Chapter 26: The Beginning of the Immortal Path

The next morning, Xiang Weiyuan finished his morning ablutions early and went to the square at the mountain gate.

The Immortal Vessel of Tai Chu Palace rested at the center of the square, twenty zhang long, its hull a pale blue, with several folded masts along its sides. This vessel would carry all new disciples from this location to the mountain gate.

Xiang Weiyuan boarded the vessel with Zhang Sheng. The vessel had three decks: the lower deck carried cargo and luggage, the middle deck seated servants and attendants, and the upper deck held six tables.

Zhang Sheng casually chose a seat on the upper deck. Soon after, Sun Yu and Fufeng Daoist also boarded and sat at Xiang Weiyuan’s table.

As departure neared, people gradually boarded. First came two youths, each accompanied by an elder, each taking a separate table, while their attendants went below. Xiang Weiyuan vaguely recognized these two youths—they had stood beside Li Zhi and Bao Yun.

Next came a group whose attire was strange, extravagantly ornate yet revealing large swathes of skin. Their complexions were dark, with extensive scales on their necks and wrists, and all shared a pair of amber eyes. One of the four was the young man from the Eastern Sea’s Yan family who had arrived on the nine-colored deer for the examination.

The Yan family chose the rearmost, only windowless table for themselves. Such quietness from the usually flamboyant Yan family puzzled Zhang Sheng.

Then two more groups arrived, each escorting a boy and a girl. Seeing them, Xiang Weiyuan’s heart leapt; he slowly turned his head and gazed out the window at the scenery.

Xiang Weiyuan recognized both the boy and the girl. The girl was Bao Yun; the boy was Xiang Xiaoyu, who had slashed him hundreds of times and nearly wounded him.

During the martial test, Xiang Weiyuan had been possessed by the Heavenly Madman, radiating an aura of supreme dominance, heedless of small details. Now that he had returned to his normal state, he felt his actions had been excessively brutal—especially that final lance thrust at Bao Yun. Recalling it now, he felt deeply embarrassed.

By now, all six tables on the upper deck were filled; everyone had arrived. Instantly, screens rose from the floor, dividing the cabin into six separate compartments. Faint light glowed upon the screens, blocking not only sound but also spiritual sense.

Once the screens rose, Zhang Sheng asked: “Why are we taking six this year? I thought it would be at most four.”

Sun Yu said: “This year’s admissions are somewhat complicated…”

Sun Yu glanced at Fufeng Daoist and said: “Here’s how it went: The Eastern Sea Yan family exerted great effort and paid a heavy price to secure third place for their heir. Fufeng Brother did his best—after the Dao and Literature tests, Yan’s son truly ranked third. But during the Martial test, Yuan’er swept all before him and took first without contest, which was not part of the plan, so Yan’s boy was pushed out.”

Zhang Sheng asked in surprise: “Then why is he still on the vessel?”

“The Eastern Sea Yan family and the Xu Zhou Lu family, originally fourth, were both unwilling to accept it. After the exams, each sought connections and managed to obtain an extra slot, so the palace granted five slots total for this unified examination. But last night, another twist occurred: Lady Bao, originally bound for the Great Bao Hua Pure Land where a ready-made Dharma Form awaited her inheritance, suddenly came to Tai Chu Palace instead—so the Yan family was pushed out again.”

Xiang Weiyuan listened, puzzled. By order, it should have been the Lu family who got pushed out. Zhang Sheng had the same question.

Sun Yu continued: “The unified examination used a five-point scale. Yan’s boy scored only two points higher than Lu’s heir. But the Lu family exerted far greater influence to secure that slot than the Yan family did. So in the end, it was still the Yan family who got pushed out. As for why Yan’s boy is still on this vessel—it’s because they pushed again. But the palace couldn’t grant a sixth slot, so the arrangement became this: Yan Ming is technically admitted into the lower grotto-heaven, but he may attend classes as an auditor at Tai Chu Palace.”

Zhang Sheng was stunned: “That’s allowed?”

Sun Yu lowered his voice: “I heard the Yan family will give the palace substantial offerings every year.”

“This—this is outrageous! Does that mean only the rich can get in?”

