Chapter Text
The trouble began with an error in the System. Not unlike an old cartridge video game, when the System failed, it would run in a glitched or warped state as long as possible.
This is how Shen Yuan was introduced to the System:
[Activation code, “Dumbfuck author, dumbfuck novel.” System automatically triggered.]
Followed by:
[Catastrophic System Error:
Host soul failed to sync with Host body. Would you like to/
Yes Yes]
What the hell was this! After Shen Yuan had choked to death, he was subject to this corrupted error message. He looked around him. The area was completely white, and his body was translucent, and he felt no solidness of a body. Tentatively, he raised his immaterial hand towards the leftmost “Yes”, and watched as everything in his vision glitched into a blue and white infinity.
Shen Yuan felt his soul merge with the System. The System assimilated the soul of Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan could feel fear, but System could not. The feeling of absolute numbness in the “body”, so to speak, while the “mind” felt fear. Panic, even. He (they?/it?) latched on to the Power Source, as a System should.
Except… there was no Host! Shen Yuan… System… They nestled themselves into the soul of the nearest living being, which incidentally happened to be the Power Source.
The part of System that was Shen Yuan was conflicted, because on one hand it felt correct to be connected to Power Source, and certainly correct to have a Host, but never should Host and Power Source be the same! Information flooded Shen Yuan’s “mind”. Host and Power Source was Luo Binghe, Protagonist of Proud Immortal Demon Way!
That trash novel? The spectacular shitshow of constant stupid plot devices, dropped story threads, cringeworthy dialogue, and countless pointless words of terrible erotica! But… Shen Yuan always had a soft spot for its protagonist, Luo Binghe!
That is to say…
Luo Binghe, 14 year old disciple of Qing Jing Peak, was laid down in the woodshed after having been beaten bloody by his Shizun, the scum villain Shen Qingqiu. As he stared at the pattern on a piece of wood in his line of vision, he noticed something blue in the corner of his eye, but when he tried to look directly at it, nothing was there. Similar things had happened to him before, so he paid it no mind.
Until finally, the blue coalesced into something solid in front of his eyes. He tried to jump, forgetting his wounds for a minute, stressing his injuries. This had never happened before!
[System booting… Hello Luo Binghe!]
The box in front of him materialized with written words, as well as a strange-sounding voice that didn’t seem physical following along. The voice actually changed in cadence from one sentence to the next. It was unnerving. Luo Binghe, truthfully, was not the strongest reader, so the spoken word was actually quite helpful in understanding this thing.
“What are you?” Luo Binghe asked. If it was some kind of demon…!
[System is not a demon! My name is]
And here the materializing words and the voice paused, as if unsure. The voice sounded almost petulant.
“Xitong?”
[Xitong works. System is also Shen Yuan. Names are… tricky.]
“Xitong didn’t answer this one’s question. What are you?” Luo Binghe tried to sound threatening.
[Loading…] The being said. [System is System! An entity which facilitates changing stories for the better. I would like to change Luo Binghe’s story for the better.]
“Luo Binghe’s story…? This one doesn’t understand.”
[You will.]
When Binghe would do chores, away from the other disciples, he would talk to Shen Yuan. Before bed, and often into the hours of the night, he would talk to Shen Yuan. When he woke up, he would talk to Shen Yuan.
It became a dizzyingly easy habit to indulge in. Never before had Luo Binghe had such a wonderful conversation partner, one who not only tolerated his presence, but seemed to admire him. Him…! Shen Yuan was always interested in his thoughts, which he was able to hear if Luo Binghe simply directed his thoughts at Shen Yuan. And Shen Yuan was interested in his thoughts about everything.
It was so sweetly addictive. He knew that this couldn’t last…
[Binghe? What’s wrong?]
Nothing , he thought. Nothing is wrong as long as A-Yuan is here with me.
[Loading…]
Luo Binghe noticed that Shen Yuan said that when he felt embarrassed, that he would need a second to react to whatever made him so embarrassed. It was cute. Binghe could hear the squeak in his mental voice every time it happened, and it was so tempting to keep teasing and teasing…
[I know I wouldn’t say something like this if I was in a normal body, but I feel the same. I feel very safe nestled in your soul.]
Luo Binghe went pink. You’re in my soul? He asked. Like soulmates?
[Have I never mentioned this? Systems reside in the souls of their hosts.]
A-Yuan resided in his soul. Their souls must be compatible, then. Exactly like soulmates.
This one is glad it’s you in there.
[I’m glad, too. For all that has happened, I’m glad I’m with you. I wasn’t always a System, you know. I used to be a human.]
A-Yuan, he thought. Do you ever miss having a body?
[Ah, well… Yes, sometimes. I miss being able to sleep and eat. But the body I had in life was sickly. It… often let me down.]
Luo Binghe thought seriously for a few minutes, before coming to a conclusion.
If A-Yuan resides within my soul, could he not control my body?
[Loading…]
[System is capable of limited control of a host body. But I couldn’t do that to you. It feels wrong.]
But, could you try it?
[Are you sure? Absolutely certain?]
Yes. He closed his eyes.
[If you’re sure…]
Luo Binghe felt a little strange. It was as if he was within a dream, seeing his body move without his input. He could barely feel it either, a bit numb.
Was this how Shen Yuan felt? All the time?
Numb?
[Binghe? Oh, numb, I think I can change that…]
Suddenly, Luo Binghe started feeling pins and needles. Instead of being aware but numb, he could now feel what his body was feeling, but because he had no input over what it was doing, it felt strange.
