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Despite presenting as an omega all the way back in his childhood, Yin Hanjiang has never gone into heat. It didn’t matter to him very much, from what he’s heard it’s painful if you don’t have anyone to spend it with and it can last quite a few days – a distraction that he, the Left Protector of Xuanyuan Sect, could not afford. So it was a blessing in disguise.
Actually, he wouldn’t have had to worry either way, as cultivator’s bodies were no longer influenced by the whims of their hormones and biology. Their bodies didn’t need sustenance from eating or drinking due to the practice of inedia, their cycles of heats and ruts also stopping once their cultivation level got high enough to suppress them. Just as they could still choose to eat, cultivators could decide to go through a cycle if they wanted to. If an alpha and an omega became cultivation partners, they would keep their cycles going simply to be able to spend these times together – if they were from a sect that permitted dual cultivation, that is.
As for why Yin Hanjiang never got one, he wasn’t entirely sure. Considering the damage his body had went through at a very young age, it wasn’t all that surprising. Most likely, the corpse energy remaining in his body made it unfit to go into heat. A heat is just a part of the reproductive cycle, so if his body was riddled with leftover corpse energy, what reproduction could come off that? Not to mention that his body temperature ran very low due to it, so low, that the fever typical to a heat would get immediately suppressed anyways.
Still, an omega never experiencing a heat was considered unhealthy even amongst cultivators. The most adept of disciples, ones that were able to suppress it even before they started having them (as rare as that was), were still strongly encouraged to go through it at least once – after all, if you wanted to go into heat later and found out you couldn’t, it might be too late to do anything about it by then.
Yin Hanjiang should have told Wenren È about it ages ago. But because it didn’t concern his Venerable’s safety and wellbeing, and he himself wasn’t that keen on the idea of going through a heat, he didn’t care to mention it. Also, it wasn’t something he wished to discuss with his Venerable.
As an alpha, Wenren È didn’t know much about the matters of omegas, so it’s not like he has ever thought to ask. His own ruts have long since been suppressed, to the point he barely remembered things about his own biology. It wasn’t that Yin Hanjiang thought Wenren È would be unable to come up with a solution – the Lord of Demons was very resourceful, after all – Yin Hanjiang simply found it not worthy of his Venerable’s attention.
(And the idea of coming up to an alpha and telling and him he’s never had a heat could lead to some misinterpretation.)
He is Wenren È’s sword and swords don’t go into heat.
Fortunately for Yin Hanjiang, he didn’t have to think about any of this for a very long time.
…
…at least not until Wenren È obtained the Snow Flame for him.
_________
Once they’ve returned from the Thousand Mile Ice Plains back to Xuanyuan sect, Wenren È got Yin Hanjiang to recuperate in his spiritual spring.
The hand Yin Hanjiang had felt on his chin as he was told to get into the water felt like a brand against his skin, the sensation remaining long after the touch ended.
Ever since first absorbing the Snow Flame at the Thousand Mile Ice Plains, he’s been feeling warm, the feeling increasing with each circulation of qi through his meridians. He didn’t pay it much mind, instead concentrating on healing properly, simply thinking it was the combined effect of the Snow Flame dispelling the corpse energy inside his body and the true yang energy of Wenren È’s blood keeping any incoming chill at bay.
Wenren È’s blood.
Speaking of it, the mouthful he drank seemed to have made him feel more sensitive towards the other’s scent. They both suppressed their scents for the most part – Yin Hanjiang almost completely, Wenren È enough so that it wouldn’t affect anyone around him. He wasn’t one of those people that used their scent to gain an advantage in battle, choosing to only depend on his strength alone, as was expected of the Path of Slaughter. As for his subordinates, he had other ways to keep them in line.
Although Yin Hanjiang was used to the other’s scent after many years spent by his side, today he felt like it was stronger, both in intensity and its effect on him.
