Chenqing scanned the room critically, having halted the memory. His gaze lingered on Lan Qiren, whose expression was downcast, clearly harboring a guilty conscience. Lan Qiren was having many realizations.
A snide smirk lifted the right corner of Chenqing's lips.
Maybe I should educate him a bit about where he went wrong.
Chenqing practically vibrated with repressed energy. He had much to say to the elder Lan, the words building and burning the tip of his tongue.
Especially about all those damned rules of the Gusu Lan Sect! How Lan Qiren was a rigid old fool. How he was a hypocrite. And that alone infuriated Chenqing. He would make certain Lan Qiren was aware of his actions, carving it into his memory.
"Old Lan," Chenqing pursed his lips, waiting for the other to look up. Sensing the gaze upon him, Lan Qiren lifted his head, feeling chilled to the bone by that crimson gaze that gave off such a terrifying aura. He had never had reason to see Wei Wuxian when he used resentful energy, and seeing it now…
"Say, those rules of yours. There are… three-thousand or more yes? Not that I care about the number anyway."
Lan Qiren's expression was startled, confused, clearly wondering why such a thing was being brought up. Idiot. He cleared his throat before answering.
"Yes-"
Chenqing held up a hand before Lan Qiren could go into a tirade. "You don’t need to recite them; I know them very well. I have a good memory, and even carry my master’s memories also. I wish to call out some and chat about them and your conduct - abiding by those rules as you claim."
Chenqing's smile was anything but pleasant. "I think you already know where I am going with this. Have you also realized some of the hypocrisy of your actions?"
Lan Qiren's mouth thinned, his expression darkening. He could not refute Chenqing's words. All he could do was close his eyes and sigh as he nodded in agreement. Chenqing clapped in dark delight at such an easy display of obedience.
He’s going to have so much fun with this.
"Excellent! Since you love educating others so much and your beloved rules, I'm going to educate you with your own rules." He kept a bland, cold smile, his eyes scanning the room. "I suggest the rest of you stay silent and maybe you'll also be enlightened along with the ‘esteemed’ Teacher Lan."
His tone unsettled them, making their blood run cold, made their flesh crawl as he shot a glare at all of them before turning back to Lan Qiren. "The Gusu Lan is truly the most righteous amongst all of the sects, very much unlike the Jins. But you are decidedly not exempt from criticism. As with all cultivators who scheme to defy the Heavens, subconsciously or not, you have ingrained the mindset that you are inherently better than those who do not cultivate."
Chenqing continued speaking. "I will say this again, you may be a cultivator but you are not without flaw. You are still human. You are not immortal. You bleed red. You can die, and will eventually die. You can delay old age but it is inevitable. You wish to cultivate to become immortals, yet you don’t realize that with your current mindset, that ideal is impossible. If it were, many of your ancestors would have been able to become immortal themselves considering how long they all cultivated."
He sneered at them as he paced in the center of the room, hand gestures following his words, many took note of this and recalled Wei Wuxian as he would constantly twirl the flute in his hands.
"Only one immortal exists in the world, and that person is Baoshan Sanren,” Chenqing stated. “We all know that all her disciples who left her mountain met tragic ends, yet she didn't lift a finger to help them. Instead, she would rather stay on her mountain and fade into obscurity." There was a prolonged silence afterward before he turned and looked at each of them in the eyes before speaking again, lips pursed once more.
"Have you all considered why she may have done this? After all, why become immortal if you're just going to live for eternity in seclusion? What may be one man’s treasure may be another’s trash, and you should be careful of what you wish for. Defying the Heavens comes with a price; have each of you considered how you intend to pay that price? Did you honestly think that seeking out and obtaining immortality would be free and without cost?”
Chenqing huffed. “I’ve digressed," he sighed. "Whatever. What is so bad about staying as you are, so long as you're happy and not living a miserable existence that seemingly has no end? The sheer audacity you have is astounding. Especially the Gusu Lan sect, which has all these rules and restrictions. For example, the restriction of emotions. Do not be overly sad, overly happy, and do not laugh excessively -" Chenqing gave an incredulous laugh, feeling it was absurd, his expression twisted.
"Why is feeling forbidden? It's human to feel -" Chenqing insisted as he placed his hand upon his chest over his heart, nails digging desperately into the fabric of his robes and piercing into his flesh while his voice turned bitter - "No matter whether it's pain or happiness, the good and the bad and even if your heart is caving in - you're meant to feel and express those emotions, not to suppress them!” Everyone flinched back as Chenqing stalked forward and thundered, his eyes lacerating into each of their souls.
