Chapter Text
Shen Yuan was eight years old when he started suspecting that he was living inside a trashy stallion novel. It was a ridiculous thought, and he was quick to dismiss it.
Surely, it must've been a coincidence that the family that bought him and his brother off the street was named Qiu and had a daughter named Qiu Haitang.
For the next few days, Shen Yuan tried his hardest to remember the details from Qiu Haitang's brief appearance in Proud Immortal Demon Way. Her storyline didn't match his reality, no matter how much he looked at it. The twins were treated like dirt by Qiu Jianluo.
Despite not remembering much of his early years living as Shen Shi, Shen Yuan has been living in this world for the past eight years. For the first few months, he endured patiently, waiting for any sort of system to randomly pop up and let him know where he was and what his mission was. He waited, holding onto that hope each passing day.
He was hoping for anything, any kind of entity, to come and take him out of this miserable life, offer him some sort of golden finger or any semblance of a promise that he could eventually leave this life behind. Yet, what he hoped for never came. Slowly, with a lot of difficulty, Shen Yuan accepted his fate. He was simply an anomaly, retaining his past life’s memories after his reincarnation.
Even though Shen Yuan convinced himself that there was no way he could have somehow transmigrated into Proud Demon Immortal Way, the suspicion was still there in the back of his mind until it was confirmed one night.
He was lying on the cold ground of the room he shared with his brother. Shen Jiu was leaning against the wall beside him, clutching their shared blanket so hard his knuckles turned white. Shen Yuan would've tried to help and soothe his twin if the world weren't swimming around him.
For the past three days, Qiu Haitang was out of town, which meant that she wasn't there to protect him from Qiu Jianluo. Of course, Shen Jiu ended up taking the worst part of the beating. No matter how much the man hated the twins, he couldn't risk getting them killed, so he made sure Shen Yuan would survive it, even if it meant he was barely able to move.
They were silent, both trying and failing to fall asleep, when there was a soft knock on the door. Shen Jiu tensed up, senses suddenly alert. They both held their breath, waiting. Qiu Jianluo and the few servants aware of this room never knocked.
"Xiao-Jiu? Xiao-shi? Are you in there?" A familiar voice whispered, the noise carrying easily in the night.
Shen Yuan glanced at his brother, who visibly deflated and held back a sigh. He looked at Shen Jiu as he made his way to the door silently and closed his eyes. He passively listened to the conversation as he hugged the blanket tightly around himself.
Even though he was currently trapped in the body of an eight-year-old, Shen Yuan was still a fully grown adult. He didn't have the same blind faith in people like Shen Jiu. His brother unconditionally believed in Yue Qi. He was sure that the other boy would save them sooner or later, and Shen Yuan knew it was one of the only reasons that kept him strong. However, Shen Yuan also knew that Yue Qi was just a boy, a small boy on the street who managed to escape being bought. He wouldn't hold it against Yue Qi. He hoped the boy would be able to survive long enough for them to meet one day again.
He was zoning out, about to fall asleep, when he heard it.
".....Cang Qiong Mountain...."
Shen Yuan's breath stuttered. He knew that name, and he knew that he shouldn't be hearing it from Yue Qi. Unless....unless he really did transmigrate into the shitty novel he was reading before dying. Shen Yuan took a deep breath and tried to remember everything he knew about the novel and compared it with what he knew about the world he woke up in. Cultivation, demons, the Qiu household, Qiu Haitang, Cang Qiong Mountain, it couldn't be a coincidence, and Shen Yuan wasn't going to be in denial.
His mind raced as it went through the plot, then his heart dropped when he remembered. Qiu Haitang, one of Luo Binghe's countless wives, was the woman who exposed the scum villain Shen Qingqiu for killing her whole household when they freed him from slavery and treated him like family. If Shen Yuan looked closely and made some wild assumptions, either he or Shen Jiu would grow up to become Shen Qingqiu.
Lying on that cold floor and barely conscious, Shen Yuan decided to do everything he could to prevent the existence of Shen Qingqiu, the scum villain. He would stop it and save both of them.
✦
The first time Shen Yuan mentioned running away, Shen Jiu got so mad he ignored him for a few days. He wouldn’t even let him treat his injuries with the medicine he managed to steal from Qiu Haitang’s room.
After the fifth day, Shen Yuan couldn’t take it anymore. He threw away the useless thin blanket Shen Jiu was hiding beneath and ignored his brother’s annoyed yelp. He gently tugged at Shen Jiu’s robes, exposing the already scabbing wounds and colored bruises.
“I won’t mention it anymore, so quit being insufferable.”
