Return of the Ghoul
All Sects run on Taxes. Annual Taxes, in exchange for protection in their territories.
So yes, to keep business and trade running, Sects really has to protect traders as without trade, NOBODY will have jobs and thus, nobody can pay taxes on time.
There used to be a ruling Royal Family in the Northern Half of this fantasy-china world, but Xuanli learned that this massive continent, was too much for the ruling family that the Emperor entrusted the northern half to the Sects, and the royal family took the southern half with the nobility. The Sects about a few millennia ago thus, 'fought over' lands that have the best Feng Shui for their clans, that there's a reason the Great Five exist.
Er, Great Four now, now that the Wen Clan is annihilated.
As for annual taxes, Gusu Lan may be a small territory along the coast, but BECAUSE its by the coast, it has a huge trading advantage. And because they were really a clan who does right instead of choosing only jobs that would earn them fame, they have the entire Jiangnan Region as their territory. Jiangnan is about the size of modern day South Korea if compressed and reshaped.
Within Jiangnan is Caiyi Town and...Mo Village.
And a happy territory is a territory that shells out a lot of taxes.
Although in the past, Jin Guangyao aided Gusu Lan in rebuilding the Cloud Recesses with money, Lan Xichen long repaid him with resources so the two clans are even.
And Gusu Lan's annual taxes is frikkin huge...10 million gold taels. If converted into silver taels, it would be 100 million silver. And since the Lans live a humble, simple lifestyle, they only splurge on food, medicine, tools and equipment. And everyone's salaries with so much left over for the direct Lan Lineage that the Lan Family can easily live a life of luxury had they bothered, but alas, 10 million gold a year and only 3% of that is spent annually, that would pile up eventually in the coffers!
Doesn't change the fact that the Wens and Jins outrich anyone still. Gusu Lan was Third Richest, Yunmeng Jiang fourth and Qinghe Nie fifth.
But post-Sunshot Campaign? How things changed.
Jins are still the richest due to Jin Guangshan being a fence sitter, Gusu Lan second, Qinghe Nie third and Yunmeng Jiang fourth now.
Due to being so rich, Gusu Lan can afford to pay everyone salaries by the three digits like Lanling Jin can.
800 silver. This amount alone, can pay for a Siheyuan-style residence's full renovation from old to new in one big go. Garden landscaping included, as 1 silver wen is equivalent to 500 pounds already by calculating spending power and 1 Pound is worth 1.65 USD...500 pounds is a very big deal already and minimum wage pay here is...5 silver wen for the worst job in history A WEEK. That's 20 silver wen a month or 10000 pounds a month.
And a weekly grocery to keep an average family happy is 1 silver wen a week. What's expensive here, are anything handmade that artisans really have a lavish lifestyle, as do Doctors' services and medicine.
Thus like in Victorian Era of England, the more you own, the richer you are.
And her mother who works as an Embroiderer, can afford a whopping 15 silver wen a month in just selling a handkerchief alone. Though she had to stop when raising a pair of little boys, thus she and Xuanyu give her a hundred silver each from their monthly salary to help her out. Food for growing two little boys raised to NOT be picky eaters.
And their stepfather's monthly household salary being eldest son, is 90 silver. Welp, cultivators earn more than normal folk...
And the Mu Family got infamous for the Family Infighting Murder for Family Succession, and the remarriage of their victimized eldest son who married a widower who has twin children from a previous relationship who are now cultivators for the Lan Sect. Their Murder Case was solved by a Lan that got Third Son and his wife imprisoned by the court, and Headmaster Mu blotted them out of the family.
During parties, the twins are called to join since their mother's marriage in thus everyone has seen the twins who are incredibly good-looking with icy-jade skin and wore white disciple uniforms and their ribbons and perfect manners. Nobody also cannot afford to offend the twins, or risk losing protection of the Sect as an attack on ANY disciple is an attack on the Sect.
