for peerlesschrysanthemum

Luo Binghe thought he had everything he wanted. That’s what he’s thought for a long, long time now. He crushed Cang Qiong Mountain Sect underfoot, and made sure that his greatest tormenter suffered a long and drawn-out death. In the end, it didn’t even make him feel particularly satisfied. The monster even had the nerve to grieve in front of Luo Binghe, like he hadn’t been scum who would torment a child…!

Really, Luo Binghe would have been content enough to continue along the path he’d been on.

Though “content” isn’t the right word, exactly. Collecting wives, most of whom he doesn’t even remember the names of, had been more of a compulsion than anything else. Some desperate attempt at filling the void. Oh, it’s not like he’d ever been anything but a competent lover to any of them, but they’d all been glorified one-night stands for the most part. No doubt most of them would go on to gloat about sleeping with the emperor, and Binghe saw nothing wrong with this arrangement.

He’d have been fine with continuing along that path had it not been for the “Shen Qingqiu” who appeared in his dreamscape. He hadn’t realized until he’d ripped through several limbs and the man had been rescued by some other version of Meng Mo that it hadn’t been a dream.

When he’d finally come face-to-face with this different version of his shizun, he’d been immediately struck by the novelty of it all. How gentle the man was with him, how it had felt to have his hands touch his hair. Luo Binghe still has the plait “Shen Qingqiu” had braided for him, buried under his curls. What had vexed him even more than the strange behavior was the other version of himself. Far too soft, the man shouldn’t be allowed to call himself emperor!

And yet this kind and affectionate Shizun wanted to stay with him!

It doesn’t make sense. What does that weakling have that he doesn’t?!

Not caring about how it would affect the harem, or even how it would effect the court, Luo Binghe resolved to find some other version of this strange version of his shizun. He’s searched through twelve different worlds for one, and in every single world, he either came face-to-face with the original version, or face-to-face with an angry version of himself who was more than willing to fight to the death.

Now he’s on the thirteenth.

He’s not sure where to begin searching here.

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Shen Yuan dies choking, and wakes up into his new life choking as well. On blood instead of food, this time, but fortunately not because he's been stabbed in the lung or something; the original flavour clearly died during a qi deviation.

What! a! way! to start your transmigration!

It takes Shen Yuan a week to find out where he is, waking up alone in a small house as he does. Because while he has a System, it claims it's in power-saving mode and to 'direct any questions to the AI assistant'. Which then merely tells him to 'help himself'. Great. What use are you, then, shitty System!? Taking stock of himself, Shen Yuan finds these things; a non-spiritual sword, what seems to be Foundation Establishment level cultivation, perhaps close to a Golden Core Formation breakthrough, and... not enough food he can eat without doing more than warming it up.

The closest settlement is a city half a day's walk away, as he finds out trying to find it; he'd taken enough funds to stay a few days, so he does. He's greeted by 'immortal master Shen' around the markets. Shen who!? Fuck if he knows! Well, sorry to the original flavour, he'll just keep using his own name, ah! Inquiring about news about the 'most important sects' gives him the shock of his fucking life.

He's in Proud Immortal Demon Way.

Shen Yuan goes back to his cottage, spends perhaps a year in meditation, and gets the result he hoped for; Golden Core Formation. Hello, needing to eat food, goodbye needing to eat food!

A few months after that, realizing how close to the Borderlands he is, Shen Yuan finds out that while he might be in Proud Immortal Demon Way, it is... about two hundred years too early. He thinks, anyway. He has no idea! All he knows is that the demons he talked with upon slipping into the Demon Realm informed him the saintly ruler and his son, the young Tianlang-jun, are locked in battle with some rebel such-and-so-jun. Further inquiry back in the Human Realm gives the wrong generational names for the current peak lords of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect.

What the fuck is going on? What is he even here for, ah!? Though, this early, at least he doesn't have to worry about the protagonist! Good for him, even if it seems a pity to not even get to lay eyes on Luo Binghe for a hundred years or more, yet.

Well, nothing for it. Shen Yuan doesn't mind, really! He has a whole world to explore!

... Over the next two years he might more than once get caught up in aiding people around the Borderlands, who are far away from most sects, so he travels less than he had intended. It's a way to pass the time, gets him funds, and he does get to see many demonic beasts. He's passing through what he now considers 'his' city on the way back home to his cottage after another little trip to a nearby settlement closer to one of the portals into the Demon Realm, and makes an indulgent stop at a food stall near the corner of the largest market.

