Main Chapter: The Founding of Ning.

"Let's take a break, do you guys want anything to eat?"

With that Mou Lin took requests and before long a few of the cafeteria attendants made their way over. And so they sat down to eat. With the rain having let up. Mou Lin dispersed his barrier and sat down to eat as well. And then finished before most of the others had even reached their 10th mouthful.

"Instructor Lin is quite the… proficient eater."

"Just a habit from my past."

"Um, is that when Sir Lin was called the Red Storm of Death."

At Xuan Yi's question, 8 curious eyes set on Mou Lin. And his discomfort was evident.

"Yeah, maybe I'll tell you about it someday."

"He used to be a soldier for the Ning Empire."

Several gazes focused on Xuan Yu, Mou Lin included. But he ignored them focusing on the bowl of noodles in front of him.

"He got the name because of a certain skill he used and his capabilities that inspired fear. It was said that his allies remarked fighting beside him was like being in the eye of a storm."

Having his history brought up from an unexpected place. Mou Lin sighed and then continued with a shrug.

"That's pretty much the gist of it. Your teacher's scum who has killed more people than he could ever remember. After leaving my home village Yue and I wandered to the Ning Empire. While we were there he studied to be a scholar and I enlisted into the army.

Somewhere between all the killing, I ended up with that nickname."

A light silence fell after Mou Lin's words. The dispirited way he spoke clearly showed his feelings to his past actions.

"It's obvious that such matters are hard to discuss. Isn't it a good idea to tell us about something else, while we take this break."

Xuan Yu said paying no attention to Mou Lin's mood.

"This brat," Mou Lin thought as he smiled.

"Alright, how about the founding of Ning? It is a story that you would hear plenty in the Midlands. But the sects do not enjoy speaking of."

Seeing that he had the interest of all but a certain two. He decided to go with that.

"Sometime after the 1st Great War. The Greater Lands were divided under two central powers. The Righteous Sects and the Demonic Sects. Under their rule mortals were treated as either slaves or servants."

"Seriously? No one's born a cultivator though."

"Idiot, it would be kinda like how it is now. With mortal families and mostly mortal families being treated separately from cultivator families. But taken to the extreme?"

"Yeah and hints of that old treatment can still be seen today. However, it was pretty different then. Children in those cultivator families if they failed to become cultivators as well would be disowned or killed in secret as having such a child was shameful."

"That…"

"Mortals had no rights and the best position any of them could attain was as a servant. There were no respectable jobs for them, where they did not have to bow their head.

Knowing this there were some mortals who tried everything they could to make themselves more pleasing. In the Midlands, there was one such group; the Ning Clan.

Their patriarch had spent his whole youth serving a traveling cultivator up until the latter's violent death. And so, he was well aware of what cultivators wanted from their mortal servant and had more than a few ideas of how to make oneself more valuable.

Thanks to their patriarch the Ning Clan gained repute as a source of good servants. And the second and third generation of the Ning Clan fell into the care of many cultivators who praised their value wherever they went.

This would quickly come back to bite them."

Mou Lin stopped here and was bombarded with complaints. However, he didn't continue instead he picked up a jelly bun from the tray and pretty much swallowed it. Then he finally continued.

"The news of the high-quality servants of the Ning Clan made its way to the Flowering Charms Sect. One of the 13 Great Righteous Sects of that time. And it just so happened that the young lady of the then Sect Leader grew interested. So, she traveled down to the Midlands and visited the Ning Clan.

The Ning Clan by this point had no one they were willing to part with. However, this young lady did not care, and she killed the Ning Patriarch. Next, she strolled through their home and took a young boy of the 4th Generation.

That boy was known as Ning Zhu and he was only 11 when he was taken. His mother and father had wished to fight for him, but they were killed. And the rest of his clanmates quickly backed down after that.

He lived as a servant for this young lady until he was 18. Attending to her every whim and being made to please whatever mood took her. One day, he failed to attend her in time and so he was beaten till he was near-death and then thrown out of the Sect.

Feeling that was not enough she had his Clan exterminated even those who served other Cultivators. Ning Zhu survived his beating, holding on to the hope that he could see his family again. He overcame adversity after adversity and made his way back home.

Only to find charred remains and the unburied remains of his clanmates. A signpost was placed with the mark of the Flowering Charms Sect. On it read; 'These unworthy trash are not to be buried. Let their broken remains be a constant reminder to the unworthy.'

Ning Zhu dug out the sign and buried his clanmates. An action that caught the ire of some members of the Flowering Charms Sect and a group of cultivators encircled him."

