Chapter 67

Chapter 67—A Three-Man Journey

The demon world and the human world were like two sides of a sheet of paper, existing in two different dimensions. If someone were to draw a line on one side of the paper, no matter how long they extended that line, it would never reach the other side.

However, the Heart Devil sword was able to meld these two different sides of paper into one surface.

For example, the human continent had the Luochuan River, while the demon world had the Maigu Mountains. These two locations existed in completely different spaces. However, the original Luo Binghe had used the Heart Devil sword to connect these two worlds together. Afterward, the Maigu Mountains had been “pierced” into the middle of the Luochuan River, forming an island.

He explained a simplified version of the story to Liu Qingge. Liu Qingge furrowed his brows. “These things can really be done?”

Of course, it could be done. After all, the original Luo Binghe had succeeded! Shen Qingqiu solemnly nodded.

Liu Qingge thought for a while before finally saying, “This is no small matter. You still need evidence before you can convince everyone else.”

If he wanted proof, then there really wasn’t any. Shen Qingqiu felt his head begin to ache.

At this time, the previously silent Luo Binghe asked: “Shizun, why didn’t you ask me?”

Shen Qingqiu didn’t have a chance to respond when Liu Qingge suddenly stepped forwards, giving a cold snort.

The reasoning behind the snort was obvious. Luo Binghe was of demon blood, and had fallen out with the other sects long ago; his evil reputation spread far and wide. Under his hands, Huan Hua Palace had been transformed into an evil organization. Although the Palace was strong and flourishing under his leadership, the four great sects had long refused to acknowledge him as an ally. It had turned into a “the name remained, but the prestige had long disappeared” kind of situation.

Therefore, it was natural that he would be unable to help.

Asking him would probably make no difference…

Shen Qingqiu was naturally aware of this, but he didn’t linger on the subject. Otherwise, Luo Binghe’s fragile glass heart would probably shatter. He forced a laugh, but before he could finish, he was aware of a new weight on his shoulder.

Luo Binghe’s head lightly rested against his left shoulder.

Shen Qingqiu thought that this was another tantrum, and shook his shoulder. However, after careful observation, he realized that Luo Binghe’s eyes were tightly closed, the perfect image of peaceful sleep.

He could even sleep while standing. Wasn’t he awake and talking a moment ago?!

Shen Qingqiu reached out a hand to grasp his arm, preventing him from falling off the flying sword. Quietly, he asked: “Luo Binghe?”

There was no reaction. Pausing, Shen Qingqiu changed his voice into a lower and more gentle sound: “…Binghe?”

It was only after his name was called two times did Luo Binghe slowly open his eyes. Shen Qingqiu stared at his dazed eyes, unable to stop himself from asking, “Are you tired?”

It had only been a few days since they left the Holy Mausoleum. During that time, Luo Binghe had suffered a great number of wounds. Although he had recovered quickly, it was possible that there were side-effects. Dizziness was perhaps one of them.

Luo Binghe shook his head. “No.”

Shen Qingqiu thought for a moment before turning around to face Liu Qingge, who was holding his hands together and coldly watching the scene. “Liu-shidi, when we pass the border, how about you first go ahead and return to Cang Qiong Sect? Go with our shixiongs and call together all of the other sects for a discussion.”

Liu Qingge’s two eyes opened slightly. “What about you.”

Shen Qingqiu said, “I may return a little later. Luo… Binghe, in his current state, may need a few days to recuperate to return safely.”

Liu Qingge inhaled. “I came to bring you back.”

Shen Qingqiu hesitated, while Luo Binghe remained silent. He lowered his head, looking extremely lovable and obedient.

Shen Qingqiu spoke again. “Just one night.”

Liu Qingqiu stared at Luo Binghe, who had nested himself behind Shen Qingqiu. Strictly, he said, “One night is also not allowed.”

Then what are we supposed to do?

One shichen¹ later, the three of them passed the border and stopped in front of the doors of the largest tavern in the city.

This tavern was far from the central plains, with many people originating from a miscellaneous mix of small sects. It was rare for them to see one graceful, god-like cultivator, much less three at once who were each as handsome as the next.

Liu Qingge, grasping onto Cheng Luan, took the initiative to strut confidently through the doorstep.

The lobby was extremely beautiful, its spacious walls gleaming with light. As they entered, there was a man who immediately arrived to greet them.

Shen Qingqiu asked, “Liu-shidi, are you sure you want to accompany us?”

He had always thought of Liu Qingge as someone who placed himself above all others, who didn’t need sleep to function. Even if he were to sleep, it would be curled up within the clouds while cultivating.

Liu Qingge grasped onto his sword, coldly saying: “I wouldn’t feel at ease otherwise.²”

He looked up just in time to meet eyes with Luo Binghe, who was standing behind Shen Qingqiu. Silently Luo Binghe snorted twice, his eyes looking away and his lips twisting into a smile of contempt. Liu Qingge immediately became enraged, his grip tightening on Cheng Luan until his veins turned blue.

Seeing this, Shen Qingqiu hurriedly said, “If there’s anything you have to say, say it. Don’t be angry.”

