Fate Of The Qing Family

*Things like sexism and racism are purely for worldbuilding and to make it more realistic. Thank you for your understanding.*

Within a grand hall.

"Aaaahhhhh-!"

"Aa-!"

Terrifying screams echoed off of the polished stone walls and ceiling in the form of a dome. The screams sometimes sounded near, sometimes far, but they were ever-present; even after the death of their creators.

Ten figures and two lifeless bodies powerlessly hung in the air, suspended by thick chains of light that also served as their restraints. The twelve figures were dotted around the room without any pattern, however, at the centre of the hall stood a woman.

This woman was seated on a throne of light, presumably made by herself. She had one arm on the armrest of her throne, cupping her chin and supporting her head. A pondering expression was apparent on her picturesque face and her brows were furrowed. Such an expression had no place on the face of a beautiful woman.

Suddenly, a pain-filled groan resounded within the hall and successfully attracted the attention of the seated woman. The furrowed brows of the woman eased and the pondering look in her eyes was replaced with annoyance. Seemingly irritated by the groan, the woman alighted from her throne and attracted the attention of all ten figures who were still alive.

They watched with rapt attention as the woman walked through the hall and toward one of their own. Silence filled the hall as none of the figures made a sound and watched. The only sound that pierced the silence was the sharp echo of the woman's high heels impacting the floor.

Turning their heads to follow the movements of the woman, the chains of light that encompassed every inch of their body clinked as it folded to allow slight movement of the neck. The sounds were strange as one wouldn't expect chains of light to make sounds. However, there was no surprise within the hall.

One of the imprisoned figures, the only other woman within the hall, watched with increasing anxiousness as she watched the woman approach her. She could make no noises, nor could any of the other figures, due to a muzzle of light around the bottom half of their face. Her body started shaking in the air coupled with the clinking of chains as she struggled in the air. Knowing that the groan she had made earlier had caught the attention of the approaching woman, the restrained woman felt very nervous.

Two of her comrades had already been brutally killed for struggling within the chains. She had no intention to throw away her life, however, survival instincts set in as she felt her impending doom. Her struggling and shaking became more violent as the noise of the chains started to grind within the ears of all present. Desperate pleading in the form of groans and grunts resounded from her. This was all she could produce as her mouth was sealed by the muzzle, reminiscent of a rabid dog.

The other nine figures watched with ashen expressions as tears and snot fell from their comrade's face and down herself. Seeing the mad struggle for life as well as the terrified look in her eyes, many of the other figures shut their eyes in sorrow and tried to ignore her. They turned their heads away from the woman and her in inhuman groans.

Seeing her comrades, her family, turn away from her, the struggling woman only cried harder as strange sounds came from her. Since her mouth was sealed, the sound of her crying and wailing transformed into dreadful groans, like that of a vengeful spirit.

Right now, she appeared as a smaller than average woman in black robes suspended a few meters off of the ground by chains as a muzzle covered her face. Her black robes had an insignia that portrayed a blue lotus with golden streams of water on either side of it. All of the restrained figures wore similar robes.

Looking at the madly struggling and groaning woman before her, the woman who was seated on the throne of light had a slightly apologetic expression. 'I can only kill them quickly and painlessly.' She thought as she neared the woman.

The next moment, a thin but incredibly powerful pillar of light came from the left eye of the woman and penetrated the heart of the struggling woman. The pillar produced no sound within the hall apart from the burning of flesh it caused. The pillar only lasted a fraction of a second and was so bright that the hall turned white. Once the other figures had opened their eyes after the flash of bright light, they were sad to see a small hole where the struggling woman's heart should have been.

Eight of the remaining nine figures had no time to even comprehend the situation before another flash of light emanated from the woman.

After the light had receded once more, the hall was completely empty except for the woman and one of the figures.

The crystal white robes of the woman suddenly fluttered as she appeared before the last remaining figure. On the back of her robes, three beams of light converged to form a triangle. This was the insignia of the Temple. The woman was very thin and her arms looked to be easily breakable. Her skin was exceptionally fair and her long eyelashes fluttered as she blinked, bewitching any who saw her. She appeared to be very young, no more than sixteen. Her brown hair was very fine and straight as it draped over her shoulders.

