Yes, my emperor.” The demon responded, his eyes glued to the ground. 

“Can you please take me back to Cang Qiong Mountain…I’m about to evolve and during this time, I am unable to protect myself. Your priority is my safe return to my sect….” 

“As my master commands!” Alpha then transformed into a large and beautiful nine tailed fox. Shen Yuan then transformed into his slime form and hopped onto the fox’s back. Upon closer inspection, his slime form is slightly glowing but Shen Yuan was struggling to keep himself conscious. He glanced over to Linguang Jun, still concerned over the demon lord attempting to escape or attacking him during his weakened pre-evolution state.

“What about these people, master?” Alpha echoed his concern. Shen Yuan thankfully had a solution as suggested by his system. He had been interested to play a little more with this new ‘ultimate’ skill that he suddenly acquired. This is a good opportunity to do so. 

“Activate ultimate skill: Blackened Lotus. Summon me a powerful soul in despair… enslave them to me...”  Shen Yuan called out with his weak voice, almost as if he was about to lose consciousness. An array appeared on the ground and it seemed to pull in the corpses of the palace mistress and the other cultivators that were recently slaughtered. The ominous looking symbol on the ground glowed a bright red and something human-shaped began to emerge. 

“For the reformation of soul and body, I offer the corpses of the Huan Hua Palace’s army.  And with this meal I prepared for you…I summon you! Now serve me with utmost loyalty.” 

When he finished his chanting, a red light flooded the room. Shen Yuan glanced over to his prisoners. Linguang Jun was still on his knees but he certainly started to regain his composure. This isn’t good. He needed his summon to be successful or else that demon lord can very much kill him right now in this weakened state. It doesn’t matter which demon or fierce corpse appears, as long as it’s enthralled to him and will help him take care of things here while he is escorted back to Cang Qiong Mountain…

From the pile of corpses both human and demon, the human form had completely transformed. It was a woman-looking creature. Her skin is deathly pale, almost porcelain white. She wore black and green cultivator robes that were themed after Shen Yuan’s color scheme and dragon motif. Her curly black hair was tied into a high ponytail and silver vambraces adorned her long slender arms. They were somewhat similar to the ones uncle Liu wore when he willingly became Shen Yuan’s subordinate. This woman, however, was not a human on the verge of becoming a demon like Uncle Liu, this woman was a fierce corpse. Shen Yuan combined his black lotus skill with the undead manipulation skills he acquired from the skinner. With that, he created his own personal Ghost General. The woman had his demon symbol on her forehead to show who her master is.

Upon seeing the elegant and strong looking corpse that emerged, the palace master, who was still lying helplessly on the ground alongside his dismembered limbs, screamed. 

“You…n-no… it can’t be… NOOOOO!”

Ignoring the palace master, Shen Yuan groggily orders the new fierce corpse he created and summoned.

“Take these two as prisoners and don’t let them escape”

“Understood.”

“You can play with them. Just don’t kill them.” Shen Yuan quickly glanced over to the hysterical palace master then to the uncertain Linguang Jun before finally saying; “I need them alive.” 

“…. This familiar presence… the birth of a demon deity. Truly a marvelous sight.” The woman’s lips curled into a smile. “It was not long ago that I watched the man I love ascend into such a powerful and beautiful being.” The woman’s colorless eyes were full of fondness but there seemed to be a slight eeriness to that love-struck look of hers. 

“Ah, bountiful offerings and the first order from my new master...It is such an honor, I might be unable to hold down my excitement!” she purred as she turned towards the disgusting stick-like man on the ground. “And…I’ve been waiting for this day, my shizun. You can rest assured these two will be taken care of, Master.”

“I’m counting on you… thank you.” Shen Yuan managed to say, his voice now a mere whisper. He felt so weak and sleepy, it won’t be long before he completely passed out.

“No no no no! My beautiful Xiyan… YOU’RE DEAD! IT CAN’T BE!” the man squirmed and struggled on the ground. Shen Yuan had no time to pay much attention to the two remaining survivors. However, it was a nice sound to hear the disgusting old man’s pig squeals as he lost consciousness. 

Back at Cang Qiong mountain, everyone has gathered at Qiong Ding Peak. It was the area that had the most concentrated spiritual energy. Shang Qinghua and the rest of the demons had laid down all the bodies of the Cang Qiong Sect cultivators on the ground. Little Shen Yuan’s friend, Gongyi Xiao and the heavenly demon deity Tianlang Jun had worked on creating a barrier around them to prevent the souls from escaping. 

“This is but a temporary solution, we’ll have to wait for my son in law to return and finish his evolution here.” Tianlang Jun concluded as they finished drawing the array.

As if on cue, the Nine tailed fox clan leader Alpha arrived with Shen Yuan. The little slime was unconscious and resting peacefully on the transformed nine tailed fox’s back. 

[Report. The user Shen Yuan will now evolve into a True Demon Emperor. Harvest festival will begin shortly.]

All the demons and cultivators present snapped their heads up. They would all hear the notice. 

“Ah, the voice of the world. It has begun. He’s really done it… he’s avenged us all.” Shang Qinghua turned to the one who spoke. It was Tianlang Jun and the man [in his teenage form] had a complicated expression on his face. Shang Qinghua, as the author of this world, was still puzzled with Tianlang Jun’s existence. He has never written the protagonist’s father in great detail. He was just an absent demon emperor who had an unknown past in his drafts. It just shows how vastly different this world is compared to the stallion novel he created. 

[During the festival, all demons and humans under User Shen Yuan’s command shall receive their gifts.] 

“He did it! Xiao Yuan is victorious!” Cheered Gongyi Xiao. The young disciples that surrounded him looked overjoyed as well. Shang Qinghua wasn’t sure how to react to seeing these Huan Hua disciples celebrate the fall of their own sect. He did hear that Gongyi Xiao intended to take over the sect and rebuild it… in the demon realm. What the fuck has happened to his novel?! Everything has gone off the rails! Shang Qinghua didn’t know whether he should laugh or cry.

Shang Qinghua retrieved Shen Yuan’s slime form from Alpha and placed him onto the makeshift altar that was in the middle of the lined up corpses of the Cang Qiong cultivators. Tianlang Jun approached them and draped a robe over the Shen Yuan’s slime form. Before Shang Qinghua could ask, Tianlang Jun already had his answer.

“This robe is made from Xin Mo’s hilt fragments. I thought it would be fitting, considering that he is basically Xin Mo in both body and soul. I crafted it just for this occasion.” The heavenly demon deity explained. “Consider this my advanced wedding gift to Xiao Yuan.” 

