Chapter Text
The first heir to come into Wen Ruohan’s possession was, shockingly, Lan Wangji, delivered to him by his eldest son with a broken leg and smelling heavily of smoke.
Wen Ruohan thought hard about what to make Lan Wangji. The Lan’s lived on a mountain in the forest, a lush and beautiful place, and were seen as gentle and kind. Should the animal Lan Wangji would become not hold the same beauty, the gentle nature everyone believed the Lans held?
It was a trick for his healers, to make the boy into a deer without running the beauty of either creature, but in the end, they had pulled it off.
The boy's ears and legs had been replaced with that of a deer, a rare albino one his men had managed to capture alive, and a pair of antlers were affixed on the top of his head. The Lan ribbon looked so lovely draped upon it. Just for added appeal, the healers had added a permanent black spot to his nose, black dots upon his cheekbones that resemble freckles, and his fingers had been blackened to resemble hooves. There was even a little tail.
The boy had not been grateful when he had woken up, his usual stoic facade cracking as he screamed in terror and rage at what had become of him. He had seen even less happy about where he was, a private garden in the middle of Qishan, lush and luxurious. The perfect habitat to accommodate Wen Ruohan’s new pet.
He would learn to like it or spend his days in misery. Perhaps he would feel better when Wen Ruohan added more to his collections. After all, animals needed companionship and enrichment to truly be happy.
…
It was a well-known fact that members of the Jiang sect could hold their breaths for an incredible amount of time, a technique that involved circulating Qi that they heavily guarded.
When Wen Zhuili dragged the boy before him, broken and coreless, Wen Ruohan felt that he should give him some of that freedom back.
The boy was legs were taken and replaced with that of a giant koi, the scales a beautiful mix of violet and lilac. His fingers were webbed and fins were added to his forearms to make swimming easier, his nails sharpened and his teeth made just a deadly. Scales were added to his torso and limbs, and a little fins where his ears once were. The gills had been the trickiest part but his healers assured him the boy would be able to both breathe air and water, just not at the same time.
The boy had taken the change much better than the Lan boy had, staring blankly at the sky from where he floated in the koi pond. It had been dug deep to let the boy exercise and the water so clear it looked deceptively shallow, with aquatic plants decorating the bottom and lotus flowers drifting on top.
He didn’t do much aside from float there, staring at the sky. Perhaps losing his core had made the boy lose that spitfire personality of his. At least Lan Wangji seemed to enjoy having company, even if it was rather depressing.
…
Jin Guangshan was a spineless coward who practically threw his son down at Wen Ruohan’s feet when he demanded the child in exchange for the Jin sects loyalty and immunity. His son hadn’t even been surprised by the actions, a bit betrayed but certainly not surprised.
Wen Ruohan had a special plan for this boy. He had heard of the boy's nickname, gifted due to his pompous nature, and wouldn’t it be better if he lived up to the name?
The boy was the most ambitious endeavor his healers would have taken yet; his arms morphed and changed to resemble bird wings, the bones in his hands crushed and elongated to make the final bone of a wing. Golden feathers were added, his bones still dense and his weight making flight impossible. Below his knee was taken and replaced with the legs of a bird, and a large golden peacock tail was added. The healers had asked if he had wanted a beak but Wen Ruohan had declined, feeling that it might be a bit much; they were ordered to keep the idea in the background in case Wen Ruohan changed his mind.
Lan Wangji had been horrified at the sight of his new guest, more so than he had been with Jiang Cheng, and Jiang Cheng had just given a bark of a laugh before slinking back into the water. Wen Ruohan let him go, seeing how that was the first emotion anyone had managed to pull from him.
The boy had raged for a while before accepting this as his new fate, going as far as to even start assembling a nest for himself in the far corner of the garden, made of twigs and fallen feathers. At least one of these children knew how to graciously accept the gift Wen Ruohan had given them.
…
Getting Nie Huiasang had come at a great loss to his numbers but had been well worth it in the end. The boy fought with strength he never bothered to show, kicking and spitting on the Wen’s dragging him.
Wen Ruohan had laughed at the display of bravo before promptly knocking him out, allowing his healers to cart the boy off to begin the transformation.
The boy had the honor of retaining most of his physical humanity. His ears were replaced with that of a clouded leopard and a tail was added, and some pigment added to his skin to resemble spots. His canines were sharpened and whiskers added, his nose getting a permanent pink pigment like a real cat. The healers weren’t foolish enough to give the boy claws, instead taking great care to declaw the boy so he could never fight back.
They had been correct to do so, as the next time Wen Ruohan visited his pets the boy tried to claw his face off. He didn’t manage to even touch Wen Ruohan, thrown back with a flick of the man’s hand and landing in the pond. Jiang Cheng didn’t even flinch, just glanced at Nie Huaisang before going back to his silent vigil amongst the lotus.
Well, he could always come back another time when the boy had calmed down and accepted his fate as everyone else had. He just wanted to be sure they were all getting along anyway.
…
He had once entertained the thought of adding one of his sons to the collection as well. Xu’er and Chao’er would both look cute with a pair of cat ears and tails, with paws and sharp claws. Or maybe turning Zhuili into a literal loyal dog.
Now, he couldn’t even if he wanted to, all three of them dead. It infuriated him, his children— his children—dead at the hands of some lowly cultivators. His hands tighten into fists as he stands on a balcony overlooking his lovely garden of pets.
He didn’t let them get bored, always providing them with enrichment in the form of instruments or books. Lan Wangji is hidden behind a tree, plucking idly at a guqin. Jin Zixuan was trying to figure out how to hold a brush with what was once his wrist. Jiang Cheng was underneath the water, curled at the bottom unmoving, his hair floating up and tangling with the flowers. Nie Huaisang was at the edge of the pond, an open book in his lap and looking furious.
His fists unclenched and a grin made its way onto his face.
He couldn’t wait to crush all of those sects who dared defy him, but not before showing them what had become of their precious heirs. If they begged nice enough, he might even spare them. He could always use more pets.
…
Meng Yao was horrified the first time Wen Ruohan had shown him the private garden. He was careful not to show it, to swallow the bile rising in his throat at the sight of these monsters Wen Ruohan had made.
He felt worse for thinking that. These boys—these captured and imprisoned sect heirs—weren’t the monsters here, that honor went to the man who was proudly introducing Meng Yao to them. Lan Wangji and Jin Zixuan eyed him distrustfully while Nie Huaisang was glaring and baring his teeth—he would have to come back and explain it all to him later. Jiang Cheng wasn’t even looking at him, sitting on the edge of the pond and gazing at nothing, and Meng Yao feared he was already broken.
“Do you like them?” Wen Ruohan asked, a vicious grin on his face. “When I take over, I’ll turn every single heir into my little pet. A perfect punishment for daring to rise against me.”
“That sounds wonderful, Sect Leader.” Meng Yao smiled, his stomach churching when the thought of the note he’ll have to send Lan Xichen and the others, letting them know their brothers are alive. He hoped no one would act too rashly when they read it.