Wei Yuan turned around and saw a burly cultivator standing not far away. Nine chi tall, he was a good two heads taller than an ordinary man, with a thick, short beard and an imposing countenance. He was leading a boy, having just stepped off the immortal boat.
The cultivator's eyes flashed like lightning. When Wei Yuan's gaze met his, it felt as though he had been struck by a bolt of thunder; the formless thing within his body reacted, stirring restlessly.
A flicker of surprise passed through the cultivator's eyes before he restrained the light in his gaze. He said, "What you ask is an age-old conundrum. Since antiquity, few have ever been able to answer it, and those who could didn't care to. If you are inclined toward it, hold fast to this question and seek the answer slowly along your path of cultivation! This is my grandson, Xiaoyu. If you don't mind, you two can support each other on the immortal path from now on; perhaps you will both walk a little farther."
The cultivator snatched up the boy and set him down before Wei Yuan. Wei Yuan and the boy both turned their heads away instinctively, avoiding each other's eyes.
The boy was exceptionally delicate and pretty—the very Xiaoyu who had hacked at Wei Yuan hundreds of times in vain during the martial exam, only to have his waist snapped by a spear strike. Remembering how he had swept the boy to death with a spear and left him to die with zero dignity, Wei Yuan felt a bit guilty facing his victim now.
The burly cultivator smacked Xiaoyu on the head. "Well? Greet your senior brother!"
The boy stared off to the side and said stubbornly, "He might not even be older than me!"
The cultivator smacked him again. "You can't beat him right now, so of course you call him Senior Brother!"
The boy countered, "Then what if I can beat him in the future?"
The cultivator was taken aback, then chuckled, "Then you can call him whatever you please."
Only then did the boy turn back, fixing his gaze squarely on Wei Yuan's chest rather than meeting his eyes, and said stiffly, "Xiaoyu greets Senior Brother."
Wei Yuan hastily returned the courtesy. "I am Wei Yuan. I hardly dare accept such a title from Senior Brother Xiaoyu."
The burly cultivator said impatiently, "All right, all right, drop the empty formalities. As long as you keep the question you asked today in your heart and don't end up with the same foul disposition as your master and grandmasters, that'll be enough."
Zhang Sheng frowned in displeasure. "If my master and I have done anything improper, Senior, please speak plainly!"
The burly cultivator let out a loud laugh. "What kind of reputation does your Sky Azure Hall lineage have? Don't you know yourselves? Every last one of you is arrogant to the bone, believing yourselves aloof from the world and above factional strife, when in the end it's all for your own selfish interests. You've shut your ears to worldly matters for six years, so I can't be bothered to waste words on you."
The burly cultivator hoisted Xiaoyu up and strode toward the distant grand hall. With a single stride, he vanished on the spot.
Just then, a girl walked over, curtsying gracefully toward Zhang Sheng first. "Greetings, Master Zhang Sheng!"
The girl was breathtakingly lovely with a pleasant voice, and she knew how to show respect to elders. Zhang Sheng immediately had a good impression of her and said kindly, "The Bao family produces talents in every generation, and it seems this one will surpass the last."
The girl offered another bow. "With your praise, Master, my mind is at ease. It seems entering the Palace of Grand Beginning was indeed the right choice."
Zhang Sheng noticed a faint golden radiance floating between her brows. Recalling something, he asked in surprise, "Ah, right. I heard someone in the Bao family's current generation received the inheritance of the Great Treasure Radiance Pure Land's dharma idol. Could that be you?"
The girl said, "A Pure Land dharma idol is merely an external object. Now that I have entered the Palace of Grand Beginning, with no lack of enlightened masters and no shortage of diligence, I can naturally forge a dharma idol within a hundred years that will not pale before the Pure Land's legacy. The immortal path is long, and a dharma idol is merely one stop along the journey—hardly something worth clinging to."
Buddhist dharma idols were passed down through reincarnations from generation to generation, and their sheer might was universally acknowledged as premier under heaven. For her to give it up so casually and speak with such breadth of mind earned even Zhang Sheng's admiration.
