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missfangirll · 2 years

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Ad Astra Per Aspera (final chapter)

Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5 || Chapter 6 || Chapter 7 || Chapter 8 || Chapter 9 || Chapter 10

Fandom: Guardian Relationship: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan, Da Qing/Ye Zun Tags: Fluff, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fix-it, Getting Together, First Kiss, Time Travel, Timeline what Timeline

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- - - - -

There was a saying, Ye Zun thought the next day as they stood in front of the large wooden Palace gate, about men and mice whose plans didn’t go as intended. But then again, every time Zhao Yunlan was involved they happened to proceed without any plan at all, so even a bad one was still an improvement.

Still, it had taken them the better part of the night to outline a strategy, only for the guards in front of the gate to drop their weapons as soon as the little group entered their field of vision, the heavy wooden doors swinging open with an ominous creaking sound. Shen Wei had looked at Zhao Yunlan who had looked at Ye Zun, who in turn had stared at the kneeling men in confusion. Da Qing had looked equally perplexed as he turned around, mouth open as if to ask a question.

The plan had been to openly approach the Palace – Shen Wei in his usual Hei Pao Shi attire, sans mask, Ye Zun in a matching ensemble in white that his brother had conjured earlier, Da Qing with the three remaining Hallows in an unassuming duffel bag slung over a shoulder, and Zhao Yunlan as Lord Guardian, not dressed up but wearing a shit-eating grin – and to open the gate, either by force, coercion or charm.

Now that the doors were actually open and the path cleared, they hesitated in their steps, pausing before the entrance. Zhao Yunlan’s grin had vanished and he raised an eyebrow at Shen Wei, whose frown had noticeably deepened. “What now?”, he asked. “Do we go in? That is most definitely a trap, but...” He paused, giving Shen Wei a thoughtful look.

Ye Zun saw his brother hesitate, then nod almost imperceptibly. “But we have to go inside, regardless if it really is a trap,” he finished, and the rest of the small group nodded their agreement as well.

With a sigh, Zhao Yunlan turned towards the open doors when a hand on his shoulder made him pause. Shen Wei tightened his grip, then stepped in front of him, his guandao raised in a defensive stance. Zhao Yunlan followed half a step behind him, the other two falling into step side by side. Da Qing gave Ye Zun a complicated look, his mouth opening and closing again, then turned his head to face the path ahead. Ye Zun followed suit.

If the incident at the Palace gate really had been a deception to lull them into safety, then what followed certainly followed the same pattern: Every gateway they reached opened without delay, be it wood or iron lattice door, sliding screen or trapdoor, and the guards, if present, dropped their weapons immediately and knelt down, opening the passage.

It made them feel on edge, and by the time they made it into the inner Palace, Ye Zun felt the hairs at the back of his neck stand up. Yet another door opened with a creak, revealing what looked like a large study, and before Ye Zun had time to think further on why that room seemed familiar, Shen Wei had already stepped in. The rest of the group followed, but almost collided with each other when Shen Wei suddenly froze mid-step, his guandao half raised.

Opposite them, in front of a large wooden desk, stood the Regent.

If asked later, Ye Zun wouldn’t have been able to tell how long the staring match lasted, probably only a few seconds, but in that moment it felt endless. Nobody moved for a few heartbeats, until the Regent recovered first. He turned around to grab something from the desk, then retreated behind it while shouting for his guards. Interestingly, nothing happened: no hasty footsteps, no clinking of weapons, the Palace an almost eerie quiet.

Shen Wei took a step towards the man, guandao now raised, a threatening aura surrounding him. Ye Zun had to suppress a shudder as a memory surfaced, another place, another time, his brother raising a weapon towards.... No, no, this was not the time. He shook his head slightly, turning his attention back to the scene in front of him.

Suddenly, a movement in the corner of his vision startled him, and he turned to Da Qing, only to see the bag with the Hallows twist violently, as if it contained a living creature. Da Qing hastily let it go as the movement grew stronger, the bag emitting a strange humming sound. The thing the Regent had been clutching to his chest responded in kind – Ye Zun now realised this was the Seal – and began humming as well, the sound even lower and vibrating in the air like a miniature earthquake. With a yelp of surprise he let it go, watching with wide eyes as it returned to the open bag. The bag trembled a few times, then, as if the life had left it, dropped to the ground in front of Da Qing’s feet, who snatched it and flung it back over his shoulder with a strange expression on his face.

