The journey from Redwood Village to Azure Peak Sect followed ancient mountain paths that had been carved into the landscape generations before Chen Feng's birth. These trails wound through terrain that ranged from dense forest valleys to exposed ridgelines where the wind howled with enough force to make even experienced travelers instinctively seek lower ground. The disciples maintained a steady pace that was neither hurried nor leisurely, moving with the practiced efficiency of those who had traversed these routes many times before and understood the importance of conserving energy for the entire journey rather than exhausting themselves early through excessive speed.
Chen Feng found the physical demands of the travel challenging but manageable. Years of working in the forest alongside his father had built endurance and strength that served him well now, though he quickly recognized that the cultivators around him were moving at a pace they considered moderate while barely exerting themselves. Even Junior Sister Wang Mei, who appeared the most delicate of the group, navigated steep inclines and rough terrain with ease that suggested her physical capabilities far exceeded those of ordinary mortals despite her slender frame.
The group traveled in a formation that Inner Disciple Shen Wu had established before their departure. The two inner disciples took positions at the front and rear of the group, their enhanced spiritual senses allowing them to detect potential threats long before such dangers became immediately visible. Senior Brother Zhao moved in the middle of the formation where he could quickly reinforce either position if needed, while the two junior sisters stayed close to Chen Feng, ostensibly to monitor his recovery from the previous day's spiritual exhaustion but also clearly serving as his immediate protectors should unexpected danger manifest.
The first day of travel passed without significant incident. They encountered other travelers occasionally, mostly merchants transporting goods between villages or hunters returning from expeditions into the wilderness. These encounters were brief and cordial, with the travelers showing appropriate deference to the Azure Peak disciples whose sect robes identified them as cultivators deserving of respect and caution in equal measure. Chen Feng observed these interactions with interest, noting how the mere presence of cultivators altered the behavior of ordinary people in ways both subtle and obvious.
During a midday rest stop beside a mountain stream, Lin Yue approached Chen Feng with what appeared to be a small jade slip in her hand. The object was roughly the length and width of two fingers placed side by side, carved from pale green stone that seemed to contain subtle patterns of light within its depths. She offered it to him with an expression that suggested both instruction and expectation.
"This is a basic cultivation manual suitable for beginners," Lin Yue explained as Chen Feng accepted the jade slip and examined it with curiosity. "It contains breathing techniques and meditation methods that will help you begin establishing a proper spiritual foundation. Your Void Mark gives you abilities that most cultivators never develop, but raw ability without proper foundation is like building a house on sand. Eventually the structure collapses under its own weight."
Chen Feng turned the jade slip over in his hands, noting that despite its apparent solidity, the object was surprisingly light. "How do I access the information contained within it?" he asked, seeing no obvious markings or text on the smooth surface.
"Press it against your forehead and focus your awareness inward," Lin Yue instructed. "The jade slip will transfer its knowledge directly to your mind. The sensation may be disorienting at first, but it will pass quickly once the transfer is complete."
Chen Feng followed her instructions, placing the cool jade against the spot where his Void Mark resided. The moment contact was established, he felt a rush of information flowing into his consciousness with a clarity that was indeed disorienting in its intensity and detail. Images, instructions, and understanding that would have required days or weeks to convey through spoken teaching were transmitted in the span of perhaps thirty seconds, leaving Chen Feng with complete comprehension of breathing patterns, meditation postures, and the basic theory underlying cultivation techniques designed to gather and refine spiritual energy.
When the transfer concluded, Chen Feng lowered the jade slip and found that his perception of the world around him had shifted subtly. He could now sense the ambient spiritual energy that permeated the mountain environment, a presence that had always existed but that he had lacked the knowledge and framework to consciously perceive. The energy was not uniformly distributed but rather flowed in currents and pools that followed patterns related to the landscape's natural features. Areas near running water held different qualities of energy than exposed hilltops or dense forest groves.
"The ability to perceive spiritual energy is the first step toward learning to gather and utilize it," Lin Yue said, observing Chen Feng's expression with approval. "Tonight when we make camp, you should spend at least an hour practicing the basic breathing technique. Your spiritual reserves were severely depleted yesterday, and while rest alone will allow natural recovery, active cultivation will accelerate the process and begin building the foundation you will need for more advanced techniques."