Sun Yu spoke with deep meaning: “It’s not just being rich—it’s being obscenely rich.”

Zhang Sheng fell silent.

The hour arrived. The Immortal Vessel trembled gently, then rose slowly. The square and mountain gate below shrank rapidly. Then the vessel passed through an invisible boundary—the scenery below abruptly changed. The immortal mountains and green trees vanished; below lay only a small green hill, embedded in endless yellow earth.

The vessel ascended steadily until it pierced the cloud layer and floated above the sea of clouds, at which point its masts unfolded and sails like fish fins unfurled.

Sunlight bathed the entire sea of clouds in gold. Where the vessel passed, the clouds parted on either side, as if cutting through a golden ocean—magnificent and breathtaking.

The vessel’s speed increased, rising further, leaving the golden sea of clouds behind. Outside the window, the scenery blurred; the clouds became golden threads. Despite this speed, the vessel remained perfectly steady—unless one looked out the window, one would feel no motion at all.

Xiang Weiyuan, seeing such immortal sights for the first time, was awestruck and kept gazing out the window.

Sunset rose, then sunrise.

One day later, a mountain suddenly appeared in the sea of clouds ahead. From afar, it looked like a steep peak—but as they drew near, the peak transformed, revealing a towering immortal gate.

The vessel passed through the gate, and the surroundings instantly changed.

The vessel landed on a circular square paved with white jade. Ahead stretched a green stone Dadao leading straight to a majestic palace complex in the distance. On either side of the Dadao lay gentle grasslands, lush and green, stretching far away, dotted here and there with wildflowers of various colors.

Most of the white jade square hung suspended in midair; looking over its edge revealed only endless clouds, with no bottom in sight. This square, hundreds of zhang across, resembled a giant jade plate resting halfway up the mountainside, with no visible supports or suspensions.

From the square, beyond the palaces, distant rolling hills rose, with several emerald peaks piercing the clouds. Pavilions and towers appeared and vanished amid waterfalls and pine forests. Farther still, several peaks floated above the sea of clouds.

Occasionally, unnamed giant beasts or immortal birds burst from the clouds—some flew toward distant peaks, others shot straight upward and vanished into the heavens.

Xiang Weiyuan stepped out of the cabin and stood on the deck, gazing far into the distance. The scenery before him was unlike anything he had ever seen—even in dreams. Even the most ordinary grassland looked like a soft, vivid, thick carpet stretching over a hundred li. Even the tiny flowers dotting the grass, upon close inspection, were extraordinary—each flower differed, continuously exhaling mist.

As a son of peasant stock, Xiang Weiyuan knew at once this grassland was an unprecedentedly fertile field—if planted with grain, it might yield a thousand catties per mu. But having witnessed the splendor of the immortal realm, he now felt perhaps he was too ignorant—perhaps with immortal methods, yielding twelve hundred catties per mu was entirely possible.

Xiang Weiyuan followed the grassland with his gaze, looking farther and farther. Merely gazing upon this vibrant expanse made his spirit feel increasingly lively. As he looked, his vision neared the grassland’s edge—suddenly, darkness engulfed him, and he nearly collapsed.

Zhang Sheng slapped his back. Instantly, Xiang Weiyuan’s body refreshed; all emptiness and weakness vanished.

Zhang Sheng said: “Don’t stare so far before you cultivate. You have no Dao power now—what you’re draining is your Primordial Spirit.”

Sun Yu’s eyes gleamed: “To drain your Primordial Spirit completely in one go—I’m almost envious of your disciple.”

Zhang Sheng ignored Sun Yu, pointed ahead, and said to Xiang Weiyuan: “This is Konggu Xuanqing, one of the three great mountain gates of Tai Chu Palace. What do you think?”

Xiang Weiyuan looked at the white jade square used only for docking the vessel, at the mirror-smooth green stone Dadao , at the distant majestic palaces, at the ten-thousand-zhang emerald peaks radiating immortal aura—and finally, his gaze settled again on the jade-green grassland.

He suddenly said: “If the Immortal Path is so wondrous, why do so many still starve in the mortal world?”

Sun Yu and Zhang Sheng both froze.

Suddenly, a deep voice rang from behind: “Good question!”

(End of Chapter)