Qingdu Mountain.
Morning light had just risen from within the mountains, babbling across the treetops, casting the path of jade-colored beauty, which is often referred to by the surrounding families of the lake as the "Azure Step," likening it to a stairway of ascension.
A young man descended the steps briskly, his bearing proud and his white gold Taoist robe fitted snugly, giving him a crisp and decisive air. Golden morning sunlight crowned him, and the shadows of his nose shaded his pupils, through which a hint of gold could be discerned.
Following him was a sinister-looking youth dressed in black, his voice low:
"Your Highness, the new disciples from various clans have all entered the mansion... compared to last year, there is a decrease of twenty percent."
