Treading through the faint morning light, Qing Shi pushed open the small courtyard gate. Seeing Shen Hui already standing in the courtyard, he couldn't help but freeze.
"Junior Brother Shen? You... didn't sleep all night?" Qing Shi rubbed his eyes and looked him up and down.
Shen Hui smiled and shook his head. "I did sleep. I just woke up."
Seeing that he looked clear-eyed and not as if he were forcing himself to stay awake, Qing Shi didn't ask further. He merely said, "Good, then. Come with me. Let's not keep Master waiting."
The two crossed the courtyard, shrouded in morning mist. A thin layer of frost coated the flagstones, crunching softly beneath their feet.
The courtyard before the Three Pure Ones Hall seemed even more spacious than it had the night before. Qing Shi led Shen Hui to a side chamber beside the hall. An old wooden plaque hung above its door, its faded lettering barely legible, though the two characters "Chengxin" could still just be made out.
Pushing open the door, they found the room a little warmer than outside—not from a brazier blazing away, but from the faint vitality of a gathering of people.
A brass brazier stood in the room. Its coals were almost spent, leaving only a dim red glow. A plain, long table stood at the front, with the Old Taoist already seated behind it, eyes closed as he rested.
Six meditation cushions lay in neat rows on the floor before the table. Four were already occupied, by two men and two women, all in gray Daoist robes, their backs to the door.
At the sound of the door opening, all four turned around in unison.
On the left sat a tall, burly middle-aged man with a square face, a broad mouth, and bright, piercing eyes. Beside him was a thinner man with fair skin and lively eyes.
On the right were two women. One looked to be in her early twenties, her expression composed; the other seemed younger, with a round face and bright, darting eyes full of curiosity.
Four pairs of eyes fixed on Shen Hui, openly sizing him up.
"Ahem." The Old Taoist didn't open his eyes; he merely gave a light cough.
The four immediately turned back around and sat properly, though the round-faced girl couldn't resist tilting her head to sneak another look.
Qing Shi hurriedly led Shen Hui to sit on the two empty cushions at the very end. The cushions were well stuffed, and sank slightly beneath Shen Hui as he sat down.
"Today's morning lesson: recite the Pure and Tranquil Scripture three times."
The Old Taoist opened his eyes and spoke in an even voice. "Newcomer, listen closely."
After that, he paid no further attention to the others. Picking up a somewhat worn scroll from the table, he lowered his eyes and began reciting in a slow, measured voice. "The Dao has its pure and its turbid, its movement and its stillness. Heaven is pure, earth turbid; heaven moves, earth is still. The root descends and the branches spread, giving birth to all things. The pure is the source of the turbid; movement is the foundation of stillness. When people can remain ever pure and still, heaven and earth will return to them..."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear and steady, echoing through the quiet room.
Qing Shi and the other four were evidently familiar with the text. They joined in at once, reciting in unison. Their voices were uneven, yet fell into a rhythm of their own, blending into a low murmur.
Seated at the end of the row, Shen Hui leafed through the scripture before him, his expression somewhat blank.
Uh... wasn't I supposed to practice the Dao and refine qi? Why are we starting with scripture recitation?
He hadn't even learned all the common characters of this world, much less these convoluted passages.
But everyone else was reciting so earnestly that he didn't dare ask. He could only lower his eyes and strain to listen to the syllables, silently memorizing the cadence and occasionally catching a word or two he only half understood.
Time trickled by amid the low, lingering recitation. The brazier's last red glow went out completely, leaving nothing but pale gray ashes.
Outside the paper windows, the light gradually brightened, shifting from blue-gray to pale white.
After the third recitation, the Old Taoist set down the scripture.
"Today's morning lesson is over. Go and have your meal."
The five answered in unison and rose to bow. But the Old Taoist raised a hand and pressed it down lightly. "Shen Hui, stay a little longer."
The five who were about to leave paused and exchanged glances. Instead of going, they shuffled over to the wall, looking for all the world like they meant to "just listen in."
The Old Taoist glanced at them but didn't tell them to leave.
Once the room had quieted again, the Old Taoist's gaze settled on Shen Hui.
"You entered my temple, but have yet to perform the disciple-acceptance rites. By the rules, until you do, you can only be considered a guest. I cannot teach you the Dao; you may only recite scripture and study with the others, and do some odd jobs." The Old Taoist spoke evenly, his expression calm.
At once, Shen Hui swept up the hem of his Daoist robe, knelt squarely on both knees, and bowed low.
