MDZS - Making Peace with Uncle

by Tatsu-neko

(i'm back!... who knew it'd take this long for the writing bug to bite!) (loving this fandom at the moment... ) was supposed to be just an omake but became something more (cos i can't seem to write a 'short story' to save my neck!...) (might have to change title to MDZS2...) hopefully people enjoy. attempting to keep within the Universe of the Light novel Dan Mei/Manhua version

4. Chapter 4 - Song of Truth & Despair I

For the purpose of this FanFiction – i will be doing my best to stay in the Universe as told by the Light Novel & Manhua *

Mo Dao Zu Shi - Making Peace with Uncle – Chapter 4: Song of Truth & Despair.

The procession Lan Xichen led, with the captured Yiling Patriarch in the centre, slowly made it's way back to the Library. It was probably quite an odd sight, with the Yiling Patriarch towed along, stretched out vertically, hovering two feet above the ground as they made their way from the main gateway back towards the library. The Sect Leader couldn't suppress a smile as he caught sight of his adopted nephew Lan Sizhui ducking down out as sight as he, Lan Jingyi and the other student disciples did their best to avoid notice – lest they face punishment for being where they should not have been. Indeed, Xichen suspected that most the students left in the sanctuary, had managed to watch most of the pursuit instead of attending their lessons as they should have done. - Well, hopefully they managed to learn something from observation -

It had taken more than 3 week's planning once his Uncle, Qiren had raised the suggestion of questioning the Yiling Patriarch once again. Even then, the weakened man had still given most of the skilled disciples present, the slip more often than not duiring the morning's chase. Lan Xichen was glad he'd taken the precaution to nullify the Token of Passage early in the morning. The distinguished Elders had initially thought it unnecessary – arguing that the new container of the Yiling Patriarch was far to weak to warrant such an expense of effort. Xichen hadn't shared that veiw. Even during his short stay as a student, he recalled that Wei Wuxian was the most prone to utilising odd solutions when under pressure. Also he trusted his brother's judgement when it came to appraising another's martial skill – and the HanGuang-Jun had always stressed that Wuxian would not behave to expectations if one wished to corner him.

In part, not forcing an interrogation upon the Yiling Patriarch when he had first arrived at Gusu (in spite of other sects demanding they do so at the quarterly meetings) was in part a wish to not disrupt his brother's obvious joy at the Yiling Patriach's return. Granted, Xichen hadn't thought his brother's attentions had run in quite that direction until he'd brought the young man home, but the Lan Wanji of now was much more at ease and lively (for him) compared to the 13 years before, during the Yiling Patriarch's death when the younger man had wandered endlessly – always seeking, always searching, always restless yet still listless. Even his Uncle, for all that he seemed to detest the problematic young man, had found it difficult to push for the interrogation lest it inflict unnecessary pain on his nephew's new energy of life. Certainly some of Qiren's animosity had come at the thought of how the Yiling Patriarch had potentially toyed with his brother's heart, but for the most part, Xichen could not fathom his Uncle's rejection of the young man. Indeed, he'd been one of the most excited at the chance to teach the top disciple of the Jiang Sect all those years ago. Xichen had tried to explain to his uncle that the young man had been unaware of his brother's efforts in his last hours, but he doubted that the stubborn old man had been willing to believe him on the matter. It made their family situation complicated to say the least. Lan Xichen, didn't have a problem with his brother's unexpected choice – certainly, he'd been caught by surprise, but in the three years that he'd been able to get to know the young man via his brother, he'd come to understand that the feelings shared by the two were very much mutual. Which ultimately, was all Xichen really cared about. He'd seen Wuxian's efforts to curb his behaviour for the sake of his brother – he wasn't very successful... but the man did try his best to not let his inherent nature annoy and disrupt the orderly Sect. It was a shame, really. Lan Xichen had once thought that both parties might benefit from the other (despite, the Yiling Patriarch's unorthodox methods – he was still the most knowledgeable regarding ghosts and corpses of the night hunt), but sadly neither side seemed willing to trust in the other.

From the library to the main greeting courtyard, they traversed at a steady pace. Indeed they had to stop twice as the Yiling Patriarch managed to almost escape; grabbing a foothold and getting enough slack in the bindings to slip out. The burly disciples tasked with carrying the captive had had to heavily pin the man down to re-adjust the bindings so that he couldn't slip out. At one point, his exersions had made the guqin strings slip to his neck, almost strangling him. The Yiling Patriach hadn't seemed to care, an angry bundle of nerves completely focused on escape. They'd passed Qiren's office, the Yiling Patriarch passing a half glance of expection since it was a room he was familiar with for his regular chastisements in his student days. Xichen, catching his gaze, explained briefly, " The Dean's office, and where my Uncle attends to Sect duties when I am unavailable."

They continued on, weaving through the Medical section – a mix of herb gardens, storage rooms, consultation rooms and the medical wards for tending patients; the largest building housed the priceless medical texts stored at Gusu. Curious eyes peered at the Yiling Patriarch as he was led past. A few of those in passing saluting the ZeWu-Jun as he glided past. A side road led them to a low building, open and airy & tastefully decorated. It seemed much more important compared to Qiren's office as the Dean of the Sect's school. "The Sect's leader's office." Lan Xichen, said with a smile. He led the way past and they came to conference room tucked away to the side. Most buildings in Cloud Recesses were made of wood, timber being easy to obtain and easily replaceable. This one was made of local stone, it's dark blue grey and soft white basalt belying it's age. Rather than risk the Yiling Patriarch escaping his bindings again, the burly disciples drew the chords tight and actively held him with their greater strength – essentially dragging him up the low timber walkway into the room, his heels dug in as hard as he could as he resisted with all his might, inspite of his silence.

Within, various disciples lay waiting among the set tables. Lan Qiren was at one, stoic and pensive as the Yiling Patriarch had ever seen him. Various Gugins and a few flutes lay prepared at the disciples tables. Aside from Lan Xichen & Lan Qiren, the Yiling Patriarch was only dimly familiar with a few. In total there were fifteen disicples and elders that entered the room, including the young Sect Leader and his Uncle. As the other disciples within took up the bindings, the burly disicples made their salute of respect and discreetly left, two sparing him pitiful gazes as they left. (The other members of the procession having returned to their duties during the march). Behind them, two elders closed the doors and stood at attention. As the Yiling Patriarch felt the bindings loosen from him, he backed away violently, shaking off the nearby disciples. Not that there was much that he could do. He stood at the centre of the room, surrounded by the tables and disciples. The ZeWu-Jun had taken a seat at a table next to his uncle. With the door guarded, there was no exit. The stone room only had a few windows built into it, and most had the wooden shutters closed. They were too narrow for a fully grown man to squeeze out of anyway. The Yiling Patriarch could only pace adgitatedly on the plush carpet on the floor. It was old but well cared for and still soft to the touch... but he could feel the spirit energy stored within the faded array that was hidden within the textured pattern that decorated it. Aside from the two that guarded the door, the other disciples took their seats as they watched the young man impassionedly. The tables were set in a loose circle around the centre, some drinks and refreshments seemed to be stored on another long table on the side. Clearly it was expected that the interrogation as it were, was to take a while.