Even though she had just killed eleven people, the girl still had a kind and forgiving expression on her face, like she was a saint. However, unlike the murderous intent usually concealed within people, her kindness was very genuine.

Directing her delicate eyes toward the hulking figure suspended before her, the saintly woman weakly waved her thin arm and the muzzle of light covering the figure disappeared. Following this, she said nothing and only stared at the man above her.

"Hong Yuxuan." A name escaped the man's mouth as he spoke with a grieving tone. He had no strength in his voice or eyes when faced with the foe before him. His thick and bushy eyebrows were dropped as he clenched his teeth, trying to remain calm.

"I am here." The girl, Hong Yuxuan, responded to the man she had trapped within chains of light. Her voice was that of a loving mother toward her son, a saint toward her pious follower. After she had spoken, a kind smile was worn on her face as she, once again, stared at the man suspended above her.

Hearing the tone of the woman, the hulk of a man only sighed helplessly as opened his tightly shut eyes to look at the small girl before him. Overtaken by all that had changed in the past day and his current emotions, the man stared at her with a condemning and sad look. Such an expression should not be one of a middle-aged man such as himself but a child looking at the person they thought was their friend.

Being faced with such a look, Hong Yuxuan could only lower her head in shame. She truly had no intention to do what she had done, however, massive changes had occurred within the city. Although she was one of the most powerful cultivators within the city, even she could only surrender to circumstance.

"I..." Wanting to speak to the man but not daring to match his gaze, Hong Yuxuan could only keep her silence.

Seeing Hong Yuxuan act like this, even the raging anger within the man was replaced by helplessness and grim depression. With a melancholic voice, he spoke. "You, Hong Yuxuan, have taken everything from me. I only wanted to see my wife and children once more before I died but...!" The man wanted to continue, however, choked on his words and found himself unable to continue.

The man had accidentally wandered into this city hundreds of years ago and had wanted to escape ever since. Every day, he longed to see his beautiful wife and their child in Qingshan City. Thinking of their faces, the man silently cried for only a moment before he steeled himself. He was a warrior, a Stage 5 cultivator! How could he shed tears in the face of his enemy, even if they were his former friend?

As a powerful and mighty warrior of the Qing Clan, how could he falter?!

Hearing the saddening words of the man, Hong Yuxuan bit her lips in frustration. She knew this man's story. All he wanted was to escape, and so did she. They formed an alliance and a friendship to help achieve this goal amidst the turbulence of the city. Hundreds of years later, they would even form an organisation within the city with the goal of escape. This was the Temple.

"Han Po, please let me exp-" Hong Yuxuan wanted to explain herself to her close friend of hundreds of years. This was not only for his closure but also for her peace of mind. Someone like her couldn't do whatever she wanted without her conscience taking a toll on her. She was too compassionate of other people, she cared too much. If she let Han Po die without ever telling him why she suddenly betrayed him, his ghost would haunt her and her conscience would torture her.

"You dare to address me in such a friendly way after what you have done?!" Cutting her off, Han Po spoke viciously and outrageously. He spoke as if he couldn't believe what he had heard, cementing the fact in Hong Yuxuan's mind that he would never forgive her.

Suddenly awoken by his cruel reprimand, Hong Yuxuan couldn't help but slightly tear up. Han Po had raised her to some degree after he had accidentally wandered into the city. She had grown alongside him until she eventually surpassed him and became the figurehead of the Temple while he shrunk behind the scenes. Han Po, her only friend, conveying the intention that she was his enemy had hurt her.

With her head still held low and her fists now clenched, Hong Yuxuan spoke once more, only much quieter than before. "Qing Han Po, please let me explain." After she had spoken, she bit her lip when awaiting Qing Han Po's answer.

Silence reigned the hall as Qing Han Po's eyes turned dimmer and dimmer. Everything he had done, all he had sacrificed was to leave this city and reunite with his family and the Clan. Being suddenly betrayed by one he thought closer than any other, his will had been shattered. He thought that the days of finally seeing his wife were not long away, and now this.

Being separated from the Clan for so long, Qing Han Po thought he took what he had for granted. Being surrounded by blood relatives wherever he went was a feeling of belonging he had not recognised until it had been deprived of him. The subordinates of the hall of internal affairs that he used to argue with over missions, the cashiers at the stores he visited, even the people he had brushed shoulders with and soon forgotten were all his family. They were all a part of the huge family known as Qing Clan.

