In the northeastern reaches of the Mountainous Continent, nestled amongst a range of peaks that stretched like the spine of a slumbering titan, lay a village reminiscent of a hidden paradise. Far enough from the King’s Road to feel secluded, but close enough to still be touched by the realm, it was a haven of simple folk.

The village numbered but a few hundred souls, most of whom were hunters, relying on the bounty of the surrounding forests. This place had not always been a village; in its earliest days, it was merely a desolate ground where wandering hunters might rest their weary bones.

Then, in a year long forgotten, a noble family fleeing the capital sought refuge here. Over time, their presence drew others, and the resting ground blossomed into the village it was today.

At the western edge of the village stood a humble dwelling, encircled by a sturdy fence. Within the yard, chickens and ducks pecked and clucked contentedly as a girl, barely more than a child, scattered feed from a woven basket. Her simple homespun dress, though patched and worn, could not hide the youthful grace that marked her movements.

From the chimney, a plume of smoke curled lazily into the morning air, a sign that the family within was preparing their morning meal.

“Mother,” the girl called out, her voice light and filled with laughter as she tended to the fowl, “I dreamt again last night! I dreamt I became a celestial immortal!”

“Child,” a soft voice replied from within the house, “you’re growing into a woman and still chasing such fantasies. When I was your age, I was already betrothed to your father.”

“Ah, but my father is the greatest hunter in the village!” the girl retorted, giggling. “I’ve heard tales of how many suitors sought your hand!” A playful, almost mischievous light danced in her eyes. She was not a beauty in the traditional sense, but possessed a natural charm and a certain unadorned loveliness.

“Who has been filling your head with such nonsense?” A woman emerged from the house, her simple attire unable to conceal the beauty that lay beneath. She feigned annoyance, her eyes sparkling as she brandished a cooking shovel.

Before the girl could answer, a hearty laugh echoed from beyond the gate.

“It was I who told her!” The gate swung open, revealing a robust man, his shoulders broad and his face weathered by sun and wind. He carried a bow and quiver, and slung across his back was the carcass of a small, spotted beast. A dark stain of dried blood marked his leg, its origin uncertain.

“Father!” The girl’s face lit up with joy, and she rushed forward, dropping the basket.

“Oh! A snow leopard! Its fur is magnificent! Wonderful!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together with glee.

“You were gone longer than usual,” the woman chided gently as she came to meet her husband. She helped him unload his burdens. “You’re usually back within two or three days.”

“The lass wished for a new fur coat,” the man said, ruffling his daughter’s hair. “I encountered this leopard and the hunt took longer than expected.”

“What happened to your leg?” the woman asked, her brow furrowing as she noticed the blood. She knelt to examine the shallow scratch.

“It’s nothing. With White Shadow at my side, no beast in these mountains can truly harm me.” As he spoke, a blur of black fur burst through the gate and bowled the girl over, its tongue lapping at her face with unrestrained affection. It was a large dog, but its form, with its lithe muscles and powerful build, was more akin to that of a fearsome tiger.

“White Shadow has been practicing his tiger roars again,” the man chuckled, shaking his head. “Sometimes I wonder if he’s a dog at all…”

“Good White Shadow, clever White Shadow,” the girl said, pushing the dog back playfully. She ran her hands through its thick fur, delighting in its contented growls. The dog rolled onto its back, exposing its belly to her ministrations. She scratched its belly, and the sounds it made were a guttural rumble almost identical to a tiger’s purr.

Unbeknownst to the family, caught up in their laughter and joy, a figure cloaked in white hovered silently in the heavens above. Wang Lin watched them, his gaze drawn to the girl’s radiant smile. A faint smile touched his own lips.

“White Shadow…” he murmured, almost forgetting that the creature had been brought here, had been reborn. “He has become a dog…” Yet, he seems to have gained wisdom, his powers are not insignificant.” Wang Lin’s smile widened. The earth-bound dog, lolling in the morning sun, suddenly froze, its eyes flicking upwards as if it sensed Wang Lin’s presence.

Terror filled the dog’s eyes, it blinked, and its low growls ceased.

“Oh? He recognizes me?” Wang Lin said, and his smile blossomed further as he saw the dog’s fear.

The dog’s odd behaviour escaped the notice of the family, as the girl had now turned to her father to speak.

“Father, I dreamt again last night, and this time I was an Immortal.”

“Immortal is good. My little lass will certainly become an Immortal.” The man chuckled.

“But I do not want to become an Immortal. I felt like I was an Immortal for an eternity in that dream, but I was not happy; I was never happy. I like my life now and the dreams are just dreams, and I do not want to be an Immortal. I want to be with my parents forever,” the girl said earnestly.

Her words gave Wang Lin pause, and he looked at the girl’s blissful smile, at the calm village. He looked at them for a long time, and then vanished into the heavens.

