The Yue Yun Sect was once two separate sects before being unified under one symbol by the man who would become the Sun Engulfing Moon. One was the Clear Moon Sect; the other was its rival, the Listless Cloud Sect.

The two sects were most different in their philosophies, people, and martial arts. The Clear Moon valued discipline and righteousness above all; the Listless Cloud Sect respected benevolence and a desire for glory. The Clear Moon Sect favored exclusively the swift grace of swords and held a fascination for the cold arts. And the Listless Cloud prefered the eccentric weapons — fans, the guqin, and even the sleeves of robes — which complemented their profoundly mysterious arts. Whereas the Clear Moon Sect produced warriors and knights and heroes, the Listless Cloud Sect sometimes moonlighted as a merchant guild, a gathering of artisans, and even flirted with the Beggars’ Association!

Thus, it was no surprise, that great panic arose, when the Sect Master called for a meeting of both divisions.

The Yun Division shuffled their feet toward the Grand Halls: the younger disciples in a fit of irritability, the older disciples in a cloud of rage, and the venerable elders arrived a full quarter incense late, stroking their beards as they took their places on the left side of the halls.

The members of the Yue Division shook their heads in disgust. The younger disciples looked at the other side once and returned their attention to waiting for their Sect Master. The older disciples tapped their fingers on their scabbards, gazed at the raucous Yun Division, or closed their eyes in meditation. And the elders pretended niceties with the elders of the other division.

Some of the elders grumbled along with the Yun Division. It was barely the break of dawn. The elders were not roosters!

Guang-ling strolled over toward the other side. The two divisions paid him little mind — except for some of the newer disciples who did not know of Guang-ling’s personality, who made some commotion as they have never seen people of different divisions interact cordially.

“Ah, Scarlet Fairy of Dreams, to see you so early in the morning, is truly the Heavens smiling upon my brow,” he bowed.

The woman dressed in a tight-fitting red dress nodded (causing the many ornaments in her bun to clatter together noisily) and hid her smile behind a fan. The woman was not beautiful in the traditional sense. When she smiled, crow’s feet marked the corners of her eyes; when she moved, it was with a slow gait carried forth with the rhythm of rain; and when the light caught her hair, it was her golden ornaments which shined, not her dull-gray hair. Despite those factors, or because of those factors, the woman held an elegance befitting of a fairy.

“Grand Elder Lu, is this meeting, perhaps, about the much desired abolishment of that archaic law?”

Guang-ling flipped his whiskers and snorted. “Hmph! Meng Yue, you know how Mo-mo is.”

She sighed and fanned herself. “Then why are you here talking to me, Big Brother Lu.”

“Eh, we’re already dropping the formalities? Ah, perhaps, Little Sister would like to exchange pointers after this meeting, then?” Guang-ling smiled as he patted his stomach.

The lady closed her fan and placed it against her brow in exasperation. “Honestly, Big Brother Lu, I doubt we can. Or do you not care about the daggers being sent at you?”

The elder looked behind him to see a thick-browed man glaring. Guang-ling rolled his eyes. “Peh! I can take him with one bare hand.”

The thick-browed man scowled and walked with dignified and slow steps toward the chatting couple.

He bowed first to Lady Meng, “Yun Leader Meng, good day to you. Your attire never ceases to make me speechless.”

“Yue Leader Dao, those rats you call your eyebrows never ceases to make me without words as well. Mighty impressive, indeed.” The red fairy responded as she flapped open her fan again and began to fan herself.

The man surnamed Dao smiled. “As sharp a tongue as ever, Yun Leader Meng. However, is it as sharp as my blade? As swift? As fierce?”

“Who knows, but it certainly is not as repetitive or as predictable,” she replied as she shut her fan and began to mock duel Yue Leader Dao with it. The entire gathering of the Yun Division laughed like roosters and geese. The Yue Division turned shades of green and red; some even turned blue from lack of breathing due to shock.

