Before the Lady Xiang Shrine, heaven and earth abruptly changed.
The sky opened.
In the pitch-black midnight, sunlight-yes, the radiance of daytime-streamed down, clear and bright!
Shen Le tilted his face up into the sunlight, then narrowed his eyes slightly to examine it.
His eyes detected nothing unusual, but his spiritual perception told him that this was not the sunlight that rose on schedule every morning. It was a light somewhere between reality and illusion, gentle yet undeniable-
It was not the least bit dazzling, neither pale like winter sunlight nor scorching like summer sunshine.
It simply pierced the curtain of night, calmly bathing the entire square in a strange, sacred dawn.
Around the Lady Xiang Shrine, on the shores of Dongting Lake, the rolling clouds and mist began to recede. With them receded the barrier separating the mortal world from the void:
The Xiang Mountain secret realm, which ordinary people could neither reach nor even perceive, briefly revealed its true appearance to the performers in the square and the viewers watching television as the world's primordial energy surged.
Verdant mountains stretched into the distance for hundreds, perhaps thousands of miles. White clouds drifted gently, winding like a jade sash around the dark green slopes, partly concealing them and partly adorning them.
At the foot of the mountains, the lake shimmered, reflecting the clear daylight. Wisps of mist occasionally drifted over, and a single deep breath left one refreshed in body and mind. They were clearly formed from faint concentrations of spiritual energy-
Closer by, seemingly within reach of the performers in the square, fragrant grasses and orchids flourished along the banks and islets.
Though it was Lunar New Year's Eve, all manner of flowers and plants competed to bloom. Some were wildflowers and grasses familiar to the locals, but