At the back gate of the Xiao Clan Manor, two guards were stationed: The Long Brothers, Long Ding and Long Dong.
Long Ding was a burly and mighty man, if a bit short, with fierce eyes and long hair. He took his job as a guard very seriously.
His brother, Long Dong, was skinny and tall, with an ever-present laziness on his face. He was known for yawning ceaselessly and falling asleep on the job.
The true marvel though, was not just how their dispositions could be so starkly opposite. It was the sound of their voices.
If you closed your eyes and listened to Long Ding talk, you would think you were talking to a teenage girl. If you listened to Long Dong, you would assume you were in the presence of a malevolent demon lord.
"Dong, why is it that the Fifth Elder stationed us here? There's never been anything even slightly interesting happening in the forest." Long Ding frowned.
Long Dong yawned and scratched his behind, leaning on his spear and using it to hold himself upright. "Dunno, Ding. Stop whining, will you? I'm trying to sleep here."
Long Ding rolled his eyes as Long Dong drifted off into sleep. Slowly, the morning sun rose over the mountaintop, and the fog slowly began to clear.
Out of the fog, behind the lush greenery, Long Ding noticed something. He instantly went on high alert and smacked his brother across the face.
"Wake up, Dong. Someone's coming."
Long Dong, startled awake, almost impaled himself on the tip of his spear. "What the- Relax, will you? It's probably just the Young Master again."
Out of the dispersing fog, Xiao Yun came into view, wearing his favorite blue tunic. His black hair was tied back with a blue string.
One of his ears were pierced, and small decorative feathers hung from it.
A thick vine was stretched taut over his shoulder, which he held tightly and pulled.
Behind him, two bodies dragged along the forest floor, gathering varying degrees of mud, leaves, sticks and other debris.
One was a young man in grey robes, with short hair of a similar color. The other was yellow-haired and a bit muscular.
"Young Master! What happened?" Long Ding rushed out, putting his spear away.
Long Dong groaned and stretched his back,
"Young Master Yun, didn't we teach you and your cousins how to fashion a crude drag litter when you were little? You're embarrassing me with this."
"Why are you just dragging these poor sods across the floor?" He yawned again.
Long Ding went over and took the vine from Xiao Yun, who was panting and struggling to form words.
"Breathe, Young Master," Long Ding put a hand on the young man's shoulder.
"They... pant. They... are... alive!" Xiao Yun shouted in panic.
"What!?" The brothers said in unison.
Uncharacteristically, Long Dong dropped his spear and went over to one of the unconscious young men, checking his vitals.
"Quick, Ding!" Finding strength that seemed unnatural for such a skinny frame, Long Dong hauled one of them while his brother took the other.
Xiao Yun rushed to open the back gate, and they hurried into the Manor.
"Quick, to Aunty Sageflower's place," Xiao Yun directed them, a bit hushed.
"Wouldn't your uncle's clinic be the better choice-" Long Ding was violently shushed.
"Aunty Sageflower. Now." Xiao Yun ordered.
Following them closely, Xiao Yun and the guards moved through the manor, heading all the way to the southwestern corner.
Along the way, numerous clan members saw Xiao Yun, the guards and the two people they carried.
The whispers started right on cue.
"The Young Master must have snuck out and found something he wasn't supposed to again."
"Relax. At least its two humans, this time, and not another wretched demonspawn."
"Shush about that! Look, the Third Elder is coming."
Making his way from his large abode, a middle-aged man with grey streaks and a short beard joined the onlookers, his gaze sharp.
"Xiao Yun!" He called. "Where did you find these wretches? And what's wrong with them? I don't see a scratch on either one."
"Explain!"
Xiao Yun cursed under his breath, but directed the guards to move on without him.
"Third Elder Xiao Canghai, it's quite early isn't it? Are you sure you aren't dreaming?" Xiao Yun waved his hands mystifyingly.
"Wha- !" The Third Elder shook his head, staving off the disbelief. "What nonsense! I said explain yourself."
Xiao Yun raised his hands, noticing the guards were getting close to Aunty Sageflowers cabin at the far corner.
He skipped along between steps and said, "You know what? Forget it. You can tell if you want. I'll explain everything at the next 'Trial of Xiao Yun.' Later!"
Running along behind them, Xiao Yun disappeared along the road.
"Oh?" said someone in the crowd. "He's taking them to that quack?"
"There's as good as dead. I don't know why that boy refuses to acknowledge Xiao Ming's medical skill."
The Third Elder silenced their chatter with a groan. "That boy is still the Patriarch's only living direct relative. You- all of you- will treat him with respect!"
Heading off in the direction of the Patriarch's mansion, the Third Elder let loose a flurry of murmured curses.
As for Xiao Yun and the guards, they finally arrived at a two-storey wooden structure, surrounding by some low grass.
Due to its position, with the walls of the manor to either side of it, the place seemed a bit depressing.
Standing outside was a woman in a white dress. Her hand outstretched, she created a mist from her palm to softly water some flowers.
"Aunty Sageflower," Xiao Yun approached, bowing.
Long Ding and Long Dong did the same, "Lady Sageflower."
Turning, to face them, her ocean blue eyes instantly landed on the two unconscious young men.
She brushed her black hair aside and said, "Quickly, take them in."