In the following silence Zhao Yunlan’s voice sounded significantly less chipper than usual as he said, “Well, wasn’t that odd?”

With an inhuman screech, the Regent turned towards the bag, long fingers opening and closing like claws, making Da Qing retreat behind Ye Zun and Shen Wei step into his path. “Give it back, you thieves, give it back! It belongs to the palace, it’s mine! Give it back!” The words came out garbled, his voice sounding not even human anymore. Ye Zun shuddered.

Before anyone could react, Shen Wei apparently had had enough. He took a step forward, bringing his guandao down in one smooth motion, hitting the Regent squarely over the head with the blunt end. The man collapsed without a sound.

Seeing everyone’s eyes on him, Shen Wei just gave a tiny shrug, then nodded his chin towards the door. Zhao Yunlan blinked a few times, then snorted a laugh, nodding in agreement.

- - - - -

All things considered, An Bai looked positively elated when they delivered the Regent to his quarters, bound and gagged and still unconscious. He did raise an eyebrow at first, but since no one felt like explaining, he didn’t ask further.

With a smile that looked a bit forced, Zhao Yunlan waved away each and all questions directed at them and proceeded to usher them into the small room they had stayed in earlier. Closing the door behind him, he looked over his assembled team, then plopped down onto a stool with a heavy sigh.

“What was that?”, he intonated, looking from each team member to the next, ending at Shen Wei, as if any of them had any more answers.

Shen Wei tilted his head, the closest he ever came to a shrug, but said nothing. Ye Zun glanced at Da Qing, but the cat busied himself with the Hallows, which they had brought back with them.

Finally Zhu Hong had enough. She marched towards Zhao Yunlan, hovering threateningly in front of him.

“What was what, Chief?” She demanded, “Spit it out already.”

With another long-suffering sigh Zhao Yunlan complied, not without another look at Shen Wei. After he concluded his report, the room fell silent.

“That...,” Chu Shuzhi began, the same moment as Zhu Hong hummed, sounding thoughtful.

“Yeah,” Zhao Yunlan agreed. “What the fuck.”

Ye Zun felt a headache forming behind his temples.

“Perhaps,” Shen Wei said, slowly, as if testing the theory, “it was the Seal.” After a look at the others’ confused expressions, he continued. “It can influence people in its close vicinity. So maybe it...,” he grimaced, “ sensed that the Regent was not acting in favour of the people and it.. intervened somehow?”

Zhao Yunlan had turned towards him as he spoke, nodding along with the explanation. “That’s as good an idea as any,” he said eventually, “but what’s more important, what are we gonna do now?”

- - - - -

The next weeks passed in a blur of meetings, discussions, negotiations and more meetings. Ye Zun had despised those even before he had gotten roped into helping, but now that he couldn’t get away, his slight distaste had turned into simmering rage. For a brief moment, in the days after the Regent’s defeat, it had seemed as if everything was going smoothly, An Bai being chosen as the new – and old – king and everyone else too happy with the resuming connection between Dixing and Haixing to make much trouble.

But mice and men and all that, Ye Zun thought bitterly as he slouched a bit further down in his uncomfortable stone chair. He still didn’t quite understand why his brother – and half of Dixing apparently – had insisted he get a seat in the new-founded council, but here he was, casting desperate glances at Shen Wei, which were readily ignored. Da Qing, also slouched in a chair, but somehow managing to make it look elegant instead of bored, flashed him a toothy smile when he caught his gaze, but otherwise didn’t move. It had been decided that every remaining Yashou tribe had to send a representative, and with Da Qing being the last – known – member of the Cat Tribe, that dubious honour had gone to him.