After a while, Wenren È finally retreated to go drink spiritual wine and keep watch from afar. As he did so, Yin Hanjiang could feel his muscles relax, like he had been unconsciously tensing them the whole time the alpha was near.
Yet a part of him also felt strangely dejected at the loss of closeness.
He emerged from the spring some time later – Snow Flame all the way refined, his level raised and energy replenished. He should by all means feel great now, but he felt uneasy instead. His heart was racing, skin sensitive under the wet inner robe sticking to his body, an uncomfortable heat coiled around his core.
Despite the discomfort, he returned to his Venerable’s side, an instinctive habit at this point.
The man was currently sleeping against a rock, outer robe thrown on the floor next to him. After checking that he was really asleep, Yin Hanjiang picked the robe off the floor and hugged it to his chest, intending to drape it over the sleeping man.
But he found that his heart couldn’t stand to part with it. It smelled like the alpha, a comforting and familiar scent to Yin Hanjiang, event though its terrifying note of iron made others, omegas included, uncomfortable. To him, it felt strong and steady but without being oppressive, just like the man himself.
Instead of giving the robe away, he clutched it tighter to himself, nuzzling against it. He didn’t even realise he had started scenting it after a while, mind already becoming too hazy to stop what he was doing.
_________
What awoke Wenren È was the smell of pheromones, its source very close to him.
He knew no one else aside from Yin Hanjiang was present, but he didn’t understand why his scent would be this strong right now. Usually, Wenren È almost couldn’t smell this subordinate of his with how much he suppressed his scent, but at the moment he was completely surrounded by it. Aside from being much stronger than usual, it also carried a hint of something the alpha couldn’t quite place, making his throat feel dry.
He opened his eyes to see Yin Hanjiang lying curled up by his feet, clinging to his black and gold robe… and scenting it in his sleep.
Wenren È felt an instinctual pang of possessiveness in his heart at the sight of his sleeve being rubbed against a pale neck. What’s more, when he listened carefully he could hear it. Purring.
Bewildered, he couldn’t look away. In the years he’s known Yin Hanjiang, he’s never seen him act like this. Sure, the man was an omega, but neither of them ever acted in accordance with their secondary gender, so for a long time, Wenren È almost forgot.
Sweeping a look over the omega’s body, hidden only under a thin robe that left little to the imagination, Wenren È searched for any remaining injuries, however all the previous damage Yin Hanjiang has suffered has been healed by now, making his current state quite inexplicable.
Reaching out, he took one of the other’s wrists to check for a sign of inner injury, but once again couldn’t sense any. If anything, Yin Hanjiang was doing better than ever, having risen in level and gotten rid of all the remaining corpse energy. His hands were finally not ice cold, but instead emitted a pleasant warmth, not unlike Wenren È’s own.
(If only had he at this point remembered, that his own body temperature was well above average…)
Upon his touch, Yin Hanjiang’s eyes opened. He didn’t withdraw his wrist or let go of the robe, simply meeting Wenren È’s puzzled expression with a hazed look of his own.
"Is there something special about this Venerable’s robe?" Wenren È broke the silence, not sure what else could be the problem. He wasn’t too sure there even was one, considering nothing seemed to be wrong with Yin Hanjiang.
"Smells like the Venerable," came a muttered response.
…
Well, at least it really didn’t seem like something was seriously wrong, even though the answer did nothing to explain his Left Protector’s behaviour.
Wenren È was actually quite fond of this new side of Yin Hanjiang. Seeing the inexpressive, ever-serious man act as he did now felt quite endearing. After all, even a tiger’s paw became soft and cute once it pulled back its claws.
With a hint of amusement, Wenren È continued. "If this Venerable asked to have his robe back, would His subordinate return it?"
Although he wasn’t trying to get his robe back for now, he expected the ever deferential and obedient Yin Hanjiang to get embarrassed and return it after hearing the question. To his surprise, he only got a resolute head shake in reply.
