Two hundred li north of the Three Venerable Stone Market, high above a surging river.
A pale-faced woman in green robes carried a light yellow flower basket as she strolled through a vast flock of strange three-legged birds.
The strange birds had brilliantly colored feathers and bodies barely a foot long, but a scarlet, sickle-shaped third leg grew from each bird's belly. With beats of their wings, they darted forward and backward with incredible speed, slashing that third leg at the woman like a sharp blade, slicing audibly through the air.
Pink petals flew continually from the flower basket, transforming into densely packed blade shadows that circled and danced around the woman. Every strange bird that approached was shredded by the petals.
"I've long heard that the cultivators of the Sword-Grinding Sect are renowned throughout the world for their sword-control arts. Could that flower basket be some sort of flying sword too? Today, I'll have a good look and see whether your Human Race's flying swords are stronger, or my Feather Blades are sharper."
A clear cry rang out from high above, and a gleaming silver Giant Crane swooped down from a bank of clouds. As the crane spoke in human language, a spread of both wings sent more than a dozen long feathers flying out. They transformed into gleaming silver blades, becoming a swath of cold light that swept down toward the woman.
"Han Huaying of the Sword-Grinding Sect greets you, fellow Daoist."
The green-robed woman's expression remained unchanged. With a flick of her wrist, the flower basket in her hand vanished in a cloud of multicolored radiance, replaced by three multicolored short swords. Each was barely half a foot long, yet shone brilliantly, radiating dazzling light.
The three multicolored short swords soared into the air, transforming into a