The girl looked toward Wei Yuan. "Since we are disciples of the same sect and the same intake, I will surely need Senior Brother Wei's care in the days ahead."
"Of course!" Zhang Sheng immediately hauled Wei Yuan over and set him before the girl. "Wei Yuan, come greet Senior Sister Bao Yun!"
Wei Yuan turned his head, not daring to look at Bao Yun, prompting Zhang Sheng to smack him. "Where are you looking?"
Wei Yuan had no choice but to brace himself and salute. "Wei Yuan greets Junior Sister."
Zhang Sheng smacked him again. "Where are your manners? Call her Senior Sister!"
Wei Yuan could only say, "Wei Yuan greets Senior Sister."
Bao Yun fixed her bright, clear eyes on Wei Yuan until he felt thoroughly uneasy all over, then covered her mouth and giggled. "I will surely be asking Junior Brother for guidance in the future."
The wooden-faced old man behind Bao Yun spoke up: "The hour is nearly here. We should head inside."
Zhang Sheng checked the time and led Wei Yuan into the grand hall as well.
Inside the grand hall, dozens of Daoists and cultivators in charge of protocol were busily attending to their duties. After Wei Yuan entered, he suddenly sensed a disturbance behind him. Turning back, he saw another immortal boat descending onto the square, with people disembarking one after another. It seemed new disciples from another region had arrived.
A master of ceremonies Daoist hurried over, smiling at Zhang Sheng. "Junior Brother Zhang, long time no see! I hear you've taken on a fine disciple who carries your flair from back in the day. Truly worthy of celebration!"
Zhang Sheng smiled and returned the greeting. The Daoist scrutinized Wei Yuan closely, then said, "This must be Wei Yuan. I hear you've brought great credit to the True Monarch! Junior Brother Zhang, you should be familiar with the entry procedures, so I won't waste words. Once the disciples from every province gather in three days, we will hold the grand ancestral veneration ceremony. However, this year includes an extra step: after paying homage to the Patriarch, disciples must choose their mode of instruction. Will you be choosing independent instruction or centralized instruction?"
Zhang Sheng was somewhat puzzled. "What is centralized instruction?"
The Daoist explained, "In the past, each hall instructed its new disciples independently after they entered the palace. But this year, True Monarch Yanshi proposed that general courses such as general cultivation knowledge, human history, and Dao Foundation fundamentals be brought together, with virtuous and talented masters selected from throughout the palace to teach them in unified classes. The unique secret techniques will still be taught separately by each palace and hall. That is centralized instruction. This is the first year, so new disciples may decide for themselves whether to participate."
"The Reform Faction moves this quickly?" Zhang Sheng frowned slightly.
The Daoist did not answer directly, saying instead, "You may make your decision after paying homage to the Patriarch. Let me register his name first, and then I will escort you both to your residence."
The Daoist directed the jade register in his hand toward Wei Yuan, shining a light on him. Wei Yuan's portrait, place of origin, master's lineage, and other details appeared automatically across one of its pages. Once the information was recorded, the Daoist led Zhang Sheng and Wei Yuan out of the hall. He swept his sleeve, enveloping them in a cloud of mist.
Wei Yuan felt the scenery before him shift and flicker constantly. The speed was like an arrow in flight, far faster than any galloping horse of legend.
After about a quarter of an hour, the Daoist dispelled the Daoist art, and a tranquil, secluded valley appeared before Wei Yuan's eyes. Several streams wound through the valley, dotted here and there with clusters of quiet courtyards.
Directly before Wei Yuan stood three adjacent small courtyards, surrounded by several strange, towering trees over a dozen zhang tall, laden with heavy clusters of fruit.
Wei Yuan followed the Daoist into the courtyard on the left. The Daoist said, "This will be your residence, where you will stay until you have forged your Dao Foundation. All the provisions distributed to new disciples have already been placed inside; you may use them at will. Your master is well aware of the palace rules, so I won't ramble on. A map of the mountain gate is on the desk inside, marking the areas you are permitted to visit. Junior Brother Zhang, shall I briefly explain centralized instruction now?"
Chapter 27