Luo Binghe could feel the thrum of a blue power coursing gently through his meridians. If he just stayed like this for a minute…
[How does that feel?]
Binghe feels good.
[Let me try something else?]
Okay.
In an instant, he knew many things. He saw his body begin to glow a light blue color. He was--
bingheshenyuanxitong all at once. Moving around was painless, simple. They felt powerful. Not weak or tired at all.
In this instant, they realized that the blue light shining out of the woodshed might invite trouble, and they quickly split.
Binghe found himself singular again, and in full control of his body. Weak, again. Tired, again.
[That was…]
Let’s do that again some time.
It happened infrequently, after that. In stolen moments between chores and classes and other duties, Luo Binghe and Shen Yuan would fuse into a single entity. It seemed that they both enjoyed the experience. Unfortunately, it was very tiring. And it was a rather conspicuous sight, and as much as Luo Binghe wished he could also be Shen Yuan all of the time, he didn’t feel like getting kicked off of Qing Jing Peak for being a demon.
[About that.]
Hm?
[...Binghe is not entirely human. He has a seal on his demonic ancestry for now. Binghe is… Binghe is destined for this seal to be removed at the Immortal Alliance Conference when he is seventeen years old. His shizun, Shen Qingqiu is destined to push him into the Endless Abyss.]
Binghe was quiet for a moment. Is that where I die? Is that why Shen Yuan said he wanted to change my story?
[No! You don’t die in the Endless Abyss. You— Binghe— The Endless Abyss is where you master your powers and gain your golden finger, the unstoppable demonic sword Xin Mo!]
Binghe didn’t care about an unstoppable sword or mastering demonic powers. Will A-Yuan be there with me?
[Yes. A-Yuan will be with Binghe until he wants me to leave.]
A pulse of shock and rage struck through Luo Binghe. Who said Binghe would ever want A-Yuan to leave him? But this was quickly followed by a deep sense of relief. A-Yuan wouldn’t leave him. In fact, maybe they could become one more often in the Endless Abyss, there being no Shen Qingqiu or other disciples to worry about.
[Binghe? I’m sorry. I should have told you earlier.]
What else is supposed to happen? What can you tell me?
[When Shen Qingqiu returns from seclusion, Cang Qiong will be attacked by the Demon Saintess, Sha Hualing.]
Oh? Cang Qiong has never helped me. Why should I care?
[Binghe is meant to rule the Demon Realm, and unite the Demon and Human Realms. He is meant to have many wives. Sha Hualing is one of them.]
Wives? What the fuck would he need wives for, when he has Shen Yuan? And… was that a bit of dejection that Binghe detected in A-Yuan’s voice? Maybe… Binghe smiled a bit. Maybe A-Yuan felt a little jealous?
[Are you, uh. Excited about that? You’re smiling.]
This Binghe was only thinking about marriage.
[Oh.] That was jealousy in A-Yuan’s voice. Binghe’s smile got wider.
Wouldn’t A-Yuan say that a soul connection is more intimate than marriage?
[Ah? I suppose… it would be more intimate. But a soul connection with someone without a body is no good. You can’t touch them, or hold them… Someone without a body can’t bow in marriage either.] Oh. He’s made A-Yuan upset. He’s never done that before.
Shen Yuan?
[Loading…]
Luo Binghe closed his eyes, and felt for the part of his soul that was blue. He mentally flooded this part with the affection he felt for A-Yuan. He held this shape tight as he drifted to sleep. Luo Binghe could almost feel something ephemeral holding him, too.
After the Demon Saintess came and left, Luo Binghe found himself falling asleep to the gentle sound of A-Yuan’s voice that night in the wood shed.
He found himself in a strange landscape, staring at a strangely (scantily!) dressed person with short hair.
“Binghe?” the man asked, in Shen Yuan’s voice.
“A-Yuan?” Binghe asked. “Is this what you look like?”
“Ah, yes,” the man said, looking down at himself. “This is what I was wearing when I died.”
Died?!
Overcome by emotion, Luo Binghe threw himself into Shen Yuan’s arms. He felt tears leak down his face.
“So sticky… I’m here with you now, aren’t I? Stop crying…”
Eventually, Binghe did remove himself from Shen Yuan’s arms, but insisted that they hold hands.
“This doesn’t look like Binghe’s normal dreamscape,” A-Yuan said.
“A-Yuan sees my dreams?” Binghe said, suddenly very nervous.
“Ah! Only the ones you project when you’re sleeping. Sometimes you do that. Either way, this is the Dream Realm. We’re being kept here by a Dream Demon.”
Binghe looked intently at A-Yuan’s face, his body. His eyes glowed the same blue as the System interface. He wore a pair of spectacles, made with a glossy material that Binghe couldn’t identify.
Eventually, the strange landscape turned itself into a cityscape. Eventually, the faceless crowds began to have faces, and Binghe faced some of the worst moments of his life again.
But A-Yuan was here, holding his hand.
When Meng Mo showed his face, he looked right at A-Yuan, and asked, “What the hell are you?”
“System is an entity which facilitates changing stories for the better. I am bound to Luo Binghe’s soul. If a parasite like you should step out of line, I will erase you from this story. Do you understand?” A-Yuan smiled, and said, “Binghe, I think this conversation is private. I’ll leave.” Then, his body disappeared.
“You…! You made A-Yuan leave…”
“ A-Yuan? That thing is dangerous,” Meng Mo said.
“A-Yuan and this one are soulmates.” Binghe refuted. “He’s only dangerous to my enemies.”
“Kid, if you say so…”
“This Binghe does say so. What are you doing in my dreams?”