The Jade Void Discussion of Rainbow Clouds

Qizhenzi followed the Daoist attendant to the Jade Void Palace, where he saw:

Mists and rosy clouds scattered their colors, while the sun and moon shimmered with light.

Amid a thousand ancient cypresses, golden palace towers and white jade balustrades came into view.

The palace gates towered before him, a plaque bearing the three characters "Jade Void Palace." A couplet hung on either side: "Jade, carved and perfected, becomes a vessel of greatness; emptiness of heart attains fruition and plants immortal roots."

Auspicious Qi rose in billowing clouds, untouched by dust. What a solemn holy realm, imperishable through myriad tribulations.

Stepping inside, he saw the Jade Void Palace lamps suspended in the air, illuminating the entire hall as brightly as day.

Gold and jade shone all around, immortal Qi hung in the air, and the jade paving beneath his feet was polished bright enough to reflect a face.

More than a hundred prayer mats stood in neat rows along the two sides of the hall, leaving an open space in the middle.

At the very front, beneath the cloud bed, a towering bronze incense burner stood firm. Wisps of blue smoke rose from it, and an extraordinary fragrance filled the air.

Fourteen more prayer mats were arranged in a row behind the incense burner.

He followed the Daoist attendant to a place in the middle, and the attendant looked at him.

"Exalted Immortal Qizhen, please wait a moment. The palace master will be here shortly."

With that, he turned and left, closing the palace doors behind him.

Qizhenzi glanced at the cloud bed and saw that the palace master had yet to arrive, so he lowered his head.

After a long while, strains of immortal music and an extraordinary fragrance drifted in.

Only then did Qizhenzi raise his head. He saw that the palace master was already seated upright on the cloud bed. There were no great manifestations apart from the immortal music and fragrance that had come before.

He wore a pure white Daoist robe and no ritual crown. His face looked kindly, but the next moment, Qizhenzi forgot what he looked like.

He thought to himself:

The second palace master's cultivation has grown even deeper.

He then spoke:

"Qizhenzi, Daozheng of Qixia Temple, of the Mount Zhongnan lineage of the Jade Purity Great Dao of the Profound Gate, pays his respects to the Jade Purity Primordial Beginning Heavenly Venerable of Beholding Simplicity."

The figure above waved a hand. His voice was ethereal and far-reaching, its profound tones ringing in Qizhenzi's ears.

"Senior Qizhenzi, do you know why I summoned you into the hall alone?"

Qizhenzi was slightly taken aback.

"Is it about Proclaiming Earth's journey south?"

He chuckled and, instead of answering, changed the subject.

"Is Qixia Temple's Dao Child truly the one upon whom the Rainbow Cloud Fruition has bestowed its destiny?"

Qizhenzi inwardly cried that things were going badly. Fortunately, he had come prepared, so he kept a tight hold on his thoughts.

"When he was born, the bright moon hung high in the sky. I was worrying about the future of Qixia Temple's Dao lineage when I suddenly saw rosy light shoot into the heavens in the south. My divine sense told me that the light came from the Great Qing River. There I saw an infant abandoned on the river, drifting with the current."

Qizhenzi paused, then continued:

"At the time, I recalled the words left by Patriarch Yun Zhongzi in the Book of Words on the Mysterious: 'The rosy clouds are the essence of celestial phenomena, the manifestation of rainbow clouds. When they descend into the world, a sign must appear in the heavens, whether at dawn or dusk, by sun or moon. On my path to attaining the Dao, I began in the east at Mount Zhongnan and traveled west, then turned north and looked south. The one who comes after shall appear on the shore of the southern seas, or emerge in the wilds of the Great Wilderness.'"

Qizhenzi then drew a roll of bamboo slips from his sleeve and respectfully unfurled it.

"This is the original Book of Words on the Mysterious, written by Patriarch Yun Zhongzi's own hand. In it, the patriarch also said: 'Though the fruition of the rainbow clouds hangs in the nine heavens and does not fall into the mortal world, the Heavenly Dao follows its constant course: when a tribulation comes, it descends. When it descends, it must be entrusted to a person, and that person must possess seven virtues: a clear and lucid heart and nature, comprehension that reaches the mysteries, profound fortune and affinity, an unwavering Dao heart, no taint of the Outer Dao, no craving for power or desire, and no fear of life or death. When that time comes, rosy light will illuminate the heavens as a sign of heaven's mandate.'"

When he finished, he raised the bamboo slips a little higher in both hands. Hearing no profound voice from the seat above, he felt somewhat reassured, and his tone grew steadier.

