Questioning the Heart

The fine rain split apart by force qi had only been temporary. In less than half a day, the rift forcibly torn through the clouds above the capital region vanished without a trace.

The dense rain clouds stretched for thousands of miles, a magnificent sight.

The autumn rain began to fall again.

Great Yan's mountains and rivers were beautiful, veiled in gray-blue beneath the rain like an ink-wash painting of mist and water.

Then that tranquility was suddenly broken by a middle-aged man. He came from above the clouds, his temples streaked with gray, his black robes untouched by rain as he descended straight into the towering, undulating mountain range.

Unlike the picturesque beauty seen from afar, the forest was filled with the stench of decay and rot up close—animal carcasses and festering dead leaves. Fortunately, the rain had washed away most of it.

Rain pattered against the dense forest, creaking and whispering. Xu Yinhe walked through the uninhabited woods, stepping over the carpet of dead leaves as he made his way uphill.

The pathless, luxuriant forest was split open before his advance by an invisible force. His steps were slow, yet his speed was exceedingly fast. Some of the forest's native inhabitants had only just spotted this unexpected visitor and turned wary eyes toward him when the black-clad figure had already vanished.

In no more than a few breaths, Xu Yinhe had arrived before a cave.

The cave entrance was several zhang wide, its interior dark and lightless, like the maw of some man-eating beast.

He walked in, all the way to the end.

Looking at the burly old man seated cross-legged atop a massive boulder, Xu Yinhe did not speak immediately.

The qi currents within the cave were visibly thrown into disorder by the burly old man's breathing.