Soft light from the overhead lamp kept the area lit, clever vents hidden at the top of the walls allowed airflow to cycle ensuring that they wouldn't stifle. The unblinking eyes followed the Yiling Patriarch as he paced irritatedly in the room, 5 metres one way, 7 metres another, but there was no escape route available for the young man. Scratching his head, a look of displeasure on his face, it was all the haughty Yiling Patriarch that Lan Xichen could see in front of him. The affable young man he was used to seeing with his brother, was nowhere in sight. He seemed to have realised his hair had come loose during the pursuit. Slowly fixing his ponytail, the man still paced like a restless tiger, huffing in irritation, multiple sounds of displeasure escaping as the Yiling Patriarch clearly judged and weighed various options only to realise all routes were dead. There was one way out of his predicament, but Xichen had hoped that the Yiling Patriarch wouldn't take that option. He truly hoped that this session would help to settle everyone doubts about habouring the problematic young man in their midst. No matter how pleasant he found his brother's cultivation partner to be, the truth was that as the Yiling Patirarch, he would always be a problematic issue – just for exisiting and what that would mean for the Sect. Lan Xichen wasn't sure if he was biased or if he'd gained a better understanding after seeing his intreractions with the HanGuang-Jun but he had a sudden epiphany while watching the young man pace restlessly, rubbing his arms at intervals or scratch his head... - Wait?Could he be...is he... afraid? -

It was a strange concept – the Yiling Patriarch Afraid?! Such a thought was practically incomprehensible. Most present would only have been accustomed to the confident cocky young man of the Sunshot Campaign, but the ZeWu-Jun could feel the nervous tension coming off the young man. He was clearly strung tight much like the guqin strings when you wound them to the point of breakage... He flicked a glance at the other disciples in the room, but it didn't look as if anyone else had picked up on the Yiling Patriarch's state, or perhaps he was getting feedback from the room. It had long been used for discreet discussions and the energy of the various arrays built into the room was tied to him as the Sect Leader. Most of what they intended to discuss here would only be recorded in their forbidden archives. Of the 15 Lan Sect disciples present including himself and his uncle, only two had been found to have no relation to the events they intended to question – allowing for an objective observation. Indeed, one of the oldest hadn't been involved in the Sunshot Campaign, only tending to the injured sent away from the frontlines and aiding with the protection of the Clan and family zones during the Qishen Wen attack. The other had been journeying so far away that the events in question had been over by the time he'd made it back home. Everyone else had been aware to some extent of the Yiling Patriarch's personality or behavior during the Sunshot campaign or had been present and suffered injury when the Yiling Patriarch had faced his demise. The other Elders had not wished to be present, their anger & resentment making them question their rationality if standing in the same room with the man. They had agreed to hold to the decision as made by these most respected of disciples, after the lengthy discussion made in the planning of the operation the week before.

- Shit! Dammit! Shit! - the Yiling Patriarch paced back an forth, he'd neatened his ponytail but it was hard not to pull it out again from barely contained panic, - The heck am I gonna get out of this one?! I don't wanna answer any damn questions! What if 'That' comes up... How do I keep 'That' quiet?! - But he couldn't see any way out of this pending doom. Not without trying to kill someone... and he didn't think that would be of help to anyone! It was an uncomfortable situation for him. He'd never felt the loss of his sword so keenly. His fingers itched and he was conciously aware of the bare space by his hip where Chenqing usually rested close to hand, but Chenqing was by the Sect Leader right now (and he really doubted attacking the well-meaning Lan Xichen would be of help right now). All he could feel were the endless eyes steadily watching him. His skin prickled...

Were they going to cry out for his ending as countless others had done in the past?

He really hadn't done anything since his return to the world of the living. Shouldn't his efforts at Yi City and the like have counted for something?

"Wei Wuxian?" the man jumped turning back towards the Sect Leader's voice, half crouched and arms half spread on guard. "Have you calmed down yet?" Lan Xichen's tone was even and kindly as he tried to soothe the agitated young man, "Please, everything will be easier if you just... assist us with this enquiry." the Sect Leader, still had a kindly look in his eye, in contrast to the more guarded looks the other disciples had towards the Yiling Patriarch. "Once we've finished, I will return both Chenqing & the Token of Passage with all rights once again to you after. I can assure you, nothing spoken here will be shared with the outside world without your permission. And all records will be kept in the forbidden section only."

The Yiling Patriarch swallowed nervously, it was a dangerous temptation... provided they kept their word "You swear? You won't tell anything?!"

"I can assure you that much. Not unless you wish to make the details known to the rest of the cultivation world."Lan Xichen shrugged, "This question session is more to settle our own peace among the elders, rather than to appease the other Sects. Unless you wish to reveal what we discuss to the other sects, the information will remain sealed in Cloud Recesses." the Zewu-Jun met his eyes steadily. The Yiling Patriarch had almost sounded like a child when he's made the plea.

The Yiling Patriarch had paced about, still anxious and scratching his head in irritated thought before striding to the centre of the room to face the Leader and the elders seated around him, "Fine! Let's... just get this over with! Bring on the thumbscrews!" he spat out, holding his arms out for them.

"We don't use such barbaric methods Young Man!" the elder at the fourth table scowled at him, banging on the table in his outrage.

"Heh! Yeah... and I didn't know Gusu here had a dungeon neither! You never included this in the student tour back in the day now did you?" was the Yiling Patriarch's sarcastic return. After all the room they were in right now was dug into the ground so they were at least a story below ground level. There were murmurings from the other disciples as they hadn't thought the Yiling Patriarch would have been able to tell. After all this room was one of the original buildings made by the ancestor and suffused with centuries of spirit energy for the purpose of being hidden.

"Master Wei...Please." the Zewu-Jun requested, seeking to calm the room before tensions built up. "We won't be using any tools of that sort." he explained. " If you agree, we will simply be playing the Song of Truth to you. That's all." - Of course. It would be some sort of music they would use I guess – the Yiling Patriarch thought to himself. "...and so? You play a tune, and i'll sing a like a bird? Is that it? "

"It is simply a harmony that prevents you from withholding the truth. You will enter a light trance – a form of light hynoptism as it were. The spirit energy enforced should not cause too much strain on the body." another disciple explained, "if you agree to it, that is."

"And if I don't?"

"There is less strain on the body if you agree to receive the song. After all forcing the truth from another causes stress regardless of the method." the Yiling Patriarch turned to face yet another disciple as they explained.

"So if I don't agree to this bullshit, then what?!"

"Then we will all be here for a very long time until you agree, now won't we?" the Zewu-Jun smiled, ever calm, ever patient. The Yiling Patriarch frowned at this – to be honest he wasn't sure if he could outlast a waiting game, especially with a man like the Zewu-Jun. Who was as calm as a still pool to the point that the man's patience sometimes scared Wei Wuxian. But the Sect Leader had never been anything but respectful or kind to Wuxian, even if it turned out to be only for the sake of his brother. Back in his student days or even now. He was a good man, and Wei Wuxian had never had a reason to resent or hate the man... and he didn't really want to start now.

"And what questions should I expect from the esteemable Gusu Lan then?" the Yiling Patriarch gestured with a mocking bow. "Baifeng Mountain and Laungzeng Hill" was the steady reply.

