MDZS Fanfic
Red Strings of Connections
ARC 03 Chapter 61
Hammered the Cruel Truth

“Lifelong atonement?” Wei Wuxian nodded to sect leaders that were utterly confused about his suggestion. “How? What is your suggestion?”

“Melt their spiritual core, for them to regret that they are blinded by money, and killing all innocents in the name of honour.” Everyone went shocked on hearing this, “Maze is too much for those who simply joined the Sun Shot Alliance for money and fame, and executing them is way too easy to make them pay the lives they’ve taken.”

“And how will we do it? Should we learn Lady Qin Su’s medicine?”

“You meant Heixin? No way we will use her medicine, or else, in the future people will start using it to hurt others.”

“So Heixin will be forever banned—is what you wanted to say?”

“Yes. As for the way of melting their Spiritual Core--"

A disciple interrupted everyone coming from outside the hall.

"What is it?" Madam Yu's fierce voice asked, "We're in the middle of an important meeting!"

"This disciple apologized, didn't mean to offend the madam and the leaders. But there are two daozhang here who want to meet Young Master Wei and Set Leader Zhu immediately."

"Let them wait--"

"Wait Ziyuan..." Cangse Sanren interrupted the madam, "Let me handle this." Madam Yu huffs, "This is Sect Leader Zhu of Zhuque Sect, who asks the gentlemen to state their names and sects."

"Sect Leader Zhu," A different voice and tone has reached their ears, the spoken person has more demure and politeness on him, though, it has different results for the mother and son duo, that they look at each other. "The 'Grandmother' living in the 'Mountain' has sent us."

Grandmother... Mountain... Although it confuses the others even more, the mother and son burst out laughing instead.

"Let them in, let them in!" Cangse Sanren commanded whilst their laugh.

"Hey why let them in with just those words!"

"It's alright Sect Leader Nie. Those words are enough..." Wei Wuxian informs them then continues on laughing, while the disciple outside has finally let the guests enter.

"Just like I thought! It is you Xingchen-shixiong."

"Ying-shidi, I'm glad that you are safe."

"Master lets you down, that's rare."

"Yes. All for the sake of helping you in this war."

"No wonder I did not see you back then, Zumu gave a task to you again!"

Xiao Xingchen nodded

Meanwhile behind the table of where their strategies were laid off, Li Yang is staring at the newly arrival daozhang, of course, after all, this daozhang is the person that they fought alongside against the Xu Xuan Town. But Li Yang cannot act all friendly to him with others around, beside Li Yang wasn't sure if Xiao Xingchen could still remember him.

While staring, Xiao Xingchen finally smiled specifically for him.

"It's been a long time, little daozhang."

Li Yang has a wide smile, "You've remembered me Brother Xiao!"

"Of course, there's no way I could forget the person that saved me." Li Yang runs to him and embraces him, which the older daozhang welcomes. He then turns to the other three, "I'm also glad to see the three of you well." All those involved in Xu Xuan Town Case have given each other greetings.

"You're really in there? Master really lets you down."

"Indeed Shijie; sometimes I am kind of scared of how much she'd changed..."

"Now, now, you don't have to, doesn't that just only mean that Master has trust in you? That you would do your task and would always come back on her Mountain." Cangse Sanren reassured the younger disciple.

The happy go merry reunion of those from Sacred Mountain and solvers of Xu Xuan Town has cut off short when Madam Yu coughs to take their attention; that's it when they realise that they are actually in the middle of a strategic meeting.

"Somehow... Sorry?" Wei Wuxian apologized, "So, this is Xiao Xingchen, he is my shixiong from Sacred Mountain."

"Sac--wait up wait up! Since when you've been a disciple there?"

"Hmm? Since when? Ah! Right, during my one year seclusion!"

"Your seclusion location is in Sacred Mountain?!"

Wei Wuxian nodded. "So... Any news Xiao-shixiong?"

