Amidst the scorching heat of midday in July, the sky stretched high and distant with clouds rolling lazily.

A series of cloud layers drifted with the wind, their hues gradually shifting to reflect the colors of the setting sun. Suddenly, a massive fireball pierced through the clouds which left behind a long and dark tail as it hurtled towards Pingshan.

A resounding “Boom!” echoed as the fireball collided with the peak of Pingshan Mountain. The impact unleashed a shockwave, casting a blinding golden radiance.

Within the crater left by the fireball impact, a golden lotus began to blossom and it radiated a dazzling light. Also nestled within the lotus, a woman adorned in a rosy robe lay supine.

Her body emitted streams of light which exuded an ethereal aura. Wherever the celestial aura touched, scorched earth and withered flowers were reborn. It releases a fragrant and refreshing aroma.

The woman groggily propped herself up causing the light-infused lotus to instantly explode into myriad strands of golden light that hovered around. She slumped back down, only to vanish amidst the golden luminescence. Amid this radiant glow, a person stood by the pit in a daze watching her.

Half a moment before the woman descended.

A hunter named Liu Qiang trod upon the rugged mountain path of Nanping Mountain, a bow weighing over ten kilograms slung across his back. Liu Qiang was a villager hailing from North Village of Pingshan.

“Pfft! It’s so hot, not a single rabbit in sight.” He spat, wiped the sweat from his brow, and continued his ascent.

Two days prior, Liu Qiang had discovered a concealed cave at the southern foothill of Pingshan Mountain, housing animal fur and droppings. The fur was that of a pheasant and a hare, but upon smelling the excrement, Liu Qiang recognized the scent of a wolf.

While wolves were rare in Pingshan, catching one could fetch a good price. Wolf fur and teeth were in demand in the state capital, let alone Pingshan County so wolves were a rare sight in the area.

Consequently, he set up a trap not far from the cave the day before to intent on capturing a wolf today.

As the heat intensified, the mountain forest offered relief. Approaching the depths of the forest, Liu Qiang’s pace slowed. His movements cautious as he sidestepped branches and dead leaves.

He began to crouch down, gradually nearing the trap he had set.

“Woo~~~” A pitiful whimper made Liu Qiang grin; he had successfully trapped a creature!

Liu Qiang unhurriedly removed the bow from his back, fitted an arrow, gently parted the foliage ahead of him, and instantly laid eyes on the wolf ensnared in his trap. But to his surprise, it wasn’t just any wolf – it was a white wolf!

The creature’s fur was pure white, shimmering in the sunlight like silver, while its emerald-green eyes gleamed with a transparent brilliance, almost as if they held tears.

“Was this a wolf or a walking silver ingot?”

The white wolf’s right hind leg was caught in the trap, its pristine fur tinged with red from a wound. Beside it lay the bait Liu Qiang had set earlier – a pheasant with its legs tied to a nearby branch. Yet, the pheasant was now lifeless, its blood staining the white wolf’s mouth.

Liu Qiang was overjoyed; this was a windfall. After all, this was a Snow Wolf. Though Snow Wolves were a rarity in their southern Pingshan County, let alone a legendary white one like this. The fur of a Snow Wolf was hundreds of times more valuable than that of an ordinary wolf. Liu Qiang, a struggling commoner, was about to become a local tycoon.

Liu Qiang gleefully drew back the bowstring, aiming for the white wolf’s forehead. As he prepared to release the arrow, he resolved not to leave multiple holes in the wolf’s skin – it wouldn’t fetch a good price that way.

Sensing the impending danger, the white wolf’s emerald eyes bore into Liu Qiang’s direction, baring its teeth and emitting a menacing growl.

“What are you staring at? No matter how you look, it won’t change the fact that you’ll end up as a fur coat, hmph.” Liu Qiang sneered, fully drawing the bow.

Suddenly, the wolf’s fear became palpable. It began to recoil, and gazed skyward with terror. Its whimpers are silenced by sheer fright.

After all, Liu Qiang was a seasoned hunter, somewhat attuned to nature. He felt an unexpected chill down his spine, turning his face upward to behold a glistening crimson fireball in his frightened gaze.

The fireball descended from the heavens, trailing behind it a long streak of black smoke. Its trajectory set the sky ablaze, casting a reddish hue over everything. In Liu Qiang’s eyes, the fireball grew larger and larger, consuming his field of vision.

“Ouch! Mother!” Liu Qiang cried out in shock, his terror evident. Filled with panic, he abandoned both the white wolf and his bow, fleeing as if his life depended on it. He bounded over the white wolf and sprinted wildly. Only after he had gone a distance did he realize he was running in the direction of the falling fireball, a perilous choice. He quickly turned and dashed in the opposite direction, hurtling over the wolf’s path.

Then, a deafening explosion echoed.

“Boom–“

The earth trembled, the sky quaked, and birds took to the air in fright. The sky above Pingshan erupted into a crimson inferno. A mighty shockwave radiating from the mountaintop, and obliterating an entire forest in an instant.

Liu Qiang’s body was launched into the air by the resulting shockwave, while the white wolf was lifted as well. The two figures converged mid-air, the white wolf instinctively biting into Liu Qiang’s leg. A scream of agony escaped Liu Qiang’s lips: “Ah—”

In the next moment, a ferocious, invisible force swept forth, uprooting trees as it advanced. Anything in its path was obliterated, leaving only a barren landscape. The force struck Liu Qiang like a tidal wave, hurling him away. It felt as if half of his bones shattered upon impact, a mouthful of blood spewing forth.

Liu Qiang was sent hurtling amidst the debris of shattered trees, the white wolf remaining firmly attached to his leg. In that moment, he could never have fathomed a time when he too could take to the skies, propelled by the force of nature. He soared…far away…

Pingshan was neither tall nor grand, comprising only a third of the height of Huangshan.

And yet, Pingshan spanned the width of a river, neatly dividing the waters in twain.

Two rivers, two villages, nestled between mountains and rivers, with Pingshan Mountain adjacent.

Liu Qiang hailed from Pingshan North Village, while on the opposing side lay Pingshan South Village.

Residents in both villages observed the shooting star on that particular day—an immense fireball graced the sky. It was only natural that they abandoned their tasks and gathered around to witness the spectacle from the kang.

Even the husbands and children from the sole private school in both villages joined in.

Nevertheless, the more they gazed, the more unsettled they became, growing increasingly alarmed and panicked. Their collective fear arose from the notion that the fireball might be heading their way. Yet, before they could grasp the situation, it was already too late. It seemed as if the sun were descending, as a wave of heat swept over them, culminating in a collision with the pinnacle of Pingshan Mountain. At that very moment, rocks crumbled, the earth quivered, mountains trembled, and ash cascaded from homes as rooftops collapsed.

Instantaneously, cries of alarm filled the air as individuals hurried from every corner, converging in the fields to assess any potential losses.

It’s almost as if one could argue that this individual had a complete disregard for their own safety, right? Why else wouldn’t they take cover? Yet, among the general populace, there resides a penchant for embracing thrilling moments. Once the sense of security was reinstated, the crowd reconvened in the fields once more, this time to observe the crimson radiance adorning the peak of Naping Mountain.