So, almost the whole SID team had found their way into that council: Zhu Hong as Yashou Chief, Da Qing, Zhao Yunlan in his role as Lord Guardian, alongside Shen Wei and Ye Zun, both acting as envoys for Dixing interests on the surface. That was a recent development, and as happy as Ye Zun was to spend more time with his brother, he never in his life would have guessed it would come in the form of poring over contracts and discussing trade routes.

But then, he wasn’t really complaining. This, at last, had been what he had always wanted for his home – to become a place of pride once more, somewhere you could return to that would welcome you with love and warmth and open arms. A notion that he shared with Chu Shuzhi, of all people, who over the last weeks had dragged a wide-eyed Xiao Guo through what looked like all of Dixing’s streets and markets and alleys, telling him his stories and listening to the locals telling theirs.

It was peaceful, Ye Zun mused, as he tuned out yet another speech about the importance of a steady flow of resources into Dixing – he agreed, but why did they have to explain their thoughts in so many words?? – and instead turned to watch Da Qing. His cat was slouched in his chair, arms on the heavy conference table, his chin resting on his forearms, as he visibly tried – and failed – to keep his eyes open. Ye Zun had to suppress a chuckle. He looked adorable with his mussed hair and droopy eyes, and when he moved a bit Ye Zun could see the dark red mark on the other’s neck he had left there in the morning. He suppressed another laugh and shot a tiny tendril of dark energy across the table, barely noticeable, just enough to make Da Qing bolt upright, startling the one sitting next to him.

Ye Zun grinned at him. That, too, was a recent development. One morning, he had woken up feeling buzzing with energy, and when he had moved his hand to stroke Da Qing’s hair, they both had discovered that this was to be taken literally: Dark energy was coiling in his palm, as if it had never left. After the initial elation, and a few experiments, they had decided to wait before telling the others. For now, it was their secret, and Ye Zun revelled in having that part of him back.

Life was good, he thought, as he grinned at Da Qing over the table.

- - - - -

And we are DONE 😲😲 When I started this, one and a half years ago, I never would have thought it would become this plotty, I just wanted to write a little Ye Zun redemption fic and be done with it, but my beloved bastard son had other plans 😂 Anyway, it's finished now, and though I do have an idea about a DaZun honeymoon, it might be a while until I write this, if at all... So yeah, thank you for staying with me for so long and not giving up hope 😂🥰🥰🥰 I appreciate your thoughts on the ending 😊🥰

#镇魂 guardian #guardian #zhèn hún #da qing #ye zun #dazun #shen wei #zhao yunlan #weilan #my writing #ad astra per aspera

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synonemous · 1 year

Link

rating: M

category: M/M

fandom: Guardian

relationship: Dà Qìng/Yè Zūn

tags: Set in A Vaguely Post-Canon Fix-It, Ye Zun Being Ye Zun, Phone Sex, Smut, Zhao Yunlan Cameo, Zhao Yunlan Being Zhao Yunlan, Da Qing Doesn’t Get Paid Enough for This

#fic: leave your message after the beep #fic: 31 days of smut 'verse #Guardian fic #Da Qing/Ye Zun #DaMian #DaZun #ZunQing #Syn's complete fics

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missjudge-me · 2 years

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For the I wish you would write post:

Da Qing gets stuck in a tree after being overly ambitious with his climbing in cat form. Maybe Ye Zun is the one to rescue him.

“You're what!? ... And how are you able to call me? ... You're fucking kidding me... No, don’t... Da Qing, NO! Don't move, I'm on my way.”

With a sigh, Ye Zun dialled another number, the one on the other end answering after the second ring.

“Gege, it’s me. Can you portal me to the apartment? Yeah, now. No, I didn’t... No, it’s Da Qing. Yeah, again. You know the large tree behind our building? Yeah... No, I don’t know either. ... Thanks, I owe you”

Ye Zun put his phone down, staring at the others sitting around the large table in the SID main quarters, all looking at him with varying degrees of interest.

“One day,” he muttered, “one day I'll just let him deal with his disasters on his own.”

Xiao Guo had a pitiful look on his face, his wide eyes almost teary. “The deputy chief, he...?” He trailed off as Ye Zun only nodded grimly, then a portal opened behind them with the familiar sparkle of dark energy. With a sigh, Ye Zun turned and strode through it.