"Immortal Master Shen!" the old woman crows in greeting, then reaches out to pat his cheek. "What has Immortal Master Shen been eating? Skin and bones, skin and bones, I tell you. He can't eat air, can he?"

"Madam Chen---" Shen Yuan coughs, but she isn't to be denied even if he doesn't in fact, need to eat more than 'air', as it were.

He takes the bamboo basket stuffed full with xiaolongbao and retreats as gracefully as he can, intent on getting home.

It takes Luo Binghe a long time to learn about the world. This wasn't the quick trip he expected it to be. In the past, he'd been greeted by opposition rather quickly. Here, it feels... different. This isn't his world world; it's actually very different. It's more than just finding himself in a different period of time.

Well.

He would go back and try again, but it seems rapid travel between worlds has depleted Xin Mo's powers. The sword might as well be a mundane weapon, which has effectively left him stranded.

And in a world where no one in the Borderlands recognizes him as their emperor!

Given the effective anonymity of his position, Binghe decided quickly not to make a big deal about the situation. It would be better for nobody to think much of him, lest the fact that a Heavenly Demon had recently taken to wandering the land become something demons in power try to use to their advantage. He couldn't give less of a damn about the politics of this world. He barely has any interest in the politics of his own.

Well. At any rate, he has zero interest in going by anything other than his own name. So he didn't bother coming up with a pseudonym.

Binghe stops by these settlements every now and again, so he doesn't always pay attention to the conversations within them. Even so, he can't help overhearing the conversation at the food stall, and the fussy words of old Madam Chen. He's been nagged by her before. Every time she sees him, in fact. So rather than risk being called out by her, Luo Binghe approaches instead. "Grandma! I thought I was the only one you fussed at."

He takes a moment to look over the cultivator out of habit. After another moment, he dismisses the man entirely. Though the name "Shen" had caught his interest, this is clearly not his shizun. Either version.

"Aiyah! None of you cultivators eat right! Of course this old woman will fuss. Now come here, come here," Madam Chen fusses, waving Luo Binghe over.

Shen Yuan, meanwhile, thoughtlessly steps to the side to let the stranger pass. The markets are pretty crowded at this time of day, and as he doesn't want to shove past people - he has some manners, all right? - he slows down, brushing past the finely clad cultivator. The black with silver embroidery very striking, and Shen Yuan can't remember any important sect in this world that dresses in those colours...

Curious, and because it's hard not to follow the source of that richly resonant voice that sounds exactly like he would've imagined Luo Binghe would in an audio or TV drama adaptation of Proud Immortal Demon Way, Shen Yuan looks up.

Long, streaming black curls shine in the noonday sun, perfectly framing graceful and elegant features and making fair, jade-like skin even paler, so that the shy rose of the lips stand out even more. Their eyes meet---

[Welcome to the System! Self-check complete, proxy power source found, compatibility to Protagonist: Original Luo Binghe: 50%. Beginner scenario automatically triggered: "Out of This World"; completion will establish parameters going forwards.]

"Luo Binghe!?"

It's a quiet exclamation, no more than a whisper of a breath that anyone but another cultivator of high enough ability would be able to hope to hear. (Of which an adult Luo Binghe certainly would be.) It's only after the shock of meeting those abyss-black, starry eyes, like looking up into the night sky here in this world yet even more sparkly, that Shen Yuan catches up to what the System said.

Original!? What!? What the fuck is going on??

He's too shocked to do anything but practically flee the marketplace, deciding he will figure things out later! At home!

Luo Binghe thinks little of the cultivator. It's no insult; better to be ignored by the emperor than risk his ire. Though, he can't do anything to human cultivators at the moment. It doesn't stop him from considering his options just the same. He'd banned the practice for a reason, and...

Well. No matter.

He pays Madam Chen for a meal, looking quite pleased. He might not need to eat, but he likes the rustic taste of food from villages like this. It reminds him of his mother's cooking. It was never enough for the two of them, and yet it's deeply nostalgic anyway. Luo Binghe can't help the wistful little smile.

He doesn't mean to look at the cultivator. Though demons aren't uncommon in places like this, he has been keeping a low profile for a reason. Their eyes meet, and Binghe—

Whatever he was thinking is interrupted by a complete stranger saying his name. "What?" He's too stunned to be angry or even confused. True, he's been going by his real name here, but he's made sure to avoid attracting attention! How could this cultivator possibly know who he is?!

Come to think of it, this Shen Whoever was wearing green, wasn't he? But it certainly wasn't the green of the Peak Lords he remembers. And besides, none of those people even exist in Cang Qiong Mountain Sect. Not yet, anyway. And Luo Binghe doesn't plan on sticking around here long enough to bother with them. So he blinks in surprise when he watches the man take off.