Shen Jiu, the irritating brat that he was, didn’t reply. But he honestly didn’t need to. His willingness to let Shen Yuan treat him and then cuddle him was already enough for Shen Yuan to understand that he was forgiven,
He couldn’t help cursing the day they both met Yue Qi. He knew that it wasn’t really the boy’s fault, but in a way, he was the reason they were stuck in this wretched mansion where Shen Jiu got beaten daily. That day when he promised that he would come back for them, he doomed them to being stuck in the place forever.
Knowing that his friend would come to the Qiu manor looking for them made Shen Jiu associate the idea of leaving with abandoning Yue Qi and breaking his promise. Shen Yuan had to remind himself multiple times that his brother was only nine years old and wholeheartedly believed that Qi-ge would save him. In a way, it was his motivation to hold on and endure.
We need to stay alive until Qi-ge comes back, he’d say on nights when he was so severely beaten that he was barely conscious. Shen Yuan would sigh and comb his brother’s hair with the comb Qiu Haitang gifted him.
✦
The first time Shen Yuan met Qiu Jianluo, he got an awful feeling. The man was dressed in fine, expensive fabric and had a very pleasant smile. Shen Yuan wasn’t present when Shen Jiu and Yue Qi encountered the man earlier that day, but he could already tell he was a man to be feared.
As soon as Qiu Haitang was out of the room, the smile melted into a cold sneer. Qiu Jianluo took out his whip, eyes switching between the twins in anticipation. It was honestly a miracle that Shen Yuan’s frail body survived that day, and Qiu Jianluo seemed to realize it, too. It was why Shen Yuan ended up becoming Qiu Haitang’s plaything instead.
He spent the next three years with constant guilt, knowing he was well fed and clothed, well cared for by Qiu Haitang, while his brother spent his days running errands for Qiu Jianluo and getting new injuries every single day.
After a few months of whining, he managed to convince Shen Jiu to switch places whenever Qiu Jianluo was away on a trip. It didn’t lessen his guilt, but it made Shen Jiu slightly happy whenever it happened.
Shen Yuan was dressed in Shen Jiu’s worn robes, entertaining himself by staring at the wall in their room. It was still bare of any furniture, the only thing keeping them alive during the harsh winter cold was the small fire in the middle and the two thin blankets.
Qiu Jianluo was out on a week-long trip, and Qiu Haitang was out on her daily market trip with her “a-shi.” Shen Yuan wanted to read one of the books hidden under his blanket to pass the time, but he was scared of anyone accidentally stumbling upon him. Slaves weren’t supposed to know how to read. Anyone would know that he was Shen Yuan, who was taught by Qiu Haitang despite her brother’s protests.
During the nights when Shen Jiu was able to stay awake for longer than usual, Shen Yuan made sure to teach his brother, too. He’d take the tools to his room under the pretext of practicing and would patiently show Shen Jiu how to read and write. The small smiles on his brother’s face whenever he managed to write without any mistakes were his most treasured memories from this hellhole.
Just as he closed his eyes to nap for a bit, the door slammed open. Startled, Shen Yuan focused on the entrance, squinting at the bright stream of light. His eyes widened once he recognized Qiu Jianluo’s intimidating figure.
“What are you idling around for?” The man growled, clearly in a terrible mood. “Come here.”
Shen Yuan suppressed a shudder and followed the man. Qiu Jianluo wasn’t supposed to be home for the next two days. Shen Yuan swallowed thickly. The man looked beyond furious, there was no telling what he would do to him.
✦
The loud crash resounded in the empty room, mixing in with labored breathing. Shen Yuan spared the fallen blade a glance before looking at the figure lying beside it. His eyes narrowed dangerously when Qiu Jianluo reached his hand towards the sword, fingers curling up on nothing. He was simply too far away, it was thankfully out of his reach. The man tried to scream for help, but no sound came out, other than desperate noises that anyone walking by would mistake for one of the boys getting beaten up.
Shen Yuan turned to the door, his shoulders sagging in relief to see it locked. A plan began forming in his mind. They had to act fast.
"A-shi…“ Shen Jiu‘s voice trembled as hard as his hands. "A-Shi, what are we going to do?“
Shen Yuan finally allowed himself to look at his brother. The sight was heart-wrenching. Shen Jiu was drenched in blood, his face stained with tears.
"It will be fine, Jiu-ge.“ Shen Yuan‘s throat was still hoarse from all the screaming he did today.
"I just killed him!“ Shen Jiu closed his eyes when Qiu Jianluo finally stopped moving. "The guards will be here soon, and we will be executed on the spot.“
"No one will harm us.“ Shen Yuan gritted his teeth and forced his body to stand up.
