Xie Jie looked down at Dun expecting to see the chain covered in blood from his cut, but couldn't see a drop. Unconcerned he went and washed clean his arm, then the rest of his body in fresh water from the well. 

That done he finally got into the bath with a long contented sigh, "Oh I needed this."  

Dun slipped into the water like a silver eel and lay on the bottom of the tub.  

Letting the stresses and strains of the last couple of days soak away in the warm water, Xie Jie was just falling asleep, when he was woken up by a good looking man in his late 20's with long blond hair and striking blue eyes, who was pointing a sword at him. 

'Well the sword is a change, but still not the long hard thing I want in me,' Xie Jie thought with a sigh.  

Dun reared up out of the water between Xie Jie's legs, and the man's beautiful blue eyes widened in shock then recognition, he hurriedly put away his sword, cupped his hands in front of him and bowed to Dun.   

"Oh ancient artefact I'm sorry, I apologise for my humble self and my unworthy disciples, I shall teach them better in the future. I'll leave you to bathe with your pet."   

That said he hurriedly backed away.  

Xie Jie was stunned, 'pet?’ Then he laughed, "Dun I am honoured to be your pet for as long as you want me."  

Dun wrapped around Xie Jie's chest and gently squeezed, then laid back down in the bottom of the bath. 

After a long relaxing soak the pair got out of the tub, retrieved Xie Jie's slightly damp robes and retired into the hut.   

Hanging his robes on a hook to dry, Xie Jie yawned and lay down on Hao Kong’s sleeping mat, Dun curled up next to him, "do you think Master will be back tonight?" No response. "I guess best just to sleep and wait for him."

Dun tipped his first link in approval then curled up again. 

Just as Xie Jie settled to sleep he heard the door to the hut quietly open, with his excellent night vision he saw Hao Kong put his head round the door. 

Looking inside Hao Kong saw Xie Jie’s naked form on his sleeping mat, and going bright red he pulled his head back out side.

Xie Jie called after him, “Master please don’t go.”

“If you put on some clothes I’ll come back in.”

Xie Jie giggled, Hao Kong really was easily embarrassed, “I washed my robes and they are still wet.”

A strong beige hand appeared through the door, “pass them over and I’ll dry them for you.”

Confused, Xie Jie placed his robes into Hao Kong’s outstretched hand, cheekily making their fingers brush each other. His robes disappeared out side and he felt a strong surge of power, then his dry robes were thrust back through the door to him.

“Wow, Master you really are amazing, thank you.”

Fully dressed, Xie Jie joined Hao Kong sitting on the raised porch and asked, “was everyone alright in the village?”

There was a brief smile on Hao Kong’s handsome face, “they are alright but it’s strange,” his brows knitted together, “I have no idea what is wrong with them, everyone is just standing around. I brought them all up here so they can be monitored tonight, hopefully we can figure out how to help.”

“Sounds like you have had a difficult day. I know it is your home, but would you like some tea Master?”

This time Hao Kong’s smile lit up his whole face as his eyes met Xie Jie’s, and he said softly, “that should be my line.” 

“I’m just so thankful to you for saving Zhou Tu, I want to do everything I can for you. How about I get the water because I know where that is?”

Hao Kong nodded in reply, so Xie Jie disappeared round the hut and pulled some water.

When he got back Hao Kong had a beautiful tea set on the little table from the hut.

Xie Jie set the water down and Hao Kong poured it straight into the pot, then cupped the pot with both hands. To Xie Jie’s surprise the water boiled and steam came out the little spout.

Hao Kong laughed at Xie Jie’s open mouth, “you really haven’t spent much time around cultivators have you?”

“I think Zhou Tu is the first and that was very brief.”

Hao Kong’s eyes darkened a little, “what happened with Zhou Tu?”

Xie Jie explained from his brief bath in the river, to carrying Zhou Tu into the woods where he met Hao Kong, he tactfully left out how he pleasured Zhou Tu, as he thought it would be too much for the easily embarrassed cultivator.

Hao Kong listened seriously through the whole story, then turned to Xie Jie, cupped his hands together and bowed deeply to him, “that was a very brave thing for you to do, thank you for saving one of our disciples.”

Xie Jie smiled, and not just because Hao Kong’s serious face was so handsome, “it’s what anyone would have done, I just got lucky the nymph was so easily placated.” 

Hao Kong took Xie Jie’s hand in his, and looking into his dark eyes said, “you are a good man, Zhou Tu was lucky to meet you, not everyone in the world is as good as you Jiejing.”

Gazing into Hao Kong’s beautiful eyes while holding his hands and hearing his deep soothing voice, Xie Jie’s heart beat faster.

“Thank you Master.” 

Looking down at their hands Hao Kong blushed but didn’t let go, as he asked, “What brings you to Snow Mist Peak?”

Flustered Xie Jie didn’t know what to say, he was too embarrassed to tell Hao Kong he was a virgin, but he also didn’t want him to think he was a killer. 

For a long moment he wondered how much he should explain? “I came looking for a partner.” He said eventually. 

Hao Kong had assumed it was something along those lines, “You took a great risk, even our weakest disciples could have killed you in the state I found you.”

Xie Jie thought of the spears Dun had protected him from and gulped, he subconsciously reached up and stroked the collar round his neck.

Hao Kong dropped Xie Jie’s hand, with a look of guilt on his face.

They sat in silence watching the darkening sky while both lost in their own thoughts.

Feeling over come with exhaustion from the last couple of days, without thinking Xie Jie put his head on the handsome cultivator’s shoulder. Hao Kong went stiff, then as he looked down at the cute incubus’s head he relaxed, and reaching up stroked Xie Jie’s amazingly soft black hair.

Within moments Hao Kong caught Xie Jie’s limp body as he fell into a deep sleep. Shaking his head, Hao Kong continued to stroke Xie Jie’s hair and thought, ‘this incubus is seriously cavalier.’