Sect Leader Yao's hands shook, as did many others around the room. His heart palpitated nervously but pride demanded he not show fear to Chenqing as the other’s words were barbed vines, with sharp piercing thorns. He used his anger and let it grow, feeling as though how they (how he) were being treated was unjust.
The only person who seemed unfazed and unruffled was the Nie Sect Leader, Nie Mingjue, who was watching and listening with a solemn expression, whilst his brother continued to hide behind his moving fan, his expression unseen by anyone.
Lan Qiren clenched his hands into fists, nails nearly drawing blood, and he felt that Chenqing was not done speaking and he dreaded it.
Chenqing assessed them, watching many in the crowd of cultivators struggling to bite their tongues, seeing them want to object and refute him. He saw shoulders quiver, restrained, and observed their clenched fists. He let out a low chuckled to himself. Ah, I still have so much more I want to say. We're not finished yet. They refuse to listen, not wanting to hear the truth and still believing they're in the right. Chenqing scoffed and turned his attention back to Lans and resumed calling them out.
“Do not make noise. Life is full of noise. That's a part of life. Know what that's called? Living. Being alive. Lan Qiren, your nephews, are good people and better than most. Hanguang-jun is probably the only good, only decent person in this room, the only one here that truly befits his title, but he is still human. He still has flaws. As do you. Yet you criticized him, looking down on his love for my master who you deemed a villain, who was in constant pain being cornered by all of you and repeatedly antagonized until he snapped.
‘Unworthy’
Lan Qiren, do you love these rules more than your own nephew?”
“Obviously not!” Lan Qiren shouted. “I did not want him to repeat his father’s mistakes!”
“Father? Oh right, that whole Madam Lan thing. You never wanted to know why she killed your brother’s precious teacher, just like how you never cared to find out why my master did the things he did.”
“You!” One of the Gusu Lan disciples stood and pointed a finger at Chenqing, shaking with anger. “How dare you! What right does a stranger have to insult our late Elder!”
“Exactly! What right did you have to insult my master without knowing what happened?” Chenqing had an incredulous expression as the disciple stepped back, cowering in fear, “You allowed prejudice to cloud your judgment and just believed in rumors even though you only heard what other people said or saw. You never inquired about my master, never spoke with him. You immediately pushed him aside just because he never conformed to your ideals. As you have witnessed thus far, you will soon realize how you never knew my master at all.”
Chenqing paused and stared at the young man with hard eyes and commanded, "Sit down, young Lan." His tone brooked no argument, and the Lan disciple hurriedly sat back down, feeling almost like a wintry breeze and the hairs on the back of his neck rising. He meekly put his head back down, face flushed, and didn't utter another word.
An elder was angry and was about to open his mouth to say -how dare you speak to our disciples in such a manner!- Chenqing turned his cold, ruby, blood-red eyes upon him, arching a brow and the Gusu Lan elder swallowed and decided not to speak out after all.
Chenqing walked languidly about the room, eyes roving over each of the cultivators as he spoke once more, his words once again directed at the Lan's.
“When Master studied at Cloud Recesses, you found him too loud, too mischievous. Too free-spirited and carefree. He was young. And his soul, in its truest, purest form, is a child, is innocence. He was young and playful, yes, but harbored a big and caring heart. Certainly, he broke a lot of your rules, but most of those were harmless rules. He was a young prodigy, a young innovator, and a creative genius. You got angry at an honest inquiry of resentment being used for energy. You were meant to teach and answer questions to help guide young ones, but you never behaved like a teacher in the first place. You didn't know him and refused to understand him. As a senior, you were supposed to guide and help him, not push him away. And maybe, you could have changed his life had you noticed the problems he hid behind that cheerful facade."
Chenqing paused, letting it sink in.
The room was quiet.
"I think everyone else in the room is well aware that they too are guilty of the same thing. I have a bone to pick with each and every one of you, because your attitude and past actions annoy me immensely. Whether you know your wrongs or not, I want to make sure it's burned into your memories so you never forget and learn how to teach the younger generation with an open heart and an open mind. You're too rigid, same as the other elders of the Gusu Lan sect. Like how you had Lan Wangji, your nephew, your own blood, punished with a discipline whip thirty-three times -" shocked gasps erupted throughout the room, many thinking - that's why he was in 'seclusion'!, "All because he protected my master, a man he loved, a man who was doing his best to survive and protect those he took under his wing. I did not know loving someone was a crime. I bet Lan An must be laughing in his grave now. You believed it was a crime because you thought my master was evil incarnate. Who were the ones who attacked first during Nightless City?"