With shaky legs, he made his way to his brother. He raised his still bleeding arms and cupped Shen Jiu‘s face.
"I have a plan. I need you to listen to me.“ Shen Jiu weakly nodded. "First, you will go get yourself cleaned up and wear my robes. I need you to go to the guards and tell them that young master Qiu is in a bad mood and has asked you to come to his study and doesn't want anyone to disturb him. Got it?“
Still shaken up by everything, Shen Jiu took a deep breath and nodded. It was reassuring to see how calm and collected his twin was. Shen Yuan patted Shen Jiu‘s cheek reassuringly before dropping his hands and rummaging through his sleeve.
"Then I need you to sneak into the kitchen. The cook must be making dinner by now. I want you to tell her that young Mistress Qiu asked for her tea. Once she‘s busy making it, drop the contents of this pouch inside the pot. And then when you bring the tea to Qiu Haitang, put some in it too.“
"Is...that…poison?“
"Not really. It will only put them to sleep. It will give us enough time to leave.“ Shen Yuan crouched down, ignoring the way his body desperately protested. He slipped his hand into Qiu Jianluo‘s robes. It didn't take long for him to get the things he needed. "Here, take this.“
Shen Jiu caught the small pouch with a bewildered look.
"It‘s a Qiankun pouch. I saw him use it numerous times. Put everything we own in there. Under my books, the floorboard is loose. I hid a few things Qiu Haitang gave me and whatever I managed to steal from her room. Bring everything you find there and meet me here after you deliver the tea. We‘ll wait until it‘s safe, then leave.“
"You... sound like you've planned to do this before.“ Shen Jiu gaped at his brother, the reality of the situation finally hitting him.
"Yes.“ Shen Yuan‘s body gave up on him, and he settled for sitting down beside the dead body. "I didn't think we'd have to kill him, though.“
"And what about you?“ Shen Jiu sighed when all he received was a confused blink. "Your limbs are still bleeding, and your face is flushed. I‘m sure you have a fever.“
"I‘ll take care of it once we get out. We have enough money to buy some medicine. It should last us until we reach our destination.“
"And where is that?“
"Cang Qiong Mountain.“
✦
Despite being extremely nervous, Shen Jiu executed his brother‘s orders perfectly. Pretending to be Shen Shi was as easy as breathing. He was confident that he knew his brother as much as he knew himself.
He swallowed the sneer that threatened to escape when Qiu Haitang smiled widely once he came into her room.
"A-shi! I was looking for you! Elder brother brought me some new books, and I wanted to see them with you first!“ She brightened when he offered her the cup. "Thank you, A-shi, always so considerate.“
She reached up and softly patted his head. Shen Jiu saw young masters do the same to their pets. The action didn't feel warm, it made him want to retch. Dealing with Qiu Haitang was exhausting. While Shen Jiu could scowl and glare as much as he wanted whenever Qiu Jianluo beat him, Shen Shi had to smile and sweet-talk the pampered young mistress all day long.
He endured the next few minutes until Qiu Haitang started yawning excessively and was sent to bed by Shen Jiu. He assured her maids that she was only sleepy from their long day at the market and made his way back to Qiu Jianluo‘s study. He kept his steps unhurried and made sure to drag his feet a little, to show any onlookers how much he dreaded going inside.
He locked the door after he slipped inside and sighed in relief when his eyes landed on Shen Shi. His brother used Qiu Jianluo‘s outer robes as makeshift bandages and cleaned up his wounds. His clothes were still stained beyond repair. At the sight, Shen Jiu took out the pouch and handed it back to Shen Shi.
"I packed a change of clothes. Change into clean robes. We can't be spotted covered in blood.“ He sat down beside his brother, doing his best to ignore the dead body.
"Thank you, Jiu-ge.“ Shen Yuan engulfed him in a tight hug. "I‘m sorry we had to run away in the end. I know you didn‘t want to.“
"No…“ Shen Jiu‘s arms tightened around his brother. "I should've agreed to do this years ago. If I had, you wouldn't have ended up like this.“
Shen Jiu wanted nothing more than to bury his face in his brother‘s neck and cry, but he saw the whip marks on Shen Shi‘s body. He didn't want him to be in more pain.
"How did you stop the bleeding?” Shen Jiu pulled back, eyes examining his brother's condition. He was sure that Shen Shi was half dead when he left him. He was severely beaten and whipped, and several gashes were bleeding heavily. He expected him to pass out by now.