Xiao Yun moved as soon as she said this, and pushed through the short curtains.
Long Ding and Long Dong were right behind him and, lastly, Sageflower.
They placed them on two beds, and the woman came and immediately began observing them.
"Xiao Yun," she called to him as the guards stepped out, returning to their posts, although Long Dong immediately returned to being lazy.
"Yes, aunt?" He came up beside her.
"You went out into the forest again, despite being banned at the last Trial?" Although she asked, Xiao Yun knew that the answer was clear to her.
"Yes, aunt..." He lowered his head.
"Did any of the Elders see you?" While asking this, she placed two fingers on each of their foreheads, closing her eyes.
A soft white glow came from her fingers, indicating the use of magical energy.
"Third Elder saw me. I spoke with him. I assume he's already gone to tell Grandfather."
Sageflower nodded, "Good then. I'll see you at the Trial later. You may leave now."
"But-" He hurriedly spoke, wanting to stay and hear about their condition.
Her eyes snapped open and she turned back at him, expression firm but not angry.
"Xiao Yun. You are still on punishment- now even more so. Leave."
Sullen, the young man bowed once and walked out without a word. He already knew where he needed to be, so he headed for the Patriarch's mansion.
Sageflower sighed and continued her work, "... that boy."
___________
Later that day...
Dong!
At the sound of the gong, all those gathered in the room went silent.
The Six Elders sat around a low rectangular table as the servants served tea. In addition to the elders were the guards, Long Ding, Long Dong, and Sageflower herself.
They were all at the far end of the table, while the elders sat closer to the Patriarch.
The Patriarch was seated on an elevated point, looking down at them all with a grave expression.
Sitting on his right was, of course, Xiao Yun. The young man wasn't given any plus seating, but was instead made to kneel on the hard floor.
The Patriarch cleared his throat, his tired brown eyes gazing at those present, before he glared at Xiao Yun.
"Xiao Canghai. Long Ding, Long Dong. Sageflower. Please begin." His voice filled the room, echoing powerfully.
Long Ding and Long Dong rose at the same time as the Third Elder.
In addition, an elderly woman rose from the amongst the elders. The First Elder.
She cleared her throat. "Firstly, Patriarch, I must remind those present that Xiao Yun was previously banned from visiting the mountains after the last incident."
Xiao Yun's face fell.
"Also, due to that selfsame incident, our Xiao Clan's reputation has suffered a bit in recent months."
Xiao Yun's face got even lower.
"Please, begin." The First Elder sat, motioning to the others.
"Right," Long Ding started.
"My brother and I were manning our posts at the back gate. Nothing ever happens there, of course so we were- oh- not that we have a problem with an uneventful post or anything! It's just- er- well-"
Pow!
Long Dong smacked his brother, evoking a distressed look from the Fifth Elder, and many facepalms from the others.
Even the Patriarch shook his head.
"What my brother was trying to say," Long Dong yawned, "Is that we witnessed the Young Master coming out of the mountain forest with two unconscious individuals."
"Humans, yes?" The Patriarch asked.
Long Dong nodded, then him and his brother sat. The Fifth Elder seemed to breathe easier after that.
"I then witnessed the unconscious individuals being taken in the opposite direction of Xiao Ming's clinic. Being our clan's Master Apothecary, I would expect Xiao Yun to take anyone in need of medical assistance to him."
"Really," the Patriarch scoffed. "You clearly don't know Xiao Yun. Continue, Xiao Canghai."
"Ahem. Yes. Well, I inquired about things and Xiao Yun had the gall to tell me that I must have been dreaming, as I was awake a bit earlier than normal."
"He exhibited blatant disrespect for my authority, and then told me to go tell, as he was sure I was going to do that anyway."
The Third Elder sat, trying his best to look composed.
"And Sageflower?" The Patriarch looked to her expectantly.
"Our new guests are two young men, one yellow haired, the other grey haired. Until they wake, I will refer to them by hair color."
"Yellow Hair is slightly younger than the other; their bones are aged seventeen and eighteen."
"Grey Hair is a bit peculiar. His left hand is essentially stuck in this position," she demonstrated an odd hang gesture.
"As for why they are both unconscious, my best guess is that they both suffered from energy deprivation. I could not detect a trace of magical energy in the dantian of either one of them."
Hearing this, they all contemplated for a moment.
"I see," the Patriarch nodded, then looked to the First Elder. "Have Xiao Ming look them over as well."
Sageflower was about to speak, but the Patriarch signalled for her to stop.
"This is not because I do not have faith in your methods. We both know the limits of your capabilities. Allow Xiao Ming to examine them."
Sageflower sighed but nodded.
"Xiao Lingxi," the First Elder heard the Patriarch call her name and gazed up at him.
"Have Xiao Ming report to me once he's finished examining them."
"Certainly," the First Elder bowed.
"Now then," he turned to face Xiao Yun, who had practically sunk into the floor.
Sageflower took a seat, sighing and shaking her head. Even Long Ding, Long Dong and the Third Elder were bracing themselves.
"Xiao Yun, now is your time to speak on your behalf. However, you must know that regardless of what you say, you will be punished when this is all over."
"How severely depends on what you say next."
Xiao Yun stood, raising his head and seeing the eyes on him. He gulped, then opened his mouth.
"I..."