"Grandma, who is that man?"

Clearly, Binghe needs to pay him a visit.

"Ah, our Immortal Master Shen," Madam Chen says warmly, her whole face transforming into a full moon, wrinkles deepening around the happy crescents of her eyes. "He turned up about five years ago, and helped with a few... troubles, back then - we're not close enough to the Borderlands demons will appear out of thin air in the middle of the city, but we're close enough, close enough.

"He usually keeps to himself mostly, about half a day up the road towards Tian Yi Temple, but about three years ago he did become friendlier. Turns up more around here, and has helped other towns and villages nearby. He even took the time to teach some of the children to get started on reading and writing!"

Madam Chen eyes the basket she's about to hand over, and tuts. "Xiao Luo, are you sure this is enough, hm?"

Shen Yuan, meanwhile, hours up the road, feels... a little ridiculous. Perhaps he'd overreacted? But poking the System for what it meant by original Luo Binghe, plus the fact that Luo Binghe shouldn't be born for a century or more yet, it just keeps insisting on finishing the beginner scenario.

The original? Does that mean the protagonist from the actual webnovel? How did he even--- Is Xin Mo that powerful, that it can cross into other versions of Proud Immortal Demon Way's world? What the fuck.

"System, what would I need to do to complete this beginner scenario?" Shen Yuan inquires as he slows down to a walk, his cottage not very far, now. He supposes he can always go back to ask Madam Chen where her handsome (excessively handsome!) customer had appeared to, if he can't find him himself.

[Please complete "Out of This World" to establish parameters for this System going forward.]

Well. That's fucking helpful, really.

Edited 2026-05-24 00:09 (UTC)

What an interesting individual! Luo Binghe nods at the explanation. "I wonder what happened three years ago?" he wonders out loud. Qi deviations have been known to affect personality. They can also straight up kill someone, but having a change in behavior, or losing the ability to lose limbs, isn't unheard of. Figuring that's at least a start, he doesn't speculate further. He's already going to have a long conversation with this strange cultivator as it is.

He smiles at Madam Chen. "It'll be enough. But I suppose I could always bring some more for Master Shen."

The conversation will have to be delayed, though, because he's going to be eating here for a while!

Eventually, he finishes up eating and says his goodbyes to Madam Chen. Luo Binghe will certainly be back later— he's enjoyed this area and doesn't have much reason to relocate. Fortunately, being half-demon means that he passes well enough. Enough that, so long as he doesn't do anything stupid, he won't be found out.

He can hold his own just fine, but it's about not making a scene other demons will notice.

So he does make his way to this mysterious Master Shen later that day. And true to his earlier comment to Madam Chen, he does end up carrying food with him. Something she'd assured him was Master Shen's favorite assortment of dishes. (And, reluctantly, Luo Binghe's favorites too). Someone whose first instinct is to run away from him still baffles Luo Binghe, but at least he hopes the food will work as a peace offering.

Binghe could certainly understand why it would happen in his own world, but here? He hasn't done anything here, beyond helping a local washerwoman when he first arrived.

So, because he needs to know, he steels himself and knocks on the door.

Accepting that Luo Binghe is the one from the actual webnovel isn't that difficult, in the end. A little worrying, perhaps, but not difficult. It's honestly a more straightforward explanation for his presence than anything to explain why Luo Binghe is present one to two hundred years before his own birth.

So.

Fuck.

What does that mean? Shen! Yuan! doesn't! fucking! know! ah!

And if he wants to finish that 'Out of This World' quest, he'll have to find Binghe again. Fuck. Not that he's planning on acting like some idiot cannon fodder villain, okay? But Luo Binghe hasn't exactly had much, if any, good interactions with male characters before. Aside from Mobei-jun and no-name NPCs among his staff and forces Airplane never even so much as described much, forget giving them names, there has been... nothing.

The knock on the door has Shen Yuan eyeing one of his windows, before he shakes his head at himself. It might not even be Luo Binghe! And anyway, he's already decided to try and figure out what the System wants for a completion of this scenario.

Snagging up a fan he bought shortly after his core formation in passing, Shen Yuan opens the door - and is almost blinded. By the sun behind Binghe, of course! That's! all!

"... Luo Binghe," Shen Yuan greets, because if the protagonist followed him here it's because he heard him say his name, so there's no point in pretending otherwise. Keeping his expression blank, he steps aside to let him come in.

Not like there's any point in resisting, ah!