Chen Feng nodded his understanding and carefully stored the jade slip in his travel pack, recognizing the value of what he had been given. The knowledge contained in that small object represented years of accumulated understanding about cultivation fundamentals, freely shared in a way that suggested Lin Yue either had been instructed by her seniors to assist his development or had taken it upon herself to ensure he did not enter the sect completely unprepared.
The afternoon portion of their journey took them through a region where the forest grew particularly dense and the canopy blocked much of the sunlight. The resulting twilight atmosphere even at midday created an environment that felt both beautiful and vaguely threatening, as though dangers might lurk just beyond the limit of normal perception. Chen Feng found himself instinctively extending his enhanced vision to scan the surrounding area for the kinds of dark connections that had preceded the corrupted beast attack on his village.
What he perceived was not the obvious malevolence of active corruption but rather something more subtle and potentially more concerning. The natural connections that should have linked the forest's various elements in healthy relationships appeared strained in many cases, as though some external force was gradually weakening the bonds that maintained ecological balance. Trees that should have been thriving showed signs of stress in their connections to the soil and water sources. Small animals moved through the underbrush with patterns that suggested confusion or displacement from their normal territories.
"The corruption is affecting this region as well," Chen Feng said quietly to Lin Yue, who had positioned herself beside him as they navigated a particularly narrow section of trail. "Not as overtly as what we encountered at the village, but the damage is present and appears to be spreading."
Lin Yue's expression grew serious as she processed this information. She raised her hand to signal a halt to the group's progress, then gestured for Senior Brother Zhao and the inner disciples to join them. When the more experienced cultivators had gathered, she explained what Chen Feng had perceived and asked him to describe the phenomenon in greater detail for their assessment.
Chen Feng explained as clearly as he could, though translating his enhanced perception into words that others could understand proved more challenging than he had anticipated. The cultivators listened with focused attention, occasionally asking clarifying questions that demonstrated their professional expertise in evaluating potential threats to the region's stability.
Inner Disciple Shen Wu produced a talisman from within his robes and activated it with a brief infusion of spiritual energy. The talisman burned with green flame that consumed the paper it was written on while simultaneously releasing what Chen Feng's perception identified as a pulse of spiritual energy that radiated outward in all directions. "A message talisman," Shen Wu explained. "I have just sent word to the sect about the spreading corruption Chen Feng has detected. They will dispatch specialized investigation teams to assess the full extent of the problem and determine appropriate responses."
Senior Brother Zhao studied the surrounding forest with an expression that combined concern with calculation. "We should increase our pace for the remainder of today's journey. If corruption is spreading through this region, there may be corrupted beasts in the area that could pose threats even to our group. I would prefer to reach the waystation before nightfall rather than making camp in potentially compromised territory."
The group resumed their travel with noticeably increased urgency, moving at a speed that pushed Chen Feng closer to his physical limits but remained sustainable with effort and determination. The cultivators continued to show no signs of strain, confirming Chen Feng's growing understanding of just how vast the gap was between mortal capabilities and even the relatively junior cultivators who accompanied him.
They reached the waystation approximately two hours before sunset, arriving at a fortified structure that had been built into the side of a mountain cliff to provide shelter for travelers moving between the outer villages and the sect's inner territories. The building was constructed from stone blocks that showed signs of great age, though the structure itself remained solid and well-maintained. A small garrison of sect disciples occupied the waystation permanently, their role being to provide security for the route and assistance to any sect members who required it.
The garrison commander, a middle-aged man with the bearing of someone who had spent decades in cultivation and combat, greeted Senior Brother Zhao with the respect due to a promising young member of the sect's core disciple candidates. After brief formalities, Zhao explained the situation regarding the spreading corruption and Chen Feng's unique abilities to perceive it. The commander's expression grew grave as he absorbed this information, and he immediately ordered increased patrols around the waystation's perimeter and sent additional message talismans to both the sect and nearby garrison posts.
The waystation's interior was spartan but functional, with sleeping quarters that could accommodate perhaps twenty people in relative comfort and a central common area where travelers could take meals and rest between legs of their journey. Chen Feng was assigned a small private room that he suspected was normally reserved for higher-ranking disciples, the accommodation representing either courtesy toward a new sect member or recognition of his unusual circumstances and the attention those circumstances had attracted from senior disciples.
