Night fell, dark clouds covered the moon. The raindrops were beating against Song Ning's face.
The breeze was blowing, carrying a bone-pierecing cold.
At the top of Taihe Mountain, Song Ning digged fifteen holes and burried the dead one by one.
He made three kowtows to each grave and then sat down before these graves. Several past moments came to his mind.
He couldn't tell the rains and his tears. He carefully looked at the bronze mirror left by his adoptive father in his torn hands. He seemed to see his adoptive father, his senior brothers and sisters in this mirror.
The rain stopped gradually.
The sun rose, a little warmth pulled Song Ning back from memories. Looking at the fifteen graves, he closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes, the sorrow within it disappeared. "Father, brothers, sisters, every year I will worship you at this time. If I live for another ten years, I will come here ten times. If I live for another one hundred years, I will come here one hundred times."
If I can cultivate some day, and if I can find that dragon and defeat it, I would cut its head down to worship you.
He kneeled down again and made three kowtows, then left.
His hands were covered with blood which stained the bronze mirror in his hand. When the early sunshine fell upon the mirror, the blood even flowed into the mirror and then disappeared.
Several hours later, Song Ning stood at the foot of Taihe Mountain. He took a deep breath here.
As soon as he left from Taihe Mountain, he felt that those large golden characters were shining in his mind.
Song Ning had no idea where was Tianhe Mountain. After the age of three, he never left the mountain gate. While he was looking into the distance and considering which direction to go, a man and a woman came to him at a short distance.
The two persons in clean taoist robes were talking with each other. When their eyes fell upon Song Ning, they were startled by him.
"How are you, taoist friend?" said the man.
As Song Ning heard the word "Taoist friend", he felt surprised, "Our school was attacked, so I come down in the world. Excuse my poor appearance."
"Being attacked? This place is Taihe Mountain. Are you a disciple of Taihe Mountain School?" The woman looked up at the Taihe Mountain and asked.
Song Ning answered sadly, "Yes, except me, no one survived…"
"My taoist friend, immortal cultivation is against the natural laws of the universe. If we mortals want to be immortals, we should pay a price. Don't break your mind because of this. Restrain your grief." The man comforted him.
"Thank you! Would you please tell me where is Tianhe City?" Song Ning appreciated.
The man and the woman both felt surprised, "Tianhe City? Why do you go to Tianhe City."
"I…was entrusted by someone to go to Tianhe City. It is important."
The man smiled at him, "If you miss us, you may make a huge commitment. We are disciples from Tianhe City. We are returning after finishing tasks of our school."
"Really? Could you please allow me to go with you?" Song Ning asked.
"Of course, there is a Formation not far away which can send us to our school. But I must make it clear that you might not be allowed to enter the city by the guarding martial uncle even if you arrived at it. " The man added.
The woman also smiled at Song Ning gently, "What's your name?"
"Oh, my name is Song Ning. What's your name?" Song Ning remembered that he didn't make a self-introuduction, so he immediately cupped his hands and bowed.
The man smiled, "Taoist Song is so courteous, my name is Zhang Mo, she is Qiu Yue."
"Taoist Zhang Mo, Taoist Qiu Yue, thank you very much." Song Ning bowed again.
The more courteous Song Ning was, the more delighted Zhang Mo and Qiu Yue were, "Never mind such trifles, let's go."
As Zhang Mo and Qiu Yue had said, they arrived at a secret stone forest after one-mile walking. The center of the stone forest gave out faint light, that was the Delievery Formation.
Song Ning saw Delivery Formation for the first time and he thought it interesting.
"Daoist Song, let us enter the Formation."
"OK." Song Ning followed Zhang Mo and Qiu Yue nervously.
After entering the Formation, a spirit stone in Zhang Mo's hand broke. Its spirtual energy was absored by the Formation. The formation shone with dazzling light that Song Ning couldn't open his eyes.
The surrounding space seemed to be stretched and human bodies seemed to be twisted. Such feeling was same as that in Song Ning's dream.
Just in a moment, Song Ning felt his body not twisted any more. After he opened his eyes, the scene was totally different.
A thirty-meter-high gate stood before him. Looking into the gate, Song Ning had a panoramic view of Tianhe City. This city seemed to be be established with super craftsmanship excelling nature. All parts of the city blended into one harmonious whole. It shone under the sun.
"Ah? Who is he , Zhang Mo?" A white-bearded old man seated beside the Formation raised his eyebrows and asked.
"Guarding Martial Uncle, this is Song Ning Taoist from Taihe Mountain. Taihe School was attacked and only he survived. He said he was entrusted by someone to come to Tianhe City, so I take him here." Zhang Mo bowed.
The guarding martial uncle's eyes fell upon Song Ning, and Song Ning immediately felt that this man saw through him.
"Zhang Mo, this boy has no spiritual energy floating. Is he really a disciple from Taihe Mountai?" The martial uncle asked.
"It…" Zhang Mo and Qiu Yue didn't make an inquiry to Song Ning. They reacted after hearing the guarding martial uncle's words.
"You two leave." The guarding man waved his hands.
Zhang Mo and Qiu Yue had a look at Song Ning and left sulkily.
Song Ning bowed to the guarding martial uncle, "Senior, I am indeed the disciple of Taoist Spring from Taihe Mountain. Our school was attacked yesterday, I survived. I come here just because I made a dream that…"
"Nonsense!" The guarding martial uncle shouted, "You bumpkin! Tianhe City is not the place you can enter. Get out！"
He waved his sleeves heavily, a gust rolled and pushed Song Ning back. The Delievery Formation appeared to send Song Ning away.
At this time, a gold ray fell down from the sky. The ray covered the Delivery Formation and drew Song Ning out.
"Guaring martial uncle, what happened?" A voice sounded and fragrance of flowers filled the air.
Song Ning looked up. Pieces of petals flied in the midair to form a flower bridge from which a woman in icy-blue fine gauze came. Under the soft light, her delicate skin carried a gentle air. Each light step on the flower bridge stirred a circle of ripples. In the blink of an eye, from far and near, she landed softly in front of Song Ning like a fairy from the heaven.
With contracted pupil, Song Ning was astonished by her familiar apperance rather than her charming face. She was the same as the woman in his dream.
"You, aren't you died?" Song Ning stepped back and pointed at the woman.