Chapter Text
It seems that today, Shen Qingqiu has to be dragged down into the gutter. Yue Qingyuan had to add fuel to the fire by declaring Shen Qingqiu—the scummiest villain, the most likely person to have the shadiest past—as "a noble and unblemished moral character." The already burning fire of Shen Qingqiu's questionable deeds grew as Qiu Haitang, introduced not only as one of Luo Binghe's wives but also as a symbol of the original good's fall from grace, joined in.
Everything was a mess, from Qiu Haitang's wails and cries to the sneers and whispers of the audience. All these accusations and assertions made Shen Qingqiu's head spin. Everything lined up almost perfectly: a scum villain abusing a woman, burning her family home and leaving her with nothing, a traitor colluding with demons, a disciple of a wanted criminal. It was like adding extra flowers to an already perfectly configured brocade.
But Shen Qingqiu had to hand it to Shang Qinghua; not only did Shen Qingqiu have a higher IQ than most characters in the hack author's plot hole-ridden story, but he also had a complex background with alleged crimes as heinous as the next. Not that Shen Qingqiu was defending the original goods, but the accusations thrown towards him were doubtful, with holes he did not dare dig deeper into for the sake of his own impending doom. Ah, what good did it do to create a conspiracy if, in the end, he still died in a pickle jar by the protagonist’s hands!
Shen Qingqiu stood still as the arguments grew louder. It was oddly strange that they were the ones arguing about his inevitable fate. Is my torturous fate a trophy for you all? He barely listened to the jabs and jeers sent his way, casting a cold gaze towards the widespread circle around him.
Right now, it was as if he was prey surrounded by predators: those who want to eat him limb by limb, and those—Shen Qingqiu wasn't quite sure what Cang Qiong wanted with him other than protecting the reputation of their sect.
What a way to live, original goods. It escalated further as swords were unsheathed. Liu Qingge—he could understand, but Yue Qingyuan and his famed Xuan Su sword? Was he going to enter the conflict himself?
Imprisonment was inevitable for him. He did not want to be the reason that two great sects fell into war over his honor. What honor could there be? Original goods had tarnished his own reputation himself! With a flick of his wrist, he threw his sword towards the Old Palace Master, who scrambled to pick it up.
Shen Qingqiu ignored the affronted gasps and the hisses of his name. Serving jail time was a much better alternative than getting his limbs torn off in his sleep.
The Old Palace Master immediately began to discuss his confinement. However, he didn't get to finish as a blur of red and black interrupted him, coming to a sudden halt between the two sects. A young master in dark green robes and a high ponytail had forcefully cut in, ripping Xiu Ya from the Old Palace Master's unctuous grip.
The Old Palace Master's nostrils flared, and the cultivators behind him resumed a protective stance. "Who are you to—" The Old Palace Master paused as he took a good look at the young master in front of him. His jaw went slack, and he gawked openly.
The crowd on their side also fell silent, even Luo Binghe appeared slightly put off. Shen Qingqiu and the rest of the Peak Lords didn't get a good look at this young master, as his back was towards them. The young master forcefully grabbed Xiu Ya from the Old Palace Master's hands.
Young Master, please turn around so this one could thank you for what you've done. A big thank you for shutting them up, and yet, who was this young hero to come to his rescue? Much less Shen Qingqiu's rescue.
The Young Master in front of him held a tense stance, fists clenched as he held Xiu Ya in the other.
"How dare you accuse my father of such foolish things!" the Young Master demanded suddenly, stunning the masses into silence.
Father?! Did Shen Qingqiu hear him right?
"Fa-father?!" the Old Palace Master gasped out, a shaky finger pointing towards the young master and then towards Shen Qingqiu. "Shen Qingqiu is your father?! How could that be— That's—that's impossible!"
"Shen Qingqiu has a son?"
"What a filial child defending his father. Too bad his father is an irredeemable scum!”
"Has the young man lost his mind? Why defend such a despicable person? Even if that were my own father, I would never!"
Shen Qingqiu felt faint. Father? He had no son! Unless Shang Qinghua had hidden this vital information from him? He took a glimpse at Shang Qinghua, hidden behind the other Peak Lords, who looked just as shocked and confused as the rest.
System! Just what is going on? A bastard son is something that Shen Qingqiu doesn't need right now.
【 Event untraceable. Event loading. EVENT ERROR 】
Don't die on me now! Shen Qingqiu's jaws tightened, visibly sweating as the System in front of him changed into a different shade of color. From its usual blue interior, it rapidly changed to red.
【 Please standby as System will refigure the mod pack. 】
He did not ask for a mod pack! He doesn't need more extensions to this horrible book. Everything escalated so fast. He did not get battered by the masses with his long list of crimes only to then become a father next! Can his day get any worse?
