Chapter Text
His legs were barely working the right way, making Mu Qing stumble across the humid and dark forest. His hands helped him with his balance, touching the trees when he felt like falling. His entire body ached and he wasn't able to think about what happened instants ago. He let his instincts guide him, his mind in such turmoil he couldn't even trust his own thoughts.
If someone saw him now, they would certainly take the wrong conclusion: he was an omega, a beautiful one, running through the night with disheveled hair and clothes, his tense body giving away his desperation. 'Poor one', they would think, 'being an omega and holding that beauty at the same time must be so dangerous'.
But that wasn't true. Well, not entirely at least. He was an omega and he was beautiful. One of the most beautiful omegas out there, even assholes like Pei Ming or Hua Cheng had admitted to it. But that combination wasn't dangerous for him. He was a popular martial god with a strong cultivation and had already broken more alpha's noses than he can remember. So no, he was not exactly in danger.
He was confused. Memories and Xie Lian's words and that voice and his own feelings were clashing in his mind and he was so confused, so lost, so...
He fell face first in the grounds, a rock hitting dangerously close to his eye and opening a small cut near his left brow. He breathed heavily trying to lift his body but finding out he couldn't. His trembling arms weren't stable enough to support his weight and his legs didn't respond to his commands.
Was he panicking? Or had the curse hit him too? No, the second option wasn't possible, Feng Xin...
Oh, gods, Feng Xin was so fucking stupid. If he didn't threw Xie Lian and Mu Qing out of the way, the two of them would have divided the effects and the curse wouldn't be strong enough to subdue two martial gods, the Celestial Emperor himself among them.
But Feng Xin and his weird hero complex just had to protect them. It wasn't really a inconvenience in most of their shared missions, but they didn't came together this time because they wanted to spend time together. The dangerous nature of recent incidents made it impossible to just one person to deal with the situation.
The ones who fell into the ghost trap, a dark pit in the middle of the forest, illuminated only by a torch, and were able to escape before being devoured were hit by a curse that made them act upon their most dark impulsive thoughts. Some started to rob, kill, abuse or spank their loved ones. Only once they satisfied the curse they were set free. Every single one of them prayed for forgiveness and killed themselves afterwards, unable to bear the guilt of their crimes.
Three gods against one ghost. They won, of course, but before dispersing the ghost used all his power to send one last curse in their direction. Mu Qing and Xie Lian were taken by surprise and Feng Xin didn't hesitate before pushing both of them out of the way, taking the blow alone.
Feng Xin was stupid and the curse took control of him soon after. While Xie Lian ran to make sure the ghost was really gone, Mu Qing was tending to a unconscious Feng Xin's light wounds when a callous hand took his wrist. Golden eyes reflected the torch light and Mu Qing just scoffed at their intensity.
"I'm just trying to heal you, you bastard. The next time you should think before acting, the blow wasn't strong enough to deal with me and His Highness at the same tim..."
A deep grunt made Mu Qing roll his eyes, annoyed.
"Don't interrupt me, you know how much I hate it when you..."
Warm fingers touched his neck and, before Mu Qing could react to that, he felt his body being forced against the ground and the air escaping his lungs. Feng Xin growls alerted Xie Lian that something was wrong but Mu Qing just laughed.
"Oh, really? This is why you are so wary of being near omegas?" He wasn't afraid, even when he could feel Feng Xin's body pressing his own against the hard ground and some of his robes ripping off, revealing his shoulders. "Having to control these thoughts all the time, aren't you such a good alpha? What should I do? Praise you? Thank you?"
He could listen to Xie Lian's cautious steps towards them and shook his head.
"Don't come near, Your Highness, your husband would kill me if I..."
Feng Xin's head turned to Xie Lian for a moment and Mu Qing felt dread. If he himself was one of the most beautiful omegas alive, Xie Lian had the unquestionable first place. Even in those first years that he insisted to wear humble white robes, Xie Lian was stunning. Now, more than a hundred years after becoming the Emperor, Xie Lian wore elegant, fitted robes, a few simple jewels and his silky hair longer than before. Even Mu Qing felt his heart pound when Xie Lian attended to banquets or parties. He was the epitome of beauty and Feng Xin should be immediately attracted to him.
So, when Feng Xin started to lift his body, Mu Qing didn't need to think before using that action to throw his friend in the opposite direction.
"Your Highness, you need to go now. I'll deal with him." Mu Qing put himself between them, sabre in one hand and focused in Feng Xin movements. Xie Lian didn't need protection, but Mu Qing were far more used to fight Feng Xin.
