A winding path led into secluded depths, and after several turns, they reached the Lantern Street Feng Ji Hu had spoken of.
One glance at Lantern Street explained its name. Lanterns hung outside many courtyards and cave dwellings, varying in number and shape.
At the end of the street stood a small courtyard, with seven or eight lanterns beneath the eaves of its gate: some shaped like lotus flowers, some like round melons, and others like oranges. A plaque on the gate read "Bingchen Courtyard."
Supported by timber and stone, the courtyard hung suspended beyond a rocky peak. Two green pines sprang from cracks in the cliff above, covering half the courtyard like an emerald canopy.
The courtyard gate stood open. The sun was already sinking westward, and golden light streamed through the pine needles, dappling the amber-colored wooden floor with shimmering reflections.
The courtyard was spacious and bare, containing only two rooms and a pavilion. The eastern and western rooms served as living quarters and stood side by side. Opposite them was an alchemy pavilion, with a furnace half a person's height inside.
A small stream ran down the cliff beside the alchemy pavilion and fell into a stone cistern. The cistern was small, only half a person's height. Once full, the water spilled over its sides and flowed along cracks in the stone out of the courtyard, forming a waterfall.
Feng Ji Hu knew the courtyard well. He first glanced at the western room, whose door also stood open, revealing an empty interior. Unsurprised, he led Yunqi into the eastern room.
The room was spotless, with no separate chambers. A paper screen simply divided it in two. The area by the entrance was furnished as a study, with bookshelves and a desk. Behind the screen stood a wooden bed, with a long side table beside it. There was nothing else.
What made Yunqi's eyes light up, however, was the row of shelves by the entrance, packed full of books.
"Not bad, eh? I collected these books during my first years here. They cost me quite a bit of silver, too. Some of my notes are among them. When I left, I didn't take them with me, thinking I'd give the juniors a helping hand. Now that I've brought you into the school, they'll come in handy."
Feng Ji Hu smiled as he spoke.
Yunqi nodded. "They're truly excellent. Thank you so much, Daoist brother."
They sat and chatted for a while. Yunqi learned that Daoist Ji Hu's secular name was Feng Xuhuai. He had entered the mountains at thirteen and lived on Ten Thousand Tablets Peak for seven years. At twenty, he had opened his wood palace and formally joined Cuckoo Valley, studying medicine and the arts of plants alongside his primary cultivation. Three years had passed since then.
Feng Xuhuai belonged to the Ji generation. By nature, he was gentle, quiet, reserved, and inclined to yield to others. His master had given him the religious name "Hu"-tiger-hoping that he would remain as open-hearted as a valley while also harboring a fierce tiger within.
Feng Ji Hu explained that after he became Master Jian Ciyu's disciple at Cuckoo Valley, she had ordered him to take on miscellaneous sect duties from the General Affairs Office, no fewer than ten each month. Only after three years of this had his withdrawn, taciturn disposition changed.
Recruiting disciples for Master Su Kong was one of those so-called miscellaneous duties.
Feng Ji Hu was a native of Yu Zhang, born into wealth. His family had taught him the guiding and nourishing exercises passed down by Rainfall Temple from an early age, but he had only cultivated Pure Spirit Qi at ten. Thus, he had considerable praise for Cheng Yunqi's talent.
Time flew as they chatted. Suddenly, they heard a bird's piercing cry, followed by footsteps. Attentive as he was, Yunqi noticed that the steps were heavy and brisk; the newcomer was probably tall.
"Bingkun!"
Feng Ji Hu had already called out beside him.
"Huh? Who's there?"
The man outside muttered and strode toward them.
Soon, Yunqi saw the newcomer. He was indeed tall and broad, blocking the entire doorway as he stood before it. The setting sun shone upon him, making him look like a guardian deity.
"Xuhuai!"
At the sight of Daoist Ji Hu, the newcomer broke into a delighted grin. Ducking his head, he entered and swept Ji Hu into a hug. Feng Ji Hu was already quite tall, yet in his arms he looked like a little chick.