Taking advantage of Wenren È’s confusion, Yin Hanjiang, wrapped in the black and gold robe, dropped himself into his lap, leaving the sect leader once again stupefied.
The following silence between them got interrupted only by the resumed sound of soft purring.
With Yin Hanjiang this close, Wenren È could feel the reverberations directly agains his chest. The omega pressed close to him, hiding his face in his neck. From the increased contact between them, he could now feel how hot the other’s skin felt, body temperature even higher than his own.
A realisation started to dawn on him. At this point, even the Lord of Demons couldn’t stay blind to what was going on with his subordinate.
Well, once he the omega’s neck started rubbing agains his like it did just now, he would have probably realised it either way.
Wenren È cleared his throat, unsure how to bring it up. He didn’t want the other to feel bad about himself.
"Does the Left Protector need a sickness leave?" he asked in a measured tone. If Yin Hanjiang asked for a few days off duty, especially for a reason like this, Wenren È would gladly give it to him.
Yin Hanjiang didn’t respond right away, instead tightening his hold and pressing even closer. Only after registering what he was being asked, did he reply.
"I’m…this subordinate is not sick, he does not need a leave." The sentence came out a bit slurred, muffled by the skin of Wenren È’s neck.
Wenren È was starting to feel affected by him at this point.
Most alphas would not be able to last this long in the presence of an omega in heat, either needing to distance themselves, or if they were weaker men, succumbing to the temptation. Wenren È was not most men, but even he had his limits. With Yin Hanjiang’s weight pressing against his lap, the slowly growing damp patch of clothing between them, and somewhat strained, hot puffs of breath ghosting over his nape, Wenren È remembered the long forgotten desires he only experienced having during the few ruts he’s had in his youth.
Unsure of how to deal with the situation, his usual bluntness returned to his words, voice rougher due to the lump in his throat.
"I think a heat is a good enough reason for one."
That seemed to have awakened the remaining sliver of consciousness left in Yin Hanjiang, because a jolt went through him at hearing it and his back straightened up. Unfortunately for them, his reaction made their hips meet in a way that had the omega going weak in the knees, mind clouding over again.
Rationality gone, he repeated the action. A moan slipped out of him that, were Wenren È not a stone faced demonic cultivator, well used to Shu Yanyan’s antics, it would have had him blushing. Instead, he gripped the other’s hips tightly to keep them from repeating the action.
At being denied the bit of relief that it had provided, Yin Hanjiang bit into his own lip, chewing it near bloody. Having Wenren È’s hands on him only added fuel to the already raging fire he felt in every inch of his body as visions of what those hands on his hips could do instead flooded his mind.
"I don’t get heats," he let slip in frustration, as though completely oblivious to the situation they were in. Tongue loosened, he finally confessed the truth.
The revelation concerned Wenren È. Under less strained circumstances, he would have asked Yin Hanjiang about it, but at this time there was no use in questioning him. Even if Yin Hanjiang has never had a heat before, he was obviously going into one now. They could have a talk about the rest later.
Besides, Wenren È could already guess where the issue had been. The Snow Flame had a lot to do with it for sure, but looking at the bloody red of Yin Hanjiang’s bitten lips, he realised he was at fault, too. Feeding an unbonded omega an alpha’s blood, one with so much yang energy at that, was definitely not the best idea he’s ever had. Even though their respective dynamics have never hindered them before, it’s still something he should have been more mindful of.
For that, he decided to take responsibility.
"Hanjiang, tell this Venerable who you want to spend your heat with and he will bring them to you," he promised.
Wenren È had confidence in his abilities and resources, so it really didn’t matter to him who Yin Hanjiang picked as long as the omega was able to spend this sudden heat with someone he chose. Anyone who denied such an opportunity was a fool anyways – not only for defying Wenren È, but also for forgoing the experience of sharing Yin Hanjiang’s heat with him, he thought.
But to Yin Hanjiang, Wenren È’s promise sounded more like a rejection, like his Venerable was trying to pass him off to someone else.
