Volume One: First Steps into the Martial World of Immortals Chapter One: The Immortal of Azure Cloud Mountain—A Journey Begins in Liangzhou

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Mount Azurecloud, one of the four great sacred mountains of Daoism.

At its summit, scattered tile-roofed houses could be found, where now and then a few Daoist priests would be seen discussing scriptures, playing chess, or brewing tea. To newcomers, it always seemed a true immortal’s realm.

In the eyes of the common folk, the Azurecloud Daoist Monastery was nothing less than a home of immortals. Many a scholar’s son longed to apprentice himself to Master Taiping, to study the ways of immortality and seek longevity, perhaps even to soar as an immortal beyond the mortal world. Yet, though many made the climb each year to petition entry, the Azurecloud Monastery—or rather, Master Taiping himself—counted but three disciples. It was widely rumored that all three were blessed by heaven and earth, possessing the innate potential for immortality, and only thus were they accepted as the Master’s personal disciples.

On one of the mountain paths, a young man in Daoist robes ambled along, carrying a bucket of spring water in one hand. His features were well-formed, his skin pale, embodying the very definition of a beautiful youth. As for who he was—he was none other than the youngest of Master Taiping’s three disciples, holding the middle rank. The Master had bestowed upon him the appellation “Fuming.” Above him was his senior brother, known as Mountain Dweller, and below, his junior sister, known as Peaceful Daoist.

He had asked his master once why he had been given the name Fuming and what it signified. Each time, his master gave a different answer—sometimes saying it was made up on the spot, sometimes claiming it came to him in a dream, and sometimes, with a touch of charlatan flair, declaring, “Heaven’s will must not be revealed.” Fuming often felt tempted to pluck every last hair from his master’s venerable brows.

But such things hardly mattered. What was important was the image his master had established in Fuming’s mind—a consummate charlatan, the greatest trickster on Mount Azurecloud.

“People down in the valley all say this mountain is a land of immortals, that Master is a sage, and that we are heaven’s own children. Bah! Unless you’ve lived on Azurecloud, you know nothing of its ways; unless you’ve entered Taiping’s gate, you cannot know the truth of Taiping’s people.” The young Daoist, Fuming, called out in exasperation.

He had come to Mount Azurecloud ten years ago. In that decade, he’d had much more contact with birds and beasts than with immortals. Though everyone said his master was an immortal, only the disciples themselves knew the truth: he was just a crafty old man who tricked people and made his disciples fetch tea and water for him.

Every day, Fuming had to fetch water from the very spring his master specified. The journey was dozens of miles back and forth—a true ordeal. Looking up at the cloud-shrouded peak, where the outline of the monastery loomed ethereal, he had to admit it cut a fine figure. Shaking his head, he pressed on along the path.

The land of Ganliang had always been poor. Twenty-three years ago, the realm was not yet unified; there were seven kingdoms: Qin, Chu, Qi, Yan, Zhao, Wei, and Han. The territory was not as vast as it is now. The seven kingdoms waged ceaseless war, year after year—three hundred and sixty-five days of fighting, with an extra day thrown in during leap years. How could the common people ever hope for peace?

Then, for reasons unknown, Yan and Zhao amassed their armies and swept across the land, soon extinguishing the unsupported states of Qi and Wei. Their power was unrivaled. Legend has it that King Zhao sent a single letter and the whole kingdom of Han surrendered. The King of Han proclaimed to his people, “My heart grieves for the people; I cannot bear to see suffering. Thus, I surrender the nation to King Zhao, relinquish the royal seal, and disband my armies.” On hearing this, the people of Han faced the capital, knelt, and wept bitterly. Many upright men in the court took their own lives—a scene of tragic grandeur.

Not long after, the combined forces of Yan and Zhao, joined by four other kingdoms, marched south against Chu. But Chu, vast and rich, with a united people, managed to hold off the invaders.

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While Yan and Zhao sought to conquer the world, the western state of Qin sent its armies southwestward. Guided by local scouts, they invaded the lands of Ba and Shu, further expanding their territory. There, they recruited a force of one hundred thousand brave soldiers, crossed the thousand-mile mountain ranges, and marched north to campaign across the realm. From then on, Qin boasted an army of over four hundred thousand.

Qin’s methods were ruthless, caring nothing for justice or morality—every land not yet theirs, they sought to seize. Thus, chaos truly reigned. All over, peasants began to rise in revolt; after all, if you didn’t rebel, you’d be conscripted anyway, so why not resist? Thirteen years ago, Qin claimed to have unified the world, but in truth, the other states had merely been destroyed. Soon, rebel armies clashed with Qin’s forces and, before long, overthrew the dynasty. The history books record: “The tyrannical Qin was reviled by all; the world rose as one to bring it down.”

In the end, the largest rebel force swept the land clean and established the unified Fengyang Dynasty. After founding his empire, the first Fengyang emperor lightened taxes and labor, allowing the people to rest; at last, the people of this divine land knew peace. For ten years, the world has been tranquil; the people, at last, can truly live in peace and contentment. Fengyang divided the empire into thirteen provinces. Ganliang, this land, became Liang Province—one of the thirteen. If you ask who holds power in Liang Province, everyone will answer: the King of Western Liang.

