The Untamed Memes Episode 6 (4/4)

Oop I forgot I hadn’t posted this

Spoilers past Ep. 6

Wei wuxian for Halloween ¿

Sanctuary

Wei Ying was 6 years old when he entered the Burial Mounds and it adopted him. By that time he had been fighting dogs for scraps for a year and a half, and it was one of the same beasts that drove him to the outskirts of Yiling, we kept wondering out of curiosity and hope that he might find a place to stay, a place where he could be safe, a place where he could belong.

He found it

.-.-.-.-.

Meng Yao was 13 years old when he and his mother arrived at Yiling, his father had tossed him down the stairs of Koi Tower, and after an incident in the brothel they couldn’t stay in Yunping, they had no idea where to go, but Sisi helped them

“The rumors say the Yiling Laozu can help,” She told them as she put all her own savings in young Meng Yao’s hands “that he can fulfill any wishes for the right price”

Meng Yao didn’t believe that, but they had no place to go and in any case, Yiling was far enough of Lanling and Yuping so he worked and worked until he and his mother were able to afford the trip. He kept working along the way, hoping to be able to afford whatever price was needed to ensure his and his mother’s safety

When they reached the base of the mountains, of the Burial Mounds, they found a little shrine, they had discussed that one of them hide in case things went wrong, but in the end, neither he nor Meng Shi wanted to leave the other, they only had each other now

So they walked and reach the shrine, there was an unnatural amount of dark fog, resentment the other cultivators they meet on their way called it. Meng Yao noted the very second they stopped being alone, he tensed and his mother bowed next to him, pressuring him to do the same

“Yiling Laozu, we, humble servants come to you to ask for your protection” his mother’s voice was firm even if a bit rough from the new disease that was starting to take root in her lungs

It did not pass a full minute until a small figure stepped out of the shadows, if he wasn’t an expert in keeping his emotions in check, Meng Yao would’ve gaped. In front of him was a child, one a few years younger than he himself

“What sort of protection do you seek?” He asked them with a childish voice

Meng Yao was 13 years old when he and his mother went looking for safety.

They found it

.-.-.-.-.

Xue Yang was 5 years old when he was tossed into the Burial Mounds, the man had tricked him to give a letter that only resulted in him getting beat up, after, the same man tried to get rid of him, he would’ve succeeded and possibly hurt him badly, but then, the kid made a scene

“YOU ARE A BAD MAN!!!” the child yelled, making everyone turn to look at them, the cultivator, Chang Ci'An flushed embarrassed, even if the kid was a street rat, it was still a small one, it started to look very bad for him “BAD MEN LIKE YOU WILL BE PUNISHED!! YILING LAOZU WILL COME FOR YOU!!” the brat screamed one of the most common threats he heard in the alleys. It had been roughly two years since people started whispering about the shadow demon that roamed the Burial Mounds and controlled the fierce corpses that tried to get into the town

The cultivator flushed bright red, both from embarrassment and also from the secret fear he felt, for he too had listened to the rumors and stories

“You want to meet Yiling Laozu? Then so be it!” he grabbed young Xue Yang from his collar and mounting his sword he flew as fast as he could until he was over the mass grave. For a moment he paused, feeling the doubt creeping in, it would be easy to just toss the kid in Yiling, where he couldn’t bother him anymore, but then the kid started to spit out insult after insult, making the rage reach its peak “Tell the Yiling Laozu I send my regards” he sneered as the let go

Xue Yang had a moment of pure fear as he fell, then, the darkness engulfed him

Xue Yang wakes to the kind face of a woman, she reassures them that he is alive, that he is safe. He is inside a shack, inside there’re also two young men, one looking at him with slightly apprehension and the other with open curiosity

“Welcome to the Burial Mounds” the curious one chirps, he has silver eyes and a sunshine-like smile

Xue Yang was 5 years old when he was tossed into the Burial Mounds. Once, he hoped to find a family

He found it

-.-.-.-.-.

Wen Qing was 17 years old when she arrived at the Burial Mounds to ask for help

She was from a branch of the Qishan Wen Sect, her family resides in Dafan Mountain, a few years ago, her uncle, Wen Ruohan had killed her parents because they refused to make poison for him. Since then, Wen Ruohan took her and her little brother under his wing, threatening her compliance with the safety of her brother and extended family.

Wen Ning was barely 10 years old when they started to listen the rumors, the ones about a shadow roaming Yiling, then, a demon who fulfilled wishes; then, about people starting to willingly enter the Burial Mounds. Wen Ning turn 13 years old when his older sister decided to take them there

When Wen Qing turned 17 and her brother turned 13, she had a vision. Nothing dramatic or prophetic, she just saw her uncle’s actions, and, logically followed them until she reached her conclusion: War.

