The fact was, Li Chenyuan had indeed reached Nascent Soul, and that was that.
As it turned out, possessing inherited OP demonic cultivation powers allowed one to speed through cultivation levels in this world of Spring Blossoms, Autumn Fruits. As for how that made sense, it really didn't. Everyone knew demonic cultivation was separate from spiritual cultivation, so they should be totally different pathways, with Golden Core and Nascent Soul unavailable to demonic cultivators. But who cared about that kind of logical thinking in this realm? Only Qiu Yunru!
The three of them ended up sitting at a tea table with Madame Red not long after. It had taken a lot of talking to get Li Chenyuan to not tear Liao Li to pieces, but after being coaxed by his shixiong, that kid had finally calmed down a little. Now, he was sitting next to Qiu Yunru and glaring at Liao Li, who sat across the table.
Meanwhile, Madame Red sat next to Liao Li, sipping her tea with a strange expression.
"So," She said slowly, eyeing Li Chenyuan up and down. It was undeniable that he was a handsome young man, attractive even to her eye; there was an almost terrifying aura of power radiating from him. "This is the one you're in love with?"
Qiu Yunru choked on his tea.
"Gege!" Li Chenyuan smacked his back at once, causing Qiu Yunru to yelp in surprise.
"I'm all right!" He gasped, coughing hoarsely. "I...ah, why would you put it like that, Madame Red...? I haven't spoken to you about him, have I?"
"No," Madame Red said simply. "But he has." She cast her eyes casually towards Liao Li, who was squirming in his seat.
"Sorry." Liao Li ducked his head. "I spent a lot of time here while you worked at the apothecary, so it slipped out...Although I really didn't phrase it like that!"
"Gege...you're in love with me?" Li Chenyuan, no longer panicking, grabbed Qiu Yunru's hands in his own. His phoenix eyes shone like stars, wide as a puppy's. "Is it true?"
"I--ah! I never said that!" Qiu Yunru stammered. Now he was the one squirming. "I don't know where she got that!" Seeing Li Chenyuan's face fall into such a saddened expression, he quickly added: "I like you, yes, but--"
"Gege likes me?" Li Chenyuan's eyes widened once more, his hands tightening over Qiu Yunru's. "In that way?"
"I, I don't know, ah!"
"Pathetic." Madame Red's voice wasn't venomous. She simply stated it as a fact, setting her teacup down elegantly. "You can't confess your feelings when you know he feels that way about you. You can't even confess your feelings when it's already been done for you. You had better figure that out soon, or things will surely not go well."
I'm not here for action-based therapy! I at least don't want to confess in front of all of you, ah!
Thankfully, Qiu Yunru didn't have to verbally respond. At that moment, Madame Red folded her hands over the table and sighed heavily. Her expression was a mix of strange emotions: the curve of her mouth was serious and flat, but her eyes showed a glimmer of relief.
"I must thank you for killing my brother," She said, nodding to Li Chenyuan. "I have tried before, but my cultivation is not nearly high enough. Indeed, there is no one in Leng Mo city who could have defeated him."
"No one?" Qiu Yunru asked, surprised. "Not even Yue Fengyang?"
"Yue Fengyang?" Madame Red laughed bitterly. "That old hag? She won't help anyone but herself. Besides, she's been crippled for centuries. In any case, my brother has terrorized myself and his servants for decades. Many times, he has even..." Madame Red's eyes seemed to darken as she stared down into her cup of tea. "...He has even threaten to take Shao Lu from me. In the past, I have tried to fight him myself, but failed miserably. The only reason I still live is because he values his own blood. Seeing that I could never defeat him, I began to do everything I could to appease him on his visits." She sighed, running a gleaming red nail over the rim of her teacup. "I must apologize for what happened. Truly, I...though I told him he wouldn't be allowed to touch the courtesan I provided in such ways..." She closed her eyes. "I somewhat expected it. Since you didn't call for help, I didn't come. It is my own fault that you experienced such a thing."
...Qiu Yunru didn't know what to say. What was it she was saying--that she had told him one thing, but known Cui Ninghao would try to take advantage of him anyways? He suddenly felt sick again. Those hands gripping his hair suddenly felt real once more.
In times like these, Qiu Yunru had learned how to act. He took a deep breath, put on a smile, and reverted to his polite nature: "It's all right."
SLAM!
"No, it isn't." Li Chenyuan had slammed his hand down on the table, causing the teacups to jump. He glared at Madame Red, digging his fingers into the table to the point that wood shavings curled out of it. "If gege wasn't so kind, I would have killed you already."
"Li-shidi..." Qiu Yunru said weakly. "Don't say such things."
It was true, somewhat; upon seeing Madame Red and realizing that she was the one who had sent Qiu Yunru in to be a courtesan, his killing intent has risen to what could only be described aa one thousand percent; Qiu Yunru could practically taste it! It was only because he had grabbed Lie Chenyuan's arm that Li Chenyuan hadn't tried to tear her to pieces right then.
"She sent you in there to be violated!" Li Chenyuan snapped, still glaring at Madame Red hotly. "Even if she's not as bad as that...pig, she's at least half as bad!"