After a simple evening meal of rice, vegetables, and preserved meat from the waystation's supplies, Chen Feng retreated to his assigned room to practice the cultivation techniques Lin Yue had provided. He arranged himself in the meditation posture that the jade slip's knowledge had conveyed, his back straight and his breathing falling into the prescribed pattern that would facilitate the gathering of spiritual energy.
The technique was surprisingly straightforward in concept though demanding in execution. Chen Feng focused his awareness on the ambient spiritual energy that surrounded him, perceiving it as currents of force that flowed through the environment according to natural patterns. The breathing technique created a kind of resonance between his body and these currents, gradually drawing small amounts of spiritual energy into himself with each inhalation. The energy followed pathways through his body that the jade slip had identified as meridians, channels that existed in a state between physical and spiritual reality.
The process was slow and required intense concentration to maintain, with Chen Feng's attention constantly threatening to wander or lose the precise focus necessary to keep the energy flowing properly. After what felt like hours but his internal sense of time suggested was perhaps forty-five minutes, he felt something shift within his body. A small amount of spiritual energy had accumulated in an area the jade slip identified as the lower dantian, a reservoir located in the abdomen that served as the primary storage location for a cultivator's refined spiritual power.
The sensation of possessing even this tiny amount of spiritual energy was distinct and unmistakable. Chen Feng could feel the power residing within him, potential waiting to be directed toward specific purposes. The jade slip's knowledge suggested that with continued practice and refinement, this small reservoir would gradually expand and the quality of the energy it contained would improve, progressing through stages that marked a cultivator's advancement from the most basic Resonance Initiate level toward higher realms of capability.
A knock on his door interrupted Chen Feng's meditation. He carefully concluded the breathing technique using the prescribed method that prevented abrupt cessation from causing harm to his nascent spiritual pathways, then rose and opened the door to find Lin Yue standing in the corridor outside.
"I wanted to check on your progress with the cultivation manual," she said, her tone suggesting genuine interest rather than mere obligation. "May I enter?"
Chen Feng stepped aside to allow her access to the small room, which contained little beyond the sleeping mat, a small table, and a single chair. Lin Yue entered and studied him with the same focused assessment she had displayed during their earlier interactions, her eyes moving across his features and posture in a way that suggested she was perceiving more than simple physical appearance.
"You have successfully begun gathering spiritual energy," Lin Yue observed, and there was approval in her voice. "Many beginners require several days of practice before they achieve their first successful energy gathering session. Your rapid progress likely relates to your Void Mark, which may be enhancing your natural sensitivity to spiritual phenomena."
Chen Feng considered this possibility and recognized its plausibility. His enhanced perception of connections had indeed made it easier to sense the spiritual energy currents and understand how to interact with them. What might have been a frustrating process of trial and error for ordinary beginners had been relatively straightforward once he understood what he was attempting to achieve and could directly perceive the results of his efforts.
"I wanted to discuss something with you regarding your abilities," Lin Yue continued, settling into the room's single chair while gesturing for Chen Feng to sit on the sleeping mat. "The Severance Path that your Void Mark has initiated you into is not well understood even by the sect's most learned elders. The ancient records describe it in terms that are often metaphorical or deliberately obscure, presumably because the original practitioners believed such knowledge was too dangerous to convey explicitly."
She paused, choosing her next words with visible care. "However, there are certain principles that appear consistently across the various fragmented accounts we possess. One of the most important is the concept of equivalent exchange. When you sever a connection, you are not simply cutting a thread but rather removing something that served a purpose within a larger system. The universe tends toward equilibrium, and disrupting that equilibrium creates pressure for restoration or compensation through alternative means."
Chen Feng absorbed this information, recognizing its significance for his understanding of his own abilities. "You are saying that my severances have consequences beyond the immediate effects I observe and intend."
"Precisely," Lin Yue confirmed. "When you severed the corruption bonds linking those beasts to their controller, you removed the connections that were maintaining their enhanced capabilities. But those connections were also containing and channeling the corrupt energy in specific ways. By severing them, you released that energy to dissipate or to seek new pathways according to its nature. In the cases we observed, the energy simply dispersed harmlessly into the environment. However, if circumstances had been different, that released energy might have sought new hosts or created additional problems that would have required separate solutions."
The implications of this explanation were sobering. Chen Feng had been treating his Severance ability as a straightforward tool for cutting unwanted connections, but Lin Yue was revealing that even successful severances might generate complications that were not immediately apparent. The technique required not just the ability to cut but also the wisdom to understand what cutting would actually accomplish and whether the consequences would be acceptable.