Wenren È could smell the distress on him even before he spoke.
"D-Does the Venerable not want this omega?" he forced out shakily.
His hands clutched at the fabric of Wenren È’s inner robe, causing him to look quite pitiful at the moment, making the Lord of Demons feel another pang in his heart.
Realising he has messed up once again, Wenren È lifted one hand off the other’s hips and used it to push on his back, pressing their chests together in a tight embrace. He stroked his hand up and down in what he hoped was a soothing motion.
"Who said anything about that?" he scoffed, finding the assumption silly.
He wasn’t nose-blind, he could smell the arousal aimed at him from the omega’s scent (now that he was aware of it), but as the only alpha in direct vicinity, he didn’t dare be presumptuous.
"Then, is this one the person Hanjiang has chosen?" he continued, voice sounding right by Yin Hanjiang's ear.
It still felt somewhat hard to believe that Yin Hanjiang would choose to spend his heat with him. Even more surprising to Wenren È was that he himself was more than willing to do it, for once in his life finding it difficult to control himself near an omega.
The two shy nods confirming it felt electrifying.
No more words were needed then as he stood up, taking the omega in his arms back to his chambers.
__________
The trip was a matter of mere seconds, the two of them standing in an embrace near the spring one moment, Wenren È placing Yin Hanjiang on his bed the next.
He had to unstick the clingy omega from himself, paying his black and gold robe as tribute.
Wenren È only needed to leave him there for a moment, long enough to put up some more wards around the place, just in case someone from the sect decided to sneak around. He really didn’t want anyone other than him knowing about his Left Protector’s state. Not only was Yin Hanjiang vulnerable to any attacks right now, the Xuanyuan sect members could take advantage of him in more ways than just trying to steal his position. With Wenren È by his side, the possibility of that should be near to zero, but it never hurt to be careful.
When he returned to the bed, he found the omega almost completely hidden from sight among the sheets, only a head of loose inky hair and one black and gold sleeve poking out, confirming that the robe was still securely with him.
Yin Hanjiang’s scent was now fully unsuppressed, overwhelming in its intensity. Wenren È has always found it pleasant. It lacked almost any of the sweetness most omegas’ scents carried with them, instead reminding him of the fresh breeze that swept through the fields after a well fought battle and the rains that doused the city after a period of drought.
Sensing Wenren È’s presence close, Yin Hanjiang stirred. Slightly raising his head in search for the other, he let out a unsatisfied sound.
"Hurts."
No matter how high an omega’s cultivation level was, their heats would still be the same as common people’s – their bodies feeling the same pain and needing the same thing. Wenren È knew as much and nodded in understanding.
He bent down to speak. "Today, this Venerable is at Protector Yin’s full disposal, he may use him as he–" The Lord of Demons did not get to finish his sentence before he was caught by the lapels of his inner robe and thrown onto the bed in an impressive show of strength considering the omega’s current state.
Yin Hanjiang, the sly thing, immediately threw away the covers and climbed over him, returning them to the position they were in by the spring just moments prior.
Now that the omega was no longer hidden out of sight, the state of disarray he was in was apparent. His thin inner robe had fallen off one shoulder, the rest sticking to his body due to perspiration. Chest flushed and heaving, loose strands of hair fell over it as he leaned down and looked at Wenren È with dark hungry eyes.
Without warning he dug his nails into the muscles of Wenren È’s shoulders and bit into his throat.
Even though it wasn’t the place a bonding mark would form, its effect on Wenren È was instant. His scent turned headier, stronger, as his own arousal became fully apparent in it. The change made Yin Hanjiang hum in satisfaction as he bit into the alpha’s neck again.
Why is he so bold now? Did the heat fry his brain? Wenren È thought in exasperation, feeling at loss.
"Don’t bite so carelessly, have you gone feral or something?" he chided, voice roughened.
This man would be the death of him.