There's that proof again, the proof that this man knows who he is while Luo Binghe himself is looking at a complete stranger. "It's me," he agrees with a nod, before shoving the substantial bundle of dishes into the cultivator's arms. "Grandma Chen says you don't eat enough."

They both know that cultivators past a certain point don't need to eat, but Luo Binghe has never practiced inedia regularly. He likes food quite a lot, actually. He just hasn't had a reason to cook for anyone. Some of his wives, the ones whose names he can remember, have even regularly been fed by him.

He's surprised by how little he misses them, save for perhaps Ning Yingying and Sha Hualing.

"How does Master Shen recognize me when this one has never met Master Shen before?" It's truly an awkward way of referring to himself, but he can't very well out himself as a demon. Though relationships are decent enough, Luo Binghe has no interest in seeing people behave differently around him. It's actually extremely unappealing, even though he isn't certain why.

Though, somehow, despite deliberately keeping a low profile and having spent the years in this world rarely having drawn his blade, someone's first reaction to seeing him had been to take off running?

It doesn't make sense.

Startled at getting a basket - with food, apparently! - shoved at him, Shen Yuan stares down at it, up at Luo Binghe's back (so cool, as he strides right in, no hesitation at all!), then back down.

Can he bullshit this? Madam Chen clearly knew him - if not who Luo Binghe actually is, will be? - so he must've been around for a bit, but for how long has Bing-ge been here? And why?

"This Shen Yuan will have to thank her again, later," he says calmly, but can't help a hard swallow before he closes the door and walks over to the table to put the basket down. "And surely Luo Binghe realizes that handsome, strong cultivators like him are, ah, not a usual sight around the Borderlands? Gossip grows faster than any rice."

This isn't just bullshitting, this is taking a risk to the highest degree, assuming the protagonist - the original protagonist!? - has been around long enough that such an explanation would make sense.

Which doesn't explain why he ran off, something Shen Yuan is well aware of. And he has absolutely no defense if Luo Binghe dives down into his dreams tonight, though Shen Yuan isn't sure there's anything incriminating to find. Actually... Shen Yuan is a little surprised the protagonist came out all the way here to meet him in person, first! Though of course, he has a (demonic) spiritual sword and can either fly or create a portal, in contrast to Shen Yuan, who's still slogging around with a perfectly normal sword.

(He's found out Airplane's absolutely bullshit 'spiritual sword rental stores' are starting to become a thing, but they're still in their infancy and mostly concentrated around Huan Hua's territory and its neighbouring areas, which is too far away to bother. The price is too steep, yet, too.)

Puttering about with preparing tea, Shen Yuan sneaks glances at his, ah, guest as he does so. Even in his dusty, embarrassingly messy little cottage, Luo Binghe glows. He might just as well be standing in a grand hall, whether that be in own underground palace or a fine main hall of a great, righteous sect.

"But Luo Binghe surely has better things to do than play food delivery?"

Even as he asks this, Shen Yuan turns around with the teapot, head cocked in silent inquiry as much as offer. He won't be a bad host! Even though! it's! definitely! in his best interest if Luo Binghe leaves as quickly as possible!

Shen Yuan. The name doesn't ring a bell, of course it doesn't, but that "Shen" does make him pause briefly. Not that he thought he'd misheard Madam Chen, but...

But as for the explanation as to how the clutivator learned his name, it makes sense. Almost. because there's the bigger issue: if this man had truly only learned Luo Binghe's name by overhearing it as a result of people in town talking about him, it doesn't explain why Shen Yuan would take off running as soon as they made eye contact. "If that is the reason, why did Shen Yuan find it necessary to run?"

By all appearances, Luo Binghe is a normal cultivator. It's not like he's gone around harassing locals.

And by the appearance of the cottage, this mysterious cultivator who took off running lives a humble life. It's quite baffling. "I wanted to ask Master Shen why he ran from me," Binghe says slowly. "And Grandma Chen wanted that same Shen to eat more. So I offered to bring food."

Did the incident three years ago have anything to do with Shen Yuan's decision to run away? It's a shame Luo Binghe is so far from home; he's certain his advisors would have a number of explanations.

Edited 2026-05-24 19:56 (UTC)

Well! It's not as if that's an unreasonable question to have! At all! If Luo Binghe actually was just some random - if excessively handsome - cultivator trying to do some good around an area that sees too little help from the cultivation sects and clans.

"Sit, sit," Shen Yuan bids, waggling his fan before he tucks it away in his belt and comes over with teapot and two tea cups, pouring them each one before he takes his fan out again, unfolding it to lazily fanning himself.

