Joining a Sect

In those two years after their neighbors mourned their male relatives, they sent a letter through the Mo twins who were cultivators to Lan Sect to report what happened in Caiyi Town, prompting Lan Qiren to send some disciples for an Inquiry to investigate the village during the time Caiyi's women and children hid to avoid the Wens.

Judging by the timeline, the Wens tore the village and plundered it, leaving nothing for the surviving women and children so they had to aid Caiyi Town through their Juniors in rebuilding to function again. The twins are ten years old now and taller than the average ten year old as well as...stronger, being cultivators They were able to help with harder things by clearing out the rubble, to make rebuilding a lot easier in just one year through hard work. Though trade took time. About six months later.

War is happening and Caiyi only has two Junior Cultivators in the form of a pair of twin siblings who have no idea how to use their powers. They only had the knowledge to cultivate up to Golden Cores. They were prodigies that they obtained a Golden Core at eight years old according to Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian two years before and they confirmed Xuanli's level, so Lan Qiren sent a tutor to begin their education in using talismans and physical training, as well as four seniors in helping in defend the defenseless town.

Indeed, the twins are of equal strength.

But background must be known as 'Do Not Impart Wrong Knowledge to the Wrong People'. The Mos were interviewed separately.

Mo Bailing is one of Jin Guangshan's mistresses with an unfortunate background. Her brief reprieve was him 'spending time' with her for four years. But after a lavish party, Xuanli persuaded her mother that they leave Mo Village with the money and jewels Jin-zongzhu gave them or they'll never see it again and be destitute and helpless because Xuanli noted her father has been strangely distant since 'that one party' in Mo Estate but she didn't tell her mother that.

Rather, she took advantage of her mother's understandable fears with money, given how they were treated by an entire village. Mo Bailing had dreams that Guangshan would take them someday away from Mo Village by appealing to him if his children are educated. They can't trust anyone in Mo Village who might sabotage their education on word from the Mo Family alone.

So they moved far enough, to Caiyi and used fake names to get by until reaching this town where they lived in obscurity. They used much of the massive monies for education and Mo Bailing 'gave her kids as much as money can get them', making for an impressive curriculum and Mo Bailing too, gained education in hopes of impressing her lover someday, unaware of her daughter's beginning doubts. Xuanli somehow managed to get a cultivator visiting Mo Village to tell her how to cultivate, hence their early Golden Cores, but no skill to speak of.

Xuanli may be the younger twin, but she was the brains that Mo Xuanyu believes his twin sister as indeed, their wealthy father from a powerful sect didn't look for them, a sign that he indeed, tired of their mother which upset him. Had he cared, they would have mobilized a whole sect, and found them within the month! So Xuanli planned for their future so incase their money ran out, they're not in financial trouble! She convinced her mother to get a job in a skillset she was good at, which was embroidery, thus worked at a local tailors' as an Embroiderer that pays well every week due to how hard the job was, 8 silver wen, enough to keep a family of three happy and make it in time for annual taxes.

Normally, an Embroiderer's job is REALLY PROFITABLE. The better needlework the higher the payoff. But Caiyi Town was no city where customers will pay high for your work. 8 silver was as far as they can give out. Had they lived in a city, Mo Bailing could have earned as much as 30 silver max.

And once the twins become cultivators that earn well, their mother can retire in comfort. They also help out at home, doing the chores after their tutoring so their mother can rest for the rest of the night after a good dinner. Due to being kids, rice, steamed food, soup and noodle soups were all they can cook safely. They cannot use the wok being too heavy and accidents can happen.

The family was truthful so far, but Mrs. Mo was dismayed her daughter sensed her lover's vanishing interest in them at freaking age FOUR which was why she took action for their sakes by using money fears to get her to agree to leave at night.

The true genius was thus, the daughter. Thanks to her, they live a good but modest life out here. Their house is very simple, just 'barely above poverty line' as they were used to living in bad conditions but at least here, they have complete necessities in fear by living in excess, they'd become like their relatives who mistreated their mother all her life. As far as luxury went, it's food and education! Reasonable and meaningful expenses indeed!

That much, the Lans respected. And with the twins knowing music, they can easily train in Lan-style cultivation as Inner Sect members once they are thirteen. Only Guest Disciples enter at fifteen.

Well, here was hoping that war ends SOON, OK?

xxx

The war took two years. The twins are thirteen years old, eligible to enroll in Cloud Recesses after New Year's Day.

'Looking real good!' Mo Bailing was in tears of pride as her twins were dressed in Lan Sect disciple robes with plain white forehead ribbons.

'We're off a-niang!' said Xuanyu as their mother hugged them.

'Be good in the Sect and don't get expelled, alright?' Bailing asked them nervously. 'This is a big shot for our future!'

'Yes a-niang, we'll be good!'