Thus, when others belonging to the Clan found themselves trapped within the city just like had, he picked them up and held them within his arms. He taught them, laughed with them and consoled them. He had built a new Qing Family within the city until the day he could escape. They all helped him in reuniting with Qing Clan outside this cage of beasts.

However, they were no more. Their bodies had been vaporized by Hong Yuxuan. Looking around him at where they had been shackled less than a minute ago, Qing Han Po fought the feeling of giving up and ending it all. When he pictured how his son may look after all these years and how lonely his wife must have been, the determination to see them burned ever bright. He would never give up on finding a way to see them, at any cost.

At this point, his desire to see what he loved had long dwarfed his thirst for strength. Being trapped within this damned city made him realise the pursuit of strength is universally for one thing and one thing only: to do whatever you want. And what he wants is to see his family. Thus, ambition can not compare to the yearning for his family.

He was so close.

After realising he was no match for the beasts that surrounded the city, he took to other means. After hundreds of years, he and the other members of his Qing Family had created a plant similar to the pungent-smelling plants that surrounded the city. However, these ones were much more potent. They were created to repel stronger beasts than normal until the path was traversable. The testing period had just ended and the time for his escape was nearing ever closer.

But the cruel Universe had crushed his dreams and hopes, robbing him of the chance to complete them. His close friend, Hong Yuxuan, had even ruthlessly betrayed him and killed his family. What did he do to deserve this?

Directing a gaze down at the still-waiting Hong Yuxuan who had her head lowered, he spoke eerie words.

"You have no idea of what you have stolen from me."

Hong Yuxuan suddenly raised her head and matched Qing Han Po's gaze. Within she saw a never-ending hate for herself. It was so deep and embedded within Qing Han Po that nothing could erase it. The expression on his face was one of apathy, however, within those eyes, was a raging ire.

Indeed, Hong Yuxuan had no idea of what she had stolen from Qing Han Po on this day. Robbing money, material, friends? They are not what make a man. What Hong Yuxuan had stolen was Qing Han Po's belief, his hope. One could say this was the greatest thing one could steal.

Seeing the uncontrollable detest within Qing Han Po's calm expression, Hong Yuxuan's eyes shrunk to pin-size as her breathing roughened. No matter how strong she became, she had never changed since she was weak. This was one of the most extraordinary things about her but also her greatest weakness. It made her thoughtful, compassionate and caring of all others, not just herself and her friends. Thus, when subjected to such a ruthless glance from her mentor, friend and ally; Hong Yuxuan nearly burst into tears.

Seeing the turmoil she was going through in having to do these things, Qing Han Po sneered. He had no doubt that Hong Yuxuan was doing all of this against her will because someone was forcing her to with some sort of leverage. However, that did not lessen his hatred by one ounce. You could say he was petty.

Qing Han Po knew that Hong Yuxuan did not want to kill him, but had to. Oblivious of the reason, he found himself uncaring of it as well.

For robbing him of everything he had dreamt of, he will make her pay the maximum price.

"Kill me."

Qing Han Po's voice interrupted the emotional turmoil that Hong Yuxuan was going through as she stared at him with disbelief. She exclaimed in a disbelieving voice. "W-what?"

Hong Yuxuan, leader of the Temple in the eyes of the city and a Stage 6 cultivator was lost for words as she stared with no focus. She felt like she was once again the little girl struggling for food in the slums nearly a thousand years ago. Feeling fear, nervousness and pathetic; Hong Yuxuan stared dumbly at Qing Han Po who was staring right into her eyes, not letting her look away.

Happy with the reaction he garnered, Qing Han Po smiled cruelly as he spoke. "I said kill me. What's the matter? Weren't you going to do it anyway? Kill me? Rob me of my dreams? Destroy everything that I ever cared about, everything I yearned for?" Speaking with a very vengeful and cruel tone, Qing Han Po stared at the little girl who had an aghast expression on her face.

Guilt warping her mind, Hong Yuxuan incoherently muttered. "I never meant to... I didn't... I don't want to..." Her words could barely be heard. She looked lost and alone as she lost her resolve.

