Chapter Text
“Who are you and what have you done with Luo Binghe?” Shen Qingqiu snarled from behind Xiu ya in his Bamboo hut, where he had practically marched the man in question as soon as they had returned from the devastation of the immortal alliance conference.
The shit-eating grin which pulled across the supposed disciple’s face was so large it was almost manic, practically menacing despite the sword to his throat. “Shizun,” He purred low, baritone half an octave lower than the disciple he was pretending to be. “You don’t know how long this disciple has waited for you to call his name without derision.”
“Don’t play with me Demon.” The lofty immortal hissed, pushing the blade closer to the other’s neck but was met with a resounding lack of fear from the imposter. Whilst the grin softened into a smirk, those dark eyes which now held a crimson tinge looked at him with an intensity that would have made a lesser man shudder.
“Shizun, this Binghe is not playing, I am your disciple, your little beast.” The singsong, almost whiney imploring tone was made all the worse by the false Beast bringing a strong yet elegant hand over his heart as if his words were truthful, as the battered and blood drenched robes he was still wearing from the field creaked at the far more robust and clearly full-grown adult body squeezed into them. One of the seams on his bent bicep gave way completely with a loud tear, firm flesh revealed from the ruined silk.
“There is nothing little about you.” Shen Qingqiu retorted sharply, his voice turning a little hoarse and breathy. It was met with a low, amused chuckle that echoed around the small abode.
“Shizun is most insightful, there is absolutely nothing little about me.” The imposter rumbled, shapely thick eyebrows waggling in a way that saw the Peak Lord’s eyes bug out and then narrow angrily.
“Shameless cur!” He spat. “Where is my disciple?”
“Right here, am I not wearing my robes or carrying my own sword?" The imposter mocked with a brutal confidence as he gestured to himself before turning a lazy circle as if parading his attire. “If Shizun is not too fearful to touch me, why not test my meridians to see that I am myself.” He brandished a wrist where the robe was also just a bit too short for his arm length.
The choice to accuse Shen Qingqiu of being frightened quickly won the desired results and the master cultivator, whilst keeping his sword in a striking position, grabbed the Demon’s wrist and tested his power.
Luo Binghe watched with unrestrained delight as Shen Qingqiu quickly realised that the being who had seemingly switched with his least liked disciple, was the person they claimed to be. Luo Binghe. But not how he knew him, yet.
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Returning from that world to find Shen Qingqiu irretrievably dead had to be one of the most painful cruelties the heavenly Demon Emperor Luo Binghe had suffered... At least mentally.
It was one thing to discover that in another world his Shizun and his doppelganger were lovers, and he had been denied such a delight in his own life, it was another to return to his own world to find that any opportunity to mend his own rather poisonous relationship had been lost forever… or had it?
As he had sat despondent and despairing in that cold, dark cell, the sad remains of his Shizun’s mutilated corpse in his arms, stroking that waxy and ice-cold cheek as if that remaining eye might open to him once more, the Demon Lord found himself revisiting all he had seen in that other Shizun’s dreams.
Strangely, other than a few discrepancies, there had been little difference in their interaction. Binghe could not find a definitive reasoning as to why the relationship was the complete opposite to what he had. The other Shen Qingqiu had even pushed, No. Stabbed him into the abyss also.
It was almost disturbing how just the slightest of things could have such a drastic impact on their relationship. Even things like being the one to make Shen Qingqiu congee, sleeping in the side room of the bamboo hut. Lying in the bed together sharing qi…
If somehow, he could go back in time, and do those things, with the knowledge of what the future could hold, then surely, he could change the path of their relationship to match that preferable one.
With a newfound reverence he gently removed his destroyed tutor’s remains, burying Shen Qingqiu with all his rites in a golden coffin, kissing that faded brow once before he sealed him away, and then with no further thought Binghe used Xin Mo to slice his way into the past, to a time where he could replace himself without too much difficulty, but before Shen Qingqiu was condemned.