"Shut up!" The Young Master had enough of the gossiping crowd and glared at them. Huddled close with hands covering their mouths, they were the perfect picture of gossiping wives who have nothing better to do. "Why would you believe these stupid unfounded accusations?"
A glimpse at the young man's side profile was enough for Shen Qingqiu to do a double-take. His eyes widened significantly as he took in the boy's features.
It couldn't be—could it?
Who was this lookalike Luo Binghe? Why was a lookalike Binghe here?! The young master definitely looked like Binghe—the only problem was that his eyes weren't the same as Luo Binghe's deep charcoal orbs; instead, they were—
Green.
The same shade of green that almost looked like gray but when shone beneath a bright light was undeniably green.
It was the same shade of green Shen Qingqiu would find himself staring at every morning in the bronze mirror, in the water's reflection, on Xiu Ya's blade.
Shen Qingqiu felt himself swaying.
The silence that followed was deafening, only the soft sniffles from Qiu Haitang and the murmuring crowd could be heard.
Qiu Haitang's soft sniffles ceased as she took in the sight of the young master, her face blooming with a pretty pink flush. She took this as an opportunity.
"What do you mean by that?" Qiu Haitang asked the scowling young man, bringing her sleeves up to her nose. Shen Qingqiu saw the exact moment her eyelashes started to flutter. "Has Shen Jiu truly forgotten me? Does he have another-?"
With that statement, the crowd erupted into another heated gossip. Simps, Shen Qingqiu felt his face twitch. Totally bewitched! These NPCs couldn’t know better than to immediately believe something based on a pretty maiden’s tears.
Qiu Haitang stepped closer to the young man, her steps graceful and nimble, her face still flushed. "Please, there's no need for you to feel coerced. We have countless people who are willing to help you," she said, and in a bold move, she took the young master's sleeve in her hands. "Do not hesitate to break from his manipulation—"
The Young Master wrenched his hand away as if the touch scalded him. "Who are you to call him a manipulator?" he hissed, stepping away from Qiu Haitang. "Why are you accusing my father of such things with no evidence?"
This made Qiu Haitang upset, her lips wobbling, eyes brimming with tears. "I lost my family because of that man!" she cried out, pointing at Shen Qingqiu.
The Young Master scoffed. "Haven't you considered what your family has done to my father when you weren't there? What is with you and your baseless accusations?" While Shen Qingqiu felt flattered by this young master's defense, he had to stop him. Shen Qingqiu himself barely knew of the original goods' crimes. If the Young Master was truly his...son, then how much does he know about him?
Right, the father thing. Did he really have such a filial child? How did he sire a child that looked like his former disciple? Was this world really that messed up that even the genetics were out of whack.
Why does his child look like Luo Binghe?
Qiu Haitang began to sob, eyes red and tears flowing. The Young Master barely glanced at her, flicking his wrist at her. The gesture muffled her sobs.
"Stop your cries, it looks pitiful on you," the Young Master retorted casually, as if he didn't just cast a silencing spell on a helpless young maiden. The crowd was scandalized.
A silencing spell was cast upon Qiu Haitang. The whole execution of that scene was too good. It was so smooth! Protagonist-level coolness! Shen Qingqiu couldn’t help but feel a sense of glee within him. Where did this Young Master learn all of this flair from?
In a sharp movement, the Young Master turned around to hand Shen Qingqiu his sword. His eyes avoided Shen Qingqiu's face, glancing anywhere but at him.
Once Shen Qingqiu finally got a good look at him, he was quite surprised he hadn't fainted on the spot because there was no way this was his son. He looked too much like Luo Binghe! Where did he even come from? Why hasn't the System responded yet?
He knew he wasn't the only one who found the stark resemblance. The Peak Lords behind them reacted with gasps (Shang Qinghua choked on his spit) and disbelief was written on their faces.
Shen Qingqiu carefully took Xiu Ya back from him, his hands definitely shaking slightly. A quick look at his supposed son's face showed that he still held some sort of animosity, judging by his flushed face and clenched fists. It was terrifying; he looked too much like Luo Binghe! A young disciple Binghe, one who rarely showed frustration towards Shen Qinqgiu, and once he did in front of him, his cheeks would flush red and teary. Shen Qingqiu at that time couldn’t resist cooing, and with this scene in front of him, the deja vu is too strong!
After the sword was secured in his hand, the Young Master pivoted and turned in the direction of somewhere else. His footsteps were heavy, he was basically power-walking towards Huan Hua with his head held high and his expression dark.
