#he died for this man in some version of reality and sqq decided that that was unacceptable

[purgatoryandme]

Binghe is still in The Abyss during the "Cang Qiong Mountain Sect vs Huan Hua Palace" saga, but he's perfectly capable of getting out. He's just...hurt and confused and angry and very VERY jealous of what SQQ and LQG had going on last he checked. So before he dramatically leaves The Abyss, he needs to be stronger than LQG. Because he's going to rub that man's face into the dirt until Shizun realizes that Binghe is better. That Binghe can destroy him and also whatever Shizun is scared of. So. He needs to KNOW he's better than LQG. And to know that, he has to have spies on the surface. When they bring back information on the intersect cold war going on he is...so confused. His Shizun? Who pushed him into The Abyss? Was detained on suspicion of aiding heavenly demons? His Shizun who hates demons (him)???????? Sounds fake. But also...Shizun. He can't NOT investigate.

There is some pretty compelling evidence in the demon world that SQQ has been looking into demonic seals. Specifically, with Zhuzhi-lang. Demons think SQQ is seeking to seal something, while Huan Hua argues that he's trying to free TLJ. It's all very baffling. The only real important things he learns are: 1) SQQ is in the Water Prison.

2) LQG is planning to change that, sect politics or no sect politics.

This is, concretely, something he can do better than LQG. He can beat LQG to Shizun. He can even whisk Shizun away - demon mark aglow - and nobody in the cultivation world would seek to save him with this final condemnation. Sure it's a change of plans, but he can roll with this can't he? Shut up Meng Mo, this is a great plan.

Cue both LQG and LBH succeeding, simultaneously, in breaking into the Water Prison. Cue them both losing their minds at SQQ tied, beaten, and bleeding in the middle of a platform, suddenly looking terrified (because those two should NEVER EVER be in a room together, not Post-Abyss, this can't be happening-) Binghe takes a step closer to LQG, Xin Mo drawn, and SQQ flinches. And a lot of things click together for LQG. Luo Binghe is a heavenly demon and he certainly isn't dead. SQQ clearly knew both of those things. He's been looking into the sealing of TLJ. SQQ is also afraid.

This, here, is the enemy LQG has been training himself to fight. He's right. He's also very very wrong.

As LBH and LQG turn on each other, an eerily similar mad glint in both of their eyes, SQQ lets a little something something slip in his desperation: "Liu-shidi is not permitted to die for this master again-"

And this does not help the situation even a little bit.

Genuine SVSSS angst thoughts, but I've always been curious about what SQQ would have done if, in his downward spiral (Jinlan city arc would be BRUTAL for this, but I'm thinking during Plantzun era), Binghe had actually killed LQG. On one hand, that's the plot fulfilled. LQG was always meant to die in the story and nobody is allowed to challenge the protagonist. On the other hand...LQG is the one character that broke SQQ's preconceived notions from the start. He's SQQ's first plot-breaking action, a true test of his ability to be OOC, proof that he CAN change things. He's also SQQ's friend. SQQ runs away from his feelings until he can't, doesn't take the story seriously (or thinks he doesn't) until it's clear to him that it hurts others, constantly reinforces and justifies his unwillingness to do anything about The Problem of Luo Binghe with idea that the world will bend to LBH's whims and there's nothing he can do to stop it unless it's to help Binghe or himself specifically. He's never had to face losing another person through that passiveness, through The Plot as he allows it, through LBH as the vessel carrying out that loss. What kind of mental gymnastics would he have to do to get over it, knowing that he emotionally processes pretty much 0% of what happens to him? Could he even manage that? Given a redo, what would he do? He can't convince LQG to NOT protect him, not after saving his life, and not saving his life is unacceptable. He can't leave LQG's rescue to anyone else, knowing that it's part of The Plot that he'll die! He can't run away - the system will never allow that, role-locked as he is. Just SQQ trying to play 5D chess against The System, having absolutely no idea that LBH never wanted him to die to begin with, making incredibly convoluted choices to keep LQG alive...and, as a consequence, himself (not even temporarily dying!!), since the idiot will apparently DIE for him. Force-grinding LQG's cultivation with wife plots and artifacts and eye-twitching intensity as LQG begins to suspect that there's something SQQ is afraid of.