Chapter Text
Liu Qingge was confused.
He had been given permission from their sect leader to take some time and meditate in the qi-rich Ling Xi caves, but had just returned from a mission and his meridians were still messed up from the battle. But he figured he’d be just fine, it was just meditation.
…he supposed next time perhaps he should heed Mu Qingfang’s advice about rest, seeing as that exact thought process then led to him suffering a qi deviation.
He knew why he had undergone a qi deviation, that was not what confused him.
No, what confused him was the Qing Jing Peak Lord’s sudden strange behaviour. Liu Qingge was on the brink of death, and while he never truly believed Shen Qingqiu would hate him enough to kill him, neither did he think he would risk himself by saving him.
And yet, when Liu Qingge came to, his most hated martial brother was sitting above him, wiping his blood away with a kind smile, all while mumbling about ‘making nice’ and wanting to ‘move forward as model sect siblings.’
Ha!
Even in his weakened state, of course Liu Qingge would not fall for such trickery. Though, there did seem something, different almost, about Shen Qingqiu.
His usual snarl was a softened smile, his frosty glare seemingly melted into warm eyes. Even his harsh voice seemed jovial and sweet.
…He must be possessed.
After their…most strange interaction, the two had parted ways to meditate.
Nearing the end of his meditation, Liu Qingge just barely noted that Shen Qingqiu had left the caves.
Before he could consider asking Yue Qingyuan for that soul-possession checking sword, he detected a sudden wave of demonic energy emit across Cang Qiong.
By the time he got onto the scene, Liu Qingge could only grow more confused (though naturally this would never prevent him jumping into action accordingly to protect his sect).
Shen Qingqiu had taken a hit meant for one of his disciples in the demon invasion! The most vain, self-centred man Liu Qingge had ever met, selflessly putting himself in harm’s way, only to get severely poisoned and faint in front of numerous disciples?
Perhaps some demon had managed to replace Shen Qingqiu in the confusion. Or he had been possessed in the Ling Xi caves.
This could not be the same Shen Qingqiu he knew!
He would have asked Mu Qingfang to check as the healer was looking over Shen Qingqiu’s injuries anyway, but the Sect Leader had stopped Liu Qingge from coming along to have Shen Qingqiu treated.
So of course, Liu Qingge took the next reasonable course of action: kicking down Shen Qingqiu’s door and checking for possession himself.
(And if he was a little worried about the man who had saved him in the caves, well, that was just for Liu Qingge to know)
Not even knocking, the Bai Zhan War God kicked down the door of the Peak Lord’s bamboo house on Qing Jing Peak…only to see two Shen Qingqiu’s, one resting on the bed, the other fussing hurriedly over the bedridden one, hot cloth in one hand and the other hand clutching the others’ hands in their own.
…WTF.