The disciples and the Old Palace Master thought he was heading for them and began to unsheathe their swords, securing the Old Palace Master in a circle to protect him from such hostility. The Young Master did not stop at them but instead headed towards a certain someone—Luo Binghe, who stood still and watched the entire thing unfold with shrewd eyes.
The resemblance was uncanny, now that the two were brought together face to face. One held a cool and disinterested look, the other an expression full of resentment.
"Why did you just stand there?! Why didn't you do anything to defend him?" The Young Master grabbed the front of Luo Binghe's robes and shook him, his eyes slightly watering.
Shen Qingqiu internally panicked, almost wheezing at the sudden turn of events. Young Master, do you want to die? Of course he wouldn’t defend him. If he had been here an hour earlier, he would have witnessed just how tense things were between him and his would-be executioner.
Luo Binghe pushed him away and straightened the wrinkled lapels of his robes. His austere expression almost broke under the accusations and the anger directed at him. "I don't know who you are, but I don't trust strangers claiming to be estranged sons of immortal Peak Lords," he replied coolly.
The crowd wanted to agree with Luo Binghe but they could not. Dear heavens, Young Master Luo, have you not seen the resemblance?!
The Young Master scoffed. "Believe what you want, but I don't like watching people I love getting dragged down by something they had no control of."
Luo Binghe's eyes twitched, a menacing smile appearing. "Just who is he to you? Who am I to you? Who are you to tell me what to do?"
Disturbed at the cold response, the young master’s expression wavered as he finally ran out of patience and stomped his foot down. "Baba! Stop being such an ass and apologize to father!"
It was as if time stopped. Luo Binghe's once cool and daunting expression broke. His posture stiffened, and his gaze widened in stunned disbelief at the unexpected revelation, rendering him speechless.
Instantaneously, a wave of astonishment swept through the crowd, etching disbelief onto every face. Murmurs of confusion and incredulity rippled through the assembly. Some exchanged bewildered glances, eyebrows raised in disbelief. The sheer implausibility of the situation hung heavy in the air. The revelation of a master and disciple bearing children defied all conventional norms. The air buzzed with whispered questions, each one echoing the same sentiment: How could such a thing be possible, especially between two men?
Shen Qingqiu didn't feel anything at that moment. A reveal like that was too much. He prodded at the System internally, screaming while he did so.
What the fuck. What the fuck. What the fuck—I did not, how did this happen?! He had a son? The young master called Luo Binghe his baba, and he also called Shen Qingqiu father. Does that mean—the resemblance was uncanny, a perfect combination of both Luo Binghe and Shen Qingqiu.
System, I don't have the time nor energy for this.
【 System online. Installed Mod Pack, "Time Travel Intervention.” Points from this event cannot be collected. Event duration: ???】
What does that mean? I didn't install a mod pack! Time travel? System, answer me!
A gasp escaped the Young Master's lips, his eyes widening as realization dawned on him. In an instant, the mask of animosity and anger crumbled away, replaced by an expression of sheer shock and horror. His breath caught in his throat as he grappled with the weight of his words. How could he have been so careless? The enormity of his blunder washed over him like a tidal wave, leaving him reeling in disbelief at the bizarre and unbelievable truth he had just spoken aloud.
A heavy silence descended upon the gathering, broken only by the sound of soft gasps and the rustle of robes. Every eye in the vicinity fixated on the figure standing before them. The supposed son of Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe stood at the center of this silent scrutiny.
Amidst the charged atmosphere, sudden movement shattered the tension. Two figures materialized seemingly out of thin air. With a flourish, they landed, their presence adding an unexpected twist to the unfolding drama.
Ah, another Luo Binghe lookalike. A twin. What a delight...
"Yu-ge! You idiot!" A twin—oh my God, they had twins—shouted. "You blew our cover!"
"You had one job," their companion's voice cut through the air, firm and resolute. Shen Qingqiu couldn't help but notice a chill creeping into the atmosphere. Was it merely his imagination, or did the air grow colder? His gaze shifted to the young maiden standing before him, her resemblance strikingly reminiscent of a certain ice demon. The pointed ears, the ethereal blue attire, and the unmistakable white streaks amidst her brown hair left little doubt in Shen Qingqiu's mind.
They don't just have a son; they had twins. Two little lambs, and their little Mobei friend. How did they even birth such biological twins? Shang Qinghua never mentioned mpreg, unless they had another means of—Wait, when was he and Binghe a thing? Were they a thing? If they were a thing, did that mean he survived the protagonist's ire and avoided getting torn limb by limb—?
【 Healthcare warning from System. Information overload. 】
The room seemed to sway around Shen Qingqiu, his surroundings blurring as darkness crept into his vision. A weighty sensation pressed down upon him.
