After Zhang Yu's escape light left the Profound Residence, he reached the vicinity of Giant Palace Stone, also located in Great Prefecture, in no more than an instant.
This great stone was one of Great Prefecture's most famous sights. When he had first arrived in Qingyang, he had come here to admire it, even sketching it with brush and paper.
Looking down from the sky now, he saw that the great stone below was square and round in form, borne aloft by four enormous pillars beneath it like a platform raised above the surrounding hills.
Atop Giant Palace Stone stood a black-robed Daoist with pale skin. He was handsome and erect, with an aloof bearing, wisps of murky black qi drifting about him.
Zhang Yu had seen Huo Heng's painted likeness before and recognized him at once. He descended from the sky, slowly floating down to land not far in front of him.
The black-robed Daoist sized him up and down. "Fellow Daoist Zhang, I have been waiting for you for a long time."
Zhang Yu met his gaze. "Are you Huo Heng?"
Huo Heng smiled. "That was merely my past self."
When Zhang Yu had observed him from above, he had noticed nothing unusual. Yet now that he looked closer, he realized this man possessed an unreal, illusory quality. This showed that the person before him had not come here in person at all.
For that reason, there was no need for him to step forward and make a move. It would have been meaningless.
He said, "The traces you left behind before were all meant to lure me here. Now that I have come in person, whatever you wish to say, you may speak plainly."
Huo Heng said, "Fellow Daoist Zhang, I invited you here only because I