“Excuse me what? He’s who?!” Shang Qinghua had no chance to question Tianlang Jun further because moments later, the voice of the world spoke once again.

[Report. The Harvest Festival has begun. The user’s body will be reconstructed and evolve into its final form.]

Shen Yuan’s slime form then began to glow brightly. Soon, he was encased in a dragon egg surrounded by a black lotus flower. Everyone present stood there watching the beautiful scene of a being ascending into Godhood. It’s not everyday you get to see something cool. Shang Qinghua wished he had a camera on him to film this. 

[Confirmed. Evolution from heavenly demon Slime to True demon emperor successful.]

After that notification, the voice of the world continued to speak. It seemed to be confirming the acquisition of Shen Yuan’s various skills. Shang Qinghua and Tianlang Jun could still hear it and they were amazed at the plethora of skills Shen Yuan had acquired throughout his new life in this world. They both had a better understanding on how systems and skills worked which is why they had a knowing look as the list of evolved skills were enumerated during Shen Yuan’s ascendance. The rest of the demons and humans in the room only gave hopeful and excited looks towards the dragon egg that stood beautifully before them.

[Evolution is now Complete.]

The voice of the world finally confirmed. However, things haven’t ended there. 

[Report. Ultimate Skill, Divinity System, requests for its evolution from the voice of the world.]

Shang Qinghua and Tianlang Jun’s eyes both widened. “Little bro’s own system wants to evolve too? Is it… sentient?” The world of the world soon responded to the system’s request.

[Confirmed. Ultimate Skill Divinity System’s request accepted.] 

Ultimate Skill ‘Divinity System’ Attempting evolution….]

[...]

[Failed.]

[Re- executing]

[Failed.]

“Huh? What’s going on? Does it lack battery? Souls?” Shang Qinghua heard Gongyi Xiao ask Tianlang Jun since he was the only demon deity present. Even if Shang Qinghua was the author, he had not thought about the heavenly system in this world. He died before he could write about his protagonist conquering the heavens after combining the human and demon realm!

“My system is not nearly as cheeky and energetic as Xiao Yuan’s system… interesting, what is it planning to do?” Tianlang Jun responded, looking just as confused and amused.

Shang Qinghua could only watch helplessly as Shen Yuan’s system attempted and attempted to evolve alongside its master. 

[Failed]

[Failed]

[Failed]

[Failed]

[Failed]

[Failed]

[...]

[Report. Ultimate Skill ‘Divinity System’ will sacrifice Unique skill ‘Xin Mo’ to facilitate its request for evolution.]

[Attempting Evolution….]

[Evolution Successful.]

Shang Qinghua sighed in relieve as they finally heard the last notification. 

[Ultimate Skill Divinity System has evolved into its final form ‘Heavenly Jade Emperor.’]

“Petition to evolve unique skill ‘Gluttony’ by sacrificing Ultimate skill ‘Blackened Lotus’.” This time, it was an actual human sounding voice who called out and it was from within the dragon egg.

[Successful. Unique Skill, ‘Gluttony’ has evolved into Ultimate Skill ‘Dragon King; the devourer of worlds.]

“Report. Young Master Shen Yuan’s harvest festival is now complete.”

Shang Qinghua sighed in relief and everyone started cheering. “Xiao Yuan is now a True demon emperor! A deity!” Gongyi Xiao exclaimed, he was eagerly shaking a distressed and shy Zhuzhi Lang who clutched at his cloak to conceal his face. Festivities and cheering abruptly stopped, however, when the voice from within the egg continued to speak.

“Followers will now receive their gifts bestowed upon by their Demon Emperor.”

“Gifts?” Gongyi Xiao asked but moments later, he felt overwhelming fatigue and drowsiness take over him. He staggered and nearly collapsed to the ground if not for Zhuzhi Lang and his shidi’s catching him in time. 

“Da Shixiong! What’s wrong?!” One of the little huan hua shidi’s called out in distress. Unfortunately, Gongyi Xiao could not hear his shidi’s and Zhuzhi Lang anymore. The human had passed out, but the symbol on his forehead started to glow bright.

Shang Qinghua heard thuds and his eyes widened like dinner plates as the demons around him all started to collapse to the ground as well. He hurriedly turned to his lover, Mobei Jun who was also on his knees. “My King!” He worriedly took the ice demon lord into his arms.

“So this is… the gift. I feel young master Shen’s spirit… my connection with him feels stronger.” Shang Qinghua heard Liu Qingge speak out. His Shidi was was now on the ground, holding onto his demon sword Cheng Luan. The newly turned demon was struggling to keep himself awake but there was a wild smile on his face. Shang Qinghua turned his attention back to his husband who also had a peaceful look on his face. 

“This lord is unharmed, Qinghua… rest easy. It’s just… the young master, calling to me…” With that, the ice demon passed out. Shang Qinghua then heard the sound of cracking. It was the giant egg! The crystalized shell shattered to pieces and a small figure emerged from within. 

It was Shen Yuan… well, his body. The newly transformed demon deity was wearing the intricately designed robes Tianlang Jun gifted him. He did look slightly different to how he was back then. The young man’s hair had turned white while the ends were still a vibrant glowy green color. The demon symbol on his forehead remained the same but his face was adorned with additional markings. His arms and legs were covered with black dragon scales. His eyes were devoid of pupils and were simply glowing red. This being wasn’t Shen Yuan quite yet. His little bro had green eyes, not red. This was… the system? The heavenly jade emperor?

“Report. Leave the rest to me and fall asleep.” The divine being spoke, its voice gentle and reassuring. After it spoke, the rest of the conscious demons and humans under Shen Yuan’s rule have all completely passed out on the ground. Once no other followers were left conscious, the demon deity proceeded to walk towards the lined up bodies. The being stopped specifically in front of the bodies of Luo Binghe and Shen Qingqiu. It stared down at the two for a good few seconds before it spoke;

“Report. By the name of the Jade Emperor, I command thee. Dragon King, gather all lost souls within the vicinity. Do not leave a single fragment behind.” 

From Shen Yuan’s body, a black dragon-like spirit emerged. Its long body coiled up in the air swaying and dancing as if it was performing a ceremonial ritual. Tiny white balls of light soon appeared around the dragon-spirit.  

“Are those…” Shang Qinghua spoke out loud, mouth agape at the wonder and miracle he was witnessing.

“Souls.” Tianlang Jun finished. 

The demon deity raised its arms up and all the white balls flew down towards the corpses lined up on the ground. Each of them stopping just above the chest of every human and demon. The deity then looked down at the deceased Luo Binghe, pausing for a moment before it proceeded with its task. It was time to do its master’s bidding and revive these creatures.

