Heart Refining Cave, Where the Cave Refines the Heart

Just as Zhang Xiaohua entered Licu Valley, at the western foot of Yi Xiang Peak, more than a dozen masked women in palace attire stood in a peculiar formation upon a rather large clearing.

At their center stood a stone stele protruding from the ground. The stele was not large, yet strange patterns had been carved upon it. The sun, already three poles high, cast its rays over the stele. Beneath the sunlight, the faint patterns on its surface actually began to emerge, subtly shifting as though they were swimming.

Around the stele sat three similarly masked women in palace attire, cross-legged. Their hair, however, was snow-white, giving them the appearance of crane-haired women with youthful faces.

The three women held both hands before their chests, their fingers crooked or straight in gestures identical to the hand seals Zhang Xiaohua used. Yet their fingers remained frozen in place, utterly motionless.

Behind the three women stood another woman in palace attire, solemn and imposing, her eyes closed as she regulated her breath.

Suddenly, the standing woman opened her eyes and looked up at the sky. "Three Elders, the time has come. Open the Heart Refining Cave."

"Yes, Cult Master," the three replied in unison.

At the same time, all three reached into their robes and took out small stones, each clasping one in her hand. Their formerly still fingers now began to dance without pause. Before long, pale-red radiance rose from each of their right hands, growing ever larger and increasingly brilliant.

Once the radiance had reached a certain size, the three raised their heads and exchanged a glance. Then they flung the light gathered between their fingers forward, striking the stone stele between them... The instant the radiance from their hands hit the stele, there came a whoosh, like firewood