Well, they have to endure! The Lans apparently, live and breathe rules...and their food is very medicinal so for most outsiders, it doesn't taste good that its an 'open secret' that Lan Clan food sucks and 'they're torturing their poor palates, what for?'

Well, being monks in origin, that's what they naturally eat!

Upon arrival, they knew they'd be separated to avoid 'worldly evil distracting them from study', whatever that was.

They asked what its like in Lan Sect, so they're OK when they do come here...

And life was peaceful here...if you don't count the yucky soup here...the other dishes are mild or damn bland. The soup was the most horrible part of the meal as it's treated with medicine good for cultivation...by purging out body toxins first, that is, so yes, having gunk come out of your pores while under supervision by seniors is a really nasty time...this was especially bad for girls with pimples already as they felt said pimples pop for pus to come out...

This also ended up shrinking their pores so small they looked flawless now...and they have to do this till nothing comes out any more.

Learning in Lan Sect takes a minimum of seven years. Seven years to master everything while cultivating and physically staying in shape is a lifelong commitment. Cultivational Tools and equipment, all provided for!

Here, she and her twin lived in peace, and in winter before snow kicks in, Disciples who can fly on sword can go home...the catch was if they live within distance of the Recesses to make it back in time for another New Year. So if you live within a week away from the Recesses, it's all good!

Caiyi Town was three hours away on flight.

'We're home, a-niang!'

'Welcome back kids! Here for a visit?'

'Snow vacation!' Xuanyu piped up. 'Nobody can really focus when its biting cold, but we were told to raise our level in spirit during break.'

'Ahahaha...that is something I learned not to bother with anymore as of late.' their mother giggled.

Xuanli had written talisman runes on their windowsills. If its hot outside, a cool breeze will flow in. If its cold outside, a gentle warmth will flow in so she was never too hot nor too cold, unless she cooks. And Xuanli left behind a cookbook of soups and stews and sauces for noodle dishes as well as steamed food...a child's tongue is sensitive so her kids found food yucky and experimented until the results, are in their family cookbook...wherein ingredients are mostly vegetables, condiments, noodles, tofu, seafood as they are near the coast, chicken and eggs. Her kids...don't like pork? Oh well, expensive anyway...but still, it worries her that her kids are already financially-aware...in order to survive if they were still stuck in Mo Village.

She also knows not to brag about her boons. Lest she earns enmity of her neighbors and she's had too much of that in Mo Village. Its her first time having friends in a town, she didn't want to lose her new life, nor trouble her children.

But while she is a woman of 29, she did not look her age at all. In fact, she looked younger and felt stronger. Maybe this is thanks to a no-pork diet? Oh well!

She also wanted to make something but its too troublesome...

'Oh, you want to make Bone Broth?' Xuanyu took out a talisman while Xuanli in her casual clothes went out to ask butchers for bones...

Turns out the talisman was to cook without any need for firewood...because Bone Broth needs a few hours of simmering, to be of use.

Bone Broth was mostly for her as '...only adult women need it to firm up skin.'

Its meant for aging ladies like herself...aiii!

But still, life was good with her children.

xxx

It was a year since his legal son's death.

Sure he has Guangyao from his other lover Meng Shi, but he better not be too secure about his position! He has more sons if he knows his other mistresses had them! However, the morning after that party, Mo Bailing and the twins apparently, vanished with money and jewels he had given her, leaving the other gifts behind when he went back to get the twins after ten years.

They ran away for some reason Jin Guangshan got him head scratching over. Why did they run away?

He was the only one who knows what Bailing looks like. He needs her children! And a woman with two toddlers, they couldn't have gotten far. Bandits aside, there's monsters too! Darn it!

It seems Jin Guangyao's lucky...for now! That little shit, so what if he's intelligent? He's too pathetic! He can never compare to Jin Zixuan in pedigree and cultivation even if in the end, it didn't save him from a fierce corpse. How can he accept a son of a whore as an ideal heir? Everyone's talking about it that at this point, children of a servant has better status than that! His wife just won't shut up about it and set on making little A-Ling the family heir as at least he was of their son and her favored daughter-in-law, both of whom, are noble pedigree!

'So be useful and live long enough for A-Ling to take over! You think I want any of your illegitimate seed to succeed our sect?! Go eat dung and die!'

His body is still smarting about that too, and this is why he likes uneducated women better!

But he better hurry, he's feeling ill lately...he's starting to lose his good looks too! What's going on, did someone curse him? Shit!

Can't even blame that on Wei Wuxian now, he's dead!

xxx

Harry Potter has a lot to think about, as she reminisced her past and present.

After a life of suffering as boy-who-lived, she who lived a survivor knowing only hardship with few reprieves, now has a better life as a girl.