However, when the demon deity was about to proceed to revive the dead, a portal appeared in front of it. The beaten and mangled bodies of both Linguang Jun and The old Huan Hua Palace master were spat out from the portal like disgusting rotting pieces of meat - but, they were both still alive. An elegant-looking woman in black and green cultivator robes stepped out from the portal. 

Shang Qinghua stiffened, the foreign-looking woman looked vaguely familiar but now is not the time to be welcoming visitors!

“It can’t be… Xiyan?” Shang Qinghua turned to Tianlang Jun. The heavenly demon deity looked shocked. 

The woman only looked towards Tianland Jun and gave him a fond smile before she walked towards Shen Yuan. The woman then got down on her knees, her expression turning serious. “This one returns to her master.” 

“Normally, this one would wait until her master finishes the ceremony, so forgive this one for her rudeness.” The woman bowed her head. “However, it seems to me, you do not have enough energy in hand.”

The deity did not hesitate to answer. “Yes. The stipulated amount of qi required is not met. I will substitute it by consuming my life force.” 

“Please wait, master.” The woman spoke as she stood up from her bowing position. “Please allow this lowly one the opportunity to serve her master. Please take my life force. A fierce corpse formed from the thousand corpses of immortal masters should suffice-”

“WAIT!” Tianlang Jun called out, his tone was uncharacteristically desperate.

“Xiyan… it’s you right? My Xiyan?” The heavenly demon deity asked. 

“My beloved, it pleases me to see you hale and healthy.” The woman, Su Xiyan turned to Tianlang Jun and flashed him another warm smile. 

“We’ve only reunited yet you want to slip out of this lord’s grasp yet again…” Tianlang Jun walked over to her but he did not make any further movements.

“While my love for you is as endless as the blood red seas of the endless abyss, this mother would like to have the opportunity to save her son’s life a second time.” Su Xiyan glanced over to the body of her beloved son, Binghe. Her dull lifeless eyes also landed on Shen Qingqiu. “I also have a debt to pay Peak Lord Shen, for raising our son with love and kindness.” 

Tianlang Jun worriedly looked at his lover for a moment but sighed. “No… no need for that. My poor Xiyan has dealt with enough. Let this Lord help for once.” He then turned to his fellow demon deity.

“Xiao Yuan- no, Xiao Yuan’s system. This lord has a vast reserve of spiritual energy he can transfer to you. If it came from a fellow deity, would that suffice?”

“Understood. That offer is accepted.” 

“Dragon King.” The demon deity then commanded. The dragon spirit then coiled around Tianlang Jun, sucking out the spiritual energy he offered. Tianlang Jun’s body fell apart and he collapsed in Su Xiyan’s arms. 

“My beloved… I will see you later. Don’t go running away from this lord now…” Tianlang Jun smiled weakly at Su Xiyan as his teenage body double shattered and beautifully turned into a swarm of lovely red butterflies. 

“Of course, my beloved. I will come to you once I finish my master’s bidding.” 

“Auntie.” Zhuzhi Lang spoke up timidly, he was watching from the sidelines. The timid snake demon was still holding onto Gongyi Xiao’s unconscious body. Su Xiyan immediately recognized her little shidi and her cute shy nephew. “My my…you both have grown.” She then bowed to Shen Yuan before joining the crowd.

Once the crowd has settled, they can finally proceed to the task at hand. 

“The prescribed amount of energy has been reached. I will now conduct the sacred heavenly act of resurrection.” 

Shen Yuan’s body glowed brightly once again when the dragon spirit reunited with him. The souls then sank down into each corpse’s bodies. All of these bodies also began to glow a bright warm light. Each of their wounds healed and closed up as if they had not suffered a horrible brutal death just recently. Once the light died down in each of the humans and demon’s bodies, Shen Yuan staggered and wobbled. Just when the newly born demon deity was about to collapse, Su Xiyan was instantly by his side and captured him into her arms safely.

“Well done master, you saved them all… my son,  most of all.” Su Xiyan glanced over to where Luo Binghe laid. The half demon’s wounds had completely healed. His finger began to twitch then his lips parted. The first words the new resurrected Luo Binghe uttered were;

“A-Yuan…?”

Chapter Text

When Shen Yuan opened his eyes, he found himself sitting on a very familiar throne. He looked down and saw that he was in his humanoid form with some slight differences. His arms seem to have grown scales. His fangs felt longer and pointier and he felt as if his dragon tail grew longer. Shen Yuan tried to return to his slime form but couldn’t. That’s a shame, being small and limbless felt more natural for him.

“Ah, the little sapling finally awakes.”

Shen Yuan’s eyes widened the moment he heard that very familiar voice. It was like Xin Mo’s voice brought more clarity and sense into his weary and clouded mind. He started to remember what happened to him and what he had done. He should be back at Cang Qiong mountain, reviving his martial family and lover. Why was he back here in Xin Mo’s eternal prison?

“Xin Mo Gege?” he called out. 

“Good, you still remember me, little one.” Shen Yuan realized the sword spirit’s words sounded more natural and not disembodied. Shen Yuan tried to blink and rub his eyes because his vision was still a bit blurred. He looked around for his first friend and blood relative. Just when he was about to attempt to stand up, he felt a hand on his head. Shen Yuan stiffened at first but he relaxed at the gentle patting. This feeling… It felt nice, warm, and familiar.

“I’m happy you found your purpose in this world. Your master… well, he seems more like your pet than your master, I suppose…” 

Shen Yuan lifted his head up and was met with the sight of a handsome man. He had the same demon markings on his forehead like Shen Yuan. He also wore robes and armor that resembled the robes Shen Yuan wore at the moment.

“Tch, though I have to say… that old master of mine, Tianlang Jun, knew how to give a splendid entrance for you. That man always enjoyed his theatrics and sentimentality.” The sword spirit leaned over and examined the clothes Shen Yuan was adorned in. “Making the little sapling wear my sheath during his ascension to godhood...” 

“Gege, is it really you? Are you…alive?” Shen Yuan asked. “Or am I dead? Did I succeed in bringing them all back?” Shen Yuan interrupted Xin Mo before the sword spirit could continue to rant about his former wielder. Xin Mo didn’t seem to mind being interrupted, he even seemed amused at Shen Yuan’s barrage of questions.

“You’re not dead. Your ascension was successful and you’ve succeeded in bringing those humans back to life. You did amazing, little one. I am proud of you.”