"All right, all right, let go!"
Daoist Ji Hu pounded the man's back several times before he was released.
"Yunqi, this is He Bingkun. We entered the mountains together and shared this place for seven years. Bingkun, this is Cheng Yunqi. He only joined us today. I took a liking to him, so I arranged for him to live here. Teach him a thing or two from now on."
The two exchanged greetings.
Feng Ji Hu elaborated, "Bingkun is the same age as me, and a registered disciple of the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Palace, one of the eight lineages of the Lotus Blessed Land. His lineage requires the thunder, cloud, and wind abodes to be opened and linked into a single current before Palace-Opening, so that thunder rumbles with every breath. That takes longer, but he should be close within the next year or two."
He Bingkun grinned. "By the turn of summer and autumn next year, at the latest."
"Yunqi also belongs to one of the blessed land's eight lineages. He's a registered disciple of Bright Governance Mountain, and only fifteen this year. Oh, Yunqi, weren't you worrying earlier about how to get there? Just have Bingkun give you a lift. He's close to opening his heart mansion, so he's been visiting the Responding Origin Palace almost every day lately. A few years ago, he also encountered a fortunate opportunity outside the mountains and acquired a Thunder Bird. It's incredibly fast."
He Bingkun sized Yunqi up. The boy looked clear-minded and spirited, fresh and handsome, with peaceful features and no sharp edge to his expression. Bingkun took a liking to him as well. Hearing that he was a registered disciple of Bright Governance Mountain, he smiled and said:
"My greetings, young Daoist master."
A wry smile appeared on Yunqi's face. "Please don't tease me, Daoist brother. Just call me Yunqi."
He Bingkun laughed, then turned to Feng Ji Hu. "You're staying today, aren't you, Xuhuai? How about a few drinks to welcome Yunqi?"
"Just what I had in mind!" Feng Ji Hu said with a smile.
"Good! You two stay put. I've hung some smoked meat in the alchemy furnace-mountain boar freshly smoked over pepperwood last winter. I'll slice some up. There's fine wine in the cistern, too, the good stuff from Dew-Bearing Valley."
With that, He Bingkun rushed out. Soon, they heard the alchemy furnace being opened.
"Smoking meat in an alchemy furnace-only Bingkun would do that." Feng Ji Hu laughed and scolded him, then belatedly turned to Cheng Yunqi. "Can you drink, Yunqi?"
"A little, but I certainly can't drink myself into a hangover. Master Su Kong assigned me quite a lot of reading."
Feng Ji Hu smiled. "Don't worry. Whatever she gave you must be introductory cultivation texts. Bingkun and I read those until they were falling apart long ago. We'll explain them to you later-another dish to go with the wine."
Yunqi agreed.
Feng Ji Hu carried out a low table, and the three sat in the open courtyard. By now, the golden sunset had deepened to crimson, and red clouds filled the western sky. Countless accomplished cultivators rode swords, cranes, or clouds, descending into the mountains like weary birds returning to the woods.
Cheng Yunqi gazed at the wondrous scene. At sunrise, he had still been in the mortal world; by sunset, he had entered immortal mountains, with fine wine and delicious food awaiting him. It all seemed like a dream. For a time, he stared in a daze, unmoving.
Feng Ji Hu and He Bingkun exchanged smiles. Neither urged him nor touched his chopsticks. They quietly waited for Cheng Yunqi to return to himself.
After a dozen breaths or so, Yunqi came back to his senses. Seeing that they had been waiting for him, he apologized repeatedly.
He Bingkun opened the wine jar, and its fragrance spread everywhere. The scent left Yunqi feeling refreshed and clear-headed, much as he had when his earth soul first traveled abroad and caught the fragrance of fleeceflower root.
He Bingkun took out three white porcelain cups and filled them. "Today, all three successive owners of this courtyard have gathered together. We welcome an old master back and a new one in-isn't that worth a cup?"
