Night had fallen, and a crescent moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the Moon Sword Sect with its silver light. On a square stone overlooking the valley sat Zhong Li. His long silver hair billowed in the night wind, and his golden eyes gazed at the expanse of stars familiar yet foreign. The silence and the vastness of the sky triggered faint memories, as if he had once been there, far higher than the stars he now saw.
Behind him, Grandmaster Yuan, unable to sleep, saw the figure of the contemplative Zhong Li. He walked slowly, intending to keep the mysterious man company. However, even before he could get close, Zhong Li's voice broke the silence.
"Where can I find someone who can give me all the information about this world?"
Yuan was startled. He hadn't heard Zhong Li's footsteps at all, yet the man knew he was coming. This reinforced his belief that Zhong Li was no ordinary human. He took a breath, pushed his fear aside, and answered.
"Lord Zhong Li, if you are looking for information, you should go to the Cloud Gathering Sect," Yuan said. He continued his explanation. "That sect collects all the information and knowledge throughout the Immortal Realm. They can find anything you are looking for, as long as you have a worthy price to pay."
"Where can I find that sect?" Zhong Li asked, without turning around.
"The Cloud Gathering Sect is a mysterious one; its branches are scattered and hidden throughout the Immortal Realm," Yuan explained. "But there is a well-known branch in Sky Dragon City. That city is not too far from here. You can find it there."
Zhong Li only nodded slowly. He stood up, turning back to face Yuan, his golden eyes now more visible under the moonlight.
"Thank you," he said simply. Without further ado, Zhong Li turned and walked back to his room, leaving Yuan alone in the silent night. Yuan could only shake his head, realizing the vast difference between himself and the man he had saved, even in their demeanor.
Morning had arrived, and the sun began to shine on the Moon Sword Sect. As promised, Grandmaster Yuan, along with his two disciples, Li Wei and Mei Hua, came to Zhong Li's room to bring him breakfast. Yuan knocked on the door.
"Lord Zhong Li? We've brought you breakfast," he called.
There was no answer. Yuan tried knocking again, but still, there was no response. Worried that something had happened, he gestured for Li Wei to open the door slowly.
The room was empty.
The breakfast and fruits they were carrying fell. The room was tidy, as if it had never been occupied. But on a small table beside the bed lay a strange object.
"What is that?" Mei Hua asked.
Li Wei approached cautiously. The object was a solid black stone, but inside it were flickering purple flashes of light. The stone radiated a cold, heavy aura. Li Wei picked it up, and it felt like holding thousands of kilograms of steel.
"This..." Li Wei whispered, his eyes wide. "This is a Purple Sky Stone!"
Grandmaster Yuan, startled, immediately took the stone from Li Wei's hand. Instantly, his expression changed to one of immense shock. "A Purple Sky Stone? He... Lord Zhong Li left this behind?"
He continued with a trembling voice. "This stone is the base material for making the highest-grade weapons. Throughout the entire Immortal Realm, there are only a few dozen Sky-grade weapons made from similar materials. With a stone this size, we could make at least three Sky-grade swords!"
Mei Hua and Li Wei were stunned. They had never expected that the man they had helped, who seemed to have no power, could leave behind such a valuable gift. They realized that Zhong Li was not just an ordinary cultivator but a figure from a much higher place.
Far from the Moon Sword Sect, Zhong Li had already begun his journey toward Sky Dragon City. He walked tirelessly, passing through lush forests, crossing clear rivers, and climbing towering mountains. He observed the beauty of this foreign world, but he felt no emotion. He was only focused on his goal: to get information.
After several days of travel, Zhong Li finally saw an impressive sight. Before him lay a massive city, shrouded in mist and surrounded by gigantic walls. The buildings were magnificent, some seemingly touching the sky. The city gates, made of sturdy jade stone, were crowded with cultivators of various sects and stages coming and going.
This was Sky Dragon City, a city that served as a hub for trade and information in the southern part of the Immortal Realm. Zhong Li stepped inside the city, feeling a bustle he hadn't experienced since he had fallen. But deep in his heart, he knew his journey had just begun. He had to find the Cloud Gathering Sect, get the information he needed, and reclaim all that he had lost.
Zhong Li walked slowly along the busy streets of Sky Dragon City. Magnificent buildings soared high, overshadowing the cultivators and merchants who bustled by. The air was filled with a mix of aromas from spices, herbs, and abundant spiritual energy. Although this crowd was very different from the serenity of the Celestial Realm, Zhong Li was not bothered. His focus was on one thing: finding the Cloud Gathering Sect.
He approached an old merchant who was selling spiritual fruits on the side of the road.
"Sir," Zhong Li greeted in a flat tone. "Do you know where the Cloud Gathering Sect is located?"
The merchant looked at Zhong Li from head to toe, his eyes narrowing at his simple yet classy white Hanfu clothes. "The Cloud Gathering Sect?" the merchant repeated, then shook his head. "I've never heard that name, sir. Maybe you have the name wrong."
Zhong Li nodded slowly, then continued on his way. He tried asking a few other merchants, a weapon seller, a pharmacist, and even a city gate guard. But the answer he received was always the same: no one knew. It was as if the sect was just a myth.
"Maybe Grandmaster Yuan was right; the sect is indeed hidden," Zhong Li muttered to himself.
Not giving up, he changed his approach. He began asking cultivators who seemed more knowledgeable. He approached a group of young cultivators who were chatting in a tea house. However, they only gave him strange looks and said he might be hallucinating.