Chenqing gave a sharp laugh with the shake of his head.
“A young, stupid boy from another sect, who was looking to make a name for himself by slaying the Yiling Patriarch, shot him. Of course, if someone attacks first with the intent to kill, would you not retaliate? My master hurried to Nightless City to obtain the ashes of the Wen siblings. You all fed into Jin GuangShan's bullshit and you still have the gall to call yourselves ‘righteous cultivators’. If you were such righteous cultivators as you proclaim while saying you follow and live by all those rules of yours, then why did you not shelter the Wen Remnants when they were innocent? Why did you not step up and defend against the injustice being committed against innocent people? Two rules: help the weak, and do not permit injustice. Are they not part of the rules inscribed on that Wall you have?"
Chenqing's expression hardened as he proceeded to scold them for their lack of shame of their own conduct, especially towards the Wen Remnants. "Your lack of shame is astounding! My master had more dignity and righteousness than anyone in the entire Gusu Lan Sect! More than anyone in this room combined!," Chenqing snarled fiercely, hands gesturing angrily, "You were all nothing more than an aggravated angry mob of stupid people unaware you were being manipulated! Congratulations!" Chenqing applauded snarkily and rolled his eyes before heaving a heavy sigh. "My master's mind was not in the best state. He did blame himself for many things that he didn't even do wrong and was not solely at fault for, it was out of his control. Master was under a lot of stress protecting the Wen Remnants, a bunch of innocent civilians from being slaughtered like cattle, along with a child.”
“But there were also—” The room of cultivators was in a quiet uproar and someone attempted to interject, to refute all the things Chenqing was saying, others trying to pitch in at once making the room full of noise again.
They all shook their heads in disbelief and continued to shout out words of denial as Chenqing was speaking before they recalled his words and sensed his growing hatred and anger rising and watched spooked as resentful energy swirled agitatedly around the man.
“Who said I was finished?” Chenqing's cold voice rose sharply, and they all stepped back. “By the way, because you were all so blind, you didn’t even realize that there was another demonic cultivator at Nightless City, doing Jin Guangshan’s dirty work with Jin Guangyao’s help, who’s so desperate for his father's love and attention that he can't see past his own fucking nose. And Jin Guangshan, a greedy ambitious little shit of a manwhore who only knows how to fuck and making others to get their hands dirty instead of him because he is a fucking coward. He doesn't have the right to be called a man or even lead a sect for that matter."
Chenqing became increasingly more agitated, and the resentful energy around him seethed with his hatred and anger, the power so thick it could choke someone with it. He inhaled and exhaled, and Suibian placed a comforting hand on him, slowly calming down until someone foolishly spoke out again.
Sect Leader Yao scoffed, indignant at being lectured as though he were a child, finally decided to make his displeasure clear, not wanting to look weak or cowed. "You speak as though you know everything! As if you're better than us! But who are you to even speak to us in such ways? Do you even know what it's like to suffer? Do you know what it's like to lose those held dear to your heart?!" Ending with a shout, other voices began crying out in agreement. "You think you're so powerful using your master's path! Who are you to lecture anyone?" He stood up, puffing his chest out, his disciples following his lead. "What you've shown us is that you're no better! And that so-called memory viewing could be fabricated! I refuse to be trapped here any longer! We are not prisoners! Release us at once!"
After hearing this, those who considered themselves to be brave from other sects had all climbed to their feet, feeling emboldened.
Nie Mingjue stayed back with his brother to watch the display unfold. Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren stayed where they were. Lan Xichen opened his mouth to try and be the peacemaker and diffuse the situation, but Sect Leader Yao had noticed and was already shaking his head. "No. I am done with this farce. Come, we're leaving," he said to the members of his sect and made a move to walk away.
Chenqing had stopped speaking and let the man have his say. "Are you finished? Do you feel better now after getting that off your chest?" He inquired in a low soft tone as he made his way towards Sect Leader Yao.
He stopped only a foot away from the other, who had paled and become stiff with a creeping sensation of fear. Sect Leader Yao had bitten off more than he could chew and he had just realized it.
