Three days later, on the twentieth day of the third month, at the beginning of summer.
Early that morning, the True Lord left Three Pure Ones Mountain beneath the rosy dawn clouds and headed straight east. This time, he traveled light, without ceremonial attendants or feathered standards, and without any boys attending him.
Only this time, the True Lord's personal lion-riding accoutrements had changed slightly.
The True Lord still wore the Great Cavern Immortal Garment and the Lotus Flower Crown, held the Feather Whisk, and rode the white lion. He was as imposing in his nobility as ever, as graceful as a jade tree in the wind. The sole change was something added to the front edge of the immortal saddle, by the Lion Lord's right forequarter.
A sword bag.
The sword bag hung vertically from the lion's saddle, swaying with the Lion Lord's steps. This one small change gave the True Lord a dash of carefree, chivalrous flair on top of his noble splendor.
The sword bag was three feet long, made of plain white hemp cloth, and quite inconspicuous. But the slender sword hilt protruding from its mouth had been carved from a single piece of white jade. The grip was smooth and rounded, the guard narrow and simple, and the jade glowed with a gentle luster. It was exquisitely beautiful and readily caught the eye, making it clear at a glance that the longsword kept in this plain hemp bag was no ordinary object.
Naturally, the lion was delighted by this change. *Now I carry an immortal saddle on my back and wear an immortal sword at my waist. I truly stand at the very pinnacle of the Mountain Lords of this age. Never mind the Fourth Realm-even among all the Fifth Realm beings in the world,