“Silence! Grand Elder Lu, why are you laughing as well? Stop talking with these vagrants and come with me. You must act your part as Grand Elder,” he fumed. The blue tint on the edge of his collar contrasted nicely with his bright red face.

Grand Elder Lu shrugged. “What I do as Guang-ling is separate from what I must do as Grand Elder. I do not recall an avoidance of the Yun Division being a part of either my obligations nor restrictions as Grand Elder.”

A glint of silver flew as a sword unsheathed, a ring like bells hung over the halls. Exploding in a single breath was an array of 72 sword strikes. Pang! Pang! Pang! Each one was blocked by Guang-ling’s scabbard. With each block, Guang-ling would glance his scabbard off Yue Leader Dao’s blade and immediately bring it down with greater force like a hammer. Every successive block, the force of every blow became more and more fierce that Yue Leader Dao was unable to keep up. He lost control of his blade after the 72nd strike, unable to withstand or overcome the block of Guang-ling’s scabbard which was like a mirror.

He swept his blade downward at Guang-ling’s chest but was blocked by the scabbard, Yue Leader Dao’s blade bounced upwards slightly. Without a breath wasted, Guang-ling thrusted his scabbard like a spear. Yue Leader Dao blocked it successfully but his blade ricocheted off the scabbard with such momentum that his entire torso became defenseless as his silver blade guarded the empty air beside his right shoulder.

Seeing such a great chance, the Grand Elder flicked his thumb against the pommel of his sword. The sword unsheathed with a cry, revealing a dull jade sword. Mimicking its owner’s finger movements, the sword flew forth like a dragonfly. With these erratic movements, the flat-face of the sword slammed into the Yue Leader’s throat. With a sweep of his hand, the sword was once again sheathed.

The Yue Leader stumbled backwards with a hand on his throat. His thick eyebrows quivered like caterpillars. He pointed at Grand Elder Lu and shouted, “You, you dare!”

“I do dare.” Guang-ling said as he flicked a booger onto the ground. “Well, at least you managed to keep your sword in your hand this time. Great improvement, Yue Leader Dao.”

With a flushed face, the Yue Leader walked back to his place with his tail between his legs. Though, his sword remained unsheathed and he continued to grip it until his knuckles turned white.

The halls were speechless. The elders in the Yun Division began to cry from laughter and patted Grand Elder Lu’s back. The majority Yue Division simply sighed.

“Why isn’t Grand Elder Lu the Yue Leader?” A recently-inducted disciple whispered in shock.

A Yue elder slammed his cane onto the floor. “Because that idiot over there refused!”

“Calm down, old bonehead. At least the entire sect is under Mo Yun’s leadership instead of that witch Meng Yue.” Oh how this elder would soon regret his words.

“Who’s a witch? My hearing has been getting bad in my old age. I wasn’t able to hear,” Guang-ling asked causing the elders to shut their mouths. Before the heat in the halls could rise any further, a servant announced the arrival of the sect master.

Sect Master Mo entered the Grand Halls wearing the traditional sect master attire passed down through generations: a cerulean robe embroidered with clouds and a great round moon on the back; a scabbard on the right hip and banana leaf fan on the left; and a white fox mask with red inscriptions. As she walked down the Grand Halls, the members of the sect — no matter which division — bowed. When she sat in her throne with the statues of the Three watching over her and down the entire landscape of the halls, the sect all stood firm and erect.

“We greet Sect Master Mo,” the entire halls boomed as the voices coalesced into one tone.

The sect master waited for complete silence. “We will soon lose the favor of the Empire.”

All the Yue elders coughed up blood and had to lean on a disciple or a pillar for support. The Yun elders paled but were otherwise fine. The one who showed the biggest outburst was Yue Leader Dao who pounded at his chest with clenched teeth and quick breaths. Several elders, from both the Yun and Yue divisions, shot him looks. The ones nearest to him swore they heard laughter hidden underneath his panting.

