Dai Territory, Shengle.
Mountains and rivers encircled this place, its waters and pastures lush. To the north and south, the land was almost entirely flat. Though distant from the Azure-Silt Desert, only Yin Mountain stood as a barrier between them.
Thorn Lemon Trees covered the grazing lands, bristling with spikes. Occasionally, a wild rabbit darted out and was ensnared by these bloodthirsty plants, which drained its blood and marrow, leaving only a pelt to fall into the mud.
The scars left by the Yuan Wei era still wreaked havoc. Throughout the region between Shengle and Yin Mountain, the earth veins were in chaos, the energies of Wu and Ji hopelessly intertwined, making formations difficult to establish.
Only Shengle, the former Yuan Wei Capital, could claim stable spiritual energies and balanced earth veins. Here, earth virtue flourished mightily; it could truly be called a blessed land.
The towering Black Stone City spanned dozens of miles. Iron-gray banners fluttered in the wind, embroidered with white horses, azure oxen, heavenly gods and mountain spirits.
Far outside the city, Liao people in assorted clothing came and went, driving cattle and sheep. They gathered around Dharma Masters in Sand-Yellow and Golden-Red Monk Robes to hear scriptures and teachings. Some half-transformed monsters listened alongside the mortals, lending a measure of peace to the murky, foul atmosphere.
The Great Void split open, and the aura of nurturing earth circulated, cycling between barrenness and abundance.
Enormous demon bodies fell from the sky. The Wood-Headed Azure Lion and Fire-Feathered Red Vulture crashed to the ground, light of Jia wood rampaging through their bodies and bursting outward, leaving these two Bodhi First Tier demon Buddhists in unbearable pain.
The commotion was tremendous, yet the distant herders and Dharma Masters noticed nothing, as though they had heard no sound.
"**My lord!