1 The Beginning

They marched forward, some on foot and others on dark horses that shrieked at random, the army of death is what they called them, because that's what they were. They stormed through their enemies leaving no one and nothing behind. Their leader was fierce, known as the God of death himself, but to those close to him, Kang Lei was his name. Kang Lei rode on his horse leading the front line, his eyes red with rage and his face crazed as he stormed forward.

"Lei! Lei! Please, stop this!" Hai Yin yelled as he sat on his white horse, his army at a standstill.

As he neared the Hai army, Kang Lei jumped down off of his horse, holding up his hand signaling his army to stop. "Stop this?! Stop this, say's clan leader Hai!" Kang Lei laughed hysterically. "It is too late!", he yelled, his laughter suddenly coming to a stop.

"It is never too late! It does not have to mean the end for us here!" Hai Yin yelled.

Kang Lei let out a burst of hysterical laughter again, "You should've thought of that before you killed my Father! Not making sure I met my end was a mistake, did you honestly think I would not have my revenge if I lived?"

"I swear to you, the Hai clan had nothing to do with the death of your Father and the attack on your life! My Father is dead, what more do you want?" Hai Yin yelled.

"I want you to suffer, suffer like I have suffered! I want death." Kang Lei screamed as he suddenly charged toward Hai Yin, his army behind him.

"Defend yourselves!" Hai Yin yelled as the two armies collided.

Kang Lei leaped into the air, swinging his sword down overhead as Hai Yin quickly unsheathed his own, raising it up over his head to block. "Lei!" Hai Yin groaned as he pushed back.

Kang Lei jumped backward, thrusting his sword forward through the chest of a Hai disciple near him. Slowly pulling out the sword, a deranged smile made its way onto Kang Lei's face.

Hai Yin's eyes began to water, the person before him was no longer the person he once knew. Charging again Kang Lei flew toward Hai Yin, "Die!" he shouted. Tear's streamed down Hai Yin's face as he closed his eyes, also charging forward, the two clan leaders raced toward each other with the intent of the others demise.

Five Years Earlier

"Clan Leader Hai, do you really mean to invite the Kang clan into your home, to the sacred Mount Grace Sect? We will be defenseless should they go back on their word; how could you trust them?" Clan Leader Vu exclaimed.

Clan Leader Hai cut his eye at clan Leader Vu, "My trust is not with the Kang clan, but with you Clan Leader Vu and we've come to an agreement to end this war. We do what we must so that our families may survive."

"Clan Leader Hai is correct, not only are our men dying, but resources are few, we cannot continue on this war path." Clan leader Ba added.

Clan Leader Vu flapped his wide sleeves, "Hmm!" he complained, without saying anything and reached down to sip his drink.

Clan Leader Hai, do you intend for the Kang clan to become one of the us? With them added, we would become the four main clans." Clan leader Ba asked.

"This is too much power to give to untrustworthy newcomers, we mustn't be so carefree." Said Clan leader Vu.

"I agree, although we must not be so judgmental as well." Clan leader Hai added.

"This so-called clan has dabbled in every bit of evil there is, judgement is nothing compared to what they deserve!" Clan leader Vu said firmly.

"Although the dark methods are their ways, we cannot hold others accountable for what their Fathers have done, that is the new way of the Hai clan and that is what we now teach our children and disciples." Said Clan Leader Hai.

"Well said, well said." Said Clan Leader Ba, raising his cup to Clan Leader Hai.

"Enough of this chatter, let us taste this fine meal that has been prepared for us, shall we?" said Clan Leader Hai and the other two nodded, but not before Clan Leader Vu hissed under his breath, what was wrong with Clan Leader Hai? Had he forgotten how the Kang clan started? Fifty years ago, the previous Hai clan leader, Hai Chan was forced to exile a disciple by the name of Kang Yu-Huan. Other disciples often made fun of Kang Yu-Huan because his spirit energy was weak. He grew tired of being the laughingstock and began to learn other ways to cultivate. One night he was caught conjuring spirits and digging up bodies of the dead for his own experiments. After being punished, and tried, he was exiled from the Hai clan, and considered defective so that no other clan would take him in. Hurt and angered by how he had been treated by the Hai clan, with blood, sweat and tears, Kang Yu-Huan was determined to make something of himself. Although it was true that the Kang clan's cultivational ways were built on strange methods, as they used necromancy, summoned ghouls and trapped ferocious spirits into their weaponry, unlike the three main clans that relied on elemental spirits, that didn't stop curiosity. Word of Kang Yu-Huan's unorthodox ways had spread rather quickly amongst the cultivational world and soon other exiled or fearless wanderers came for discipleship near and far. With many loyal disciples wanting to learn from him, a clan had grown right before Kang Yu-Huan's eyes. He soon met a woman and married, his wife bearing him a son, who is the current Kang clan leader.

Word spread further and further of this Kang clan and the other three main clans were furious. Deciding they would put and end to the Kang clan, the three main clans banded together to wipe out this blasphemes clan, but to their surprise, the unconventional cultivational methods proved greater than they had imagined. War continued with the three main clans against the Kang clan until now. With the blessing of the other two clans, the Hai clan supposed a treaty to end the war that had gone on for so long, but not everyone was happy about.

Clan Leader Hai took a sip of his wine, noticing that neither of his children were present. With the simple raise of his hand, a servant rush over.

