Dust and Tribulation in a Turbulent Age

The Northern Song looks prosperous on the surface, but is rotten within. The Liao is in decline, while the Jurchens, later known as the Jin, are rising in the north. Western Xia and Tibet watch like tigers on the prowl. Currents stir beneath the world of martial arts, where the great cultivation sects are deeply entangled in one another’s affairs.

Yun Wuya, sect master of the world’s greatest cultivation sect, the Tianyan Sect, defeated all challengers at the “Three Peaks Debate on the Dao,” bringing his reputation to its height. His origins are a mystery. He was adopted as a child by the previous sect master of the Tianyan Sect.

Li Xiaoyao, a prince of Western Xia, goes by the assumed name “Li Xiao.” Sick of palace intrigue, he sneaks out of Xingqing Prefecture and travels along the Song-Xia border, captivated by the beauty of the landscape and the bustle of everyday life. He has no interest in martial arts or cultivation.

Zhang Shouzhuo, a young Taoist from Mount Longhu, has mediocre talent and a guileless nature. He handles the sweeping at the mountain’s outer compound and is often mocked by his fellow disciples. His greatest wish is to become an inner disciple.

The three embark on a journey of chivalry, love, and hatred in the martial world...