In the wilds, a hundred li outside Impermanence Valley.
A figure stood silently on a low hillside, motionless as a statue.
At his feet, a pitch-black shadow spread like ink across several dozen zhang of ground. The surrounding origin energy seemed to have solidified into clumps, with strange, multicolored lights flickering through it.
This man was Ye Tianming.
He wore a fitted black outfit, his posture straight and tall. His hair whipped wildly around his handsome face as he stared intently into the distant sky. Only after a long while did he withdraw his gaze and turn toward a mountain path on the other side.
Several figures appeared there, riding sand leopards, a kind of wasteland fur beast unique to the Northern Desert. All the sand leopards were exceptionally agile, leaping like apes with their riders on their backs. Before long, they crested the slope and approached him.
These men were Luo Feihu and the Warrior disciplinary officers under his command.
"Whoa!"
Luo Feihu led his men up to Ye Tianming and waved a hand. The sand leopards immediately obeyed, stopping in a neat line.
Luo Feihu swung down from his spirit creature's back and walked toward Ye Tianming, stopping on the opposite slope. The two faced each other across a gully.
"Young Master Ye, I have come as agreed."
Ye Tianming said, "Did you bring it? If so, let us make the exchange at once."
A barely perceptible gleam flashed through his eyes as he spoke.
Luo Feihu said, "Of course."
He immediately took the Secret Scroll from his robes and tossed it toward Ye Tianming.
Ye Tianming caught the scroll and tossed over a thread-bound ancient book in return.
Luo Feihu caught the book without hurrying to inspect it. Backed by a great sect, he had ample means