Shen Yuan beamed at the compliment from Xin Mo. His gege’s next words, however…

“Especially that massive bloodbath you’ve created… the thousand swords raining upon those foolish mortals. Simply delicious and perfectly done! I knew you had it in you! You truly are my little brother! HAHAHAHAHAHA!” Shen Yuan didn’t know if he should laugh or cry while his elder brother smacked him on the back and laughed boisterously. Ah, this was such a familiar sight, Shen Yuan almost missed it.

“Then is Gege an illusion my tired brain conjured up? Why though…why here?” 

“Heyyyy what’s wrong with this place? This is where we first met. Little Shen Yuan was born here too!” Xin Mo huffed and folded his arms over his chest like a child on a tantrum. With Xin Mo having a human form, he was more animated and less scary. 

“I am very much real. When your system sacrificed my soul for its own evolution, I seem to have merged with it. So now, I am able to manifest this form both in your dreamscape and in the physical world.”

“Notice. This system congratulates its master for his successful evolution.” 

Shen Yuan was startled when he heard a second voice that sounded like his own on the other side of the throne. When he turned his head, he was face to face with a being that looked exactly like him. This is his system? It gained a human form too! He did notice some slight differences, the system had red eyes and its hair was white instead of black. 

“Eh, your hair is white now too, you know.” 

‘WHAT?! …wait, can Xin Mo Gege hear my thoughts?!’

“This gege is still a part of you so I hear everything.” 

“...”

“Master need not worry, this system can only manifest this form in master’s dreamscape unless master wills for this system to gain a physical form in the mortal realm.” Shen Yuan did find it nice to hear the system speak like a human. Throughout his journey, this entity accompanied him. It helped him so much, protecting and assisting him. In a way, the system was one of his first friends in this world too. So perhaps it’s fitting that the first two people he would wake up to upon ascending to godhood was his real blood family. 

“Thank you system… for your assistance. No- for everything .”

The system’s face remained passive, but it looked over to its master and nodded its head.

“This system is happy to be of assistance to its master. It will continue to assist him in its master’s new life.” Shen Yuan smiled at the system’s response. Even if it showed no emotion, he could somehow tell the system is happy to be acknowledged and thanked. He then turned to Xin Mo.

“And I guess it’s nice to see you again too Xin Mo Gege. You probably already saw everything, but I still cannot wait to tell you all about my adventures with Luo Binghe.” Shen Yuan finally found it in him to smile.

“I will be awaiting you in the demon realm, little one. You better not spare any details about those stories! For now, I think you should wake up. Your pet is going to ruin your new robes with his tears.” Xin Mo looked annoyed at that. “Why does the son take so much after his glass heart maiden of a father… those heavenly demons, aiyah…” 

The world around them shifted and Shen Yuan knew his physical body was waking up. All he could hear as everything was engulfed in darkness was the sound of Xin Mo complaining about Tianlang Jun and his many misadventures in the human world. 

….

“A-Yuan?!” 

Shen Yuan heard his lover call out to him. He slowly opened his eyes, they were the usual vibrant green color that was similar to his Shizun’s. Shen Yuan, however, had slitted pupils since he was a demon. Shen Yuan then began to sit up, his body did not feel any pain nor weakness yet he struggled a little at moving. His body was reconstructed and was now the body of a full heavenly being, a deity. Perhaps he was still adjusting to it.

“Binghe! You’re a-” Before Shen Yuan could finish his sentence, Binghe launched himself at him and hugged him tightly into his arms. Shen Yuan let out a squeak as he fell back down on the bed with a very big and very tearful maiden-like heavenly demon on top of him.

“A-Yuan! A-Yuan! A-Yuan! I’m so happy to see you again! You’re here! You’re really here! You’re back!” Binghe exclaimed as he sobbed.

“Hey now… that’s my line! You say that as if I’m the one who died…” Shen Yuan chuckled as he reached over and stroked his lover’s messy and fluffy black hair. “I missed you Binghe, please don’t die on me again. Or I’lll get super mad and I won’t ever forgive you!” Shen Yuan’s voice cracked pathetically at the end of that statement and he felt a single tear roll from his cheeks. He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss on the top of Binghe’s ear. 

Binghe made a soft whimper sound before he leaned back then captured Shen Yuan’s lips into his for a tender longing kiss. Shen Yuan wrapped his arms around Binghe and pulled his lover closer to him. He wanted to hold his precious protagonist tight and never let him go. It was too painful to see Binghe dead in front of him. 

The possibility of his best friend, most devoted believer, and lover leaving him forever… It was unbearable. He’d rather destroy his own soul and never reincarnate. Well, he would destroy this world first as revenge for taking away his beloved, then destroy himself. Shen Yuan was very aware how dramatic that sounded, but it’s the truth. He already loved Luo Binghe, but after almost losing him, his love grew more intense and strong. He had to push back some dark thoughts because they were going to places he’d rather not go. As a god, he embodies Xin Mo’s greed for bloodshed and power. Shen Yuan made sure to repress those intrusive thoughts of wanting to lock his lover up in a cage and never let him go. He was, however, willing to shed blood for Binghe again if he had to.

They stayed in this cuddle position for a while, kissing and lightly petting each other until his lover pulled back to get a good look at Shen Yuan, Binghe had a complicated look on his face.

“...What wrong Binghe?” Shen Yuan asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Binghe did not respond immediately, he was intensely staring at Shen Yuan and that only made the newly awakened deity nervous. After a while, Binghe smiled then gave a firm nod.

“No, nothing is wrong. That small boy who claims to be my birth father was right. A-Yuan has changed but in a good way. He changed physically too.” 

If Shen Yuan hadn’t known that Tianlang Jun could shapeshift at will, he would have been very confused at Binghe’s statement. “Changed?” Oh right. He noticed these changes while he was in his dreamscape earlier. So they manifested physically too, he really can’t call himself a slime demon anymore huh? 

“Does Binghe… think I look weird? I could change to a more human appearance. Though it is no longer my original form, I could also return to that small slime form.” Shen Yuan offered but Binghe shook his head. Binghe leaned down and placed a soft kiss on one of Shen Yuan’s dragon scales. The ones on his blushing cheeks. 

‘Ahh Binghe you don’t know the power you hold… His charm is too dangerous! I’m going to qi deviate!!! Calm down Binghe, I just woke up!’

“A-Yuan is perfect as he is.” Binghe glanced at the door for a moment then returned his gaze to Shen Yuan. “Besides, there is no longer a purpose for A-Yuan to conceal his true form. Everyone at Cang Qiong mountain is aware of us being demons.” Shen Yuan did notice that Binghe was no longer hiding his demon mark and his other demonic features.

