Ohhhohoho, I just had a Thought.
Let's assume that sword spirits in SVSSS are something like Bleach. Ideally, you get a perfectly blank sword out of the sword wall, and it'll be a perfect match for your current physically abilities, but also grow with you to stay in that "perfect for you" range. At the same time, it starts off with a spirit inside that's little more than a blank paper doll, but as you work with it and grow and really make the sword your own, it starts to- for lack of better words- become you. Or, maybe become like you? For example, when a disciple finally takes on a sword, they'd eventually see it come to adopt a similar physical appearance to themselves. At the same time, the thing in that disciple's heart that they hold most important and dear becomes that Swords defining feature- owner values family, sword values family. Owner values strength, sword values strength.
Their personalities, however, can sometimes widely range. Say the disciple in the example is a calm, pleasant person, but they (and their sword) values...idk, perfection. Their sword could also be perfectly calm, but pleasant might be out the window in favor of demanding, well, perfection. Mastery without flaws, even in themselves. In this way, Swords can sometimes be exactly like their wielders, or sometimes completely different.
(For a more close to home example, in PIDW, Ning Yingying’s sword could be described as her greatest critic; often frustrated and angry when spoken to. Ning Yingying’s naivety and constant accidental trouble making for the people around her likely greatly irritated her sword, who could plainly see in a third party view where things were going wrong, but could not get Yingying to listen or change- and in PIDW their relationship either likely never improved, or did so too late.)
In PIDW, Shen Yuan noted that, once Luo Binghe received Zheng Yang, the sword very quickly took on both Binghe's personality and appearance. He theorized this was because Binghe, despite everything, was blatantly himself, never once losing sight of the things he valued even as everyone else treated him terribly, and since Binghe and his sword both appreciated kindness and were never cruel to each other, they quickly forged a strong bond. (Shen Yuan would later quote a scene often in the comment section about how, when Zheng Yang was confronted with his owner's mixed heritage, the sword didn't so much as flinch, saying that his wielder was his wielder to Binghe's face, and that he would have no other. Shen Yuan would cite it as one of Airplane's best written moments, finally giving Binghe someone who loves and cares for him genuinely. When Zheng Yang is taken from him, Shen Yuan probably screams. Like, outloud.)
Shen Yuan would also note that, from what little hints they were given throughout the narrative, this was maybe not the case for Shen Qingqiu and Xiu Ya. Details were scarce, but theories abound that even Xiu Ya couldn't stand that man's ass.
When Shen Yuan Becomes Shen Qingqiu, this theory is thrown out the window. The reality of the matter is, when Shen Jiu pulled Xiu Ya from the sword wall, his values were simple: Survive.
In PIDW, it was often noted that in moments Xiu Ya was mentioned, it was often just a short sentence that read, "Xiu Ya rattled in its sheath." Well, it turns out Xiu Ya was rattling because it was constantly trying to get Shen Jiu to stop sabotaging himself! And now, here in this world, Shen Yuan has to deal with an angry, depressed sword who's just lost its original owner forever.
Even Shen Yuan's weird divorce from reality can't withstand the power of a sentient Sword's grief. It leads to changes- specifically, changes in how Shen Yuan sees the world. Gone is that brief mindset of everything being a book! Now there is only the terrible bleak reality that he, Shen Yuan, is now in charge of so many children and the fate of the world, basically.
Also a traumatized sword who demands he take care of things proactively and NOT die at the hands of system, thank you very much.
(Oh yeah, Xiu Ya knows about the system. Kinda hard not to. They get into arguments all the time. Shen Yuan would laugh, but considering they often argue about things that would lead to his eventual, painful pickle pot death- well. It's less funny.)
Even to System, it's a bit surprising how quickly Xiu Ya latches onto Shen Yuan. For a sword confronted with a whole new person replacing his original wielder, Xiu Ya gets over his anger rather quickly. Shen Yuan knows Xiu Ya would well be in its rights to resent him and simply seal itself in its sheath forever, but instead, it switches over to hyperviligence very soon after the Skinner Mission.