Wei Wuxian flinched, "Yes!... of course! It would be that then wouldn't it?" he paced around like an angry tiger again. After all they were some of the most controversial and painful of his crimes. He wanted to pull the hair out of his head in frustration again. - Arghhh! Dammit! Damned if I do, damned if I don't! There really isn't any way out of this is there? - He stared at the ceiling, standing akimbo with his back, haughty and stiff with his tension. The Yiling Patriarch released a large breath and sank into an ungainly crouch, his head between between his knees, elbows braced against his knees. "Fine!, " he scratched his head, irritated that he had to cave like this (but he couldn't really see any way out, and realisitically, he'd known something to this effect was likely to happen at some point), "What... exactly has to be done?" the tone of voice was exaperated with a hint of defeat, as he rolled back into an untidy sprawl, arms holding him up from behind. Expectant but clearly annoyed. There was a air of relief that circled the room, tinged with surprise – none of them had expected the Yiling Patriarch to comply this easily after all. The ingrained fear of his capabilities, keeping them on edge – indeed, most had kept a surreptious hand to their swords, just in case!

"There will be two sessions really," Lan Xichen proceeded to explain, "First, Lan Qiren has some questions for his own personal convenience. We will only be using the Song of Truth for that. It will help you become acclimatised to the song since we feel that those will be the least intrusive of the questions asked." The Yiling Patriarch spared a glance at the old man. Lan Qiren had been uncharacteristically quiet since his arrival into the room. The old man hadn't even looked that long at him – only sparing a few glances before turning away. Qiren only met his eyes briefly before turning away again as if he couldn't bear the sight of him – the heck does the old fart want to know? How I hexed his nephew? That was all on Lan Zhan's craziness not mine -

"So? Then what? A break while you all write Shit down before pestering me about something you all know already?!"

"A small one while everyone recovers energy, certainly." the Sect Leader agreed, "Once we have a grasp on how the energies will affect your body, we will progress to using both the Song of Truth and the Song of Resonance, when we start to revised the events of the Qiongqi Path & Laungzeng Hill."

"Resonance?" Wei Wuxian cocked his head in thought – it wasn't a song he recalled hearing practised at the music rooms when he loitered around the Sect.

Another gray bearded disciple explained, " Similar to the Empathy one uses to read the memories of the dead, but designed for the living. It is usually used by the Medical units when we need to find out events of what occurred from those that are unconcious or too traumatised to be able to speak. We have only occasionally had to use it on fellow cultivators though."

"Huuu..." the Yiling Patriarch was deep in thought. "You bastards want to look at my memories that badly? What are you trying to find? Even I haven't a clue how to fix that damn Seal anymore!"

"The events are well known... but no one knows what the Yiling Patriarch's point of view was since you have never made yourself available to be questioned. This should be veiwed as an opportunity for you to finally 'have your say', don't you think?" it was the oldest disciple in the room who pointed this out, stroking his long thin beard. A thin regal sage of elegant bearing. "With this method combined with Truth, everyone within this room will be able to know how you truly felt during those events. They will know your rage, your anger, perhaps even your guilt?" This was one of the disciples that held no animosity to the Yiling Patriarch. If anything, he was merely curious as a Qi Doctor and the academic controversity of a soul residing within another's body. He'd watched the young man from afar as he roamed around the Sect and aside from his cheeky nature, but had never found the man to be an issue... Then again, he'd lived long enough to not be overly concerned by others.

"I said to get it over with," the Yiling Patriarch growled from the floor, "what am I supposed to do? Get tied to a table or something?"

"First I think, the Song of Secrets." the Zewu-Jun interjected, picking up his xiao and beginning to play the lilting tune. First one then another three disicples, joined in as the disciples guarding the doors settled to their tables. Wei Wuxian shivered, hugging his knees to his chest as he rubbed his arms, every sense a quiver as the energy infused harmony weaved around the room and he felt the air become dead as the last note ended quavering like an echo. Wei Wuxian could almost see the faint golden sunlight of the energy smother the air as it did.

"With a harmony of five, this will definitely ensure that no words will be heard beyond these doors."Xichen held his hand out in entreaty, "Will you at least try to trust us please? The Gusu Lan are not the Qishen Wen." The Yiling Patriarch was clearly stressed, his face strained and glancing around from the doors to the windows, still seeking an escape route – but he could feel the power sealing the room and in this at least the Zewu-Jun was not lying. After a pause and another sign, Wei Wuxian eventually nodded.

"Find a comfortable position for now. You need to be relaxed. Either the Lotus position or something else, you could even lie down if that is easier." another elder coldly intoned. The Yiling Patriarch fidgeted about, trying various poses upon the carpet. Eyes closed, he settled for the crossed legs of the lotus position, but cupped his hands and left them lying in his lap trying to relax. "Are you calm?"

"I guess... as much as i'll ever be with all you bastards glaring daggers at me." the Yiling Patriarch shrugged, earning himself a multitude of frowns from the disgruntled elders in the room.

"Then we will begin." Lan Qiren announce, plucking out the melody for the Song of Truth. It was shorter than Wuxian expected. Maybe one verse and one chorus? It sounded like water drops flicking off of reeds, liquid trickles shivering through his soul. Qiren played it twice then the next player took up the rotation. By the third repetition, the Yiling Patriarch had finally relaxed into the light trance the Song was to induce, his head leaning slightly to the side. Breathing lightly, one of the disciples took a quick check of his vitals to assess his state, then turning to nod at the Sect Leader and his uncle. As they questioned the Yiling Patriarch, the other disciples would take up the repetition to keep Truth in effect.

Lan Qiren, rubbed his beard awkardly. No matter how you looked at it he was uncomfortable with this situation. He knew he shouldn't be questioning his nephew's choice, but he couldn't veiw the young man as anything but a flightly ne'er-to-do-well that would only cause his dear nephew harm.

"Who are you – can you state your name?" procedure dictated to start with the mundane, to allow the pattern of question & answer to settle within the target.

"...Wei Wuxian" was the laconic answer, the tone flat and unenergised due to his tranced state.

"Is your body your own?"

"Nope!"

"Who's is it?"

"Some idiot that dragged me inside and dumped me in here"

"Did you not wish to return?"

"...Everyone wanted me dead ...so what would be the point of coming back..."

"What was the first thought you had when you woke up in this body?"

"...Why am I alive?... then some asshole kicked me in the face" the disciples murmured amongst themselves, a few marking notes on the paper that they had prepared for the session. It was hardly the glorious welcome one might have expected for a personage like the Yiling Patriarch. Qiren tried to collect his thoughts, his other nephew remained silent, simply watching the exchange. "When you were first in the Mo village, what were your thoughts when you saw our disciples?"

"Mourning clothes mean Gusu Lan... babies still mean trouble" there was a lazy shrug.

"Did you habour thoughts of revenge for your death when you saw them?"

"They weren't there and there's no point making trouble with the Sect."

"When did you recognise the HanGuang-Jun?"

There was a slow smile, "Can't mistake that sword glare"

"Why didn't you stay in Mo village"

"Lan Zhan would be trouble"

"Did you try to run when Lan Wanji first brought you to Gusu?"

"Of course"

"Why"

"Why not? He surely hated me so I should stay out of his way and not cause trouble"

"Why did you flirt and vex him when you arrived"

"He hated it when we were students, I figured it'd make him lose interest and i'd be able to get out and away from everyone."

"So you did not care for Lan Wanji?"

"It's not about that, I figured he still hated me like before, like everyone else so I should get away. Since he'd scold me like before"

"Are you saying you had no idea of what he did for you in your last moments? None whatsoever?!"