“Ah right… Where is everyone? How are they? Did I bring everyone back safely?” 

“They’re all waiting for A-Yuan. If you are recovered enough, Baba- I mean our Shizun is waiting outside for us.” Binghe then stood up from the bed and offered his hand for Shen Yuan to take.

“I’ve already informed Shizun and everyone else that you’ve awakened through the communication array.” He explained. Shen Yuan blinked. Communication array? Ah, the divinity system - wait, everyone ? How did Binghe get their Shizun in the divinity system?

[Answer. The humans that the master brought back from the dead were all taken in as subordinates and were granted basic permissions by the system. Other permissions may be granted by the master himself later on. For now, they are able to access the general communication channels.]

Oh… so wait - The entire Cang Qiong Mountain sect were now his subordinates?! 

[Answer. Correct. This is to ensure they are included in the ritual of resurrection. These souls have been added to the divinity system. It is, however, temporary so they are given the choice to fully pledge their allegiance or leave the divinity system after their resurrection.]

Shen Yuan sighed in relief at that. At least he did not force everyone to bend the knee to him. 

[However, the system concludes that none of the humans wishes to leave and would most likely pledge their allegiance to master. ]

‘What?! That can’t be right!’ Shen Yuan knew that his shizun, Uncle Liu, and Uncle Airplane were all accepting of demons, but they still belong to a sect of cultivators following the righteous path. Surely, not everyone would like the idea of bowing down and considering a demon as their superior. 

“I probably should go explain myself to Sect Leader Yue…Shizun’s going to kill me! Ohh, I’m royally fucked.” Shen Yuan hung his head low and panicked a little. He took the offered hand and got up from the bed. Binghe tilted his head in confusion as he watched his little lover.

When they stepped outside, they were greeted by Shen Qingqiu. The moment he spotted their shizun, Shen Yuan immediately felt a wash of relief. Both Binghe and his Shizun were resurrected successfully. Although he did note that something seemed different about Shen Qingqiu. Shen Yuan couldn’t quite describe it, but the aura around the man seemed strange. Oh well, he’ll have to ask his Shizun if he can run diagnosis on him just to check if anything is going wrong internally. For now, he was content and happy just seeing them alive and well.

His happiness, however, was soon replaced with dread. He wondered if his Shizun is going to scold him for what he did. Would he even approve of the resurrection? How they were resurrected? Shen Yuan almost wanted to hide behind his taller and bigger lover but he tried to keep himself calm.

“Disciple Shen Yuan.” His Shizun walked up to him. The man was as calm as ever and projected the image of a true immortal master. It’s as if this man hadn’t died a while ago… How long was he unconscious for anyway? 

[Answer. The master has been in hibernation mode for a week.]

A week!?

Shen Yuan found himself almost frozen in place as the elder peak lord took his palm to examine his meridians. Shen Qingqiu also kept an intense gaze over Shen Yuan during the entire process. His Shizun was even fixing and smoothing out any misplaced ornaments or wrinkles on his robes! From a peerless immortal master, Shen Qingqiu turned into a fussy mother. 

“Mn. Nothing seems to be out of place. Good good. How are you feeling?”

“This disciple is fine and is more concerned for everyone… How is Shizun feeling? And where is everyone?”

“Everyone is waiting for you at Qiong Ding Peak’s meeting hall. Zhangmen Shixiong most of all.”

“Is this disciple going to be apprehended and punished by Zhangmen Shixiong for keeping the fact that he’s a demon emperor? This disciple promises he meant no harm...”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Qi-ge is not allowed to question this master’s decisions. This master chose you as my disciple and you are not allowed to step down. There is no room for changes and negotiations. Any complaints about my disciples will be directed to me.“ Shen Qingqiu unfurled his folding fan and huffed.

“Shizun is right. Qing Jing Peak affairs stay within Qing Jing Peak. They don’t have jurisdiction over Baba’s domain.” 

“Mn. Correct, my son.” 

Binghe don’t encourage your father to rebel against his sect leader!!

They then exited the room he was previously resting in. After the harvest festival, Uncle Airplane alongside the surviving Huan Hua junior disciples carried everyone to Qian Cao Peak where several rooms are vacant for recuperation. Most of his followers and Cang Qiong cultivators have woken up days ago. Half of his demon followers returned to the demon world while the other half stayed to help with the construction. Everyone has been working hard to rebuild Cang Qiong Mountain Sect ever since. 

Interestingly, Shen Qingqiu had also just woken up a few hours ago as well. Everyone especially Binghe was worried, but Mu Qingfan checked up on both Shen’s regularly and both were in stable condition. Uncle Airplane theorized that it was probably due to Shen Qingqiu disconnecting from his system. It was a relief for everyone when Shen Qingqiu woke up a few hours ago. Then finally, Shen Yuan was the last person to wake up. 

[Answer. Master needed seven days of hibernation mode so this system can undergo maintenance. This is to ensure there are no errors or unnecessary corruptions caused by master’s evolution.]

‘Huh, I guess that makes sense. Thankyou system.’ 

As they made their way to Qiong Ding Peak, Shen Yuan already spotted Cang Qiong cultivators; hallmasters, disciples, and even peak lords. Some would greet them with enthusiasm and some only gave shy looks before they returned to their tasks. Shen Yuan was mildly surprised to see demon marks on everyone’s foreheads. He remembered how these symbols appeared on both Uncle Liu and Gongyi Gege when they fully pledged their allegiance to him. So the system wasn’t kidding when it said the Cang Qiong cultivators willingly let themselves join divinity system. 

What about his Shizun?

Shen Yuan quickly glanced over to Shen Qingqiu. The man still had his usual red huadian between his brows. His Shizun must have felt Shen Yuan’s curious gaze so he returned the look. 

“This master woke up like this. I do not know why disciple Shen Yuan’s mark did not manifest on my body.” He answered as if reading Shen Yuan’s thoughts.

[Answer. Master Shen Qingqiu is recognized by the divinity system as Master Shen Yuan’s fated one. Their souls are bound together. During the harvest festival, this system merged their accounts together. They now share the same system.]

That caused both teacher and student to stop walking. Binghe, who could also hear the system, was standing there in confusion as well.

“Come again? Wha-” Shen Yuan looked up to see a green window above them. 

[Answer. Master Shen Qingqiu and Master Shen Yuan are recognized by this system as both its masters.]

“But I am merely a human cultivator. How is that possible?” Shen Qingqiu raised a brow. 