When he stepped into the hallway, closing the apartment door behind him, he almost collided with their neighbour who came barrelling down the corridor, stopping before him, staring at him in near panic. “Your roommate,” she wheezed between pants, “the tree.... fire department...”

“What, no!”, Ye Zun blurted, then caught himself. “No,” he repeated more calmly, “that isn’t the first time this happens, I got it under control.”

She gave him a speculating gaze, but didn’t comment on the fact that apparently this was normal for them and only nodded, leaning on the wall to catch her breath. Ye Zun unhurriedly turned into the direction of the backyard.

The tree there was a large elm, easily more than 20 meters high and with a giant crown. It was a pretty tree, if one was into trees that is, and apparently it spoke to some cat instinct of Da Qing, because the cat in question sat on one of the smaller branches near the top, only he wasn’t in cat form. His human shape wasn’t very bulky, but that far up the branches got thinner, so the one he sat on bent dangerously under him. Apparently, he had climbed up the tree in cat form only to get stuck, and as a last resort changed back to call Ye Zun.

Who now stood under said tree, looking up at his boyfriend and questioning his life choices, internally debating turning and just leaving him there.

With a sigh, he brushed a loose strand of hair behind his ear, then crossed his arms in front of his chest. “So, I’m here,” he called up, just loud enough for the other to hear him, but hopefully not loud enough to alert more neighbours. “What do you expect me to do, exactly?”

Da Qing made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a scared kitten. “I don’t know either,” he whined, “just.. When I got stuck, you were the first one I thought about, so I called you.”

“I’m flattered,” Ye Zun deadpanned, “but I really don’t see how I can help you, now that I...” He trailed off, not wanting to shout now that I don’t have any powers across the whole backyard, but Da Qing understood him anyway. He gave another mewl, then clutched the branch tighter as it swayed slightly under him.

Ye Zun felt a headache coming. He gave the branches under Da Qing a scrutinizing look, then sighed again. “Alright,” he called, “I got an idea. Hold on tight to the branch you’re sitting on, then reach with your right foot down until you feel the next one.” He paused, trying to find the right words. “A bit under you is a fork, the branches look a bit sturdier, you should be able to get there.”

Da Qing nodded, closing his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply. Then he followed Ye Zun’s instructions, carefully feeling for the lower branch with his foot. Having found it, he cautiously lowered himself, shifting his weight, until he was crouching on the branch, still grasping the one above him.

Ye Zun snickered. “You look like a gargoyle.”

Da Qing ignored him, reaching one hand, then the other, down until he once more had a stable position. “Alright,” he hollered down, “what now?”

Ye Zun coaxed and guided him all the way down the tree, having to avoid branches that didn’t look sturdy forcing them into detours, until Da Qing finally jumped down from the lowest branch, directly collapsing in front of Ye Zun. All snarky remarks died on his tongue as he saw the state his cat was in, shaking and panting harshly, so he just crouched down and wordlessly pulled the other into his arms, stroking his back.

“I’m sorry,” Da Qing muffled against his sweater, but Ye Zun only shook his head.

“Silly cat,” he said fondly, then turned to press a kiss into the other’s hair. Da Qing’s breath hitched, and he burrowed deeper into his shoulder.

#you asked on main so I'll post that twice :D #one da qing getting stuck coming right up :D #镇魂 guardian #guardian #zhen hun #da qing #ye zun #dazun

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zhenhunartreblogs · 3 years

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Guardian Reblogs

Welcome to Guardian/Zhenhun Art Reblogs, a sideblog by @unforth. I reblog (almost) all art I see for the fandom. Feel free to ping me if you need anything! If you see me reblog a repost, please let me know so I can delete it - reposts are never okay! I do reblog “reposted with permission” posts of artists on other platforms. I have made a good faith effort to not reblog reposts, but obviously mistakes happen - when they do, let me know, and I will correct the mistake by deleting the reblog in question. This blog is very lightly moderated; I tag artist, character(s), ship(s), and common trigger warnings.

