The Southern Borderlands are located in Kyushu, to the south of Yizhou. They are famously known as a land shrouded in miasma, sparsely populated since ancient times, yet home to some mysterious tribes.
On the Great Dao leading from Yizhou to the Southern Borderlands, there was an old inn which had been open for many years. The owner of the inn was an elderly man who had lost one eye. Travelers passing by often called him Old One-Eye. Old One-Eye's favorite pastime was to sit on the steps of his inn, take out his smoking pipe, and quietly puff away.
The white smoke framed his aged face, accentuating the wrinkles on his visage, as he enjoyed watching the comings and goings of passersby in silence.
Although remote, the Southern Borderlands were rich in natural resources, especially furs and medicinal herbs. Thus, many merchants risked danger for the prospect of huge profits.
