Pear Blossoms Bloom
Qixia Mountain lies in the Great Void.
Su Yao stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the immortal mountain shrouded in rosy light and rainbow glow, remaining motionless for a long time.
Myriad rays of light intertwined and swirled, enveloping the Great Void expanse of Qixia Mountain and the surrounding thousands of miles.
The layers of rosy light spread out like the morning glow, with rainbows flowing endlessly, completely isolating the entire area from the outside world.
It is the protective immortal formation of Qixia Mountain, the "Radiant Inner Landscape Crimson Book Illuminating Heaven Formation".
Su Yao couldn't see what was happening inside.
He could only see that curtain of light, where the glow of the sunset and the rainbow intertwined like brocade, layer upon layer, magnificent and vast.
Within the light curtain, the outline of the mountain was faintly visible, with a verdant peak hidden deep in the rosy clouds like a canopy.
He can only see light now.
It's been decades.
He never returned after he went down the mountain.
The protective array around this mountain is still there, but are the plants and trees inside still the same?
Is the mountain gate still the same?
Is that old pine tree where he used to lean against and practice swordsmanship in his youth still there?
He didn't know.
He was kept outside.
Su Yao stared at it for a long time.
So long that the sun rose from the east to its zenith, so long that even the occasional streaks of light passing through the Great Void avoided this area of airspace.
He remembered the baby he was carried up the mountain as an infant. He remembered himself as a boy practicing swordsmanship on the bluestone, his Sword Intent never quite taking shape.
I recall the spirited and ambitious Qixia Daozi on his first descent from the mountain.
He suddenly felt very close.
The mountain was right in front of us, but the shimmering curtain seemed to stretch back decades.
He finally moved.
With a single movement, he stepped into the mortal world.
The white robe fell before the stone steps at the foot of Qixia Mountain.
The stone steps are extremely long, stretching from the foot of the mountain all the way into the depths of the clouds and mist, with no end in sight.
Ancient trees towered on both sides, their dense shade blocking out the sun.
He had just steadied himself when a figure was slowly descending the stone steps in front of him.
The man was dressed in a mountain god's robe, with a gaunt face and a crimson crown adorned with a dark red gemstone.
His entire being Sacrificial Earth, as deep and still as an abyss.
The Mountain God of Qixia Mountain.
Su Yao paused in his steps.
His hand was already on the hilt of the Vermilion Brightness Sword hidden in his sleeve.
When the mountain god saw him, a smile first appeared on his face, and he opened his mouth as if to speak. But the smile froze the moment it met Su Yao's gaze.
Su Yao slowly drew the Vermilion Brightness Sword. The nine heat-induced patterns blazed brightly in the sunlight, and a crimson light flickered at the tip of the sword. He pointed the sword tip diagonally at the stone steps, without speaking, but simply looking at the mountain god.
The mountain god's expression changed drastically.
"Master! Master, please wait!" He waved his hands repeatedly, his voice filled with panic, no longer able to maintain his composure. "More than three thousand years ago, I was also deceived by a villain, which led me to steal the position of Mountain God. Now that Master has returned, this humble god is willing to return the Mountain God's talisman, only begging Master to spare my Lineage's life!"
Su Yao remained silent upon hearing this, only letting out a cold laugh.
"Three thousand years ago?" he said slowly. "Leaving aside what happened three thousand years ago, I only ask you, what were you doing a few decades ago when I descended from Qixia Mountain?"
The mountain god opened his mouth.
"Coming to test me?"
After he finished speaking, silence fell over the stone steps.
The mountain wind rustled through the ancient trees, but it couldn't dispel the lingering chill.
The mountain god's expression changed several times. Of course he remembered. Decades ago, when Su Yao came down the mountain, he went to test him himself.
At that time, he thought Su Yao was just a junior at the Foundation Establishment, and it was unknown whether he could achieve anything in the future.
But who could have imagined that decades later, that "junior" would become a sword Purple Mansion Second Divine Ability?
"I..." The mountain god's lips moved, but he couldn't utter a single word.
Su Yao's gaze fell on his face, which remained calm and undisturbed.
"Commit suicide," he said, his voice low, "And I'll spare your Lineage's life."
The mountain god shuddered.
He lowered his head, and the aura of the Sacrificial Earth surged around him for a moment before slowly subsiding.
He was thinking.
The Devil Lord of Blood Homeland Heaven has fallen. His backer is now completely gone.
The Confucian School wouldn't care about him. He was originally a protector under the former mountain god of Qixia Temple, but he usurped the position of Qixia Mountain by taking advantage of external forces. The Confucian School has never given him a second glance.