[Incorrect. Now that Master Shen Qingqiu and Master Shen Yuan share the same account and are soulbound, Master Shen Qingqiu received equal benefits during the harvest festival. While Shen Yuan evolved into a (True Demon Emperor), Master Shen Qingqiu has also evolved into a (Heavenly Official). Both had undergone changes and maintenance for the past seven days. ] 

“WHAT?! WHAAAAT?!” Shen Yuan looked up at Shen Qingqiu who seemed equally confused. 

“What is a heavenly official? Is that the same as ascending into the final realm of cultivation?” Shen Qingqiu asked calmly although his hand that held his fan was slightly trembling. “...This must be why this master has been feeling strange since I woke up…hmm.” 

“How does that make sense? Do humans ascend the same way demons do?” Shen Yuan was shocked by this revelation. He is familiar with human cultivators ascending into godhood, he read an entire novel about them called ‘Heaven Official’s Blessing’! But Shen Yuan killed thousands of cultivators to ascend as a demon deity… were his sins shared by his Shizun? 

[Answer. Humans are able to ascend in various methods under special circumstances. The voice of the world and the will of the heavens dictate the ascension of every mortal being. However, this system is not of this world. It was able to bypass the will of the heavens and the world system. By merging accounts, both Master Shen Yuan and Master Shen Qingqiu are able to evolve into their final forms with the soul sacrifices offered.]

Shen Yuan immediately went pale. He looked over to both Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe. He hasn’t actually told them that the reason why he was even able to resurrect them both was because he killed off an entire major cultivation sect AND an army of traitor demons. Shen Yuan was genuinely nervous and frightened of being shunned by these two. He was already probably a war criminal in this world, it would destroy him to be a feared and hated by Binghe and his Shizun.

“Binghe, Shizun I’m sorry… About the circumstances of your resurrection I had to-”

Shen Yuan flinched when he felt a hand grab his. The warm touch seemed to calm him down, especially when the gentle grip on his smaller hand tightened ever so slightly. “A-Yuan did what he needed to do. I will forever be grateful for A-Yuan giving this one a second chance to be with him.” 

Binghe then pulled the shorter demon into his arms. Shen Yuan buried his face into his lover’s neck, taking in his calming scent and warmth. “This one would have done the same if it was the other way around. I would have done everything in my power to return A-Yuan to me.” Shen Yuan felt like tearing up at those words. “Actually, I would have done more. I would have wanted to lock A-Yuan up in a pretty little cage and kept him safe in a beautiful palace forever.” 

Shen Yuan’s eyes widened at that. He pulled away and looked up at Binghe. How can you say such things with an innocent protagonist-smile ah?! “Bingheeeee!” He whined. His cheeks were as red as they can get and he just KNEW Binghe was aware of how that turned him on! Good thing, his Shizun let out an awkward loud cough. 

“Children…” He hissed.

“My dear disciple, if it’s being judged for murdering those foolish ignorant garbage you’re worried about…” Shen Yuan felt a chill run down his spine as he looked up at Shen Qingqiu. The man was wearing a murderous look. The qi around them felt dense and crackled like lightning underneath Shen Qingqiu’s feet. Shen Yuan was ready to get down on his knees and beg for mercy if not for his lover holding him by the waist.

“...Rest assured this master completely approves of your method of resurrecting us.” Shen Qingqiu finally said. “This master only regrets he was denied the pleasure of revenge.” Everything around them calmed down. “You forget who the real scum villain of this world is. This master is not above doing bad things for his or his loved ones’ personal gain.” He then walked over to the couple then whacked Shen Yuan with his folding fan gently on the head.

“Next time, let this master join you in doing bad things.” A rare smirk appeared on the peerless peaklord’s lips. Shen Yuan gawked at both Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe.

“Yes! I wish to join Baba and A-Yuan in doing bad things too! It was frustrating to wake up to find the war over and resolved. Let this future husband of yours prove his might in slaughtering A-Yuan’s enemies.” 

Shen Yuan did not know whether to laugh or cry. However, he felt relief. His Shizun and lover did not hate him for seeking revenge against Huan Hua Palace and the traitor demon lords. They did not disapprove of him dirtying his hands with blood to ahieve his goals.

“I did say A-Yuan changed in a good way. I like it.” Binghe reassured the demon deity. “Whichever path A-Yuan takes, this Binghe will follow. Even if such path is bathed in blood and sin.” 

Something in Shen Yuan seemed to click, as if a switch was flicked. He really did not need to suppress anything, not even his intrusive thoughts. Especially not around Binghe and his shizun. It felt freeing. 

“This master shall do the same..” Shen Qingqiu also answered, that terrifying smirk still plastered on the elder’s handsome face. 

“Thankyou, both of you.” Shen Yuan’s lips curled up into a smile. His eyes glowered alongside his demon mark. “Then Binghe and Shizun will now be my accomplices. Let’s do bad things in the future. Together as a family.” 

“Mn. Good.” Shen Qingqiu nodded in approval. ”Now come. We’ve kept Zhangmen Shixiong and the others waiting long enough.”

“Yes Shizun.” 

Both Shen Qingqiu’s disciples answered as they followed behind their shizun.

Chapter Text

Shen Yuan was shocked to see his demon subordinates alongside Cang Qiong mountain cultivators. Humans and demons all in the same room with no blood shed. Binghe told him that everyone has been working together to rebuild Cang Qiong mountain and that warmed Shen Yuan’s heart. Despite the injustice Cang Qiong mountain endured, they were still willing to work together with demonkind. Hopefully, it wasn’t because they were brainwashed by the system to work with Shen Yuan’s subordinates. 

“Welcome back, Supreme Demon Emperor.” Everyone said in unison. Shen Yuan wanted to shrink back and hide behind Binghe and Shen Qingqiu. Before he could do that, his shizun gave him a sharp look. Of course his Shizun would not let his disciple make a fool of himself in front of these people. Shen Yuan himself kept his back straight and his chin forward as he stepped into the room. He knew he had a lot to explain, but he would do so with the dignity of a True Demon Emperor.

“This Disci- This lord knows he has much to explain to Sect Leader Yue and the Cang Qiong Peak lords.” Shen Yuan started as he glanced around the room, looking at all eleven Peak Lords present. Surprisingly, even Uncle Airplane was there. “But this one would like to make it clear first that my Shizun was not aware of this Lord’s identity as a demon. This lord requests to leave my Shizun out should Sect Leader Yue seek to question this one’s loyalty to my sect.”

