This is a small town—actually just a larger village, known as Qingniu Town. Only the rural inhabitants who live in the mountain valleys and have limited exposure to outside life still keep calling it "Qingniu City." This is the very thing that has been on Zhang Er’s mind for over ten years. Indeed, Qingniu Town is modest—its main street stretches east-west along Qingniu Street. There's only one inn: the Qingniu Inn, which stands at the western end of the town’s elongated layout. Thus, any passing merchants who wish to avoid overnight stays in remote locations must settle here. Now a horse-drawn carriage arrives from the west and swiftly enters Qingniu Town, racing past the front gate of the Qingniu Inn without stopping, continuing its journey all the way to the entrance of Chunxiang Restaurant before coming to a halt. Chunxiang Restaurant is not large—some even seem somewhat old—but it carries an ancient charm. At lunchtime, the restaurant is bustling with guests; almost every seat is occupied. Two people step out of the carriage: a plump man with a round face and small beard, and a dark-skinned child in his teens. The man leads the boy directly into the restaurant. A regular guest recognizes the plump man as the inn’s manager—"Han Fat" (or "Han Fat"), someone calls him. As for the child, no one knows who he is. “Old Han,” one person quips, “this dark young fellow resembles you quite a bit—aren’t you bringing in your son from home, secretly married off to your wife?” The comment prompts a burst of laughter among the onlookers. “Hmph!” replies Han Fat, unperturbed and even pleased. "This is my own family's nephew—of course he bears some resemblance to me." These two are precisely the people who have traveled continuously for three days' worth of journey before finally arriving in town—the Han Li and his Third Uncle, referred to as "Han Fat" by others. After greeting a few regulars, Han Fat guides Han Li into an out-of-the-way courtyard behind the restaurant. “Little Li,” he says warmly, “rest here well tonight. Recharge your strength—when the inner sect’s steward comes, I’ll summon you personally. I’ll go out now to attend to some guests.” With that, he turns and hurries toward the door. At the entrance, however, he seems still uncertain, adds one more request: “Don’t wander around too much. There are so many people in town—don’t get lost. Better stay within these courtyard walls.” “Understood!” Seeing Han Li nod seriously to this, Han Fat finally feels at ease and departs. Han Li, upon seeing his Third Uncle leave the room, feels utterly weary and collapses onto the bed, drifting off to sleep immediately—no trace of a shy child about him. In the evening, a young servant delivers a meal. Though not particularly elaborate, it is quite pleasant. After dinner, another servant enters, carries away the used plates, at which point Han Fat appears calmly. “How’s your meal? Are you missing home?” “Yes,” Han Li replies, appearing quite composed. Han Fat seems satisfied with this response and begins to chat about everyday matters, recounting various amusing anecdotes from his own experiences. Gradually, Han Li grows more relaxed and engages in easy conversation with him. Thus, two days pass by. On the third day, just after dinner and as Han Li waits for his Third Uncle to begin telling him stories of the martial world, another carriage arrives at the restaurant’s entrance. This carriage is entirely blackened with a glossy sheen. The horse drawing it is an exceptional yellow-copper stallion—uncommon in appearance. Most strikingly, affixed to the side of the carriage is a small triangular black flag bearing the rusted character "Xuan," with silver letters and red edges—an instantly noticeable touch of mystery. Whenever someone traveling within this region's hundreds-of-miles radius sees that little banner, they know immediately: one of the two dominant forces in this area—the Seven Perfection Sect—has arrived for an important visit. The Seven Perfection Sect is also known as the Seven Absolute Sect. Founded over two centuries ago by the famed "Seven Absolute Master," it once dominated the Jingzhou region for decades and even extended its influence into neighboring provinces near Jingzhou, gaining renown across the entire Yue Kingdom. After the passing of the master, however, the sect’s power declined significantly—eventually being pushed out of the provincial capital, Jingzhou, through joint efforts from other sects. A century ago, the sect relocated to a remote mountainous region in Jingzhou—Xianxia Mountain—and has since become established as a modest regional force. As the saying goes: “Even a lean camel is greater than a dead horse.” Though now a smaller force, the Seven Perfection Sect still carries substantial potential. Since its arrival at Xianxia Mountain, it has swiftly gained control over several dozen surrounding towns—including Qingniu Town—and now commands nearly four thousand disciples, making it one of the two true regional powers here. The only local force capable of challenging the Seven Perfection Sect is the Wild Wolf Clan. Originally a band of marauding horse-thieves operating within Jingzhou province, the Wild Wolf Clan evolved through successive campaigns by provincial authorities. Some factions accepted official appointments and integrated into the government system; others remained as independent horse-thieves and eventually formed the Wild Wolf Clan. Still, they retained their fierce spirit—bold, combative, and unyielding—which often puts them at a disadvantage when confronting the more refined Seven Perfection Sect. Though the Wild Wolf Clan governs many towns, it lacks efficient administrative capabilities and remains considerably less wealthy than those under the Seven Perfection Sect’s umbrella. The Wild Wolf Clan is particularly envious of several prosperous townships controlled by the Seven Perfection Sect and frequently provokes disputes between the two—creating ongoing concerns for the current sect master, who is thus increasingly motivated to expand recruitment efforts within the inner sect. A middle-aged, slender man alights from the carriage. He moves with agility, clearly possessing strong physical prowess; he seems well-acquainted with the surroundings, walking steadily toward Han Li’s room. On seeing him, Han Fat immediately bows respectfully and offers a formal greeting. “Master Wang,” he says, “how is it that you’ve personally come to meet us?” “Ah!” Master Wang snorts, his expression marked by dignity. “The roads have been turbulent recently—we must strengthen our defenses. The abbot has ordered me to come personally and bring in the candidate. I won’t waste any more time—this young boy is precisely the one you are to recommend?” “Indeed,” Han Fat replies, “he’s my own family’s nephew. I hope Master Wang will give him a special welcome on his journey.” Observing the man's somewhat impatient demeanor, Han Fat swiftly produces from his clothes a heavy, substantial sack and hands it over discreetly. Master Wang lifts the bag in hand, his expression relaxing slightly. “Han Fat,” he says, “you’re quite good at knowing how to treat people! I’ll personally look after this young boy during our journey. It’s now getting late—let's go then.”