“Perhaps…this is the life that she desires…”

That night, the girl dreamt again. In that dream, it seemed she had another name, Zhou Ru. In her dream, a black tiger named White Shadow was by her side. She loved to prank the tiger, making it stand on its head.

She had an uncle too, who was as close to her as her own blood.

In the dream, her uncle asked her if she would follow him. She was silent and considered it for a long time. Then, she told her dear uncle that she wanted to remain here…

That same night, the dog also dreamt. He dreamt he was a tiger, the ruler of the beast kingdom, with countless tigresses and exotic beasts… ministering to his every desire.
The beast dreamt again. A man clad in white stood before it, a figure all too familiar – the very one who had ensnared it years ago. The loathsome wretch offered sweet, enchanted pills and, with a dismissive pat upon its head, vanished into the ether.

“When three days have passed, and Zhou Ru yearns to chase the specters of her dreams, unlock the memory within her…” The words, a chilling echo, swirled within the heart of the earth-bound hound, refusing to dissipate.

In the heart of the Immortal Clan’s Central Province, the sprawling Ancestral City, so vast that the dance of sun and moon painted its districts in simultaneous day and night, the Royal Palace stood bathed in the velvety cloak of night. Yet, darkness did not reign, for countless lamps glimmered like captured stars within its walls.

Silence held the palace in its thrall.

From the heart of that velvet darkness, a solitary figure emerged, gazing upon the palace below. He stood there, a statue etched against the night, before taking a single step. As he descended, the palace lights flickered, casting ethereal, overlapping shadows, as if veils between dimensions trembled in his wake.

Only when he stood upon the granite plaza of the palace hall did the lights regain their composure, burning with a steady, unwavering flame.

Wang Lin gazed upon the scene. Here, he had once teetered on the precipice of death, unable to wrest the Madman from his fate. He had been forced to watch as the man transformed into a mountain, a guardian against the invading spirits from the Heavens Beyond, locked in eternal slumber.

“When I departed this place, I swore an oath,” Wang Lin murmured, his voice a low rumble of ancient resolve. “When I return, I will awaken the Madman! None shall stand in my way!” He stamped his foot upon the earth.

The palace grounds shuddered, a tremor imperceptible to mortal senses. Yet, it was not the true earth that trembled, but the overlapping planes of existence interwoven with it.

The world around Wang Lin blurred, his form flickering, and then he was gone, reappearing within the forbidden depths of the Underground Palace.

The palace, shrouded in mist, remained much as he remembered. Only the multitude of mountain peaks that had once dotted the floor had been reduced to a single, colossal spire.

This mountain, a jagged finger pointing toward the heavens, was immense. Standing before it, Wang Lin felt the stagnant, suppressed power emanating from within – the sleeping soul of the Madman.

Countless wards and seals, potent enough to challenge even a Great Celestial, bound the mountain. To shatter them would require an age of tireless effort.

Wang Lin raised his right hand and waved it towards the mountain. The air crackled with raw power. The mountain groaned, and then, with impossible speed, began to crumble. Boulders broke free, tumbling to the ground. Before his eyes, the immense peak shrunk, shedding its mass and its protective layers. All the seals, all the wards, dissolved like smoke in the wind at Wang Lin’s effortless gesture.

As the mountain crumbled, the form of the Madman was revealed. He lay there, serene in slumber, his eyes closed, his body radiating the power of a Great Celestial.

Wang Lin stepped forward, kneeling beside the Madman, his eyes fixed upon the sleeping face. He raised his right hand and touched it to the man’s brow. The Madman’s body shuddered.

Wang Lin closed his own eyes, and his divine sense flowed forth, entering the Madman’s body, seeking to awaken him.

Time stretched, and half an hour passed. Wang Lin opened his eyes, his face etched with a complex mix of emotions. He gazed upon the Madman, silent for a long moment, then spoke softly.

“If this is truly your decision, I must respect it…” He paused, the words heavy with unspoken meaning. “Farewell.” Wang Lin rose, a sigh escaping his lips, and stepped toward the heavens, vanishing from the Underground Palace.

Only after Wang Lin was gone did the Madman open his eyes. He stared at the place where Wang Lin had stood, lost in thought for a long, long time.

“I lived a muddled life… a mad life…” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “But I am, after all, a descendant of the Immortal Ancestor… Lian Daozhen is dead. If I, too, abandon them, the Immortal Clan will be… without a ruler.”

“I, too, yearn to leave this place, to escape the Immortal Continent. But having received the Immortal Ancestor’s legacy, I must bear the responsibility… This is my duty.”

“I understood this during my slumber.” The Madman sat up, his eyes holding a firmness rarely seen upon his face. A bitter smile twisted his lips.

“To protect the Immortal Clan, to pass on the legacy through the generations. When I am free from this burden, when I no longer need to force myself to fulfill my duty, Wang Lin, I will seek you out…” The Madman rose to his feet, clad in royal robes and crowned with the imperial diadem. His expression was no longer tinged with madness, but with the solemn gravitas of an Immortal Emperor.