Xiao Xingchen smile and nodded, "But first I would like to introduce to you my friend."

The cultivator that has been silently witnessing the scene has finally taken a step forward and given his greeting to everyone in the room, "I'm a cultivator from Snow White Pavillion, Song Zichen."

"We infiltrated the enemies' castle together."

Madam Jiang commanded the disciples outside to close the door.

"Have you learned anything valuable?" Madam Jiang asks.

"Yes, Madam. But..."

"But?"

"The Master of Sacred Mountain has clearly and strictly ordered this disciple that I only give information to my fellow disciples; my Shijie Cangse Sanren and my Shidi Wei Wuxian."

"So? We have to leave first before you speak?" They may be little offending what they are hearing but they heard many things about Baoshan Sanren, especially her dislike to humans, so they understand the 'Strict' and 'Clear' command she gave to her disciple, and beside with war that's going on right now, even them would not trust just anyone.

"This one apologized. But I am also clearly and strictly ordered to speak only with the people trusted by Ying-shidi."

"Oh then you can speak now, everyone in this room are people I trust."

Xiao Xingchen scans his surroundings, the people inside the room, but he halts and blinks his eyes, he stares at a certain disciple for a while and seems to be confused.

"Shidi..." Xiao Xingchen whispered.

"What's wrong shixiong?" Wei Wuxian whispered in return; only Li Yang could hear them as he was still hugging Xiao Xingchen.

"That cultivator over there... Isn't he kind of familiar?"

"Who?"

"The cultivator that stands between Daozhang Zhangyao and a madam..."

"Hua Xie? He is an excellent disciple from House of Zhang in Zhuque Sect."

"Hua Xie...? Ying-shidi..."

"Is there anything wrong? Should I ask him to be out?"

"You actually don't need to, Shidi. Right, you never meet those two friends of our Master even during your seclusion."

"Ha?" Wei Wuxian stares at Hua Xie intently, trying to break the words his shixiong from Sacred Mountain been worrying about; and now he gets to look carefully at Hua Xie if he realizes something.

Hua Xie has been a disciple in Zhuque Sect since their childhood days, he came months before the incident with Jin Guangshan; he was brought in by Tiao Liujuan and from what he had heard, his uncle has found Hua Xie living in shrine in Puqi Village. He was alone yet Hua Xie never fails to offer a flower in an altar of Flower Crown Prince and Crimson Rain Sought Flower. He doesn't have anyone and already treated the shrine like his own house.

Even though he was accepted in Zhuque Sect, he would always come back to Puqi Shrine and offer flowers thrice a month.

His sister, Tiao Reinshun's knowledge about Flower Crown Prince and Crimson Rain Sought Flower mostly came from him.

Wei Wuxian blinks... His Zumu's friends are only the red robed Ghost King and white robed God; and it's so unsettling how similar Hua Xie's face is and demure to the two higher beings.

"Umm... Hua Xie... Are you by any chance known your parents?"

"Hmm? I do." This shocks the Zhuque Sect members, except Cangse Sanren.

"Then would you be so kind to enlighten us?"

Hua Xie smiles awkwardly, "Young Master Ying might not believe this disciple."

"Go ahead, and try me..."

"My parents are... Flower Crown Prince and Crimson Rain Sought Flower."

Wei Wuxian doesn't know if he should curse or jump in happiness.

They have as fellow disciple a son of two higher popular beings?!

*****

Various explosions have surrounded the two warring sides, those from Sun Shot Alliance uses their number to overwhelm those from prominent sects, but this isn't become a reason for them to back out, instead, with strong allies from Zhuque Sect, Nie Clan, Lan Clan and Jiang Clan the result are being obvious, in addition to their force is one from Sacred Mountain and another from Snow White Pavillion.

From the desert, grass field to forest the winner of this war are getting obvious, even still the hired cultivators of Sun Shot Alliance has no qualms to run so they could save their lives--apparently, their pride is also on the line, if they win this unwinnable war, then their status and reputation will rise to top, especially if they able to kill at least one of prominent people, like the Radiant Sun Lord or the Light Bearing Lord.

