Degrade from Nobility to a Humble Slave

Wurth Zhang was ranked seventh of the outer disciples at Drizzle Peak. His experience and influence earned respect and high regard of Nory, Sean, and Zen.

As the four shared the wine, the spirit turned jovial and mellow. Nory and Sean chatted with the self-effacing predecessor, Wurth.

"I watched your display of marrow refinement skills in the battle ring, Zen," said Wurth, as he tipped his cup back and drained the wine.

Zen glanced at Wurth and answered, "Wurth, you are quite discerning!"

"What? Zen, you have refined your marrow!" exclaimed Nory, unable to contain himself.

Nodding, Zen related, "I probably would've lost to Leo if I hadn't reached the marrow refining level at the right time."

Shaking his head, Wurth complimented, "The way I see it, Zen, you will be our mainstay so long as you perfect the skills your talent warrants."

"Wurth, you're exaggerating! I'm nothing more than a novice compared to the masters at our peak!" Zen commented, maintaining a degree of decorum.

"Zen, aren't you being too modest? Have you heard the legend of Lady Peak?" asked Wurth as he looked around with an air of mystery.

"Lady Peak is ranked seventeenth among the Peaks at the Cloud Sect and consists of only women disciples." Because of the wine, Sean was loosening up, becoming more talkative but remaining sober, thanks to his refining level. Despite the overindulgence, the four present were far from a drunken stupor, and the ambiance remained light and festive.

Smiling, Wurth went on, "Lady Peak is seventeenth ranked Peak this year but, is second to Skytop Peak in the previous years!"

Sean had been at the Cloud Sect a year longer than Zen and Nory. He was also less informed on and blurted, "What? A peak with female disciples ranking higher than men? In my humble opinion, they couldn't overshadow us!"

In Sean's mind, men no doubt prevailed over women in the development of martial arts skills.

"Sean, there's something you don't know, and that is, it was a female disciple who contributed to Lady Peak's ranking and influence....." explained Wurth smiling.

"And with her endowments, she supposedly overshadowed the rest of the Peaks except Skytop Peak?" added Zen.

"Bravo!"

bellowed Wurth as he applauded before elaborating, "You hit the nail on the head there, Zen! She has an unearthly beauty and is extremely endowed, rising to fame in the two years after her admission to the Cloud Sect. So don't be modest. I believe in you. You can strive to accomplish as much as her, Zen. Unfortunately for her, she was framed and is suffering within the bowels of Hell Mountain now....."

the female disciple's name after hearing Wurth's engaging account.

as Zen. Her given

"Crunch!"

his celadon wine glass until the liquid was streaming down his

looked at

moment, he then continued, "Do you

and Yan, but Wurth was the only one to ask Zen if Yan

heard news of

Zen had spoken to Sean another time, he asked about Hell

was stirred up at

asked why Yan

and beauty, Yan holds peculiar lineage. She was pursued by the Cloud Sect playboys, in particular

Sect Chart?" repeated Zen. Since he never heard of it, Zen urged

told you about the Cloud Sect Chart, Zen?"

"The Cloud Sect Chart is a ranking list of the one thousand top

Fancy, must be excellent to hold the seven-hundredth rank in the Chart!' thought Zen. Then, eager to find out more of what happened, he stated, "Wurth, don't

continued weaving the tale, "As far as I am concerned, Yan was provoked, and castrated Fancy, which had the Yun Clan, one of the top seven noble clans in an uproar. The Yun leader has only two sons and he asked the Cloud Sect to deal with the incident. The leader at Lady Peak, in deference to Yun leader, had no choice but to exile Yan to Hell Mountain. Actually, it was more

sister received made Zen furious beyond measure, and he instinctively dug his

Zen's reaction, his three

was losing the composure he managed to hold earlier leading to his victory against

was too quick to react when it

The Yun Clan.....

three words were burned into

the Yun Clan, was the third uppermost clan in the imperial

took liberties with Yan, driving her to act out of

bound to utilize my consummate skills to exterminate the Yun Clan avenging

Nory, genuinely concerned for Zen, and worried Zen might doom himself by acting

pushed the thoughts about his sister's plight away for now, and forced a smile. "Yes, I'm okay. Everything's fine, and it's nothing serious....." "But, how am I going to rescue Yan from within the Hell Mountain?" wondered Zen

four years in the Hell Mountain, but received a reprieve after he paid a fine

year