Setting: The turbulent Republic of China era, 1912–1949. Warlords carve up the country, foreign invaders encroach, Western religions arrive from overseas, the mystic sects fall into decline, spiritual energy grows thin, demons run rampant, and secret arts are lost.
Protagonist: Chen Qingxuan was born during the Yuanyou era of the Northern Song dynasty. He has lived for nearly a thousand years. Though he cannot fly through the skies or burrow through the earth, he is immortal, immune to the passage of time, possesses complete recall of his memories, and knows all there is to know about the mystic sects. His body can heal itself, and he neither ages nor dies of illness. Only the most extreme mystic arts or divine weapons can destroy his soul and end his life.
The secret of his longevity: He bears a fragment of the ancient Longevity Talisman and sustains his life with the remnants of heaven and earth's spiritual energy. He has concealed himself among humanity through countless changes of dynasty, always hiding in plain sight as a physician, a teacher, or a recluse.