“Sect Master Mo, please clarify your words,” Yun Leader Meng asked with clasped fists.

Sect Master Mo glared at the red fairy from underneath her mask. “I have taken in the daughter of Sun Yan’zhi and Yin Hong.”

Several elders glanced around in confusion. The sleeves of their robes fluttering about like butterflies caught in a windstorm.

“We have exiled and cut relations with both of them. However, Yin Hong is one of the Six Generals of this Blooming Lilac Empire. Why would we lose favor for taking in their daughter?” One of the elders asked. The others all agreed.

“You all sound like noisy hens,” Guang-ling barked at the muttering crowd. Meng Yue silently giggled at his outburst. “If the sect master says that is the reason, then it obviously there is more to the situation. Let her finish first, you old farts.”

“Indeed, excusing Grand Elder Lu’s bluntness, let us be patient and listen to Sect Master Mo entirely. She must have a reason for everything.” Meng Yue seconded.

“Even so, very few reasons would suffice in exchange of the generous gifts and status and glory that being favored by the Empire gives us,” Yue Leader Dao spoke out. “Think of our disciples, our life-blood and heroes. How will they compete in the world if the Empire stops sending us heavenly treasures? How will they grow if we no longer have the Empire’s gold to fund expeditions? How will they meditate in peace if we do not have the Empire’s, or even the other sects’, protection and support?”

The disciples rallied behind Yue Leader Dao’s words and became rowdy again.

“Silence!” Her words thundered through the halls. Chasing quickly after was a shockwave which clawed at everyone’s eardrums. The younger disciples all passed out, while the older disciples could no longer hear anything but the roar of the ocean, quickly collapsing with bitter moans. “Yin Hong has been suspected of being the mastermind behind an assassination attempt on the Emperor. That is why we will lose the favor of the Empire.”

“Then why are we taking in that traitor’s daughter! Especially when we have declared no relations with her or Sun Yan’zhi long ago!”

“She will definitely bring glory to our sect, and we can then reclaim the Empire’s favor. I sense in her unfathomable potential. This girl —”

“Bullshit!” Yue Leader Dao shrieked. “All the elders know that you loved Sun Yan’zhi. Mo Yun, you dare bring personal emotions into sect matters! And to such an extent. Have you forgotten our Yue Yun Sect’s chief commandments?”

The sect master stood from her throne. With one step, she was already in front of Yue Leader Dao. She slapped the man with the banana fan. The slap echoed through the halls. The man was hit with such force that his eyebrows would have flown off — if not for the eyebrows being sentient rats which clung onto his face for dear life.

“Insolent.” Sect Master Mo said as she placed the fan at her hips. “I will not stand for it. I absolutely will not. You may criticize and scold my decision on any other factor, but you may never question my observance of the commandments. That, I will not idle passive as you mock me.”

The sect master returned to her throne but did not sit. She pulled the sword from its scabbard. It was a simple yet beautiful sword. As the morning light caught the blade, it immediately refracted and dispersed into tens of thousands of beams.

“This is the Sky-shearing, Cloud Dispersing Sword passed down since the unification of our two ideals. When I first became Sect Master, I used this sword to cut my hair, renouncing all relations with the mortal realm. I live only for the Yue Yun Sect.”

Sect Master Mo tossed the sword to Yun Leader Meng. Her gaze narrowed and the people in the halls could feel the temperature plunge. “Should my decision be harmful to the sect, then use that sword to cut me down!”

The halls once again turned silent. Even Guang-ling was speechless.

“Sect Master Mo, to cut you down, it would be too excessive,” Yun Leader Meng uttered with shock in her voice. She inspected the sword gingerly, running her finger over the polished blade. When she saw how clear her reflection was in the blade, her heart pounded. It was a good blade, a pure and heroic blade. “I am unable to cut you down, especially not with our sect’s heirloom. Please, Sect Master Mo, your sword.”