Once more Mou Lin stopped and went to the tray. He poured himself a cup of tea and poured some for those of his students who wanted.

"Ning Zhu was soundly beaten by them and they ordered him to dig up his clanmate. However, no matter how they tortured him he would not. So, instead, they had some of the nearby mortals dig up the graves and replant the sign.

Next, they had the mortals nail Ning Zhu to a tree and left him for dead. Though after the cultivators left the mortals took him down. Bandaged his wounds and sent him away. Ning Zhu traveled half-crazed until he came upon a certain place.

Now then I assume you know Lu Chan?"

Seung Do and Ming Xie were the only ones who said they didn't.

"Seriously? I thought everyone knew about Lu Chan."

"There weren't many opportunities for stories, where I'm from."

"I did not hear much unrelated to my studies."

"Why not tell them about him then, Jian?"

"Seriously? Alright, well the way I heard it growing up was. The Ancient Demonic Sects broke the barrier between the Greater Lands and the Barren Lands. I think they were looking to ascend or something like that.

Anyways, what they found on the other sides were a group of monsters that had been sealed away. These monsters poured out from the Barren Lands and murdered their way into the Greater Lands committing evil after evil. Torturing, assault, cannibalism and all sorts of monstrous behavior was their thing.

So, like both the Righteous and the Demonic Cultivators were losing. Even when they united together they were still getting beat up. Then when everyone was giving up hope, Lu Chan appeared. He united the scattered allies and led them against the monsters. He fought and defeated the strongest monsters. Foiled the most cunning plots.

Lu Chan was an unstoppable hero and he saved the Divine Lands pushing the monsters back into the Barren Lands and sealing them up once more. They say he is the strongest person to ever exist and that he's the guardian of the week. When people talk about heroes or strong folks, Lu Chan is always mentioned. Well, when they do they don't really count the True Emperor and his four Sky Kings. Mostly because those guys are more myth than anything else.

We even have a festival about him every year. How can you guys not know him?"

"You guys are not only the top class but also the most diverse. Things that are obvious to you may be things that your classmate will never think of. It is my hope that these will be lessons to you all and not points of conflict."

After letting his words linger a little, Mou Lin continued;

"The event Lou Jian was talking about was the First Great War. Lu Chan performed a similar feat in the Second Great War saving the Greater Lands from the monsters, who are formally known as the Outcasts.

Now Lu Chan has a sect, known as the Coiling Thunder. As he is never present there and his techniques and spells were too difficult to learn. The Coiling Thunder had no prestige and became a school instead. Allowing all outsiders to view their collection of techniques.

And this school is where Ning Zhu ended up. There were many cultivators there and they treated Ning Zhu's injury and took good care of him.

However, once they learned that he had offended the mighty Flowering Charms Sect. Their attitude grew cold and they wished to be rid of him. Ning Zhu did not leave easily instead he begged for their aid. Often reminding them that Lu Chan was a guardian to the weak.

Eventually, they could not tolerate him any longer. They took a random badly transcribed scroll and cast Ning Zhu out with it. Ning Zhu studied hard and eventually he learned the technique.

Then once more he traveled home dug out the sign and buried his family. And once more cultivators descended on him."

Mou Lin stopped here despite all the protest and opened his book. And an unclear silhouette appeared.

"Cousin, I thought you were a teacher, not a story-teller."

"Greetings to 8th Elder."

All the students present gave a greeting and Mou Yue gave a nod of acknowledgment.

"I was just thinking of changing professions again."

"Let me warn you from now. I won't be lending you money when that job falls through. Only your appearance is fitting for a bard."

"Well, aren't you being harsh today. So, why the interruption?"

"The others can't believe the results."

"You guys didn't believe when you heard that kid from the Qui Clan took out over a 100 of his peers. Or when that kid from the Ai Clan killed a Peak First Stage Expert by himself."

"I still don't believe that happened."

"Face it this generation will probably eclipse all the prior ones."

"Just do the Revolving View Technique."

Getting up, Mou Lin's hand blurred before his student views. The air around them stirred and fierce winds gathered. Blowing fiercely as they began to form into a silver ball. Growing larger and larger but remaining flat.

Finally, a silver mirror appeared and the space around them settled. Handing over the mirror, Mou Yue took it and with a lighthearted wave said goodbye.

"Teacher when can we do that."

"It is my personal technique, not the Sects, but if you still want to I can teach it to you when you reach the 3rd Stage."

And with that, the school's spell chimed.