Its also impossible to approach the family about marriage, as the twins follow Sect Laws regarding marriage and they have a Rule Scroll to show for that.
Six years since the death of Wei Wuxian, rules increased by 1k by the way.
Mu Headmaster once exclaimed, 'With so much rules, how the hell are you people still alive?!'
'We just live a simple life, yeye. The most we spend on is food, medicine, tools and weapons...'
xxx
Meanwhile...
'Alright, I got the ritual! Damn it was hard sneaking around and waiting for the right timing...but it's gonna be worth it!' a young man swore as in a shed, he began drawing an array using cinnabar and some materials he obtained by thievery from Lanling Jin Sect that possessed all of Yiling Laozu's research as he prayed that he cut from his own wounds. Then lit up twelve candles outside the circle and placed eleven blood-drawn talismans outside as well. Not far from him, was a manual of a sacrificial ritual.
Author? Wei Wuxian.
I am Li Baihe, the concubine-born son of my father Li Baiyue of Xirong Li Sect and my concubine mother Zhou Zhiruo. I have three older sisters and I am the only son.
Father has four wives. Madam Li and three concubines. Mother was the youngest concubine and thus, the least influence in the house, but I was more talented than the family heir, Li Baiying. But no matter my talent in cultivation or sword, I was OK with being unable to raise my status anyway. I want nothing to do with family infighting for father's favor.
But when Madam Li fell ill, mother was framed for the crime and she was put to death by the other wives while I was kicked out of the house. Good thing my sisters are married off, or who knows what the other wives would do!
However, there was another set up.
I was soon hit on the head and next thing I know, I was sold to slavery, my cultivation sealed and I have no way of breaking out.
Thankfully it was a shoddy job that I recovered during my stay in my new lot in life...I just didn't let them know.
I want justice! For the crime of framing my mother for poisoning and making those women pay for what they've done! I want revenge on them and their children! And revenge against my cold father who didn't even investigate the matter! I will only leave Madam Li alive as she was innocent of the crime.
I beg for the rebirth of your sinister spirit, to help grant my wish. Baihe formed a handseal with both hands. I will use my flesh as lure in sacrifice for your spirit. My soul as compensation to return to the Earth!
Here I summon the Sinister Ghoul...Wei Wuxian!
KRRRRACKA-BOOOM!
Lightning...or rather, a soul in the form of a lightning came from the sky and struck Li Baihe, killing him twice over in body and soul.
A few minutes later, the body twitched.
"Hmmm? I'm dead...dead for a few years by the looks of things." Wei Ying, Wei Wuxian thought as he got up and finding himself in an abandoned shed, and a bloody ritual on the floor, and a manual which he picked up.
He recognized the array. 'Oh, it's Xianshe.' a sinister ritual Li Baihe had done to bring him back. But he got annoyed. 'Really, how did I classify as a sinister ghoul now? Last I checked I just got a really bad reputation and then I died a terrible death. How absurd.' Wuxian pouted indignantly as he looked at the manual with his name at the bottom left of the book cover. '...it's something written by me...'
And he flipped the pages and found a list.
Client: Li Baihe, age 24
Crime: Mother framed for a crime and was murdered by Xirong Li Family.
I was sold into slavery to an abusive master, Chen Ruji. He is my...master
who enjoyed beating me until I got my powers back thanks to a shoddy seal job.
Culprits: Li Baiyue's second and third concubines and their sons. Father
didn't even bother to investigate. Please kill them for me.
Victim: Madam Li. She was poisoned by those sluts into comatose and
framed my mother. She is to be spared if still alive. No idea about the poison...
'Well, that's clear enough.' Wuxian closed the manual before wincing as he lifted his sleeves. There's slash wounds on his arms. On his left arm was four slashes. Three deep ones its a miracle he didn't cut into the nerves or he'd be paralyzed, Wuxian thought with a grimace. But even if he did, this is a curse wound borne from a ritual. It will heal once conditions are met. But if he didn't fulfill it, sometime soon he will surely suffer a backlash, and his soul annihilated, making him TRIPLE-DEAD!