Suibian could feel the temperature drop around Chenqing's aura and sighed. He wasn't just pissed. He was livid. And his lips were curled into a cold, yet gentle smile.
Lowering his gaze, Chenqing peered out from beneath the lashes shielding his bright red eyes, a small smile on his face. He chuckled, reaching out with his hands to gingerly brush invisible dust from Sect Leader Yao's shoulders, and pat him. He was still smiling kindly at Sect Leader Yao as his grip on the others’ shoulders slowly tightened, squeezing his shoulders more and more and making the other yelp at the sharp pain. The next thing the Sect Leader knew, his knees were slamming into the ground with a near painfully crippling force, while he stared up into the red eyes of the man looking down at him, his hands still pressing hard, gripping his shoulders tightly.
The crowd of cultivators felt the oppressing force and were all suddenly pressed hard into the floor beneath them, waves of thick resentful energy holding them down forcefully. Lan Qiren, some of his sect, and a few others around the room remained unaffected and were left to watch with wide eyes.
Minutes passed as they painfully felt suffocated and suppressed, held down onto the hard floor before the burdensome feeling finally lifted and they could sit up. Many scooted to move further away, immediately trying to stay as far away from Chenqing as they could, eyes wide with fear, especially knowing there was nowhere for them to go, to escape to.
Chenqing released Sect Leader Yao, letting the other hurry and stumble back to his seat, rubbing away the pain in his shoulders.
The younger disciples of the sects visibly trembled with fear whilst the older ones did their best to hide theirs, shaking hands being tightly fisted into the protective covers of their robe-sleeves. Some held onto their blank expressions while others lost theirs to anger and denial but none spoke a word this time, their fear keeping them quiet.
They wanted to say he was lying. But they felt his words seemed to ring true, even if they were in denial about it. Many had looked over at the Jin Sect from Chenqing’s reveal and saw that Jin Guangyao looked extremely pale.
They looked over at Jin Guangshan who was still under Suibian’s boots, he was as pale as a ghost and trembling. A faint odorous smell of urine permeated the air along with the soiled area of Jin Guangshan's crotch soaked by his own urine.
Jin Guangshan had pissed himself!
Some couldn't hide their snickers, Jin Guangshan's embarrassment lightened their fear.
Jin Guangshan's face flushed with shame.
The embarrassment...
Chenqing turned his burning crimson gaze upon the Jin Sect leader trapped under Suibian, unable to break free as though Suibian weighed a ton, or carried a lot of inhuman physical strength.
"No matter, in a while everyone will get to see the truth for themselves. I can show my master’s emotions and feelings - you have already been subjected to his emotions and his pain during each memory of those times so far- that is my doing. I can also manipulate that and turn it into a view where everyone can witness everything I saw, and penetrate through the mind of the people in the memories and allow others to see and read them. So everyone will witness the truth, Jin Guangshan. They will know everything." Chenqing’s hand snapped out viciously, yanking the Jin sect leader up by his hair and bared his teeth in a sinister smile, reflecting in Jin Guangshan's terrified gaze.
"We're far from done here. Many people in this room are all guilty and will share the blame for hurting my master and causing his death inadvertently. But Jin Guangshan, you will not get off as easily as they will. And the man you refuse to acknowledge as your son who helped scheme for you.” He tightened his grip, and the sect leader yelped. “Hmm. Maybe I'll have a talk with Jin Guangyao if the other can amend his ways and be willing to atone for what he's done - depending on my mood. You still won't be so lucky either way."
Jin Guangshan flailed his arms and legs. Chenqing's killing intent was nearly suffocating the room, the cultivators covered the mouths and noses, shielding against the swirling torrent of resentful energy.
"Chenqing, can you give me back my leg rest now? I was comfortable before you took him." Suibian whined. Chenqing rolled his eyes and dropped him.
Jin Guangshan then fell to the floor with a thud. Suibian then made sure he stayed there using him as a leg rest once more and winked down at Jin Guangshan who shuddered.
"Now, where was I?" Chenqing pondered aloud. "Ah yes, back to the rules of the Gusu Lan sect, Lan Qiren, your prejudice against my master and how you scarred your nephew which had me veer off track and revealed things I have yet to show in master’s memories." Chenqing sighed.
The cry of a child sounded in his ears, making him jolt and furrow his brow—
He closed his eyes reaching out into a void space in his mind, to the small tether he long ago linked to the child in case any harm may come to A-Yuan.
