Taking roots after the misty rain

Ch-1

Jin Zixuan was pacing in his room. He was trying to piece together what had happened in the past few hours, or should he say in the future? But that timeline is his past but right now he is in the past so that means that his past is his future but that future is his past which is his future which is his...

"Ah!" He let out a frustrated groan.

"Okay, let me try again. Apparently, I was killed by the Ghost General on the Qiongqi Path. Wei Wuxian was playing a dizi that was controlling the Ghost General..." He spoke to himself as he reminisced the event.

"Wait! I heard another sound, a xiao! It was very similar to the dizi, it must have been played by the one who was controlling Wen Ning! Even though Wei Wuxian doesn't like me, he stills holds his Shijie dear. He would never try to hurt her husband. Whoever it was, they must be trying to frame Wei Wuxian."

The initial generations of the Jin clan practiced a special form of cultivation. They cultivated with animals considering their ancestors had been hunters. However, as the years passed, the clan grew stronger and when a gold mine was found in the area under their jurisdiction, the clan's wealth was ensured for many future generations. Lanling was rich in mineral resources, the trade agreements that came along only furthered the extent of their wealth. As the sect progressed, their style of cultivation changed, the main line began to use swords, and only lower-ranked members used animal-based cultivation techniques.

Many like Jin Guangshan and Jin Zixun considered it beneath them to learn such techniques, but Jin Zixuan was intrigued, fascinated. In the Carp Tower, his only friends were his pets and he decided that he wanted to learn the animal control techniques of his ancestors. Even though his father did not approve of it, it was difficult to stop the pampered Jin sect heir from doing what he wants. Learning such methods came with an extra gift- enhanced senses. He could see details most would miss, identify the distinction between different tastes and smells easily and he could also hear what most couldn't.

"But who was it? Trying to frame Wei Wuxian? Was it my father? Could be, he is power-hungry indeed. But it doesn't matter presently. I have more important things to do. It is my fifteenth birthday today, the day Meng Yao will be thrown down the stairs. If life is granting me a second chance, then I must grab it and fix all that I regret, including..."

*-*-*

Later that evening, a banquet had been thrown to celebrate the fifteenth birthday of the Sect heir. Jin Guangshan was sitting on his golden throne on a raised platform. Immediately next to the platform, Jin Zixuan was seated on the right. On the left, sat Madam Jin. Beside Jin Zixuan, sat the second disciple of the Jin sect, Jin Zixian.

Jin Zixian was three years younger than Jin Zixuan. When she was nine, she had been brought to Lanling by Madam Jin from Yiling. When she arrived at Lanling, she fell sick and suffered from an extremely high fever. Malnutrition and sickness are a dangerous combination, especially for a child. As a result, she lost most of her memories from her childhood including her name.

The banquet was filled with laughs everywhere and daggers hid behind them. The guests toasted each other and the sect officials with wine and tea alike. A servant walked up to the Jin sect leader and whispered in his ear. He stepped back and stretched out his hands to reveal a pearl that would be priceless to anyone but the said sect leader who picked up said pearl and crushed it into a coarse powder with his hand.

"Throw him out." He ordered.

The servant bowed his head in obedience and retreated.

Rumors travel at a speed rival to that of light and only faster in the glittering graveyard that Carp Tower is.