Want to read Guardian? Learn how to get access to yukacchi's translation here.

Other art blogs I run:

@mdzsartreblogs @tgcfartreblogs @svsssartreblogs @cnovelartreblogs (includes many smaller danmei fandoms) @dmbjartreblogs @erhaartreblogs @tykartreblogs

Enjoy, and don't forget to support artists with likes and reblogs!

-unforth

(full list of tags beneath the read more)

Current Tags:

Trigger Warnings: blood tw, body horror tw, drowning tw, harm to animals tw, lemon, mcd, smoking

Adaptation: note that determining is often a judgement call, and also my computer only lets me scroll back about 550 posts for adding tags so I didn't quiiiite get to add these tags to all of them.)

zhenhun c drama

cast (subtags: bai yu, zhu yilong)

rpf (subtags: zhubai)

zhenhun novel

Characters:

chu shuzhi

da qing

guo changcheng

jiajia

li hongchu

li qian

lin jing

ruoke

sang zan

shaya

shen wei

wang xiangyang

wang yike

wang zheng

ya qing

ye huo

ye zun

zhang ruonan

zhao xinci

zhao yunlan (sub tag: kunlun; shen san)

zhao yunlan’s mother

zheng yi

zhu hong

zhu jiu

Ship:

chuguo (chu shuzhi/guo changcheng)

dazun (da qing/ye zun)

weilan (shen wei/zhao yunlan)

wu xie/zhao yunlan (crossover with Daomu Biji)

zanzheng (sang zan/wang zheng)

zhuwang (zhu hong/wang zheng)

zunlan (ye zun/zhao yunlan)

#mod post #tag wrangling

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puriuhayashi · 5 years

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Frozenn Chayote Market Share, Trends and Leading Players By 2024: Dole Food, SAKA SAKA, Chiangmai Frozen Foods, etc.

Global Frozenn Chayote Market 2019 research report provide the details about industry overview and analysis about size, share, growth, trend, demand, outlook, classification revenue details, competitive scenario, industry analysis, markets forecast, manufacturers with development trends and forecasts 2024. Frozenn Chayote Industry Report is designed to provide Industry Experts and Investors with detail overview of Frozenn Chayote Market report, which will help them to take decisions with respect to Dole Food, SAKA SAKA, Chiangmai Frozen Foods, Qingdao Dazun Industry, Viet Khanh Foods, Excellente Agro World, Regions, Manufacturers, Types and Trend etc. This report gives a detail insight for a period of 2019-2024 Research Report. Get a Sample PDF Report: Click here for more info Global Frozenn Chayote Industry report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Frozenn Chayote industry analysis is provided for the international markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status. Top Key Companies Analyzed in Global Frozenn Chayote Market are – Dole Food, SAKA SAKA, Chiangmai Frozen Foods, Qingdao Dazun Industry, Viet Khanh Foods, Excellente Agro WorldFirstly, this report focuses on price, sales, revenue and growth rate of each type, as well as the types and each type price of key manufacturers, through interviewing key manufacturers. Second on basis of segments by manufacturers, this report focuses on the sales, price of each type, average price of Frozenn Chayote, revenue and market share, for key manufacturers. Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins. For detailed information regarding Frozenn Chayote market, Contact Us: click here for more By Type: White Chayote, Green Chayote, Others By Application: Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores, Independent Retailers, Online Sales, Others The Main Contents of The Report Includes: Section 1: Product definition, type and application, Global market overview. Section 2: Global Market competition by company. Section 3: Global sales revenue, volume and price by type. Section 4: Global sales revenue, volume and price by application. Section 5: United States export and import. Section 6: Company information, business overview, sales data and product specifications. Section 7: Industry chain and raw materials. Section 8: SWOT and Porter's Five Forces. Section 9: Conclusion.

