Chapter 5 — A Shocking Turn

A vast, vast plaza, its ground paved entirely in white marble that gleamed and shone; a single glance made one feel small. Far off, white clouds drifted like gossamer—and they floated beneath one's very feet. At the plaza's center, every few dozen zhang, stood a great bronze cauldron: three rows of three, nine in all, set in perfect order. From the cauldrons wisps of smoke rose now and then, their fragrance clear and lingering.

"This way." As though he understood the children's minds, the young Daoist let a faint smile show, gave them a good long while to look, then roused them and walked on.

"This is the 'Sea of Clouds,' one of the Six Scenes of Qingyun. There's better still ahead!" the young Daoist said as he walked.

Lin Jinghong could not help asking, "What is it?"

The young Daoist pointed ahead. "The Rainbow Bridge."

The two gazed into the distance. Far ahead at the plaza's end, behind the mistlike haze of cloud, something seemed to glimmer and shine. They quickened their steps and went on.

Gradually the sound of water came to them, and among it now and then one or two strange, thunder-like rumblings from no discernible source.

The closer they drew, the more the cloud vapor, like a gentle immortal maiden, wound softly about them, drawing back little by little its veiled gauze to reveal a clear face.

At the plaza's end stood a stone bridge—no piers, no supports—rising across the void, one end anchored in the plaza, the other slanting straight upward into the depths of the white clouds, like a proud dragon leaping into the heavens, its bearing aloof and magnificent. A fine sound of water came; sunlight fell upon it, and the whole bridge scattered the seven colors, like a rainbow from the sky's edge tumbling down into the mortal world—dazzling, wondrous, beauty beyond compare.

Zhang Qingyue and Lin Jinghong stared, dumbstruck.

The young Daoist smiled. "Come along with me." So saying, he took the lead onto the stone bridge.

As they stepped onto the bridge, the two now saw that on either side water flowed down unceasingly, utterly clear, while the middle stretch stayed dry as a bone. Sunlight, piercing the clouds, fell upon the bridge and was bent again by the flowing water, and so became a brilliant rainbow.

Seeing them spellbound, the Daoist said, "Mind your step. Beneath this bridge is a bottomless abyss; drop over the edge, and you'll find no burial ground for your bones."

Zhang Qingyue and Lin Jinghong both jumped in fright and hurried to steady themselves and walk carefully.

The Rainbow Bridge was exceedingly high and long; walking upon it, the three felt the white clouds to either side gradually sink beneath their feet—they must be climbing ever higher. And still that strange sound came drifting on and on from ahead.

After a while more, the white clouds thinned, and they walked out of the Sea of Clouds. Their eyes opened wide at once: the sky was washed clean, blue as though transparent. On every side the heavens stretched boundless; below lay the vast Sea of Clouds, drifting gently up and down, and one glance at it set the heart and breast suddenly at ease.

And straight ahead stood the summit of Jietian Peak, where the Qingyun Temple's main hall, the "Yuheng Hall," was situated.

Green hills held their emerald; the halls rose majestic. The Yuheng Hall sat upon the peak, ringed by cloud vapor, and now and then a few auspicious cranes flew past with long cries, circling in the air and never leaving—a realm of immortals indeed, filling the heart with reverence.

Here the Rainbow Bridge stopped rising, arched across the sky, and came to rest beside a pool of jade-green water before the hall. At the same time, from within the Yuheng Hall drifted faintly the chant of Daoist verses, an air of immortal majesty—and that strange sound, too, grew ever louder.

The three came down from the Rainbow Bridge, reached the pool's edge, and there saw a broad stone stair running straight up from the waterside to the great gate of the Yuheng Hall. The pool water was jade-green, clear and still as a mirror; the reflections of people and hills showed plain.

They mounted the stone stair and were about to go up toward the great gate when suddenly from deep in the pool came a roar, loud as crashing thunder—it was that very strange sound. Looking out, they saw a great whirlpool suddenly form at the pool's center; a moment later huge waves surged up and an enormous shape leaped forth, sheets of spray striking them full in the face.

The young Daoist, however, seemed to have been on guard: with a sweep of his left hand his body floated into the air, drifting swiftly back more than two zhang to hang suspended in midair. The two children had no way to escape and were instantly drenched like drowned chickens.

Yet the two of them paid no attention whatever to their own state; they only stared blankly at the huge creature that had appeared before them—over five zhang tall, with a dragon's head and a lion's body, covered in scales and armor, huge eyes and a great maw, two sharp fangs gleaming in the sunlight, its visage fierce and fearsome to behold.

The monster shook its body, and with a whoosh another sheet of spray came rushing over them; then, as though it had noticed something, it stretched its great head toward the steps.

Zhang Qingyue and Lin Jinghong saw that the monster's single head was far larger than the two of them put together, and in the sunlight its sharp teeth showed clear; watching it come nearer and nearer, they were truly afraid, and could not help pressing close together, their hearts pounding.

Just then the young Daoist, from where he had drifted back, raised one palm before his chest and said with the utmost respect, "Venerable Spirit, these two have been summoned especially by the masters."

The monster glared at him, snorted with a "chuff," and its great eyes—the eyeballs in them actually rolled—seemed almost to be pondering, like a man deep in thought. Then it paid the three no further mind, waddled off to one side, flopped down on the dry ground by the pool, yawned, lazily lowered its head, and went to sleep in the sun.

The young Daoist signaled the two still-shaken children to walk on, and said, "The Venerable Spirit is an ancient beast of ages past, subdued by our sect's Patriarch Qingye a thousand years ago. Its name is the Water Qilin. In those years, when Patriarch Qingye brought glory to Qingyun and vanquished demons and devils, it lent great strength. Today it is the guardian spirit beast of our Canglan Sect, honored as the 'Venerable Spirit.'"

With that he bowed once more toward the Water Qilin. Zhang Qingyue was gazing at it in fascination when Lin Jinghong tugged at him; catching his look, he too bowed respectfully to the Water Qilin. But the Water Qilin did not turn its head or stir in the least—only snored mightily; it likely saw nothing of it.

Having finished their bows, the three went on. Up the high stone steps, they soon saw a golden plaque bearing the three characters "Yuheng Hall." Reaching the foot of the majestic hall, they saw the doors flung wide, the interior full of light, wherein were enshrined the spirit tablets of the Three Pure Ones—the Celestial Worthy of Original Beginning, the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure, and the Celestial Worthy of the Way and Its Virtue—in an air of solemn dignity.

And before the tablets, upon the hall's floor, stood several dozen people, some Daoist and some lay, who appeared to be of the Canglan Sect. Before the gathering were set seven great chairs of sandalwood—three on either side, and one more at the very front center—yet only six of them were occupied; the last chair on the right stood empty, with no one seated.