"No."
"Your Highness?"
"No, Mu Qing, you are the one that should go."
"And let you alone with Feng Xin in this state? Your husband will..."
"I want you to go and find San Lang for me. We need to stop this curse or Feng Xin... We can't let Feng Xin do what the curse is commanding him to, so you need to stay away from us until we solve this." Xie Lian was already moving in Feng Xin's direction.
"Are you crazy? He'll attack you!" Xie Lian was strong enough to not only defend himself, but to kill Feng Xin or any mad alpha if he wanted. But as a fellow omega and his friend, he couldn't help but worry. "It's better if we call Crimson Rain to deal with this."
"Absolutely not. If Feng Xin smells an alpha nearby, he'll snap for real and I don't want him to throw his life away against San Lang." He had to agreed with that.
"So call a beta to help, but not you! I know you are bonded and all, but you are as omega as me. I can at least break his bones without feeling guilty and distract him enough so you can get away first."
Xie Lian turned to him, frowning.
"What are you talking about? You can not..." He trailed off, sighing right after. "Mu Qing, didn't you notice?"
"Notice what?"
Xie Lian had his back turned to Feng Xin and Mu Qing had to control himself to not scream at him. How could he give his back to an alpha like that?!
"What do you think Feng Xin want to do right now?"
"Attack an omega? It was the first thing he did, wasn't it?" Why was Xie Lian looking at him with such pity?
"That's not..."
Feng Xin growled while getting up, his eyes focusing in Mu Qing. The sabre in the omega's hand moved slightly, ready to attack if necessary. But Xie Lian put himself between them and Feng Xin had his eyes on him now.
"He will only attack you." Completed Xie Lian, dead serious. "You are the only one he..."
"So he wants to kill me? That's not new and I can handle that."
"Mu Qing, please, stop being so... " Xie Lian didn't finished, interrupted by an attack, and Feng Xin was sent flying across the pit. "He will only attack you because you are the only omega he desires."
Mu Qing blinked, confused. But before he could retort, Feng Xin bared his fangs to Xie Lian before launching again.
As His Highness continued to battle against Feng Xin, Mu Qing could only stare, his mind trying to make sense of what was happening.
"That's why we can't call San Lang or any other alpha to help. He's already mad at me for not letting him get close to you. If he senses an alpha near you, he'll turn violent for sure." Xie Lian didn't need to move from his spot, only one hand being enough to keep Feng Xin at a safe distance. They weren't really fighting, it was more like Feng Xin was trying to pass Xie Lian and being diverted every single time. "I believe Feng Xin would be able to stay under control as long as you aren't next to him. So I need you to go. Now."
'Qing-er'.
Mu Qing felt a shiver going down his spine, his breath turning irregular and his heart pounding fast.
How could Feng Xin talk with him through his private communication array in his actual state? But more importantly... Why his tone made Mu Qing entire body react so weirdly?
His reaction gave away the situation and Xie Lian didn't hesitate to interrupt.
"Don't hear him!" Xie Lian grabbed his wrist and he felt his mind being blocked from outer communication. Feng Xin reacted immediately to that, launching against Xie Lian only to meet the ground again. "You have to go! He would not forgive himself if he attacks you here and I... I know it's selfish but I don't want to lose any of you. So please... Mu Qing, please. I beg you. Go."
Xie Lian doesn't beg to him. He never needed to. Just asking was enough to Mu Qing so of course he'll go.
Even if his body protested his decision, making it difficult to move.
One step at the time, slowly, he started to distance himself from them. Xie Lian seemed more relaxed as he did so, but Feng Xin didn't like it.
"Qing-er." Another shiver accompanied the deep voice, making the omega's legs tremble. "Don't go."
Breathless, fighting the feeling that he needed to obey and be good for Feng Xin, Mu Qing forced his body out of the pit, hands covering his ears to stop hearing his name being shouted through the night.
He didn't know how much he ran before falling or if Xie Lian was alright or even what to do now. So when black boots and red robes appeared in front of him, he just let his body be held. His mind decided to simply shut down to avoid his internal crisis and Hua Cheng did him the favor to not initiate any conversation with him.
The sudden change of scenery wasn't that shocking and soon he was laying down on a bed. There was too much red to Mu Qing tastes, but he appreciated the help anyway. Paradise Manor was, indeed, the better place to stay right now... To hide. Feng Xin wouldn't think of looking for him there.
Why did he feel the need to hide from him?