Get Discount on this Report: click here to get more discount Major Points from Table of Contents – 1 Market Overview 2 Global and Regional Market by Company 3 Global and Regional Market by Type 4 Global and Regional Market by Application 5 Regional Trade 6 Key Manufacturers 7 Industry Upstream 8 Market Environment 9 Conclusion About Acquire Market Research: Acquire Market Research is a shrine of world-class research reports from around the world and we offer you only the best in the Industry when it comes to research. At Acquire, every data need will be catered to and met with a powerful world of choices. """"We understand the integral role data plays in the growth of business empires."""" Simplified information that applied right from day to day lives to complex decisions is what a good research methodology proves to be. At Acquire Market Research we constantly strive for innovation in the techniques and the quality of analysis that goes into our data, because we are aware of the cascading impact that right and wrong information can have on a global level from overall businesses to people. We help you get access to exclusive quality data that specializes in Industry analysis, forecasts and trends covering all verticals. We believe in this competitive global scenario, the right data helps businesses excel and keep adrift with the ever- changing markets. Contact Us: 555 Madison Avenue, 5th Floor, Manhattan, New York, 10022 USA Phone No.: +1 (800) 663-5579 Email ID: [email protected]

#Frozenn Chayote Market #Frozenn Chayote Market Growth #Google News

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redswordseekingbed · 1 year

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"you make me forget that the world is a cruel place... How did you do it?"

Back at it again with my give-yezun-the-meowmeow agenda

#镇魂 guardian #guardian #ye zun #da qing #zunqing #dazun #big noodles cp

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emma26fan-blog · 5 years

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Frozenn Chayote Market 2019 Demand, Analysis & Growth Forecast to 2024

A global Frozenn Chayote industry assessment study on this market employs qualitative and qualitative research methods for its forecast period 2019-2024. The Frozenn Chayote analysis carried out a few data and will be offering details into the stakeholders, product players and field marketing and employees intending to multiply sustainability and decrease costs regarding the global Frozenn Chayote market size, growth, and share.

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Dole Food, SAKA SAKA, Chiangmai Frozen Foods, Qingdao Dazun Industry, Viet Khanh Foods, Excellente Agro World

Product Type:

White Chayote

Green Chayote

Others

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Supermarkets/Hypermarkets

Convenience Stores

Independent Retailers

Online Sales

Others

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#Frozenn Chayote Market Frozenn Chayote Market Growth 2019-2024

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missfangirll · 2 years

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Ad Astra Per Aspera

Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5 || Chapter 6 || Chapter 7 || Chapter 8 || Chapter 9 || Chapter 10

Fandom: Guardian Relationship: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan, Da Qing/Ye Zun Tags: Fluff, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fix-it, Getting Together, First Kiss, Time Travel, Timeline what Timeline

Read on AO3

- - - - -

As they all stood up and turned towards the door, Ye Zun saw Guo Changcheng hesitate for a moment, wiping his sleeve over his eyes. Before he could ask the other anything, Chu Shuzhi already had noticed.

“Hey,” he said gruffly and nudged Xiao Guo’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

The only reply he got was a prolonged sniffle, then something that sounded like a suppressed sob. At the sound Zhao Yunlan, who had almost been at the door, halted and turned around, a frown on his face.

Chu Shuzhi lowered himself next to the stool Xiao Guo was slumped on, lifting his face with a gentle hand on his jaw.

“Xiao Guo,” he said, more softly than Ye Zun had ever heard him say something, and a quick glance to Da Qing revealed a similarly shocked expression as he was sure was on his own face.

The kid sniffled a bit more, but seemed more composed than before, so Chu Shuzhi asked again, “What’s wrong?”

“I just.... Everyone who came in contact with the Hallows is more or less immortal, right?” he asked, turning to Da Qing who hesitated for a second, then nodded with a shrug.

“I think so, why?”

“Because,” Xiao Guo sniffled, “that means, if they haven’t killed him, Long-qianbei is still trapped in that cell, like Ye Zun was in the pillar.”

Everyone fell silent at his words, looking uncomfortably at each other. Only Ye Zun stayed where he was, not meeting anyone’s eyes as he mumbled, “He isn’t.”

Feeling everyone’s stare on him again, he turned to Da Qing whose eyes were wide in dawning realisation. He tried to turn away when the cat grabbed his hand, a complicated expression on his face.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly to Da Qing, when Zhao Yunlan interrupted him with a frown.

