Fire clouds weighed down on the Vast Mountain Range.
The struggle over the Mountain Treasure had raged for two years, stirring turmoil in every direction. In the end, it had reached Stone Village.
Early that morning, visitors arrived outside the village.
There were seven or eight of them. The men at the front were all middle-aged, their auras as deep and heavy as still pools.
Behind them followed three or four youths in brocade robes, riding exotic beasts, their noses in the air.
The children of Stone Village had never seen such a spectacle. Ermeng, Skinny Monkey, and Snotty formed a loose circle at a distance, whispering among themselves.
"They're dressed like fancy peacocks."
"What's that thing they're riding? A wolf? How come it's even bigger than our Azure-Scaled Eagle?"
Shi Linhu and the others dared not neglect their guests. They welcomed them into the village and served mountain fruit.
But Wang Xuan, leaning against the wall of a stone house, saw at once that something was wrong.
These groups claimed they were only passing through, yet their eyes kept straying toward the stone training ground.
They've caught the scent after all, he thought.
The expressionless middle-aged man leading them was Jiao Cang of the Luofu Great Marsh.
Beside him, elders from Purple Mountain and Thunder stood with their arms folded, sharp glints darting through their eyes.
Only the white-bearded elder from Cloud Heaven Palace seemed friendly, repeatedly saying that he had merely brought the younger generation out to broaden their horizons.
The youth named Jiao Peng was the most restless of the lot.
After wandering around the village, he spotted three young birds chasing the wind overhead.
Great Peng's wings were not yet fully grown, Little Green was covered in azure scales, and the most wondrous of all was