To think the defeat of Moonlight Butterfly has given this much confidence to these weaklings.

Yet, her death has also become fuel for those close to her. The fuel is called rage.

Xiao Xingchen and Song Zichen's report on the strategic meeting three days ago has made Wei Wuxian and everyone lose all the hope of seeing the female cultivator ever again.

"What do you mean? Sis Rein is really..."

Xiao Xingchen closes his eyes, he knows how hurt it is to learn that the person that has been part of your life, has died and you couldn't even do anything nor even see her for the last time.

Wei Wuxian losses the strength on his legs, just earlier, just fucking hour ago he claims that Tiao Reinshun is still alive and as long as there's no corpse that will be found, they would continue to believe that they will see her again, yet... All of sudden they get punched by the truth that Tiao Reinshun has really been killed.

No one made a comment, nor done a violent reaction; Lan Wangji supported Wei Wuxian, while tears began streaming from the members of Zhuque Sect, Madam Lan heaved a breathe, trying suppressing the choking sob on her throat, her son Lan Xichen frowns, and closes his eyes and secretly biting his lips; then there's Nie Huaisang covering his face with fan, and cries with his brother sect leader rubbing his back.

How?

How will they just accept it?

This is such a cruel truth...

Song Zichen heaved a heavy breath, cutting off their emotional breakthrough with another cruel truth.

"The one that killed Lady Tiao is..."

"It's their pet right? JUST WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS PET THAT IT ABLE TO KILLED THAT BITCH?!" No one refuted on how Jiang Cheng has addressed Tiao Reinshun, no one is in the mood--no, the news is just simply so heart breaking they cannot crack a sideways comment, like their usual antics.

"It was..."

*****

Tiao Reinshun's death has greatly fuelled both sides; one side with rage, while the opponents were fuelled with confidence, and no side wants to be defeated by the other.

But over confidence always leads to disaster.

One person, nor two, or even three won't ever notice what's really going within their surrounded as their minds were filled with desire to kill the prominent people and hope to raise their reputation in Cultivation world. Literally no one have noticed that they were actually being gathered in the centre of the war field; they are overwhelming with false confidence just like Wen Chao and his comrades that it's no wonder that a simple trick has lead all of Sun Shot Alliance's participants to an utter failure; and the moment they have finally realized what's going on, they are already bumping to each other, still it isn't like everyone do realized that they have already fell into trap, that there's some that begun complaining to their comrades being bumping them.

So while this little inside war is going on, Wei Wuxian and those present cultivators readies their weapons; there's no more mercy that should be shown to these people.

But before anyone could slash the nearest enemies, something blocks the light of the sun; and from above, Wei Wuxian and the others have seen an enormous hammer head that was about to fall in them.

The hammer as going down is being ignited that the smoke has sparked a fire, the event has occurred so fast, that the next thing they have seen is the Sun Shot Alliance's participants have all hammered and then roast.

"What the--"

The person that carries the enormous hammer landed easily in front of Wei Wuxian, and upon the sight of their helper, Wei Wuxian couldn't help but to dash towards 'him' and embraced him tightly.

"Yu'er!"

"Ying-xiong!"

Xingxiu Xuanyu has finally come back.

"What..." Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji both sigh in relief, although, Jiang Cheng is much more expressive than Lan Wangji. "He finally came back." Lan Wangji only nodded with "mn".

"You are alright Yu'er!"

"I'm sorry Ying-xiong for coming back just now."

Wei Wuxian ripped himself from his brother to have a better view, "Where have you been?"

"I was abducted by the Mo Family with Jin Guangshan, and got to stay there for months. I actually tries to killed myself with everyone in that place, but my suicide fails, so instead I infiltrated the Nightless Castle where I heard Wen Chao is based in." Xingxiu Xuanyu closes his eyes and his emotions that have built-in him have finally poured out. "Ying-xiong..." He choked on his own sob.

