New Yu Era, year 1322, ninth day of the seventh month.
It was still a quarter of an hour before Zishi, past which it would be the tenth day.
Jianye Prefecture City was silent, but around the abode of Leiyin Temple, it was not so peaceful. Under the night sky, the chanting of the monks was exceptionally clear, yet not noisy at all. Instead, it gave an impression of tranquility and peace, a time of quietude, enabling a more restful sleep.
Outside that small temple, the Abbot Wuxing sat cross-legged. His once serene face suddenly darkened, seemingly having sensed something. He abruptly opened his eyes to gaze at the pitch-black night, a faint glimmer of fire emerging in his pupils.
"Abbot, the five cities of Jiuchi County have fallen, and both the prefectural city of Pengkang County and Qingzhi County have been captured by Hexi. In just two days, even before our temple's army could arrive, the seven cities were lost. It cannot continue like this!"
