Chapter Text
It was just a terrible day at An Ding Peak while Shang Qinghua was just genuinely trying to go through breakfast when someone came knocking at his door.
“Shizun, there is a Peak lord conference going on in about an hour, please try to get ready as fast as you can because you know Yue Qingyuan hates when you’re late with the monthly budgets.
But of course, it wasn't only the budget, it was everything everyone in the sect just threw over at him and pay no mind to what he had to do or all the things he did as well for the Northern Kingdom, because speaking of the Northern Kingdom, don’t even get him started whit all the paperwork he had to review and approve this week. Sometimes he wished his king had only but a little mercy on him, he always had him running from corner to corner of the vast ice palace, going after servants reviewing things and checking everything was running smoothly.
While he wished his king was more appreciative of him since came back, nothing changed that much, just Mobei stopped hitting him and abusing him verbally, and now he just ordered him to keep everything going. He still was glad that at least he wasn’t hit anymore. Remembering a talk, they had a few weeks ago.
“My king, could you allow this servant to go back to his peak for some material he left back?”
“This king already gave you everything you might need, so why keep asking for more? And finish those armory budgets I asked you to”
Maybe the Northern Palace wasn’t that bad now that he thinks of it, he’s just really overworked between keeping Cang Qiong and the Northern Palace, but probably what we wanted (as well as some well-deserved vacations) was recognition of his work. He didn’t want something impossible like stopping the slander towards him coming from the various peaks, the friendship of Shen Qingqiu, or even something as impossible as his King’s love.
What he truly longed for was acknowledgment and appreciation for his tireless efforts. Perhaps a moment of respite or even a well-deserved vacation would provide the solace he desperately sought. Until then, he would continue to navigate the demanding responsibilities that encompassed his life.
As Shang Qinghua donned his robe and prepared to leave for the conference, he couldn't help but reflect on the challenges he faced. The terrible day at An Ding Peak was just a microcosm of the larger struggles he endured daily. Yet, amidst it all, he held onto a glimmer of hope. Maybe, one day, his contributions would be acknowledged, and he would find the support he yearned for. Until then, he would persevere, finding solace in the fact that he had overcome worse trials in the past. With determination in his heart, Shang Qinghua stepped out of his door, ready to face whatever awaited him at the Peak lord conference and beyond.
Qinghua made his way to the Peak lord conference, he couldn't help but notice the mounting tension in the air. The conference room was filled with esteemed cultivators, their expressions stern and expectant. The weight of their gaze seemed to bear down on him, intensifying his anxiety. He took a deep breath, reminding himself to stay composed and focused despite the overwhelming pressure.
Yue Qingyuan, the leader of Cang Qiong Sect, sat at the head of the table, radiating an air of authority. Shang Qinghua knew that his punctuality and the accuracy of the monthly budgets would be scrutinized by the strict Peak lord. Failure to meet Yue Qingyuan's expectations could result in dire consequences, further fueling his apprehension. All because he couldn’t be Shen Qingqiu because of course, who would dare to make any evil remark at him?
When he sat down he started hearing Bai Zhang’s disciples gossip, probably saying the same things like they should evict him from the sect as if he didn’t already work hard enough for everyone in this room, what bothered him more was the kind of things they said about his relationship with his king. He wasn’t the only cultivator that had a relationship with a demon, but of course, as always he was the scapegoat for everyone because who truly would care for him? Just look at him, he looks shabby, his freckles are all over his face and he talks too much, at least that’s what his king tells him.
As the conference started and they started gushing about sect matters when Liu Qingge started shouting
“Shang Qinghua, where is the founding I requested for the new training buddies for my disciples, are you that useless that you can’t even complete a single request?!”
“I also asked for a new budget for the medical supplies at Qiang Cao and I also believe that a few shidis of mine went to ask for more materials but no one answered their requests.”
And after Mu Qinfang’s request a lot more started flowing until Shang Qinghua couldn’t contain them more and hesuddenly slammed his hands on the table, hard enough for everyone to look at him and just started shouting.
