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lilac || liu qingge

{fluff}

crane spirit!mc

source: scum villain's self - saving system, 人渣反派自救系统

artist: Kanda3egle on deviantart

~
It wasn't rare for the bamboo forest on Qing Jing Peak to occasionally have a few critters skitter about in it. Shen Qingqiu, who lived right in front of said bamboo forest, and had loved and lost and loved some more there, knew all too well of the precious little red pandas that made temporary homes there, and sometimes he'd catch the fat little body of a bamboo partridge making its way through the foliage.

That bamboo forest was one of the few things he missed when he left the peaks to go live with Binghe in the country. He came to visit on occasion, not too often but often enough that his disciples kept the hut and its surroundings tidy and in good condition. Because Shen Qingqiu visited so much, he was a bit of an expert on the wildlife in the bamboo forest.

That's why he was certain that a crane in a bamboo forest was not natural.

There were no bodies of water within the forest, merely a small table that Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe had used to take tea when Binghe was younger. There was nothing for the crane in the bamboo grove so Shen Qingqiu had no idea why it came here. At least he hadn't at first.

It didn't take him long to figure out that this crane wasn't a normal crane, especially when it came limping toward him in a human form. Crimson blood stained the front of their white robes, a bit trailing from the side of their mouth. So, definitely not a normal crane, and definitely injured.

Barely a few steps had the crane fainting and falling to the ground if Shen Qingqiu had not moved, cradling him in gentle green sleeved arms. For a second the Peak Lord wasn't sure what to do. Merely a brief lapse of judgment before he remembered that there were other peaks on this mountain. Setting the poor spirit on the bed in his own hut, he called for one of his disciples. Ming Fan, as dutiful as ever, appeared in the doorway with a breathless bow.

"Tell Mu Qingfang we have a wounded. Hurry." Ming Fan bowed once more and ran off again. Shen Yuan turned and looked down at the crane, their beautiful eyes curving gently with sleep. The poor thing had obviously been exhausted, and the Peak Lord wondered how anyone could've come to harm such a beautiful and pure creature. But, they did seem uncharacteristically gaunt, as if they hadn't eaten in days.

Mu Qingfang arrived with haste, never doubting the significance of a calling from Shen Qingqiu himself. And to see the ethereal creature placed on the bed in front of him, his breath caught in his throat. But, as a doctor, he naturally tended first and asked questions later. Undressing the crane from his beautifully feathered robes, both lords could finally see the bruises and cuts littering the poor bird spirit's body. Shen Yuan inhaled sharply - such disrespect for something as simple as a spirit, especially as kind and gentle as a crane, was almost disgusting. Mu Qingfang worked quick, cleaning and disinfecting all the cuts, Shen Qingqiu assisting with turning the crane over when Mu Qingfang needed to assess his back. Somehow, the crane's back was even worse.

The garden of black and blue bruises that blossomed against his translucent skin was almost sickening, not a single inch of skin unmarred. A shock of white rage ran up Shen Yuan's spine and burrowed in his brain. Who ... What could've done this? Shen Jiu naturally had a penchant for the visually appealing, and Shen Yuan couldn't help but agree that he was the same way in that regard. Mu Qingfang pursed his lips, palpitating the bruises to check for any internal bleeding. There were a few lumps indicating such, but nothing Mu Qingfang couldn't fix. At least the crane's core was intact and unharmed.

When Mu Qingfang finished working, Shen Qingqiu had Ning Yingying brew the medical Lord some restorative tea, seeing as the doctor had become quite frazzled from looking over somebody as important as a crane spirit. If Shen Yuan remembered correctly, crane spirits were not really mentioned in Proud Immortal Demon Way, although Shang Qinghua had informed him that they were very important (which usually meant he was making up lore on the spot). Should a crane spirit ever die at a mortal's hands, disastrous misfortune would fall upon the offender, usually leading in death. Cranes symbolized eternity, so Shen Yuan believed it made sense. Shen Jiu definitely would've encaptured and enslaved such a beneficial creature, but Shen Yuan didn't care for power - only for self preservation. Naturally, he'd treat this spirit with the utmost respect and care.