The Splendid Capital was once a large thriving city in the Tieguo State three years ago. It was where most ordinary folks lived and by ordinary it meant non-cultivators. It was also the home to the current emperor before the city was destroyed. It all happened in one day and the city lost its glory and its essence becoming nothing more than an abandoned desolate place.
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Apart from breathtaking views both at night and day, numerous festivals ,the Splendid Capital was adorned with different kinds of buildings from the magnificent palace,to restaurants,inn houses, gambling houses,music and opera houses,silk shops and food stalls.Everything in the city was splendid as it was supposed to be.
In the market it was bustling as ever,filled with cheerful banters between vendors and buyers,the sweet aroma of foods being prepared at every corner, hawkers advertising their products and passing carriages transporting noble men and women to their desired destinations.
"Mrs Yan you always have the best radishes in the market,"a woman in her fifties complimented standing before a stall selling fresh produce -be it vegetables, fruits and tubers.The woman was accompanied by a shy eight year old boy tugging at her side , studying the interaction between the two women quietly.
"Of course,our supply is always fresh from the farm,"Mrs Yan,the vendor replied a smug smile displayed on her slightly wrinkled face.
"Li'er loved the tangerines you sold me last time. Am I right Li'er?" the fifty year old turned to her side to address her grandson but to her shock there was no one there."Li'er! Li'er! " She called out throwing glances at neighbouring stalls ,maybe the kid had gotten drawn to something else in another stall and went to check it out. But the kid was no where to be seen.
The lady panicked and started running around shouting her grandson's name in desperate search of him. She found no trace of the boy. Her desperate cries caught the attention of the vendors and buyers and everyone began looking around,panic seething into them. There were murmurs here and there as the lady dropped on the ground sobbing loudly at the loss of her grandson. Li'er wasn't one to roam around carelessly, someone must have abducted him. It wasn't the first time such an incident occurred at the Splendid Capital- numerous boys had disappeared mysteriously over the last couple of weeks creating some sort of a pattern,the city was not safe anymore- a clear sign of an upcoming disaster. The boys were usually seven to twelve year olds.Parents were living in fear and the cultivation sects had intervened to investigate about it but didn't obtain any satisfying clues.
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"Leader,this one looks timid are you sure he's worthy of training?"a man in wearing a black hoodied cloak threw an unconscious Li'er on the floor. He was standing before another man seated on a throne-like seat. The man was dressed in black heavy robes ,his arrogant resting face and aura exuding total dominance. The man was Hei Yue,the leader of the Dark Cultivators' Guild (DCG). The DCG was a secret sect for cultivators cultivating the dark energy, engaging in techniques against nature. Hei Yue just settled at the Splendid Capital half year ago and since then he had been secretly stirring chaos in the city causing distress to the residents.
The leader kidnapped young boys , forcing them to cultivate the unorthodox way. He erased their memories and manipulated them into submitting to him like puppets.
"Shifu, would you like me to take care of the burden concerning the little boy?"a young man walked in with a sly smile plastered on his face. The lad,like everyone else was in black robes blending with the natural setting of the place.
"Go and improve your lousy qin skills then you can think of helping me with my burden," Hei Yue spewed in disgust barely sparing the lad a worthy glance. The lad's face fell,hurt flashing in his eyes but he suddenly masked the expression with a fake smile and bowed perfunctorily and walked out.
Ao Yan was one of the three main disciples Hei Yue trained. He despised Ao Yan because he was a little defiant, refusing to obey to his every little rule.The exact reason he loathed the boy was because he refused to practice swordsmanship and preferred to stick with playing music- not the regular kind of music,but the mind disturbing kind of tunes that could deprive someone of their sanity, stir chaos in one's mind and cause mental distress. It was a harmful and powerful technique yet his master didn't approve its strength. It was an easy way of killing rather than lifting heavy swords and sabers.
As Ao Yan crossed the threshold of his master's hall on his way out,a sinister smile made its way back to his face but this time the smile was more prominent mirroring malicious intent,his eyes darkening with a glint of maleficence.
' My good shifu,it seems it's time I teach you a little lesson,' he smirked at the thought and Splendid Capital would be the classroom where his master would learn the lesson.