Willowy Mountain Range, Thunder Province, Nascent cloud land.

The already faint stars hid away waiting for night’s call as the sun rose over the horizon. The pitch black darkness of the night faded away slowly, while hints of blue blended in.

The sun rays cast the horizon in a slight golden hue. The sky was a tapestry of colors, like a divine painting. It had ink like darkness as the backdrop, with a blend of azure and gold on it.

Cluster of massive clouds drifted in the sky with high winds. They cast large shadows on the land they drifted above. The clouds blended in with the sky’s colors, taking on a pale yellow hue. They were like giant golden boats traversing the heavens with no destination.

The sun's rays fell down on the enormous mountain range. The mountains were still covered in fog that lingered from last night. The lightly flowing breeze carried a slight chill in it, as it moved through the mountains. The fog left dew drops on the leaves of the dense foliage blanketing this mountain range..

These mountains were thousands of feet tall. They were steep, with slippery slopes, deep valleys, canyons and ridges.

They held no safe path for mortals to venture inside. Dense foliage covered these mountains. Ordinary plants such as The oaks and maples on the foot of mountains. The hornbeams, firs and birches on the midsection, ginkgo and pine occupying the top to name a few.

While wild grass, vines, fruits, plants and vegetation unknown to mortals grew here. These mountains harbored centuries old medicinal herbs like ginseng and even spiritual herbs.

Mystical trees like red lilies and snow lotuses too were abundant in these mountains, ripe for picking. If you can reach them in the deep canyons, deep in the jungles, marshes, and cliffs. Then defeat the ferocious beasts occupying these resources.

There were multiple ponds and a few lakes inside the mountains. The moon-lit river and its many tributaries flowed down from the tallest mountain of the range. The willow tree groves occupied areas around these water bodies.

The willows released a fragrance that calmed the spirit and refreshed the mind. The willows attracted Qi around them as well, making it easier to absorb.

The winds carried the fragrance around the mountains and even beyond it. It gave these mountains a presence of not being shackled by mortal worries and desires.

Thus this mountain range was deservedly called willowy mountain range. While also being called the Zen mountains by the mortals.

The first rays of sun fell upon the mountains. Every creature inhabiting it rejoiced as they basked in the warm and nourishing Yang Qi. The Snub nosed monkeys, sat upon the willow tree branches, breathing in the Qi filled air. Their fur, a blend of yellow and black began to glow under the sun.

The lions crouched down below their claimed willow tree grove. Their golden mane shined as they took in deep and sonorous breaths. The black striped tigers seemed to be on fire while breathing in a primeval rhythm. The red crest of crested ibis opened as its feathers fluttered. Golden brown plumage of the golden eagles flashed like earthen gold as they sat in their nest.

The squirrels came out of their tree holes. The alligators from the ponds and marshes. the jet black horses running in the canyons and the hawks nesting on the cliffs. The turtles in the lakes, the snakes slithered out and the fishes came to the surface take in the spiritual Qi. The dense foliage covering these mountains seem to blossom with the Qi.

They all together basked in the Yang Qi, while willow fragrance drifted in the air. The ever going war of survival seems to be on hold as every being was nourished under the Yang Qi. The sun rays dispelled the slight chill in the air. The mountains themselves seemed to be breathing in Qi under this strange rhythm.

Deep within these mountains sat a large city. It was built around the midsection of Mount. Willow, the tallest mountain of the range. Short walls encircled this city, short enough that a predator could easily leap in. Though the bluish inscriptions flashing on the walls as they sucked in the Yang Qi. Which was a testament that they didn’t need to be tall.

The walls seemed to be made of stones and wooden logs with inscriptions etched on them. There were four entrances to enter the city. Two of which were built upon the Moon-Lit river and its tributaries.

The river and its tributaries divided the city into four distinct areas. The city had thousands of houses in it. The buildings were simple and made of wood, with some being small and others large.

The two downhill districts occupied the most area. Low level cultivators families, lone cultivators and those lacking spirit stones lived here. They farmed spiritual rice on farms, leased and sometimes their own. They worked as attendants, apprentices. They manned stalls in the market and did chores needed by rich and high level cultivators.

The stronger ones among them hunted ferocious beasts, and foraged for spiritual herbs. They risked their lives adventuring and exploring this mountain range and even beyond. Sometimes they stumbled upon great opportunities. And other times they ended up in a beast's belly or dead in some unknown mountain fighting for the treasures.

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The western district was silent, except the synchronized breathing of thousands of cultivators. As they cultivated with all their being. They were not willing to waste even a moment of the time when spiritual Qi is most active and nourishing.

There were two gates for the western district, as this was the most populated area of the city. The river divided the western district in two. The farmland area bordered the market district. Which was one of the 5 top markets in the province.

There was none of the hustle and bustle present that was expected of the market. The shops were closed while the cultivators manning the stalls meditated. Though they were still alert.

The residential area bordered the uphill eastern district. all the administration of the city was held there. The high level cultivators, the rich ones, and the artisans lived in this district. The city lord Badal, lived on the peak of the mountain at the source of the river, beneath the gigantic moon willow.