At some point, not too far, the sects would go to war against Qishan Wen, and whoever won would take over her family. Wen Ruohan had them already under his thumb, he could send them to fight at his own whim, without caring if they live or die; the other sects could decide all Wens were guilty and torture them or kill them. Either way, they lose. Wen Qing didn’t want that future for her family. So, taking advantage of a night hunt she goes to Yiling.

The entrance of the Burial Mounds doesn’t look as grand as Wen Qing would’ve imagined; there’s a rundown shrine with offerings, a dark fog surrounds the area, she represses the shiver the resentment gives her. After a few minutes, a figure emerges from the darkness, Wen Qing tenses, even if the young man looks barely older than her brother, anyone who manages to live inside a mass grave is considered as dangerous according to her

“Yiling Laozu” she says as she bows as low as her dignity allows her “This lowly healer come to you seeking for your help”

“How may this Yiling Laozu be of service?” the kid gives a tentative bow

“I seek refuge for me and my family”

In the end, it takes six months to move the Dafan Wen to Yiling.

Wen Qing is 17 years old and Wen Ning is 13 years old when they entered the Burial Mounds looking for protection

They found it

.-.-.-.-.

Mo Xuanyu was 5 years old when his mother brought him to the Burial Mounds

His mother was the second young mistress in the Mo Clan, she was 15 years old when Jin Guangshan approach her. The “romance” last roughly two years until she got pregnant; the young Mo girl truly thought that Sect Leader Jin would come for her, for his son at least, but her dreams were crushed by Madam Jin, who she stumbles upon during one night-hunt she was having with Madam Yu. By then, Madam Jin had the ability to accurately recognize her husband’s bastards, which was what happened with young Xuanyu when he was playing in the town

The Madam didn’t chase her out of the village, but she might as well have when she almost laughed at the promises Guangshan had made to the young girl in front of the Mo manor. After the cultivators left, her older sister Mo furen, kicked her out of the house, calling her a disgrace for the Clan

The pair of mother and child then walked and walked, looking for someplace to stay, somewhere warm and dry… but there weren’t many places like that that wouldn’t try something more perverse with a young, beautiful, desperate mother. During the travels, the young mistress heard the tale of the Yiling Laozu, the demon who fulfilled wishes and took strays under his wing, there were talks and rumors about a new Yiling Wei sect, but nothing concrete, the only things that were consistent were that the Yiling Laozu could fulfill wishes for a price and that the Burial Mounds now was a place for the ones who didn’t have a place to go. So young Mo Ning took her child and made her way to Yiling

The mother and the child were hovering in the outskirts of Yiling, near the shrine where offerings and hunt requests were placed. She was unsure of what to do next, the dark fog was very intimidating; her nerves were such that she didn’t notice the young man walking towards them

“Hello” the polite man saluted her, she flinched and hastily bowed to him “Are you perhaps looking for the Yiling Laozu?” he gave them a smile that looked friendly enough, at least his dimples made it look friendly

“Yes gongzi” she bowed as low as she is used to as the daughter of a servant, her child clumsy follows her. She didn’t see the wary look the man gives to her son, also recognizing the Jin genes “We hoped to ask for a place to stay, at least until my son is older and can provide for himself… I am the daughter of a servant so I can pay our stay with work!” she hurried to add

The young man contemplated for a second before he moved to raise her from her bow

“It’s alright guniang” he reassured her “Come on, follow me” he instructed as he started to walk towards the dark fog

Mo Ning took her son’s hand tightly and did as instructed

Mo Xuanyu was 5 years old when his mother brought them both to the Burial Mounds in search of a new home

They found it

-.-.-.-.-.

Meng Yao is 19 years old, Xue Yang 10 years old, Wen Qing 20 years old, Wen Ning 16 years old, and Mo Xuanyu 7 years old when a letter arrives to the relative new Yiling Wei Sect about the start of the Sunshot Campaign

Wei Ying, courtesy name Wuxian, master of demonic cultivation, Yiling Laozu and Sect Leader of Yiling Wei, is 17 years old when he closes the wards surrounding the Burial Mounds and goes to war

Next

12

Is the first time Wen Qing receives a petitioner, the Dafan Wen have been living in the Burial Mounds for almost a year now, along with all the other refugees and rogue cultivators that have arrived at the place, there are enough people in the community to actually be called a sect, so she, Meng Yao, and their Yiling Laozu have been working together to formalize it. Is good that Wei Wuxian has such a reputation as a granting wishes demon since most of their first night-hunts requests came that way, so after dealing with a certain number of fierce corpses, vengeful ghosts, and restless souls, the town of Yiling started to acknowledge them as cultivators, and their time as a proper sect began. Is also thanks to that, that Wen Qing and her family were able to start working as healers in town (giving the chance to the old one to finally retire)

