A thousand miles away, in Dreamcloud Great Marsh.
At dawn, the sky was gray and hazy, and a dozen small fishing boats bobbed in the wind by the lakeshore.
Few people were about in the old town. Only a handful of fishermen sat smoking pipes on their doorsteps, watching a wandering martial artist pass along the old street.
Clip-clop, clip-clop...
The clear clatter of hooves became the only sound on the old street.
Holding the reins, Qiu Tianhe looked at the little town he had visited in his youth, a sense of having lived another lifetime gradually rising in his eyes.
Over thirty years ago, Qiu Tianhe had been around twenty, about Ye Jingtang's age. Newly emerged into the world with fine saber skills and a heart full of ambition, he had come to Dreamcloud Marsh, renowned as the sacred ground of saber wielders everywhere.
It was called sacred ground not because Dreamcloud Marsh held any special significance, but simply because the strongest saber wielder in the world lived here.
Like every other young man, Qiu Tianhe had imagined leaving Dreamcloud Marsh with the title of Blade Overlord, returning to his hometown in glory like a newly crowned imperial examination champion.
Unfortunately, when he finally left, although he had become a true saber wielder, he had failed to fulfill his wish. All he took away were loves, hatreds, gratitude, and grudges he still had not sorted out to this day.
He remembered that everything had begun here, in Yellow Springs Town.
Just as he did now, Qiu Tianhe had walked down this old street with a saber and a horse led by the reins.
Back then, a rather handsome young wandering swordsman had approached him, dressed in black with a Chi Dragon Blade at his waist. He had lacked young