"How do I learn to perceive these broader consequences before I act?" Chen Feng asked, recognizing this as perhaps the most crucial question for his continued development and safety.
"Practice, study, and guidance from those with greater experience," Lin Yue replied. "The sect has cultivation techniques that enhance perception and understanding of systemic relationships between phenomena. You will need to master these techniques alongside your development of the Severance ability itself. Additionally, you should develop the habit of examining connections thoroughly before severing them, looking not just at the immediate thread you wish to cut but at all the surrounding connections that might be affected by your action."
She stood and moved to the room's small window, gazing out at the darkening mountain landscape visible beyond. "There is another matter I wished to discuss, though this one is more personal than instructional. You may have noticed that I have taken a particular interest in your development and wellbeing beyond what strict duty would require of a junior sister toward a new outer disciple."
Chen Feng had indeed noticed, though he had attributed it to either her naturally helpful personality or possibly instructions from her seniors to assist his integration into the sect. Lin Yue's phrasing suggested that her motivations might be more complex than either of these explanations.
"My own cultivation path resonates with the concept of Connection," Lin Yue explained, still facing the window rather than looking directly at Chen Feng. "Where your Void Mark allows you to perceive and sever the bonds between things, my spiritual root and chosen techniques allow me to perceive and strengthen those same bonds. In a sense, we are opposite sides of the same fundamental force that underlies reality's structure."
She turned to face him then, and Chen Feng saw something in her expression that he could not quite identify but that seemed significant. "When I first perceived you at the village festival, before the corrupted beast attack, I felt a resonance with your presence that I have never experienced with another person. It was as though something within me recognized something within you as its natural complement. The sensation has only grown stronger as we have traveled together and I have observed your abilities in action."
Chen Feng found himself uncertain how to respond to this revelation. Lin Yue was describing a connection between them that went beyond ordinary friendship or even the relationship between a mentor and student. The implications were profound and somewhat overwhelming, particularly given that they had known each other for barely more than a day.
"I am not suggesting anything inappropriate or presumptuous," Lin Yue clarified quickly, apparently perceiving his uncertainty. "You are new to the sect and to cultivation, and it would be both improper and unhelpful for me to burden you with expectations or complications beyond what your current circumstances already demand. I simply wanted you to understand why I have been particularly attentive to your wellbeing and why I intend to continue providing guidance and support as you navigate your early development. The resonance I perceive between us suggests that our paths may be meant to intersect and perhaps proceed in parallel for reasons neither of us fully understands yet."
Chen Feng considered her words carefully before responding. "I am grateful for your guidance and support, and I would welcome your continued assistance as I learn to navigate the cultivation world. If there is indeed some meaningful connection between us beyond ordinary circumstance, then I trust that its nature and implications will become clearer as we both develop our understanding and capabilities."
The response seemed to satisfy Lin Yue, who nodded with an expression that suggested both relief and approval. "A measured and thoughtful answer, which speaks well of your character. Very well, I will leave you to continue your cultivation practice. Tomorrow's journey will be even more demanding than today's, as we begin ascending into the higher peaks where Azure Peak Sect actually resides. Rest well and rebuild your spiritual reserves as much as possible."
She departed, leaving Chen Feng alone with his thoughts and the lingering sense that his life was becoming complicated in ways that extended far beyond the challenges of learning cultivation techniques and understanding his Void Mark abilities. The connection Lin Yue had described between their respective abilities and spiritual inclinations was intriguing and slightly unnerving in equal measure, suggesting possibilities and potential complications that he lacked sufficient experience to fully evaluate.
Chen Feng returned to his meditation practice, finding that the conversation with Lin Yue had actually enhanced his focus rather than disturbing it. The concept of Connection as the complement to Severance provided a framework for understanding his abilities that felt intuitively correct, as though Lin Yue had articulated something he had been groping toward comprehending on his own. He visualized the spiritual energy gathering process not as simple accumulation but as the formation of new connections between himself and the ambient power that surrounded him, bonds that would strengthen and multiply as his cultivation advanced.
The night passed peacefully despite Chen Feng's half-conscious awareness that he was sleeping in territory where corruption was spreading and threats might manifest without warning. The waystation's defenses and the presence of experienced cultivators provided security that allowed genuine rest rather than anxious vigilance.