Feng Ji Hu and Cheng Yunqi agreed. The three clinked cups and drained them.
The wine was cold and crisp on the tongue, fiery down the throat, refreshing in the mouth, and warming in the stomach. It carried the fragrance of herbs and fruit, a fine wine unlike any Yunqi had ever tasted.
"After today's gathering, I'll sign the register at the General Affairs Office tomorrow and settle Master Su Kong's recruitment matter. Then I'll be leaving the mountains."
Feng Ji Hu set down his cup and spoke.
He Bingkun paused. "What for?"
"I'm planning to open my water palace. A few days ago, I asked Xu Jishen of Star-Washing Pool to cast a divination for me. He said my opportunity lay to the south, so I need to travel."
He Bingkun nodded. "That's good news. Where are you planning to go?"
"I'll look around Dianwen first. If I find nothing, I'll head for the Southern Wastes."
Yunqi seized the opportunity to ask, "May I ask you both what exactly an abode is, and what a palace is? Which eight lineages make up the Lotus Blessed Land, and what Dao traditions do we have in these mountains?"
Feng Ji Hu and He Bingkun exchanged a glance, and the former began:
"There are many traditions in the world today, broadly divided into four categories: the Daoist schools, the heterodox schools, the Buddhist schools, and the demonic schools. Orthodox Daoist traditions alone encompass over ninety kinds, including internal alchemy, external alchemy, talismans, the five thunders, invoking deities, stargazing, refining the body, and the primordial spirit.
"Our Three Pure Ones School takes the Dao of internal alchemy as its foundation for beginners, while also encouraging the study of other methods. We value weaving them into a coherent whole, letting myriad arts illuminate one another. We consider it our duty to carry on the lost teachings of past sages and create wondrous methods never seen before. Thus, we are also called the Ten Thousand Methods School.
"Since our founding patriarch established the school, six thousand years of accumulated teachings, restored ancient methods, and newly created arts have left us with nearly forty lineages. That is how our present structure came about. Let me explain in detail."
Feng Ji Hu sipped his wine and continued at an unhurried pace:
"In the northwest of these mountains lies the Lotus Blessed Land, which you've already seen, Yunqi. It is the wellspring of the earth veins running through this thousand-mile mountain range. The Lotus Blessed Land has nine mountains: a flat-topped mountain at the center, surrounded by eight tall peaks.
"The flat-topped mountain is called Two Principles Mountain. The Three Pure Ones Palace stands upon it, flanked by the Pure Yang and Origin Yin Halls. It has been the residence of successive school heads.
"The eight peaks are arranged according to the positions of the eight trigrams. They are:
"Purple Mist Mountain in the Qian position, with the Flying Immortal Terrace upon it. There, we enshrine the ancient deities King Father of the East and Queen Mother of the West, and also cultivate the arts of harmonizing yin and yang, granting nature to stone, and shattering the void;
"Bright Governance Mountain in the Xun position, with the Living Dead Tomb upon it, also known as Zhan Biyun's Bamboo Retreat. Its additional arts include pure yang, wood, earth, wind, corpse liberation, soul restoration, Ghost Commanding, and Corpse Raising;"
"Shaking Light Mountain in the Kan position, with Star-Washing Pool at its summit. There, we enshrine Guan Yinzi and also cultivate the arts of building towers to observe the stars and seeking mountains to read their qi;
"Cliffside Mountain in the Gen position, with the Teaching Hall upon it. There, we enshrine the Jade Clarity Primordial Beginning Patriarch. It also houses the school's books, and its additional arts include talismans, deciphering characters, ordaining the orthodox and investing the extraordinary, summoning spirits, and driving out ghosts.
"White Tiger Mountain in the Kun position, with the Disciplinary Palace upon it. Its additional arts include metal methods, weapons, formation diagrams, puppets, and mechanisms.
