The Crane in the Cloud Reccess

Tales of The White Lotus & The Golden Fox

Content warning on Meng Yao/Huaisang. Hints of SA, Child Abuse, Literal Torture, Abuse in General, Toxic Behavior, Entitlement Issue, Anger Issues

Yiling was once a beautiful dark city. But the forces of greed had withered away the city into almost nothing but a village. That plus the massive Burial Mounds. A horror that terrified even the best cultivators known to man.

It was also the forces of greed more like lust for power that had lead to the demise of Wei Changze and Wei Cangse. However most of their story, just like their child's, has been lost to lies, half-truths, myths and legends.

However like their son, there are people,though the few, who do remember and know their story. Not the story spun by the web of a Violet Spider.

Many of these people long gone due to said spider's posion. But the few that the spider wouldn't dare touch and one who survived remained. That being Jiang Fengmian, Lan Qiren, his brother and Madam Lan.

Jiang Fengmian obviously because Wei Changze and Cangse Sanern were his first spouses. The great lovers of his heart. A heart which would only make room for his children. Yu Ziyuan had no place in it. Not that she wanted it though. She wanted power and loved power. Having a husband submissive to winning her heart increased her power. Of course, she would want him to love her. And only her.

Their marriage was one of private sect affrair as all Yunmeng Jiang marriages. It was rare if almost unheard of political marriages. Considering just how many men had lust after Cangse it was for her safety and Yunmeng's that it would stay private.

However that meant the customary fake marriage had to be arranged to make Cultivation World accept the heirs. But both clans were made aware of this arrangement. Meshian Yu was desperate to rid themselves of Yu Ziyuan. This was a perfect agreement that both benefitted them and her but also punished her for her treasonous actions.

That was the only reason why Meshian gave her back her precious Zidian. Nothing more than that. It was only that she wouldn't settle for third best. She caused trouble. So much trouble that Jiang Fengmian had no choice to watch his loves leave their home with his heir. No matter how much Yu Ziyuan tried, Fengmian never entered her chambers.

Their marriage was ensured to bare no fruit so "Jiang" Cheng was not his blood nor his son. Yu Ziyuan was not a sect lady and kept night hunting for good portions of the year.

A good thing too. As she had brought terror to all those who lived Yunmeng. As she was seen as Fengmian's only legal wife, he couldn't find a good reason to divorce the "legendary" Violet Spider. However it was clear to the disciples that her power was fake as he had not given in. It was this is what inspired the disciples to never give in. No matter how matter times Zidian was whipped into their backs.

But Fengmian's large resistance would come to end when she broke him. When she killed Cangse and Changze. She had tried to kill his heir too but didn't succeed A-Ying had escaped at the expense of A-Li's cultivation.

Which leads us back to Yiling. A boy in rags that were constantly tore apart by dogs. But also a boy who found shelter in a supposedly cursed to foundation house right near the Burial Mounds. That one place being where he last saw happiness.

A-Ying was a strong cultivator who cultivated with his parents. Which should be considered insanity due to how young he was. But his parents were, if not, some of the greatest cultivators of their generation.

It was that shelter which protected the precious items he had left of his parents. Two qiankun pouches stacked with items. The pounches were enchanted by them to store all their possessions in case they were to meet a demise. They wanted their child to have everything last item, spiritual tool and object he needed to hold in their absence.