Xie Yi-jun

2004 years after The Long Night

The Spirit Orchard

"I must say, you're looking better these days Yi-jun..."

Master Hao spoke to him softly, though the King was currently preoccupied by the familiar yet dramatically different forest he was in.

It's completely free of resentful energy. I guess they really did expel all the ghosts-

Xie Yi-jun blinked when he realized he was being spoken to. An amused smile was playing on the old Master's lips now and the young King blushed.

"Sorry, yes. I feel better having left Wúmeng."

Master Hao nodded in understanding, pulling on the reins of their horse lightly, redirecting him. Already ahead of them, Xie De and Reian dashed through the trees, calling out to each other and laughing. The younger boy, Jin Yu was asleep in the cart, his leg still healing.

Yi-jun remembered his own childhood, getting lost in this very forest with Su Lan as he tried to escape his title and his life. What good it did...

"Memories can be tricky things," Master Hao said, as if he was reading the King's mind.

Xie Yi-jun wanted to laugh awkwardly, because the truth was he did feel better. He felt stronger and healthier than he had in years, his energy restored and his aura unsuppressed. Yet... for the life of him, he couldn't remember why.

He recalled the nights leading up to their departure in a haze. He'd been in so much emotional and physical agony that the King had even taken to drinking several bottles of alcohol just to get to sleep. When that didn't work, matches and the searing pain to distract himself were his only companions through the darkest, most horrible loneliness he'd ever experienced.

Something had happened to bring him out of it, but he wasn't sure what. When he woke up yesterday after sleeping for several hours, Yi-jun suddenly felt a shift in his core, everything back where it should be...

Unless Jin Songcai had risen from the grave and adjusted Yi-jun's core himself, the King could think of no other explanation except that maybe his aura had righted itself.

A ridiculous notion but what else is there??

Up ahead Xie Yi-jun heard Xie De yell in excitement, Reian also speeding up-

Master Hao watched them and smiled fondly.

"Xie Yi-jun, welcome to Jingshén."

The trees thinned, and soon enough the King could see the tower rising high just ahead. The castle around it was small, seeming to have only three or four stories, though Xie Yi-jun was used to the never-ending layers of Hêi'àn City; stairs that went up into the clouds, stairs that went further down than hottest hell...

On all sides Jingshén seemed to be surrounded by green. Plants and vines grew up the sides, curling between the cracks in the stone, making everything look older and rather comforting. Though, Yi-jun realized with a bit of chagrin, that he himself was older than this place by at least a hundred years.

Xie De and Wen Reian were already galloping down the path and towards the front door, which had a delicate but ornate archway above it. Master Hao tied the horse to a post nearby, allowing it to feed on the grass while Jin Yu finally began to wake.

"Boys, come help!" Master Hao called, turning to Xie Yi-jun with a tired sigh. "They're more excited than usual because you're here,"

Yi-jun blinked, taken aback. "Me?!"

The Master nodded, smacking Xie De and Reian on the head lightly when they ran back, all smiles.

"Get Jin Yu into bed and be quick about it. No stopping in the kitchen..."

Xie De visibly deflated. "Yes Master," they hummed in unison, each grabbing one of the boy's arms and helping him walk.

Xie Yi-jun caught Reian's eye for a moment as he went by, a faint memory tugging at the edge of the King's mind when he saw how he held his friend's arm over his shoulder... Yi-jun couldn't be sure where he'd seen that before-

"I know they want to show you around. And have the others meet you,"

Yi-jun turned to Master Hao, following him as the man began heading towards the main building.

"Master," Yi-jun frowned. "How many disciples are currently living here?"

"Three Masters including myself, and forty-two disciples-"

The King practically stopped dead in his tracks. "Forty-two?!" He paused, "Then doesn't Jingshén identify as a cultivation sect?"

Master Hao only laughed as they approached the door.

"That number changes all the time. Apprentices leave for all manner of reasons, and we have new arrivals monthly. If you're asking why we haven't been officially designated as a sect, well the answer is just that. With so many coming and going there is no certainty. Our teaching prepares these children for the world, but does not claim any loyalties."

After entering the castle, Xie Yi-jun followed Xie De and Wen Reian up a very worn set of stairs and as they went they passed by several rooms, some with doors open, all echoing with laughter and loud voices.

"This is our room, with a few others..." Reian said, and when Yi-jun must have seemed hesitant to step inside, Xie De snorted, struggling to keep Jin Yu upright.

"No point standing on ceremony! Come in!"

The young King watched while the two boys helped their friend into bed. When Yi-jun stepped inside he saw a few other beds, cots actually, lined up against the wall. The room was small but long, and at the end of each bed sat trunks with the names of their owners...

Xie Yi-jun saw that Reian's bed was between Jin Yu's and Xie De's. Everything was oddly clean. Yi-jun couldn't remember a time when his bedroom had been anything but chaotic. Well, maybe after he'd taken the crown. He'd changed quite a lot after that-

"I'm fine, you can go." Jin Yu yawned, clutching his pillow and nodding.

Reian looked concerned but Xie De was immediately out the door, calling back with a laugh; "A'Qi is not going to believe he's here!!"