He split his consciousness, opening up a portal of black smoke to have a clone of himself appear before A-Yuan in Cloud Recesses and kneel before the small child, who his master had cherished and cared for deeply. A large bright red handprint marred his plump cheek. He bristled but held himself in check before the sobbing child.
"A-Yuan, A-Yuan." He gently tapped a finger to the other side of the boy's face.
A-Yuan opened his eyes, shimmering with falling tears, and sniffled. "Wh-who are you, mister?"
Chenqing softened his expression into a gentle smile. "I am Chenqing, little one. You may not remember it, but deep down you know who I am, A-Yuan. What happened, little one? Who did that to you?" He gently wiped away the boy's tears.
"I made a mistake," A-Yuan whispered, staring at him with big glistening eyes. "I got in trouble." More tears spilled over and the boy glanced down, ashamed, his little hands balled up in fists as he shook, trying not to sob. Chenqing looked at the boy's assignments and spilled ink on the parchment.
"I want Father— I mean Han Guang-jun," A-Yuan whispered again. "When will he come back?"
"Hmm," Chenqing replied, "I'll take you to him." He held out a hand, smiling softly.
Bringing the boy would be kinda troublesome. He would have to hold back more and put the boy asleep in a guarded room at Yunmeng Jiang's place. But the boy could not stay if someone competent would not be looking after the boy.
"Hey! Who are you and how did you get in here?" A Lan woman in white barked.
Chenqing sneered and judged her demeanor. She was the one who laid a hand on A-Yuan. But he had secretly been keeping an eye on him for a while. This woman he did not know. She is not someone who seemed to have been brought up by the Lan's, so the young woman must have married a member of the sect a little while ago and someone must have switched shifts teaching the boy while the original caretaker may have left to do whatever else; pulled away for some reason.
The young woman clearly did not look after children often and if so then she should never be allowed to again and should be reprimanded for such despicable acts. He noticed the boy's hands were red on top like they were smacked with a ruler harshly.
He growled menacingly. "You incompetent wretch. Harm this child again and you'll pay tenfold. That is no threat but a promise." And with that, he was about to take the boy through the portal but another child appeared and gripped his sleeve, "Wait! A-Yi goes with A-Yuan too! Away from the mean lady!"
Chenqing looked at the child, staring up at him with big determined eyes. He arched a brow, amused. This child must be Lan Jingyi, A-Yuan's friend.
"Alright, you can come too. Hold tight."
He brought them through the portal and opened his eyes to look down at the children still holding onto his hands.
Gasps were heard from many. Members of the Gusu Lan sect wanted to voice their complaints. Lan Qiren was very shocked, as were his nephews.
"A-Yuan!" Lan Wangji went to stand, noticing the still red handprint that had just started fading of A-Yuan, who went by Lan Yuan at the Lan Sect.
Chenqing nodded, to the boy and his friend when looked at him and allowed them to run to Lan Wangji, whom they were familiar with.
"I have been watching over A-Yuan for some time after Lan Wangji saved him from the tree in Burial Mounds where the master had to leave him because of the siege. He is precious to my master. I made sure to secretly watch over him. I sensed his distress and heard him cry because some foolish, incompetent Lan woman overstepped her bounds by hitting him for making a mistake. He is a child. I already suspect that she wasn't the one he was left in the care of. It seems that while most of the Lan Sect are here, some people think they can leave and do as they wish and leave a child in the care of someone who should not be left to watch and teach children and punish them harshly for making a mistake." He glared at Lan Qiren and Sect Leader Xichen.
He partially blamed Lan Wangji but he thought the child would be in good care for sure and had come because Chenqing asked him and he wanted to know what happened to the man he loved.
Lan Wangji used his spiritual energy to heal A-Yuan's face. He was angry someone dared hurt him like this, over a small mistake.
Little Lan Yuan clung to his father, comforted in his presence with his friend at his side.
Chenqing called out to them, "Little one, Sizhui, come over here with your friend."
Little Lan Yuani looked at him and looked at his father who eyed the other man and nodded.
Chenqing looked at Suibian, "Since you act more like a child at times as our master had, you can keep them company on the side and entertain them, while in a protective bubble. Ah, but they need another playmate." He glanced at Jiang Cheng who narrowed his eyes. "No worries, Sect Leader Jiang, your nephew will be in good hands. Master also cherished Jin Ling. They will all only spend some time together before I take them all back shortly."