The King of Liang is one of the nine princes of Fengyang, and the most unique among them. For among the nine, only he commands an army of one hundred thousand; the other eight, by imperial decree, may not keep more than ten thousand troops each. And why is the King of Liang so privileged? The entire Fengyang court debated the matter endlessly. In the early days, he was merely a rebel leader, barely literate, who knew only that as long as the world was at war, if he didn’t fight others, others would conscript him. So, with resolve, he led three hundred sturdy villagers up Black Tiger Mountain and, through sheer force, defeated the five or six hundred bandits entrenched there. This feat made his reputation as a formidable figure.

It is said that heaven’s will is inexorable, that fate is decided by the unseen hand. The founding emperor of Fengyang, Liu Jing, was once a prominent landowner in Chu. When the world fell into chaos and he saw the people homeless and starving by the roadside, he tried to provide aid, but it was never enough. Eventually, he realized that only by restoring order could he truly save the people. So, using his fortune, he gathered several thousand refugees and began his quest for supremacy.

One day, as Liu Jing’s forces were defeated and fleeing on Black Tiger Mountain, the King of Liang led his men to the rescue, saving Liu Jing's life. Liu Jing, recognizing his courage and the debt he owed, swore an oath of brotherhood with him. He said, “I will sweep away this chaos and restore peace to the people.”

The King of Liang was moved to his core and, filled with patriotic fervor, followed Liu Jing down the mountain. Over the years, through campaigns north and south, he saved Liu Jing’s life three times.

Eventually, the Fengyang Empire was founded. On the day of the founding, Liu Jing ennobled nine princes—only three of whom were not of imperial blood. The King of Liang was one of these. By imperial law, no prince could enter the capital without an edict, so the King of Liang resided in Liang Province.

Moreover, with foreign tribes known as the Great Xiongnu threatening the borders, Fengyang stationed one hundred thousand troops in Liang Province. Liu Jing believed that none in his empire could match the King of Liang’s martial prowess. Coupled with their close relationship, he appointed him Grand General, placing all one hundred thousand troops under his command.

Year after year, the Great Xiongnu harassed the border. Except for bathing or his single trip to the capital, the King of Liang was never without his armor and sword, ceaselessly training his men. Rumor had it that Liang Province now had three hundred thousand armored soldiers—a claim that reached the ears of the court’s civil officials.

Thus, the Minister of Rites, in a court session, publicly accused the King of Liang of privately raising two hundred thousand extra troops with rebellious intent, supported by the Minister of Revenue, who produced last year's military expenses for Liang Province—far exceeding the needs of a hundred thousand men. The entire assembly of scholars concurred!

Liu Jing, after hearing their arguments, simply said, “All that the King of Liang has done is for the good of the nation and the people—I am well aware.” On the grounds that the two ministers were too old, he reassigned them to minor posts in the southern provinces—ostensibly for “retirement.” Then, surveying the court, he asked, “Does anyone else have any questions?” The civil officials all cried out, “Your Majesty is wise; we have no objections!”

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When word of this reached the King of Liang, he merely smiled and said, “If there is anyone in the world who truly understands me, it is only His Majesty.” This saying became famous, and the people all knew that the present emperor and the King of Liang were as close as brothers.

Today, the Prince’s manor was a hive of activity. Servants and maids bustled to and fro, cleaning every speck of dust from the residence. The reason was simple—the master of the house was returning today.

Since taking up residence in Liang Province, the King of Liang had rarely stayed in his own manor—sometimes he would be gone for more than a year. In the past decade, his returns could be counted on one hand. He typically ate and slept with his soldiers at the border camps. The people of Liang Province all knew that their prince was dutiful and responsible, and sincerely respected him. Just days ago, a messenger arrived with news that the prince would return home today and stay for over ten days, which sent the entire household into a state of delight.

The daily affairs of the manor were managed by the princess. The Lady of Liang was renowned throughout the realm. She had once been a woman of misfortune; during the wars, her village was massacred by bandits, and she alone survived. Found unconscious, she was rescued by the King of Liang. When she awoke, with nowhere to go, he took her in. In time, affection blossomed between them, and they married amidst the turmoil—a story celebrated across the land.

Today, the princess changed out of her usual peasant garb in the rear chambers and donned her rarely-worn brocade dress. She turned and asked, “Has anyone seen Ming’er?”

A maid behind her replied softly, “Your Grace, the young master went out early this morning. It seems he went to compete his crickets with the other young lords.”

The princess paused, then walked outside, shaking her head with a smile. “That child—this is his only hobby, no great ambitions. As long as he doesn’t do harm in the world, I thank the heavens.” Then she added, “No need to look for him; someone will bring him back. Qiu Yue, come with me to the kitchen—I wish to personally prepare a few dishes for the prince.”

The maid Qiu Yue smiled shyly. “Yes, Your Grace.”

With that, the group made their way to the kitchen. In the Prince’s manor, everyone knew the princess was kind-hearted. She tended the fields and wove cloth herself, often giving alms to the poor families of Liang City, yet was reluctant to buy even a single hairpin for herself. She never treated the staff as mere servants, but as family. Because of this, everyone in the manor respected her deeply and was truly devoted to her.