"Yu'er..."

"Reinshun... Reinshun is... already..." Xingxiu Xuanyu wasn't able to continue his words, and Wei Wuxian and the others understood him, even them... Even them, cannot accept it at all, much more, him who has been in love to their sect sister ever since.

Everyone halted all of the sudden.

The sobbing, the sadness, everything, all remains silent, that only the flickering of flames were the only noise they could’ve heard.

Wei Wuxian, Xingxiu Xuanyu and Lan Wangji even Jiang Cheng, the sect leaders felt their hair rise and their inside shivers upon catching an overwhelming resentful energy coming from nowhere. Worst, they couldn't locate it, it feels like they were inside of it.

Within this bombarding questionable anxiety and alertness, someone came into their view.

Her familiar purplish hair tied in loose braid, thick rouge, and robe that doesn’t belong to her sect.

The present participants of the war jaw drop, although they all believe that it is really impossible for such people to defeat, much more kill such a strong cultivator, they are still shocked to see her actually alive.

"Take a full caution..." Song Zichen has warned them all, they all thought that warning is about the betrayal of one of well-known cultivators, but still they didn't expect this much, especially "her" betraying her clan.

Wei Wuxian and Xingxiu Xuanyu are the only ones who are frowning at the sight of their sister wearing the enemies' robes.

"You—how could you betray your own clan?! I even deeply respect you despite being young Tiao Reinshun!"

Wei Wuxian peaks at the Sect Leader that shouted these words, and he hears nothing but full of bullshit. This man is the sect leader of Yao Clan, he is known as someone who is aware of their weakness, still has no ears to listen to the new generation. The Zhuque sect deems him unworthy of forging an alliance with. He clearly remembers how this sect leader brushes his opinions and suggestions during various meetings, including the war strategic meeting yesterday; and he only listens to the adults, too bad for him, these adults have belief in Wei Wuxian's generation.

Maybe, seeing now that one of the new generation delegated into this, he thinks that he is right at not believing in the youngsters.

The Zhuque sect's siblings sighs, Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng look at them confused. Right, these two aren't aware of the truth about Tiao Reinshun.

"You guys are really strong~" "Tiao Reinshun" praises their work of defeating tons of their comrade; completely ignoring the older sect leader.

"What is this?! So that's your real colour Tiao Reinshun! You have no respect for your elders and you have a thick face to show your face right after you betrayed your clan!"

"Respect? Who are you even, old man? Are you even amount of something?"

"You--"

Nie Mingjue, the current Sect Leader of Nie Clan finally had enough of Sect Leader Yao's shouting self-comforting words. "Sect Leader Yao..." He then turns to the siblings. "What's going on here Radiant Sun Lord? Moon Hammer Lord? It's good that she's alive, but ain't she out of her mind?"

"Don't worry, Sect Leader Nie, that girl is literally out of her mind, just like Wen Chao."

"Oh c'mon don't lump me with that ugly."

No one said a thing.

'Tiao Reinshun' huffs, "What? Cannot say I am ugly too? Of course you couldn't! Calling me ugly is pretty much saying your beloved 'Tiao Reinshun' is ugly as well."

"You are completely UGLY inside."

‘Tiao Reinshun’ burst out laughing, "Of course, of course! Only 'Tiao Reinshun' is perfect in your eyes! Yeah, yeah I already accepted that I will never belong in Zhuque Sect, but so what? That doesn't change the fact that I Defeated that bitch!"

These conversations confuse those who are unaware of the truth about Tiao Reinshun's twin sister.

"That 'I' Tiao Kanglin killed Tiao Reinshun!" the ground trembles strongly that it makes the others stumble, right in front of them, behind Tiao Kanglin emerged an enormous tortoise with snake as its head. “Oh~ and here~ meet my pet, from Muxi Mountain, Xuanwu!"