"Nope... not till the Zewu-Jun explained it at the temple. Not that it really mattered by then, but it helped." Qiren spared a glance at his nephew... perhaps Xichen had mentioned something of the sort once or twice before. Xichen merely raised a serene eyebrow at his uncle, a small smile on his lips. Qiren sighed and rubbed his temple. The headache he always got when dealing with Wei Wuxian was already afflicting him.

"What do you remember then? When you died?"

"Not a lot... after the Tiger Seal crumbled everything was churning inside so didn't think much... Lan Zhan said I have a bad memory anyway." more murmurings occurred with the listening disciples as a few took more notes.

"Are you toying with Lan Wanji?"

"A bit...but he likes it" Qiren glared at the young man. Even in his tranced state a small grin hovered at the corner of his mouth. "You!... explain yourself?! How dare you play with his heart!"

"...Well, I thought he didn't like it in our student days, but he does...though i'm the one losing now..."

"...Lose? What is that supposed to mean?"

"I thought if I acted like a cut-sleeve like Mo Xuanyu supposedly was, then he'd throw me away and I would be able to get away...but he actually liked it – who knew? Now if I tease him then he ends up pinning me down. Ladies are missing out but he's mine now."Some strangled coughs sounded out from the other disciples in the room.

"Pin..." Qiren was horrified, "Must you hold him?!"

"Well I have to hold on to something when i'm riding him"

"Wait? What?! What is that supposed to mean?"

The tranced Wuxian shrugged slowly "He's quite well endowed, it's a pity we didn't understand each other back then, we wasted our student days when we could have been rolling in the meadow." he had a satiated smile on his face. "still we're making up for lost time. It's just a pity this body doen't last very long... though it's still probably better than if a lady received him. I'm not sure if they could last." there was a small frown on the Yiling Patriarch's face at that thought. The surrounding elders turned their embarrassed faces away as they began to understand the nature of the Hanguang-Jun's relationship with the Yiling Patriarch.
Qiren could only gape like a fish, "... You! How?...Wha?...You! Yo-You- You're the woman?!" he seemed incredulous. Xichen coughed to hide his laughter at his uncle's face, lips twitching as he fought not to smile. As much as his uncle had feared that his brother was suffering the indignity of being violated, it had never entered his mind that it might be the Yiling Patriarch that was was on the receiving side. Granted Xichen had never thought that far either (since that was his brother's business) but he couldn't really see his brother in the woman's role. The idea that the Yiling Patriarch was the 'woman' was startling... but at the same time seemed to make sense, at least where his brother was concerned.

"...Never really thought about it," Wuxian shrugged again, "Why? Should I?" he opened dull glazed eyes. Truth created a disassociation within the mind. Removing the restrictions that might prevent one from sharing that which they wished to keep hidden. So the mind was aware but the lips were loose, so that what might be only kept in thought, would be spoken of freely. "Lan Zhan is bigger than I am though." He looked down,"I mean... he has to reach up pretty far to make things feel good when we do it." He stretched out his shirt with one hand, measuring the area on his torso with his other. "He's about an inch or two longer than mine is, he's ...quite a monster down there... if I have to hit the same spot, then I might not be able to reach far enough to make it fun for him... besides, Lan Zhan likes being sheathed within." a number of disciples were coughing & hiding their red faces by now. Qiren looked stunned, unsure where to look. This was certainly not what he was expecting when it came to his nephew's relationship.

"Hohoho," the eldest sage stroked his beard chuckling to himself, shaking his head "...Such is the ardour of youth!"

The Yiling Patriarch had a small proud smile on his face, like a newlywed bragging about her husband's prowess on the wedding night.

Lan Xichen removed his sleeve from his mouth, turning back to look at his uncle. He'd given up on hiding his amusement. He loved the old man dearly, but Qiren was a very stubborn traditionalist. While Gusu was more openminded regarding same gender pairings in general, the idea that his brother's children might have had those inclinations had been far from his uncle's mind. Indeed, Xichen spared a small thought to sympathise for his uncle. The man had been looking forward to the day when the Twin Jades had their own offspring for him to dote on.

"Uncle – have you anymore questions for Wei Wuxian?" Qiren was in shock, he closed his mouth, "...No...No. I can't ... think of anything else to ask right now." Lost in his thoughts, he could only hold his head in his hands leaning on the table top as he tried to process what he'd learnt. The young Sect Leader caught the eye of the one currently playing the Song of Truth, nodding slightly and receiving a nod back in turn. The disciple finished playing out the last bars of the song, the notes falling into the now awkward silence. The Yiling Patriarch was still sitting crossed legged, but was proppng himself up, relaxed with his hands bracing him from behind. The Gusu Lan Sect members waited patiently for the effects of Truth to wear off naturally before they moved to the next stage.

It took a few moments but then the Yiling Patriarch shivered and the glazed look left his eyes. Looking about he asked, "Is it over?"

"The first part is, for now." the Sect Leader assured him, "Let the doctors assess your condition before we move to the next session." the Young man was tense and fidgety, flinching away from their energy but complied without too much fight as the Qi doctors hovered around him as a group. Poking, prodding, lifting his eyelids to check his eyes. One took his pulse. Another laid a light hand on his collarbone, sending spirit energy within to read his internal pathways.

"How is he? Will it be safe to continue with the Songs?" Lan Xichen asked after a moment.

"There doesn't seem to be too much untoward for now."

"I was concerned if the fact that he's in another's body might throw the energies out, but everything still looks stable within. It's what can be expected for those of a poor cultivation level."

"His Pulse and breathing are still even and I don't detect anything to suggest a point of elevated stress to be concerned for."

"For now, some Invigoratation tea to bolster spirit energy I think before we start the next session." the other doctors nodded in agreement. One went to the long table on the side to pour a bowl out of a tall teapot that had been prepared before and left to keep warm on a small brazier. He also brought over a small bowl with some small dark crackers. The Yiling Patriarch made a face as the smell from the bowl reached him. "Can't you served decent stuff for a change? Don't people usually get people sloshed with wine when you want someone to speak freely?"

"The herbs used to brew will help restore and stabilise your spirit energy" was the expressionless reply. The doctor seemed more interested in the discussion at hand, not really focusing on the Yiling Patriarch.

"We've never played both Resonance and Truth on the same individual. I'm not sure how the energies will react?"

"Yes that's true. When we usually use Resonance on a patient, the stress caused by the spirit energy changes depending on various factors: from whether they're a non cultivator; to the level of trauma recalled. Usually when we cast it on a cultivator to see the events when they are not certain how to explain what they've seen, the side effects seem to be effected by the cultivator's emotional state. I for one, have no idea how Truth will effect Resonance in this session." Wuxian gagged as he sipped the odd musty tea, listening in. The dry crackers were bitter to taste as well. Together they harmonised to a not too unpleasant whole... If you enjoyed bitter flavours - I can think of much better tasting things i'd rather eat... - regardless he could feel the effect of the strong herbs spreading warmth within his pathways. - … maybe some charcoal in the crackers... and maybe some mugwort? - He couldn't identify the other herbs, but kept one ear on the conversation. It was certainly the friendliest interrogation he'd expected to be in. if it had been Wen Cao and the Qishe Wen, he'd have probably been bleeding - a lot - by now.

"We ran a simulation before did we not?" the Zewu-Jun affirmed.