The buildings in the eastern district were bigger, and designed better. Though they were still quite simple in line with cultivators' mindset.

In the third house of the artisan lane sat a simple but impressive house. It was a two story house with a hip roof with five ridges. The walls were dark brown and the roof was gilded in a thin coating of dark gold. There was a backyard behind the house. It was a small pond at the center, with a willow tree at its bank.

The red tailed carps floated on the surface, their white scales glowed beneath the sun. while their red tail seemed to hold fire. The willow tree swayed with wind, as it spread its fragrance around the house. Its branches and leaves were dropping down circularly like an open umbrella.

Beneath the tree was a small bench, which held a gray parchment on the center of it. There was an ink pot to its left, and a talisman brush with wooden handle and white fur as tip. A cross-legged middle aged man with long gray hair and some wrinkles on his stern face sat in front of the bench. With his back to the willow tree.

“hmm….haa….hmm….haa….” His eyes were closed as he took deep and long breaths. The breeze ruffled His sleeves. He wore unadorned light blue Taoist robes. The Qi was visibly being absorbed by him as the surroundings took a pale yellow hue.

He opened his Steel gray eyes and started to slowly grind the ink. The bluish black ink slab was placed in the rectangular ink pot. He did it almost ritualistically with a rhythm in it. The slow grinding calmed the spirit. When he reached his desired consistency, he stopped and a slight smile came to his face.

He took a deep breath and picked up the talisman bush as his eyes fixated on the blank talisman parchment. Qi traveled from his Dantian to the unadorned brush. The bush’s handle glowed gray while the tip shimmered white, as Qi gathered at it. The brush was like a dragon exhaling white flame.

He dipped the tip in ink and placed it above the parchment. His hands were a blur as he drew the talisman in one swift and uninterrupted stroke. Dark blue patterns such as spirals and incomprehensible scribbling appeared on the talisman.

The breeze stopped as it flew near the talisman, the talisman's surroundings seemed to be in a vacuum. After a few seconds the patterns stopped glowing and the wind resumed its flow. The patterns settled in, like they were there since the parchment’s existence. The man’s smile widened as he nodded at his creation.

He then took out a simple rectangular wooden box. He took off the lid, placed the talisman on the gray cloth in the case and closed the box. He then turned towards the teenager, sitting on the right side of the table. He wore similar light blue robes adorned with small cloud-like designs. The teenager was a spitting image of the man. Except his gray hairs were lustrous, and his eyes held the naivety and expectations of youth.

“Shall we head to the ceremony, Indra?” asked the man as he put away the wooden box and talisman making tools in the dark spatial bag hanging on his waist belt. While he put the talisman brush in his sleeves. He stood up and walked towards the door leading to the house with Indra in tow.

Indra followed him quietly . They walked in silence between the heart calming grass spread around the backyard. When they reached the front gate, the man suddenly turned back. He looked at Indra who was already reaching his shoulders, straight in the eye.

“Nervous?” .

“Hmmm…..” said Indra as he nodded.

“What for?”.

Indra looked hesitant and then asked “Baba……. I will pass the test right?”.

“You are son of great talisman master Bhala, no doubt you have inherited a smidgen of my peerless demeanor”.

They both looked each other straight in the eye for a few seconds.

“Ha ha haa haaa ha…..” They both burst out laughing.

“Now let’s depart, we don’t want to be late after all” said bhala with a slight smile on his face. He ruffled Indra’s shoulder length hair and then turned back to the door as Bhala and Indra walked out. “William said he and uncle will meet us straight in the ceremony hall” told Indra. While Bhala pasted the locking talisman on the main gate, activating the protection array laid in the house.

The peak morning time has passed as the sun rose higher in the sky. The sky was fully azure as the birds took to the sky to forage food. The serene atmosphere in the mountains shattered as the war of survival resumed. Birds chirped and lions roared , the beasts of mountains set out to hunt, and forage for food.

The streets came alive as cultivators hurried out from their homes for their jobs. Even the cultivators couldn’t escape work it seems. The people in the eastern district, though, were far less hurried.

“Good-morning master Bhala” “Good-morning brother Indra” Greeted the neighborhood kids, slightly bowing. The kids wore standard gray robes and Taoist caps from the academy . The academy was built eastwards. A hundred meters outside the city on the bank of a tributary of the Moon-Lit River.

“Morning kids” said bhala while nodding at kids with a smile.

“Better be on your way, cause if one-eye caught you….. Hahahaha”

The kids made a face towards Indra with their tongues out as they ran towards the academy.

“Greeting brother Bhala” “Greeting senior Bhala”

“Good luck for the ceremony Indra,” said the adults on the road as they greeted Bhala and wished Indra. Bhala and Indra greeted everyone as they walked uphill towards the ceremony hall.

“Wait brother Bhala” said a loud voice from behind. Bhala and Indra stopped and turned back and looked back. They saw a burly man in light brown robes walking towards them with an equally burly teenager.

"Well met brother Tarang" said bhala.

"Indeed indeed " said the burly man when he reached in front of them.