The flames of war in the north have yet to die down, while Southern Xia clings to the south of the Yangtze.
Deep in Mount Wugong, beside Willow Creek, four men are brought together by fate: Du Fan, a down-on-his-luck tavern keeper; the hunter Li Ting; the brothers Zhao Tiankuo; and Gao Du, a wandering storyteller. Over a pot of blood wine, the four kindred souls become sworn brothers, pledging to live and die together and to punish the wicked and protect the innocent.
More than twenty members of Du Fan's family were killed by the northern tribes. He has stayed alive for three years for one reason: to kill his enemies with his own hands someday. Gao Du heads north to his homeland, and word of him grows scarce. Li Ting and Zhao Tiankuo had hoped to farm in peace, but the chaos of the age sweeps them along, drawing them deeper into a whirlpool of blood and fire.
They kill government soldiers, rob a convoy carrying birthday gifts, storm the county office, and rescue prisoners. Using a small tavern as their base, the four secretly clash with corrupt officials and powerful local families. From Willow Village to Xunyang, from the martial world to the imperial court, these four unknown men of the grassroots will eventually take the path of carrying out Heaven's justice.
But undercurrents are stirring. Tuobatao, a fallen branch of the northern tribes' royal family, is entrenched in Xunyang. The White Lotus Sect's Pure Land branch is quietly extending its influence. Cai Xun, an inspector from Shu Commandery, is passing through on his way home after retiring, and a bloody ambush is brewing. And Du Fan and the others have a reason for heading north that goes far beyond finding someone...
Whether you are noble or lowly is decided by people. Your fate is not decided by Heaven.