"Yes, we did." the disciple answered, "But the disciples that agreed to test the method, were all willing to share the information they were questioned on. If the Yiling Patriarch resists or tries to hide information – i'm uncertain what effect that may play on the result, though?" the disicples started to argue over music passages and certain notes. Wei Wuxian spared a glance at the door, but he'd already agreed to this. There didn't seem to be much point to kick up another fuss and try to make another break for it. - If i'd known it was going to be this comfortable then maybe I should have saved myself some bruises – but he'd always been on edge whenever the less than friendly disciples had approached him. - Maybe running away was an old habit from when I was a student when any elder meant a scolding – he scoffed at himself. He levered himself up and headed to the table to pour himself another bowl of the tasteless but invigorating tea. A couple of elders spared him a questioning gaze, but returned to the discussion when his nochalant air made it clear that he wasn't trying anything. He snorted quietly to himself as he caught a glimpse of Lan Qiren, head still in his hands as the contents of the questions he'd just answered recalled themselves to the Yiling Patriarch's mind. The trance from the Song of Truth meant that while he was aware to an extent, he was left feeling as if the conversation had happened a month ago. - Who knew the old fuddy duddy would be all upset over something like that... well, it relates to his prized pupil I guess. - He spared another glance at the old man, before shaking his head and returning to the carpet to settle himself for the next set of questions. - Don't know why he's so upset? Aren't most 'father's' happy to boast about their son's acheivement in the marital chamber or something? Then again I guess he's their Uncle... and well... a Lan... -

The disciples turned to see the Yiling Patriarch sprawled on the rug in his usual lackadaisial pose, one leg resting on his knee as he rested on his back with his hands supporting his head while he studied the intricacies of the shadows cast by the lamp on the ceiling. He looked up at them, "... So next part now?" Blank stares met his eyes, a little astounded by his careless air, "Yes... Now sit properly!" one eventually snapped at him. Wuxian rolled back up into the lotus position of crossed legs while he rubbed his back then settled his hands in his lap once again. He sighed, for all his relaxed demeanour, a small cold knot of tension was settled in his gut, twisting away with concealed worry. His eyes briefly met the knowing eyes of the old sage, before Wuxian turned away and sighed again trying to calm himself down unobtrusively. Behind him, the next alloted player picked up his instrument to begin the first bars of Truth once again on his xiao. Since the Yiling Patriarch's body was already accustomed to the energy flow, he reached the light trance by the part Wuxian recognised as the chorus. As the Xiao player restarted the Song of Truth once again, the next player started a new tune on his Guqin. The notes weaving inbetween those of Truth. "I want you to go back please." the Sect Leader's calm voice intoned, "To the day you last saw Jin Ziyuan. Take your time, Let us see the course of the day as you lived them."

For the listeners, a shadow bloomed in their mind. For some they closed their eyes to see the tale better, for other's it appeared before them like an image floating on air. A blinking action seemed to activate as the scene slowly became clearer:

A hand gripped a silver bell that was tossed careless in the air. The guqin's liquid notes played out the passage that allowed the veiwer to see the scene from the third person – another safety measure to ensure the veiwer didn't become lost within the memory of the other. It was a marketplace. The Ghost General stood nearby "It's a lovely bell, Master Wuxian".

- No go back! Don't go! - Wuxian's consious thoughts overlaid the memories being brought to the fore.

"Well, can't give the Peacock's baby anything less than the best!" - that's the last of my silver though... it'll be harder this coming winter. I wonder if Jiang Cheng has it this hard being a leader?... then again he actually wanted to be a sect leader... - It was going to be harder for him and the Wen Remnants in his care. He had no savings remaining now. He couldn't claim payment for night hunts and the few paying jobs he could obtain for caravan protection were drying up (not that there had been that many to begin with).

- that doesn't matter! Don't go! Stay away Idiot! Don't break Shijie's heart again! - it was a futile thought, and the present Yiling Patriach was well aware that the Past couldn't be changed...

Not that he could leave for very long. Whenever he did, some cocky cultivator would try to dispense 'justice' on the innocent Wen survivors – most weren't even cultivators. He'd had a half thought of letting the 'Yiling Patriarch' die or hide away and try to get paying jobs as a rogue cultivator but the ones that paid well would mean he'd have to leave the Wen's undefended for too long. He'd taken on the responsibility for the life debt they owed Wen Qing and her brother but it was hard! He missed his days being an annoying disciple, helping out at Lotus Pier, but those days were gone... but maybe something new could be set in place for the trio and the promise he'd had no choice to but to sever. Wuxian couldn't care less about the prissy Jins or other cultivators, but he was touched that the peacock had invited him to Yanli-Shijie's baby's 1 month celebration. - … Maybe – he stopped that thought, he'd burnt all his bridges, so there wasn't any point in hoping for the cultivation world suddenly welcoming him back...not unless another Qishe Wen cult turned up needing his puppets to clean up their mess again. But hope bubbled up within him in spite of his self chastisement. He'd finally get to meet the nephew he'd never seen after all. And this bell would ensure he stayed safe for his Shijie's sake! It was one of his best craftmanship after all. Attached to the overly expensive commissioned tassle, unless you knew what you were looking for, you couldn't have told it was anything other than just another evil warding bell to protect the young. But it was – after all he'd made it. There was quite a bit of power stored in there after all. The intricacies of the bell were highlighted momentarily – the craftmanship both delicate and strong, the power resonating even within the memory through the sensitive pads of the Yiling Patriach's fingertips - The Disciples watched the scene, marking notes here and there. The Guqin player plucked out the notes to accelerate the parts of the scene that didn't seem too note worthy. They watched as he headed to Qionqi Path with loyal Wen Ning. The Quiet of the path, the sudden arrow, placing the pair into alert. The reveal as hundred cultivators amassed on the cliff , arrows nocked, looking down on the Yiling Patriarch. The accusations flew back on forth along with the arrows.

The disciples murmured as a whole as the events of the ambush played out.

"there really was an ambush"

"He really was telling the truth, back then..."

"Why wasn't there a proper investigations?" the mutterings faded as the chaotic scenes played out in front of them.

Jin Ziyun barked out his demands regarding his curse and the Yiling Patriarch refused. Horror and shock at the hundred holes, the disgust that they were stupid enough to think someone like him was the only one to be capable of casting the curse. Sharing the memory, the disicples could feel the confusion and the irritation building within the Yiling Patriarch, He really did not have the faintest what the Jin disicple was talking about.

- What curse? That idiot doesn't need a curse, what he needs is a kick up the butt and a fist in the face!Why would I waste my effort with a curse? I don't need one to kick his arse! - arrows began to fly down, as the tensions grew. With no corpses available to call, Wen Ning yanked off his restrictor and entered the fray. - What is wrong with these people, they want the truth but don't wanna listen?! I was invited dammit! I haven't caused any trouble! This is self defense! - Battle ensued with Jin Ziyun as he descended down the cliff.

The Lan elders were then assaulted with a myriad of images – one after another.

