Au where six and a half years after Shen Qingqiu pushed Luo Binghe into the abyss, a different powerful demon takes over the realm. In exchange for not attacking the sects he demands a treasure from each one. From Huan Hua he takes an ancient amulet, said to carry incredible power. From Zhao Hua Monastery he wishes for knowledge. And From Cang Qiong Mountain Sect, he wants Shen Qingqiu, brought to him to serve as his first husband.
And Shen Qingqiu agrees, after all what use would it be to remain on his mountain, when Binghe will never return to him again? When these mountains will never again hear his laughter echo through them or be lightened by his smile. Luo Binghe died in the abyss and it is his fault. If his body can be used for peace he'll offer it willingly.
His sect siblings watch him go, expecting to hear of his death in only a few months. Shen Qingqiu's heart has been weakened by deep grief for too long, they do not expect him to survive the dangers of the demon realm. To want to survive them. (They had tried to negotiate, to reason with and then beg for the Emperor to choose something different but he refused to reconsider. So away Shen Qingqiu goes.)
When he gets there his husband does not greet him. There is no ceremony, no big reception, no official wedding, nothing. He is simply led to his rooms, guided by the maids of the palace.
The hallways are decorated in extravagant statues, paintings, finely crafted lamps. Shen Qingqiu finds it sickening to look at. How would Luo Binghe have decorated these halls, had he not failed him, had he been able to rise to his full power, to have survived?
He doesn't leave his room, ignoring the soft knocks at his door, the food that is delivered to him by his servants. He stares out at his private garten and refuses to eat. There's nothing to it. No sense.
The garden is flourished with the prettiest of flowers and fauna. Perfect bamboo stalks sprout from the ground, beautifully framing the little pond in the middle. Waterlilies coat the surface. He stares long at the still surface of the quiet water.
The Emperor visits him on what he thinks might be the third day, dressed in dark iridescent robes that flow behind him, giving him an ethereal look. Shen Qingqiu looks at him for a few seconds before his eyes fall back to the pond. He doesn't know what is expected of him and decides to wait him out.
"Does my husband not have anything to say to this Lord?" The man asks after a moment.
"This master was not aware that this arrangement included providing his husband entertainment." He replies in a dry sarcastic tone and does not care about how it might get him into trouble. What use, what use. Luo Binghe is dead. There is no more.
Suddenly he hates the Lord in front him, just a little. For taking him away from home, from the only place Luo Binghe will know where to find him ā should he ever return. For having to leave Zheng Yang behind, the last piece of Binghe's soul he could still watch over.
The Lord, his husband now, is silent for a moment before he quietly asks, "What makes my husband unhappy? Tell this Lord, so he may fix it."
Shen Qingqiu is suddenly exhausted. "There is nothing wrong. My chambers are fine, thank you. This husband wishes to be alone."
He doesn't know how much time passes but some while after that his husband softly closes the door on his way out. A bamboo leave slowly falls to the ground. Shen Qingqiu watches and watches. Luo Binghe is dead. Someday that will make sense.
His husband continues to visit him day after day. Each time he brings more beautiful, more elaborate and more expensive gifts. Shen Qingqiu thanks him and sets them down on nearby tables and shelves, not once looking back at them.
(Luo Binghe despairs, what is he doing wrong?! What is wrong with Shizun, why won't he move or smile?! What happened!!)
But over the months Shen Qingqiu opens up more and more, and one day he tells his husband about the disciple he once had, who had lived with him, cooked for him and washed his clothes, whom he loved and cherished, and then killed. Unexpectedly his husband bursts out into tears.
"What's wrong? My Husband, what is wrong?!" He gently takes his husband's face into his hands, swiping at the flood of tears.
"Shen Qingqiu," he sobs, "what would you do, to have him back?"
"Anything," Shen Qingqiu answers immediately, "there's nothing I would not sacrifice, to hold my Binghe once more."
His husband cries and cries and Shen Qingqiu watches in confusion, as slowly his appearance starts to slip. Soft curls replace the shiny hair from before, his dark eyes lighten to a vibrant red and Shen Qingqiu stares as his husband turns into his former disciple.
"Shizun," Luo Binghe whines, alive and warm and there, here in his arms, "please don't hate me."
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