His off hand quip might have been more on the mark than he intended, as an omega’s first heat in about a hundred years of living would drive anyone crazy, if not outright feral. That Yin Hanjiang didn’t just take what he so desperately craved right then and there by the spring was a show of great self control on his part.
Still, it would not be good to bond at a whim. Wenren È didn’t want to make Yin Hanjiang regret the decision to spend this heat with him. Fortunately, the omega listened to the command, instead turning to suck on Wenren È’s lip, eagerly trying to lick into his mouth. His hands grew bolder as well as they roamed over the alpha’s very nicely sculpted body, leaving scratches where they went.
Wenren È felt thunderstruck from the very first moment their lips touched, but did his best to return the fervent kiss. He let the other’s hands run across him as they pleased, not stopping them even when they started to pry his robe off his body, his own hands disrobing Yin Hanjiang in return. This time around, he let the attempts to grind their hips together happen, even dropping his hands back onto Yin Hanjiang’s hips to help them meet. Each time that they did, a small sound left the other’s lips just to be swallowed by Wenren È’s mouth.
From Yin Hanjiang’s state it was obvious that this wouldn’t be enough, confirmed by a desperate plea for more. It was Wenren È’s turn to take charge and make things move ahead.
Eager to fulfil every one of the omega’s wishes, he slid his hand towards the omega’s wet entrance, ready and waiting.
A shiver went through Yin Hanjiang when one of the strong fingers gathered up the slick leaking out and pushed past his rim. Hips twitching, he keened at the feeling, pausing their kiss to hide his face in the alpha’s neck again.
Wenren È met with no resistance as he reached all the way to the knuckle. With how pliant the man in his lap was, even the second finger was able to enter with little to no struggle.
He was trying to be fast with the preparation, but not rush it, only adding the third digit once he felt satisfied with the give of Yin Hanjiang’s body. They were both growing quite impatient. Yin Hanjiang was restless in his lap, unable to keep himself still, seemingly having given up on keeping quiet. His sounds made Wenren È’s teeth ache from the desire to bite into him. Every time he reached particularly deep, the omega’s pants grew rougher, his trembling limbs straining to hold himself up.
Feeling merciful, he pulled Yin Hanjiang under his body, lying him on his back on top of his black and gold robe which lay thrown astray on the bed.
The sight of Yin Hanjiang, lying flushed and needy on top of his clothes, made Wenren È even harder than he had been up to this point, his own instincts going into overdrive. He could tell Yin Hanjiang felt the same because a pair of arms immediately drew him closer once he leaned down. He pulled out his fingers and smeared the remaining slick over himself.
Seeing that the omega was practically shaking with need, he didn’t prolong his suffering and took himself in hand, entering him slowly. Two long slim legs quickly wound themselves around his waist, locking them together in such a way that Wenren È wouldn’t be able to pull away even if he wanted to.
He had absolutely no intention to do so, as he felt the welcoming heat of Yin Hanjiang envelop him. The man was currently grasping for purchase from under him, already leaving more bloodied lines on Wenren È’s body with his nails. A violent shiver ran through him when Wenren È finally bottomed out.
Letting him have a moment to adjust, Wenren È pulled Yin Hanjiang’s face closer by his chin and kissed his gasping mouth, feeling him melt into the embrace. But as he tried to deepen the kiss just moments later, his lip was bitten and waist dug into by a pair of pale heels, commanding him to move.
Sighing in his heart, Wenren È complied with Yin Hanjiang’s wishes, secretly fond of the wilfulness he was showing. He wouldn’t mind seeing this side of his Left Protector more often.
Their kiss resumed like nothing just happened, except now accompanied by the slow movements of Wenren È’s hips.
"Ah!"
Although slow, the motion reached deep, deeper than his fingers had, easily drawing more sounds out of the man under him.