"In the desk, there was a medicine pouch.“ Shen Shi gestured to an abandoned pouch beside him. "I knew Qiu Haitang carried one with her, but she lost one in her brother's study. I found a lot of useful herbs.“
“How come you always know everything?” Shen Jiu narrowed his eyes. He knew his brother wanted to leave, but he was unaware of how much he was doing behind his back.
“When you’re a sickly obedient boy, no one watches their tongue around you.” Shen Shi smiled smugly as if his weakness was something to brag about when his voice was slightly shaky from his fever.
He truly didn’t change. Always pretending to be too weak to understand, hiding his calculating eyes by bowing his head in fear. Shen Jiu thought that his twin had gone soft after being pampered by Qiu Haitang for the past years. Oh, how wrong he was. Shen Shi still used his biggest weakness to his advantage.
“Save your strength and wipe that smug look off your face.” Shen Jiu scowled when he spotted the sweat covering Shen Shi’s forehead.
It was a miracle that his twin was still alive and awake enough to talk. His forehead was burning up, his breath was too quick and short, and his impromptu bandages were starting to seep blood after merely a few minutes.
Shen Jiu was slightly lost and terrified. They waited in silence, the hand clutching Shen Jiu’s tightly was very hot and sweaty.
When they were sure everyone in the mansion was asleep, Shen Jiu stole the sword Qiu Jianluo had on him and left.
He finally left this prison. A sword he didn’t know how to use at his waist and a barely conscious Shen Shi on his back, Shen Jiu allowed himself a second to look at the mansion.
I’m sorry, Qi-ge. I can’t wait for you anymore. Not when it almost killed Shen Shi.
✦
They didn’t stop until they left the town. As if Shen Shi planned everything perfectly, by the time they stepped into the dangerous road that would lead them to the next town, the sun started rising, allowing them to travel safely without the looming danger hiding in the darkness.
“Let’s stop at an inn in the next town.” Shen Shi whispered with his eyes closed. Everything was blurry, and the movement was making him dizzy. Shen Jiu was doing his best not to jostle the injured teen but wasn’t successful.
Shen Shi didn’t complain or hiss in pain whenever Shen Jiu adjusted him on his back.
Shen Yuan almost cheered when they arrived at the closest city to Cang Qiong Mountain. He would've cheered had his ribs not felt like they would break with the faintest movement. He was slowly getting better, but making his own medicine out of limited resources could only do so much.
He managed to subdue the fever a bit, but all his other injuries needed time to fully recover. He hoped the painkillers he had been stocking up on would help him get through the entrance examination. It would suck big time if he didn't get accepted into the sect because of Qiu Jianluo of all people.
Still perched on Shen Jiu‘s back, Shen Yuan surveyed their surroundings carefully. They looked too dirty to be allowed into restaurants, but as long as they paid, an inn wouldn‘t turn them down for the night. Shen Jiu seemed to have the same idea since he headed towards the closest inn and got them a room.
"I‘ll ask them to get us something to eat.“ Shen Jiu helped him sit on the only bed in the room, trying his best to be as gentle as possible.
"I‘m not hungry yet. We could eat later, you need to rest first.“ Shen Yuan frowned at his brother, who was counting the money they had left. "You‘ve been walking for the whole day.“
"I‘m fine. I still need to go buy us new robes and get you some medicine, your wounds reopened.“ Shen Jiu's eyes narrowed at the blood that was already seeping through Shen Yuan's bandages.
"You won't listen to me no matter what, huh?“ Shen Yuan wanted to cross his arms in front of his chest, but he could barely lift his hand. "Alright. Don‘t take too long.“
"I won't.“ Shen Jiu huffed and pushed Shen Yuan lightly further into the bed. "Get some sleep. I‘ll wake you up once I get back.“
Shen Yuan‘s chest bloomed with warmth. He was truly grateful for having Shen Jiu as his twin. It felt nice to be taken care of once again.
The energy that helped him stay awake and alert during their travel deserted him as soon as he realized that they reached their destination in one piece. Shen Yuan closed his eyes and thanked the heavens for his impeccable timing.
According to some gossip they overheard two towns ago, Can Qiong Mountain would be choosing disciples in two days. He couldn‘t believe how lucky they were; they wouldn‘t have to think about the money pouch that was getting lighter each day. Hopefully, they would both be accepted into the sect and stop worrying about where to sleep.
With that thought in mind, Shen Yuan fell asleep.
✦
In hindsight, Shen Yuan should've been more careful with the herbs he mixed together, however, desperate times called for desperate measures. He wasn't sure what they would have to do in the tryouts, but he was willing to bet everything he owned that it was some kind of physical activity.
