Chapter Text
When Qi Lifeng hears her shimeis gossiping happily about some sort of list, her interest is immediately piqued. A list? What sort of list could possibly get so many Xian Shu disciples this worked up? As a general rule, Xian Shu disciples don’t really gossip. They tend to focus more on cultivating physically or mentally rather than socially. That isn’t to say they can’t gossip though, as Qi Lifeng has just come to realize. It just means nothing has been interesting enough until now.
With a gleam in her eyes, Qi Lifeng marches over to her fellow Xian Shu disciples. A grin unfurls as she catches a glimpse of the paper held securely in one of the girls’ hands.
“A-Fei, is that what this Shijie thinks it is?”
“Da-shijie! Uhhh, we can explain!” The one holding the scroll panics immediately at the mischievous look on Xian Shu’s Head Disciple’s face. Despite this, Qi Lifeng treats her as if she’s but a mere stepping stone on the path towards her main objective.
“No need, Shimei.” Qi Lifeng takes the paper confidently, “Just consider this payment for not telling the Peak Lord about my shimeis’ lack of focus during morning self reflection.”
Pain and grief written just as clear on their faces as the names on Qi Lifeng’s newly acquired list, the other Xian Shu disciples accept her deal (not that she really gave them any options) and reluctantly go back to attempting to meditate. They can always get another copy from An Ding…
With a heart full of bemused satisfaction, Qi Lifeng reads the paper once, twice, three times, while her head falls backwards as she laughs boisterously and eventually draws her sword. She needs to show her didi right now!
-/-
“Top Ten Young Masters of the Jianghu?” Shen Yuan reads aloud, distaste evident in his skeptical tone.
“Top Ten Young Masters of the Jianghu,” Qi Lifeng confirms smacking her hand against Shen Yuan’s desk. With the impact, a few papers full of scratchwork and calculations are sent gently into the air and, ultimately, onto the floor. They both stare as the meticulous research floats quietly to the ground, landing without a sound. Shen Yuan sighs exasperatedly, and with a flick of the wrist and a flash of purple Qi, the papers are returned to their original place.
Qi Lifeng laughs again, less over the top this time, “Sorry, Shen-di.”
“Somehow, this one fails to believe that.”
Qi Lifeng just smiles wider in response to his skepticism.
“Okay, I get the rest of the list,” Shen Yuan moves on, hoping to get this over with as fast as possible so he can return to his research. “But why am I first?”
“Shen-di,” Qi Lifeng turns excruciatingly serious, “it’s because your beauty can only be described by a master poet. Your personality is that of a cat softly pricking the heart. Your good qualities are countless while your faults are basically non-existent. You’re basically peerless, Shen-di. At least, that's what all my shimei were saying this morning!”
“What…?” Shen Yuan freezes at the uncalled for, and totally undeserved, praise.
“Yep, and just you wait! This one heard the list has already been serialized all across the Jianghu! Soon, everyone will be talking about how indescribably gorgeous you are! From Cang Qiang to Huan Hua…”
“WHAT??”
“It’ll be okay, Shen-di! Just accept your uncontestable win!”
“Since when was I even competing??”
“Since the Immortal Alliance Conference, no one’s been able to get over you since then,” Zhang Mu cuts in, magically appearing at the entrance to Shen Yuan’s secluded study.
“I’m not even a real Young Master!”
“Didi," Qi Lifeng says, hand firmly resting on Shen Yuan's shoulder, "Just accept your victory."
"Stop making it seem like I should be happy about this!"
“Shouldn’t you, though?”
Shen Yuan: ...No?!
-/-
Meanwhile, on the practice fields of Qing Jing, Shen Jiu gets the shock of his life, “I got sixth place? Even the Liu-brat beat me? How! The! Hell!”
Not once does he consider the fact that plenty of Head Disciples didn’t even make the list… let alone halfway up the list. After all, anything but perhaps second is offensive to his eyes.
Shen Yuan is the only one worthy of Shen Jiu’s loss. Especially when it’s basically just a glorified beauty contest!
As blinding rage swirls around one of Qing Jing’s Head Disciples, Liu Xing feels a cold chill.
Simultaneously, both Shen Jiu and Liu Xing get an identical itch. The itch to fight.
Shen Yuan’s perception of the world’s perception of him isn’t the only thing to get a remodeling that day, Bai Zhan’s training field also gets a solid makeover.