At first, Wenren È would only pick up the pace whenever Yin Hanjiang beckoned him, but soon he started moving as he pleased, determined to make the omega moan as loud as he could. He watched as tears began filling his dark eyes, clouded over with lust.
They lost themselves in the act, scents intermingling. The sect leader’s bedchambers would smell like their joining for days to come.
They would smell like each other for even longer, every brush of a wrist again skin leaving behind a claim of ownership.
At some point Yin Hanjiang felt the need to start biting him again. Each bite inched closer and closer to the very dangerous spot that would have them tied to one another for the rest of their lives. Wenren È found it difficult to find a reason to stop him, the desire to do the exact same filling his chest. He had to fight a hard inner battle to get himself to make him stop, offering his palm for the omega to chew on instead.
With mind so far gone, Yin Hanjiang didn’t even mind, happy to still taste his Venerable in his mouth.
He was getting really close, Wenren È could feel it from how he was clenching around him, back arching and making their chests brush against each other. He himself also wouldn’t last much longer.
So, determined to make Yin Hanjiang come first, he tilted the omega’s head back and dug his teeth into the fragile skin of his throat.
Despite it not being a bonding mark, Yin Hanjiang, who was already on the brink, couldn’t go on anymore. He came between them with a broken whimper, tears finally spilling over. Feeling the spasming of his muscles, Wenren È had to do everything in his power not to knot him on the spot.
Caught off guard by his own orgasm, Yin Hanjiang’s legs loosened, letting Wenren È pull out and spill over his stomach with just one final stroke.
Chests heaving, they just dazedly looked at each other for a while. It felt like they were seeing each other for the first time.
After coming, Yin Hanjiang’s mind cleared enough for him to register the sight of his Venerable above him, fully naked, skin glistening with sweat and panting lightly. His expression lacked all of its usual hardness, instead looking unusually soft and human.
From his chest came a deep rumble that left Yin Hanjiang further unable to believe the situation they were in. His Venerable was actually purring, something that alphas could do, but rarely did.
The sound made Yin Hanjiang’s chest instinctively wish to resonate, but the next thing he noticed (or rather felt) was the puddle of fluid cooling on his stomach, making him blush a deep red in mortification instead.
Wenren È was also a bit surprised at his own reaction, having not purred for centuries at this point. Prior to this, he was thinking how happy he was to have seen a side of Yin Hanjiang he wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Were it not for that godforsaken book, he wouldn’t have even helped Yin Hanjiang heal his inner injuries, staying ignorant of them until the end.
For once he felt this silly child finally stopped hiding himself from him and showed some free will.
Seeing Yin Hanjiang’s frozen expression, he took one gold embroidered sleeve of the robe under them and without a care used it to wipe the mess on the other’s stomach.
"V-Venerable…," Yin Hanjiang choked out, flushing an even deeper shade of red. Wenren È knew what he was trying to say, but kept using the prescious fabric like a piece of rag. It already smelled like sweat, sex and the two of them, anyways.
He didn’t really know what to say now. Yin Hanjiang’s scent was still strong and his skin warm, meaning his heat probably wasn’t over yet, except now that his mind was clearer, it was a bit awkward between them.
It was Yin Hanjiang who spoke first.
"This subordinate deserves death," he said, closing his eyes in a pained expression.
?
"For what?"
"For…for defiling the Venerable."
???
Just who was the one being defiled here?
"Hanjiang has not done anything deserving of death," Wenren È assured. "You are to follow me in life and death. Unless you think what I did is deserving of death too, you are not allowed to die."
Hearing those words, Yin Hanjiang had nothing to retort, as he obviously didn’t think his Venerable was deserving of death.
His mind was still not completely clear and he was getting tired of thinking. His exhaustion must have been noticeable, because Wenren È hugged him from behind and pulled the covers over their still very much naked bodies.
"Sleep it off," he instructed softly, "I will help you again, if you need it. Let's leave the talking for later."
The last thing Yin Hanjiang felt before falling asleep was a light kiss to his nape.