The two descended toward Yin-Gathering Mountain. It was an extraordinarily wondrous mountain: clouds of every color settled onto it from time to time, while clouds in all manner of strange shapes drifted out.
"Yin-Gathering Mountain is also called Cloud Nest, just as your Bright Governance Mountain is also called Green God Mountain. The latter names are often aliases we use for our sects when traveling anonymously."
The closer they drew to Yin-Gathering Mountain, the more Yunqi felt as though he were immersed in a pool steeped in every color of paint.
Their cloud landed at a mountain landing called High Willow. Weeping willows grew there in a forest, their countless emerald strands swaying in the breeze. From afar, they resembled a green cloud.
Luo Wanhua led Yunqi deeper into the willow grove.
"What sort of cloud would you like?"
The two talked as they walked.
"What sort of cloud?" Yunqi shook his head. He had no idea.
"For instance, the five elements? Which would you prefer: metal, wood, water, fire, or earth? Or flight-would you rather fly high or fly fast? Or special functions-would you like something that gathers spiritual energy, or conceals your presence?"
Yunqi had not expected there to be so many considerations.
He thought for a moment. "Fire, as far as the five elements go. My instructor intends for me to open my Heart Mansion first, and the Heart Mansion belongs to fire. As for flying high or fast, I'd prefer higher. Any other functions will depend on the price. Hmm, I hope it won't cost more than one or two taels of Fangzhu gold."
Luo Wanhua listened attentively, then pondered for a while before clapping his hands with a smile. "I've got it! What a coincidence."
He looked at Yunqi and asked, "Yunqi, do you trust me? If you do, let's skip the cloud market for now. I have a senior sister who's planning to sell her cloud. Come meet her with me and see what you think of it."
Yunqi smiled and nodded. "We're fellow disciples. Why wouldn't I trust you?"
Luo Wanhua smiled in turn, then explained in detail:
"This acquaintance of mine belongs to the Ji generation, with Xuan as her Daoist name. She's an inner disciple of the instructor I'm registered under. I only call her senior sister in private; strictly speaking, I don't qualify yet. I haven't opened a mansion, while she's already opened both heart and lung, attaining the power to command fire and melt metal!"
"Impressive!"
Yunqi voiced his agreement.
"Senior Sister Jixuan happens to be planning to weave her second cloud these days. Truly, the right opportunity has arrived-for her venerable self, and for you.
"For certain reasons, she's planning to switch from specializing in the Fire Element to the Metal Element. Her first cloud was a sunset cloud, made with plenty of excellent materials. It belongs to the Fire Element, flies high, and fits your requirements perfectly. She's in a hurry to buy spiritual materials for her new cloud now, so we might be able to negotiate the price down to one or two taels of gold."
Yunqi was quite pleased with what he heard.
After winding this way and that, they arrived at a cave residence.
Luo Wanhua activated the voice-transmitting ward on its door.
"Sister Jixuan, it's Wanhua. Are you free right now?"
"I'm not busy. Come in."
A woman's voice sounded from inside, and the door opened.
A female Daoist sat before an enormous loom, still holding a golden shuttle. Clouds were piled in layers throughout the cave residence, like stacks of cotton.
Luo Wanhua introduced him. "Sister Jixuan, this is Cheng Yunqi, a newcomer to our Lantern Street, registered under Bright Governance Mountain. He's young, but he's already making a name for himself. Master Sukong imparted a technique to him, and he began ingesting qi in just six breaths."
At this, Pu Jixuan's eyes lit up, shining as brightly as the golden shuttle in her hand. "So you're the one who ingested qi in six breaths."
Luo Wanhua then told Yunqi, "This is Daoist Jixuan."
Yunqi offered a formal Daoist bow. "Greetings, Daoist Jixuan."
Pu Jixuan nodded, then asked Luo Wanhua, "What brings you here?"
"Sister Jixuan, Yunqi wants to buy a cloud. I recommended yours to him."
"Oh?" The light in the female Daoist's eyes grew brighter, and a smile appeared on her face. "My cloud isn't cheap. Neither of you has opened a mansion yet. Where would you get the money?"
Luo Wanhua smiled as he replied, "He ingested qi in six breaths and placed fifth on the Southern Dipper Ranking. Naturally, the All-Teachings Institute awarded him gold."
Pu Jixuan even stopped weaving her cloud and looked at Cheng Yunqi. "Wonderful indeed. How much are you willing to offer?"
