Knows himself, knows how others perceive him, knows his every habit and tell — knows that he willfully ignored a lot of them for a long time.
He knows he's, at times, as much of a brute as people accuse him of being — but he isn't stupid.
For as stubborn and prideful as he may be, one does not become a war god just by swinging a sword around willy-nilly — One does not achieve such a title on pure unadulterated strength and adrenaline alone.
War was a complicated thing, as it was simple. War was a fight, between yourself and your enemies; it was the clashing of swords, the dance of attacks, the roar of blood in your ears with the pounding of your heart.
But War was also the push and pull of offensive and defensive moves. The silence of focus and concentration; cataloguing, memorising, predicting your enemies movements. Knowing when and how to use the terrain around you to your advantage — to know when and where to strike.
Liu Qingge was a righteous cultivator, he had his honour and he was hard-pressed to break it.
But War didn't care about honour, didn't care for rules or regulations — for foul play or dirty tricks. In War, what is and isn't valid isn't dictated by careful curating — it was dictated by what you and your opponent were willing to do to win.
The resident War god of Cang Qiong mountain counted himself as lucky — as he has yet to truly turn on his morals and honour, as there had yet been a situation where the need arises.
But it might happen one day, he knows that — it was one of the first things his Shizun had ever taught them. For as much as they were honourable warriors of their peak — that came second to being the shield and sword of their sect.
Battling was only fair, when under careful agreement — War rarely had that.
As a disciple, but especially as the Bai Zhan Peak Lord, he knew that a day may come where he has to let go of his honour. Let go of his righteous standing in favour of keeping his sect safe; of keeping its people alive.
That day had yet to come, and thus Liu Qingge wouldn't think about it till it did.
Though, to the Bai Zhan War God, that day felt like it was already upon him — that it's been upon him for years at this point.
For he was in love with a married man.
For his eyes also wandered to the beast of a husband his martial brother had.
Shame was not a strong enough word to describe what he felt."