Early autumn, Green Luo.
The great battle that had erupted in early summer was over. Great Li's borders were rapidly advancing northward, and Red Cloud Commandery had consequently gone from being part of the Northern Region to part of the Central Region.
This summer had been exceptionally fierce, its sweltering heat unbearable, yet the cold winds of early autumn arrived with a vengeance. West winds sighed, frost settled on the vegetation, and the seasons changed with startling speed.
On Azure Sky Peak.
The green pine stood unchanged, rooted beside the cliff. Beneath it sat a handsome boy of fifteen or sixteen in an azure-and-gold Robe of Law, meditating with a Dharma Sword resting horizontally across his knees, his eyes closed in concentration.
Azure-and-gold lesser yang energy circulated around him. As he crossed a certain threshold within his body, a faintly shimmering mysterious gate seemed to appear in his qi sea.
"Azure Child travels east to seek the profound immortal; Dawn Deer bears a book to report to the great abyss."
The boy recited the Dao formula and contemplated the scripture, his bearing growing still more otherworldly, with something of the air of a true heir to an immortal lineage. Only after seeing that no one was around did he reveal a little excitement.
"So this is the eighth layer."
Breaking through to the eighth layer at his age was exceedingly rare. His astonishing speed gave him hope of reaching Foundation Establishment before twenty, a pace worthy of the very finest cultivation prodigies.
He took the Lesser Yang Scripture from his robes and began leafing through the [Sun-Moon Unmeasured Dao Scroll]. He had intended to find a few protective methods, but most of its secret arts required the Purple Mansion realm.
Still, having cultivated the lesser yang great dao, he was