The end of Ma Lu

A gentle breeze caressed the unkempt hair of Xie Qing, who stood atop what was perhaps the highest mountain he had ever seen.

Have you ever stood on a height so great that even skyscrapers appeared small? Then you must understand the sensation Xie Qing was experiencing.

"How beautiful," he thought, narrowing his eyes. "Even the vileness of devilish interference cannot diminish the beauty of nature. It is worthy of admiration."

These lands had developed over hundreds of millions of years. The heavens, however, had been there almost since the creation of all things.

Xie Qing blinked. He felt a slight sense that he had understood something, but what it was, he did not know.

"Let's not rush," he thought, tying his hair into a ponytail so it wouldn't bother him. "With slow steps, we will reach the peak."

***