In Memoriam

"Welcome back, shizun," Zhuang Hao greeted Yang Qinghui with a bow as she reached the top step of Zui Xian Peak.

"Hao'er!" Yang Qinghui yawned and smiled. "I trust the return journey went well?"

"Everyone's in one piece, shizun." Zhuang Hao fell into step beside her as she began walking across the pavilion. "The others are training. Some of the Huan Hua combat techniques were… inspiring, I'll admit."

Yang Qinghui chuckled. "I'm glad to hear it. Is Luo Binghe still here?"

"He returned to Qing Jing Peak. He said he didn't want to get in trouble."

"In trouble? Cucumb- Shen-shixiong isn't back yet, is he?"

Zhuang Hao shook his head. "Qing Jing Head Disciple is just a – " He cut himself off abruptly and cleared his throat. "Very strict."

Yang Qinghui supressed a smile. "I see. Well, I have to get his report, so maybe I'll pop over to Qing Jing Peak today."

"Very well, shizun. Before you do, Zongyin was wondering about her sword-choosing ceremony."

"Ah, yes! What is the protocol for that, by the way? Should I accompany her?"

"Usually, yes, shizun. Although, if you're too busy – "

"Not at all. Let her know we'll go tomorrow."

Zhuang Hao smiled. "Thank you, shizun. She'll be very happy."

"Zhuang Hao affection level increased! +2 points. Current affection level: 34 points."

"Oh, by the way," Zhuang Hao added, "Lu Ying is in bed with a stomach-ache. Too many red bean paste buns."

Yang Qinghui winced. "Whoops."

"If there's nothing else, shizun, I'll be joining the other disciples."

"Have fun, Hao'er. I should head out, but I'll be back for dinner. Tell everyone they did very well with their mission, please."

Zhuang Hao bowed, and headed towards the training courtyard.

Yang Qinghui went inside, stopping to check on Lu Ying, who was sleeping. She continued onwards towards her chambers, lost in thought, and didn't notice she'd passed by her chambers until she reached the end of a hallway she'd never seen before.

---

Huh. I guess I haven't explored this place thoroughly enough. To her left, a closed sliding door was covered in dust. It was the only room down this hallway. She glanced back the way she came, then shook her head. I'm Peak Lord, dang it, I can go where I like.

Still, she was slightly nervous as she pushed the door open. The room was dark and small, empty except for a cushion on the ground and a low table against the far wall.

Curious, Yang Qinghui stepped inside. An assortment of objects sat on the table, including a candle, which Yang Qinghui lit. With the sudden light, she could tell what the rest of the objects on the table were: a memorial tablet, so covered in dust Yang Qinghui had to brush off the surface of it to make out the name Ke Peizheng; a huasheng headpiece, of silver and jade; and a full-bodypainting, hung above the table, of an elegant man in dark blue and silver robes.

Ke Peizheng… Who's Ke Peizheng? Yang Qinghui knelt on the cushion and peered closer at the painting. Her eyes widened. Hanging from the subject's belt was a jin bu – the very same one Yang Qinghui was wearing at that moment. The former Zui Xian Peak Lord!

She cast a glance around the dusty, little used room. Why would his spirit tablet be kept here, like a secret?

Now that she thought about it, wasn't it a little odd no one spoke of the former Peak Lord? Especially if he was dead. His memorial tablet should be more on display, where people could go to pay their respects.

… Unless no one wants to pay their respects. She'd have to fish around for rumours. Maybe Ke Peizheng had been a dick.

She considered the jade jin bu hanging from her belt. When she'd first found it, she'd remembered something: the feeling of being safe. Surely the former Zui Xian Peak Lord hadn't been so bad.

She examined the huasheng next. It had been carefully placed in the center of the table, the silver chain spread out neatly in a circle. Had it belonged to Ke Peizheng? But he wasn't wearing it in the portrait.

Yang Qinghui picked up the huasheng. Immediately, a memory hit her.

A huasheng of silver and jade gleamed in the sun, held out by scarred hands. Red and orange leaves were strewn across the ground, and voices spoke together distantly.

"Wear this, Jing'er, at all times," the person in front of her instructed. "Ensure no one sees you without it."

A chilly wind blew through her hair. Jade beads clattered in the light breeze. Yang Jing reached out, and took the huasheng delicately.

"I will, shizun," she murmured, and raised the huasheng to her head.

She blinked, and the memory dissipated. "… Huh." She peered at the huasheng in her hands. It didn't seem to be magical in any way. Was it merely a symbol of rank? No, there was nothing like that in Cang Qiong Mountain.