Arriving to find his former pathetic self in crisis, on the edge of the newly opened abyss, the whelp’s demonic seal freshly revealed and blazing, was an unpleasant shock the Demonic Emperor would rather have avoided, but in his haste to return to a limited time frame, he had failed to consider that he might arrive at this point.
The youth before him panicked and attempted to swipe at him with that old sword. Moves sluggish, uncontrolled and weak, and for the elder Binghe to strike him with Xin Mo and cleave his head from his shoulders was so easy, like cutting through Osmanthus cake.
To kill oneself should have felt sacrilegious and been difficult to commit to, but as the Demon Lord looked at his decapitated corpse lying on the charred earth, he felt entirely dispassionate.
Perhaps if he were a better man, he would have shifted time and acted to try and better the relationship for his former self, but he was not that well-disposed. He wanted a loving Shizun for himself and no other, for himself knowing that he had facilitated such an outcome, knowing how bad it could be otherwise. Like the other cry baby version of himself, this youth he had cut down… neither of them could appreciate the difference. Could appreciate Shen Qingqiu’s love fully without knowing his hate.
Anticipating the imminent arrival of the man occupying his thoughts, Binghe rudely stripped his own corpse of bloodied outer robes and quickly donned the attire, finding it surprisingly difficult to fit in them, the entire robe was too tight across his chest, back and arms, and too short in length everywhere. With an irritated huff he booted his own head and body into the crevasse, before picking up Zheng Yang which accepted him without qualms. He opened a portal and hid Xin Mo for any future use.
Just in time for his lovely, cold former tutor to make an appearance.
The expression of Shen Qingqiu was a mixture of grave and angered, and then the pinpointing of his eyes on Binghe’s forehead had the Demon Lord touching his visible seal before making it disappear. If it pained Shen Qingqiu at this point, then he need not be forced to see it.
In the past, in his own life and in the other world he had had fraught conversations with Shen Qingqiu at this point, conversations where he ended up in the abyss regardless. Even in the other world, where the Peak Lord loved him, he had still ended up in the abyss by the man’s hand, so he accepted it as something that had to happen. Besides, unlike the time before he already had Xin Mo, and a wealth of knowledge about the hellscape.
Instead of daring to speak he instead just appraised the other man before him, enjoying the visage of Shen Qingqiu looking as he should be; beautiful and whole. Waterfall of jet-black hair gleaming silkily in its health, both his sharp eyes in his perfectly framed face, his elegant limbs all attached. A fond smile pulled at Binghe’s lips at the thought of how one day, in time, they would be reunited and the beauty before him would be pressed to his side, tending his wounds if need be, braiding his hair.
But something was wrong, different. Because whilst Shen Qingqiu was scowling him out and Xiu Ya was drawn, the man did not advance, at least not before other cultivators arrived, and then the abyss was sealed by the combined power of the Sect masters.
The immortal alliance disbanded, the sects agreeing to discuss the concern of what had happened at a later time, and then all remaining attendants returned to their peaks through a designated portal, and Binghe found himself in the Bamboo hut being interrogated by Shen Qingqiu, decidedly not in the abyss.
“Explain.” Shen Qingqiu ordered, dropping his wrist like it burned and stepping back. Binghe smiled, rolling his shoulders, ripping one of the seams at his waist audibly in the process.
“Allow this disciple to bathe and change first Shizun, and then I will gladly answer all your questions.”
Shen Qingqiu let him go with a stony face, threatening to run him down if he was not back within half a Shi Chen, and Binghe found himself marching to the laundry first to get some replacement robes that would at least fit him.
Naturally he ran into Ming Fan and his posse of minions loitering at the door.
“Oh, it’s the little Beast.” The obnoxious first disciple started, but then shut his mouth with a click as Binghe came more into view with the light and it became clear to the bully that his victim of choice had somehow grown taller than him, and broader and more robust than previously in a matter of a day.
