The night was deep, and the stars twinkled endlessly in the vast sky. Occasionally, a shooting star would streak across the distant horizon, leaving a brilliant trail in its wake. Zong Daoyi stood on a small hill outside the village, ten miles east of Yuxian Town, lost in thought about the events of the day. The image of the axe suddenly appearing on Gongsun Liang's forearm replayed in his mind.

Zong Daoyi had been studying under the guidance of Master Di Lang for over six hundred years. Di Lang had imparted to him nearly all of his knowledge of cultivation and the wonders he had encountered in his travels. So, when Zong Daoyi saw the emerald axe materialize on Gongsun Liang's forearm, the shock he felt was indescribable. He deduced from the instantaneous power and appearance of the axe a conclusion that was almost too incredible to believe. Legends in the realm of cultivation spoke of five renowned artifacts, three of which still existed in the world, and one was in the possession of Di Lang. Zong Daoyi had witnessed its awesome might in the forbidden realm created by his master, and after testing its power, his master had asked for his opinion. Zong Daoyi had spoken only one sentence: "It is a force beyond imagination."

However, during a subsequent casual conversation, Di Lang had once again astounded Zong Daoyi by revealing the existence of treasures ten or even a hundred times more powerful, but they were not in the mortal realm. After a long pause, Di Lang had slowly and in detail introduced the various renowned treasures and artifacts used by the immortals in the Heavenly Realm, ending with the mention of several divine weapons. Among them seemed to be an axe, whose name Zong Daoyi vaguely remembered as the "Axe of Nirvana." The description of its shape and the transformations it underwent during the invocation reminded him greatly of the axe on Gongsun Liang's arm, except that Gongsun Liang's axe was much, much smaller. The legendary Axe of Nirvana was said to be five or even ten times its size. But why were the other aspects so similar to the Axe of Nirvana? Zong Daoyi's thoughts were in a chaos, and he couldn't help but shake his head.

The Great Illusionist, Yue Hun, did not often appear in the mortal realm. Since a great cataclysm a thousand years ago, she had retreated into the world of seclusion, ignoring the affairs of the mundane world. If it weren't for the knowledge Zong Daoyi had gained from his master, Di Lang, he would have been completely unaware of such a figure's existence. But today, he was unexpectedly so close to her, and she had solemnly entrusted him with the task of bringing Gongsun Liang to meet his master, Di Lang. What could be the reason for this?

After pondering for quite some time, Zong Daoyi's thoughts swirled chaotically before finally settling. He found a large boulder and sat down, resolved to let go of all his worries. The night air was cool and damp, a misty veil creeping over the countryside, like a thin veil in the darkness. As a gentle breeze blew, his robes fluttered, and his eyes closed in deep meditation.

Gongsun Liang strode forward, his path lit by the dew-covered grass. In the distance, he finally spied the small village. Upon reaching the village entrance, he found Zong Daoyi standing not far ahead, smiling at him. Gongsun Liang had grown accustomed to the old man's oddities over the past few days, so he didn't find it strange.

Approaching slowly, Gongsun Liang lifted a small bundle with one hand and said to Zong Daoyi, "Here, my mother asked me to give this to you." His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he looked at Zong Daoyi against the rising sun. "Oh? Heh, very well," Zong Daoyi replied, reaching out to take the bundle. Once Gongsun Liang had completed his mother's task, he turned to go back. Zong Daoyi quickly blocked his path, saying, "Wait, I have a question for you. Did your mother give you any other instructions when you left?" Gongsun Liang pondered for a moment and shook his head. Zong Daoyi continued, "Ah, yes, would you like to learn the technique I used on you yesterday?" Gongsun Liang's eyes brightened immediately. The old man's mysterious technique had left a profound impression on him, and he nodded eagerly upon hearing he might learn it.

However, Zong Daoyi spoke slowly, "Originally, we were to decide through a bet. If you won, I would teach you the technique. But now you've lost. Are you really sure you want to learn?" Gongsun Liang's heart sank as he listened to the first part, but when he heard the possibility of still learning from the old man, his spirits lifted again, and he nodded vigorously. Zong Daoyi smiled inwardly and continued, "If you win, you learn my technique. But have you considered what the cost might be if you lose?" Gongsun Liang stammered, "But you never said what would happen if I lost!" Zong Daoyi replied calmly, "Games are about fair competition. The fun lies in the challenge. Those who only think about cheating, do they really enjoy the essence of the game? Heh, no, they don't. Betting is a small game too. If I lose, I pay a price. So if you lose, you must pay something as well. Do you understand?"