Wen Reian frowned, glancing nervously at Yi-jun. The King had a sinking feeling that he was going to end up being the subject of gossip around Jingshén for the next while...

"This will be fun," Reian sighed, following Xie De down the hallway to the right.

Yi-jun did so as well, though he wasn't sure what sort of fun they were facing, and he didn't know if he wanted to find out.

With Xie De's voice already echoing from a wide-open door, Wen Reian shot an apologetic glance at Yi-jun and then hurried to catch up.

The King stayed in the hall, overhearing a stray shout here and there over the noise-

"Wait, who is here?!"

"You're kidding me!"

"Hang on, start from the beginning..."

Yi-jun saw Wen Reian looking inside. Moments later he grinned widely, eyes sparkling as a little boy ran out and launched himself into Reian's open arms.

"Rei!!!!!!!"

The child was no older than two or three, frizzy black hair tied into three braids, his bare feet swinging as Reian lifted him.

Xie Yi-jun watched the little one flap around excitedly until he was let down...

"Rei Rei, Xie Xie said you're back and I was so happy I peed!"

Reian hid his laughter behind his hand and then pretended to frown. He placed his hands on his hips while the little boy blinked up at him with adoring eyes.

"Not in your bed! We'll have to wash it again,"

The little one slid his foot across the floor shyly; "I'll make Kei Kei do it-"

A loud shout came from inside the room-

"I will not!"

Suddenly, Yi-jun still watching from several feet away, Xie De and at least a dozen others poured out, all of them whispering and staring right at him. Boys raging in ages from six to sixteen all gawked at him openly. Wen Reian was half listening to the little boy's apology and half looking over his shoulder at Yi-jun.

"That's him?! King Xie Yi-jun? Why is he here..."

What am I in their eyes, Yi-jun wondered. Either a King or a moron-

Xie De huffed; "It's just as I said, right there in front of me! The statue fell over and was suddenly alive! It happened after Reian touched it."

All the eyes turned on the boy-

"Wen Reian, is it true?!"

Reian was still staring at Xie Yi-jun, seeming to not be listening. Maybe Yi-jun's unease was visible to the eye and had caught his attention.

"Mmm," he mumbled, nodding slowly.

A chorus of; "Wow! No way... Can he even remember anything from that long ago?!"

Xie Yi-jun disliked being talked about while he was there. Extremely disliked. Extremely used to it. A lifetime of hearing his name whispered through the maze-like halls of Hêi'àn City. It seemed he was always what everyone was curious about. Well, this time he'd try not to burn these children's eyebrows off. Master Hao would not be pleased...

"Just call me Xie Yi-jun," he said after clearing his throat.

Mouths wide open, it seemed as if the boys were stunned he could speak. Before a barrage of questions could be fired his way, Xie De was shouting loudly-

"And that's not even the best part! Just wait until I tell you who the locals thought Reian was! As if-"

Yi-jun was saved from the awkwardness by a man dressed in all grey. He didn't speak, only gestured for the King to follow him. When Yi-jun glanced back at Reian, the boy just nodded.

Down the stairs, through several hallways, the man bowed to him softly and then opened the two large doors they'd stopped in front of.

Xie Yi-jun entered the library, where Master Hao was reshelving a handful of texts.

"Yi-jun, please come in. I have something very important to discuss with you..."

Uh oh-

The King barely had any time to marvel at the enormous amount of books they'd managed to fit on every wall, even up to the ceiling, because suddenly Master Hao was turning to him, expression quite serious.

"I've noticed how fond the boys are of you, especially Wen Reian..."

Yi-jun waited patiently, though he was clearly uncomfortable.

"Despite the help we get from the older disciples, it is still hard for my colleagues and I to teach and train so many."

The King suddenly realised where this must be heading. He was prepared to decline immediately, but figured he'd let Master Hao finish first.

"Would you be willing to stay here as an instructor? I'd only make you teach what you are willing to, of course."

No thanks on the tip of his tongue, Yi-jun suddenly stopped.

Having known Master Hao and the boys for only a few short weeks, yet them being the longest standing relationships he had at the moment, Xie Yi-jun trusted them more than anyone else. That being said, forty-two disciples... and he wasn't a teacher! Not a Master, or a tutor. He was a King... the King of a dead city.

Xie Yi-jun recalled despising most of his teachers growing up, thinking rightfully that they were all beneath him.

How could I possibly even entertain the idea?! Oh... but then where on this earth would I go?

Suddenly, Yi-jun realised that he really already had become a teacher of sorts. A teacher of Wen Reian. He'd taught him more than a few magic spells during their time in Wúmeng, small things, but still. He enjoyed seeing the boy learn so quickly and eagerly. He enjoyed the light in Reian's eyes when Yi-jun showed him how...

Before thinking it through, the King was speaking; "I will only instruct Wen Reian."

Master Hao didn't react, only to say, "I'm afraid I have too many other students as well as Wen Rei. I can't give him preferential treatment-"

"..."

"However," Master Hao nodded. "If you teach him on his own time, not during school hours, you may stay here as my guest for the time being. Perhaps in training him you will find something you're missing..."