"You've done everything else. All that's left is to kill me! So, come on! Kill me! Do it!" With a crazed expression and a smile on his face, Qing Han Po screamed as he violently struggled within the chains of light.

The sounds of the heavy chains moving and pulling with the great strength of a Stage 5 cultivator was deep and thunderous. Qing Han Po struggled like a wild animal as he screamed curses and profanities unto Hong Yuxuan.

Hearing the insane screams that were tearing at her heart coupled with seeing the vicious and animalistic movements of Qing Han Po struggling to break free from the chains, Hong Yuxuan could only mutter one word.

"Stop..."

She spoke with audible fatigue and weakness within her voice as she pleaded for Qing Han Po to stop. Crystal clear tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked at Qing Han Po with a pleading expression in her eyes.

She truly never intended to do this. One of the reasons she muzzled the mouths of the Qing Family members and Qing Han Po earlier was because she couldn't face them. She had already decided on betrayal and tried to keep her composure as she did the deed. However, she needed closure from Han Po. This was a fatal mistake.

"Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!!" Under the immense mental pressure and the raging Qing Han Po trying to cause as much noise and appear as insane as possible, Hong Yuxuan broke down into tears as she wailed at him to stop.

However, Qing Han Po only smiled with visible content and struggled even more insanely while screaming poisonous words. "Kill me!! Fucking kill me, whore!! Do it!! I'm fucking telling you to do it, bitch!! Kill!! Me!!"

Under the extremely loud noise and mental barrage, Hong Yuxuan started having a panic attack amidst her overwhelming regret and guilt. All she wanted was for the noise to stop, for Han Po to stop.

With a scream worthy of a banshee, Hong Yuxuan covered her ears so tightly, she could crush her own head. She willed for the noise to stop. She wailed for it to stop. She begged. She pleaded...

...until she snapped.

With a violent wave of both of her arms, Hong Yuxuan took a movement like she was decapitating someone.

And finally, silence returned amidst bright light that shrouded everything within the hall.

Wiping her tears and sniffling pitifully within a world of bright and warm light, Hong Yuxuan felt at peace. Although she was traumatised, she felt safe once more. Her sense of security was restored.

Looking around her at the world of light, Hong Yuxuan suddenly dispelled it to reveal an empty hall where only she was present. Within the hall, silence reigned supreme. At this, Hong Yuxuan felt glad that the hell she was in a moment ago had gone.

She looked around her as well as behind her and saw no sign of Qing Han Po.

'Oh. He must have left.' Completely unaware that she had just killed Qing Han Po, she built a false reality within her head that rid herself of any guilt. From this, it could be seen that her mind was broken. Although Qing Han Po succeeded in breaking her mind, he would be dissatisfied with the effect.

Hong Yuxuan, herself, could not comprehend that she had or even might have killed Qing Han Po. Within her reality, the possibility didn't exist.

She had done what almost every living being had done: rejected the truth. She had blatantly refused to see the truth and had built a false reality and perception within her head to benefit herself. However, everyone did this.

How can we be sure that everyone perceives the world the same way? Simply, we can't. She had constructed a sense of security to protect herself. Everyone had their own sense of security that warped the world they saw. Maybe they were afraid of certain animals and did everything they could to avoid them. Maybe they had trauma with a certain person and avoided them.

All of these things are a sense of security manifested to protect the mind. By not taking in everything they could and rejecting certain things, they are not seeing all of reality, thus they are blind to the truth of anything and remain ignorant of all of what the Universe has to offer.

Oblivious to any of this, Hong Yuxuan stood up to leave through the only door into and out of the hall.

The door was ajar, however, she didn't pay it any mind.

...

Watching this entire scene unfold was an old man, appearing to be around seventy years of age. His hair was not white yet, only dark grey, and his face was filled with a thick beard. Dressed in burgundy robes, he stood 5'11".

'This girl, Hong Yuxuan, is mentally unstable. Maybe it was a mistake forcing her to kill the Qing Family. I should have done it myself.' Griping at the effect a simple instruction had on Hong Yuxuan, the old man was regretful.

Indeed, this old man was the person who forced Hong Yuxuan to betray the Qing Family.

Watching the little girl leave the hall with short steps, the old man suddenly disappeared, leaving only strong winds.

*3,657/3,000 words*