“What are you apologizing for?”

“I...” Ye Zun took a deep breath. “When we left to look for the Seal he asked me...” He swallowed hard, then took a deep breath. “I gave him my dagger,” he explained quietly, not leaving Da Qing’s eyes for a second, trying to convey everything he wasn’t able to say.

In the silence following these words, the other man took a step towards Ye Zun, freeing his hand and balling them into fists.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”, he demanded. Ye Zun winced. He really didn’t want to explain anything, not right now anyway, but Da Qing wasn’t finished. He closed the remaining distance between them, still radiating hurt and something Ye Zun couldn’t quite parse.

“Why did he... Why you?,” he asked very quietly.

Ye Zun swallowed, trying to move away but Da Qing grabbed his wrist, lips pressed in a thin line. Clearing his throat, Ye Zun said softly, “Because... Because he said he could see... He saw that there is a darkness in me that isn’t in you.” Da Qing just stared at him, stunned. “He said he sensed light in you, warmth and love and kindness, and he didn’t want to ruin that with....” He broke off, his voice cracking. Without a word, Da Qing pulled him into a hug, crushing his face into Ye Zun’s shoulder.

Ye Zun almost sank into the embrace, when someone cleared his throat, pulling him back into the present. Zhao Yunlan scratched his neck awkwardly, looking at the two, then at Xiao Guo. “Well,” he said eventually, “at least we know they can’t use him as a bargaining chip.” At Shen Wei’s disapproving look he just shrugged, turning towards the door once more. “Let’s go,” he said in a tone that probably was supposed to sound cheerful, “let’s see what the kid has managed to do here.”

- - - - -

The kid had managed to do quite a lot, they found, and he really wasn’t a kid anymore. An Bai still was taller than most of the people surrounding him, but he wasn’t the lanky teenager that they met so long ago. Responsibility suited him, Ye Zun thought, as they drew closer to the improvised headquarters. He looked matured, an untidy beard on his chin and a scar over his left eyebrow, giving him the look of a weathered soldier. Still, the smile and wave he directed at them when he saw their group approach still revealed a glimpse of his real age, a young man forced into the role of a veteran.

With a wave towards his underlings he cleared some seats in front of the large table, then leaned over to whisper something to the man next to him. The man nodded and trudged off, not without giving Ye Zun a strange look.

An Bai smiled again, then dropped onto one of the chairs, the group following his example. As he looked over each of them, his smile grew even wider, and he nodded to himself as if he had found the answer to a particularly difficult problem. Zhao Yunlan cleared his throat. “An Bai,” he began, but the other interrupted him with a gesture.

“I know what you want to ask,” he said, “and I will tell you everything. What you see here,” he made an extensive gesture, “is Dixing’s resistance against the former Regent’s rule.” He paused, then lowered his voice. “I say former, but in reality nothing much has changed in the Palace I assume, they won’t acknowledge our demands, or even our existence for that matter.” He leaned back, speaking louder, “They have locked themselves inside the Palace, the Regent, his advisors, and most of the government, letting no one out and no one inside. We assume that there are quite a few people by now that would support us, but since they can’t get out...” He shrugged. “Anyway, we don’t know what is happening inside, only that they receive supplies through unknown sources, and we haven’t been able to do anything about that, or about the situation in the Palace as a whole. But,” he grinned broadly at the group, “now that Hei Pao Shi and Ye Zun are here, we will definitely win.”

Up until this point, Ye Zun had stayed in the background, not sure who would recognise him in the crowd surrounding them. Some people had looked at him strangely as An Bai was talking, their expressions mirroring the one who had left earlier. At these words, however, he froze, eyes wide and heart beating. Why would they...? How...? But before he could even finish that thought, everyone in their little group turned towards him, their expressions ranging from mildly confused to openly shocked. He shrugged helplessly, but Shen Wei recovered faster.

“If I might ask”, he said calmly, “why is my brother’s presence so significant?”

An Bai paused, looking at them carefully. His eyebrow raised in apparent confusion as he said haltingly, “Because you freed us once, and we hope you will do it again.”

