The following morning, Chi Cheng roused before sunrise to prepare himself for the Sword Dance he would perform for the arrival of the Imperial Palace Generals.
Unexpectedly at that time of the morning, one of Han Xuelian's messengers delivered a letter to him. Its contents explained the finer details of the Honouring Ceremony scheduled and the procedure for the Sword Dance.
The letter also revealed information about Xue Ling's sacred beast deity. Crowned with the name of Xuanbing, the ancient Phoenix Ice Dragon Deity that slumbered in the heart of Xue Ling Ridge was bestowed with the duties of guardianship over the Northern Mountains of Zhaoguo.
The Beast Deity constantly regulated the flow of energy throughout Xue Ling Ridge, serving as a conduit for the heavenly energy which flowed from the Celestial Realm into the Mortal Realm.