“I’ll be taking over all of Shizun’s care from now on.” Binghe declared, watching the dumb brute’s eyes flash angrily as the supposedly older disciple started to size him up like he could still fight him. Some of his underlings started to nudge him with encouragement.
“I am first disciple.” Ming Fan sneered. “Some nobody like you is not to be involved with Shizun’s care.”
Breaking the youths arm and beating the shit out of his cohorts was all too easy, and far less than they deserved, but as Binghe found himself clean and dressed in his new robes, walking to Shen Qingqiu’s old bamboo hut with a tray of light dinner he’d made, he couldn’t help but feel a swell of excited joy, that it was so much better this way, that he preferred only mildly harming Ming Fan for his trespasses towards him, rather than outright killing him.
Despite the late hour Shen Qingqiu was still fully dressed. His guan still in place, Xiu Ya still at his side, his robes from the day still worn, lacking all the softness and loose familiarity that the other Shen Qingqiu had in his underrobes. It made Binghe hunger for the time when their relationship could reach such a point.
“Explain.” Shen Qingqiu stated again whilst Binghe gently laid the food on the low table and gestured for the man to eat, having the audacity to set himself out his own bowl and pour tea for two. The Peak Lord stood rigid, eyes flaring at the impropriety before he stiffly walked over to take his seat. Binghe casually situated himself at his own setting.
“This Binghe is from the future.” Binghe said simply before spooning himself some of the porridge and swallowing it, the other man watched him like a hawk, hands folded in his lap, fingertips just touching Xiu Ya. “I came back to protect and keep Shizun safe.”
Shen Qingqiu looked confused more than anything, a distrusting frown marring his brow, he pierced Binghe with a sharp unerring look, which Binghe himself mimicked whilst continuing to eat.
“Keep me safe from what?” The cultivator eventually asked with a blink, looking down at the bowl of food before him he still had not touched.
The Demon Lord pondered shortly on what to say, but eventually settled on, “Unfair accusations.” Which only got him a stern look, he smirked affectionately. “Starting with Qiu Haiteng and moving all the way to Liu Mingyan.”
Shen Qingqiu’s expression faltered, and he turned away, looking just slightly pale. “Shizun need not worry, this disciple will ensure anyone who is a threat to you either remains silent or they will succumb to some deadly misfortune.” The grave promise on Binghe’s lips felt heavy but not a word of it was untrue. Haiteng, Mingyan, even Yingying, if he had to kill them all just to have a loving Shen Qingqiu, then so be it.
Binghe’s words had the desired effect and Shen Qingqiu was back looking at him, piercingly, trying to work him out, the Demon Lord felt practically giddy at the attention.
“Explain why in particular you are here.” The Peak Lord finally ordered, but the tone it was more a question than his previous commands, almost nervous.
A devilish smirk pulled across Binghe’s lips, and he flicked out his tongue to wet them, how to answer, he could answer any way he liked, Shen Qingqiu would know no better. Binghe could tell him he was his Imperial Consort, head of his harem, or that they were married and in love, that they had eloped, anything he wanted. “Because you were my beloved.” He settled on, choosing something which mirrored his goal, maintaining a more complex lie was just effort he did not need.
Outraged and incensed the Peak Lord tore to his feet and ripped Xiu ya from its sheath, pointing the renowned blade back at Binghe’s throat. “Absolutely not! Do not insult me with such foul accusations.” He barked. Binghe rose steadily from the seat and moved around the table, unperturbed when the tip of the blade pressed to his chest.
“Shizun.” He purred with a docile smile, letting his eyes turn limpid, he stepped forward another step expecting the blade to pierce him but was pleased when it was actually retracted with him, his haughty tutor electing to disallow him the ability to stab himself on his pec, just as the other world’s Binghe had been, “Are you telling this disciple I will need to seduce you all over again?”