Wanker for a father, but great mother. And unlike James Potter, Jin Guangshan will never change.

She gained a childhood she can be proud of and a good life, karma to all her grief in the past that she learned what its like to be a child for once.

Harry Potter grew up too quick out of necessity. Mo Xuanli was a lot happier this time around.

She was truly happy even if she was no longer rich.

As Harry Potter, sure he has massive inheritance, but never got to fully enjoy it with good reason: Ron's jealousy and the Dursleys, so he could secretly enjoy it through medical means as he was stunted and feeble through malnutrition and he never got needed vaccinations...a fact Madam Pomfrey was furious with the Headmaster and the Dursleys about, so she helped him as long as he could pay for the goods she needed to help him. As Mo Xuanli, she's sort-of-poor but happy. At least they have a decent house, furniture, clothes and a full stomach every day. That's enough, isn't it?

But one thing she cannot picture, is getting married one day.

Sure Harry Potter dated Cho but it was never meant to be. Then there's Ginny. Could've been happy, if Harry Potter wasn't a marked man.

And Harry realized that as long as he was the boy-who-lived, Ginny will become a marked woman and as harassed as he by the public. He could not do that to her.

And when the time came, death was preferable. He was glad he chose death as it scored him a good life after, even if he became a girl.

That's fine with him. That's fine.

He errr she, wanted to keep this lifelong happiness.

xxx

At age 15...

'Hmmm...'

Lan Qiren got news that Jin Guangshan died from overwork and called the twins over to inform them of his fate, but the twins could care less.

'Lan-laoshi, there's a stark difference between a Fuqin and an A-Die.' said Xuanyu stonily. 'That man is fuqin to us, nothing more. So what if he played a role in how we were born? Was he ever there to be worth calling A-Die for?'

'Died of overwork, my lily-white ass! Too much fooling around is bad for health!' Xuanli sneered. 'There's a thing called Sexually-Transmitted Disease you know! Bastard probably died of a karmic deadly one!'

'Lying is bad as a Lan Sect rule~' Xuanyu cackled. 'Overwork is probably just an excuse to save what little face he had left!'

Their words shocked Qiren and his nephews as the twins have really low opinion(well-earned though) of their father and totally derisive of him.

'Kids, he's still your father...' Lan Xichen croaked out, shocked with their attitude. He just earned a raised eyebrow in turn.

'So?' the twins drawled uncaringly.

'Well, mother's got a new boyfriend, hopefully he's worth calling a-die, not a fuqin! Unlike Jin Guangshan he actually gives a damn about us! We vetted his character with talismans so he's safe...we won't bother telling a-niang about him, he's not worth even a memory.'

Yeah, this shook the Lans in Lan Qiren's office. The twins really redefined two parental words now...Fuqin is father but formal and distant, often used in noble households as a sign of status and respect. A-die is when a father and children have a close relationship with each other. But the twins have taken it to a whole new level!

...and that was how one Jin Guangyao got wind of their existence through his erge Lan Xichen. He just learned of their identity when his uncle called the twins over, telling them of their father's death. Thus when the twins were dismissed, he and Lan Wangji learned the background of the twins Wangji sponsored when they were eight years old in Caiyi Town, having moved there at age four, after that last party Jin Guangshan threw in Mo Estate. But Xuanli was very perceptive at a young age due to their mistreatment...and has justifiable fears given how EVERYONE treats them when Jin Guangshan wasn't around.

'Well, that much, is to be expected.' said Nie Mingjue wryly, sipping wine. 'Well-deserved indeed. Those twins are smart.' Jin Guangyao sighed at that.

'I'd love to meet them at some point.' said Guangyao. 'I know father has a lot of illegitimates, not just me...'

'When they're finally allowed to go on Night Hunts, I'll bring them over.' Xichen smiled a sad smile. 'I hope this goes well though...our teachers say they're good, well-behaved kids and eager students, but that one day in the office was shocking. Next year, they're ready for Night Hunts!'

And so? At Jinlintai...

'Lan-zongzhu, what're we here for?' Xuanyu was wary with good reason as they were in their father's house.

'Your older half-brother wants to meet you.' said Lan Xichen. 'He's currently Jin-zongzhu as the heir is just three years old from your other half brother Jin Zixuan. Little Jin Ling is your cousin.'

'Heee...'

Upon arrival in a parlor room...

Jin-zongzhu, Jin Guangyao was quite, the effeminate beauty.

'Erge, they're the twins?' he would ask a bit nervously as the twins were white, due to food in the Recesses. All their meals are medicinal so this much was to be expected. Same hairstyle and their looks took more of their mother like he did. The only difference was their uniforms and figure that gave gender away. While identical, Xuanli has a more feminine touch in her face.

'Heee so you're our older brother...you're really pretty!' Xuanyu gushed out.

