Bing Shan, Bing Jian

Yu YongTian and Shen YiJun walked along a dark empty path, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the quiet air. Rocky hills surrounded them, their sharp edges casting long shadows on the ground under the full moon. Ling You walked silently beside Yu YongTian, his usual chatter absent, as if something weighed heavily on his mind.

The stillness between them stretched until Yu YongTian broke it, calling out to Shen YiJun.

"YiJun," he said casually, his tone unusually light, "Why did you decide to follow me?"

Shen YiJun didn't answer immediately. Instead, he briefly glanced at him, his eyes clear and steady, before turning his gaze back to the path ahead. His voice, when it came, was as brief as ever.

"It is the Sect's first rule to eliminate evil," he replied.

Yu YongTian froze then his mood fell drastically. His lips tightened into a thin line as he turned his gaze toward Shen YiJun, his voice turning cold.

"Then why haven't you brought me back? I'm evil, that too a Demon Lord," he said, his words laced with a quiet bitterness. "Why haven't you tried? Wasn't it your mission to bring me back to the Sect? Seven years… and yet here we are."

Shen YiJun didn't reply, as he trued as much to conceal his emotions. The silence between them grew thicker, and Yu YongTian's impatience became palpable.

"Why haven't you even tried?" he repeated, his voice colder now. "All this time, you've been hunting me, but when the chance comes… you do nothing? Is it because you still think I'm redeemable even now?"

Shen YiJun stopped walking, still looking straight ahead. Yu YongTian, too, halted beside him. The two stood in silence, the only sound being the faint rustle of leaves in the wind. After a moment, Shen YiJun slowly glanced at Yu YongTian, a small shift in his expression. There was a little bit of dissatisfaction.

"What did you want to ask me earlier?" he asked, quickly changing the subject.

Yu YongTian sighed in resignation but made no move to answer. Instead, he continued walking, his pace unhurried. Shen YiJun followed without a word too.

The silence stretched between became like a heavy burden that seemed to grow with every step. Yu YongTian was not used to this kind of quietness. So, he decided to break it.

He turned to Shen YiJun, his smile returning, and with a flourish, he waved his fan in front of Shen YiJun's face. The fan snapped open with a fluid motion. Shen YiJun looked at him stopped his tracks, his eyes silently asking what he was doing.

Yu YongTian, unperturbed, pulled back the fan and admired the delicate writing curved along its surface. He glanced at Shen YiJun, his smile widening.

"Take a look," he said, showing him the fan. The name written on it was Bing Shan.

Shen YiJun's eyes narrowed slightly as his hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his sword. He glanced at the fan again, then at his own weapon, drawing it a little from its sheath. The engraving on his sword read Bing Jian.

Yu YongTian's smile deepened. "What do you think?"

Shen YiJun sheathed his sword slowly, his gaze still fixed on the name. "Why?"

Yu YongTian tilted his head slightly, his expression unbothered. "Why what?"

Shen YiJun took his time to respond, his voice low but steady. "Didn't you say you would never name your weapon so plainly, like… like mine?"

A chuckle escaped Yu YongTian as he recalled the past. It was when they first got their spiritual weapons. Their master had asked them to choose a name for them. Shen YiJun, without much contemplation, had plainly said Bing Jian, just like that, earning a hysterical, mocking laughter from Yu YongTian. Yu YongTian on the other hand, had named his sword Yanwu after wracking his brains empty. When his juniors asked why he named it Yanwu, he would say: "It cuts through the air with grace and unpredictability of a dance, and it's... as fiery as my sharp tongue." Whenever Shen YiJun would draw his sword, Yu YongTian would take this chance to tease and annoy him the entire day. He would even tell Shen YiJun to learn from him but of of course, the sixteen year old Shen YiJun ignored him as always.

Yu YongTian chuckled again, the sound light and carefree as he remembered the old days. He then fanned himself, his smile now somehow genuine. "Well, YiJun, shouldn't you be happy I decided to follow your path?" he teased.

Shen YiJun didn't respond, but there was a slight change in his face, almost imperceptible. If one looked attentively, one might have caught the briefest hint of a smile before it disappeared entirely.

Just as Yu YongTian was about to continue with his teasing, Ling You tugged at his robe and hopped onto his shoulder. Yu YongTian groaned un frustration.

"What is it now?" he grumbled.

Ling You sniffled, his small form sitting on all fours, and reminded Yu YongTian, "You still owe me. Back in Mingxiang you promised."

Yu YongTian sighed dramatically. "Haiya! Why are you so impatient? I haven't forgotten."

Ling You retorted, his voice sharp and prideful, "I'm just reminding you."

Yu YongTian cast a pleading glance at Shen YiJun, as if silently begging for help. But Shen YiJun remained silent, his gaze forward, indifferent.

"Let's look for somewhere to rest. It's already late," Shen YiJun spoke as he glanced at the full moon on its peak. And so, they went ahead in silence, the distance between them filled with unsaid words and the weight of past years.

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End Note

"True bonds are forged in silence, where words are not needed to understand."

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AN: Just an additional piece of art in summary of the work.

TWILIGHT

The rivers of time flows on

Yet memories still linger, untamed

The cherry blossoms hear the call

The winds grew colder, the skies deeper

A promise made, that time will keep.

Through silent nights, I seek a way

To mend the bond once existed

The peach tree sways in the restless breeze

A presence near, yet so far away

A tale untold, the path unfolds

Till the end of time, I'll find my way

Through endless cycles, the wheel will turn

A thousand stars in endless sky singing

By vows once sworn, and love unclaimed

The moonlight falls on river wide

By Samsara's grip, we rise once more

The bond we share remains unnamed

Roots entwined in dark memories

Yet in your eyes, I see dawn

A promise kept, though worlds are gone

We'll find our way, though all is unknown

A fleeting silhouette, a timeless dream

The heavens mourn when twilight hits

Each drop a tear for endless fight

The sun may fade, the peach may fail,

Yet we endures all, defying fate

In every breath, in every sigh

I find your soul when clouds kiss the mountains