The story opens with Jiang Yan fleeing through a bamboo forest, a newborn baby in his arms. Pursuers want two things: the jade pendant he carries and his head. An old friend appears with wine and help, but their reunion lasts seconds before the enemy closes in.
[spoiler]That baby is you. Jiang Yan and his friend fight the Void King, but at the critical moment, a strange blue firefly-like creature seizes control, and Jiang Yan freezes. His friend throws himself into the path of the killing blow. After that tragic day, Jiang Yan retreats to a remote village and raises you in hiding.
Years pass. You grow into a capable young fighter who dreams of wandering the jianghu. Then a man in black attacks you, steals the jade pendant, and vanishes. Comparing his features to Jiang Yan's reveals they are likely the same person. Your uncle stole the jade to protect you: carrying it into the open world would expose your identity and attract deadly attention.
Ruby drags you on a shopping trip where you defeat a Well of Heaven disciple at an arena. The same blue firefly emerges from the defeated man's eye, confirming that the mysterious force from years ago still watches you. Ruby gets a horse, you get a hero book, and everything feels like childhood adventure.
Back home, Aunt Han scolds you for wandering while customers wait. While serving drinks, you overhear talk of Killerblade being spotted nearby. In the wine storeroom, you discover fresh corpses and encounter the killer himself. He recognizes your fighting style and demands you lead him to Han Xiangxun. You outsmart him briefly, but he follows you anyway.
Investigating Aunt Han's secret life reveals an underground operation: face alteration, stolen identities, chests of money, and martial arts manuals from various sects. You practice the techniques, suffer qi deviation, and experience a heart demon where a girl with Aunt Han's voice but your crush's face attacks you.
Killerblade reveals his real name is Yi Dao, and he is not Aunt Han's enemy. He came on Chu Qingquan's orders to retrieve a secret Jiang Yan left behind. When Yi Dao tells Aunt Han that Chu Qingquan is gone, she is devastated. She dumps her aged wine into the lake and declares they must leave.
You slip away with Yi Dao instead. Ruby insists on joining but you give her a scarlet cape and promise you will become twin wanderers someday. That night, assassins arrive by boat. Qianye, the witch of the Aureate Pavilion, orchestrates the attack and creates a maze formation to trap everyone.
Ruby volunteers to guide the group from the mountain ridge. You tie her hands and leave her with a guard, forgetting to tie her legs. She escapes and reaches the ridge, waving the red cape. An arrow from Qianye strikes her. Consumed by rage, you fight alongside Yi Dao until the situation becomes hopeless. In his final moments, Yi Dao throws a lantern into your hidden wine stores, triggering explosions that bury the enemy. Someone, likely Aunt Han judging by the sleeve, pulls you from the wreckage.
Days later, at Yi Dao's grave, the horse he gave Ruby appears beside you. It survived. Your last bonds with Ruby and Yi Dao are still alive. And now you walk into the jianghu, carrying questions that may take the entire game to answer.[/spoiler]
*Based on analysis by [WWM Girl (Goose Girl Stories)](https://www.youtube.com/@GooseGirlStories).*