He himself possessed the Law Power of the Purple Mansion Middle Stage, but had not cultivated any Divine Ability. This was because before becoming a Mountain God, he was only at the Foundation Establishment.
The tide has turned.
He looked up and glanced at Purple Canopy Peak.
The place is shrouded in mist and shimmering with rosy light. It is the place where the successive patriarchs of Qixia Temple attained enlightenment and settled down. It is also the place that he has never truly set foot in for more than three thousand years, having usurped the position of mountain god.
He glanced at Su Yao again. The young man stood on the stone steps, his plain robe fluttering gently in the wind, the crimson light on his Vermilion Brightness Sword flickering, his face as cold as ever, yet exuding an indescribable composure.
He suddenly recalled the arrogance he felt three thousand years ago when he first usurped the position of mountain god. He thought that with the help of those "above," he could sit peacefully on Qixia Mountain. But for three thousand years, he has always been an "outsider." The plants and trees of Qixia Mountain do not recognize him, the streams do not recognize him, and even the spirits of the mountains do not recognize him.
He was nothing more than a thief sitting on a divine throne.
"That's enough."
The mountain god sighed deeply.
That sigh contained resentment, regret, and also an inexplicable sense of relief.
He raised his right hand, palm facing up, and the energy of the Sacrificial Earth surged forth from his body. The crimson divine light surged like a tide, but instead of spreading in all directions, it all condensed in his palm, forming a crimson talisman.
On the talisman, the patterns of the Sacrificial Earth flowed endlessly, like the breathing of mountains.
He tossed the imperial edict into the air.
Then, he closed his eyes and suddenly slapped his forehead with his right hand.
The Sacrificial Earth God poured into his forehead with unstoppable force, instantly piercing through his Purple Mansion Dharma Body and entering the Rising Yang Mansion.
Above the Spirit Platform, the mountain god's position, which had been entrenched for three thousand years, trembled slowly, followed by streaks of crimson divine light that swept across the land like a spring breeze.
The deity did not evade.
Moments later, the Spirit Platform collapsed, Rising Yang shattered inch by inch. The spiritual energy of the Sacrificial Earth within him lost its last restraint and surged out of his body like water released from a dam.
The crimson divine radiance did not dissipate.
After emerging from the mountain god's body, they were drawn up slowly by an invisible hand, condensing into a crimson pillar of light that shot into the sky.
Within the pillar of light, the faint outlines of thousands of miles of mountains and vast fields could be seen, unfolding like a landscape painting. These were the earth's energy from the mountains and rivers within a radius of thousands of miles around Qixia Mountain. For three thousand years, this earth's energy should have been under the control of the mountain god, but at this moment, it seemed as if it had been relieved of a heavy burden, peeling away from the crimson pillar of light and surging out, returning to the depths of the mountain.
The mountain god's physical form gradually became transparent within the crimson pillar of light.
First the limbs, then the torso, and finally the head of white hair, each strand turning into a red dot of light, vanishing with the wind.
The beam of light dissipated.
Above the stone steps, only a crimson talisman remained, silently floating in mid-air. On the surface of the talisman, the patterns of the Sacrificial Earth flickered, but there was no longer any trace of the mountain god's aura.
Su Yao stepped forward and took the talisman down.
He glanced at it, showed no particular expression, and put the edict into his sleeve.
Just then--
"The imperial decree has arrived! Abbot Su Yao of Qixia Temple, receive the decree!"
A loud shout came from the Great Void.
Su Yao frowned slightly, turned around, and looked towards the Great Void. He saw a convoy coming from the depths of Great Void, with sixteen golden-armored guards leading the way at the front and back. In the middle was a red-canopied carriage with bright yellow tassels hanging from the shafts. The four sides of the carriage were painted with patterns of the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers in vermilion lacquer, displaying the imperial majesty without a doubt.
The convoy reached the edge of the real world and slowly came to a stop.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and a red-robed eunuch stepped out. The man was about fifty years old, with a fair complexion, no beard, and a slender figure, but his eyes were very bright. Behind him were four junior eunuchs, each carrying a vermilion lacquered tray covered with bright yellow brocade.
The red-robed eunuch stepped forward quickly, bowed slightly to Su Yao, and spoke in a high-pitched yet steady voice:
"Our Directorate of Ceremonial, Chen Hong, has come to Qixia Mountain on His Majesty's orders to deliver a decree. His Majesty is deeply concerned about the Abbot's arduous service in Nanzhao."
