On a cliff at the outskirts of Heavenly Battle Mountain, an herb gatherer pulled up another rare medicinal plant and tucked it into the pack on his back. This time, however, the sky suddenly darkened.
Startled, the herb gatherer looked up. Dark clouds had blotted out the sunlight. The delight on his face instantly turned to alarm. Forgetting everything else, he knew he had to climb up as quickly as possible.
Gripping the rope and bracing his feet against the rock, the sturdy herb gatherer climbed with all his strength.
"Whooo... whooo..."
The wind grew stronger. A thunderous rumble shook heaven and earth, startling the herb gatherer so badly that his foot slipped before he could find purchase.
"Ahhh-!"
With a cry, the herb gatherer fell. Fortunately, he dropped only a little over ten feet before the rope around his waist snapped taut and caught him.
"Crrrreak..."
The rope creaked under the strain. The herb gatherer swung against the cliff face, spinning and striking one rock after another.
The howling wind kept him from finding anything to steady himself, even with both hands and feet. Anxiety gripped him. He knew the rope anchored at the top of the cliff was in terrible danger under these conditions.
Medicinal plants tumbled from his pack down the precipice. As he spun and swayed, he saw a great fire spreading beneath the conspicuously tilted peak deep in the distant mountains.
"Thud!"
Distracted by the firelight, the herb gatherer struck his head squarely against a protruding rock. The world spun even harder.
Through the dizziness and swaying, he seemed to see the tilted mountain slowly straightening. Dazzling streaks of light flashed within the distant blaze...
Am I going to die...?
It seemed only an instant, yet also an eternity. Images of his parents and loved