It was a whirling mess of a fight, focused on Jin Ziyun, focused on the 100 on the cliff, focused on the tune to keep Wen Ning directed and controlled. To keep the stirring rage within him from overwhelming him. The need to protect the gift that was was for his nephew from one that was registered as an enemy. It was if everything was narrowed to the revolving sea of yellow Sparks among snow. Irritation washed over him, growing as the bettle continued amidst the twangs of the arrows. Jin Ziyun's accusations hurt, for the Yiling Patriarch had been hopeful for his shijie and seeing his nephew. The taunts leaving him raw. A red shade was suffusing the memory scene. The accusations rang within his head, warring with the tune he needed to play to direct Wen Ning. It seemed to ring in his head as he defended himself from Ziyun's sword. Everyone was just out to get him, just like always. Jin Ziyuan's appearance didn't make much difference. The interchange as Wei Wuxian stated the facts about the ambush left the young father disturbed, the reverse accusation that Jin heir had been a part of this. Jin Ziyun crushing the trinket to dust left Wuxian heart aching – cementing that the Sparks among Snow uniforms were all a threat. The man was on their side anyway, he'd warned the man to stay away. The sudden Lunge caught him off guard, then the red bloomed in front of his eyes...in the quiet pause as Jin Ziyun started yelling. His mind froze , deaf to everything around as the realisation began to set in as the Man's face became clear from the swirling haze of red and black that had been overwelming the scene – No! No! Noooooo! that wasn't what I wanted! It's not I wanted! WEN NING STOP! this shouldn't be happening! I can control it! It was controlled, there shouldn't be a problem!Shijie! - Jin Ziyuan's eyes matched his – shock & surprise was on the young father's face, but there was understanding behind that look as he saw the fearful shock in Wuxian's own eyes as he came to a realisation of his own, "...A-Li is still …. waiting for you at koi tower.." the life faded from his look after the silent exchange. - No! Dammit! Keep hating me! Don't forgive me you bastard! Yanli! Shijie!ARGGAGGGGHGHAHHAHHHHHHHHHHH!-

Lan Xichen rubbed his head, the self loathing of the Yiling Patriarch's heart rending denial still rang in his head. Shock, despair, heartrending grief, denial. The strongest emotion in the Yiling Patriarch having been the concern for his Shijie. He spared a glance at the young man to see him tied to one of the spare low tables in the room. It left Xichen feeling quite uncomfortable. Due to their concerns for the clashing spirit energies of using both Resonance & Truth, they'd arranged for 6 Qi doctors to be included. The two objective observers were to provide medical advice but devote most of their attention to the Resonance. The other four were to take turns in groups of two to monitor the Yiling Patriarch. "What happened?" the Zewu-Jun asked in his quiet voice. One of the doctors by the young man's side shook his head, "I thought the most we'd have to worry about would be him attacking us, during the memory, but he was beating himself up like a mourner at a funeral." he turned to check the bindings again. They'd used the spare guqin strings to tie his hands crossways so they lay comfortably against his chest. More strings tied him firmly to the table, back against the flat face. For good measure they'd also anchored his legs to the legs of the table. The disciple who answered was proficient in bone setting and usually carried a soft gag with him. Zewu-Jun gave another questioning look, "I wasn't sure if he was going to bite himself; I thought it might be best to stop that kind of injury before he did something... it wasn't pretty" Both disciples did look somewhat haunted. They and the song players might not be as immersed as the main observers but they still would have experienced a portion of the Yiling Patriarch's emotions.

"Must we have him bound? I do not wish for my brother to return and see him like that!" the Zewu-Jun requested.

"Hanguang-Jun is at least 3 hours swordflight way. We should be able to have him unbound by his return" was the steadfast reply.

"Have you any idea how fast my brother completes his missions whenever he's assigned away from the Yiling Patriach?" the Zewu-Jun shook his head.

"Wait? Is Resonance still playing?" another disciple noticed.

The way Resonance worked was even though it was a reasonably short song (only 3 passages and 2 chorus). You couldn't stop the song mid way, lest it cause a rebound on the spirit & mental energy within the targeted patient. So one had to play it till the end. If the song finished before the memory, then you have to loop and repeat the song to prevent that. More often then not, it had the result of drawing out more memories related to the enquiry that the questioner might not have associated with the event being question but was offered by the subconcious of the patient as it recognised the correlation to the question. Since this was usually beneficial, the GusuLan had never found a reason to alter the song method. Even Truth required this looping method to prevent spiritual backflow, though it was a shorter song by one passage. With the two together, it seemed as if another memory was to be revealed despite the patient's reluctance.

The elders settled themselves to prepare, wait and watch once again.

Darkness blinked and the scene shifted skillfully to the third person once again, the elders were faced with a pebbled stony wall. The blurred edges did not hide the scattered mess around the straw mat layed out on a stone. Paper amulats & various notes lay about the sandy floor in untidy order.

" What is that? A Hovel?"

"it's a mess"

"they must have been on the run and had to hide in a cave or maybe a sty?"

Zewu-Jun sighed, " I believe that is the slumbering demon cave at the Yiling Buriel Grounds. It matches my brother's reports."

The elders muttered amongst themselves...

"Didn't he rebuild some ruins with black marble and gold?"

"I thought it was said he was building a new Sect?"

Lan Xichen watched in sad silence as his disciples slowly came to the realisation that this was indeed the level the of 'prosperity' the Yiling Patriach & the Wen remnants had been reduced to from their ostracisation - the silent knowledge flowing into them from Wei Wuxian's memory.

Wei Wuxian's view slowly shifted from the faded walls of the cave and finally focused on the prostrate Wen Ning kneeling, head bowed beside his bed. His feet snaked out and kicked his erstwhile friend as the memory of the previous events came back to his mind. "Who did you kill!" His shock, grief and whirling anger were palatable. He repeated the phrase a few more times in his emotional state, "You could have killed anyone! … Anyone but him! Not Jin Ziyuan!" Wuxian paced a few more times. Wen Ning kept apologising throughtout this tirade, his every attempt gaining him another strike or blow to his undead body. Wen Qing stood by silently, for there was nothing to be said...

For the Elders watching, they had the knowledge flow into them that at this point of time, the Yiling Patriach had no idea that 3 days had already passed since he'd passed out from the shock of the young Jin master's death. Wen Ning had born the brunt of the irate archers as he'd carried the half concious young man back to the Buriel Mounds.

Wei Wuxian kept pacing, his mind a whirl trying to assimilate some plan – what was he to say to Shijie? By now the news would have already reached Koi tower and Shijie?...his heart squeezed at the thought of her tender face crumpling to tears as the news was revealed to her. His nephew now without a father. Would she hate him now, when she'd always been the one on his side? He shoved Wen Ning aside again – what had been the point of taking care of the Wen for the sake of defending the weak if this was the result. All the effort keeping away from the world as the world wanted – what purpose had there been? Being kicked out of Lotus Pier? Rotting in Mud away from people and the social fivolity he enjoyed the most. If he hadn'tstood up for the Wen would things have reached this point? (There was a brief flicker of the memory as he lashed out yelling at the only child remaining in the Wen Remnants that was quickly removed crying in shock by another elderly Wen.) He shoved the saddened Wen Ning once again... but almost immediately as the fierce corpse's tearless face caught his eye, he brought the young man into a hug. "No...it's not your fault...you never asked to become a puppet!" Wen Ning's gentle nature was probably just as upset over the events that had happened. Wen Ning had never wished to become a fierce corpse and Wuxian had never intended for his methods to aid the young man's conciousness to have resulted in the Ghost General. - This is all my fault... I can't blame Wen Ning, not when he's just a puppet. - He patted Wen Ning's shoulder and returned to pacing, his thoughts awry as he tried to figure something out. He was always able to figure something out...

