Work Text:
Mu Qingfang had asked him to go collect more Sovereign of the Phoenix. It was a highly useful herb that was practically a cure-all, living up to its name. Anything from illnesses to poisons to injuries were nothing in the face of this medicine. Airplane was the reason Shen Qingqiu was familiar with the herb in the first place. It was one of the hundreds of rare plants that were stumbled upon during wife plots between papapa scenes. It was one of the more interesting arcs in PIDW, in Shen Qingqiu’s opinion. The herb was discovered when, after the pair had finished their dual cultivation, Xin Mo’s energy inflicted Binghe’s soon-to-be wife with such strong demonic energy that she was on her deathbed. Shen Qingqiu remembered this arc clearly because it was one of the few wife plots that couldn’t be solved by the protagonist using his third leg.
Such a powerful herb, of course, came with a downside. Sovereign of the Phoenix, for all that it was practically the strongest medicine in the novel, happened to be incredibly hard to find and looked exactly like another flower, the Waking Cockscomb. Both had the same shapes and coloring, identical in all visual aspects. The only difference was that the petals of Sovereign of the Phoenix needed to be eaten for its healing properties to take effect whereas one simply had to be near the Waking Cockscomb in order for the aphrodisiac properties of the flower to kick in and, similar to the strength of its healing pair, it was equally as powerful.
After Binghe had, miraculously, found the Sovereign of the Phoenix on his first try, he had realized that the surrounding flowers were Waking Cockscomb. This, of course, had no effect on him due to his Heavenly Demon blood. His wife was not as lucky and after being cured immediately succumbed to the effects of the aphrodisiac. The pair then spent the next few chapters having intense papapa after moving away from the field of flowers. Mere hours after the aphrodisiac seemed to clear from her system and the pair had begun their trip back, the second wave of the flower hit. The second wave was stronger than the first, leading to yet more chapters dedicated to the same repetitive happenings as the majority of the novel. Nothing surprising considering it came from the mind of a certain money-motivated, lackluster author who could have spent a lot more time developing other aspects of his novel than just Binghe’s harem. There were so many promising plot points and side characters to focus on instead. It didn’t even make sense for practically no one to study the creatures of the world.
For all that Airplane put abysmal effort into his word development and naming sense, Black Moon Rhinoceros Pythons included, there were so many creatures to learn about and their different features to research. Many even had medicinal qualities! Actually, being a Peak Lord was ideal for this. Shen Qingqiu, as the master of the peak most known for its scholars, was in the perfect position to take time to…
A thought for later. Anyways. After realizing that Shen Qingqiu was quite possibly the only member of the sect, aside from himself, that was knowledgeable about the two flowers, Mu Qingfang had asked for his assistance in gathering some Sovereign of the Phoenix. It had an extremely short growth season and Mu Qingfang had too many patients to deal with to harvest the herb like he normally would.
Shen Qingqiu would never admit it but he had surprisingly little to do as a Peak Lord. This and his interest in all the flora and fauna of the world of PIDW were the deciding factors in his decision to agree. Of course, this meant his ever sticky husband would be tagging along as well. It was a good chance to make sure Binghe and Liu Qingge weren’t able to interact. Their relationship only seemed to worsen after his wedding. No matter how much Shen Qingqiu thought about it he couldn’t figure out the reason why. Maybe Liu Qingge thought Shen Qingqiu wasn’t going to properly train his disciples after marrying the Demon Lord and spending time in the Demon Realm?
Shen Qingqiu scoffed. As if that brute who hardly trained his own disciples had any room to complain. Fuck, Liu Qingge spent more time on Qing Jing Peak than on his own! What right did he have to condemn Shen Qingqiu for his peak management.
Shen Qingqiu sighed as they finally reached the area where the flowers grew. For all the time that he spent with Binghe, it wasn’t often that the two were alone without their duties to worry about. Especially after their wedding and honeymoon, with the backlog of work to catch up on. Shen Qingqiu felt his ears burn at the memory. That had been the first time that both of them were in a proper state of mind and able to thoroughly enjoy their time together.
A rustle of leaves in front of him dragged his thoughts back to the present. He reflexively opened his fan in front of his face, hiding the slight blush that had spread across his cheeks.
“Shizun? What are you thinking about?” Binghe asked as he held his hand out. Shen Qingqiu gracefully took it before stepping over the spreading liquid on the ground. What even was that? Fuck that looked so gross. Thank god he had the golden-halo protagonist with him.
“Nothing of concern. Now, do you remember what this one said about the herb?” Shen Qingqiu swiftly responded as he ducked underneath the tree branch Binghe was holding up for him. Binghe nodded in excitement, clearly happy that he was able to show that he remembered his Shizun's words. Shen Qingqiu nodded in approval after Binghe repeated how the herb looked as well as the fact that there was an identical flower with a potent scent that they were not searching for.