Su Yao glanced at him, returned the greeting with a slight bow, but showed no intention of kneeling to receive the imperial decree.
Chen Hong's expression froze slightly, but remembering His Majesty's instructions before he came, he quickly regained his composure and smiled:
"The abbot is a person outside the secular world; it is acceptable for him not to kneel."
He unfolded the imperial edict in his hand and read it aloud:
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Qingyan, Qingyan of Qixia Temple, inheriting the orthodox lineage of Daoist Gate and carrying on the legacy of his predecessors, has guarded Nanzhao for decades, sweeping away evil influences, pacifying border troubles, and bringing peace to the people. His merits are invaluable to the nation, and his virtue benefits all living beings. He is hereby bestowed the title ' Nation-Protecting True Person,' and further honored with the Spirit Treasure ' Qixia Dao-Promoting Purple Canopy Fortune-Aiding True Person.' He is also rewarded with a 'Purple Palace Purple Mansion Essence-Concentrating Lamp,' a 'Golden Palace Paying Golden Palace Essence-Homage Pendant,' and a ' Nine-Fire Jade-Covering Robe.' In addition, he is granted twelve Purple Mansion Elixirs and a quantity of spiritual materials. It is hoped that the True Person will continue his efforts, using Daoist methods to assist the nation and compassion to save the world. This decree is hereby issued!"
After reading the imperial edict, Chen Hong closed it and handed it to Su Yao with both hands.
Su Yao reached out and took the tray, then picked up the reward from the tray and tucked it into his sleeve, saying calmly:
"Please thank His Majesty for me."
Chen Hong waited for a moment, and seeing that Su Yao said nothing more, his smile began to falter. He had originally wanted to say a few more polite words to build rapport, but Su Yao stood on the stone steps, his plain robes motionless in the wind, his eyes calm and undisturbed. He opened his mouth, but ultimately dared not say anything more.
"Well then... I'll take my leave." Chen Hong cupped his hands slightly, turned around, and prepared to leave.
Su Yao didn't speak, nor did he offer any gifts.
Chen Hong took a few steps and glanced back. Su Yao had already turned around, facing the stone steps, and was no longer looking at him.
Chen Hong's expression was complicated. He finally sighed and climbed into the carriage. The caravan slowly turned around and headed towards the depths of the Great Void, just as it had come, disappearing into the clouds in an instant.
Su Yao put the imperial edict and rewards into his Storage Bag and took out the Daoist Gate Talisman Edict again. The talisman was entirely dark yellow, with Cloud Seal Script on its surface, and faintly shimmering with rosy light.
He tossed the imperial edict into the air.
The talisman hung before him, and suddenly a radiant glow appeared. A warm golden curtain of light descended from the talisman and landed on the stone steps. The clouds at the end of the stone steps surged to both sides, revealing a stone staircase leading to the mountainside.
Su Yao stepped onto the stone steps.
He took three steps.
Suddenly, a melodious, ethereal sound drifted down from the mountain.
The sound seemed to originate from nowhere, as delicate and subtle as silk threads, drifting gently into the ear.
Amidst the celestial music, there was a faint chanting, as if countless people were reciting an ancient ballad in unison.
He took ten steps.
The pear trees on either side of the stone steps suddenly moved.
In late autumn, the pear trees, whose branches should have been bare, suddenly burst forth with countless pure white buds. These buds unfolded at a speed visible to the naked eye, one, two, hundreds, and so on, until the entire mountain was covered in pear blossoms at the same time, like snow covering the branches, like white clouds falling to the ground, dyeing the entire Purple Canopy Peak a pure white.
Su Yao paused in his steps.
He gazed at the pear blossoms covering the mountain and suddenly remembered a phrase.
That was when he came down the mountain years ago, Jueming asked him:
When will Daozi return to the mountains?
He left behind only one sentence:
You ask when I will return, but there is no set date; when the pear blossoms bloom again, that will be my return.
Now, in late autumn, pear blossoms cover the mountains.
He continued walking upwards.
The celestial music grew ever more abundant, and the pear blossoms grew ever denser.
The pear trees on both sides of the stone steps stretch from the mountainside all the way to the summit, their blossoms like snow and their petals falling like rain.
Pure white petals fluttered down, landing on his white robe, on the stone steps he had walked on, and on the dust he had accumulated on his journey.
When he reached the halfway point of the mountain, he suddenly stopped.
Ahead, a villa is built against the mountain, with blue bricks and gray tiles, and a deep courtyard.
Above the door hangs a plaque with the four characters "Qixia Courtyard" (栖霞别院).
