Chapter Text
The moon in its full glory looks magnificent, breathtaking. But to most people, its insignificant compared to the sun, less beautiful and vibrant, less important and more over-looked. They tend to forget we need the moon just as much as we need the sun. Its holds our planet in place after all.
The sun is our light, our shelter on a happy day. This was never about the sun. It was never about being happy. This is about the moon. An important asset that is underestimated and overlooked.
What if the moon got tired of being compared? What if the moon disappeared? The brightest and largest object in our night sky, the moon. Gone. What then?
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Shen Qingqiu awoke in the dead of night. It was dark with no noise, so quiet that you can hear a pin drop. It made his blood crawl. It was on nights like these the peak lord would stay awake. These nights seem to be endless, an eternity that he couldn't escape. When was it the last time he had a proper night of rest? He couldn't seem to remember. Why sleep? The only things there to meet is blood, wailing and dead flesh when he closes his eyes. Scars of the past that haven't healed in more than two decades. Scars that may never heal in a lifetime.
He got up and lit some candles so he could see in the dark. He wasn't going to try to sleep, he knows he can't, even if he tried his hardest. It was a weakness. Something that made him vulnerable..weak. He hated being weak.
His mind slowly trailed back to the orphan he took in a few days ago as his disciple. What was his name again? That's right..Luo Binghe. The child looked up to him as if he was seeing a god. He could've sworn he saw stars in the child's eyes. Hope. How utterly disgusting.
What good thing ever came from hope? Nothing. He knows that best. His hope was shattered years ago. It kept shattering, over and over again. Until he finally gave up. There was no point in winning if in everyone's eyes you'll always be a villain after all. There was no hope of having a family. No hope in having friends. No hope in finding love. None. He'll always be fighting losing arguments. He was always bound to fall.
But...But that hope he saw in the child's eyes. He wanted to crush it. Crush it to utter dust. He'll make that hope vanish completely, until there's nothing remaining but an empty shell. Why should anyone be happy if he wasn't? He's a selfish person. He knows. He accepts it.
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He paced his room back and forth. Yue Qingyuan had called all the peak lords to an 'Urgent meeting'. That was a first. He was supposed to know this news beforehand, he was the strategist, the second in command. Leave everything to his Qi-ge to mess things up. When has the man ever did anything accurate in his life? He lets out a sigh, combing his hair in the usual high up-do that he normally wears. He fastens his guan on his pony-tail and just before he turns the door knob, he pauses.
It feels as if he's about to walk in a lion's den. He'll have to face his 'sect siblings' sooner or later. The people who made his life more miserable than it already was. Spreading rumors that he's a lecherous pervert since he visits brothels. Will they still judge if they knew the truth?
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He walks in the meeting hall with an air of confidence and grace with each step. The cold and indifferent look plastered on his face as usual. He seats himself on the seat reserved for one of his status, the second in command. He deserves respect, its what he fought so hard for. But what does he get? Disgusted and untrusting looks, from the people who were supposed to be considered his 'martial family'. It wasn't anything new. Nobody trusted Shen Qingqiu. Nobody cared for Shen Jiu either. He may put on this cold facacde now but underneath all of that is a broken, dirty orphaned boy, a slave. Yes, he was a slave. He escaped that wretched place in hopes of finding home among.. The cultivators. To be stronger so that no one can ever hurt him again. He worked for his place here. Sweat, blood and tears. And he still works. Day and night. Miserably.
He was broken out from his thoughts when Yue Qingyuan greeted them all. It seemed that everyone was present. Even the wretched brute. Unfortunately. One would think he wouldn't show up by the way he misses the meetings usually. Rather fighting animals with a sword than actually talking. Such a brute indeed.
"I have asked for all of you to come today for a very important reason". Shen Qingqiu is immediately on guard. Qi-ge never talked like this. It must be serious. "We have received news that Tianlang-jun has escaped and he is looking for his son."
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Silence.
"His what?!", Qi Qingqi asked looking perplexed. Son? Since when did the former demon emperor had a son? There's no way. People would've known. We would have known. No one can't miss a heavenly demon's mark when they see it. Unless...
Shen Qingqiu grips his fan hard and it cracks, everyone's heads immediately snapped toward his direction. Shen Qingqiu looked like he had found a missing piece. Unless... Someone sealed the demon when it was a babe and hid it's heritage on purpose.
It makes sense. In the demonic realm, there were a lot of wars and rebellion for the throne. If the emperor had a child, he wouldn't want the child to get killed since it's the heir to the throne. Which makes the theory sensible. But then the question is, where is the child? Is he living among humans? Walking among us? Maybe he's even disguised himself as a cultivator?
Whatever it is, they needed to find this child as fast as possible, before Tianlang-jun did. Or they would lose a bargaining chip if it came to war. And by the looks of it, war is around the corner. Yet again.