Chapter Text
Digging a hole in order to get accepted into a sect was probably the most idiotic thing Shang Xiang could have possibly written.
After spending three chilled nights in a dark, almost damp alley, Shang Xiang woke up to his brother shaking him. “The selection is starting soon, A-Xiang.”
“But gege… ”
“Up, up,” Shang Chang practically dragged his brother to his feet, brushing off the dirt he’d managed to grab while sleeping. “We need to be there early, or else we won’t find a good spot for us to dig.”
“And we’re still digging together?”
It was something they’d discussed while traveling. They both knew they wanted to join Cang Qiong, but they wanted it to be together, not one or the other. It wasn’t completely unheard of, siblings trying their best and neither joining because the person they promised to follow wasn’t accepted, but that was expected when they worked separately.
The twins were going to dig the same hole, no matter what.
“Of course, didi. Now, let’s go eat, or else you’ll pass out before we even start.”
“Wha- Hey! Gege, you’re so mean to me!”
The food was mediocre at best, close to being cold and far too lumpy to be good, but it still filled stomachs all the same. While wiping their faces clean of any dirt and food, they made their way to the base of the mountain. The twins were far from the first people there, and there were many more adults than either expected, but the spot they’d chosen would be big enough for both of them.
Some An Ding disciples tried to talk them out of it, citing how people who dug together in the past fought more often than not, no matter how close they appeared to be, but they skillfully ignored them. Shang Xiang whispered secrets to his brother, telling him what the dirt felt like under his fingers and the best way to cup their hands so that they wouldn’t get too hurt while digging.
They agreed that they would take turns, one digging and the other scooping, trading off whenever they started getting tired. They had practiced a few times, a process they’d made up when they were assigned farm work while at home after their only shovel mysteriously went missing. It wasn’t a second nature, per se, but it was close enough that they had no trouble when they were told to start.
Cang Qiong was further south than their hometown, which meant that the weather was different, even during the same season. The sun felt much warmer than they were used to, and more than once they had to switch off early because they were getting too hot. Shang Xiang was determined, using the pads of his fingers to pry up some clay that had been missed while prepping the area, while Shang Chang scooped it up and placed it in the pile for said material. It was easy, sorting the dirt out as they worked, and the piles only grew the longer they dug.
Shang Xiang could feel eyes on the back of his neck, watching him closely as he traded with his brother. His nails were dirty, and the feeling of them being filled with soil and sand made his skin crawl, but that didn’t matter right now. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he could see his twin in a similar state, yet they both kept at it.
“A-Xiang.”
He paused, just for a moment, before his hands resumed digging, fingers curled and catching on some pebbles beneath them. “Yes, gege?”
Their words were breathy with coming exhaustion. It had been nearly three hours already, and their hole was one of the largest. Of course, they were expecting that, and Shang Xiang inwardly preened at the surprised looks some hallmasters threw their way.
“Tell me a story.”
“Ah, now?” Shang Xiang gave his brother a dubious look, only to be met with a sturdy gaze. “Which one? Bing Jing and his master Xiao Hua? Or Bu Xing and the god Zhan Mei?”
“Something new.” The smile on Shang Chang’s face made the younger twin giggle under his breath, starting a new pile for the next layer of dirt. “Get creative, didi.”
“Alright,” He took a moment, sorting through the many stories he knew from both his lives before a thought came up. “Have I ever told you about Cuo Huai and the Nine Faced Wind Fox?”
Amusement danced in eyes much his own, and soon the two were lost in the story falling from Shang Xiang’s lips, words filling the air filled with panting and grunts. So lost they were that they nearly missed the disciple who appeared before them.
Her robes were blue and yellow, and her hair was expertly braided and pulled back into a tight bun. Her eyes were sharp, cutting into the air between the two when they finally slowed to a stop. “What are your names?”
“This one is Shang Chang, and he is with his brother Shang Xiang.”
“My Shizun has chosen the two of you to join An Ding Peak,” Disbelief filled Shang Xiang’s chest for a moment, his eyes going wide as he looked to his brother. “Do you accept?”
“Y-Yes!” Shang Xiang squeaked, a flush coming to his cheeks as the lady raised a brow. “I-I mean, this one accepts, for both of us.”
“Mn, stand up, the both of you, and follow me.”
The eyes kept on Shang Xiang’s back, and he couldn’t help but shiver as he took his brother’s hand. Said boy squeezed his fingers gently, almost checking to see if this was real. As they walked past other children, some of which looked upon them with envy at being chosen so early, Shang Xiang had to bite back a grin wider than he could imagine.
The lord of An Ding Peak stood at the edge of the clearing, his hair pulled back into a low braid, with long strands framing the gentle curves of his face. Dark brown eyes landed upon the twins, and what looked to be kind amusement filled his gaze. Their soon-to-be Shijie bowed to him, a calm look upon her face. “Greeting Shizun.”
“Disciple Gho Yahui, who have you brought this master today?”
The words were gentle, and Shang Xiang felt it only fitting to compare them to the flow of water, like rain coming down a low mountain stream. “These are brother Shang Chang and Shang Xiang, the two who had been working in the corner.”
Delight sparked in those eyes, and the An Ding lord all but grinned down at them. “Ah, so they are. Bring them back to the Leisure House, the ceremony will be short today.”
“Yes, Shizun.”
An Ding Peak smelled of dirt and paper and ink, and Shang Xiang found that he was quickly falling in love with it.