Yunqi said, "Could I see the cloud mount first?"
"Of course," Pu Jixuan replied with a smile.
The threads of a red peony embroidered on the female Daoist's robe suddenly slipped free and darted to the floor. Upon landing, they turned into red smoke, which rose and gathered into a lustrous crimson cloud. It bathed even the cave's stone walls in red light, like sunset clouds at the edge of the sky.
The female Daoist pointed, and the red cloud drifted beneath Yunqi's feet. As it rose, it lifted him with it. Standing within the cloud felt like standing on cotton, and a pleasant warmth spread through his body.
Pu Jixuan directed the cloud to set Cheng Yunqi down again. The red cloud suddenly transformed into a ball of red thread, its loose end darting onto his robe. In the blink of an eye, it embroidered a red coiling dragon over the left side of his chest.
Yunqi immediately felt warmth fill his heart aperture, much as it had when he first ingested fire qi the day before. He touched the dragon pattern on his robe. It was slightly hot to the touch, and he nodded in satisfaction.
"Since you found your way here, Wanhua must have told you something about my cloud. It's called Cinnabar. What you call it in the future is up to you.
"Cinnabar is a sunset cloud, belonging to the Fire Element, light and lively. Reaching the first heaven is no trouble, nor is traveling a thousand li in a day. When stowed, it can become a design on your ritual robe, resonating with your Heart Mansion. The Heart Mansion is warmed by the fire cloud, and the fire cloud is nourished by your heart's blood: both object and self benefit."
"Would you be willing to part with it for one tael of Fangzhu gold, Daoist?"
Pu Jixuan let out an involuntary laugh. "Cinnabar's base material came from the crimson sunset after a summer thunderstorm. Nothing could be more translucent or delicate. But sunset clouds are restless and extremely difficult to catch. Capturing the base material alone took me several years.
"After catching it, I put it through a full six thousand passes of the shuttle on my cloud loom before it took shape. Along the way, I supplemented it with precious materials such as Blood Dandelion down, Crested Ibis wing feathers, Fire Wolf Spider silk, and Meishan Red Deer heart's blood. The cost was far more than ten taels of gold!
"Even if it's something I've used, one tael is far too little. Don't bring that up again!"
"Now, Sister Jixuan."
Luo Wanhua spoke again, looking utterly unruffled.
"Don't take advantage of Yunqi's ignorance. Your cloud mount is certainly excellent. Never mind ten taels-even if you said twice that, your little brother would believe you.
"But that isn't how the accounts should be reckoned. You spent a great deal of time and money, yes, but this cloud mount wasn't all you gained. Opening your Fire Mansion, sensing and drawing upon the Fire Element, cloud-weaving skills, soaring through the heavens and burrowing through the earth—there's no reason to make our Yunqi pay for all that!"
Daoist Jixuan flushed with anger and embarrassment. "Well, Luo Wanhua! Helping an outsider criticize me, are you? I see you've forgotten how I've treated you all these years!
"Fine, you say my Cinnabar isn't worth ten taels. But if I'm only selling it for one, why should I care who buys it? I'll put the word out in a moment. Just watch-the line of people wanting Cinnabar will stretch all the way to Gathered Spirit Mountain!"
Daoist Jixuan's fury left Yunqi rather embarrassed. After hearing her out, he too felt that one tael really was too little.
Yet Luo Wanhua still looked as though he had everything well in hand. He shook his head and said unhurriedly:
"My dear sister, Yunqi isn't an outsider. Senior Brother Ji Hu personally brought him into the sect!
"Senior Brother Ji Hu even specifically instructed us to take good care of him. He's staying in Senior Brother Ji Hu's room in Bingchen Courtyard right now!"
Daoist Jixuan froze at this, then grew angrier still, her words coming more urgently. "Why bring him up? That heartless wretch rushed out of the sect in such a hurry, and didn't even tell me before he left!"
Luo Wanhua chuckled without answering.
Daoist Jixuan abruptly smoothed away her anger and gave a light cough. "In that case, one tael it is. If you ever have questions about riding the cloud, feel free to come find me. Since he brought you into the sect, you must cultivate diligently. Hmm, making the Southern Dipper Ranking as soon as you ingested qi is quite good too. Hehe."
Yunqi's eyes widened. Ever since Luo Wanhua mentioned Senior Brother Ji Hu's name, this female Daoist had practically become a different person.
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