"By this measure, when Su Yao was born, rosy light appeared in the heavens, and Rainbow Cloud Qi shone from him even in his swaddling clothes. He began cultivating the Dao in childhood, awakened to the mysteries in three days, and reached Foundation Establishment Perfection in one sixty-year cycle. His Law Techniques and attainments in the Dao far surpassed those of his peers. Though unruly by nature, he has never strayed from fundamental principles. Is that not a 'clear and lucid heart and nature'? As for 'no craving for power or desire,' he would rather defy his elders than forgo descending the mountain to settle his worldly ties, and he disdains those without restraint. That, too, offers a glimpse of it."

"Moreover," Qizhenzi paused slightly, "the patriarch's Book of Words on the Mysterious also says: 'All who are favored by a Fruition Position shall have a spiritual object accompany them.' When Su Yao was still in swaddling clothes, I sensed a presence on him that shared the same source and root as the Ask Amid the Clouds left by the patriarch, yet was not entirely the same. That was precisely the sign of 'a spiritual object accompanying him.'"

Qizhenzi paused again.

"Only, I do not cultivate the rainbow clouds, so I cannot be certain what it is. But as Su Yao has grown older, the wonders of the rainbow cloud path upon him have become ever more apparent."

"Thus," Qizhenzi said, bowing deeply, "though I did not wish Su Yao to be drawn into this matter, heaven's mandate is already such, and I had no choice but to let nature take its course and allow him to descend the mountain. If the palace master wishes to hold someone to account, Qizhenzi will accept his punishment willingly."

Above him, the palace master chuckled.

"Senior, why be so cautious? I merely asked whether he truly enjoys the favor of the Rainbow Cloud Fruition. I did not come to call you to account."

He paused, his voice still ethereal and far-reaching, its profound tones ringing in Qizhenzi's ears.

"Since Grandmaster Yun Zhongzi left this writing, I naturally have no objection. Only..." His gaze passed through the halo of light and settled on Qizhenzi. "Are you truly willing to let that child descend the mountain and undertake this matter, senior? After all, rosy clouds are immortal, and the proper path for immortals is to stay out of the mortal world."

Qizhenzi was silent for a long time before he slowly said:

"Patriarch Yun Zhongzi cultivated earth and became rosy clouds. He, too, came from the mortal world, and only comprehended the rainbow clouds through the union of yin and yang and the gathering mists. That was why the Dao Ancestor bestowed upon him the name 'Yun Zhongzi.'"

For a time, silence filled the hall, broken only by the wisps of blue smoke rising.

After a long while, he spoke, displeasure in his voice.

"When you were halfway here, senior, the master of the Supreme Purity Primordial Manor suddenly appeared near Mount Zhongnan and used the art of supreme yin to blot out heaven and earth..."

He paused.

"Did you take that opportunity to go up Mount Zhongnan and meet that person, senior?"

Qizhenzi said little in response and immediately bowed.

"The Qixia lineage would not dare harbor divided loyalties. It is only that, after great difficulty, we finally have a Dao Child, and my heart could not rest easy. As I passed Mount Zhongnan, the manor master happened to be there, so I begged him to help conceal my movements. Afterward, at the foot of Mount Zhongnan, I asked the True Lord whether the Rainbow Cloud Fruition had truly bestowed its favor."

He chuckled.

"The manor master is a warmhearted person as well."

After a pause, he asked:

"What did Xicheng say?"

Qizhenzi was silent for a moment, then spoke with difficulty.

"The True Lord first burst out laughing, then answered with a single word..."

"What word?" he pressed.

Qizhenzi said in a low voice:

"Mm."

"Ha ha ha." He laughed. "Xicheng is as casual as ever."

He then waved for Qizhenzi to rise and said:

"In the end, the people involved have yet to meet. Let the two of them meet, and I imagine we will know."

With that, before Qizhenzi could react, he waved his right hand, and a banner appeared in it.

The banner was pitch-black throughout and covered with countless scriptures.

He merely shook it, and a beam of clear light emerged from the black banner and descended toward the South Sea.

He then looked at Qizhenzi.

"Before you and I watch the show, there is one more thing I must ask you."

Qizhenzi had no choice but to answer:

"Please ask, palace master. I will answer everything I know."

He spoke in a grave voice.

"Three thousand years ago, was it Xicheng who helped you drive back that Devil Lord?"

Qizhenzi shook his head.

"I merely used a talisman left by the patriarch to wield the Ask Amid the Clouds."

He smiled and pressed no further, instead taking out a treasured mirror.