The midmorning sun cast its gentle gaze on the little valley. Tall green jade-like grass swayed in the gentle breeze, holding onto the remnants of morning dew. All that could be heard was rushing water from the mountains.

The mountains that the water came from were tall; frost and snow could be seen on the peaks, although they did not break the clouds. Akin to a natural paradise, it was akin to a scene straight from an immortal's painting, untouched by mortals.

Of course, this wasn't so - as all things of the world are contaminated by mortals; this valley was not exempt. In the midst of this depiction of serenity, there was a flat rock. On this rock sat a human male dressed in red robes. His eyes closed, in a meditative posture, it was as if he was made of rock.

Make no mistake now, for he was of flesh and blood. He was merely in a state of intense concentration and had full control of breathing and circulation.

Diverting, if we were to ask of his looks, they could be described as above average. His skin was a little rough and the hairs growing on them were barely noticeable. Slightly tanned from being under the sun, he could be found attractive by some. His hair was tied up in a bun with a strip of red silk with gold engravings.

From somewhere deeper into the valley, clear laughter rang out, disturbing the male from his concentration. The red-robed male opened his eyes. A trace of irritation could be beheld from his eyes in the gaze of an astute person. Blood surged up into his mouth and a trace of it escaped onto the corner of his mouth. Closing his eyes once more, the human male was able to stabilize himself after a few moments. His gaze became serene, and his aura was calm.

With a breath from his nostrils, the air around him lifted him from the rock. Floating an inch above the rock, the air gently straightened his clothes and set him on the grass. Opening his eyes once more, the red-robed male gave a cursory inspection of himself before he started to head deep into the valley.

The tall grass lay down before him and weaved a bridge to cushion his steps. When his robes brushed past the bridge, the grass blades would unfold themselves and stand upright to sway in the breeze once more. The sun's beams were following the red-robed male as if welcoming the arrival of the Jade Emperor. Like the stars in the night sky, a light shower of particles was present in the sun's beams which gave off a light sparkly effect. There wasn't too much that it detracted from the red-robed man nor was it too little that the effect was unnoticeable. It was truly a treat for the eyes.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

After the red-robed male progressed further into the valley for a while, the scenery started to change. The picturesque blue skies, tall mountains, and jade-green grass started to fade away like an illusion. Blue skies became gray clouds and light rain started to fall on dry rocky soil.

Untouched by the rain, the red-robed male continued to walk forward. Frowning slightly as his silk shoes touched the now-muddy soil, he held his hand out to feel the rain. An invisible curtain seemed to part as a singular drop was allowed through and floated above his hand, millimeters from his skin.

Calculating with his fingers, the red-robed man dragged his left foot. Three strokes later, the character for 'mountain' could be seen in the muddy soil.

"Man climbs the mountain to become Immortal, but there is always a mountain higher."

Looking up to heaven, the red-robed man's eyes grew more profound as he seemed to calculate heaven's secrets.

"An immortal is a tall mountain, but I desire to be the tallest. Ancestor Pangu split the Chaos and separated Heaven and Earth, but I desire to be above the Chaos..."

A conflicted expression flitted across the red-robed man's features, but eventually, he seemed to have justified something to himself. A calm demeanor once more enveloped him.

"For an immortal to rise above, he must remove his mountain. Only when his fetters are broken can he become Unfettered."

At ease with his own reasoning, the red-robed male closed his eyes and chuckled.

"Well, I guess that's pretty cool?"

Laughing quietly to himself, the red-robed man opened his eyes and looked down at the muddy soil. Finding himself in a state of realization, he revealed a rare, surprised expression.

"Now that I think about it, that's probably the best calligraphy I've performed... ever."

Finishing this thought, his expression turned conflicted. Turning around, he continued walking in his original direction.

The clear laughter continued to ring in the distance as if it was affirming his decision.