Spiritual Insight Is but Clouds and Smoke

Young Master Xu could not understand what the man was saying, yet somehow grasped its meaning. To his horror, he discovered that he was dressed in a blue-black official robe, while everyone who had been with him had vanished! Panic seized him, along with a deep terror in his heart. He had no idea what was happening before his eyes, but the man ahead kept urging him onward.

He wanted to turn around and run back, but he vaguely understood that if he refused to follow now, something bad might happen. So he could only steel himself and move forward.

After climbing a small slope, the man waved the Dust Whisk in his hand as if herding him onward. Young Master Xu took two steps ahead, then saw that the man had not followed. He wanted to go back, but two warriors with indistinct faces stood on either side of the slope. One carried a Golden Melon Hammer on his shoulder, while the other gripped a short axe. Both seemed to be staring at him.

He swallowed and entered the Palace Gate through a side entrance of the grand hall. As he proceeded down the long road, quite a few people carrying lanterns joined the procession midway.

Fearful, he kept his head down, not daring to look to either side or speak. He simply continued forward. After passing through the first Palace Gate and walking farther ahead, he saw rows upon rows of warriors holding ceremonial polearms in the square. They stood utterly still, silent as statues.

He hurriedly withdrew his gaze after a single glance. After walking a little farther, an upward slope appeared ahead. The procession suddenly slowed here, as though something was being inspected up ahead. At least he finally had a chance to catch his breath.