“Be at ease, Lord Shen Yuan. We of Cang Qiong Mountain do not wish to punish anyone. Lord Shen Yuan came to our Sect with the intention of returning one of our disciples to his master as well as this one’s Shidi, Peak Lord Liu Qingge. Later on, you became a part of the sect as well. Lord Shen Yuan is still a Cang Qiong Mountain disciple, regardless of his race.” Yue Qingyuan explained. Shen Yuan felt himself relaxing at the sect leader’s reassuring words. Seeing the smile on Yue Qingyuan’s face also helped calm his nerves. Good, no one is getting punished.

“This master would also object to any punishments towards any of my disciples. Shen Yuan has done nothing wrong so he does not need to worry so much.” His Shizun had half his face covered with his folding fan as he spoke. He looked like an overprotective mother and Shen Yuan was very sure everyone in the room thought the same as well. He could see the Xian Shu Peak Lord snickering and whispering something to a panicking Mu Qingfan. 

‘Ahh, Shizun….’

“Shidi…” Yue Qingyuan could only sigh at his younger brother’s words. He straightened up once again and gave Shen Yuan a serious look. “Be at ease, we have no intention of punishing anyone. We called Demon Emperor Shen Yuan to express our gratitude for this second chance at life he has graciously gifted us.” As Yue Qingyuan said those words, the Cang Qiong Peak Lords gathered beside their sect leader. Shen Yuan’s eyes widened, he broke character and visibly showed his shock. What Sect Leader Yue said came out as even more shocking to Shen Yuan.

“We of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect also would like to pledge our allegiance to Demon Emperor Shen Yuan. Not only do we owe Lord Shen Yuan our lives and souls, we have all been enlightened and would like to serve him as his devotees.”

Shen Yuan’s mind went blank. He wasn’t sure how to react to this. He was not expecting his entire sect to get down on their knees and pledge their allegiance to him. Technically, they were all already included in his divinity system, they just had the option to get up and leave anytime they wanted. However, it would seem that nobody wanted to leave. 

‘Shen Yuan, calm down.’

Shen Yuan did not realize he was gawking at everyone until he heard his Shizun's voice through their private communication. He briefly glanced over to Shen Qingqiu then back to the Cang Qiong cultivators. The peak lords then drop down on their knees and proclaim their loyalty to Shen Yuan’s empire. Even Uncle Airplane and his Shizun joined in! Shen Yuan wanted to hurriedly tell Shen Qingqiu to rise but the man stubbornly refused. Even if Shen Qingqiu had fully ascended into a divine being alongside Shen Yuan, he still considered himself a Cang Qiong Mountain Sect Peak Lord. His Shizun wanted to stand by with his martial family.

In the end, Shen Yuan formally accepted the entire Cang Qiong Mountain sect as subordinates. The moment he accepted them, all the human cultivators manifested his mark on their foreheads. Though Shen Yuan was worried for his martial family, they all seemed to accept it. Uncle Liu and the system explained that as long as they do not use demonic cultivation, they will not be forced to stray from their righteous cultivation path nor will they turn into demons. Uncle Liu only pursued the demonic path because he felt like his soul was compatible with it. 

The rest of the meeting proceeded. Shen Yuan also wanted to establish formal trade ties with the Cang Qiong Mountain sect. They discussed the terms. Shen Yuan never was a business savvy fellow, or at least he thought he wasn’t. Perhaps some of his Baba’s talents rubbed off on him after all. He never had to worry about these complicated things back in his old life. His elder brothers had taken  over the family business so Shen Yuan could live comfortably until he succumbed to his terminal illness. Now, however, he had a small city AND demon kingdoms to help run. 

Gongyi Xiao and the Huan Hua Palace Junior disciples also arrived in the middle of the meeting. Their arrival did not come as a surprise to Sect Leader Yue and the other peak lords. They were aware of Gongyi Xiao’s contribution to their resurrection and the war against Huan Hua Palace. Thankfully, they did not come to pledge their allegiance to Shen Yuan as well. Shen Yuan already did that with Gongyi Xiao. The sword demon mark on the young man’s forehead was proof enough. They wanted to establish an alliance with him. 

“Oh, I also came with a message from Zhao Hua Monastery, Xiao Yuan.” Gongyi Xiao mentioned. Apparently, The Head monk Wu Chen was still unfortunately gravely injured from the incident at Jinlan City and was still recuperating. In his absence, he tasked Gongyi Xiao to deliver a message for him. The head monk has heard of the events that happened between Cang Qiong Mountain and Huan Hua Palace and he expressed his desire to form an alliance with the Cang Qiong Mountain sect and Demon Emperor Shen Yuan. Zhao Hua Monastery felt guilty for their hasty judgment of heavenly demon Luo Binghe and Peak Lord Shen Qingqiu. They felt responsible for it especially since it led to the annihilation of an entire cultivation sect. This is why they wanted to make amends and actions speak louder than words so they intend to form an alliance and help out as much as they can.

This meant that he now had three of the four great sects as his allies. Shen Yuan felt both stressed out and happy at the same time. It was only yesterday he was knocking at the Northern demon Kingdom’s door asking for builders and tailors to come to his little demon town for help. Today, he was negotiating permanent trade and territory management with human Cultivation sects. Wow… 

The meeting went on for the entire day. Shen Yuan never thought he’d feel exhausted in this new celestial body but he did. He knew he had so much to think about now that he is in this position of power. So many things to consider and plan… and all he wanted was to freely go on adventures with Binghe and study different beasts and mythical creatures they could find! 

Still, Shen Yuan was happy with the results. Everyone he cared for was alive and well. His abyss monster village will prosper with this new alliance with the humans. His people will also help rebuild both Cang Qiong mountain Sect and Huan Hua Palace sect. Eventually, everything will recover and heal. The best part, he could stay as a disciple of his sect while ruling over the demon realm as its emperor. Like Hanna Montanna, he had the best of both worlds. 

Although there were still a few things that must be resolved, the day was coming to a close. Shen Yuan decided to leave the human realm and retreat to their home within the endless Abyss. It’s been a while since Shen Yuan had a night of peace with his beloved protagonist, Luo Binghe. Though they still had their dorm room at Qing Jing Peak, Shen Yuan missed their home in the endless abyss. 

The moment they arrived at their demonic estate, Shen Yuan was pulled in for a deep kiss by his eager lover. Their bodies pressed against each other as Binghe took his beloved God into his arms. 

[Notice. Removing all protective barriers and enabling sensors. Enjoy, master.]

‘Huh?!’

That night, Shen Yuan felt all sorts of sensations for the first time since reincarnating into this world. His system, sensing what was about to happen, thoughtfully enabled pain and pleasure sensors for Shen Yuan. It even went offline and allowed Shen Yuan privacy with his lover. 