"Pivot Mountain in the Zhen position, with the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Palace upon it. There, we enshrine the Heavenly Worthy of Universal Transformation through the Thunderous Voice of the Nine Heavens Responding Origin, and also cultivate thunder methods, methods for dispelling delusion, and methods for invoking deities.
"Cinnabar Glow Mountain in the Li position, with the Cinnabar Well connected to underground fire springs upon it. There, we enshrine the Supreme Clarity Virtue Patriarch and also cultivate fire methods and external alchemy.
"Hundred Herbs Mountain in the Dui position, with Azure-White Lake at its summit. A thousand mu of lotus flowers grow there, forming a realm of its own. There, we enshrine the Highest Clarity Numinous Treasure Patriarch and also cultivate formation diagrams, water methods, and void methods.
"All eight mountains have produced immortals-heavenly immortals, earthly immortals, wandering immortals, or corpse-liberation immortals-and each has passed down its traditions. Hence, they are called the eight great lineages.
"Beyond these, the school also has Cuckoo Valley in the southeast and Rainbow Mountain in the northeast, where the healing arts of Qibo and the Yellow Emperor are practiced; Dew-Bearing Valley in the north, where the supreme yin art of refining the body is practiced; Sword-Casting Mountain in the northwest, where flying sword and ritual sword arts are practiced; Bright Mirror Stone Forest in the northeast, where the arts of pacing the celestial patterns and treading the Dipper, as well as bodily sword arts, are practiced; Yin-Gathering Mountain in the southwest, where the arts of weaving clouds and shaping rosy mists are practiced; and Misty Mountain in the south, where incantation and spell-formula arts are practiced. There are many more, too many to list.
"And who knows how many Daoist masters among these mountains and ravines are seeking ancient methods and creating new ones? Perhaps another tradition will emerge in a few years. We cannot know."
He Bingkun looked proud to share in this heritage and continued, "As Ji Hu just said, our school takes internal alchemy as its foundation and supplements it with other arts. As the foremost great Dao of past and present, internal alchemy emphasizes refining essence, qi, and spirit together. It is divided into five major realms.
"The first realm is called qi refinement. It mainly involves drawing qi into the body, tempering the flesh, and opening the body's major apertures and vital points. Drawing in qi alone has methods such as visualization, sitting in forgetfulness, and bodily flexion, varying from school to school. Once qi enters the body, spiritual qi is circulated to temper the flesh. This is also called cleansing the hair and washing the marrow, stripping away all the body's dross and leaving only a clear, spiritual body. Only then do we open abodes and begin Palace-Opening.
"Internal alchemy also calls the Nose Aperture, Throat Aperture, and Ear Aperture the thunder abode, cloud abode, and wind abode. Once these three abodes are opened, they house the corresponding spiritual properties. Then, a muffled grunt produces thunder, a breath becomes cloud, and a movement of the ears summons wind. When all three apertures act together, rain arrives in an instant."
"The heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys are called the five palaces, corresponding to the five elements of fire, wood, earth, metal, and water. After Palace-Opening and drawing in the essences of heaven and earth, the body can resonate with the five elements and command primal qi."
"The Spiritual Pivot Classic says: 'The five organs store essence, spirit, blood, qi, and the ethereal and corporeal souls.' The five organs are the foundation of the human body, so Palace-Opening allows one to draw in qi, store essence, and extend one's life."
"Opening the three abodes and five palaces also involves methods such as preserving inner deities, ingesting substances, and medicinal baths. The order differs between schools. Take me: my method requires opening all three abodes before the five palaces, so I haven't completed a single palace yet. Ji Hu, however, opened his cloud abode first, then his wood palace, and now he's going to open his water palace.
"Once all five palaces are opened, the essence-qi of the body's five elements rises from them and converges in one place, opening a small inner world within the body: the crimson palace. This small world lies beside the heart mansion. Illuminated by blood and qi, it appears crimson, hence its name.
"This threshold is a watershed, and it has a name: palace breakthrough.
"The crimson palace is the future dwelling of the nascent soul, so this undertaking is also called five qi returning to the origin.
