劍問蒼天 - 第5章 驚變 - 翰墨軒

This place was all but the fabled realm of immortals.

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.