He hadn’t mentioned to Binghe that the Waking Cockscomb was an aphrodisiac. It had no effect on Heavenly Demons and Shen Qingqiu would be careful enough to avoid it.
As the pair searched throughout the clearing, Shen Qingqiu lamented the fact that this was such a rare plant. There were hundreds of plants in the flower field they were searching in. Without protagonist luck, Shen Qingqiu wasn’t sure they would be able to find the flower quickly. Now he just had to wait for Binghe’s excited call of his name, signifying their search was done.
He should at least pretend to keep looking. A quick glance to Binghe a few feet away showed his husband carefully looking through the flowers around him. Shen Qingqiu’s thoughts began to drift away as his body continued his search. Never had he thought he would marry a man, much less one like Binghe. While he would never willingly admit it, he was indeed pleased. Especially knowing how devoted to him Binghe was. Being pampered by such a gorgeous spouse was something he would never regret. His face flushed at the memory of their entanglement last night. The way Binghe’s hand had slid up his thigh. His inner robes coming loose…
Shen Qingqiu slightly fanned himself. They had been intimate quite a few times. Why was he getting like this at just the thought? Their exploits last night were nothing noteworthy. They only had time for a quick round before being interrupted by hearing Liu Qingge paying Qing Jing Peak yet another visit.
“...-zun? Shizun? Are you okay?” A hot touch on his shoulder broke Shen Qingqiu away from his thoughts. He looked at Binghe, who had apparently moved next to him at some point. “Forgive this one for being bold, however…you look slightly feverish, Shizun. Should we head back? I can make congee while you rest.”
Shen Qingqiu paused his fanning. Odd. His body was hot and his face felt flushed. He leaned towards Binghe and rested his head on his husband’s shoulder.
“Shizun?” Binghe questioned. He wasn’t used to Shen Qingqiu initiating physical contact this intimately, but was more concerned at the thought of his husband being sick.
“This master…is feeling quite hot,” Shen Qingqiu whispered. The heat continued to intensify. He nestled closer to the comfort of his husband. The relief after having more contact was beginning to fade. His body felt as though it were on fire. He needed more. He needed Binghe to touch him. He needed….fuck.
Waking Cockscomb. When had he gotten close enough to one? How had he not noticed?
Shen Qingqiu could feel the System laughing at him. He didn’t need to open the latest message notification to know it was a stream of laughing emoticons. He also knew that he was going to take this incident to his grave- Airplane would never let him live it down after being ridiculed for not being careful by Shen Qingqiu himself. He couldn’t believe it.
“Binghe. Do you-The Waking Cockscomb?” Shen Qingqiu panted. Fuck, it was getting harder to think straight. The flower certainly was powerful, having this big of an effect on him despite this high cultivation. Binghe nodded.
“Yes. This one remembers that it looks identical to the Sovereign of the Phoenix, only it emits a scent. What about it, Shizun?”
“Not…medicine,” Shen Qingqiu continued. He could feel his robes getting tighter. His thoughts were increasingly hazy. He rubbed his forehead on Binghe’s shoulder, dropping his fan in order to hold onto Binghe’s hand.
“It isn’t a medicinal plant? Then what-” Binghe stopped mid-sentence. His face paled as he scooped Shen Qingqiu into his arms before quickly standing up and walking a few feet away in a second. “A poison? We must get back to Mu Qingfang as quickly as possible. Hold on, Shizun. We will get you the medicine you need!”
This sentence set alarm bells off in his head. Going back to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect like this? He wasn’t sure they would even be able to make it back before Shen Qingqiu lost all sense of reason. No. No fucking way was Binghe bringing him back there so soon. He could never show this kind of appearance to his fellow Peak Lords. Or, System forbid, his disciples. His face was thin enough, thank you.
Shen Qingqiu let go of Binghe’s hand in favor of clutching his upper arm. This brought the other’s attention back to him, filled with concern and laced with a hint of fear.
“No. Not-Not the sect. We…We can fix it here. Not poison,” Shen Qingqiu finally managed to get out. The fear lessened in Binghe’s eyes. A look of confusion began to overtake. He could practically hear the gears turning in Binghe’s head as the younger tried to puzzle out what was wrong. Shen Qingqiu grit his teeth in annoyance. Ah, he didn’t have time for this. The heat was unbearable, growing more and more intense between his legs by the second. He needed Binghe now .
Shen Qingqiu grasped Binghe’s collar and dragged their faces near each other.