The red fairy laid the blade at the feet of the sect master.

“But we can’t not have a punishment either,” Yue Leader Dao grumbled. The elders all agreed. “We must set conditions and punishments to ensure that we have indeed gain a bounty rather than baggage. That would only be fair. In addition, we must give compensations to our junior disciples.”

“Of course, that was my plan,” Sect Master Mo declared. “If she can reach the tenth stage of qi condensation in a year, then she is a genius. As for compensation for our junior disciples, they may each retrieve a treasure from the Sacred Pavilion; our senior disciples may do the same but will also receive one Winter-Heart Meridian dan or one Summer-Wind Muscle dan.”

“The compensations are satisfactory,” Yue Leader Dao nodded. The disciples who were still conscious also nodded. “ However, the requirements for the girl is much too simple. We gave up the favor of the Empire. To simply get a brat who has some talent in cultivation would be too little! She must reach the tenth qi condensation stage in a year, defeat an inner disciple of both divisions, and receive the approval of both Division Leaders.”

“I say that those involved in establishing the conditions do not interfere with the trial. The child simply has to gain Yun Leader Meng’s approval. Furthermore, since she must fight an inner disciple with only the strength of a tenth qi condensation, she is allowed to fight in a team. And should she do all this, she be elevated to an inner disciple status upon success.”

“Hmph, fine. We shall accept those requirements,” the man looked toward the elders for confirmation, “only if you accept the punishment with no objection.”

“I, Mo Yun, swear to the venerable ancestors, to the gods and immortals, and to the Heavens above that I, as the 73rd sect master of this Yue Yun Sect accept the punishment no matter what the punishment may be. Should I go back on my words, may lightning strike me dead.”

The sect members all nodded in approval.

“Hmph, Sect Master Mo, should your gamble turn out to be bad, you will be placed into solitary confinement at the Forbidden Cave of Unmelting Ice for a decade to reflect upon your decision. The duties of the sect master will be delegated evenly between the two Division Leaders. The heirlooms of the sect will be placed with the Division Leaders on a rotational system for safekeeping. Furthermore, the skills possessed only by the sect master shall be written down and locked in a safe should an emergency fall upon you or the sect.”

Sect Master Mo nodded her head in confirmation. Yue Leader Dao smiled. No sooner has the contract been verbally confirmed that an official messenger from the Royal Palace asked to be let in. One of the lesser elders went to greet him at the bottom of the mountains. He returned with the official decree ousting the Yue Yun Sect from the Empire’s favor.

With bitter-sweet faces, the members of the sect left the Grand Halls. Yue Leader Dao left in somewhat higher spirits as he chatted delightfully with some other elders. Yun Leader Meng stayed behind. She told Grand Elder Lu to leave before her.

“Is the girl truly a genius,” the red fairy asked.

“She is the daughter of that fox,” the sect master replied. “She has her blood.”

“I see.” The red fairy looked for the sect master’s eyes behind that fox mask. “Little Sister Mo, have you started trusting me once more?”

“Address me as Sect Master Mo, Yun Leader Meng. Do not forget our relation. And what of trust?

We are of the same sect. We trained under the same master.” She answered.

The red fairy opened her fan and replied, “I miss those days.”

“Are you done?” Sect Master Mo asked.

“I am.” Without saying farewells, the red fairy walked out the Grand Walls gracefully, her voluptuous figure swaying like the drifting moon.

Alone, the sect master sat down on her throne. She examined her reflection on the Sky-shearing, Cloud Dispersing Sword, tracing the edges even as the blade drew blood without thought.

Author's Note: Late Release, sorry about that. I passed out in bed when I got home from school. Then I had to do other stuff. I didn't have time to proof-read this, but hopefully it is readable and interesting. If you catch any errors, it would be most kind of you to point them out.

I am unsure if I will have time to upload another chapter Friday, or have time to do it tomorrow. APUSH exam Friday. Gonna die. Thanks for reading.