Tenshu Jian, the Tiger of Kong

In the land of Dachi, the Tenshu clan was renowned for its valor and tactical brilliance. Among them, Tenshu Jian stood as a paragon of leadership, a man whose unwavering sense of duty and sharp mind earned him the loyalty of warriors and commoners alike. Tenshu Jian had inherited the mantle of governance over Tengzou, the glittering capital of Kong Commandery, following the passing of his uncle, Tenshu Su, a legend in his own right.  

The Infestation of Kong

During the early years of Tenshu Jian's rule, the land prospered under his stewardship. But peace was fleeting. From the shadowed peaks of the Altiwu Mountains, an evil oni named Zhang Mala unleashed a horde of fiendish creatures upon the realm. Mala sought to corrupt Dachi, intending to enslave its people and drown its verdant lands in chaos, starting with Kong Commandery. Rumors spread of the sorcerer wielding forbidden magic, commanding legions of monstrous demons.     Tenshu Jian's charisma and reputation attracted warriors from far and wide, swelling the ranks of his forces. His eldest son, Tenshu Ce, a brash and ambitious youth, was the first to join the fight, proving his mettle as a fiery and daring commander. His younger son, Tenshu Quan, a more thoughtful and strategic mind, offered counsel and managed logistics, ensuring the army remained supplied and disciplined. Meanwhile, his daughter, Tenshuren, a very spirited soul, continuously fought alongside Jian despite being scolded against it on numerous occasions.  

The Nomads of Kong

The Infestation began with devastating speed. Zhang Mala's fiendish hordes, conjured from the pits of hell, swept across the northern reaches of Kong Commandery. Villages burned, crops were trampled, and terrified refugees fled toward Tengzou. Faced with an unprecedented threat, Tenshu Jian made a bold decision that would redefine the conflict: he would not merely defend Kong Commandery. He would mobilize it.   When Mala first struck, Tenshu Jian immediately ordered the evacuation of vulnerable settlements. Entire populations were relocated to pre-arranged safe zones near Tengzou. Instead of leaving these refugees idle and defenseless, Jian integrated them into a grand strategy.   Jian established a system where every able-bodied person was trained in basic combat or support roles. Farmers became spearmen, hunters became scouts, and blacksmiths produced weapons instead of tools; Tenshu Ce was left in command of this.   Moreover, rather than anchoring his army to the capital, Jian transformed its defenders into a moving camp. A massive caravan of supply wagons, fortified tents, and mobile forges became the heart of his operation, which Tenshu Quan was put in charge to supervise.   Over weeks, Jian’s army evolved into a formidable nomadic force. With all this set up, it moved through Kong day and night, always on alert. Wherever Mala's fiends struck, Jian’s forces were there to meet them head-on and deny them the chance to establish a foothold. Despite the otherworldly threat, Tenshu Jian stoked a fire in those he led that could not be quenched. His ferocity, tactful leadership, a cat-like strategies to pounce wherever the enemy appeared earned him the nickname, Tiger of Kong.  

Siege of Tengzou

Nine months into this conflict, Zhang Mala grew infuriated by Jian’s elusiveness. The oni realized he could not conquer Kong Commandery while Jian’s nomadic army remained intact. To end the war, Mala amassed his forces for a single, all-out assault on Tengzou, the ancestral seat of the Tenshu clan.   He called upon the great demonic spirit, the source of this hellish strength, Emoguiji, seeking on final effort, to which it was granted. Mala and those he commanded appeared from thin air in various places in and around the capital. When news of this quickly reached Tenshu Jian, his forces hurried back in a panic to its defense, shocked by their sudden appearance.   Mala’s siege of Tengzou was ferocious. Fiendish monstrosities scaled the walls while Mala’s dark magic unleashed storms of fire and shadow. Tenshu Jian, with his children at his side, led the defense with unparalleled resolve. Those Mala commanded stormed into the city, and those Jian commanded followed after their arrival; Tengzou became a chaotic battleground.   It was in the main courtyard pavilion of the capital's palace that Jian and Mala confronted each other in a duel that would surely determine the fate of Kong Commandery. If Mala fell, this evil power would wane and disappear. If Jian fell, Kong's spirit would certainly be broken and its people defeated. The clash was epic — Mala's magic rained destruction, but Jian’s mastery of strategy and his enchanted blade, Crimson Tiger, turned the tide.   In a final, fateful stroke, Jian pierced Mala’s heart, vanquishing him and casting him back into the hells. The oni's defeat triggered a cascade of destruction among his remaining forces, who dissolved into ash just like their master. Finally, the infestation had come to an end, and peace had returned to Kong.  

Becoming the Vassal King

The nomadic army disbanded after the war, with its members returning to their villages to rebuild Kong Commandery. However, the people of Kong were forever changed. Their collective effort to repel Zhang Mala's invasion forged bonds of unity and resilience that would last generations. Tenshu Jian’s name became synonymous with hope, ingenuity, and the will to survive against overwhelming odds.   For a time, he and his children thought what would become of Kong without a king to lead them, but were surprised when they heard the land calling out Jian's name. He was to be their king, and accepting all he'd accomplished, he went with the people's wishes and took up the title, followed soon by the official imperial decree authorizing it, too.   Backed by the imperial Dachian court, Tenshu Jian solidified himself as a heroic icon among the people of Kong as the frontier commandery was restored, and he would fight until his last breath should harm come to his home again.  

Ring of Diqiu

During one night, however, a time after news had reached Kong of Emperor Guan's death, Tenshu Jian looked up and saw various shooting stars that streaked through the night sky in a flash. One of those streaks tumbled away from the rest and fell to the earth far in the distance. Worried this was another otherworldly threat that was arriving, Jian had a small force mustered and set out for the disturbance immediately.   When he had arrived in the densely wooded areas where he had seen the star fall, he was surprised as everyone else to find a small crater filled with the wooden remains of trees, branches, and rock. Jian approached the crater's center despite warnings from his subordinates and glimpsed what had caused this.   When once he looked, he found a small ring at the deepest point in the crater, glimmering with a red glow. He picked it up and at once saw the ornate filigree of the Guan inscribed all around it. Of the Dachian emperor, he always wore ten magical rings like a crown to signify his power. It was always said to possess all ten was to possess the mandate of Heaven to rule over Dachi.   Jian held in his hands the Ring of Diqiu, one of the ten imperial rings. With this, and the news of the emperor's death, Jian only saw terrible omens that the land was about to enter into turbulent times. He remembered his efforts in the past against Zhang Mala and concluded before those with him, "Behold, heaven shines upon us this night. It warns us that the land is dying, and has presented us with its will, the imperial rings! It must be led out of this chaos just as I once led you against Zhang Mala!"   Feeling the heroic fire burn inside him, Tenshu Jian vowed to lead the dynasty and save it from its coming destruction.