With that, Chenqing seemed to disappear before everyone and came back holding little Jin Ling in his arms.
Chenqing knelt to the far side with the children, Jin Ling held carefully in his arms. "Come, little ones, Suibian here will keep you well entertained. You will be safe, Lan Sizhui, and you can see your father again for a short time before I take you back to Cloud Recesses and leave you in the care of a kinder teacher. I will come the moment you need me, little one. I promise you. But for now, you will be with your friend, and Little Jin Ling and Suibian while I educate the grownups who've also made some terrible decisions and actions."
"Did Fath- I mean, Han Guangjun make a really bad mistake too?" Big greyish blue eyes sparkled up sadly, worried for his father as he clenched his little hands in his robes, "Will you punish Father? Father is hurt. Father is sad a lot, missing someone. Father is good, please don't punish him like-like-" Lan Sizhui fumbled in a whisper, tears in his eyes again.
Chenqing smiled gently at him. "I know little one. Your father is a good man. Don't worry, I won't hurt him." He patted the boy's head with one hand before pushing him along and handed Jin Ling over to Suibian.
"Be careful with the baby. He's our master's precious nephew."
Suibian sputtered at Chenqing and glared. "I can handle taking care of kids." He muttered, rocking Jin Ling in his arms and allowing the two older boys to sit on his legs. Chenqing smiled.
"What about Jin Guangshan?" He asked.
"Don't worry, Suibian. I already have something in mind. You will still be able to hear and be informed through our connection though you already know what I know. The protective bubble will protect the children and prevent them from seeing what's happening and hear what's being said."
Suibian nodded to him, his eyes on the children. He was grinning softly and playing with them, teasing them. The children were playing happily and their laughter tinkled in the air, a temporary reprieve for everyone in the room. Jin Ling was sitting up watching the older boys with big eyes. Sizhui and Jingyi played with little Jin Ling, everyone smiling and giggling.
It was a heartwarming sight.
Chenqing sighed and turned his back to them.
"Now, shall we continue where I left off? Oh, just one more thing before I forget." He grinned at Jin Guangshan, who was struggling fearfully, wrapped up in resentful energy. He manipulated the resentful energy, still holding that chilling smile even as he broke both the Jin Sect leader's legs.
The Jin sect members leaped forward, but Chenqing suppressed them.
Jin Guangshan's screams were choked and muffled, and Chenqing released him abruptly, letting the other collapse abruptly to the hard floor.
Suibian was watching closely with his attention on the children who thankfully couldn't see or hear any commotion, but he still kept part of his attention on the happenings outside the protective bubble.
Lan Xichen eyed his uncle worriedly, and Wangji was just sitting like a stone statue, save for the tears still hidden in his eyes and the soft glances he made toward A-Yuan who was playing happily with little Jingyi and baby Jin Ling.
"Now you know some semblance of the pain my master felt when Wen Chao tossed him into Burial Mounds. You deserve far worse than that, but this is just a simple taste of what is to come. If you dare to crawl away from here, then I'll treat you like the dog you are and make it much worse, understood? Be a good boy. Shut up and don't move." He spoke in a chillingly soft tone, looking down on the Jin Sect leader. He turned a frightening red gaze onto the Jin Sect members. "And I suggest each one of you behaves as well."
Chenqing turned to Nie Mingjue and observed him for a moment when a pang stabbed through his head. He clutched at it in agonizing pain.
It was as though there was a protest in his mind and heart, and his head felt like it was splitting right in half.
"Alright, fine." Chenqing stood, his back straight.
He would come clean to these hypocritical, stupid people.
They would see why he knew and understood so much.
They would learn the truth.
His truth, buried in his spirit, memories he willingly forgot, that were simply lying in wait.
And they would now learn his true name from many centuries ago.
And It was not Chenqing.
Chenqing closed and opened his eyes, having come to a decision.
"Some of you may know of an old name spoken long ago and the tale of a man forgotten by the world."
People whispered amongst themselves, but no one knew what to say.
"I once had another name. A name many of you still know and may whisper about."
Everyone's curiosity peaked.
"I am the first disciple of Baoshan Sanren." Chenqing declared.
"And my name, the name I was born with is-" Chenqing gave a dramatic pause, looking each of them in the eye as he told them his name.
"My name is Yanling Daoren."
