High above a grand pavilion two wrinkled hands moved in a blur. Jade figures moved to a new spot on the game board each time one of the ancient hands moved. Below the two floating figures one hundred cultivators danced like marionettes. Hours passed and the final two Qi cultivators killed each other causing the old men to sigh.

“Another tie,” Cao Peng said, his white hair moving with the early morning breeze. He wore a black robe embroidered on the robe was a single golden sparrow with a red rose in its mouth. His face sagged in areas only making the valleys of wrinkles on his face more pronounced.

“It has been well over fifty years since a game ended with a winner and now we have to recruit more disciples,” Lu Deyang said. Everything about Lu Deyang was the same as Cao Peng except for his gray hair. If someone met them for the first time you would think they were biological twins. They were not though, Lu Deyang simply aspired to be Cao Peng.

Cao Peng put away the game board and jade pieces, empty bottles of wine soon followed. From his spatial ring the tipsy Cao Peng produced an ancient scroll, its paper was as red as the rose on his robe and golden characters sprawled across every inch of the scroll. “Have you ever heard the story of Wu Jilong?” Cao Peng asked his tone extremely serious.

“Wu Jilong? Can’t say I have,” Lu Deyang replied. On his leathery face a giant frown formed. In Lu Deyang’s eyes he and Cao Peng were extremely close. To have never heard a story Cao Peng seemed so serious about made him feel sour.

“Wu Jilong lived 5,000 years ago when my Cao Clan was first founded. So I only know what is written in my ancestral records. Wu Jilong was an unparalleled genius birthed from two Celestial Bloodlines of the Waring Cloud Continent,” Cao Peng said.

“Two Celestial Bloodlines? How powerful must he have been? The current kings of the Waring Cloud Continent only have partial bloodlines yet they still easily reach the Earthly Understanding Stage, but to have two pure bloodlines,” Lu Deyang’s voice was filled with wonder and fear as he pictured what Wu Jilong’s existence looked like.

Lu Deyang’s face of bewilderment made Cao Peng smile, “At the age of ten he entered the Divine Ruling Stage, by fifteen he was killing the Devas that today only exist in legend! When he walked the entire earth trembled, each breath he exhaled shifted the skies, if he wished even the stars would cease to shine,” Cao Peng said.

“If he was truly so great then why are there no legends of his life yet we have legend of the Devas?” Lu Deyang asked.

“The Devas and the Heavens forbid it! Five hundred stars descended from the sky to kill Wu Jilong but it was a futile effort! Finally his own parents saw the danger in the child they birthed, sacrificing their lives they sealed Wu Jilong in a formation that crippled his cultivation and continually diffused the purity of his Qi and polluted his meridians. Tell me, why do you think it constantly storms and snows in the Arctic Isle?”

“You don’t mean!” Lu Deyang exclaimed.

“It’s because of Wu Jilong’s Qi. Even today the seal is still diffusing his Qi into the outside world. But recently the storms have grown fewer in numbers. The seal on Wu Jilong is weakening,” Cao Peng roared.

The very thought of this ancient figure returning to the world made Lu Deyang’s blood run cold. “If the seal weakens then,” Lu Deyang said in a weak voice.

“He won’t be able to break the seal himself,” Cao Peng said. Hearing this Lu Deyang could finally relax, though it was short lived. “Unless we help him escape of course.” Cao Peng’s lips formed a sinister smile and his forehead furrowed. After a quick gesture a heart shaped blade appeared from thin air. “Wu Jilong is but a cripple, his peerless strength is long gone but his vast knowledge about Qi Cultivation remains.”

He held out the heart shaped blade towards Lu Deyang. “This is a treasure passed down from the Cao Clan Founder. This is also the reason I can practice my Bewitching Mind Technique, after stabbing this blade into Wu Jilong’s heart he will completely become our puppet. Lu Deyang travel to the Arctic Isles to free Wu Jilong! We will both benefit from his knowledge and finally be able to take our revenge on those who insulted us. Lu Deyang breaking the seal will require all of your energy and then some, after breaking the seal you will not be able to use the Bewitching Mind Blade so use this to distract Wu Jilong,” Cao Peng yelled to the heavens.

Another scroll appeared out of nowhere, Lu Deyang grabbed it and examined it. “What are these three bracelets?” Lu Deyang asked.

“Those are the first place reward for the Black Dragon Run in three years. They are also Wu Jilong’s beloved weapons from five thousand years ago, using this you will undoubtedly get him to trust you until your strength returns,” Cao Peng said.

Lu Deyang bowed. “Yes! I will leave at once.” With the ancient scroll and Bewitching Mind Blade in hand he shot off into the sky heading north.