At the swordsmith's shop in Lichuan City, Shen Li had sharpened many fine swords for others. The only one he owned was an old iron blade.
At eighteen, he earned a place in the Northern Ridge martial trials. During a rescue, he fell into a fissure and found a fragmentary Hidden Edge Sword Mark.
The broken mark can temper stored true essence into sword essence. The sharper its edge, the greater the strain on his meridians. To use it, Shen Li must first build up his foundation, one step at a time.
After joining a sect and seeking the way of the sword, he is swept into a dynastic struggle. Only then does Shen Li discover that the spiritual veins coveted by the Three Realms are all falling into the same hands.
Yin Xuance, Master of the Hall of Return to the Ruins, intends to use an ancient Heavenly Gate to force his way into a higher realm.
Shen Li stands before the gate, sword in hand.
