After Yang Ying produced the crimson jade, the young Daoist's attitude toward her changed considerably. With a wave of his hand, he sent out a path like shattered ice and guided the flying vessel into the Dao palace.
Once the flying vessel landed in the open space before the courtyard, the young Daoist led Yang Ying's group to the outside of a flower garden. He said something to the female disciple guarding the entrance, and she turned and went inside.
After a while, the female disciple came out, gave Yang Ying a respectful curtsy, and said, "This lady, Teacher invites you in."
Yang Ying turned back and gave Jia Yue and the bespectacled girl a few instructions before following the female disciple inside. After only a few steps, she felt the ground beneath her feet sink slightly. Looking down, she saw that she had inadvertently stepped onto a zhang-long lotus leaf.
As the water beneath her feet stirred gently, she felt her body drifting forward atop the emerald-green lotus leaf, carried along a winding little stream.
Watching the flowering trees along both banks slowly pass before her, listening to the murmuring water by her ears and breathing in the wafting fragrance of flowers, she felt her mind open and her spirit refreshed.
The lotus leaf had not drifted far before it came to a stop in front of an ancient pavilion bridge surrounded by clusters of plum blossoms.
A small boat was moored beneath the pavilion bridge. A white-robed woman of gentle, luminous complexion, peaceful eyes, and lovely features sat within it. Before her stood a small lacquer-black table, upon which rested a jade flute adorned with a pair of crimson tassels.
Yang Ying knew this was likely the person she had come to find. Standing upon the lotus leaf,