'What's it like living with a bum? I think you and Madam Jin did most of the work while he's being a useless bum fooling around? Who's the Sect Leader again?' Xuanli was very snarky.

Jin Guangyao choked in his tea while Xichen has a really strained smile on his face.

This wasn't...the meeting he had in mind...

The siblings are really derisively snarky regarding Jin Guangshan and even having fun on his expense with SHEER DISRESPECT, though they were at least, friendly to their older brother, not even caring if his mother was a whore.

'At least she was a good parent.' they would say. 'There are people born in so-called better backgrounds, but shitty as adults and parents. Isn't our dear ol' sire a good example of a shitty adult and parent?' Xuanyu would tell the two Sect Leaders. 'Background isn't everything these days!'

'Bah, traditionalists.' his sister would scoff with a handwave. 'Its probably just a way to feel better while looking down on others when they're nothing special in the end. The special ones are those who actually accomplished something noteworthy without becoming a braggart so they're respectable.'

'Ahahaha...you two are really interesting...' Jin Guangyao was sweatdropping plenty now with comical flyaway hairs. It seems Lan upbringing has yet to sink in...

'Feel my pain, A-Yao.' said Xichen wryly, patting his shoulder. 'But you two sure are different in the Recesses...'

'Well, we heard of the rumored Detentions so we dare not break anything in the Recesses Lan-zongzhu.' said Xuanyu. 'So as long as we're good in the recesses, it's OK while we can be ourselves outside. We don't wanna copy rules on a handstand...'

'Yeah, being repressed is bad for health you know. I hear the more bad feelings you have locked in, the nastier you are if you become a Fierce Corpse! Resentful Energy is made from our feelings mixed with our qi I think, so they say female Fierce Corpses are more horrifying. Probably mistreated housewives or mistreated daughters who can't fight back from abusive families till death.' said Xuanli as this got the two Sect Leaders intrigued. 'A-Yu and I didn't get Soul-Calming Ceremonies as children so we avoid Repression by going all out when its school break so if we die we won't be much trouble.'

'That's an interesting way of thinking.' said Guangyao, intrigued.

Xuanli has potential to be a Demonic Cultivator as she has a theory regarding the mechanics of Resentful Energy. Is it applicable?

'Well for Fierce Corpses to cease to exist, treat people right.' said Xuanyu. 'But with a society like ours, fat chance.'

xxx

At the gardens...

'Ah, a Lotus Garden!'

'It's really big!' the twins marveled at the massive lotus pond.

'Our legal brother Zixuan built this for his wife so she won't get too homesick.' said Guangyao. 'Too bad she didn't live long to enjoy it during war. At least her son Jin Ling will enjoy this when he's older.'

'Heee...where is he?'

'For now he lives in Lotus Pier with his jiujiu.' said Guangyao. 'When he's seven, he'll live here with me. Being a Jin he must learn Jin techniques. Come to think of it, so should you guys.'

'Its OK Yao-gege, we don't want to be too far from home until a-niang marries her boyfriend. We have a dowry ready so the guy prepares betrothal gifts now. While we vetted the guy, we're not sure about the in-laws...we haven't met them yet.' said Xuanyu. 'She got over the lecher way back and finally saw sense.'

'Wish my mother did before its too late.' Guangyao sighed glumly. 'She thought he hung the moon until the end.'

'Well, karma happens...she's probably reborn in a better place as no matter what her life was, she was a good lady as a person.' Xuanli reassured him while stooping over to pluck a ripe lotus pod. 'Good people are rewarded, bad people are made to pay reflecting their deeds. Our sire enjoyed the bed too much, he died in bed, too!'

Unknown to her, her words made Guangyao shiver.

xxx

Before snowfall...

Jiang Cheng got a letter from a pair of twins with quite the background as their way of introducing themselves to him.

The Mo twins, yet another of Jin Guangshan's illegitimates, wants to meet their baby cousin Jin Ling having heard of him from their half brother Jin Guangyao. Heck, they had no idea they got one in a sect until Lan Xichen told them not long after Jin Guangshan died.

They would come, if permitted and would stay during school winter break.

He wasn't sure about this, so he mailed Lan Xichen and exchanged letters with the man, before letting the twins have permission...

The problem when they came?

WHY do they resemble THAT guy?!

Its even scarier when Mo Xuanli was a feminine-faced version of him!

'Thank you for having us over, Jiang-zongzhu!' they chorused.

'Mm. Anyways, this is Jin Ling.' said Jiang Cheng, showing them a yellow-clad baby boy in his arms.

'Awww...'

'Can we can we?'

'Oi, don't drop him!'

At least he has a winter babysitter, giving the Jiang Healers a break being his nannies.

But he had to deal with questions if THAT GUY has relatives from his childhood peers now...sheesh!