While Tian Boguang was being relentlessly hunted for the original cassock of the Evil-Warding Sword Manual, thousands of li away, at the foot of Mount Song, an ordinary disciple of the Songshan Sect, carrying a greatsword on his back, was admitted to a secluded villa after presenting his identity token.
Soon,
when the Songshan disciple reached the back courtyard of the not-so-large villa, he saw Ding Mian standing motionless beside a rockery, his hands behind his back. Ding Mian was the second senior brother of the Songshan Sect's Left Sect Leader, the foremost of the "Thirteen Guardians of Songshan," and a man of imposing build.
The setting sun stretched his shadow long, his iron-tower frame casting a heavy darkness across the bluestone paving.
His rough fingers absently traced the patterns on the iron gauntlet at his waist, while his gaze remained fixed on the winding mountain road in the distance. No one could tell what he was thinking.
"!!"
"Uncle-Master Ding!"
"Your disciple Lin Si was summoned here. Please give me your instructions, Uncle-Master!"
Seeing this, the Songshan disciple dared not dawdle. He stepped forward obediently and bowed respectfully.
"You're here?"
With a somewhat hoarse sigh, Ding Mian slowly turned around and looked at Lin Si, who was bowing before him.
Ding Mian saw that the disciple before him was nearly forty, with graying hair at his temples and coarse clothes washed until they had faded. He looked older than Ding Mian, but stood perfectly straight. He was clearly a man of grit.
"Do you know why I called you here?"
Ding Mian's voice was neither warm nor cold as he asked again.
"Reporting to you, Uncle-Master!"
"Your disciple does not know. Please enlighten me."
Lin Si maintained his bow, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.
"..."
Ding Mian