With the attention on the twins and their companion, almost everyone failed to look towards Shen Qingqiu, who swayed on his feet before he fell with a thud. Shen Qingqiu fainted!
"Shen-shidi!"
"Dad!" The twins' voices rang out, their cries echoing in the tense atmosphere. With urgency in their steps, they rushed towards their father. While Luo Binghe remained frozen in place, it was the Peak Lords who swiftly moved closer to Shen Qingqiu's unconscious form. Liu Qingge, with a stoic expression and crossed brows, gently cradled Shen Qingqiu's limp frame in his arms. Mu Qingfang approached and examined him.
The twins knelt beside their father, their brows furrowed with worry as they observed Shen Qingqiu's unconscious form. Behind them stood Luo Binghe, his lips pressed into a thin line, his gaze fixed intently on his unconscious Shizun.
"How is he?" Yue Qingyuan's voice cut through the tension, his skepticism evident as he glanced at the twins—Shen Qingqiu's supposed children—with uncertainty. The situation was overwhelming, leaving too many questions unanswered.
"Shen-shixiong will be fine, but I need to bring him back to Qian Cao Peak," Mu Qingfang reassured, his tone calm and reassuring.
"No, you cannot! Shen Qingqiu must serve punishment! He needs to be confined—" The Old Palace Master's protests faltered as he faced the stern gazes of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect and their three unexpected visitors. Despite the pressure, he refused to yield. "I-in fact, these trespassers should be confined as well!"
The Old Palace Master seeks death, it seems.
"Why would we?" One of the twins retorted, their tone defiant.
"You have defended a criminal! It is right to have you confined as well!" The Old Palace Master's accusations fell on deaf ears as he failed to notice the tremors among his own disciples. His eyes held an odd shine as he looked towards the twins in interest. "But it is alright, I can see that you two will be free from your...father's clutches as long as you join me—"
Ah, Old Palace Master, you choose death today.
The young maiden, who had remained largely silent until now, raised her hand with a graceful gesture. In response, ice spikes surged from the ground, forming a formidable barrier that prevented the Palace Master from advancing any further.
A collective gasp swept through the crowd as the ice emerged, creating a stark division between Cang Qiong Sect and the rest of the assembly.
"My sworn brothers will never join you nor will you confine my uncle," the maiden declared, her gaze piercing and resolute. Her beauty was undeniable, captivating all who beheld her. The deep blue pools of her eyes held a mesmerizing allure.
Uncle. Shen Qingqiu's niece rang in everyone's mind. How did Shen Qingqiu have a demoness as a niece?! Shang Qinghua panicked; he was well aware of the robes that the maiden wore, and not to mention the absolute resemblance she had to his king. When did his King produce offspring? Who produced his offspring? Why was Shen Qingqiu his uncle?
It seemed that Xiao Gongzhu could not hold in the disrespect they had shown to his father. "Justice needs to be served! Shen Qingqiu should be in the Water Prison!" She declared, hands on her hips. "Don't you think so, Luo-gege?" The affectionate nickname made Luo Binghe grimace, and he soon felt chills rise up his neck. It was no doubt caused by the piercing stares of the twins.
"How can justice be served with an unconscious person? Give us until my uncle, Peak Lord Shen, heals, then we can settle this," the maiden declared, her voice firm and commanding. With a steely gaze, she cast a harsh look towards the crowd, daring anyone to challenge her proclamation.
That seemed to shut Xiao Gongzhu up, as she huffed and threw another tantrum to her father for the disrespect.
"But what about the sowers?" A brave soul asked.
One of the twins, the one with the high ponytail, ambled to where the sowers were and hummed. Calculating eyes swept the scene in front of him.
"My father didn't do this. He was framed," he said succinctly, peering at the sowers. "This looks like a failed plan to lead them all to a single spot, bribed to say a Peak Lord's name. Don't you think so, Xue-jie?" The Young Master asked over his shoulder.
"Uncle Shen wouldn't do anything like this," she confirmed, her words carrying a tone of unwavering conviction. With that final assertion, the duo turned away, leaving the sowers to the other cultivators. Meanwhile, the Peak Lords prepared to depart, with an unconscious Shen Qingqiu cradled in Liu Qingge's arms.
Luo Binghe was certainly displeased by this, but who was he to demand hold over Shen Qingqiu's unconscious body? Sect Leader Yue certainly didn't approve. The twins—his supposed sons with Shizun, a fact he could not bear to keep thinking he might combust—didn't trust him enough. They eyed him with a mixture of suspicion and resentment, their gazes lingering on him with distrust as they prepared to leave.
And so, Cang Qiong Mountain Sect departed, accompanied by an eclectic group and a disciple once presumed deceased.