It dries the cold sweat away, okay! Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. He doesn't know how to answer that question! And he knew Binghe would ask - why wouldn't he? This protagonist's IQ is nothing to sneeze at!

"This humble Shen does apologize. Luo Binghe surprised me..." Shen Yuan doesn't squirm, and his expression remains calmly aloof, but his heart is hammering in his chest and his grip on his fan is slightly too firm. "Because I wasn't expecting to hear that name. Three years ago, I had a qi deviation... I think---"

He indulges in looking away, pursing his lips slightly so he doesn't bite into them instead.

"I think I had some strange dreams, when I almost died. I heard that name, then, but that 'Luo Binghe' seemed to be the son of the saintly ruler of the Demon Realm, Tianlang-jun, who's currently not yet on the throne."

This! is! so! fucking! bad! Bullshit! Even if it's partially true! What does he think he's doing, ah!?

Binghe sits without issue. Though, he does look about the place curiously. It's certainly the home of a humble cultivator. It's not the sort of place he'd expect someone to live in if they were disguising who they are. It's quite cozy in all honesty.

Still, Luo Binghe doesn't think there's anything suspicious about the man.

Which is why he finds the situation so perplexing.

So he listens quietly to the explanation. The way his face twists into utter shock, at the words son of the saintly ruler of the Demon Realm, Tianlang-jun, makes it obvious that he is that Luo Binghe. He doesn't stand in a huff, doesn't look like he's going to get angry, but the teacup in his hand twists. "You had a vision?"

The cultivator said it was dreams, but that can't be right. It's too specific. Too correct. "Does Master Shen remember when these dreams started? Was it three years ago?"

That had been when Luo Binghe first became stranded in this world.

How could someone learn something like that? Especially since his father has yet to take the throne in this world. It'll be a long, long time before Binghe is born. With any luck, Xin Mo will have recovered and Luo Binghe will have no reason to stick around this world. How is he supposed to find a kind, gentle Shizun who isn't even around?!

Still.... he doesn't find this cultivator suspicious, just fascinating. It's the first time he hasn't felt directionless in years.

Edited 2026-05-24 22:13 (UTC)

"Mm. I suppose it might have been a vision, though for what reason..." Shen Yuan agrees, shrugging.

He's still a little concerned about where this will lead and if he's just fucked himself over or not. It's not as if he can tell, because aside from Luo Binghe's reaction and continuing to sit across from him, the System screen still displays that beginner quest, its goal as opaque as ever.

What does it want? Fuck, better question; what! does! that! mean!?

"Three years ago, yes. How so?"

Why does that seem so remarkable to Luo Binghe? Shen Yuan is itching to ask WTF the original is doing here, but it's one thing to get 'a vision' of 'the future' and another entirely for him to know that this Luo Binghe isn't the future one. Well, not the future one of this world anyway.

... Or is he? Maybe he is! Maybe this actually is the actual world of Proud Immortal Demon Way, just four hundred years in the past from the novel's end and Bing-ge is doing a spot of time-travelling.

That doesn't explain why he was dropped into the story this early, but... time-travel on Luo Binghe's side might make more sense? Maybe? Except there is that strange 'protagonist: original Luo Binghe' as the System tagged him with.

Hmm...

So this man started dreaming about Luo Binghe around the time Luo Binghe showed up in this world. In this world where the shizun he is looking for almost certainly hasn't been born yet. If he's ever going to show up!

Binghe hesitates. "That was around the time I showed up here." His wording is vague enough, intentionally so. He isn't about to confess to being from a completely different world out of the blue!

Whatever is going on, he needs to stay close to Shen Yuan. It's an intriguing thought; Luo Binghe doesn't form attachments readily. And sleeping with women and calling them his wives hardly counts. It's not as though those can be called relationships. More like a contractual obligation between people. After all, most members of his harem have roles in their own territories.

"This Binghe has never met Master Shen before, and yet Master Shen has dreamed of him..."

What an intriguing mystery. "I want to understand why."

This is clearly not meant to be a threat. Luo Binghe isn't doing anything threatening, and he doesn't look like he's about to pull a sword and attack Shen Yuan. "Perhaps the qi deviation gave Master Shen knowledge, instead of sickness."

Showed up 'here', where, Bing-ge? The Borderlands? This world, more like! Shen Yuan wants to squint at the protagonist and say something, but if he's to do that, he needs to couch it in a way that can follow logically from Shen Yuan having had a 'vision' of 'the future'.

Which, again, he sort of has, but not exactly. Ah, fuck, how stupid can one be? Now he needs to keep that impression up!

