The Water Is Slightly Cold

The Heavens Above the Desert, Volume One: The Water Runs Cold

You could call it a wuxia version of Journey to the West, with a route that goes:

Lin'an (Hangzhou) → Jiankang (Nanjing) → Kaifeng → Mount Song → Chang'an (Xi'an) → Mount Taibai in the Qinling Mountains → Xining → the Ruoshui River in the Qilian Mountains

In the early Yuan dynasty, the Chaosheng Sect helps the imperial court bring the martial world to heel. On the day of the first frost, they plan to capture the Pili Hall, laying a trap to take its young master hostage. The youth Jiang Cheng falls for it, but a mysterious member of the Chaosheng Sect unexpectedly lets him go. Later, Wei Han and Ye Xiaoran, who have been retired from the martial world for ten years, rescue him, but even they cannot turn the tide. The Pili Hall is destroyed. What will become of Jiang Cheng?

The Records of Lost Martial Arts contains the weaknesses of every martial art in the world and is hidden in the Snow Palace of the Qilian Mountains. Because of the youth, Wei Han is forced to return to the martial world. Ten years ago, he was one of the finest assassins and killed many people, so he has no shortage of enemies seeking revenge. To protect himself, he must find the Records of Lost Martial Arts.

After mapping out a route with Ye Xiaoran, he sets off west. Along the way, passing through all the places listed above, they encounter all kinds of adventures: chivalrous heroes who risk their lives to help them, helpless betrayals by close friends, and false accusations and planted evidence they cannot clear themselves of...

The young lord of the Chaosheng Sect, Luo Mo, is ordered to follow them, laying all sorts of traps to force Wei Han to submit to the sect and work with them to find the Records of Lost Martial Arts. How will Wei Han and Ye Xiaoran respond?

This journey west is full of mysteries, conspiracies, and schemes, waiting for you to unravel them!