Volume One, Chapter One: Fateful Encounter

Near Jian Ge in the Qin Chuan region of West Shu, the terrain was rugged with towering mountains and frequent appearances of wild beasts. It was an extremely desolate place where human footprints were rare. Under the Cang Feng Ridge, a strange man appeared at some point. He was an extremely peculiar figure, dressed in tattered clothes that could not be distinguished as either a Taoist robe or a monk's garment. He had been hiding in a cave for many years, braving all kinds of wind and rain, and refusing to leave.

For many years, every time a woodcutter went up the mountain, they would frequently see his shadow. They often saw him playing with the monkeys in the mountains, sustaining himself with fruit. At first, people were afraid of him, but as time went by and nothing bad happened, they gradually became accustomed to his presence, as if he did not exist. Time always passed by unnoticed, and no one knew how many years had passed. The strange man still lived there and refused to leave.

West Shu was mountainous and harbored countless monsters and demons. To ensure safety, the people built mountain god temples all over the place, praying for the mountain gods' blessings. Over the years, the mountain god temples increased, and perhaps because the mountain gods showed their power, the people on this land had few accidents in the past two hundred years. Everyone respected the mountain gods even more.

One day, a young child of several years old appeared under the Cang Feng Ridge. From afar, he looked about seven or eight years old, with a handsome and delicate appearance that was very pleasing to the eye. He wore silk clothing and did not look like a child from a poor family. As he approached, it became apparent that his face was somewhat gloomy, with a hint of deathly grayness shining through his pallor.

The child walked slowly and suddenly heard the cry of a monkey. Unable to resist, he turned his head to take a look. Not far away, there was a cave, and a strange man stood at the entrance. His unkempt hair obscured his face, but one could faintly see a pair of extremely bright eyes sizing him up. The child was slightly stunned, showing no signs of fear on his face. He turned around and walked towards the strange man.

The strange man looked at the child and let out a sigh, as if he had sensed something. The child approached the strange man, and his crisp, childish voice rang out, "Are you the strange man that the uncles here talk about? I heard that you've been here for a long, long time. Can you tell me why you stay here? Why don't you come and live in our village?" The child's eyes were filled with curiosity as he quietly looked at the strange man.

The strange man said softly, "You are not from here, are you? Your accent sounds like someone from the capital. Why did you come here? Your body is not well, and I'm afraid you won't live long. Why don't you stay with your parents and spend some more time with them?"

The child's bright eyes revealed a hint of surprise, and he smiled slightly. "You're good. You can tell just by looking at me that my life is not long. I've known this for a long time, so I don't mind. Life and death are just a moment. What's the point of fearing them? What's your name?"