“NO ONE HERE IN THIS SECT VALUES ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING THAT I DO FOR YOU ALL, CANG QIONG WOULDN’T STAND IF IT WASN’T FOR ME BECAUSE WHO FUCKING CARES. WHO MANAGES THE MONEY SO WE DON’T GO BANKRUPT? ME, WHO MAKES THE PEACE AND COMMERCIAL TREATIES FOR THIS PLACE? ME, WHO DOES ALL THE MANAGING HERE BECAUSE NO ONE UNDERSTANDS ANYTHING ELSE? ME, ALL OFF YOU SPEND ALL YOUR DAYS GUSHING AND GOSSIPING ABOUT OTHER’S PEOPLE’S LIVES BEFORE FOCUSING ON HOW THEY ACTUALLY DO YOUR WORK, EVERYONE JUST COMES ASKING FOR FAVORS AND WHAT DO I GET IN RETURN? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. BECAUSE ALL PEAKS TREAT AN DING LIKE SHIT BECAUSE AN DING IS USELESS ISN’T IT?”
“Well, if you actually started caring about our sect and not that filthy demon of your-“
“LOOK, LET ME EXPLAIN IN IN A EASIER WAY SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND, IF THE PEAK LORDS, THAT MEANS ALL 11 OF YOU, STARTED BEING ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE INSTEAD OF THROWING ALL OF YOUR’S PEAKS PAPERWORK TO MINE MAYBE I WOULDN’T BE EVEN COMPLAINING THAT MUCH BUT IT ISN’T ONLY THE ABSURD WORKLOAD ANYMORE, IS THE DISRESPECT I SUFFER FROM ALL THIS GOD DAMNED SECT. SINCE I WAS A DISCIPLE I WAS MISTREATED HERE, WHEN I BECAME HEAD DISCIPLE EVERYONE THOUGHT I HAD MADE SOMETHING SKETCHY TO GET THAT POSITION, DID AT LEAST ONE OF YOU THOUGHT, WELL MAYBE I EARNED IT BECAUSE I ACTUALLY WORKED HARD? NOT EVERYONE HAS THE LUXURY TO BE A WAR GOD OR A PEERLESS IMMORTAL. SOME OF US HAVE TO ACTUALLY DO SHIT TO GET WHERE WE ARE, ABSOLUTELY NONE OF YOUR DISCIPLES RESPECT ME, ALL OF THEM THROW SLANDER AT MY BACK, AND DO YOU NOW WHAT, THEY ACTUALLY THROW ME THINGS AS WELL! ESPECIALLY THE QING JING AND THE BAI ZHANG PEAKS.
NO ONE HERE RESPECTS ME AS A PEAK LORD, NEITHER ANY OF YOU OR THE DISCIPLES, AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON YOU YUE QINGYUNAN, YOU ALWAYS FAVORED SHEN QINGQIU AND LIU QINGGE, EVERY TIME I COMPLAINED TO YOU, AS THE SECT LEADER ABOUT THE TREATMENT YOU ALWAYS DISMISSED ME WITH THE FIST EXCUSE YOU COULD THINK OF, BECAUSE OF COURSE, HOW COULD THOSE 2 DO ANYTHING WRONG.
AND IF ANYONE DARES TO SLANDER MOBEI THINK TWICE. WHY DO YOU ONLY SLANDER ME, I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH A RELATIONSHIP WITH DEMONS, AND NO, WE DON’T ACTUALLY ARE A COUPLE BECAUSE GUESS WHAT, WE ARE NOT, OR HAVEN’T YOU HEARD YOURSELVES OR YOUR DISCIPLES? BECAUSE ACCORDING TO YOU, IM AN UGLY RAT-LOOKING MAN THAT WAS STUPID ENOUGH TO FALL FOR A DEMON THAT WON’T LOVE HIM BACK. I MUST AS WELL ASSUME THAT ALL THE CULTIVATION WORLD THINKS OF ME AS A JOKE, AND MIGHT AS WELL NOT BE PART OF IT ANYMORE, I MEAN, I HAVE NO FRIENDS, NO FAMILY, AND NO ONE IN THIS HELL-HOLE EVER CARED ABOUT ME SO YOU KNOW WHAT?”
And he held that question for a couple of seconds, just watching everyone’s faces morph into annoyance, and some, worry. But why would they, he turned to look at Shen Qingqiu, his supposed friend who didn’t even dare to look up, because why would he, he never even defended him from his own disciples or even his own husband, so why would he defend him from his own husband? So after giving everyone a final look he just said
“I might as well leave the whole cultivation world for good”
And with those words, he left the room, not looking back, because he wouldn’t anymore.