On his right arm were six just-as-deep slashes.
"Li Baihe must hate whoever these deep ones are." he mused. One wasn't deep though. This must be the father. Then again, given his own experience that led to his death...yeah. People judge based on what others say without bothering to investigate. The truth is thus, the more who say it the more it must be truth!
At least he has something to do now and he's on borrowed time.
Xirong Li is kinda far...
At least he is in Ezhou, not far from Yunmeng Jiang. He can get needed resources.
First things first. Money.
Due to how dirty he was, he'd be mistaken for a beggar. But his skin was so white, a sign he's a high-level cultivator. He missed having a Golden Core again, dammit! But still, this guy is kinda good...this is really high quality.
He looked for a nearby river and washed his face and looked at his face after using the water's reflection.
The guy is very handsome, but in his memories, Li Baihe has black eyes. But this body's eyes is slowly turning to silver...his own eyes. Soon, this body's face will change too. It will become his identity now but he doesn't know how long he has before he gets his face back, thank you very much!
So yes, he's gonna go go go!
xxx
Obtaining a lot of money was easy.
Using Demonic Cultivation spells on pure qi to put some guards to sleep as Ezhou was a minor sect, he could amass 20000 silver, steal one qiankun bag and run away to hide in a wealthy merchant's mansion for a bath!
He could then take a bath, and obtain spare servant's clothes...while ignoring the pain from his cursed wounds in a warm, rose petal bath as said bath has medicinal properties good for skin as this poor guy wasn't allowed basic human need of bath, being a slave. If he wasn't a cultivator, who knows how many skin diseases he'd have by now. Owwww!
Upon being clean, he left Ezhou to buy new clothes next town over.
Being a cultivator, he was able to conceal what he was wearing using an illusion spell, and was able to purchase a good outfit worthy of a cultivator. And bought himself a flute.
He then made his way to Xirong for his goal.
The Li Family is situated in Xingnan Hillside. But on his way here, he amassed a large number of resentful ghosts as ammunition.
Nooooow then...his eyes glowed red as he played a deliberately-eerie melody...and sicced as many ghosts as possible onto the poor Sect to overwhelm them in numbers.
It wasn't easy amassing 5000 ghosts.
Naturally...leave no survivors or people will find out he's back.
Nobody's innocent anyway.
Once you're pushed to commit acts of cruelty to get what you want, you are no longer innocent.
As chaos and mayhem ensued, he snuck into the residences of the concubine targets. Due to the Lan Sect's ability, he used poison darts to kill the women and waited to see if the ghouls will kill the sons and father.
It was a battle of attrition amplified by anxiety and fear. When those emotions are heightened, you make mistakes.
Nobody is an exception. Even himself.
Two wounds vanished...three...until the last, his father is dead.
Upon fulfilling the Xianshe Contract, he is now free to live his second life as he dismissed the vicious ghosts, leaving a still-comatose madam and the servants alive.
Next plan is to obtain a sword for himself. A high level spirit sword would cost 50000 silver. A price worth Sect Heirs and Leaders. He pilfered the fortune of the Li Family as this sect is all dead anyway. He named his sword Liaoyuan. Meaning, 'to leave behind grievance'.
As a Concubine's Son from a powerless wife who was so put-down upon, Li Baihe was never known in public but known at home. This is to his advantage.
As he was in another county, word got around that a massive ghost army attacked Xirong Li Sect, leaving alive only Madam Li and the servants working at the Sect.
Nearby Sects went to investigate as to who the attacker was for using Demonic Cultivation against an entire sect. The Lans could only summon the Li Sect ghosts, but not the Vicious Ghost army that attacked them for an Inquiry. Thankfully, the servants said nothing about him as they were clueless.
'Well, I'm rich now, I can live a leisurely life!' he said a tad cheerfully.
He began looking for an ideal place to live as everything he cares for is long gone, that all he can do is live for himself, really.