"Perhaps it did," Shen Yuan agrees indulgently, finally picking up his tea for a sip. "This Shen would like to understand as well. It's a curious connection... Luo Binghe is of course welcome to come by whenever he wishes until we figure it out. Or stay, if he wants, but he surely has more comfortable places to patronize than this little shack in the middle of nowhere."

The slight pause after that is unintentional as the System goes off in his head. [Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations! Important things must be repeated three times! Beginner quest: "Out of This World" successfully completed! +150 B-Points. This System is now fully recalibrated for and connected to the power source.]

Which explains absolutely nothing, you dumbfuck System! Dismissing the System screen, he focuses back on Luo Binghe.

"What's the most baffling is how Luo Binghe is here, in this time, when, at least by the vision I received, he shouldn't be born yet. Did something happen to bring you here?"

Fuck! As if! he! needs! to! ask! Shen Yuan does decidedly not let his gaze stray towards the sheathed sword at Luo Binghe's side. Also - what the fuck has Bing-ge been doing, staying here for three years? Is whatever reason he arrived (needing to aid a wife? in quest of some artefact?) taking so long?

Luo Binghe listens carefully.

Truthfully, he didn't think Shen Yuan would be so agreeable. It's quite a lot to take it, and Luo Binghe has always been the sort to be wary of strangers approaching him. And yet, this Master Shen believes him.

It's... heartening. He likes it.

Unconsciously, he reaches out for the braid hidden in his hair. It's no longer the one that gentle version of Shizun made for him, but Luo Binghe has maintained it over the years.

At Shen Yuan's question, Binghe laughs. "I'm not certain if Master Shen would believe me," he admits. "It's a long story." Perhaps he shouldn't even admit that much— they are strangers. But Luo Binghe feels strangely at peace with the man. Like how he'd felt when the gentle Shizun had doted on him and touched him. Brushed his hair without thinking, like he'd done it countless times before.

Luo Binghe couldn't help but want to kiss him.

"Hm," Shen Yuan says, trying for unconcerned blitheness aimed more at his cup than the half-demon protagonist across from him. "Then Luo Binghe may test this Shen at his leisure."

Are you fucking stupid!? Why! did! he! say it like that, ah!? Well, too late now. And it's not as if Shen Yuan isn't utterly certain the protagonist won't go rooting around in his dreams. Not that... there's anything to find, really? Which, in terms of his 'vision' might be a problem, but if the System keeps itself unnoticeable even to Luo Binghe, which it presumably will, which is tied to the qi deviation the original flavour suffered, Shen Yuan will be safe.

He can't exactly answer for something a qi deviation has clearly made in accessible, can he?

He's trying not to look, but his gaze is inevitably drawn to the brief fiddling Binghe does with a little braid tucked away among his locks. Cute. He hadn't exactly expected to think the blackened stallion protagonist of Proud Immortal Demon Way as cute, but... ah, he kind can be!

"As I said, Luo Binghe is welcome to stay, but my accommodations are crude and there is only one bedroom. The couch isn't uncomfortable, however, and I have an extra screen to partition off part of the room so you can have some privacy."

How can he not feel that pang of gratitude at a response like that?!

He beams, looking and feeling like the young disciple who still thought maybe he could get his shizun's attention if he worked hard enough. Like that weaker Luo Binghe seemed to gain effortlessly. Even Emperor Luo Binghe still longed for attention, why wouldn't he?

It makes him feel that maybe it's not entirely out of reach for him.

So he recounts his story for Master Shen. Not about his childhood and the scum that was his shizun— that doesn't seem needed, given how Shen Yuan had known details about Luo Binghe's lineage even Luo Binghe didn't learn about for years. But he does talk about meeting the kind version of his Shizun, and how he'd spent all of that time searching through worlds for that same Shizun.

Of course he's had no luck. It frustrates him and angers him a little, but he also cannot leave this world, with Xin Mo's powers currently exhausted. Even three years later, it hasn't changed. So Luo Binghe has resigned himself to being in this world for the time being.

Well, had.

Because Master Shen having a qi deviation that allowed him to see visions of Luo Binghe's past at the same time Binghe arrived in this world. And Luo Binghe has been around for long enough he doesn't think of something like that as mere coincidence.

He's no longer resigned himself, because he wants to know more about Shen Yuan.

"This Binghe doesn't mind sleeping on the couch," he says with absolute seriousness.

Okay. So, admittedly, the protagonist was right. This is a hard story to believe. Shen Qingqiu? Nice? To Luo Binghe? Don't make him laugh! That scum villain couldn't stop digging his grave when it came to the protagonist!

