Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng narrowly escaped death in the depths of Xuanwu Cave--only to once again suffer misfortune when Lotus Pier is assaulted by agents of the Wen Clan. Severely wounded in the attack, Jiang Cheng loses his golden core, the source of much of his power as a cultivator. Yet there is hope. Some Wen Clan members are willing to lend a helping hand, hiding them from those who would seek their death. Now that he's just like any other [mortal?], Jiang Cheng resolves to set out on an arduous journey to find a cultivation master who can help restore his golden core...but a quest such as that will take him away from Wei Wuxian and their childhood home for a long time indeed. Apart, who can say where their respective paths may lead?