1 The Sun Descends!
It was a normal day in Coiling Dragon Continent. The Suns gentle rays bestowed warmth upon all things.
"Hiiiiyaa!" The disciples of the Great Mountain Sect shout as they continue their daily sword practice. These young boys and girls need to finish 100 swords strokes each day to raise their proficiency and prepare for the upcoming Yearly Examinations.
As the youngsters suffered under the blazing heat of the Sun, the Sect Elders observed under the cool shade of a 100 Year Island Tree. Its name was Island Tree because inside its dense canopy, the tree's fruits formed a golden crown which looked like a golden island surrounded by deep green water from above.
"This batch looks promising," praised an elder. "We need more than just promising, Elder Wang," rebutted the elder standing in the middle.
"There are going to be guests overseeing this year's examination. We can't afford to lose this chance, and all of you know that," the elder continued.
Even though Great Mountain Sect stood on the tallest mountain known to man, Mt. Tai, it still struggled for resources. The mountain's resources were simply too hard to extract. For all they know, a flower that could grant immortality could be sitting just beyond the northern river but they still wouldn't dare take it. This was because they knew of the beasts that await them in the forests and in the river.
Beasts so strong and savage even the Kingdom's Forces don't dare plunder it.
The forest served as as impenetrable wall that guarded the sect from all types of attacks yet it also served as a net that constrained its development. Disciples needed to go through a long hidden passage to ensure their safety when they left for the markets. Food was scarce and resources were meager. This was the reason why they needed to curry the favors of the Kingdom Supervisors.
The elders' hopeful gazes never left the training disciples as they prayed fervently in their hearts.
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As the Great Mountain Sect faced their crisis, a flower planted just a short distance north of their walls beyond the river was basking in the warm sunshine. Its bright pink petals danced as a tropical breeze brushed past them. This was the Immortal Chrysanthemum. It got the "immortal" in its name because it was said to give whoever ate it a second chance at life. Although it wasn't exactly immortality, it was the closest thing Coiling Dragon Continent had to it.
