In the Heavenly River Realm, Qingrong, youngest daughter of Wenren Yuyang, ruler of the realm, receives a prophecy from the Grand Chancellor on the day of her coming-of-age ceremony: her future husband will be a master of secret arts.
The man Qingrong chooses for herself is Lu Anhe, the eldest son of a tailor. A carefree, reckless commoner, he grew up among the pleasure boats and bustling streets. His father thinks little of him, his mother saves up money for him, and his younger brother is the one who inherits the family legacy. His only support is an inexplicable inheritance that comes from an unknown source: a painting.
Qingrong gives him a position at the Linya Institute, an unpaid private post, shields him from questioning by the Imperial Guard, and even argues with her father on his behalf at Yanhe Hall. What she never tells him is that the painting can grant her the ascension she desires.
The young Grand Chancellor's son hosts a banquet to probe him, while the son of the Western Court's prefect challenges him to a duel at the gathering. A demon ape reveals its true form, and the waters of the Heavenly River pour down behind him. Yet at home, his father still says, "That Anhe fellow? What's there to like about him?"
The martial arts trials are approaching, and the map of mountains and rivers remains a mystery. The young man only wants a few more days with the woman he loves. The ruler's daughter, however, is thinking of ascension, and of a father who refuses to let go.
Theme: When conditions arise, their emptiness is revealed and the true mind becomes clear. Walk this path as causes and circumstances converge. At first, one knows only the meaning in the words; meeting again, one still asks about the reflection in the mirror.