Morning arrived with the grey light that preceded true dawn, and the group departed the waystation shortly after a simple breakfast. The garrison commander provided updated information about patrols' findings during the night, which confirmed Chen Feng's earlier assessment that corruption was indeed affecting the region though not yet to the point of creating immediate dangers to travelers on the main paths.
The second day's journey took them steadily higher into the mountains, following trails that grew narrower and more treacherous as the elevation increased. The air became noticeably thinner, though the cultivators showed no signs of being affected while Chen Feng found himself breathing harder during steep climbs. The landscape transformed from dense forest into more sparse vegetation interspersed with exposed rock faces and dramatic vistas that revealed the vast scale of the mountain range they were traversing.
Chen Feng used the journey's demands as an opportunity to practice maintaining his spiritual energy circulation even while engaged in physical activity. The jade slip's knowledge indicated that the ability to sustain cultivation techniques during normal activities rather than only during dedicated meditation sessions was an important milestone in a cultivator's development. The practice was challenging, requiring divided attention between maintaining proper breathing patterns and navigating difficult terrain, but Chen Feng found that with persistence the coordination gradually became more natural.
Lin Yue noticed his efforts and offered occasional corrections or suggestions that improved his technique's efficiency. Her instruction was always presented as helpful observation rather than criticism, delivered in a manner that encouraged continued effort rather than creating anxiety about mistakes. Chen Feng found himself developing genuine appreciation for her teaching style, which balanced high standards with patient support.
The afternoon brought them to a particularly spectacular section of the route where the path wound along a narrow ledge carved into a sheer cliff face. To their left, solid rock rose vertically for hundreds of feet. To their right, empty air extended outward before dropping away into a valley so far below that individual features were barely distinguishable. The cultivators navigated this exposed section with their usual confidence, but Chen Feng found himself moving more slowly and carefully, very conscious of the fatal consequences that would result from a misstep.
Senior Brother Zhao noticed Chen Feng's careful progress and dropped back to walk beside him. "Fear of heights is common among those new to mountain travel," the senior disciple observed without judgment. "However, a cultivator must learn to master such fears rather than being controlled by them. The cultivation path will eventually take you to places far more precarious than this ledge, and hesitation born of fear can be as dangerous as reckless haste."
"How does one master fear?" Chen Feng asked, keeping his eyes focused on the path rather than the vertiginous drop mere feet away.
"By understanding that fear is information rather than instruction," Zhao replied. "Your fear tells you that falling would be dangerous, which is accurate and useful knowledge. But fear does not and should not dictate your actions. Rational assessment of risk and appropriate caution should guide your choices, not the emotional reaction that fear produces. Walk carefully because the path demands care, not because you are afraid. There is a crucial difference between the two motivations."
Chen Feng considered this perspective and found it clarifying. His fear was indeed providing useful information about the genuine risks present in the current situation, but the fear itself was not helping him navigate those risks more effectively. If anything, the anxiety was making his movements more tense and less fluid, potentially increasing rather than decreasing the danger. He took a deliberate breath using the cultivation technique he had been practicing, allowing the structured breathing pattern to calm his racing pulse and clear his mind of unproductive worry.
The remainder of the ledge passage proceeded more smoothly as Chen Feng applied Zhao's guidance, treating the exposed path as simply another challenge requiring appropriate attention and technique rather than as a source of existential terror. When they finally reached a section where the path widened again and solid ground extended to both sides, Chen Feng felt a sense of accomplishment that went beyond mere relief at having survived the crossing.
They made camp that evening in a sheltered hollow surrounded by tall standing stones that showed signs of having been deliberately placed in their current configuration long ago. Inner Disciple Liu Fang explained that these were ancient protective formations established by cultivators of previous generations, designed to ward against hostile spirits and dangerous beasts. The formations were still functional despite their age, creating a zone of relative safety where travelers could rest without maintaining constant vigilance.
After the evening meal, Chen Feng settled into his cultivation practice with increased confidence born of the previous night's success. The spiritual energy in this location was notably denser than at lower elevations, providing richer resources for gathering and refining. He could feel his small reservoir of spiritual power gradually expanding as he maintained the breathing technique, the growth slow but perceptible and deeply satisfying in its tangible evidence of progress.
