v14c20: Sides of a Story

Yun Ren yawned from where he was seated in an amphitheater. It was already full of people, people he recognised. They were all the disciples who had passed initiation.

All of them had been called in this morning for ‘A Lesson on the History of the Shrouded Mountain Sect.’

Even Bi De had been called in, much to Ri Zu and Yushang’s delight—though Ri Zu was currently fussing over the man because he looked a little tired.

“Worry not, Sister. I’m merely working hard. Senior Brother has some exacting standards for his garden… though I do believe that I am meeting them.”

That last part was said with a little smirk. Bi De must really have been pleased with something to look like that.

Yun Ren leaned back in his seat and mused on everything that had happened in the past week.

It had been surprisingly… well, peaceful, as they all settled into things. Rooming with other people was nothing new to Yun Ren. The schedule was pretty chill too. They could take a job that could last anywhere from a couple hours to most of a day… and then the rest of it was free time to use however they wished. Yun Ren got to know a few of the other people in the North Wind Pavillion, and most seemed like they were alright people, but most of Yun Ren’s time was spent with Ri Zu, Fat Han, and Yushang when they weren’t working.

As it turned out… Jin was wrong when it came to what kind of things Yun Ren would have to do if he joined a sect.

There wasn’t actually any laundry involved. They had people for that. Even though they were technically the ‘lowest’ members of the Sect, they still had access to normal people as servants and they did a lot of the low level stuff. Yun Ren got a fresh set of robes every day delivered to his room if he needed it.

No, what they did the most was, ironically… farming. Contributing to the Sect, it was called, as they toiled away in fields using a… well, a kind of crappy technique to grow the Ten Remedy Herbs.

Or at least it seemed crappy to Yun Ren. The one Jin had was way better, and the way he explained it made sense. The Misty Morning Dew Technique just infused the water—it didn’t help the bacteria in the soil or impart Qi directly into the plants. It would just mist out of their watering cans, collect like dew on the plants, and then it would run down the stalks onto the ground.

Yun Ren was getting very, very fast at performing the technique, because the faster they got work done… the more time he got to explore. There were also a bunch of jobs to do up higher on the mountain—inspecting the mountainside for loose rock, or other menial tasks that would have a normal person utterly lost in the mists that surrounded the Shrouded Mountain.

Yun Ren had already done a bit of poking around. For being in a province renowned for its cold winds, the mountain and the valley it resided in had incredibly mild weather. On most days it was comfortably warm, and the parts of the mountain that weren’t excessively manicured were lush and green, with babbling mountain brooks and thick, sturdy trees. With its soft covering of mist lending it an ethereal quality, the forests were oddly calming to walk through.

He didn’t know if that was because he was related to Nezan or not.

His musings were interrupted by a bolt of lightning. This time, he didn’t jump—but really, was it too much to walk in like a normal person?

The instructor was a younger looking man, severe in his bearing. His eyes roamed over them for a moment, counting their numbers, before he nodded.

“Good, all are in attendance. As noted before, this lesson is mandatory.” The man said, his nasally voice only slightly louder than a whisper. “We shall now begin our lesson on the history of the mightiest sect in the Howling Fang Mountains.”

The man cleared his throat. Yun Ren settled in for a dry, boring lecture.

“Behold! Our Enemy!” The man suddenly roared, his voice powerful and booming. Lightning crackled around him, and a recording crystal projected a beam of light.

Yun Ren nearly fell out of his seat as a projection of Nezan, in his fox-form, appeared on the wall behind the lecturer. The Spirit Beast’s mouth was twisted into a cruel grin and humans shambled along beside him, their eyes blank and unseeing, taken in by whatever illusions he had cast on them. His white muzzle was coated with blood, and he was backlit with the fires of burning villages.

“Many of you have heard the tales of the foul foxes! Their story is intertwined with that of the Shrouded Mountain Sect! Today, you shall learn of our history, and rejoice that you rub shoulders with the fox-hunting heroes!”

Yun Ren’s eyes darted from side to side. Beside him, Fat Han was nodding, glaring at the projection of Nezan while Yushang was grimacing and making a warding gesture.

“Our Honoured Founders were some of the Greatest Heroes of the Age of Darkness! The mighty Zang Clan! Masters of the Fulmination Arts, they were the tip of the spear that plunged into the demonic hordes wherever they existed. While others were content to rest upon their rears, the Zang Clan forged ever onwards, never resting!”

The man’s voice was powerful and utterly captivating as the crystal started showing them moving paintings as powerful, faceless men composed of lightning visited devastation upon the demons. Yun Ren had to admit it was framed wonderfully, and it even had musical accompaniment—it was less a lesson and more of a play.

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“Strength above All!” one of the men thundered, and a bolt of lightning obliterated a mountain.

“During one of these battles, the younger Zang Brother was injured and fell away from the fighting. He happened upon one of the blessed settlements that had managed to survive through the demonic onslaught. He approached this place, eager to find new allies. Instead, he found the foxes. For the cursed blood of Da Ji ruled the Shrouded Mountain!”

A wounded man stumbled forward with a smile, only for his face to morph into one of horror.

“They preyed on the people, forcing them into blood sacrifices to fuel their protections against the demons. They beguiled men and women alike, stealing faithful husbands and wives. They caused madness when they walked amongst the mortals, violating their minds with their twisted illusions!”

‘It was said we mixed our blood with theirs to power the protections. Occasionally, the chosen did die from the strain, and they were our honoured martyrs. The walls were carved with their names, and we kowtowed before their resting places for their sacrifice. We took lovers from amongst the humans, and bore sons and daughters. Sometimes the children liked to scare people, but what kind of child doesn’t?’ Yun Ren frowned as Nezan’s words came back to him.

“The younger brother saw this and was appalled. He made great haste back to his Elder Brother and informed him of the threat—but when they sensed the approach of the mighty Elder Zang, the foxes hid their depravity! When the Elder Zang came to demand that they cease their predations, they kowtowed before him and agreed to his every demand. The Elder brother was convinced… But the Younger was not deceived.”

‘They slunk in like rats and stole from us. The Younger Zang brother was our Master’s lover, once upon a time, and then when she denied him a prize, he sought to take it by force.’

A beautiful looking painting of a woman appeared, but behind her, was a savage grin. The foxes whispered simpering words of submission, explaining away the rumours about what they were doing.

“When the time came for the Elder brother to accept the Fox’s fealty and absolute surrender, the Younger brother rallied his kinsmen and warriors. He showed them the fox’s true nature, and at once they sped towards the mountain—but it was already too late. With illusions and treachery, the Foxes struck against the Patriarch!”

The beautiful fox woman rammed her sword through the man’s back, her smile vile and twisted.

‘I don’t know what happened in that battle, when the first Zang battered down the barriers and engaged our lady in combat. But I do know that by the end of it, both of them were slain, and only the younger lived.’ Nezan whispered.

“But their moment of triumph was short-lived! The Younger avenged his older brother’s death! We assaulted their fortified positions and reaped a bloody toll upon them, exterminating any who stayed to fight. But many of the cowardly beasts fled, using their illusions to hide their tracks!”