"Your disciple Shen Hui wishes to enter under Master's tutelage. I humbly beg Master to accept me!"
His voice rang out with conviction, and his movements were quick and decisive.
Honor? What was that? If you didn't kneel in a situation like this, you'd really have a screw loose. (Thumbs-up.jpg.)
The Old Taoist's hand paused as he stroked his beard. A hint of amusement flickered in his eyes, then quickly vanished.
"Heh." He smoothed his sparse beard. "You're a clever one... Very well. Since that's so, there are a few things I must tell you first."
He paused briefly, then spoke slowly. "My temple is called Clear Wind Temple. Though my lineage has taken vows and lives in a temple, devoting itself to the Dao, we do not follow the path of severing all worldly ties and enduring bitter asceticism. As long as one abides by propriety, law, and human relations, there is nothing wrong with marrying and having children. We don't have a strict prohibition on wine and meat, but neither do we indulge without restraint."
Hearing that, Shen Hui felt a weight lift from his heart. So marriage and children are allowed. Then no problem—this Dao is worth cultivating!
The Old Taoist's gaze swept over the disciples at the wall, who were straining to listen, before returning to Shen Hui's face. "My Daoist title is Ji Chen. I stopped using my secular name long ago, so there's no need to mention it. Our sect's lineage can be traced back to Green City. As for our present inheritance, I am its ninth generation."
At this point, Old Taoist Ji Chen rose. "Come with me."
He led Shen Hui, followed by the five "tails," out of Chengxin Studio. They walked a short way along the covered corridor and arrived at a quiet side room.
The room had no windows and was lit only by a single ever-burning oil lamp. The light was dim and yellow, and the air carried a faint scent of sandalwood.
An ancient hanging scroll was displayed on the wall directly opposite the door.
It depicted a middle-aged Daoist with a lean, refined face and a long beard of three strands, his expression carefree.
He sat sideways on the back of a sturdy sika deer. The deer strode forward with its head raised, its antlers magnificent and its posture so lively it seemed ready to leap right out of the paper.
Most striking of all, a long, narrow wooden box rested across the Daoist's knees.
The box was of an elegant, archaic design, coated all over in black lacquer. Intricate cloud-and-thunder patterns had been traced across it in fine gold lines. Even in the dim lamplight, it seemed to shimmer with a faint, luxurious gleam.
"This is our sect's founding patriarch, Cloud Deer True Man."
Old Taoist Ji Chen faced the portrait and bowed solemnly. "The patriarch came from Green City and was a true cultivator of the Dao, especially skilled in crafting artifacts and controlling objects. Back then, his Flying Sword Art was also..."
He paused, his gaze falling on the ornately painted Sword Box. A complicated note crept into his voice.
"...unrivaled beneath heaven."
A moment later, Old Taoist Ji Chen turned to look at Shen Hui, who stood respectfully before him.
"Now that you've entered my sect, you need a Daoist name. I see that your mind is clear and perceptive, your fate mysterious and extraordinary, and that your features bear a certain air of detachment from the mortal world."
He stroked his beard and pondered for a moment. "You shall be called 'Qingxuan.' It means taking purity and stillness as the foundation, and mystery as the means."
"Thank you, Master, for granting me a Daoist name." Shen Hui bowed. He mulled the name over in his mind, but couldn't quite make out what it meant.
Ji Chen gave a slight nod. His gaze fell on Shen Hui's short hair, so different from everyone else's, and he asked casually, "Your short hair is quite unusual. Could it be... that you once stayed in a Buddhist temple?"
At that, the disciples by the wall immediately pricked up their ears.
Shen Hui looked up, a carefree smile on his face. He nodded and replied, "Master sees clearly. I have neither father nor mother, and have wandered since childhood..."
His tone was natural, as though he were recounting some ordinary story. "A couple of years ago, to get a meal, I found a small temple and asked to shave my head and stay there as a temporary guest. I pretended to be a monk for a while, just to scrounge a few vegetarian meals. Later, times grew hard at the temple too, so I left."
This was nothing but a story he'd made up on the spot. Before transmigrating, he'd never been a monk, of course. But this explanation accounted for his short hair and fit the image of a wanderer. Perhaps it might even earn him a little sympathy.
Fortunately, in this world, pretending to be a monk just to get a meal wasn't exactly honorable, but it wasn't a heinous crime either.
Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, the round-faced girl by the wall let out a "pfft," then quickly covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking.
The burly man grinned, and the fair-skinned young man shook his head. Only the composed woman furrowed her brow slightly, as though she thought their reaction a little rude.
