The Martial Shepherd of the Jianghu

When did the martial world first come into being?

Beyond settling grudges and seeking revenge, what hidden passions, heroic deeds, separations, and deaths lie within it?

Everyone knows that after Zhao Kuangyin persuaded his generals to give up their military power over wine, China's military strength declined, affecting the land for a thousand years to come. Few know that Emperor Taizu of Song had another strategy: to govern the martial world through force. Alas, the peerless military genius of this great hero faded away in a single night of candlelight and the sound of an axe.

A mysterious organization founded by the first emperor becomes entangled with the court, foreign powers, and the outlaws of the martial world, amid a tangled web of love, hatred, and vendettas.

"When in high office, worry for the people; when far from the court, worry for your ruler." Fan Xiwen lets out a long sigh, voicing the helplessness felt by so many.

Peerless power and peerless martial arts, yet even these come with peerless flaws.

Is life worth living? Is it not worth living?