A System screen appeared to hover in front of her.

"Secret storyline unlocked: Scum Disciple's Revenge," it announced. "Would you like to proceed with this storyline?"

A secret storyline? "…Sure," Yang Qinghui agreed, a little hesitantly.

"Secret quest unlocked: Scum Disciple's Revenge – The Past. Collect memories and clues to determine Yang Qinghui's history. Would you like to activate this quest?"

"Oh, I see." Yang Qinghui crossed her arms. "You're trying to make the best of the memory glitches, huh?"

The System didn't reply.

"Well, whatever. Sure, activate quest."

"'Scum Disciple's Revenge – The Past' activated. Quest progress: 10% complete." The screen changed to show a grid of videos, most locked and unlabelled. "You may review key memories to this storyline here."

One of the videos, titled 'Ling Xi Caves', showed the shadowy mouth of the caves lit up by lightning. Tilting her head curiously, Yang Qinghui clicked 'play'.

Instantly, she found herself standing in front of the Ling Xi Caves, lightning and thunder crackling across the sky.

Whoa! What the fuck?

A sword glinted an inch from her neck, and her body stumbled backwards of its own accord. Her vision was blurry – she could just make out the shape of a person in front of her, striking out with their sword.

She couldn't control her body's movements.

This is a memory, she understood. I'm just watching.

The next strike hit, slashing into the top of her shoulder. She cried out, able to feel the pain even through the memory. Blood dripped from her shoulder, and she watched it splash to the rocky ground.

"AAAGH!"

Her head snapped up to see crazed eyes glowing an inch from her face. Cold dread wrapped around her with icy fingers and her vision went dark.

Light reappeared a few moments later as lightning dashed across the sky. Yang Qinghui tried to look around, but her head wouldn't move. Neither would her legs.

Her vision was still blurry, but she could see a person on the ground, cowering in the mouth of the cave. They wore the same loose robes as her attacker – they must have been the same person.

"Shizun!" they shouted, desperate. "Stop, please! Please!"

Another figure stepped forward. A cultivator, and a powerful one, Yang Qinghui could tell. They drew their sword with a high ringing sound, and gathered qi in their other hand.

Bones cracked – an unmistakable sound – and agonized screams echoed in the cave. Lightning flashed. Yang Qinghui saw terrified eyes.

"Yang Jing, help! Help me!"

A hand glowing with qi drew back, ready to strike.

"YANG JING!"

As quickly as it had begun, the vision disappeared. Yang Qinghui was back in the memorial room, feeling queasy. She ran a hand over her face, catching her breath.

"So, that was nothing I hadn't seen or heard before," she said to herself, "and I guess it was blurry because I haven't unlocked the complete memory yet?"

"Correct," the System confirmed. "'Ling Xi Caves' memory is 40% complete."

Yang Qinghui examined the grid of videos. Only three – 'Ling Xi Caves', 'An Ding Peak', and 'Training' – were unlocked, and none of them were complete memories.

"These are chronological order, right? When did they happen?"

An italicized line of words appeared below the titles.

Ling Xi Caves – 23 years ago

An Ding Peak – 20 years ago

Training – 20 years ago

An Ding Peak… she'd had that flashback when she'd visited Shang Qinghua. She clicked on the memory to remind herself of the details.

As abruptly as before, she found herself in a forest, hurtling backwards through the air. She collided with a thick-stumped tree and pain rattled through her.

Leaves dropped around her as she stumbled to her feet, wiping the blood from her nose. Her martial brother – Shang Qinghua, the coward – was around here somewhere. Hiding in the trees, no doubt. But she couldn't spare a glance away from her opponent.

He stood there, across the clearing, watching her icily with blue eyes that matched the demonic mark on his forehead. Mobei-Jun. Raising his ice-sword, he leveled it at Yang Qinghui, challenging her.

With a scream of rage, she charged…

… and found herself back in the memorial room.

How did I end up fighting Mobei-Jun? she wondered. I bet Shang Qinghua would know.

Plus, Shang Qinghua was also a transmigrator, so he'd understand her confusion about her past and not be suspicious.

As for the last memory: 'Training' was the vague image from when she'd seen Luo Binghe's face – which was definitely something to do with Tianlang-Jun – and the huasheng being gifted. But what did that have to do with training?

"Hmm… Well, this can be handled later," she decided, dismissing the System. Speculating would get her nowhere. She'd visit Shang Qinghua soon, but for now, she had other things to do.