Mistwood

When Die Feng was only 3,000 years old, Mo Yuan happened to pass by the West Sea Kingdom and rescued his brother Die Yong from a wild sea serpent. After hearing Mo Yuan wanted to start his own school, Die Feng’s Queen Mother attempted to persuade him to take Die Feng as his first disciple. Shifu readily agreed. Die Feng felt very grateful and fortunate to be taken to Kunlun, where he, for the first time in his life, could express his full potential. Even at a young age, Die Feng had always naturally outdone his older brother, be it in studies generally, but also calligraphy, painting, or martial arts. His mother had always chastised him for his success, to the point that Die Feng started to curtail his own talents to avoid displeasure. Under the guidance of the God of War, it was the opposite: Die Feng never had to hide his abilities anymore: it was expected of him to succeed in all subject matter and succeed he did. 

Chang Shan was abandoned/lost at the bottom of Kunlun Mountain when he was just a hatchling. Mo Yuan “Shifu” adopted him. He became the caretaker of Kunlun, and trained all the new Disciples, except for 3rd (who is older). During Shifu’s 70,000 years of absence, while most of the other disciples returned to their birth homes, he remained at Kunlun, the only home he ever knew. He would have remained there forever and alone if Shifu hadn’t returned. He never sought to look for his real parents, but once in a while, he would return to the spot where Shifu had picked him up, to reminisce about the day Shifu’s benevolence changed his life forever. 

The oldest among the disciples, though placed 3rd at Kunlun. In his early years, Lin Liang came to Kunlun after traveling the Realms, incessantly driven to seek knowledge and victory over those with less prowess. The number one opponent he had yet to beat was the God of War. Upon his first arrival, he challenged the master on tactical scenarios. For three days they battled, but Lin Liang couldn’t beat the God of War even once. Defeated, Lin Liang begged Shifu to become his master, and vowed not to leave until he could beat him some day. He did find it humorous he had to call Die Feng and Chang Shan his Seniors but accepted the opportunity to become a Disciple of Kunlun gracefully. However, he never sought to challenge the master again even after 10,000 years of study, because he soon realized there was ever more to learn the longer he stayed and that his drive to pile on knowledge was satisfied fully by interacting with his peers. 

Shang Ling comes from a family of Merchants of the Celestial Realm, with extraordinary wealth. Even the Nine Heavens respected his family, due to their influence. Just like Royal Celestials, his family only married for political or mercantile advantage. To further his education, his parents sent him to Kunlun. Shifu was reluctant to accept him at first because of his arrogance and family background, but ultimately relented after Shang Ling negotiated a one year trial period in exchange for free ceramic wine containers for Shifu’s wine making. Shang Ling passed the trial period easily. To this day, Shifu still receives ceramic wine containers free of charge. 

Zheng You’s father was the 3rd Prince of the Black Panther Tribe from the Demon Realm, while his mother is a Celestial. Zheng You’s father died in the battle arena when his son was still young. His mother didn’t want the same to happen to him, so she left the harsh Demon Realm. Because she got married to a Demon against their will, her Celestial family refused to take her in. She and her son were on their own for thousands of years and were picked on heavily; even though his mother did all she could to protect him, she couldn’t fully withhold the prejudice from her own tribe. When his mother was injured during an attack from her previously intended groom’s tribe (she chose his father over the 7th Prince of the Bear Tribe), Zheng You snuck into Kunlun to steal an elixir for her healing, where he was caught by Shifu. However, Shifu gave him the medicine on the condition that he had to become his student, surprising other Disciples, because Zheng You was a mixed breed and had a questionable background. Thanks to the protection of Kunlun’s name, his mother is now able to live peacefully, and for that, Zheng You will forever be in debt to Shifu. 

Liu Hong’s family were Great Advisors for the Four Sea Kingdoms. However, despite being highly intelligent with a remarkable memory, Liu Hong did not want to seek the same profession. After witnessing the dark side of politics and how only a few words could easily lead to the deaths of innocents, he did not want to involve himself. He came to Kunlun seeking tutelage as the only alternative his parents would approve of. Liu Hong gifted Shifu with a self-drawn map of the Four Seas when he first arrived. Shifu was so impressed, he asked Liu Hong to create additional maps of the Celestial Realms, after he accepted him as his 6th Disciple. 

 His family used to be healers for millennia, but the art of healing was forgotten after the First Demon War. Not wanting to be limited in his studies, Mei Shu sought to learn under High God Zhe Yan. He was a disciple there for merely five days when the High God suddenly and without any warning sent him to Kunlun, where he was told to remain until he would be fetched back. For over a year, the High God forgot about his student. Taking matters into his own hands, Mei Shu returned to Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, only to find the High God with the 4th Prince of the Fox Realm. Clearly understanding the situation, Mei Shu asked for a recommendation to become a real disciple of Kunlun instead, seeing how he had grown used to the environment there and had already started his medical training under the guidance of 2nd Senior. The High God Zhe Yan readily agreed. 