What Shen Yuan doesn't know is that, despite how outwardly different they are, Shen Yuan and Shen Jiu are remarkably similar in Xiu Ya's eyes. Both are intelligent, both are constantly afraid, and most importantly, both want to survive. The only difference it sees is that of Flight vs Fight, and their odd attitude towards one half-demon child.
This is it's second chance. Xiu Ya will not lose another wielder.
After the IAC and the Endless Abyss, Shen Yuan gathers up Zheng Yang's shards and has it reforged. He plans to make a sword mound, but...he just can't help himself. Xiu Ya calls him foolishly sentimental, but he has to know. He has to see if Zheng Yang- and thus the last of his white lotus- is really gone. He sends out a thread of qi into the blade.
...
......
He sighs and pulls away. It was a long shot anyway- but Xiu Ya stops him. Tells him to try again. He argues that it's pointless, but Xiu Ya is insistent.
He tries again.
...
......
.........
"Like I said, there's nothing-"
There! A response!
He nearly drops the blade. Xiu Ya is smug in its sheath. Zheng Yang- it's not gone!
The next year is dedicated to the younger blade's care. It grows back it's strength slowly, and though Xiu Ya is standoffish at first, it soon becomes just as involved in the other blade's care as Shen Yuan himself. (Perhaps Xiu Ya was adapting too well to him.)
Zheng Yang-
Well. There comes a point where Zheng Yang becomes aware again. At first it refuses to speak directly to Shen Yuan, not out of malice or anger, but out of propriety. Swords do not speak through words, they speak through qi connections; and since forging that connection is deeply personal, speaking to Shen Yuan directly....well.
That changes once it realizes Binghe is gone. Or, perhaps more correctly stated, *Xiu Ya* changes that once Zheng Yang realizes Binghe is gone.
It's not entirely unusual for a cultivator to take up two sword spirits and their corresponding blades at once. There is, in fact, precident for it, despite what Shen Yuan may think. Xiu Ya just neglects to tell him that such things are usually the result of a cultivator losing someone close to them; usually close family, but more tragically, a dear person most beloved. Like, say, oh, I don't know...a lover? [Smug sword emoji]
Why did Xiu Ya encourage this? Because over the year of helping care for it, Xiu Ya gained a soft spot for Zheng Yang. It could sympathize with the younger blade's plight, and if anyone could understand the ache of a bond broken, it's Xiu Ya. So, why not take out two birds with one stone? Zheng Yang needs a new wielder, and Shen Yuan desperately needs his white lotus to keep him going. (Besides, unlike PIDW Zhang Yang, this version of the sword was made from Binghe's love for his Shizun. If Shen Yuan can't be his new wielder, then who else could possibly take Binghe's place? No one. No one at all.)
Shen Yuan thinks this is a terrible idea, but once they all meet in a dreamscape and he sees Zheng Yang's pleading eyes in person, he caves. Those are Binghe's eyes, after all.
Still, he can't help himself. He asks Zheng Yang if it really wants to bond with a man who threw his disciple into the Abyss; but Zheng Yang is no fool. Xiu Ya has told it of System, has spoken of Shen Yuan's true identity and his plight, and his terrible regret and guilt for not being able to stop it. Zheng Yang is also Binghe in all but name, formed from Luo Binghe’s determination and dedication to this very man. Shen Yuan can try to sabotage himself all he wants, but Zheng Yang will not allow this beloved, silly man to deny himself what they both want.
Thus, Shen Yuan becomes known as the Dual Wielding Widow of Qing Jing Peak.
Two songs you should listen to while digesting this because they completely inspired this upcoming bit: Wait for Me from Hadestown and Wait for Me (reprise).