And yet - apparently it happened, at least once. His heart hurts a little, for even if Luo Binghe recounts this with a quietly simmering rage beneath the words, the longing for a kinder, gentler shizun, something he should indeed have had, is obvious. Strong enough, apparently, that Luo Binghe would go looking for another one?

What a particularly protagonist solution to his problem! How cool that he's managed to travel to other worlds, repeatedly, before Xin Mo faltered even a little!

But what still confuses Shen Yuan is the question of this kinder Shen Qingqiu. It makes no sense... unless, perhaps, it's the same thing Shen Yuan is dealing with. That would make the change make a lot of sense, and if it was Shen Yuan in that situation - and fortunately it's not! - he'd certainly do his best to treat Luo Binghe as he deserved, ah! Who the fuck could abuse a child and look on as he was bullied!?

"Luo Binghe wasn't wrong, that's certainly a... fantastic tale. But the world contains many amazing things, and I've read about Xin Mo and its abilities. It doesn't seem improbable that it should be able to cut into different realities, not just different locations within the realms," Shen Yuan says, and then tries not to side-eye the protagonist.

Because! What! was! that! You can't just say you don't mind sleeping on the couch, Luo Binghe! Looking away and suppressing the urge to cough, Shen Yuan nods.

And then, because he can't help himself, he turns back, scraping at the tea leaves with the tea cup lid.

"... Luo Binghe may of course choose not to answer, as it's none of this humble Shen's business, but... if you can find him, a version of the same man you met before, what will you do?"

He's surprised Master Shen didn't try to chase him out of the house with a story like the one he just told. Does that mean he's been believed?

It's actually nice getting it off his chest. It's not as though he's told anyone. He never had a chance to tell Mobei-jun of his goals (though his general would likely not have cared even if he was told), and never would have bothered with alerting the harem even if he had thought to tell any of them.

But this Master Shen listened to him and didn't immediately call Luo Binghe crazy!

That is already more opening than he thought he'd get. And it makes Luo Binghe like Shen Yuan more. "You've read about Xin Mo?" he asks curiously. How has Shen Yuan heard of the sword? It raises more questions, but Luo Binghe does not find it suspicious. Perhaps he would, if he weren't for the fact that this man is the only lead he's had since entering this world.

But as for what he'd do when he meets the gentle version of his shizun, he'd already decided that when he attempted to pose as the weakling version of himself. "I'll marry him."

As far as Luo Binghe is concerned, it's the obvious solution.

That gentle Shizun had clearly enjoyed Binghe's attention until he touched his chest. It's frustrating thinking about! How could he like that weakling who probably isn't even capable of protecting what's his?!

Edited 2026-05-25 22:23 (UTC)

"Eh?"

It's a good thing he was already in the process of putting his teacup down to reach for the basket of food Luo Binghe had brought with him from Madam Chen, because his fingers go soft at the proclamation that he will marry him.

Protagonist!? WHAT!? System, System, is the protagonist broken?? Don't answer that. But what! the! fuck!

Marry him??

Twenty million words, and not even a flicker of any suggestion of being bent and then a day's stay with a 'kind' Shen Qingqiu and... Shen Yuan's brain is boiling in his skull. Is it just because this poor protagonist has no other idea how to have any sort of relationship with people that he's not antagonistic with?

Did... did he miss something in what Luo Binghe said when he told what he saw, and that other Shen Qingqiu, the probably-a-transmigrator one and that Binghe... were they together too?

"Ah. I see," he says, feeling a little faint as he opens up the basket, picking through the dishes. Even with two people it should last them two days, he thinks. "And yes. This Shen has interest in strange and dangerous monsters and artefacts both, and I've chanced dipping briefly into the Demon Realm... there's some stories, there."

True, for what it's worth, but of course nothing Shen Yuan could've heard close to the Borderlands.

Admittedly, Luo Binghe is aware that just proposing marriage is likely not going to get him anywhere. He'll have to get to know the gentle version of Shizun, if he exists in this world. Which Luo Binghe still isn't certain about.

He's also not certain how he'd court a man. It isn't as though it had been particularly difficult with his wives!

Though, come to think of it, he doesn't even remember how he met most of them. Plenty of times, it ended up being women he met in such and such village, or who threw themselves in his arms after being rescued from a rogue cultivator. None of that had truly been the sort of romance his washerwoman mother would tell him about.

