Ruan Zheng, the second disciple of Qi Shouming, leader of the Emei Sect, had been born with double-pupiled phoenix eyes and extraordinarily handsome features. He, Qi Shouming's eldest disciple Shentu Hong, the Ascetic Dhuta's eldest disciple He Pingzi, and Xuanzhenzi's eldest disciple Zhuge Jingwo all studied under the Three Immortals of the Eastern Sea. Having cultivated alongside their masters at Turtle-Fishing Rock in the Eastern Sea for years, they shared an unshakable friendship.
Decades earlier, a large group of Emei disciples had mistakenly slain an overseas Loose Immortal. The Dragon-Slaying Abbess had stuffed them into the Maitreya Cloth Bag and delivered them to Turtle-Fishing Rock for Qi Shouming to discipline. Qi Shouming had expelled the two ringleaders, Shentu Hong and Ruan Zheng, for eighty-one years. During that time, they had to undergo three successive reincarnations before they could return to the sect.
He Pingzi had also been sentenced to Reincarnation, but as an accomplice, he only had to die once. After his rebirth, the Ascetic Dhuta had brought him back to the sect. He became the later, thoroughly detestable Laughing Monk.
Zhuge Jingwo had mainly tried to break up the fighting and had played little part as an accomplice, so his punishment had been the lightest.
By now, Ruan Zheng and Shentu Hong had already reincarnated twice. In this life, Ruan Zheng had befriended Qian Kang. As luck would have it, Qian Kang sent him a letter by flying sword asking for help, just as he encountered the reincarnated Zhuge Jingwo. Years earlier, the Monster Dragon had secretly used Union Incense to rob Zhuge Jingwo of his primordial yang, sowing a bitter grudge. Ruan Zheng therefore brought Zhuge Jingwo along, together with Shentu Hong, whom they met on the way, and hurried to Heaven Beyond Divine Mountain to slaughter the