Lin Yue approached as his meditation session concluded, settling down beside him with her own breathing still showing the slight elevation that indicated she had been engaged in her own cultivation practice. They sat together in comfortable silence for a time, watching the stars emerge in the darkening sky above the mountains.
"Tomorrow we will reach Azure Peak Sect," Lin Yue said eventually. "Your life is about to change again, perhaps even more dramatically than it did when your Void Mark first appeared. The sect is home to thousands of disciples and hundreds of elders, each pursuing their own paths toward advancement and enlightenment. You will need to navigate complex social dynamics while simultaneously focusing on your own cultivation development. It can be overwhelming for new disciples, particularly those who come from small villages with limited exposure to the wider world."
"Do you have advice for managing this transition?" Chen Feng asked, valuing her perspective as someone who had successfully made the same journey years before.
"Remain true to yourself while remaining open to growth and change," Lin Yue replied. "The sect will expose you to ideas and practices that may challenge everything you thought you understood about the world and your place in it. Some of what you learn will be genuinely valuable and worthy of integration into your worldview. Other aspects may conflict with your core values and should be thoughtfully rejected despite pressure to conform. The key is developing the wisdom to distinguish between the two."
She turned to look at him directly then, her expression serious in the starlight. "You will encounter people who view cultivation as a path to power over others, who see fellow disciples as either useful tools or obstacles to be overcome. These people exist at every level of the sect hierarchy, though they are neither the majority nor the ones who ultimately achieve the highest levels of advancement. True cultivation is about understanding reality and your relationship to it, not about dominating others. Remember that, especially when circumstances make it tempting to forget."
Chen Feng recognized the importance of what she was telling him and committed her words to memory alongside all the other guidance she had provided. Lin Yue had proven herself to be both knowledgeable and genuinely concerned with his wellbeing, qualities that made her advice worth heeding even when it addressed matters he had not yet personally encountered.
The night deepened and the camp settled into quiet rest, with only a single disciple maintaining watch at any given time thanks to the protection provided by the ancient formations surrounding their campsite. Chen Feng lay on his sleeping mat staring up at the unfamiliar constellations visible from this high elevation, contemplating the journey that had brought him from a small village to this point and wondering what awaited him at its destination.
The third day of travel began in pre-dawn darkness, with the group departing camp early to ensure they would reach Azure Peak Sect well before nightfall. The path now led consistently upward, climbing through terrain that became increasingly dominated by bare rock and hardy alpine vegetation that clung to existence despite harsh conditions. The air grew noticeably colder as they ascended, and Chen Feng was grateful for the warm traveling cloak his mother had insisted he pack despite the mild weather in the lowlands.
Around midday, they crested a final ridge and Chen Feng caught his first glimpse of Azure Peak Sect. The sight exceeded anything his imagination had conjured during the journey. The sect occupied an entire mountain valley, with buildings and structures distributed across multiple levels that followed the natural contours of the terrain. Elegant pagodas and substantial halls constructed from materials that gleamed in the mountain sunlight dominated the central areas, while smaller residential structures and practice grounds spread outward in organized patterns that suggested careful planning and centuries of development.
But most striking was the peak itself, the mountain that gave the sect its name. It rose behind the built structures like a natural monument, its summit wreathed in clouds that glowed with spiritual energy so dense that even Chen Feng's untrained perception could detect it from this distance. The mountain seemed to pulse with power, and Chen Feng's enhanced vision showed him that the entire valley was webbed with connections that linked every structure and formation into an integrated whole that was somehow greater than the sum of its parts.
"Welcome to Azure Peak Sect," Senior Brother Zhao said, his voice carrying pride and satisfaction. "Your new home and the place where you will forge your path as a cultivator. The journey ahead will be long and difficult, but if you persevere with dedication and wisdom, you may one day stand among the sect's greatest disciples and perhaps even its elders. The opportunity is before you. What you make of it depends entirely on your own choices and efforts."
Chen Feng stood on that ridge looking down at the vast sect compound, feeling the weight of possibility and responsibility settling onto his shoulders. His old life had ended when the Void Mark appeared. His new life was about to truly begin. Whatever challenges and opportunities awaited him within those valley walls, he was as ready to face them as circumstances and preparation could make him.
He took a deep breath of the thin mountain air, touched the mark on his forehead in what was becoming an unconscious gesture of acknowledgment and acceptance, and began the final descent toward his destiny.