Though both young men lack experience, they were both heavenly demons with indestructible bodies and nearly unlimited stamina. It’s a good thing Shen Yuan managed to put up a barrier around their home, the noises they made and the destruction they caused around them could have frightened and alarmed the sentinels stationed around the area. 

Their love making lasted for the entire night.

In the endless abyss, there was no sun or moon. However, Shen Yuan had his system. He was nuzzling against Binghe’s bare chest on their bed (which was completely destroyed) when he heard a notification. The system has alerted them of the time as well as the reinstatement of his usual protective barriers.

“Would A-Yuan like some breakfast?” came Binghe’s soft sleepy voice against his ear. Shen Yuan’s cheeks turned pink but he shook his head and continued to nuzzle against his soon-to-be husband’s naked chest. Even if he no longer had the true form of a slime, he still enjoyed burying his face in these heavenly tiddies.

“Stay in bed, Binghe…we both don’t need to eat.”

“Isn’t A-Yuan tired after last night?”

“Nope… I’d go again with Binghe if it weren’t for the fact that we have to pick up Shizun and bring him down here.” Shen Yuan lifted his head and gave his lover’s ear a playful nibble. Binghe reacted with a soft whimper followed shortly by a retrained grunt. Shen Yuan laughed, knowing full well he may have awakened the heavenly pillar again. Too bad they really should start getting ready. They promised Shen Qingqiu they would bring him down to the endless abyss to give him a tour of their monster town. The two diligent demonic disciples did not want to anger their shizun for being late.

“Come, let’s go take a nice warm bath. I’ll wash Binghe’s hair, you can do mine.” Though they did not really need to bathe as their cultivation was high enough to keep their bodies clean, it still felt nice to soak in a warm bath after making love.

The bath was so peaceful and relaxing that he nearly fell asleep. Binghe was massaging him which was how he discovered that he loved having the dragon scales on his body rubbed and massaged. It felt nice. 

Shen Yuan had just finished bathing and was dressing himself up when he heard a notification. It was from his shizun.

‘Shen Yuan.’

‘This disciple greets Shizun. We’re just about to depart for Cang Qiong Mountain to pick Shizun up.’

‘Yes, thank you Shen Yuan. I actually contacted you to convey a message from Zhangmen Shixiong.’

‘Oh?’

‘Regarding the prisoner. The Cang Qiong Peak Lords have all decided to relinquish him over to us for judgment.’

‘This master has decided to bring the prisoner to the demon realm and we shall let Tianlang Jun help decide. He was the one that this old bag of trash wronged the most. He would want to be included in this important decision.’ 

‘Alright. This disciple will be there soon.’

‘En. Safe travels to you both.’

Shen Yuan was mildly surprised that Cang Qiong Mountain did not seal that creepy old man under some mountain or outright tried to kill him. The Old Palace master’s cultivation was completely destroyed by Shen Yuan, never to recover again. He also burned all his meridians. He was reduced to an ordinary man now but Shen Yuan put a seal on him that enabled him to live on as an immortal; able to suffer many deaths but unable to die. He even gave him the ability to grow back limbs. He wanted his martial family to enjoy exacting their revenge on that disgusting excuse for a human being. It was rather disappointing that Cang Qiong Mountain decided to pass on the matter of judgment onto him and his Shizun. Was it because they were both Gods now? ‘Let the wicked be judged by the heavens’ as they say. Or perhaps it’s because Cang Qiong Mountain Sect was still a Sect that followed the righteous path. Do-gooders even after death. 

“Binghe, are you ready? We need to meet up with Shizun. He has-” Shen Yuan had entered their room again to check in on Binghe. When he stepped inside, he saw his lover dressed in robes that matched his but Binghe wore his usual colors of red and black. What caught Shen Yuan’s attention was the man’s unusual pose. He was on his knee, back stiff as if he was nervous and about to explode. Binghe looked like an eager guard dog waiting for its master’s return. 

“Binghe? What are you doing?” Shen Yuan asked, tilting his head to the side.

Binghe cleared his throat. “I-I’ve consulted Shang Shishu about the customs of A-Yuan’s world regarding marriage proposals so…” He then pulled out something from his robe, it was a ring that had a beautiful blood red jewel on it. “In A-Yuan’s world. It is customary for the husband to propose on his knees and present a valuable ring to his… bride.” The handsome protagonist’s face was red and his eyes burned with determination and passion. Shen Yuan could not help but swoon and fall even more madly in love with this demon. 

‘Ahhh Binghe, you dangerous demon! You’re going to kill me with your charms!’

“Are we not already engaged, Binghe?” Shen Yuan then approached Binghe and smiled down at him fondly. “Do you need to slap me on the face too?” To that question, Binghe shook his head furiously and held out the ring to Shen Yuan.

“A-Yuan has already respected the customs of this world. It is time for this one to respect the customs of A-Yuan’s world. So will A-Yuan accept this one’s proposal?” Binghe looked nervous despite knowing that Shen Yuan would most likely accept. Shen Yuan, after all, was the first one to propose.

Shen Yuan chuckled, then held out his hand. “I do. I accept.” He then let Binghe slip the ring onto his finger. Upon closer inspection, the ring was no ordinary piece of jewelry. Shen Yuan looked at Binghe in both shock and flattery.

“So A-Yuan would always have a part of me. This ring is made from my heavenly demon blood.” Binghe then stood up to take the smaller male into his arms and kiss him on the lips. “I’d request A-Yuan to drink my blood too, but we can do that after we’re married.” Binghe grinned.

Shen Yuan chuckled. “So Binghe can track me down at all times? Don’t we have the system for that already?” 

Binghe chuckled then shook his head. “I’ve been conversing with that man who claims to be my birth father. He told me heavenly demon blood can be of help in dual cultivation too. It will help bring us closer together.”

Shen Yuan’s face was very VERY red at the implication. Tianlang Jun and Binghe had only met very recently and father-and-son was already talking about papapa! 

“Why is A-Yuan so flustered… have we not just been dual cultivating all night long?” Binghe teased, holding Shen Yuan close to him firmly.  

“Aiyah, Bingheeeeee I didn’t even know what dual cultivation was until you explained it to me last night!”

Wait- 

Suddenly, Shen Yuan remembered that one of the first things Tianlang Jun asked him back then was; 

‘Have you and my son dual cultivated?’

“Alright! Alright! Enough of this, future husband. Let us go meet with your father! The green-clothed shizun one that does not talk about papapa!” 

“What is papapa?” 

“Nevermind!”