"Ahh yes, clan leader Hai." Said the servant, bowing and catching their breath.

Clan leader Hai leaned toward the servant, "locate the whereabouts of my children."

"Right away clan leader Hai.", said the servant, making a swift exit out of the hall.

"Why must we always chase after the children, certainly they have not gotten that from me." Said Clan leader Hai to his wife.

Madam Ji let out a barely audible giggle, "you know the children do not care for this kind of thing, besides, was it not you who pursued me?" A smile graced clan leader Hai's face as he cut his eye at the madam, "Touché." he responded.

"Yin-ge, shall we go back now? I'm sure Father and Mother have noticed we've gone." Said Hai Su.

Hai Yin faced the cliffside, focused on the sound of the waterfall that fell in front of him. With his eyes closed, he stood with his back to his sister. The glow from the light of the moon gleamed onto his flawlessly handsome, pale, yet blush colored face and bounced off of his spotless off-white robe, making him look sort of angelic. Hai Su's stomach growled loudly, that being the actual reason she wanted to go back.

Hai Yin turned to his younger sister, the crease of his eyes forming from the small smile that graced his face, "Are you hungry A-Su?" he said, and Hai Su's face suddenly burned bright red.

"Do not tease me Yin-ge!" Hai Su whined.

A barely audible laugh escaped from Hai Yin's lips, "Let us go back." and the two of them turned to leave the cliff side. As they walked back, the servant ran toward them quickly bowing, "Young Master Hai and Lady Hai, Clan leader Hai has requested your presence, in the main hall."

"Mn." Hai Yin nodded as the three of them made their way back to the hall.

"Yin-ge, will we really meet with the Kang clan? People are saying that it is a mistake." Said Hai Su.

"Let them talk, we can only pass judgement after we've met and then time will tell." said Hai Yin.

"Mn." Hai Su nodded as the three continued there way back to the hall.

After supper concluded, the other clans made their way to their prepared rooms for the night.

"Mother, Father." Said Hai Yin bidding his parents a goodnight.

"Rest well dear." Said Madam Ji.

Hai Yin nodded turning to leave, but clan leader Hai stopped him, "A-Yin, walk with your old man, I have some things to discuss." Said Clan leader Hai, getting up and leaving the main hall, Hai Yin followed.

The two walked in silence for a few moments, their off-white robes flowing behind them, glistening in the light of the moon. Clan leader Hai stopped, closing his eyes, inhaling deeply and exhaling heavily. A midnight stroll to take in the fresh mountain air of Mount grace was something he hadn't much time to do these days.

Hai Yin eyed his seemingly relaxed Father, although he looked at ease, Hai Yin knew this conversation would most likely not be.

A moment more of silence passed and clan leader Hai finally spoke, "A-Yin, as the next clan leader, I feel it necessary to include your thoughts." Said clan leader Hai, letting out another exhale.

"…." Hai Yin raised his eyebrows surprised by what his Father had just said.

"Do you think the risk of peace is too great when it comes to the Kang clan?" said Clan leader Hai turning to his son.

"…The Hai clan believe that…."

"I am not asking you to recite the ways of our clan, I am asking the future clan leader his opinion.", Clan leader Hai suddenly interrupted his son.

Hai Yin lowered his head, "Risk is certain when it comes to an enemy clan however, since peace is the goal, it is a risk we must take."

Clan leader Hai smiled, "you are most certainly your Father's son." Said clan leader Hai, satisfied with Hai Yin's answer. "In two days', time, I will depart for the Unholy Sect to meet with Clan Leader Kang. There we will sit down and discuss the terms of our truce."

"I will come along with you!" Hai Yin said firmly.

"That will not be necessary." Said Clan Leader Hai.

"But Father.."

"You speak the words of a Clan Leader, yet you still have the mind of a seventeen-year-old child." Said Clan Leader Hai, again interrupting his son.

"I am only concerned for your safety Father." said Hai Yin, feeling uneasy.

"I will only take servants and a handful of our best cultivators. If I am escorted by too many men, the Kang clan leader will assume I am prepared to fight. Besides, should anything happen to me, the future Hai clan leader must remain safe." Hai Yin lowered his head, nodding although he did not agree with his Father.

"I have discussed it with the other Clan Leaders, as a show of faith and good will, I will invite the Kang clan to the four-day bonding banquet this year." said Clan Leader Hai. The four-day bonding banquet was an event held by the Hai clan annually. The very first Hai clan leader started this tradition where representatives from each clan would come to dine, fellowship and compete in friendly competition to ensure peace and good relationships among future clan leaders, this year would be the first year that the Kang clan was invited.

Hai Yin nodded, although his only concern was about his Father leaving in two days and it showed on his face. Clan Leader Hai walked over, gently patting the head of his son that had in the blink of an eye grown taller than him and he smiled. "You are your Mother's son full of worry. You must trust in your Father A-Yin." Said Clan leader Hai.

Hai Yin stepped back, balling one of his fists, and cupping his open hand over the other, slightly bowing, "I do Father."

Clan Leader Hai's smile grew wider, "Good, now go back first, I will stay a while longer." Said Clan Leader Hai. Hai Yin nodded to his Father and made his way back to the manor.

Two days later Clan Leader Hai set off with several servants and a group of his best cultivators to the Unholy Sect, he would finally lay eyes on the Kang clan leader himself.