He suddenly...felt so lonely.
The last Wen, little A-Yuan who had a fever back then...
He gritted his teeth in silent mourning, before bucking up and moving on to the Burial Mounds.
'I should get word from everyone...'
xxx
Burial Mounds...
Wuxian summoned the souls of the Wen Remnants who appeared before him.
'Has any of you seen what became of A-Yuan since our deaths? It's me, Wei Wuxian!' he cried as the spirits did a double-take. 'I hid him behind a pile of dead logs while I faced an army on my own...and I died after that...'
The ghosts' mouths moved. No sound...but something only Wuxian can hear.
'Rich-gege...Lan Zhan took A-Yuan? That means he's safe...' Wuxian sighed in relief as he sank on his knees. 'I thought even a baby got killed...our A-Yuan must be born under a lucky star!' he laughed in relief. 'I'll check on A-Yuan and see if he lives a happy life!' he swore to them as their ghosts went back into the Blood Pool.
His next destination...Gusu.
From Yiling, he went eastwards...to Gusu.
He had to pass by Yunmeng...and saw a young Jin disciple leave with...Jiang Cheng. Wearing the sect uniform, he's good-looking alright, but on the effeminate side?
'Jiujiu, is it really OK?'
'It will be OK A-Ling. Your Aunt Xuanli will supervise you.' Jiang Cheng reassured him. 'She'll meet you at Stardust Inn to supervise your first Night Hunt. As much as possible, do it yourself. She will only act to save you if you fail.'
"A-Ling...Jin Ling?" he thought as this boy is shijie's son. All grown up now!
He'll watch over this boy.
...and who is Xuanli...?
Taking shortcuts, he was at the Inn first.
xxx
Stardust Inn was an Inn Wuxian frequented in the past.
Out of all civilians, there was one Lan female present...but holy shit, this woman! She...gulp...if he crossdressed in his old body, holy shit!
'Ah, Mo-guniang is here again!'
'She must be waiting for someone. Boyfriend?'
'I still can't get over that she looks like that kid.'
'Little A-Ying huh? Yeah, they look alike, but clearly not related. Jiang-zongzhu checked.'
'What made A-Ying fall though? Why did he turn to black arts? He was such a cheerful good boy...'
'Yeah, can you believe what the rest of the world says about him? Despicable.'
'We know A-Ying better than anyone else. Those foreign jerks.'
'War probably happened. Poor kid.'
Wuxian felt at least Yunmeng's locals will be friendly if he resembled himself again. Problem is that everyone who's a cultivator thinks he killed shijie and peacock...well, he will watch over A-Ling and A-Yuan. Two babies who paid too high because of his mistakes.
Five minutes later, Jin Ling came.
'Gugu, I'm here!' Jin Ling addressed Mo-guniang the Lan Cultivator.
Gugu?
Jin Zixuan is an only child...
Then again, given Jin Guangshan's reputation...yeeeeeaaaah...and this one ended up in LAN SECT?! And how did Jiang Cheng know her? Ooooh, did he miss out on a lot?
'Just in time A-Ling, you're getting more punctual now.' Mo-guniang teased playfully, making Jin Ling blush hard.
'Gugu! I'm getting better!' Jin Ling sputtered with a red face awkwardly.
'Hahaha! Anyway there's a big show coming down! Lan-ergongzi is also leading a Debut Night Hunt so first debut is best done with company. You'll be good friends with his kids for sure. Come on now.' and she stood up.
'Where is it though? Jiujiu said you know.'
'Its...uggghhh, my old birthplace, Mo Village. Just an hour away south from the Recesses on sword.' Mo-guniang scowled. 'I least I look so different now that old hag won't recognize me. I'll supervise from afar and you cooperate with the Lan Juniors, alright? I'm responsible for you and he's responsible for those guys.'
'OK!'
As soon as they left, Wuxian left by back door...
While he's nervous about seeing an old acquaintance again, its also his only clue to A-Yuan...
