The Human race has always desired to expand to better control the world around them. To this day this goal was believed to have been achieved, but despite their best efforts, there were still secluded locations that only a select few found and desired to inhabit. These locations were revered by those who saw them. One such place was settled deep in the Himalayan mountains. A small village nestled in a hidden valley, the wild forces of nature had long reclaimed these buildings. Snow-covered roofs and buried walkways. Half-collapsed walls abandoned training squares and broken doors. Of all these signs of abandonment and neglect, there was one path that continued to appear maintained. A clear path leading to the mouth of a large cave remained clear of snow and debris. From this cave, a robed man stirred for the first time in millennia. On another plane of existence most commonly referred to as the Heavens, a jade-stoned palace loomed over all that laid eyes upon it. Inside the throne room of this Jade Palace sat the Jade Emperor and standing before him was the same robed man from the cave.

"Your home has fallen from the Immortal Path. I have closed the Will of the Heavens and Earth off from your world. This means that all qi has been removed from your people's ability to access and cultivate. You are the last cultivator in existence from your world." The robed man stood silently before the Jade Emperor. He held his tongue and waited for further instructions to be given to him. "I will be sending you back to your corporeal form and I will grant you the ability to save your world." With a smoldering eye, the Jade Emperor bore his gaze down on the robed man. "You have something to say?"

Steeling himself before the ruler of the Heavens, the robed man spoke, "My Lord. Why offer them another chance? Though I am from this world I see no reason to save them. What is this threat you allude to?"

The Jade Emperor did not have any change in his facial appearance. "Your world is one of many meant to participate in a tournament. This tournament is held by the many rulers of Heaven. I am not one to hold many worlds at my disposal, nor do I tolerate failing to win against my peers. You will descend and reset your world. You have 3,000 years to return them to the Path of Heaven. Now go."

Without another word, the robed man descended back into his physical form. A light filtered down from Heaven through clouds and stone to land on the robed man. It took a moment for his body to once more come under his control. The robed man groaned as he flexed unused muscles. "I can not wait to ascend to Immortal. Mortal bodies are for the birds." Once comfortable in his mortal form, the robed man ran his eyes and senses over the village he once called home. All the familiar sights brought back some nostalgia both good and bad. Over the centuries countless hours were spent on the training grounds training his body—the homes of friends and family were in severe disrepair. The robed man released a sigh he no longer needed to do. Though still mortal, many of his body's natural functions were no longer required though at times he indulged in those functions just to enjoy them. The robed man expanded his senses over the world and was beyond disappointed in the state the world was left in.

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The world over, pockets of true martial artists kept to the old ways, the true path to cultivation. A few solitary practitioners were also felt, but overall he did not find anyone worth sparing. He would truly need to fix this. The robed figure reached into his supply of qi as he activated a technique useful to continue the path forward. He would warn all of the world they may not even remember all the same. Taking a step forward a duplicate body split from the original. More and more spirit bodies continued to walk from the robed figure. Once a thousand bodies stepped from the man, the stream of bodies stopped. Without a word, the variable army of copies moved at extreme speeds out of the hidden valley. Once only one body remained the robed man looked around once more. "One must always remember where they come from. Only then will we better know where we are going. Shangri-La was the beginning of my journey. Now it shall be the end of my mortal form."

Throughout the world robed men spoke to people of power. Presidents, Oscars, and Royalty were visited and all capitulated to the desires of the robed man. They called Press Conferences and stood before their people. Instead of their leaders, the robed man stood before them; he looked out at the sea of faces and cameras, "People of Earth. You all have fallen from the Path of the Will of Heaven. The Jade Emperor has tasked me with putting you back on that path. To do this you all will have your world, this sad and pathetic world you have allowed to fall into squaller and ruin, reset to the height of its purity. All of you will be sent to the cycle of reincarnation. Some will return as humans. Others will become Lower Beings. A very small few will become Higher beings. Cultivators will rise among you. If your standards are not high enough after 3,000 years the Jade Emperor will erase this world."

With the robed man's final words the minds of the world were just beginning to panic when the world ended in a clap.