Gongsun Liang listened half-heartedly to Zong Daoyi's words, grasping the gist of it – if he lost the bet, he wouldn't learn that strange and fascinating martial art. A sudden sense of loss washed over him, evident on his young face. Zong Daoyi continued, "If you truly desire to learn martial arts, I can teach you. But there's a condition." Gongsun Liang quickly asked, "What is it?"

Zong Daoyi smiled and inquired, "The condition is simple, but I fear you, little one, might not dare to accept it. You're still young and may not be able to endure my tests." Gongsun Liang's face flushed, and he exclaimed loudly, "Just tell me the condition! I'll accept it. I'm sure I can pass the test!" Zong Daoyi hastened to say, "You said it! Don't regret it later." Gongsun Liang didn't reply, only staring at Zong Daoyi with a huffing chest, still seemingly angry.

Zong Daoyi couldn't help but chuckle, seeing how offended the boy was by being underestimated. He straightened his expression and said, "The test is neither too big nor too small. It's to follow me back to South-starlic to learn martial arts. You can return only after mastering them." Gongsun Liang exclaimed, "Ah? That's fine! I'll tell my mother." He turned to leave again. Zong Daoyi stopped him and asked, "Do you know what South-starlic is or how far it is from here?" Gongsun Liang scratched his head and frowned, answering, "No." Zong Daoyi sighed deeply.

"South-starlic is tens of thousands of kilometers away. Do you realize that you might not see your mother for ten or even eight years? Are you still willing to go?" Zong Daoyi said softly. Gongsun Liang was stunned for a moment, then slowly spoke, "Well, then I don't want to go." Zong Daoyi laughed and said, "As a man, you should strive to excel and use your skills to benefit the world. But you're too attached to home and family. How can you achieve greatness?" In truth, Gongsun Liang was only five years old. Although his mother had nurtured him well, making him more mature than his peers, he was still a child. The bond between a child and their mother is deeply ingrained; it can't be severed easily. But to convince him to follow him willingly, Zong Daoyi had to resort to a mix of encouragement and mockery.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Gongsun Liang hesitated, finally saying, "But, but..." Zong Daoyi spoke gently, "Don't worry. Once you've mastered the skills, you can visit your mother whenever you want. And your mother has already agreed to this. If you don't believe me, look inside the small bundle she gave you." He handed the bundle back to Gongsun Liang, unchanged. Gongsun Liang opened it and found two new sets of clothes and shoes suitable for a child, along with a lucky lock. Nothing else. Gongsun Liang finally believed that his mother had been preparing him for this journey.

Zong Daoyi explained, "Are you wondering why your mother didn't come with you? She was afraid you'd be too upset to leave and cry like a little boy. When you return as a skilled martial artist, she'll be here to greet you. Your task now is to learn all my skills as quickly as possible, so you can come back to her." Gongsun Liang's heart was in turmoil, experiencing several ups and downs in a short moment. His young heart felt numb, and he unconsciously nodded at Zong Daoyi's words. So, without further ado, Zong Daoyi took the young boy, still new to the world, and they left the small village, heading for the path to South-starlic.

Nestled in the south-central region of the vast Starlic Continent, Lieyu Mountain boasted a climate neither cold and dry like the north nor hot and humid like the south. Its perpetual spring-like weather fostered an abundance of resources and a populous community. Zong Daoyi and his young companion, Gongsun Liang, traveled swiftly and soon arrived at the northern shore of the Ancientmic River.

Gongsun Liang, with a frown on his young face, followed silently behind Zong Daoyi, speaking little and appearing melancholic. But being a child, his gloom didn't last long. Having never ventured beyond the confines of Yuxian Town, he was now exposed to a diverse array of characters and exotic wonders from all corners of the continent. His curiosity piqued, the earlier sorrows and boredom were quickly forgotten.

Zong Daoyi, a well-traveled man with a wealth of knowledge and a ready wit, seized the opportunity to educate his young charge. He would interject tidbits about the origins and uses of various objects, as well as local customs and traditions. When Gongsun Liang showed signs of fatigue or hunger, Zong Daoyi would promptly halt their journey and produce an array of delicious foods that Gongsun Liang had never seen in Yuxian Town. Gradually, the mischievous Zong Daoyi won over the youngster, and their journey became filled with laughter and lively conversation.

Despite their jovial camaraderie, Gongsun Liang's childish temperament could still be fickle. Occasionally, he would suddenly become homesick, a sentiment that even the most experienced travelers know can be difficult to soothe. At such times, Zong Daoyi would become flustered, but fortunately, Gongsun Liang was more understanding than most children. He would often sit alone during meals, lost in his own thoughts, or occasionally emerge from his room in the dead of night to gaze at the moon for hours.