"Let's calm down," Qiu Yunru sighed. "There's no need to kill anyone. In the end, I'm safe, and Madame Red is as well. Cui Ninghao won't be terrorizing you any longer."
"Indeed. And...I apologize." Madame Red gave Qiu Yunru an uncharacteristically long, regretful look. Her hair, which was usually neatly tied back in an elaborate bun, hung down messily around her face. The bags beneath her usually sharp, bright eyes were as prominent as ever. "If there is anything I can do to show my regret, I will do it."
Qiu Yunru thought for a moment. "Could you tell others that the human who goes by the name 'Qiu Yunru' isn't so bad? My reputation here has improved a lot, but, ah..." He coughed into his hand awkwardly. "It still isn't so good. Maybe next time I come to the Demon Realm, not everyone will want to kill me on sight."
Madame Red's eyes crinkled. "Indeed, one can hope."
_____
That night, Qiu Yunru lay in bed next to Li Chenyuan. As there were only a limited number of free rooms at the brothel, there had only been two rooms to split between Liao Li, Li Chenyuan, and Qiu Yunru.
"I'll be happy sleeping anywhere!" Liao Li had insisted, sounding overly cheerful.
"Gege's sleeping with me." Li Chenyuan had all but dragged Qiu Yunru into the bigger of the two rooms, slamming the door in Liao Li's face.
Of course, there was only one bed in that room; what would a room need two beds for in a brothel? So, Qiu Yunru was quick to offer:
"I'll sleep on the floor! You must be tired from working so hard and travelling so far. You take the bed, Li-shidi."
Li Chenyuan had only stubbornly shaken his head. "Qiu-gege should take the bed. Or..." He had looked away, face going a light shade of red. "We should share it. It's not too small."
Qiu Yunru had looked at the bed, incredulous. Not too small? That's a bed meant only for two people lying right on top of each other! Not too small, my ass!
Seeing the skeptical look on his gege's face, Li Chenyuan had also added quickly: "I'll sleep on the floor if gege prefers! I only won't let gege sleep on the floor."
That was how they ended up sleeping on that tiny bed together.
Since Qiu Yunru refused to let Li Chenyuan sleep on the floor, and Li Chenyuan refused to let Qiu Yunru sleep on the floor, what else could they do? Qiu Yunru put a pillow between them, and the two of them settled in, practically squished together on that mattress.
They were planning to head back through a portal to the Mortal Realm in the morning. After that, their plans were unclear; however, all three of them had agreed that getting back to the Mortal Realm was the most important step. In the Mortal Realm, Qiu Yunru and Liao Li could finally resume their cultivation. What's more, Liao Li would be able to access his hacking menu once more, which might lead to him finding a way to return to his own world. If he managed to do that, the same option might be available for Qiu Yunru...
Qiu Yunru turned over in bed, hugging his arms tightly. This was a motion that had always soothed him, ever since he was a child. Whenever he was anxious at night, he would turn on his side and hug himself until he fell asleep.
That's right; he was anxious. Incredibly anxious.
Not only was the possibility of leaving this world something that might soon become a reality...but he was also sleeping next to the person he'd realized he liked in that way. On top of that, he hadn't seen Li Chenyuan in months; the last time he had seen him, he had killed a few people. On top of/on top of that, he hadn't yet confessed, while Li Chenyuan had already confessed to him even before he fell into the Demon Realm. On top of/on top of/on top of all that, if the opportunity to ever leave this world arose, what was he supposed to do if he confessed his own feelings? Leave Li Chenyuan behind forever? Would this world even exist without players? And on top of/(you get it), he couldn't help but remember the feeling of those hands forcing his head down earlier today...
In short, he was a mess. He didn't know if he'd felt this anxious in his entire life--not even when his parents had told him that they wouldn't fund his education unless he got into a top medical school! He had never been to therapy before, but this was surely a situation where a person should go, wasn't it? It was the first time in a long time that he found himself wanting to drink.
Meanwhile, Li Chenyuan's black phoenix eyes had been wide open all this time in the darkness behind Qiu Yunru. They watched Qiu Yunru closely, noticing how he curled away and held himself, as if terrified.
Indeed, Li Chenyuan was hyper-aware that the last time Qiu Yunru had seen him, he had killed people. Upon first seeing him again today, he had gone and killed someone else. On top of that, he was now a part of the notorious Eight Purple Winds Sect, and his demonic cultivation had reached new heights. What else was Li Chenyuan supposed to think, besides this:
He must be terrified of me.
"Gege," He whispered. "Are you asleep?"
"Mm," Qiu Yunru murmured tiredly. "Not yet. What is it, Li-shidi?"
"...Gege, do I scare you?"
"...No. Of course not. If I was scared of you, why would I be sleeping in the same bed as you?"
Li Chenyuan was unsatisfied. "...But gege, even if you aren't scared of me...do you like me?"
Qiu Yunru was quiet for a long moment. It was just a little too long.
"Yes," He said. "I like you."
"Like a lover?"
Qiu Yunru, already overwhelmed, clutched his arms tighter. He opened his mouth, then closed it. In the end, he did something stupid. He didn't respond at all, slowing his breathing and pretending to be asleep.