Ash and Honey [BL]

"...Someone in this very room has committed treason." 

Shesui Lang had dropped world shattering information. No one dared to utter a sound. That was—until a woman sobbed.

A woman with short brown curls pressed her hands to her face. She was Ling Xiangning and was last seen with Mei Zhinuan, the now deceased Peak Master in pink. Rarely had they left one another's side. Mei Zhinuan and Ling Xiangning were a cultivation pair who exclusively studied herbal medicines. 

In short, they were some of our only doctors outside of the Peak Elder Yi Yang.

"How could you, Master Shesui?!" Ling Xiangning cried, and when she lifted her gaze it was evident that her tears were real. "How do you have the heart to talk about this now? Do we get no respite?" 

Her emerald sleeves smeared the makeup under her eyes. "It all happened so fast."

Shesui Lang lowered his tone with her and tried to offer a hand. "I understand the pain—"

"Bullshit!" She sobbed and slapped away his wrist.

Jie Baihu crossed his arms. "Some lost more than others today. Not that it seems to matter to you." Even though the words themselves were thoughtful, his brow cocked in a smirk.

"No." Shesui Lang's tone returned to that which he used against Jie Baihu earlier. "I am sorry, Ling Xiangning, but this crisis is above matters between us. It involves the whole sect." Shesui Lang's tone was jarringly final, and even Fu Ran felt the shudder.

At the firm denial, Ling Xiangning fell to her knees and hid her crying eyes.

No matter how this situation looked, Shesui Lang wasn't bullying her. Someone had to be firm, and Shesui Lang was willing to take the hit to his reputation.

However, Fu Ran couldn't help but wonder… he cut a glance towards Tian Han. Why did everyone fight amongst themselves when there was something else so clearly wrong?

"Shizun?" Tian Han cocked his head and offered a gentle smile.

Fu Ran shuddered. Did he just…? Surely his ears were mistaken, and he didn't seek clarification. Instead, he hastily joined the rest of the cultivators.

"The Master of Calamity is awake?" A man took notice of Fu Ran before anyone else had.

"Ah… Yes, Master Wen," Fu Ran bowed. "I'm glad you are safe."

Wen Zeyan was a Peak Master who often was quite belligerent against Fu Ran's foresight ability. He ran his fingers through his hair and tossed his bangs into a mess. "I guess your words should have been taken more seriously," Wen Zeyan said softly.

"Changed sides already, Wen?" Jie Baihu scoffed. 

"I still think Calamity Recall needs to be tested," Wen Zeyan pushed up his glasses and stated it as fact. "But the events were…" He looked at Fu Ran with scrutiny. "...just as you said."

Even these two, only looked to the Tyrant Emperor with a silent nod of respect. What exactly had he missed while he was asleep?

A cry came from the other side of the room. "Why is no one asking him anything?" Ling Xiangning looked at Fu Ran with a fury, "Master Fu, can you not figure out who did this?"

He stiffened. "My ability…" Fu Ran was put on the spot, and his words stumbled, "My ability is of foresight. I cannot see into the past, Master Ling." 

Fu Ran wished he knew the answer. But right now there were only a few facts to go off of. Someone had summoned a large number of Fall Corpses to the entrance exam, and thus killed nearly everyone involved.

Fall Corpses do not roam. Especially not in groups. This was not an attack of happenstance—that much was clear. This was intentional.

A door to the makeshift medical ward opened, and out stepped Yi Yang. 

Any pieces of conversation came to a respectful quiet, and the room was hushed once more. Fu Ran strangely found it difficult to look at Yi Yang. A mission to the demon realm was a first, and even if the Peak Elder was merely testing new methods of training disciples, he should have left children out of it. 

Yi Yang glanced at Fu Ran and smiled. "Everyone is awake? Then, we can talk about the future plans of An Xian Yun Peak." Yi Yang spoke and every Peak Master stood at attention.

Yi Yang cleared his throat, and his sword clacked against the tile. "First of all, I have confirmed the health of the surviving children." Yi Yang gestured to the medical ward. "They are safe and healthy. No more than cuts and bruises. They also seem to be experiencing no after effects of demonic corruption."

"Secondly…" Even Yi Yang could express horror and pain. His face darkened and his eyes shut tightly. "Today, we have lost four talented Peak Masters. It has been 12 years since the world has suffered a similar loss, and we have spent many years trying to recover, but we still haven't yet made back the amount of power lost."

The crowd began to chatter.

