...
It's time I impart to you a new technique to master...
This is the Nine Yin Dragon Claw Technique, combining the strength of Buddha and Dao, it inherits the Nine Yin Mantra's spitefulness and the Shaolin Dragon Clan's fierceness. Combined with my tempered Venom Arts, it is powerful in both attack and defense.
Are you clear with my teachings?
Yes Senior, I did.
New Finger Technique Unlocked.
Excellent. But I sense much sorrow within you today. Why is it? Are you not pleased to have learned my superior martial arts?
I don't know - just feel...
I never met my parents since I was a child, and never knew the happiness of having a family. I should get used to it. But during this time of the year, for some uknown reason, I feel a deep sense of longing for the parents I've never seen.
Are you sure? Not even once? Perhaps you simply forgot.
Perhaps... but I don't even know who I really was...
Kid, come with me. I want to show you something.
What is it that you want to show me?
You will understand if you see it. It may be related to your birth...
!? My birth? Senior, wait for me!
Here, this is the place.
A tomb?
Look at the names.
Dongfang Xi... Gongxiyao...
What's going on.. just looking at these two names, I could feel so much sorrow within me.
It's only natural. They are your parents.
My parents? Senior, how do you know this?
It's a long story. Your parents and I, we were close at that time. 20 years ago, we members of the Cult of Tianlong.
My parents are members of the Cult?
That's it. Your mother, Gong Xiyao was the adopted daughter of our former Hierarch Devaraja, and your father Dongfang Xi was one of the Guardians of our sect, the Nagaraja thinks very highly of him.
Your parents had a promising future in the Cult at first until the day Devaraja disappeared. You see, your father discovered the Nameless One's Secret of the Sanctuary and handed it over to the Devaraja. Together they went to investigate this sanctuary.
But unexpectedly, the news leaked out. The Devaraja's party was ambushed at the Sanctuary by opportunists who labeled themselves as men of Justice. I saved your father from the slaughter, but the Devaraja himself was nowhere to be found.
How did the news leak?
...your father, was a double agent sent by the Wudang Cult.
What!
*Sigh* Our Devaraja is extremely charismatic, your father's original intent was to spy on our sect, but under the Devaraja's influence, he gradually understood our sect's purpose was to help people, so he became one of us.
But Wudang Sect was his birthplace, how could he easily give up such ties? He desperately hoped that our sect would make peace and reach true understanding with the rest of the martial arts world in Central China. But Wudang Sect would have none of it, and forced your father to make a choice.
Under such pain and pressure, your father made the wrong choice. He told them of the Sanctuary. Leading to that fateful ambush. But your father's attempt to shield the Devaraja during the conflict was seen as a traitor's behavior by those 'men of justice.'
As a result, your father is hated by both sides, the sects posted bounties on him, while the Cult sent out assassins to hunt him down. I tried to plead your parents case in front of the Nagaraja, but he would have none of it. I could not defy the sect's order and it is true, your father's mistake costed the Cult dearly...
...
In the end... both of your parents went into hiding. All those years, I had done all I could to track them down, but I found nothing. But somehow Gods at last granted me the knowledge of their last whereabouts.
They must've given birth to you while on the run. Knowing that they could not protect you from the assassins, they left you in front of a farm's gate in Xuan Chen. This act spared you from death.
I personally went to Xuan Chen to investigate and found this tomb. How unexpected that you would turn out to be my old friend's offspring. Truly this is Heaven's Will, an inviolable destiny!
Do you have any proof to back up such claims?
Of course. Here.
This, this half Jade Bracelet !
It is what's left of your mother's. It was a desperate time, but your mother still held to a faint hope that one day you will somehow reunite. So she broke this bracelet in two. The other half should be in your possession. Try it yourself. Do they match?
Indeed...indeed.
Well boy, do you still doubt my words?
Father, mother...
Think boy. Your father gave his life to 'justice' but what did he get?
What is justice, what is evil? I ask you, our founding Emperor Hong Wu the Great, could he be regarded as a good ruler? Under his reign, the people are happy and the nation prosperous. But he also caused a lot of deaths.
Emperor Yongle time of reign was called the golden age of Yongle. But he is an usurper and a murderous tyrant, he accumulated a karma of killing which could be compared to his father Emperor Hong Wu.
That is why, even though our Cult of Tianlong acts may seem excessive to the eyes of many, but we know the more corrupted the world, the more extreme we must act in order to cleanse it, just like ruthlessness being the mark of a truly great man. If someone wants to achieve greatness, how could he concern himself about the small things?
Once the Cult unifies the martial arts world under one flag, we could usher in true Peace and Harmony! How could these sects with different views, clutching tightly to their ancestors' secrets even hope to achieve anything? Such close-mindedness caused martial arts knowledge to stagnant and many former masters's unique arts were already lost!
Once we unite all the sects into the Cult, we will take in all the martial knowledge. Discard the weak, retain the strong ones to create a new supreme style! THAT, is how the Cult intends to achieve greatness.
...
I've told you so much tonight. But I don't expect you to understand everything at once. Just think about it. Think of how your father died.
He died for NOTHING! How about you? I know you want to make a difference, do great things.
But can you truly make a difference here in this carefree Valley? An easy life, is that really what you want? I can see you are different. You are a wolf, just like me. And wolves travel in packs, not among sheep!
That is all. I will leave you here, give you time to be with your parents.
...