Outside Broad Sun City, within a maple forest, on a long road.
Gao Xian strolled along the forest road with the Wuji Sword in hand. It was dusk; the setting sun blazed richly, while the autumn breeze was crisp. Beneath the blood-red sunlight, the fiery maple leaves burned with an intense, dazzling brilliance.
A long dirt road ran through the maple forest all the way to Broad Sun City. The slanting sunset behind him cast his long shadow across the road.
Looking down the road, through gaps in the flame-colored leaves, one could vaguely see the towering, weighty city walls—and the wisps of smoke curling above them.
Gao Xian quite liked this scene. The red leaves were light and splendid, the city walls ancient and heavy, and the long road linked the maple forest to the city. Nature and humanity blended together here into a fine whole.
Unfortunately, he lacked a gaunt horse, and there were no flocks of crows wheeling wildly around the trees. Nor did he have any heartbroken sorrow to speak of. It lost a measure of bleak, melancholy beauty, but gained an air of leisure and ease—a different sort of charm.
A swordsman in yellow approached from ahead. When he was several zhang away from Gao Xian, he stopped and said in a deep voice, "Demon, this road goes no farther."
The yellow-clad swordsman had handsome features, with sharp, soaring spirit between his brows. His dark-yellow robe was soft and finely woven, covered in countless golden runes—gorgeous, yet restrained.
A black jade-inlaid belt circled his waist, with twin swords slanted behind him. This way of wearing swords was compact and precise, carrying the fierce force of someone ready to draw at any moment.
Gao Xian smiled faintly. "We are both cultivators walking the path of cultivation.