The morning sea shone like a freshly polished bronze mirror. Red and Snow rode on the small spirit boat granted by the Holy Mother of the Turtle Spirit. The boat glided south with the wind and waves, leaving the white mist of Snowflake Town far behind. The mist faded like a dream that had not yet awakened.
Red withdrew his gaze and looked toward the bright line where sea and sky met. Snow leaned over the edge of the boat, ears twitching. She suddenly whispered, "I hear crying in the wind."
Red frowned. "Crying?"
Snow nodded and listened again. "It sounds like a small bird."
The clouds ahead were lit by the setting sun. A golden outline rose slowly from the horizon. The light grew stronger, revealing a towering ridge washed in scarlet light as if a golden morning rooster was lifting its head to greet the sun. The mountain was called Golden Rooster Ridge.
Red inhaled sharply. "Sword intent. Very strong."
The air carried a faint burnt scent and the sharp trace of sword energy. They stopped the spirit boat, stored it, and moved into the forest quietly.
Snow still lined some branches, glittering like crystal flowers, yet the forest below flickered with fire. As soon as they stepped into the trees, they heard a mix of sharp commands and frightened cries.
They hid behind a snow covered stone.
Ahead, a group of white robed cultivators floated in the air on their swords, all blade tips aimed at a cluster of terrified bird spirits. Most were low level beasts: a small sparrow spirit just out of its shell, an old crane spirit carrying a medicine basket, and a pheasant mother clutching her eggs.
The leading cultivator said coldly, "Beasts dare to form spirit cores. Today I cleanse this mountain."
Sword light fell like icy rain. The sparrow spirit tried to shield the others but its wing was cut, blood blooming on the snow like plum blossoms.
Snow's eyes filled with tears and she growled softly. Red held her back, feeling her trembling.
He whispered, "Save the birds first. Settle the rest later."
Snow nodded and they split up.
Her staff tapped the ground. Five small spirit rabbits formed from white light and darted forward with impossible speed, crashing into cultivators and breaking their balance.
Red released his pagoda. It rose and cast a curtain of fire that protected the bird spirits. The fire raged but flowed around them with perfect control, blocking every sword strike.
The cultivators scowled. "A Ji Sect artifact. You are aligned with beasts after all."
This remark ignited the mountain. Red's Samadhi flames surged. Snow's spirit summoning drew countless wild birds from the forest, forcing the cultivators into chaos.
Sword light tightened. Red's chest was cut by a sword wind and blood fed the fire, making it burn fiercer. Snow took a deep cut while rescuing a trapped sparrow spirit but refused to step back.
Just as the sword formation closed, a clear cry echoed from the peak.
Colored light swept across the sky. Every sword shattered into silver fragments. The cultivators paled.
"Kunxuan…?"
A young man in blue walked out of the snow mist. Five colored light shone behind him like a peacock's feathers. With a simple wave, the swords dissolved into dust.
"Since when does your sect bully fledglings?" he said calmly.
The cultivators forced themselves to speak. "Kunxuan, you are neither human nor beast. Why defend them?"
Kunxuan smiled lightly, glancing at Red and Snow standing injured but protective before the bird spirits.
"Because I choose to."
His answer left them speechless. The five colored light swept forward again and the white robed cultivators fled in panic.
Silence fell over the ridge.
Red bowed. "Thank you, Kunxuan."
Kunxuan noticed the pagoda and staff. "Disciples of the Holy Mother of the Turtle Spirit?"
Snow wiped the blood from her face. "We are Ji Sect. Our master teaches us to protect life."
Kunxuan touched a wounded sparrow spirit. Light gathered and the wing healed instantly. The bird leaped into the arms of its companions.
Kunxuan nodded. "Then let us protect life together."
Snow glimmered across the ridge. Fire warmed the mountain and ice kept it pure. Red tended to the flames, Snow bandaged the birds, and Kunxuan leaned on an ancient pine with his five colored light drawn close....