At the end of the Sui dynasty and the beginning of the Tang, the realm was falling apart. It was an age of heroes, but also a time of chaos when the people suffered terribly. Lin Ling, a fierce general of the former Sui, witnessed the people's hardships amid the flames of war and resolutely abandoned the darkness for the light, pledging himself to Prince Qin, Li Shimin, a man with the whole realm in his heart. He soon discovered, however, that the true battlefield extended far beyond the clash of armies: the power struggles within Chang'an, the treacherous currents of the martial world, and the mystery of the “dragon veins” tied to the fate of China all formed a far more perilous web.
Rooted in real history and taking flight on the wings of wuxia fantasy, this novel vividly portrays Lin Ling's sweeping journey from valiant general to grandmaster. Atop Mount Tai, he establishes the Qiankun Creation Sect, guided by the ideals “let martial arts carry the Way, and creation bring prosperity to all.” Between personal grievances and the greater good of the realm, between the traditions of the martial world and the fate of the nation, he struggles to find a balance. The story features both the deep bonds of comrades who fight back to back and entrust one another with their lives, such as Cheng Zhijie, and the friendship between Li Shimin and Lin Ling, who are both ruler and friend as they stand together to defend the land. It offers a profound depiction of “the romance between men” in times of chaos.
This is more than a novel about martial arts and the struggle for supremacy. It is an epic exploring duty, faith, and the inheritance of civilization. It asks: amid the turbulent tides of history, how can an individual hold fast to his true self? Can the martial path truly become a force that protects all the people?