Through careful observation and trial and error, Zong Daoyi eventually discovered a solution that effectively quelled Gongsun Liang's emotional outbursts. Partly due to the growth and maturity Gongsun Liang experienced as their journey progressed, and partly because of Zong Daoyi's ingenious method: teaching martial arts.

On their journey, Gongsun Liang was thoroughly captivated by Zong Daoyi's never-ending array of marvelous skills. But initially, it was quite a challenge for Zong Daoyi. Typically, the basic method of cultivating one's essence in the realm of immortality involved sitting in meditation to nurture one's qi. However, teaching such practices to a young child like Gongsun Liang was not feasible, as it required patience and the ability to endure long hours of motionless sitting. Gongsun Liang lacked such tolerance, and even if Zong Daoyi tried to teach him, the fundamentals of meditation were far from simple. It was a profound art that required comprehension beyond mere posturing. While everyone in the realm of immortality knew how to sit in meditation, few grasped its essence: nurturing one's spirit and qi. This was where the true masters separated themselves from the rest.

Unable to teach Gongsun Liang meditation, Zong Daoyi improvised. He transformed a childhood game he used to play into a teaching tool for Gongsun Liang. It was a competitive game of rope flipping, involving a two-foot-long red rope tied into a circle. One player would insert their wrists into the circle and tighten the ends, while the other would manipulate the rope with their fingers, creating intricate patterns while freeing the first player's hands. The freed player would then proceed to create new patterns. The game continued indefinitely, with each player striving to outdo the other in creativity until one could no longer produce new variations, thus declaring defeat. The game boasted seventy-two variations, ranging from simple to complex.

Initially, Zong Daoyi taught Gongsun Liang only the easier patterns, introducing three new variations daily. Gradually, he increased the pace and difficulty, until after a month, Gongsun Liang had mastered all seventy-two variations. The benefits of the game were slowly becoming apparent. Gongsun Liang's fingers became more dexterous, and his physical control vastly improved. Three months later, as they traversed the famous Mangling Mountains, a faint trace of internal qi had begun to manifest in Gongsun Liang's body. He was able to maintain a high level of mental clarity even during rapid movements, much to Zong Daoyi's amazement. A game initially designed to entertain and enhance Gongsun Liang's physical dexterity had unexpectedly yielded remarkable results! Zong Daoyi's face beamed with joy and pride.

In the vast universe, countless alien worlds and billions of creatures exist, and the Starlic Continent is merely a small land among them. It is bordered by the Shenxian Sea to the east, the Yunji Mountains to the west, the Guya Island to the south, and the Liuqiu Bay to the north. This continent is a mosaic of diverse geographical features - mountains, lakes, prairies, and marshes - that are both chaotic and orderly. Over millions of years, various species have thrived and evolved here, undergoing several major transformations and spawning numerous new creatures, creating a bustling ecosystem.

Conventionally, people mark the divide between the northern and southern parts of the continent with the Ancientmic River, a vast waterway that traverses the land from east to west. In the south, another dividing line is the Mangling Mountains, a formidable range that stretches across the region. Generally speaking, the central and eastern regions of the Starlic Continent are densely populated and technologically advanced, while the northwest and southern areas are sparsely inhabited and barren. This is partly due to the harsh natural conditions that limit human development in the northwest, and partly because the environment in the south is simply too unforgiving for habitation.

However, the southern region is not entirely devoid of life. South of the Mangling Mountains lies a vast, ancient forest known as the Enchanted Wood. Legends speak of its dense mists and countless spirits, its mountainous terrain and numerous lakes and marshes. The forest is also home to various poisonous gases and winds that strike at regular intervals, making it an uninhabitable place for ordinary people. Over time, the demons and monsters within the Enchanted Wood began to emerge and wreak havoc, causing widespread panic. As a result, many people fled to the central regions, while those living north of the Mangling Mountains migrated north of the Ancientmic River to escape the danger. Since then, the south has become a dreaded place, a realm ruled by mountain spirits and monsters, until the arrival of the southern master, Di Lang, at the Lost Soul Mountain Pass.

At that time, Di Lang had just parted ways with the ethereal fairy Liu Yeer, whose image still haunted his dreams, and the ever-present Night Sorrow, whose figure was always cloaked in white. Liu Yeer had returned to her mountain to embark on a solitary journey of cultivation, and while Di Lang was uncertain of Night Sorrow's destination, he was no longer overly concerned with their whereabouts. He had made up his mind to embark on a solitary path of rigorous training, a long and arduous journey of both self-discipline and battle. The Battle of the Lost Soul Mountain marked the beginning of that turbulent era.

And now, here they stand, Zong Daoyi and Gongsun Liang, at the place where Di Lang once rose to fame through a legendary battle that shook the world.