With his current body condition, Shen Yuan could barely move, let alone do any kind of exercise. The thought of failing and being rejected by the sect was terrifying. He had no backup plan, and going back to the streets was not an option. He looked at the vial in his hand and downed it without any hesitation. If he overdosed on painkillers, then he only had himself to blame.
The effect wasn't immediate, but it was much better than he expected. His wounds and bruises momentarily stopped hurting, he could finally walk on his own, although Shen Jiu insisted on carrying him to the examination site. He still had a high fever, but the tea he drank that morning managed to alleviate the blurriness of his eyes enough for him to see in front of him.
He ignored the strong headache that persisted despite the ridiculous amount of herbs and medicine Shen Yuan ingested. After going through constant headaches and fevers for years, during two lifetimes, he got so good at ignoring them.
Shen Yuan stood beside his brother and watched the rest of the people that also gathered for tryouts. After taking a warm bath and exchanging their worn robes for new, clean ones, they didn't look any different from the young masters of rich families around them, if one ignored how thin and small they looked for their age.
Nothing could’ve prepared Shen Yuan for how bizarre the task they were given was. He bit his tongue to stop himself from cursing whoever wrote this stupid idea and started digging. He was aware of the peak lords gathered away from them, observing and judging them. Surprisingly, a few even came down to walk around the candidates.
To get a closer look at the holes they were asked to dig? Shen Yuan wanted to roll his eyes at how ridiculous this task was.
Thankfully, his body cooperated with him, and he was able to dig slowly and steadily. His hole was not as big as those around him, but that was as much as his sick body was ever going to manage. He was so focused on his task that he barely noticed the person who stopped in front of him.
"How come you're even able to move in your condition, kid?“
Shen Yuan almost cursed out loud from surprise. He looked up slowly to find a very youthful and beautiful face looking down at him.
A disciple? He looked older than a disciple.
Shen Yuan’s thoughts were racing.
"I mixed a few herbs that had numbing properties to get rid of the pain momentarily,“ he answered truthfully.
"You did?”
Shen Yuan hesitated. Was there a law against children doing experiments with plants and mixing their own concoction?
“I did.” He tried to maintain eye contact with the cultivator. He didn’t want to seem weak.
“Who’s your teacher? How did they let you do something so reckless?” The man frowned, and Shen Yuan resisted the urge to squirm.
“This one has no teacher.” Shen Yuan took a deep breath and looked up nervously. “This one taught himself by reading books.”
The man studied Shen Yuan for a few moments before nodding to himself. Without any warning, he leaned in and scooped Shen Yuan into his arms effortlessly.
“Welcome to Qian Cao Peak, youngling. This master won’t tolerate this kind of behavior from now on. No more reckless experiments.” The peak lord gave Shen Yuan a gentle smile.
Embarrassed at being held like a child, Shen Yuan averted his eyes and felt his face heating up. He nodded to show his new master that he heard his warning. He subtly turned his head, hoping to steal a glance at Shen Jiu and see what he was doing.
“Looking for your brother?” The peak lord tilted his head, unaware of Shen Yuan’s internal meltdown at being busted so easily. “Hm, looks like he caught Nie-shixiong’s attention.”
He followed the peak lord’s eyes to see Shen Jiu scowling at a man clad in pale green robes. If memory served him right, that had to be the color of Qing Jing Peak. Shen Yuan glanced at the Qing Jing Peak lord and blinked in surprise.
Were all the immortal masters in this universe very good-looking? Did cultivation grant them a pretty face?
“Ah! I didn’t ask for your name.” The peak lord gave Shen Yuan an apologetic smile.
“This one is called Shen Yuan.” He tried to keep a straight face, aware of the glances they were getting from the other teenagers and peak lords.
Shen Yuan hoped that his face wasn’t too red. He could always blame it on the fever.
“Come on, Xiao-Yuan. Let’s go collect your brother and head to Qian Cao.” The peak lord said as if Shen Yuan could move and wasn’t firmly held in his arms.
“Lu-shidi! I was going to look for you.” The Qing Jing Peak lord smiled at his new master once they approached him. “My new disciple might need your help. He looks too thin for his age.”
“I figured as much. Nie-shixiong doesn’t need to worry about him. I’ll send him to Qing Jing as soon as I think he’s good to go.”
“Many thanks, Lu-shidi.” The Qing Jing Peak lord looked at Shen Jiu, amused at the unsatisfied scowl on the teen’s face. “I will bring the tea Shidi likes when I go to Qian Cao later.”
“I will be looking forward to Shixiong’s visit.” Peak Lord Lu smiled brightly, then signaled for Shen Jiu to follow him.
Shen Yuan exchanged a relieved look with his brother. They both made it into the sect. They were finally free and had a way to get a better life.