Chapter 1: First Arrival

Chapter 1: Arrival

The Magic Beast Mountain Range, shrouded in a perpetual veil of mist all year round, always exudes an air of desolation. It is a paradise for mercenaries—a place where overnight fame or wealth is within reach. Of course, rewards here are always proportional to the risks; this is also the graveyard of mercenaries. Each year, the number of mercenaries who vanish here equals the population of a small town. Every mercenary knows never to set foot lightly into this land of death unless their strength is sufficient. Yet, accidents are inevitable. Like now.

“Ow, damn that old man! Once I find you, I’ll yank out every last one of your remaining whiskers! Ow…” On the ground, a youth dressed in coarse linen groaned in pain.

After a moment, the boy slowly climbed to his feet, dusted off his clothes, and glanced around at his surroundings, sighing in frustration. “Where on earth am I?”

His name was Ye Tian, an orphan. He didn’t even know how he had survived as a child. From the moment he became aware of the world, he had drifted through the streets, relying on his wits—until he met the old man.

Ye Tian would never forget that day. To survive, the young Ye Tian had mastered the art of deftly lifting bulging purses without being noticed. Yet that day, for the first time, he failed. When the furious victims were about to chop off his hands as punishment, the old man appeared—a mad, eccentric elder, swinging a firewood stick he’d picked up from who-knows-where. Even after being knocked to the ground, the old man crawled over to shield Ye Tian with his own body, enduring the kicks and punches without complaint. Only when their assailants left, exhausted, did the old man finally relax, eyes still alert as if guarding some precious treasure. Once he was sure there was no further danger, he released Ye Tian. Facing the old man’s foolish grin, Ye Tian broke down in tears. From then on, Ye Tian followed the old man—or perhaps the old man followed Ye Tian.

The old man was mad and odd, always concocting strange things for Ye Tian to eat. If Ye Tian refused, the old man would become violently agitated, so Ye Tian could only eat, resigned to his fate. The result was always either a bout of diarrhea or mysterious black marks appearing on his body. Once, the old man brought a vibrant green fruit that knocked Ye Tian unconscious for several days. Furious, Ye Tian yanked out a handful of the old man’s beard. Ever since, whenever Ye Tian saw the old man protectively clutching his last few strands of beard, he knew trouble was coming, but it was always too late.

Days passed, and Ye Tian grew taller, but the old man remained as mad as ever. Still, Ye Tian never gave up hope; so long as there was even a glimmer, he searched for a cure. Then, one day, the old man disappeared.

The old man loved his wine and always carried a gourd flask. Even when Ye Tian fetched wine for him, the old man insisted the liquor be poured only into that flask. But upon returning one day, Ye Tian found the old man gone, only the gourd left behind—something he had never been allowed to touch before. Frantic, Ye Tian searched for a whole year but found no trace. Despondent, he returned to the place they last stayed together, only to find a box sitting on the once bare table, beside what he’d always thought was just a firewood stick. Only now did he realize it was actually a rusted sword. Ye Tian opened the box and found a single jade slip inside. As soon as he picked it up, the slip dissolved into a swirl of green light and shot into his mind.

Instantly, a torrent of information flooded Ye Tian’s consciousness, leaving him dazed. He didn’t know how long it was before he regained his senses, his mind still swollen with an aching fullness. Reaching out for the rusty sword, he was met with an even greater shock: a black vortex appeared beside him, sucking him in.

Rubbing his still throbbing temples, Ye Tian surveyed the towering trees around him, trying to recall if he’d ever visited such a place. After a moment’s serious thought, he had to admit he hadn’t. “No matter what, I should get out of here first,” he muttered to himself. He took from his chest a Bagua compass, upon which a golden dragon spun restlessly. “Good thing I didn’t lose my things, or I’d be in real trouble.” After a few turns, the little dragon came to a stop. “Heh, this really is useful. Seems that Taoist wasn’t lying,” Ye Tian smiled slightly at the compass.

He’d received the Bagua compass from the abbot of the Three Purities Temple while seeking a cure for the old man. To persuade the abbot, Ye Tian had spent half a year retrieving a legendary Purple Cloud Three Purities Flower from a dangerous cliff. In the end, the old man’s illness remained, and the abbot, moved by Ye Tian’s dedication, offered to teach him a peerless art as compensation. Ye Tian declined, only asking for information on where he might find a cure. Deeply touched, the abbot wrote a letter of introduction to a renowned healer and gave Ye Tian the compass, hinting at its many mysterious uses. Such encounters were countless in Ye Tian’s life, and always to his benefit.

Having found his bearings, Ye Tian stowed the compass, slung the sword across his back, and sped off with remarkable agility. The wind howled past his ears, and Ye Tian couldn’t help but marvel, “This Thousand-Mile Step is truly extraordinary. If only I’d practiced it more before.” He had no idea he was racing straight toward danger.

He didn’t know how long he’d run before dusk began to fall. Feeling weary, Ye Tian stopped to look around, found a large tree, and built two fires beside it. From his belt, he took out a few pieces of spiced beef, skewered them on sticks, and roasted them over the flames. He then retrieved a small pouch of lime mixed with realgar, scattering it in a circle around the tree. Satisfied, he inhaled the delicious aroma of roasting meat, hurried over, and greedily tore into the still-hot beef. “Delicious!” he exclaimed between mouthfuls. After polishing off the rest, he took a hearty swig of wine, finally feeling content. He scattered one of the fires, checked the warmth of the ground, added a few more logs, and lay down fully clothed. Gazing up at the mist-shrouded sky, he couldn’t help but mutter, “Where am I, really? So gloomy and eerie… Forget it, better get some sleep. Still have a long road ahead tomorrow.” With a yawn, he turned over, preparing to sleep.

The night wind howled. The forest night was bitterly cold. Ye Tian mumbled a few words under his breath, then drifted off into his dreams.