Beyond the villa, a lake can be vaguely seen, its waters as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the sky and clouds.
A Rainbow Bridge spans the two banks of the lake, its structure resembling a solidified rainbow, with the glow of the sunset constantly shifting.
As Su Yao gazed at the villa, the lake, and the Rainbow Bridge, he suddenly remembered something.
That was a faint singing voice that he heard behind him when he left the gate of Qixia Mountain on his way down the mountain.
He still remembers that song clearly.
"Deep in Qixia Mountain, clouds are my garments and rosy hues my steeds. I urge you to stay, for the world is full of suffering and the road is difficult. The wind in the pines carries the sound of the distant stream; return, to the old green mountains."
He paused in his tracks when he heard the song.
After standing silently for a long time, he finally turned around, bowed deeply towards the mist-shrouded peaks, and sang aloud in response:
"Clouds are my clothes, and rosy clouds are my skirt; the sun and moon shine long on Qixia Mountain."
I will never forget the kindness of my teacher, but my worldly ties remain, so I must go forth alone.
The pine breeze carries a cool murmur, the stream murmurs gently; I urge you, teacher, not to grieve for my sake.
When the pear blossoms cover the mountains in white, I will return to serve you in the pine-lined hall as before.
After he finished singing, he turned and strode away.
Now, the mountains are covered in white pear blossoms.
Su Yao stood in front of the villa, gazing at the pear blossoms covering the mountain, and remained silent for a long time.
Then he took a deep breath, walked around the courtyard, and stepped onto the stone steps leading to the Rainbow Bridge.
My steps were faster and more steady than before.
The Rainbow Bridge is extremely long, spanning the Lake Encompassing Emptiness.
The bridge is like a frozen rainbow, with seven colors flowing in red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple. With each step you take, the colors under your feet light up slightly.
The lake beneath the bridge was like a mirror, reflecting Su Yao's figure in his white robe, as well as the pear blossoms scattered across the sky.
He walked across the Rainbow Bridge and stepped onto the stone steps on the opposite bank.
At the end of the stone steps, a vast white jade plaza unfolds. In the center of the plaza, a majestic palace rises from the ground, with double eaves and a hipped roof, golden tiles and vermilion pillars. In front of the palace are nine steps, on which stand twelve jade pillars with coiled dragons.
Above the lintel hangs a huge plaque with the four characters "Purple Empyrean Golden Palace" (Purple Palace of the Golden Clouds), written in a powerful and vigorous style, like dragons and snakes coiling.
More than fifty people stood silently in the square.
They stood on either side, each with a solemn expression and a deep, focused presence.
At the very front, the two stood side by side.
The man on the left, dressed in a green robe, with a handsome face, was Nannuo. The man on the right, dressed in a white robe, with a gentle face, was Jueming.
Behind the two, more than fifty disciples of Qixia Temple, all of whom possessed unique Purple Mansion cultivation, bowed in unison and proclaimed in a loud voice:
Welcome back to the mountain, Abbot!
The sound echoed across the square, causing pear blossoms to fall in a flurry.
Su Yao stood at the head of the Rainbow Bridge, gazing at the Purple Empyrean Golden Palace and the fifty-odd familiar or unfamiliar faces, and at the barely suppressed joy in Nannuo and Jueming's eyes. Suddenly, he felt a tightness in his throat.
He straightened his robes and stepped onto the white jade square.
step.
Two steps.
Three steps.
He walked towards the Purple Empyrean Golden Palace, towards the fifty-odd people, and towards Nannuo and Jueming.
Behind me, on Lake Encompassing Emptiness, the Rainbow Bridge still stands.
Pear blossoms fell like snowflakes, filling the sky.
There is a word cloud:
For decades, the celestial mountain has been shrouded in rosy clouds, its radiant light like a brocade veiled by mist and smoke. The chance to glimpse the old path is now lost.
The mountain god committed suicide, the imperial edict fell, and the emperor's favor was in vain, bestowing upon him fine clothes. Better to return to the pear blossoms.
Step by step on the stone steps, I tread upon the autumn frost; ethereal music drifts into the vast expanse. Pear blossoms cover the mountain, white as snow; my heart has returned to the hall of yesteryear.
The Rainbow Bridge, seven colors reflected in the cold pond, mirror-like in the lake, is my hometown. Fifty disciples bow in unison, standing before the Purple Empyrean Golden Palace in the setting sun.
A heartfelt welcome choked me, and I straightened my clothes and stepped into the Jade Hall. Ask not when I will return, for when the pear blossoms bloom again, that will be my home.