In the age of chaos after the Liang Dynasty fell, warlords vied for supremacy. So great was the slaughter that…
In the age of chaos after the Liang Dynasty fell, warlords vied for supremacy. So great was the slaughter that rivers were choked with bones, and plague-bearing vermin festered across the land.
A fellowship of heroes begged an immortal for aid. To show their unwavering resolve, the immortal laughed, destroyed their own mountain grotto, and strode forth to join the cause.
Years later, the land was cleansed, save for a single great toad demon lurking in the Poison Abyss. The immortal descended into the depths, bearing the Ever-burning Lamp to suppress the beast. At the climax of their battle, the lamp was extinguished. In its place, a brilliant silhouette appeared as the very mountain shattered and a pure spring erupted forth. The demon was sealed forever in the abyss, which, purified by the sacrifice, was henceforth known as the Gleaming Abyss.
Having perfected their path, the immortal ascended to the heavens. And in eternal gratitude, the heroes chronicled the epic in the Tales of Immortals. To this day, the common folk honor the sacrifice by lighting lamps and praying to the Northern Dipper on the new and full moons.
An ode commemorates the immortal's lesson: Only through worship can one glimpse immortality.