Has it really been 12 years already? His shizun came to his mind, and then his gaze fell upon his martial brothers. They tried their best to hide it behind serious masks, but they remembered it… 

Fu Ran looked to the ground, barely catching the sight of Wan Yu's curious expression.

Yi Yang continued, "There will be a heavier workload from now on, and you are all expected to bear the burden. As our numbers dwindle, the more responsibility each of you share. Is that understood?"

Fu Ran sighed, and his voice joined in with the chorus of, "Yes, Peak Elder."

"Going forward, investigations will continue. But as it is right now, there is merely no more information to go off of."

"What…?" Fu Ran's head snapped upwards, because that answer seemed… illogical. "No information?" he asked sharply. 

A shock appeared on Yi Yang's face at the outburst, and the seven other Peak Masters drew their attention towards him. 

"Forgive me if this is overstepping, but," Fu Ran paused, and his voice cracked when he began to speak. He swallowed. "But… But Peak Elder—Wasn't this exam your idea? Or perhaps the new Emperor was the one who decided it, but still… How can you simply… know nothing?" 

A murmur passed through the room. Some nodded in solemn agreement, while others exchanged uneasy glances.

Fu Ran's lips quivered.

Right now it wasn't the weight of worry in Zhi Lao's eyes, or the look of judgement in the eyes of others, that caused him to struggle. Yi Yang's placid smile, unmoving and unbothered, shook him the most. Fu Ran twitched when Yi Yang took a step towards him.

And his heart stopped when Yi Yang started walking closer. He raised a hand and Fu Ran's eyes screwed shut.

"Are you worried, child?" Yi Yang spoke softly, and pressed a palm to the top of Fu Ran's head. He nearly recoiled, but commanded his legs to stay put. However, he couldn't look Yi Yang in the eyes.

"It is understandable to question me when I hold unshakable power over the sect," Yi Yang brushed Fu Ran's bangs from his face. "In fact, it is more disappointing that not a single one of you would question me. So you deserve high praise, Fu Ran." Yi Yang's fingertips barely dipped against Fu Ran's cheek before he stepped away.

"And that is exactly why I have made precautions to never abuse my authority." The Peak Elder held out his hand and lifted his sleeve so that everyone could see.

Fu Ran's eyes widened. The air seemed to still. Even the sound of breathing felt too loud.

On his wrist, painted against the pale skin, was a sigil in the shape of a lotus flower trapped in a circle. It was an Oath Seal marking, an ability known by very few other than Yi Yang himself.

"This is a spell of my own lineage. I use this spell when we take enemies, and it keeps them from acting rash. Some of you have seen it in action, and can clarify to those who haven't." Yi Yang explained calmly, "I can even recite my oath."

"I will not cause harm to An Xian Yun Peak." 

He recited it, and when the words left his lips, an aura around the marking glowed a faint white blue. "If I had broken this oath, then I would be writhing in pain. Likely, pain so harsh that I wouldn't be able to stand here today and speak with you." His explanation left the room silent. Truthfully everyone wanted to know, yet no one wanted to ask. 

Yi Yang looked back to Fu Ran and smiled, almost tenderly, "Fu Ran, is this enough proof?"

Fu Ran's shoulders lowered in defeat and his expression went blank. Even his grip on Wan Yu's hand dropped.

"...Yes, Yi Shibo."

And as the meeting had come to a close, a heavy silence settled over the room. The weight of loss and responsibility hung thick in the air, suffocating every word that followed. Cultivators exchanged quiet murmurs, nodding absently at the mention of redistributed duties and the tasks left unfinished by the deceased Peak Masters. Fu Ran, still lost in his thoughts, barely registered the passing time.

Then, as if a storm were quietly gathering behind him, Yi Yang's voice sliced through the tension once more, soft but commanding. "Before you leave… There's one final matter to address… As many of you know, our sect has suffered great loss, but it is with great responsibility that we must now look to the future. To that end, many of you met him earlier, but I would like to formally introduce a new addition to our ranks."

Fu Ran's heart stilled at the sudden shift in tone. His eyes flicked to Yi Yang, who gestured just behind Fu Ran.

Bathed in the faint glow of the palace lanterns, was Tian Han. 

"What?" Fu Ran asked. The air around him felt strangely quiet, and Fu Ran couldn't quite suppress the shiver that ran down his spine. 

"This is Tian Han," Yi Yang continued, his words floating like a decree. "He may be a temporary guest, but he is to be treated as an official Peak Master of An Xian Yun Peak."

"...Effective immediately."