“Just fuck me already!” He shouted. Binghe faltered, his hold tightening on Shen Qingqiu. Why now, of all times, was his husband this slow? Normally Binghe was quick to get physical. Why was he missing the message now ? Where was the protagonist’s high IQ when he needed it?
With a huff, Shen Qingqiu tilted forward. In Binghe’s confusion, his back hit the ground with a soft thud. Shen Qingqiu straddled his hips before leaning down to whisper in his ear.
“Waking Cockscomb is an aphrodisiac. After satisfying the effects once, the underlying powers awaken and come back after a few hours, albeit much stronger. Now, am I to do this on my own? Or would my husband prefer to play a more active role?” Shen Qingqiu bit out. He was desperate to get relief. As much as he wished for Binghe to start touching him, if they didn’t start now he was going to be forced to do it on his own. He kissed the area right below Binghe’s ear.
That, coupled with the slight bulge he could feel through Shen Qingqiu’s robes, got Binghe moving.
Shen Qingqiu quickly found their positions flipped. Binghe pressed him into the flowers below them, grinding down as he cradled Shen Qingqiu’s face with his hands. He closed the gap between their lips and kissed his husband deeply.
Shen Qingqiu moaned in appreciation. This is what he wanted. It wasn’t enough, though. He still needed more. He pulled back for a breath of air. Binghe, however, had no intention of stopping.
“What my beloved Shizun wishes for shall be granted,” he uttered as he trailed down Shen Qingqiu’s neck, leaving kisses in his wake.
Binghe sucked on Shen Qingqiu’s collarbone, a dark mark appearing beneath his lips. His hands began their work of undoing the robes of the man beneath him.
Shen Qingqiu stifled a gasp as the cool air hit his exposed skin. He couldn’t spend more time thinking about it before his attention was brought to his chest. As Binghe continued to pepper him with kisses and marks, his hands had found their way to his nipples. He lightly pinched and flicked them until they had stiffened in arousal.
“Binghe, please ,” Shen Qingqiu moaned. The desire caused by the flower was borderline painful. The lack of a quick release was building up. Shen Qingqiu couldn’t help but squirm slightly, bucking his hips for some friction against Binghe’s leg between his thighs. He was desperate to get any kind of release.
Before he could get too far, though, his body froze. It was almost as though he was paralyzed. The fire caused by the Waking Cockscomb was still there, burning just as fiercely, yet he was unable to move any of his limbs.
If he could have, Shen Qingqiu would have thrown his head back in exasperation. Blood parasites. After being the target of so many wife kidnapping plots, the couple had no doubt that leaving some of Binghe’s Heavenly Demon Blood Parasites in Shen Qingqiu was a wise choice. Shen Qingqiu, truly, still had no issue with it. His husband had never used it for anything beyond what they had agreed upon. Until now, that is.
“Not yet, Shizun. Let this one help you.” One of Binghe’s hands traveled down towards the area throbbing the most for Shen Qingqiu. It rested on the bulge in Shen Qingqiu’s robes with just enough pressure for Shen Qingqiu to be unable to drag his attention away from it.
The teasing was too much. No matter how much he wanted to, Shen Qingqiu was unable to seek any sort of relief on his own. His body, frozen by the blood parasites, could only internally beg for more.
His mouth, on the other hand, had no such restraints.
“Binghe. Husband, please . I need you. I need you, ” Shen Qingqiu whined as tears pricked the corners of his eyes. A small smile spread on Binghe’s lips..
“Of course. Anything my husband desires shall be his.” As soon as he had finished speaking, Binghe’s had stroked the length Shen Qingqiu’s dick through his robes before finally reaching beneath them to grasp it in his hand.
Shen Qingqiu sharply inhaled. Finally .
Binghe’s rhythm started slow. He pumped his hand slowly, rubbing a small circle across the head every time he reached the tip. The leaking precum was enough to make the action smooth. After a few minutes, Binghe lightly pressed on the slit with his thumb.
With no way to stifle his sounds, Shen Qingqiu moaned in pleasure. His cheeks immediately flushed in embarrassment. His normal impassivity had long been gone in this situation, but hearing how utterly wrecked he sounded from a simple handjob was another story.
“Is Shizun enjoying himself?” Binghe questioned. Shen Qingqiu met his eager look with a glare. Taking this as a win, Binghe lowered himself to be at eye level with Shen Qingqiu’s hips. His tongue darted out to wet his lips before he bent down to lick the tip of Shen Qingqiu’s member. Shen Qingqiu was close.
Another noise of pleasure erupted from Shen Qingqiu’s throat at the warm sensation of Binghe’s mouth around him. Binghe hummed in appreciation, knowing the other was experiencing pleasure from his actions, sending a vibration across the member in his mouth.