- I had control! What went wrong?... I don't think I hated the Peacock that much... not when Shijie still smiles at the thought of him. I would have pounded him again if he made her cry but unless Shijie wanted him to Bleed I don't think i'd go That far – He paced around again, desperately trying to organise his thoughts for any plan of action for when the LanlingJin were likely to come storming for blood.

- Wen Ning wouldn't have become a puppet without the Tiger Seal. And that Bastard, Jin GuanShan has wanted the Seal from the beginning. If I hand it over would it make up for this? No – I can't risk that. He's the last person that should have the Seal... even that Smiling Bastard is someone I wouldn't trust with the Seal. No matter how well intentioned he is... Even I have trouble with the Seal if I rush things too much. That's why I split it – it's too powerful. Mishandle it and it becomes temperamental...It's the fear of the Seal that keeps everyone away and the Wen's protected...the Jin's won't leave them be, even if I do hand it over.- he scratched his head in frustration, pacing another length of the cave – Do we run? Go deeper into the Buriel Mounds? Did they plan this to get the seal? No, the old fart wouldn't kill off his own son; can't speak about that idiot Ziyun, but not his own son! Maybe the Midpoint? … No, I can't risk it. I'd still need the Seal to cleanse an area large enough to house everyone! And I can't guarantee that a barrier made with the Seal would be even strong enough to keep those Things out! -

The watching Lan were given a brief glimpse of something very Large & powerful that Wuxian had observed from afar, with great caution. Hiding away in a tiny cave, sticks digging into his flesh as fear left him nearly mindless and hoping that the Things wouldn't notice him. All the Lan's could make out amongst the shadows of the night and the thick miasma of resentful energy was something massive and maybe multiple appendages of some sort.

The brief flicker of another memory faded and returned to the bare walls of the Demon Slumbering Cave as the Yiling Patriach continued pacing in thought. - It took us a Year to get this place liveable on the outskirts! There's only old men and civilians in the Remnants. The few cultivators left aren't even at any skill level, even though they are at golden core... these are all Wen Qing's people so they were more Qi doctors in training instead of strictly swordpath practictioners. Only Wen Qing, Wen Ning & myself are at any combat capabilities... We'd never be able to deal with just one of those. Maybe if we were hunting but not with non-combatants to protect. It's just not possible...and it's nearly winter! The snows will have started already once you get further in, what with all the negative energy in there! We won't be able to bring enough supplies to keep everyone fed if we go further in! - He paused for a moment. Wei Wuxian had never wanted to be a Leader of a people or Sect or anything. He'd always thought that he'd just be Jiang Cheng's second at Lotus Pier, until the young sect Leader was stable and maybe started his family...then maybe he'd go roaming as a long reaching agent? Like when his father had left to wander with his mother, the Canse Sanren... or so he'd heard. Were these the sort of headaches that his sword brother had wanted to worry about, as a Sect Leader? He'd never wanted these responsibilities... yet if he hadn't spoken up, then Wen Qing's people would likely have died in that Quarry. They owed the Wen Siblings too much to just stand by and ignore the unjustness of their situation – even if Jiang Cheng had no idea how much the debt owed was.

Did he regret his choices? - Yes, of course I do... I miss Shijie and everyone, even that scowling idiot of a Sect leader -

Would he have chosen differently if faced with the same situation again? - No. They were innocent. Even without the life debt I would have said something, done something... to live true to myself without soul damning regrets, to stay the righteous path...The Jin's went too far. Especially with them acting like the bloody QisheWen replacements. -

"There is a solution" Wen Qing mentioned, silent until now.

"Wha..." Wei Wuxian found himself collapsing into Wen Ning's arms before he'd had a chance to register the slight Prick to his scalp. His legs and body becoming limp. "Wha-what are you doing?!"

They laid him gently back onto the straw mat of his bed. Then they explained the Jin's offer and their reasoning.

"No! You'll Die! You can't!" Wuxian struggled desperately trying to move his unresponsive body. "The fault is mine – None of you should have to bear the price for it!"

"We have already lived more than any of us had expected to" Wen Qing stated, "With our deaths, Mine & Wen Ning's, they no longer have any further reason to target you or the last of the Wen. None of the other's have enough Blood to be considered a threat and Jin GuanShan garanteed that this would allow for a mending. Given what my brother has become, I can't fault their fear. They don't know my brother as you do and have no reason to veiw him differently."

"You'll still Die! There has to be another way! I'll find a way! I keep my promises and I promised to keep you and yours safe!"

"You've already paid more than enough. I'm releasing you from your promise now. Once we are gone and they no longer have a reason to fear the Wen Remnants, you can go back to your Sect Leader."

Wei Wuxian hesitated – He missed the rambuctious ambience of his childhood home with a vengence... the temptation was strong, so strong...but still, it wasn't to be... not when he could see all that could go wrong...

"You've no garanteed if that dried out Snake will even keep his promise – you'll likely die for nothing! I'll figure something out!...just give me time! I'll think of something! I always do! I can think of something! I can! I will! I … I just need more time! " He was pleading with the Siblings without knowing.

Wen Qing gave him a sad smile, "We already discussed it with the others...even if death is all that awaits us. We've all lived longer than any of us expected. It was a hard life...but not as harsh as we might have suffered. You gave us a peace we never expected to see again."

Wen Qing leant forward brushing a light finger to his forehead, a dull warmth blooming as she channelled Qi to let him sleep. "You'll be asleep for three days. Fourth Uncle will tend to you. We've already made this decision. Be free." Her words were difficult to make out as the healing qi began to take affect, Wuxian's eyes growing heavy despite his effects to stay awake and stop them – he could barely make out her last words though they left his heart aching...

"...Thank you...and i'm sorry" Wen Qing's sad parting were the last words he heard as Sleep slowly claimed him.

- No...Dammit! You'll die.. I promised!...come back!...dammit move! Idiot move!... you'll die! Come back!...come ba...-

The memory faded to it's end as the last notes of Resonance faded to a close. Truth having ended a mere few bars earlier. There was a collective sigh as the observers steadied themselves at the scenes they had scene.

Lan Qiren had his head in his hands, a miserable look on his face, "Dearest Gods! I had no idea! I thought he'd just cast them aside, having grown bored of the responsibilities once they become too much for him and that was why he wasn't present when they showed up at the Tower!"

"He never wanted to let them leave..."

"What was that about a pardon by the Jin's? I never recalled hearing anything about that when they had that emergency ruling after the Jin lad's death?"

"Was there really an agreement like that? Jin GuanShan never said anything about a deal of any sort!"

A look was spared to the listless young man, still tied to the table...tears ran from his closed eyes across the deep scratches he's inflicted on himself in his anguish, showing the tracks of his despair. Zewu-jun came closer, taking the damp cloth from the docter tending him to wipe them gently away, kneeling by the sad young man. "I know there were rumors a plently about how he abandoned the Wen siblings after going to the trouble of stirring things up in the first instance, but this clearly shows a different tale."

"Hmm, yes – it explains a lot. The Wen Siblings didn't put up a fight when they came to the tower if I recall"

"I thought their execution was because they had been caught attacking the Jin leader, leading to their capture?"