"Reaching five qi returning to the origin marks the completion of qi refinement. To sum up the qi refinement realm: housing qi within the body, refining essence and qi together, and harmonizing humanity with nature."
He Bingkun had spoken at length without stopping, leaving his mouth dry. He downed several more cups of cool wine.
Feng Ji Hu continued, "Yunqi, did you know that our Three Pure Ones Mountain has around a hundred and fifty thousand people in all, counting masters, disciples, and registered disciples, yet only a hundred thousand have achieved Palace-Opening?"
"In other words, for all the people coming and going in these mountains, there are always fifty thousand here who will never enter the gate of the great Dao in their lifetime. These people either grow old on Ten Thousand Tablets Peak, sweeping and helping in the kitchens between drawing in qi, or choose to leave the mountains. They can become wandering heroes or register with a Daoist temple. Either way, they will never have to worry about starvation again. For those without lofty ambitions, that is hardly a bad thing-one might even call it a blessing!
"Those fortunate enough to achieve Palace-Opening, who still hope to advance further, naturally set their sights on five qi returning to the origin. But how many actually make it?"
"About ten thousand.
"Do you hear that? The journey from opening one palace to opening all five stops nine out of ten people.
"Are there people who force their way into the next realm without opening all five palaces, going on to fuse gang and baleful intent? Yes, but that is something heterodox or demonic practitioners do. It is absolutely forbidden on our Three Pure Ones Mountain.
"The orthodox Daoist path may be a true path and a smooth path, but it is also a distant path, a long path. More than that, it is like rowing upstream: fail to advance, and you fall back. How many people reach the end of their lifespan regretting that they did not cultivate hard enough? So, Yunqi, the years are knives, and every cut hastens our aging. We cultivators must cherish time above all. Never squander it."
At this point, Feng Ji Hu sighed deeply and gazed at the slowly rising moon. It was cool and clear, yet his expression grew faintly distant.
"The cold moon and warm sun simmer away our lives. Qi refinement alone is so difficult, yet beyond it lie four more major realms-life treasury, golden core, nascent soul, and union with the Dao-before we can glimpse the music of immortality. The paths to immortality divide further into heavenly immortals, earthly immortals, corpse-liberation immortals, wandering immortals, and more. Heavenly immortality is hard to attain, earthly immortality hard to advance in, corpse immortality hard to pass through, and wandering immortality hard to cross into. I often ponder it deeply, but the more I ponder, the more keenly I feel how difficult becoming an immortal is. Sometimes, dispirited late at night, I cannot help wavering and wondering: are there truly golden immortals above heavenly immortals, let alone the great Luo Dao fruit or primordial extremity?"
He Bingkun gave a cold snort that exploded beside their ears like thunder rising from dry ground. Startled, Feng Ji Hu immediately laughed and scolded him. "You brat! I was only reflecting. I haven't lost my Dao heart. No need to shock me with thunder."
"Yunqi hasn't even begun yet. Why tell him all this?"
Feng Ji Hu smiled and asked Yunqi, "Yunqi, the road of cultivation is long, and its destination seems impossibly distant. Do you truly believe someone can cultivate to the utmost, transcend life and death, and live as long as heaven and earth?"
Cheng Yunqi listened quietly to the end, then said softly, "Daoist brothers, in my humble view, this vast world holds every kind of wonder. An ant does not know a cicada's lifespan, and a cicada does not know a tortoise's. Beyond the tortoise, there are thousand-year cypresses and ten-thousand-year pines. That an ant does not know the pine does not mean there are no pines in the world."
"Hahahaha!" Both men burst into laughter.
He Bingkun pointed at Feng Ji Hu. "Yunqi's Dao heart is steadier than yours! Did you understand him, Ji Hu? Yunqi says you're an ant in a puddle!"
Feng Ji Hu shook his head repeatedly, his eyes already hazy with drink. "We are all pines and cypresses!"
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