He turned around. Luo Binghe innocently blinked at him, his lips still starkly pale.

The tavern assistant smiled. “How many customers are looking for accommodation here?”

Liu Qingge ignored him and Luo Binghe looked like he would collapse at any moment. Shen Qingqiu could only step out by himself. “Yes.”

The assistant: “How many rooms are you looking for?”

Shen Qingqiu: “Three…”

Luo Binghe: “Two rooms.”

Liu Qingge’s expression was that of seeing a vicious criminal, hateful and deserving to be put to death.

Luo Binghe amicably said, “I’ll trouble you to prepare two rooms, thank you.”

Liu Qingge said, “Three rooms.”

Luo Binghe smiled, replying, “Excuse me, but who is paying?”

Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge both froze.

Shen Qingqiu’s position was obvious; he had just escaped from the heart of the demon world, so why would he carry such unnecessary items with him? Liu Qingge was even more out of the question. Someone as removed from the mortal world as him, who had only fought and killed the entire journey, would not be the kind to remember to bring money.

Luo Binghe leisurely said, “It’s me. I didn’t bring enough money. Therefore, two rooms.”

Shen Qingqiu: “…Liu-shidi, don’t argue with him.”

This kind of problem really didn’t have any other solutions. If they didn’t have enough money, it wasn’t like they could sell off Xiu Ya or Cheng Luan…

One did not know if Luo Binghe was doing this on purpose. Right now, Shen Qingqiu didn’t dare to find out the truth. With the room tablets in hand, they ascended the stairs, with Liu Qingge at the forefront and Shen Qingqiu in the middle.

Shen Qingqiu turned around, helplessly saying, “The next time you anger your shishu like this, I’ll sell you off to recompense the debt.”

Luo Binghe raised his head. “Shizun, you always treat me so heartlessly.”

In front of them, Liu Qingge glanced back to look at them. He wrinkled his nose, feeling the growing urge to hack them both to death. One to bury on the mountain summit and one to scatter at the bottom of the ocean.

The two rooms were adjacent to each other. The room distribution was the solemn question at hand.

Liu Qingge was having a serious dilemma. This Luo Binghe’s conduct was unimaginably freakish and his evil influence was extremely strong to the point of hugging a corpse for five years straight. Right now, the man himself was in front of his eyes. Could he let him have his way?

It was as if sparks were colliding in the air.

Shen Qingqiu calmly opened the door, turned around, and shut the door.

After the door was closed, he suddenly opened it again a fraction. His tone was dignified. “Then, you two have a good rest.”

The sparks suddenly froze over.

Liu Qingge: “…Hey!”

A black cloud seemed to form over Luo Binghe. “Shizun, he’s going to kill me.”

Shen Qingqiu pointed at Liu Qingge. “You can fight. Just don’t beat him to death.”

What a joke. He didn’t dare to share a room with Luo Binghe. A straight and a gay man sharing a room at night━wouldn’t that be the same as seeking death?

That’s right, Shen Qingqiu still considered himself to be straight! To read a stallion novel like Proud Immortal Demon Way was the very proof of his sexuality!

He also didn’t dare to share a room with Liu Qingge. It was true that Liu Qingge was, since the beginning of time, the world’s first straight man, as straight as the reflection of the sun and moon or the day and night. However, if Luo Binghe, this demon Vinegar King³ were to flip over his jar, the situation would be even harder to handle.

Shen Qingqiu cheerfully said, “It’s been decided like this then.”

Luo Binghe wept and sobbed as he accused Shen Qingqiu: “Shizun, you really have a heart of steel.”

Shen Qingqiu laughed, but firmly closed the door. The two people outside were left petrified. The outside was burnt, but the inside was tender.

They had only stopped over here to rest because of Luo Binghe’s poor health. But now, looking at it, didn’t his complexion look perfectly healthy?

So he had worried all for nothing!

After he took a bath, Shen Qingqiu changed into clean clothing. At leisure with nothing to do, he found a few thin booklets stacked by the window. While the cover was extremely gaudy━he was unable to make out the large characters in its title━he recognized the “One,” “Two,” “Three,” and so on. Grabbing a booklet, Shen Qingqiu leaned against the headboard to read.

From a cursory glance at a few lines, he found that this booklet was filled with numerous words. The rhetoric was beautifully written, the narrative touching, all of which were accompanied by extremely beautiful illustrations. Shen Qingqiu wanted to read the book more carefully when suddenly, the semi-forgotten sound of the system popped up.

System: 【Hello. Notice 1: Coolness level exceeds the set value, the key item drop prerequisite has been met. Please prepare to receive the item; if the host cannot collect the item when it drops, then the item will become invalid.】

A key item. Was it that fake Guanyin jade that was capable of nullifying 5000 points of anger?

Shen Qingqiu threw the booklet in his hands to the side. “Wait a minute. ‘Coolness level exceeds the set value, the key item drop prerequisite has been met’—does that mean that before my Coolness level met the required value, that key item wasn’t able to be used?”