Among the multiple hours of paperwork, organization, farming, and healing, the Yiling Laozu keeps granting wishes. It’s really not as divine or demonic as it may seem, is just Wei Wuxian having or inventing a talisman or array for almost everything and accepting any stray that comes wandering to their dark, foggy gates; every now and then others from the sect will let them in Wei Ying’s place, like a few months ago when Meng Yao came in with a young woman and another of Jin Guangshan’s bastards in tow. So it’s not unusual for their members to find someone near the Burial Mound’s shrine, waiting to have an audience with the Yiling Patriarch… like now.

Wen Qing sees a kneeling figure by the entrance of the Burial Mounds, she sighs as she readjusts her weekly purchases, as she comes close though her eyes widen. She wasn’t inside Wen Ruohan’s inner circle for long, but it was enough for her to attend several discussion conferences as her uncle’s head physician, which was sufficient to collect information about every sect leader, their families, and head disciples, and enough to identify Madam Qin despite the cheaper-looking robes. Wen Qing sighs heavily again

“Excuse me” she calls suddenly, the Laoling’s Sect Leader’s Wife doesn’t flinch out of pure grace, even so, Wen Qing notices a paleness to her skin that cannot be healthy… but what the hell is doing someone like her so far away from her home? “I’m sorry, may I help you with something?” she tries to channel her inner Meng Yao to assist the older lady (he is so charming when he wants to be, the fucker)

The woman looks at her for a while before also recognizing her

“Young Lady Wen” she whispers as she bows “We thought Wen Ruohan killed you and your branch” Wen Qing bows back as much as she can

“I was afraid he would, so we left” she answers honestly “Madam Qin, I wasn’t expecting to see you today” or never actually “Is there anything I can do for you?” the woman seems to straighten up

“I have a request for the Yiling Patriarch”

“I see…” Wen Qing nods “Follow me, please” she says as she opens the intricate wards Wei Wuxian put around the Burial Mounds years ago

Inside the ‘village’, she gives the purchases to her younger brother and guides the woman to the Demon Slaughtering Palace, specifically to Wei Wuxian’s office, she knocks three times, the exact amount to indicate she comes with an outsider. The door opens and the Yiling Patriarch is in full get-up, resentful veil and all

“Yiling Laozu” Madam Qin bows “I humbly ask for your aid”

Wei Wuxian exchanges a look with the healer. Granting wishes for years made him develop a weird sixth sense to figure out what people might ask of him, and now he suspects this wish in particular, might be one of those… sensitive content ones

“I hope you don’t mind if Wen Qing stays?“ he asks, his tone soft despite the slight changes thanks to his camouflage spell "Depending on the request I may need her expertise”

Madam Qin tightens her jaw but nods

“I wish to protect my daughter” she says and proceeds to tell her story. Wen Qing is horrified and more so at the fact that it doesn’t surprise her, god knows how many stories like that she heard and treat during her stay in Wen Ruohan’s court at the hands of Wen Chao and Wen Xu, and yet, apparently, Jin Guangshan’s past acts aren’t the worst part “My daughter is 15 years old,” the Madam’s voice trembles “is his daughter, even if he doesn’t know and he-“ her fists are practically white as she takes a deep breath to control herself “He always has this look with her recently in every conference, a predator looking at his prey, I should know since I was subject to that same look fifteen years ago”

Wei Wuxian frowns, anger barely contained to avoid overwhelming the ladies with waves of resentful and spiritual energy. He takes a deep breath

"This is a sanctuary,” he explains the Madam “if you or your daughter are in need of help, the Burial Mounds will always be open for you…” he then lets a smirk take over his face even if it’s hiding behind the veil “But I do have some things that could protect your daughter and have a little of payback, it won’t restore what has been done to you neither bring justice but it can avoid future… incidents, now it’s just about how much you are willing to pay” it has always been interesting to Wei Wuxian, what people is ready to give for their desires, it’s something Wen Qing always scold him for, but that Meng Yao understandably shares with him

Madam Qin’s expression turns stony

“To protect my daughter? Not even all the Jin’s wealth would be enough” she declares “Name your price Yiling Laozu and I shall deliver… whatever it takes”

Sensing her determination, and with several flashbacks of Meng Shi and Mo Ning, Wen Qing and Wei Wuxian exchanged a slightly terrified thought: 'Mothers are scary’

he’s about the make the life-changing hairstyle change that will complete his yiling laozu transformation

Sketchbook spread. Pencil project of the day. Must go for a little run before the rain sets in. Post the finished drawing later.