That sent Shen Qingqiu over the edge, cumming with a stuttered gasp of his husband’s name. Stars filled his vision as his body jerked, control finally given back to him now that he was done. Binghe continued to suck Shen Qingqiu’s member until he felt the other finish, swallowing every last bit he could wring out. He released Shen Qingqiu, a string of cum connected his lips to the other’s tip before he wiped it off with his thumb.
Shen Qingqiu took a minute to recover. The heat from the aphrodisiac had finally calmed down, but he knew it wouldn’t last long. The second stage would hit him soon.
“Binghe,” Shen Qingqiu started as he sat up and closed his robes around himself. He could see the tears welling up, Binghe was already assuming the worst. Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes. “The Waking Cockscomb has a second, stronger, stage and I do not wish to continue our…activities outdoors.”
Binghe’s eyes lit up as he realized the implication of Shen Qingqiu’s words. That was all he needed to hear before wrapping his arms around Shen Qingqiu and quickly flying them back to their house to continue.
If the demonic qi rolling off of Binghe wasn’t enough of a warning for others to stay as far away as possible, the look on his face was. Normally, Shen Qingqiu wouldn’t have hesitated to tap the top of his head with a fan and scold him. With the second stage of the aphrodisiac hitting any moment now, however, Shen Qingqiu was glad for the privacy.
As soon as they entered their bedroom, Binghe laid Shen Qingqiu on the bed before starting to untie his robes. While his hands were busy with the clothing, his mouth had other areas to focus on.
The pair had managed to discuss some of the properties of the flower on their journey back. One conclusion Shen Qingqiu was able to come to was that, for some reason, his higher cultivation worsened the aphrodisiac effect. That’s why he was experiencing it more intensely than the wife who originally fell victim to this plot.
Before Shen Qingqiu could contemplate their situation any more, the second stage started to hit. Within seconds his entire body was engulfed in agonizing pain.
Oh.
It was much, much , stronger than before. Shen Qingqiu didn’t feel the way his arms clenched Binghe’s shoulders in a white-knuckled grip. He couldn’t focus on anything other than inferno blazing across his skin. His vision became blank as the pain overtook his senses. He could no longer feel the warmth of Binghe’s hands nor the soft bed beneath him. Even his own self-destruction felt less painful than this.
Everything was aching. He needed something. But what? The flower’s after-effects left him unable to think, unable to remember why he was feeling like this in the first place, much less how to fix it.
Finally, after what felt like hours, his head began to clear and he could finally make out a voice.
“Shizun! This disciple is sorry for what he has done but…Shizun was in so much pain. This disciple had no other choice.” The end of Binghe’s sentence was marked by tears flowing down his cheeks.
On instinct, Shen Qingqiu moved to wipe the tears away. Whatever his beloved had done had worked. The pain had subsided and left only a small heat between his legs. His arm, however, couldn’t move.
Shen Qingqiu tried once more to wipe the tears away. Nothing. A quick turn of his head revealed a red rope connecting his wrists together and tied to the top of their bed.
Ah. So that was how Binghe did it. By using the immortal binding cables, his cultivation was affected to the point that the aphrodisiac had a minimal effect.
“Binghe has done nothing wrong. He was merely helping this one the best he could. There is nothing he needs to apologize for,” Shen Qingqiu quietly said. Truthfully, this was the best course to take. It wasn’t the most… ideal way to try out new kinks but the lack of pain due to the binding cables was worth it. “Now, if Binghe be so kind…?” Shen Qingqiu trailed off. The immortal binding cables were strong enough to subdue the worst of the flower’s effects, but they would need to address the aphrodisiac coursing through him.
“Of course! Anything for Shizun!” Binghe exclaimed before getting to work. He continued to kiss and mark every inch of Shen Qingqiu’s skin he could as one of his hands reached down to start loosening Shen Qingqiu’s entrance.
Soft moans and the quiet thrusting of fingers was all that was heard. It didn’t take much work before Shen Qingqiu was prepared. When Binghe finally entered him, Shen Qingqiu threw his head back in pleasure. His wrists pulled at the immortal binding cables restricting them. They could finally put an end to this useless wife plot and push the thought of yet another aphrodisiac flower behind them.
Shen Qingqiu blinked to clear the sleep from his eyes before rolling onto his other side and burying his face into his husband’s shoulder. After their hours of papapa, Shen Qingqiu finally felt the remnants of the Waking Cockscomb leave his system. Binghe had made sure to clean up any evidence of their activities after putting the immortal binding cables away.
Shen Qingqiu knew this wouldn’t be the last wife plot he would be forced to endure, but knowing that he would experience them with Binghe by his side was enough.