Throughout their walk to their Shizun’s home, neither twin had let go of their brother’s hand, squeezing every once in a while as a form of reassurance. Gho Yahui walked in front of them, bowing her head to her fellow disciples as they passed by. “It is rare Shizun picks out a disciple at the selection, let alone two.” The way she said it felt like it could have been an insult, but the hidden smile made Shang Xiang’s shoulders fall. “An Ding Peak tends to take up those who weren’t chosen by the other Peaks, so you should count yourselves as rather gifted.”
“Is… Does Shizun not attend the selections?”
Shang Chang looked at his brother before twitching his nose.
Gho Yahui hummed, stepping onto a new path that was more grass than stone. There were less disciples running around, and the ambient voices that Shang Xiang had gotten used to faded in the distance. “Not usually. Shizun is busy, running all the Peaks finances and managing the Sect’s trade routes and partners, so he sends us disciples to run it each year. Why he decided to make an appearance this time, this one will not guess, but it is not an unwelcomed sight.”
They eventually came to a stop outside a very nice home, and their Shijie proceeded to knock loudly.
When the door opened, their Shizun was standing before them, a smile still planted on his face. In the clear light of the afternoon sun, Shang Xiang could see the exhaustion that pulled the man’s eyes down, making them look aged compared to the rest of him. Gho Yahui bowed lowly, nudging at the twins when they stood a moment too long.
“Come in.”
The sitting room was nicely decorated, a few cushions set around a low table, which held a very expensive-looking tea set. The walls held some calligraphy that a god could have made, as well as some paintings of the Sect’s scenery. Shang Xiang let himself be led farther in, stopping when the Peak Lord sat upon a very important-looking chair. Gho Yahui slipped away at some point, the door closing softly behind her, as the twins knelt down before their teacher.
“Do you know why this master chose you two?”
There was humor in his tone, almost like he was leading up to a silly, harmless joke. Shang Xiang could feel his brother begin to bristle, and he wasted no time in squeezing his hand tightly. “No, these lowly ones are unaware.”
“Out of the many siblings who worked together, I have never seen any who got along so well as the two of you.” The older man tapped his finger against his seat, his heels crossing as he leaned back. Hair as dark as the night flowed over his shoulder, wavy in a way that only a braid could set it. “Hard work and companionship are very important here on An Ding, and it is rather hard to find outside of already made connections. I find it rather impressive that you, Shang Xiang, were able to tell a story as you worked. Such dedication to detail on two fronts is incredibly difficult to find, let alone cultivate.”
“My didi is more skillful than anyone else I know,”
Shang Xiang’s eyes widened as the Peak Lord finally let a grin slip through. “Wh- Gege! You can’t just-”
“No, no, it is alright,” A hand as pale as jade waved the words away, soft laughter falling from the man’s lips. “This master does not doubt that. As my disciples, you will face many challenges and hardships, and there will be many eyes upon you. You will, of course, start as outer disciples, assigned to transportation and retrieving materials from the base of the mountain until you either ascend as inner disciples or find yourselves too old to be kept to the peak alone. Though, with your paired diligence, I do not doubt you will make it far here.”
It turns out that in order to be officially accepted onto An Ding, you just have to listen to their Shizun, Shui Anyi, rant about any given subject for longer than half a shichen. Shang Chang had practice, willingly spending nights in personable silence as Shang Xiang talked his ears off, and Shang Xiang simply allowed his mind to wander with the given subject.
Later, long after the twins were allowed a bath and the chance to change into new, clean robes, they were shown around the peak.
It was beautiful, and Shang Xiang mentally pat himself on the back for his creativity in his last life. The ambiance was perfect. The sound of waterfalls, speckled trees, and the wind? Wonderful combination. He could fall asleep in seconds if he weren’t so busy trying to memorize everything.
Many of their Shixiong decided it would be a great hazing ritual to dump a shit ton of unknown paperwork on thier newly chosen Shidi, just so they could see who would crack first. It was terrible, and Shang Xiang spent the first night stressing over a shit ton of characters he could barely understand. Until, at least, his brother just told one of the Hallmasters.
By the gods above, it was amazing to see their martial brothers getting their asses reamed by men who looked no older than twenty.
Their first official day went as well as it could have gone, in any case.
The classes were easy, and their schedule was flexible so that they could help where they were needed. Gho Yahui made an appearance once or twice, helpfully pointing them in the right direction when they inevitably got lost, and soon enough, the first week was over.
Shang Xiang curled under the blanket of his brother's bed, blocking out the sounds of his martial brothers snoring like the world was ending. Shang Chang was holding him close, letting his chest act like a pillow as his didi whispered a story to him. It was a continuation of the one he started at the selection, taking the time to map out a proper storyline that made sense, instead of the mess he began with a few days ago. Cuo Huai was facing a heavenly trial, forced to battle against the winds and rain that surrounded the island he called home, where a rare flower was meant to bloom in less than two years.
He was to protect it until it bloomed, or else he would be cursed until the next one appeared in a thousand years. Of course, the brothers knew he would succeed, even though poor Cuo Huai was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion, but that could change at any time! The fact that the venerable Ping Wen, a friend who Cuo Huai had left behind when he ran from home, who had managed to gain immortality in the fifty years since they were separated, appeared and helped Cuo Huai fight the winds back long enough to rest changed nothing.
By the end of the story session, Shang Chang was on the verge of falling asleep, his hazel eyes closing before he forced them open again. “Go to sleep, gege,” Shang Xiang giggled, hugging his brother with a tired hum. “I’ll tell you more over breakfast.”