 Lou Jun comes from the White Snake Tribe of the Fox Realm. From a young age, he was a musical prodigy, excelling in all musical instruments known to the realms. After he happened to come across a hidden magical weapon scroll, he started to seek, define and study musical weapons that were lost millennia before. Seeking guidance, Lou Jun came to Kunlun to find the God of Music of the Celestial Realm. Unfortunately, he soon found out that Shifu did not possess musical weapon’s knowledge, but Lou Jun decided to remain at Kunlun to study with the Master regardless. After 14th disciple was accepted, Lou Jun teamed up with him to experiment with musical weapons. 

Wang Jing was born and raised in the Military Ox Tribe of the Celestial Realm. They were seven brothers in his family, him being the 4th. The competition with his brothers was fierce and very aggressive at times. Wang Jing decided early on to take a different route, by coming to Kunlun to receive training from the God of War himself. When he first arrived, he did not know who the God of War was and challenged him at the Gates. He was defeated within five rounds of martial arts and passed out due to cultivation damage. Wang Jing woke up with 7th tending to his injuries. He was accepted to become a Kunlun Disciple with Mei Su’s help.

Born from the matriarchal Weaver Tribe, Chen Xing comes from a large family of predominantly females: the male to female ratio of his tribe is 1:4. He has four younger sisters who adore him. As the eldest, he is responsible for continuing the family’s unique Yin Martial Arts. However, the matriarchs of his family, including his Mother, Aunts, and Grandmothers, decided to send Chen Xing to Kunlun instead, wanting a well rounded male in the family. They are the best known tailors of the Celestial Realm, and Shifu gets unlimited supplies of clothes from them as bonus payment for their son’s education. 

Too easily bored, Ma Shi would never stay in one place for long, or keep up with his hobbies. Although he’s naturally intelligent, he lacked discipline at a young age, much to the chagrin of his family, who hoped he would become a suitable heir. His parents engaged him to the daughter of their friend, whom he met when they were young and nicknamed “Little Piggy”. With that image in mind, he ran away the night before the wedding and came to Kunlun. By the time his parents found out where he went, Shifu had already been persuaded to become his master. Ma Shi tried to convince his parents that he wanted to become a better man before going through with the marriage. They doubted that was the true reason, but relented because becoming a Disciple at Kunlun was a great honor and too good to pass up. And they really hope Shifu can teach their son to become a more responsible man. The Bride is still waiting for him to this day. 

Peng Hun grew up in the Fox Realm, in the peaceful southern valley of bamboo forest. His family is large and talkative - especially the females, while the males tend to remain quiet. Even at the dinner table, he could barely utter two words, or comment on his food preference. To this day, his mother still doesn’t know he hates to eat bitter melon. It was even surprising to himself to find he could talk at all. But thankfully, his father patiently taught him when his sisters, aunts, mother, and grandmothers were not around. Peng Hun came to Kunlun to study when he found out Shifu didn’t take female students. Upon the first day of his arrival, Peng Hun barely spoke and neither did the God of War. Shifu and 13th enjoyed tea for three incenses, without uttering a sound. Surprisingly, Shifu decided to accept him as his student after the 3rd round of tea. 

 Yan WeI is a brilliant excellent weapon crafter, yet he is also someone who often makes unsafe decisions when his creativity gets out of hand. After burning down half his village, his parents sent Yan Wei to Kunlun for discipline and training. In the first year upon arrival at Kunlun, he burnt down the weapons’ room. After that incident, Shifu punished him to chopping firewood for 1,000 years, reproducing the damaged weapons and reading all weapons' making literature in the vast library. During Shifu’s 70,000 years of “Sleep”, Yan Wei found an isolated mountain in the desert for his experiments, unknown to others. He makes a living by selling his specialty weapon inventions secretly.

Gong Che is the youngest member of the Kunlun Horse Tribe, a wild, nomadic tribe from the Celestial Realm. When his tribe was attacked by a Demon Wolf tribe, Shifu happened to come by and rescue his people. As a thank you, his tribe offered Gong Che as a servant to the God of War, but Shifu decided to take him as a disciple instead after witnessing his courageous efforts against the Demon Wolves despite his youth and size. After Gong Che arrived at Kunlun, he had a hard time getting accustomed to staying in one place, especially due to the confining walls. For the first 200 or so years, he remained outdoors within the forest, until he learned to set roots within his new home - much to the chagrin of 2nd Senior, who was constantly worried for his well being. Although he has learned to adapt, he has created his own world on the Southern side of Kunlun, where he has a cave with many injured animals he cares for. 

Zi Lan came to Kunlun the same time as Si Yin, 17th. Although he was younger than Si Yin, he never disclosed that information to her. Zi Lan was not from a prestigious lineage like many of the Kunlun Disciples, as very little is known about Zi Lan’s past. He has no family, tribe, or home to go back to. His early memories are vague, and he’ll change the subject if anyone asks about it. Even Shifu has never pried into his past, which makes Zi Lan forever thankful. Although he is a free spirit, he found a new purpose once he settled at Kunlun, joining a pack he never knew he wanted. His comrades are his brothers, and forever they will be his family, no matter what the future may hold.