“Err,” Ye Zun said brilliantly.

It seemed everyone else was equally stunned, and after the silence stretched for a while, An Bai’s expression began to falter. “I just,” he stammered, sounding like he was trying to defend himself, “I just thought, you know, because you’re both here, and...”

Zhao Yunlan had apparently regained his composure and waved impatiently. “What do you mean by ‘freed you’”, he asked, trying to sound casual. At An Bai’s scandalised look he just shrugged, “Pretend I never heard the story.”

An Bai inhaled deeply, then nodded. “You freed us,” he said, “some thousand years ago. The treaty between Haixing and Dixing that we have now, the open portals, the trade, everything is based on the Treaty our peoples agreed on so long ago.” He paused, his eyes shining. “Every child in Dixing knows that story, how the old King didn’t want to negotiate, how the Regent tried to interfere... And how you succeeded in convincing them to sign your Treaty.” The last sentence he directed at Ye Zun, who felt his eyebrow raise in disbelief.

“My treaty?”

“Yes,” An Bai nodded with a smile, “your Treaty. It still hangs on a wall in the Palace, you must have seen it.”

Ye Zun was stunned. He had stayed in the Palace for a while when he... well, when he was in Dixing, and he had of course noticed that it was some kind of contract, but not that his own signature was on it... He glanced at Da Qing. Maybe it was for the better that he hadn’t paid attention, he reasoned with himself, otherwise his brain would have imploded when he tried to solve that mystery. Or maybe the signature hadn’t been there and had only appeared after they went to the past? But then, how did An Bai know...? He groaned slightly, lowering his head. This time travel nonsense was breaking his brain.

Next to him, he heard Da Qing shuffle on his seat. “Is there,” he asked haltingly, “is there something about the Yashou as well?”

An Bai nodded enthusiastically. “Of course there is, you must know this, you signed that part, didn’t you. I apologise if you feel offended that I didn’t mention your name as well, but you must understand, as a Dixingren...”

Da Qing waved a hand. “I understand,” he said magnanimously, “just wanted to make sure.”

An Bai breathed a relieved sigh, then nodded, full of renewed energy. “Now that all of you are here, I am sure the people will have hope again. Hei Pao Shi, you brought us light, and Ye Zun brought us peace, I think that is reason enough to be optimistic.”

When Ye Zun looked up, he saw his brother and Zhao Yunlan exchange a glance, then the latter cleared his throat. “Also”, he said slowly, “there is something you don’t know.” He looked at An Bai who straightened in his seat in anticipation. “There’s a reason the Regent was able to convince people to work for him for so long.”

In a few sentences Da Qing explained the events that had led to them discovering the Seal, as well as its powers and intended purpose. An Bai just nodded as he talked, then remained silent for a while.

“This changes a few things,” he said eventually, “and I think they will change for the better.” He leaned forward on his chair. “Have you thought about a way to use that knowledge against the Regent?”

“Maybe we could steal it,” Da Qing proposed, “separate it from his influence at least.”

An Bai nodded again, then looked up. “That seems reasonable,” he agreed. “Look around, all these people came to us of their own volition, nobody talked them into it.” He smiled. “I think this thing’s power is weakened by distance. So if we could remove the remaining people in the Palace from its influence, maybe this would be over sooner.”

Zhao Yunlan frowned. “How long would that take? We can’t do that openly, or else he will notice.”

An Bai sighed. “To be honest, we can’t afford it to take more than a few days. We don’t have that many supplies, or even accommodation for so many people.”

Zhao Yunlan’s frown deepened. “So what you’re saying is, we have to go to the Palace and steal the damn thing?”

An Bai grimaced as he nodded.

- - - - -

I am not dead!! I am SO SORRY for the delay, but you know, life just KEEPS HAPPENING 😨😨 Anyway, have my humble offering. I split the last chapter so you don't have to wait so long, the showdown will happen in the finale 😉

#镇魂 guardian #guardian #zhen hun #zhao yunlan #shen wei #weilan #otp: we have always been friends #da qing #ye zun #dazun #my writing #ad astra per aspera

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