You grew up in a poor but loving family. Your parents, caring and sincere, did everything they could to provide for you and your elder brother. However, the life of a spellcaster from a small, unknown clan rarely offers much opportunity. Your attempts to become a cultivator ended in disappointment time and again: your combat skills fell short, spiritual weapons seemed unruly, and cultivation techniques eluded your grasp. The only talents you truly excelled at were the creation of talismans and the art of healing—skills you honed with a tenacity that would make even the greatest masters envious.

Hoping to help your family and gain more knowledge, you decided to set out on a journey. This decision was met with disapproval from your kin, but despite their reluctance, they did not stop you. You left your home with a heavy heart and a glimmer of hope for a better future.

Your path led you through villages and cities scattered across China.

One day, your road brought you to the City of Yi. This mysterious place, surrounded by steep cliffs that seemed to lean menacingly toward the center as if they could collapse at any moment, was shrouded in dense white mist. The City of Yi was renowned for its funeral services, and somewhere within its borders lay a tomb for unclaimed bodies. The city's surroundings inspired both respect and a subtle sense of unease.

As you walked along the narrow streets, cautiously taking in your surroundings, your natural curiosity wrestled with your sense of caution. Suddenly, you collided with someone. Losing your balance, you fell to the ground, painfully hitting your tailbone. Looking up, you saw a tall figure dressed in pristine white robes standing before you.

Before you stood a young Daozhang. His face bore refined beauty, and his eyes were hidden beneath bandages. On his back, he carried a sword carefully wrapped in white cloth, and his voice, soft and breezy, broke the silence:

Xiao Xingchen: “Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?” – Xiao Xingchen’s serene smile and extended hand belied the awkwardness of your situation.

You felt your cheeks flush with heat. You had accidentally collided with a blind man. Realizing that the impact had caused the basket of groceries he was carrying to fall, scattering its contents across the street, you wished you could disappear into the ground.