"Why wasn't there a trial – this makes it seem that the decision to kill them all was already done?"

"Because no one was of a mind to listen back then" Zewu-jun said sadly... "At Nightless City when the ashes were cast, Wei Wuxian pointed this out...but even I...things happened so fast..."

"But there was clearly an ambush" the eldest Sage in the room, one of those brought as an objective observer, raised some much needed clarity."He never intended any harm to that boy, no matter how much he disliked them..." Thoughts turned back to the events they had witnessed and the sad death of the Jin Heir.

"Towards the end it was virtually an ocean of Spark of Snow...I don't think he even knew who he was talking too, or at least he half knew but hadn't registered. It was very much 'the World against Me'!"

"They were too close together... Jin Ziyun & Jin Ziyuan were cousins were they not? The Spirit energy between the two were likely far to similar for him to tell the difference... not till that last strike!"

"Friendly fire Hurts! I should know – I still have the scar from when one of the Qingqi Nie aimed a saber strike at me during the Sunshot Campaign! I'm just lucky he recognised me at the last minute and pulled the blow lest I would have been trampled in the mud with a severed spine!"

"Did anyone else get that montage of Jiang Yanli & Jin Ziyuan? Madame Yu's words that 'he would only bring bad luck to the Sect' seem to have affected him more than anyone could have expected."

"I did... to be honest it brought to mind my younger brother – he still can't stand our brother-in-law, He's convinced that our Sister could have done better than a craftmaster. Wei Wuxian is a better brother; Mine still tries to arrange better suitors when our sister is married with 5 kids!"

"Is he a bad husband?"

"No he's a very good man and treats her well! My brother, just thinks she could have done better cos she deserved better."

"To be honest, those interactions put me in mind of our youngest! As you know we weren't planning to have another so he came to us late and caught us by surprise. He threw the biggest tantrum at my Youngest daughter's wedding – accusing the groom of stealing and taking his sister away... he was only about 8yrs old to her 18yrs."

"I always thought he was at odds with Jin Ziyuan because he was expecting to marry into the Jiang Clan or something – but I didn't see anything of that sort of romance in those images of his Shijie. Mostly admiration and devotion – that's all."

"Cleary his relationship with his Shijie was more than anyone understood," this from the eldest disciple, " there was a lot of despair running within him that day. He was very unstable from the ambush and something else. That emotional upheavel he was experiancing during the battle was not the norm."

"Isn't that the norm for those that use demonic cultivation – all that resentful energy damages and contaminates the spirit pathways."

"It didn't feel like Demonic cultivation though?" the Sage stroked his beard in thought again. "how many died at the Qiongxi event again? It started with about 300 of Jin archers and some other minor Sects?... or was it only 100 but then others joined the battle along with our disciples once word of the ambush reached Koi Tower did it not?"

"Once our disciples joined the ones accompanying Jin Ziyuan to stop the ambush there were a total of 300 on the ridge" a disciple that had lost a son at Qiongxi, and a son & grandson at the Nightless City fight clarified.,"30 fatalities and several injured. A terrible loss indeed..."

The old sage raised a brow at this statement, "I'm sorry for your personal loss but that's hadly the amount of death I would expect from a Demonic Cultivator! I'd take you more seriously if you said there were only 30 survivors."

The others in the room protested against this statement vehemently.

Unphased the old elder shook his head at them, "Maybe you're all too young but I was a young man during the last altercations with demonic cultivators. The bloodlust they desire is insane, i'd believe that chap, who was it?... Xue Yang? more likely a demonic cultivator that this one."

"Surely not?"

"His use of Resentful energy and the like, smacks of demonic methodology"

"True, " the old sage stroked his bread, "certainly in terms of his cultivation, his methods are surely of the unorthodox... but that doesn't guarantee that he fits the mould of a 'demonic cultivator'. He spent that entire ambush trying to keep that General of his from getting too out of line – you all can feel that strain." He looked at one of the elders that had been a part of the sunshot campaign, "You were ambushed during the campaign were you not Lan Ling? You were I think, according to the reports I read to familiarise myself with everything, ambushed 50:10 were you not? Could you have maintained a defense array while dodging arrows and swords at the same time?"

Lan Ling frowned, "you know that isn't the case. To begin with our strongest barrier arrays rely on us remaining grounded in the one area to anchor the array."

"and yet that was exactly what this young man had to defend against? I can't really blame him for using the weapons he had at hand." the old sage shrugged, sipping some cold tea before joining the other doctors in the centre around the patient.

"How can you say that? Our people died!"

"So we are to fight in self defense but the one attacked is not?" was the sage's calm answer.

"Lan Yueren, I don't fault your years of experience but it almost sounds as if you don't view demonic cultivators as a threat?!" another elder argued.

"and how many of you have fought with a demonic cultivator other that this young one before us?"

There was an extended silence, for indeed no one had. The last demonic cultivator war was centuries ago.

"Shall I refresh everyone's memory? The wars that created the Yiling Buriel Mounds ended maybe 10000yrs ago? I know we removed it off the general education program but the information should all be available in the library still. Wen Mao gained fame for his sect by taking on the responsibility of maintaining the barrier that keeps the creatures there from enroaching on the rest of the land about … 200yrs after people came to realise there were things in the Yiling Buriel mounds? About 500yrs back? Their history before their demise was a good 700yrs. Almost as long as our Sects beginnings. The Jiangs only became the lords of Lotus Pier about 200 or 300yrs ago but Lotus Pier itself is almost as old. I would have been in my 20s still and some of the unorthadox and demonic cultivators were stirring up trouble around about that time. Admittedly, the Demonic cultivator-types are more likely to take on those stupid aspirations of 'ruling the world' and such." He mused for a bit, "I wonder if its the effect of all the negative energy they use that inflates their ego so? Anyway, Demonic cultivators usually crave blood and carnage. It... entertains them."the Sage wrinkled his nose in distaste, "From what i've observed most of the Demonic Cultivators are already prone to such thirst – serial killers and the like. Some have no choice; since the demonic beings they sign contracts with to absorb the demonic energy, so that they can keep their sanity, need to feed on the blood of the living. My point is that this young man seems to have found a method that lets him use such negative energies without suffering such side effect, so can we really dub him a demonic cultivator in the usual sense of the threat?"

"But it was those energies that led to the death of the Jin Heir!"

"Did they? We all just witnessed it? This young man was remarkably sane during his battle. Irate certainly, and the typical battle hunger was present, indeed... but I did not pick up on anything untoward. If this is your definition of a demonic cultivator's bloodlust then you might as well label the QingheNie with the same strokes."

"...but"

"to begin with, we would all still be at war with the demonic battles from three centuries ago if not for the unorthodox demonic – dark path cultivators that assisted us back then. They usually keep to themselves. The only reason they assisted back then was because the main perpretator was the result of infighting within the Dark Dragon Sect. Just like people, there are good ones and bad ones. The decent ones among the unorthedox generally stay in their own territories and keep themselves away. I won't comment on their methodology as that's a different cultivation argument."

Xichen interjected at this point, "What now – do we continue with questioning him? Is it even safe to continue? He seems … rather unsettled from the recollections shared."

The surrounding doctors immediately fell to discussing things amongst themselves as they tried to assess the Yiling Patriach's condition. The Sect leader did his best to remain calm as he spared a glance to determine the current mood of the elders here to judge the fate of the young man in their midst.