Luo Binghe had made sure the sex had been satisfying, but even he can admit it had been rather transactional. It hadn't felt that way with the gentle shizun trembling underneath him, clearly not used to how a skilled lover feels, having only dealt with the amateurish hands of the weaker Binghe.

"I see," he says at the explanation. It still doesn't sound quite right, but... "Master Shen is incredibly wise." No wonder the people of the village had come to rely on him, even before his qi deviation changed his personality.

"It would be preferable to avoid stepping into the Demon Realm. Anyone from there would recognize me as a half-demon easily." And besides, he doubts he'd find his gentle Shizun there. How he can be so certain, he doesn't know. But he does. He won't find the other Shen Qingqiu there.

"Even if going there might awaken Xin Mo, it isn't worth the risk." At least not until he finds his shizun, and can return to his own world.

"Hah."

Waving the compliment off while he still tries to grapple with the idea of Luo Binghe being bent, the original and possibly another version, too, Shen Yuan chooses one of the covered dishes and pushes the basket across the table towards his guest. A spark of qi warms the noodles and dumplings back up - maybe not the best way to do it, but the kitchen has gone unused since he transmigrated. The original flavour might have been able to cook for himself, but Shen Yuan could barely even cook with a modern stove - forget using one needing firewood, ah!

"Luo Binghe need not think too much of it - this Shen has probably heard nothing you yourself don't already know from wielding the blade, but I can always write it down for your perusal, later."

He already knows Binghe knows what he could tell him. Because all of it comes from Proud Immortal Demon Way, of course. But more specifically the demonic oral legends Shen Yuan could use to cover his ass as to why he knows about Xin Mo at all are some Luo Binghe heard was both told by Meng Mo and heard early in the Demon Realm arc.

"You're not at all concerned it still hasn't gained its strength back? Luo Binghe is far from home, and has now been so for three years," he can't help but ask, though throws the question out nonchalantly as he gets up to fetch them chopsticks.

That's odd, isn't it? And to be sure, to be sure, everything always works out for Bing-ge eventually, but - three years! That's not an insignificant amount of time for your OP golden finger to be out of commission, protagonist!

Luo Binghe looks perplex at the strange use of qi. “Has Master Shen forgotten how to light the stove?” In any other circumstance the question might sound irritated and incredulous. Binghe just sounds perplexed and maybe a little worried, and quickly stands to investigate his he kitchen. As far as he can tell, it’s a completely normal kitchen!

So he busies himself with cleaning it. It’s very humble, nothing like the kitchens of the underground palace. Luo Binghe finds himself preferring it. In truth, he’s never needed luxury.

When Shen Yuan questions him, Luo Binghe gives a shrug. “I’m not leaving until I find my gentle shizun.”

That’s really all there is to it!

And now, he’s met someone who has had visions of his past, even though this world is hundreds of years in the past. In all his searching, he has never come across a situation like this before. Each time, it was either his wicked shizun, or he found the gentle shizun already in the embrace of a different Luo Binghe. He doesn’t know why it’s so different this time, but that must mean something.

“It is kind of Master Shen to worry, but it’s not needed.”

He motions Shen Yuan over. “Come, this Binghe will show you how to light and monitor the fire.”

"Ah... perhaps?"

What else is he supposed so say!? Surely it wasn't that strange - who wants to bother with lighting a fire to reheat already cooked food!? Shen Yuan watches Luo Binghe - the saintly ruler of the Combined Realms, the actual, ruthless, blackened stallion protagonist of Proud Immortal Demon Way - clean his kitchen.

Fortunately, it's mostly a bit dusty. He hasn't left anything in it that might go bad go bad; he just tossed it all out when he gave up on the idea of cooking. The firewood has been kept stocked, if nothing else for the warmth it provides when the weather gets cold.

"You're very determined," he comments, wondering if he should pray for whoever that probable transmigrator is.

Alternate realities - which apparently even goes for transmigrators, given Luo Binghe's brief account of the several realities he'd jumped to where, if it was not very obviously the original Shen Qingqiu, it was that... nicer one. Always with a Luo Binghe. Why do they all become bent, ah!?

"I'm troubling Luo Binghe", he says after a beat as he comes up beside him, vaguely wishing he'd tried to stop the protagonist before he went through all this trouble. It's unnecessary! "He knows he doesn't need to, right? Though I'm grateful, of course, but I can rely on inedia and have been doing so, except for when I get food in town."

There's too much tasty food for Shen Yuan to really want to commit to being the sort of aloof immortal master who forsakes all food and drink - and anyway, with Airplane's shoddy worldbuilding inedia can't quite be used like that anyway.

for peerlesschrysanthemum

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