Chapter 1290: Chapter 32: Fu Yang Sect
There were still sixteen years before the Dragon Pillar Meeting, and Zhang Yan thought to himself there was no need to rush. As nothing had disturbed him in recent years, he felt his cultivation had advanced rather swiftly. With another seven or eight years of effort, he should be able to raise his cultivation by another tier, and by then, it would not be too late to go.
After he and Zhao Ge had discussed all matters, they walked out of the Cave Mansion. Lifting his eyes, he saw that it was already the hour of Xu, dusk had fallen, and the distant mountains lay in hazy shadow. With a single leap he soared up, returned to the Cave Mansion atop the peak, and began circulating the Junyang Essence.
Very soon the night passed. He awoke from meditation just as dawn was breaking and the rising sun was about to emerge. Remembering what Daoist Wen had said when taking his leave yesterday, he instructed Jing You, who was attending at his side, "In the Lower Court there is a Child who has trekked ten thousand li to come here Seeking Dao and taking a Master. Go and bring him up the mountain to see me."
Jing You answered in the affirmative, immediately left the Cave Mansion, summoned a Flying Boat, and flew down the mountain.
The Han Yuan Lower Court lay at the foot of Cangzhu Peak, more than ten li from the Main Mountain Gate. When Zhang Yan had ordered its construction back then, there were still few disciples, only a few bamboo Refined Huts. But as more and more Disciples came to enter here, it was gradually expanded in all respects.
Yet this place had originally been a desolate countryside, while most of those Disciples were scions of Dukes and noble clans within Divine House Mountain, so they found living here rather uncomfortable. Thus he ordered servants and craftsmen to build many pavilions and towers. At first, fearing punishment from the sect, they did not dare to make them too lavish, but later, seeing that the sect paid no heed to such actions, they grew bolder and moved all manner of luxurious items from their clans into this place.
Later the Disciples all followed suit, even diverting water to form lakes and planting flowers, grasses, and trees everywhere. Over these past ten-odd years, they had already built this place into something quite exquisite: jade trees thick in profusion, jade-like steps bright as silver, blossoms fading by the lotus ponds, strange stone cloisters winding about, refinement at every turn; willow streams and bamboo paths, moon terraces and square bridges—nothing was lacking.
For this reason, many Disciples in the Court, aside from practicing their Cultivation Techniques each day, would in their leisure go out to row boats and tour the lake, chanting to the wind and admiring the moon.
After hearing of this, Zhang Yan instructed the people under his command not to interfere, but to let them be.
The Lower Court was the first gate in testing a Disciple’s Dao Heart. Whether they sought Immortality or not was their own affair. If you wish to learn the Dao, I will naturally transmit it to you. If you have no heart for this and abandon your own opportunity, I will not force you.
At this moment the morning light had just shone forth, and there were already several Disciples devoted to Cultivation in the Lower Court tempering their Inner Qi. Just then they saw a Child with an unusually large head arriving by Flying Boat. Recognizing him as one of the attendant children at the Sect Leader’s side, one among them stepped forward to offer a bow, saying, "Master Jing, since you have come down the mountain today, is there any matter in which you require a Disciple’s service?"
Jing You cast him a brief glance and said, "You are Qiu Guang?"
The Disciple had not expected Jing You to remember his name and could not help but show a look of delight. "This Disciple is indeed he," he said.
Jing You asked in a seemingly casual manner, "Do you here have a Child of about ten years of age, said to have come from outside Divine House Mountain to take a Master?"
That Disciple turned the thought over once and then smiled. "So Master Jing has come to seek Zhao Yang? Please wait a moment, Master Jing. This Disciple will go and fetch him at once."
Jing You waved a hand carelessly and said, "Quickly, and come back quickly."
How would Qiu Guang dare delay? After bowing, he turned and went off at a brisk pace. He remembered that Zhao Yang seemed to live in a side courtyard to the northwest. As he was still very young and not a subject of any of the kingdoms within Divine House Mountain, no one invited him out to play, so at this moment he was likely still in his dwelling studying Erosion Text.
Before long he arrived before a secluded bamboo tower and called out in a loud voice, "Junior Brother Zhao, are you there?"
In the past, for a mere newly entered Disciple like this, he would not even have bothered to call out, but would have stepped inside directly. Yet since Jing You had come specifically to seek this youth, he realized Zhao Yang was perhaps not an ordinary person and saw no need to offend him.
After a short moment, a clear, slightly childish voice sounded from within the courtyard. "Zhao Yang is here. Which Senior Brother is outside?"
Qiu Guang said, "Junior Brother Zhao, I am your Brother Qiu. Do you still remember me? But let us not dwell on that, let us not dwell on that. I have come to tell you that Master Jing of Cangzhu Peak has come here and has named you in particular. He is waiting outside at this very moment. Junior Brother Zhao, your fortune has arrived!"
Inside the bamboo building, before a low desk, sat a refined Child, his skin fair, his eyes clear, his lips pressed tightly together. Though he looked only about ten years old, there was a steadiness about him that belonged to an adult. On hearing these words, his heart gave a sudden thump, and he thought to himself, "The opportunity has finally come."
His coming to this mountain, apart from taking a Master, in truth had another purpose. He drew a deep breath, strove to calm himself, and said, "Many thanks, Senior Brother, for coming to inform me. This little brother will come at once."
He rose to his feet, straightened his clothes, and walked out of the bamboo building with measured steps. Qiu Guang greeted him with a broad smile, warmly taking his hand, patting the back of it, and said with a beaming expression, "Come, Junior Brother. Senior Brother will take you to see Master Jing."