Ji Chen's gaze swept over them, and they immediately fell silent, their expressions composed.
"War and calamity are everywhere. The world is in chaos, demons and ghosts run rampant, and the common people suffer greatly."
Ji Chen gave a soft sigh. There was no reprimand in his words, only a measure of understanding. "To stay alive, people are sometimes forced to make small compromises. It's good that you spoke honestly."
Then he changed tack, his expression turning solemn. "However, now that you've entered Clear Wind Temple, you must keep certain rules in mind."
Shen Hui straightened his back and listened attentively.
"There aren't many rules—only three precepts, which you must strictly observe."
Ji Chen's voice was deep and measured, each word clear. "First, do not kill the innocent indiscriminately. Those who cultivate must hold fast to their true nature. Never bully the weak or harm living beings unjustly."
Shen Hui's expression was solemn. He bowed his head at the words.
The Old Taoist nodded and continued, "Second, do not lose sight of right and wrong. When faced with matters, discern the truth. Do not curry favor with the powerful, nor believe one side without hearing the other and lose your sense of fairness."
Shen Hui bowed again.
The Old Taoist continued in his aged voice, "Third, do not covet wealth or lust. Money and women are things people desire, but you must acquire them by proper means, keep them within bounds, and use them appropriately. Do not become immersed in them, lose your senses, and ruin your cultivation."
The three precepts didn't sound harsh; they were even rather ordinary. But Shen Hui knew that the more fundamental a rule was, the harder it was to uphold without fail over the long years.
Still, he answered without the slightest hesitation, his expression solemn. "Your disciple Shen Hui will certainly obey Master's instructions and strictly observe the three precepts. If I ever break them, may heaven strike me dead!"
With that, he bowed again.
Seeing how respectful he was, Ji Chen's eyes held a hint of approval. He nodded. "Rise."
Shen Hui stood and lowered his hands respectfully.
Ji Chen turned to the tall, burly man with the square face and broad mouth by the wall and called, "Changxing..."
The man immediately stepped forward and cupped his fists. "Your disciple is here!"
"You entered the sect earliest, and your foundation is fairly solid. From today onward, you will teach Qingxuan the method of drawing in qi."
"Yes, Master." Li Changxing accepted the order, then turned to Shen Hui and cupped his fists. "Junior Brother Qingxuan."
"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother." Shen Hui quickly returned the salute.
Ji Chen looked back at Shen Hui and continued, "Can you read?"
Shen Hui answered honestly, "In reply to Master, I know some characters, but... I don't recognize them all. I know the shapes of many, but not what they mean, and I'm even less able to write them."
Shen Hui was telling the truth. During the morning lesson, he'd leafed through the scripture and discovered that although the written characters of the two worlds looked somewhat similar, they also differed quite a bit.
Ji Chen wasn't surprised. He turned to the composed female disciple.
"Jingming."
The woman stepped forward and curtsied. "Master."
"You're meticulous and patient, and your handwriting is neat. Leave it to you to teach Qingxuan to read, write, and familiarize himself with the scriptures."
"Your disciple obeys."
Jingming replied softly, then looked up at Shen Hui. Her gaze was calm and warm, her bearing poised. "Junior Brother Qingxuan, if you ever have questions about written characters, you can come ask me at any time."
"Thank you, Senior Sister." Shen Hui bowed once more.
"All right, you may all go." Ji Chen waved a hand. "Qingxuan, spend today getting acquainted with your Senior Brother and Second Senior Sister. Tomorrow at the hour of the rabbit, come to Chengxin Hall for morning lessons as usual."
"Yes, Master," they answered together.
Ji Chen said no more. He turned and paced out of the side room.
As soon as Master left, the mood in the room became livelier.
The round-faced girl was the first to bounce over. Grinning, she cupped her fists toward Shen Hui. "Junior Brother Qingxuan, I'm your Fourth Senior Sister. My Daoist name is Jinghui! Did you really pretend to be a monk?"
Shen Hui had just started to nod when the fair-skinned young man came over too, smiling warmly. "I'm your Third Senior Brother, Qingyi."
As he spoke, he pointed to Li Changxing, Jingming, and Qing Shi, who stood at the very back. "This is our Senior Brother, Second Senior Sister, and Fifth Junior Brother. We're family now."
Li Changxing clapped Shen Hui on the shoulder, not lightly. "Junior Brother, now that you're in the sect, cultivate properly. Master may seem easygoing, but he never goes easy on us when it comes to lessons."