System:【That is correct.】

But before, when he was having a crisis, didn’t the System ask him if he wanted to use the item or not? To be able to use it before meeting the prerequisites, wasn’t this the same as using a scenario advancer?

Furthermore, this crucial item wasn’t that useful to him. Shen Qingqiu believed that right now, even if he didn’t “get involved” with Luo Binghe, the male lead’s anger would not rise as long as he didn’t “get involved” with anyone else. Even if he pressed Luo Binghe to the ground and beat him half to death, the only thing that would go up would be his Coolness level.

System:【Notice 2: Action scene ahead. An important assignment is about to occur at Zhao Hua Temple. Please prepare to receive the assignment. Wishing you a pleasant day.】

2.0 even had the ability to warn about action scenes ahead!

To tell the truth, recently some of Luo Binghe’s actions had been overly intimate, but the Coolness level hadn’t increased. Shen Qingqiu held some doubt towards this. He wasn’t being narcissistic, but hitting, scolding, or even looking at Luo Binghe that masochist had always caused his Coolness level to go up. Now, hearing no reaction, it was really too unscientific. Could it be that he hadn’t heard the notification, missing the System announcements altogether?

But opening the database, he found that his Coolness level really hadn’t increased that much.

He asked the question to the System. The System replied: 【Because the host’s Coolness level has increased too much recently, in order to save the System’s resources, all Coolness increases have been converted into monthly payments.⁴Wishing you a pleasant day.】

Monthly payments?

Shen Qingqiu had a premonition that it would be an extremely frightening number…

He was just about to try to remember what the original plot of Zhao Hua Temple was when, suddenly, several loud knocks sounded on the wooden door of his room.

Shen Qingqiu’s initial thoughts were that it was definitely Luo Binghe. But when he went to open the door, he realized that the face he was looking at was slightly bigger.

The person who walked inside was Liu Qingge.

But wasn’t Liu Qingge the type to kick down a door and barge into a room? Since when did he learn to knock?

A straight man could be let inside! Shen Qingqiu moved aside to let him in before closing the door. Without thinking, he asked, “Liu-shidi, why are you here so late? Where’s Luo Binghe?”

Liu Qingge’s face was wooden. “I don’t know!”

His expression was clearly written on his face: he would rather sleep on the roof than share a room with that bastard.

Inwardly, Shen Qingqiu laughed a little desperately. Liu Qingge glanced at him before reaching inside his robes and pulling out an object, which he threw towards Shen Qingqiu. Catching it, Shen Qingqiu realized that it was one of the folding fans he had left behind in Qing Jing Peak.

Shen Qingqiu was unable to restrain his emotions. Unfolding it, he allowed the cool air to blow against his face, creating the cool and noble image of a deity. The folding fan really was the most powerful bullsh***ing weapon. He could already feel his bulls**t level increasing!

He felt a bit emotional. “Shidi… you remembered to bring this for me.”

Liu Qingge obviously did not come just to give him the folding fan. Pulling out a chair, he sat down upright and still with only an arm resting against the table. Solemnly, he said, “I need to talk to you.”

Shen Qingqiu was affected by this mood. He corrected his posture, straightening his back stiffly. Just as solemnly, he replied, “Alright, speak.”

Liu Qingge said, “You and Luo Binghe, what happened between you two?”

The Peak Leader of Bai Zhan Peak would definitely not ask this question out of a need for gossip. Shen Qingqiu pondered for a moment, before sincerely saying, “I… also do not understand what happened. The situation had already turned into this before I could react.”

Liu Qingge said, “Do you really believe that he turned over a new leaf?”

Shen Qingqiu said, “It isn’t that he’s turned over a new leaf. It’s that I’ve always misunderstood him.”

Liu Qingge laughed coldly. “Misunderstood? He forced you to self detonate, tormented Huan Hua Palace, besieged Cang Qiong Mountain, smashed the roof of the Palace Hall, injured our Shixiong, the Sect Master—are these all misunderstandings?”

Hearing the last phrase, Shen Qingqiu asked, “Is the Sect Master⁵ alright? He suffered injuries last time. Did Mu-shidi heal them? Was it really Luo Binghe who injured him?”

Liu Qingge indignantly said, “Who else could it be? You’re still looking for excuses for him? You really are stupid.”

No. He wasn’t looking for an excuse for Luo Binghe. He was just unable to believe that it really was Luo Binghe who had injured Yue Qingyuan.

In the original 《Proud Immortal Demon Way》, Luo Binghe and Yue Qingyuan had fought against each other multiple times, but Luo Binghe had never tried to gain an unfair advantage. It was only to exploit the original goods Shen Qingqiu that he killed this Sect Leader in such a brutal manner, with ten thousand arrows to the heart.

Speaking of which, no matter if it was the original world or this world, Yue Qingyuan’s treatment of Shen Qingqiu was really too generous. Back when Shen Qingqiu was reading 《Proud Immortal Demon Way》, he had been upset how such an upright and morally righteous sect leader had treated a trash villain in such a kind manner. Could it be that these two had some kind of hidden relationship?

Would it fill in one of the novel’s plot holes?