Under an inky night sky and a thin moon, two figures made their way along the ancient road, one behind the other. The person in front wore slightly shabby clothes and carried a worn cloth bag over his shoulder. Inside were all his worldly possessions for the journey, along with a scroll painting. He was a scholar named Ning Caichen, who had just failed the imperial examination and was heading home with a heavy heart. The person behind him wore a Taoist robe and carried a long sword. His steady steps and grave expression suggested he was always prepared for danger. He was Yan Chixia, a Taoist who traveled the land and had happened to accompany Ning Caichen for part of the way. Night had fallen