Zheng Yang, as close to being Binghe as Binghe himself, is unsurprisingly a miracle worker with Shen Qingqiu. Shen Yuan listens to him as someone who could, with full authority, speak truthfully and knowingly of exactly what Binghe felt and thought of Shen Qingqiu, even up to the moment he pushed him down (despite being nothing but shards), and because they look so closely alike, Shen Yuan can't help but listen when Zheng Yang urges him to eat, or sleep, or even just go out and be a person for a bit.
Because of this, Shen Yuan is in a much better headspace when Zheng Yang and Xiu Ya both insist Binghe would never want to hurt him and that, in all actuality, Binghe loves him and likely would desperately want to come home.
He's willing to believe the latter, but the former...well, if there was any affection at all, surely it was gone now- but that's not important. What is important is that, if what the Swords are saying is true, then that means Shen Yuan *changed* something; and if he can change that, then...
...what's stopping him changing more? What's stopping him from marching into the Abyss and freeing his Disciple *right now*?
Preparations are made. System says nothing, stuck in sleep mode, and Shen Qingqiu writes down every little thing he knows about the Abyss- the Arc and the realm itself. He packs supplies, weapons, cures and medicines alike. He researches tracking talismans, protection charms, air and water purifiers, temperature regulators. He is no heavenly demon; the Abyss can kill a Peak Lord just as easily as it could a mortal. That realm was only survivable for those who could channel away the worst of its effects.
Xiu Ya plans with him, making contingencies upon contingencies. Looking for weaknesses in his strategy and correcting them with brutal efficiency. "This one camps that route, don't approach. This one will attempt to consume you, but they're weak. Kill on sight. This route has difficult terrain, but lacks real trouble. We'll try this way first."
Zheng Yang lists off their supplies. He checks and rechecks their tools and pouches again and again, and is half the reason they're taking so much with them besides what Shen Qingqiu thought Binghe would need.
Then, eventually, there is nothing left to plan. Nothing left to pack. All that's left...is to find a tear in the fabric of the realm.
Easily solved: Mobei-Jun. All Shen Qingqiu had to do was threaten a certain hamster and he barely had a moment to brace against the heat of the Abyss before the portal was closing behind him.
The journey starts.
It is tiring. It is difficult. Binghe is already so far ahead, and Shen Yuan cannot move fast through this hellscape without wasting valuable qi. He risks it anyway, riding Xiu Ya in short burst across the truly unwalkable stretches of land- lava lakes, bottomless canyons, acid rivers...
He never stops. He never sleeps. He pauses only long enough to nibble on a ration and his swords' insistence. He only delays or strays from his forward momentum during battle. He does not let himself lose, even if he loses blood or hair or even a limb. Binghe is out there, and Shen Qingqiu- Shen Yuan- will find him.
(All the while, self-doubt dogs him. Is he doing the right thing? Is changing this part of Binghe's story good for him? Is this without-a-cure all over again? What right does he have to twist his disciple off the surefire path to greatness?)
(Would Binghe really still want to go home?)
Xiu Ya keeps him alert. Zheng Yang keeps his spirits up. He truly wasn't sure he could have made this journey without them.
Deep into the Abyss, so far in that Shen Yuan knew Xin Mo was only a few weeks walk away, he sees him. Binghe.
He's dirty. Bloodsoaked. His hair is matted and his bright clothes are torn, irreversibly stained.
His back is to him.
All of Shen Yuan's doubts rush forward. There is relief, seeing his disciple alive and well, but scenarios flash behind his eyes. Scenes of greeting binghe and getting a hand shoved through his chest. Binghe screaming in rage at the sight of him. Binghe glaring at him in contempt and turning him away, prefering to suffer rather than accept anything from his traitor Shizun.
Zheng Yang doesn't let him freeze. He takes his hand and guides him forward, just as he's been doing every day since the moment he was reforged. Xiu Ya is close behind, silent but steady encouragement.
Shen Yuan gathers his courage. He calls out.
Binghe looks back. His head snaps around so fast that Shen Qingqiu thinks he can hear his neck crack.
Oh, but even now, dirty and weathered and demonic, Binghe still brought such awe to this Master's heart.
