During the Tianyou era, the Baima Station Incident, orchestrated by Zhu Wen, claimed the lives of all Ten Sage…
During the Tianyou era, the Baima Station Incident, orchestrated by Zhu Wen, claimed the lives of all Ten Sages of the Inkbound Order. Legend has it that, in order to preserve their teachings, the disciples spirited away several volumes from the Ten Sages' Collection—treatises on Yin-Yang Ultimate Arts—and vanished into the secluded reaches of Qinghe, leaving no trace behind. Some believe they remained steadfast, founding an academy to keep the sages' wisdom alive despite the threats of the Liang court. Others say they chose seclusion, leading tranquil lives among waterfowl, untouched by worldly matters, as if they had transcended the mortal realm.
Decades later, during the Xiande era, Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou restored the old imperial gardens and built the Peace Bell Tower, hoping its chimes would usher in peace for the world. It was then that a villager reportedly discovered fragments of ancient scrolls and cloth on the mountainside, said to be remnants of the Inkbound Order. Could these be the lost books of the Ten Sages? I am inclined to believe so.