Commendation

The Daoists were all tall and powerfully built, and wore Hunyuan crowns even in the worst of the summer heat, swords hanging at their sides and broad discipline rulers in their hands. The discipline ruler was the instrument for punishing low-ranking Daoists—if a Daoist broke the precepts or let foul language slip, he'd have his palms smacked or his mouth slapped. Acolytes were young and lively and restless, and the Lower Court's rules were severe. Without teaching and punishment, how would these acolytes ever learn to be obedient? You could say there was hardly an acolyte who hadn't been punished. Shangxing was this sharp precisely because he had been beaten into it. Seeing the cold faces of the Daoists and the discipline rulers in their hands, he was reminded of his own painful past, and his little face went white. Zhou Wuji had grown up at Daoist Yiyuan's side, and Yiyuan had treated him as his own child; with the wisdom of two lifetimes besides, he could hardly have been as mischievous and flighty as a real child—so he had never tasted that kind of suffering. Canglong Temple was small, too, and had no Daoists whose task was enforcing discipline. But one look at their appearance and the things in their hands told him exactly what these Daoists did. The Discipline Hall men all saw Zhou Wuji as well. Apart from Wuhe at their head, who didn't know him, the others all recognized Zhou Wuji. Wuhe was a grand-disciple under Zhihe and had always stayed in the Upper Court. This time he had come along with his master's master and taken a post in the Discipline Hall, and lately he had been throwing his weight around. When he learned that Zhou Wuji's disciple had caused trouble, he was both startled and delighted. The Lower Court was forever hearing how formidable Zhou Wuji was; many people told it in wildly exaggerated terms, and it had left him thoroughly unconvinced. Now Wuhe had finally found his chance—he wanted to see for himself just what was so remarkable about Zhou Wuji. Wuhe had come in still carrying some anger, meaning to dress Zhou Wuji down, but when his eyes met Zhou Wuji's bright, deep gaze, a connection formed between them of itself, on the level of spiritual sense. Wuhe felt as though Zhou Wuji were an enormous mountain pressing down hard on the top of his head. He could not circulate his true qi, could not move his body, and his mind and awareness were completely crushed down... In an instant, Wuhe felt as though he had been ground to powder. Only when Zhou Wuji's gaze shifted away did that invisible mountain move aside with it. Wuhe's whole body went slack, and only then did he come back to life; he gulped down air, soaked in cold sweat, a thoroughly wretched sight. The Daoists around him had endured the same crushing pressure. Every one of them was pale as death, heads bowed, not daring to make a sound. "Wuhe of the Discipline Hall greets Senior Brother Wuji." Once he had caught his breath, Wuhe was the first to cup his hands in salute. He was much older than Zhou Wuji, but they did not share a line of teaching, so how they addressed each other depended on how each of them placed himself. From that invisible clash of spiritual sense, he knew he was far below Zhou Wuji and had no right at all to throw his weight around in front of him. The Yuheng lineage might look down on other lineages, but that too depended on the person. Zhou Wuji said mildly, "You gentlemen came storming in through the gate—was there something you wanted?" The Daoists did not dare make a sound. Wuhe's scalp prickled, and now he regretted it too. For such a trifle, why had he chased them down with his men? But they had come all this way; he couldn't simply turn around and leave. Bracing himself, he said, "Someone caused a disturbance at Bixing Hall and injured people. As an officer of the Discipline Hall, I must enforce the rules impartially. I ask Senior Brother to forgive me." Zhou Wuji smiled. "Enforce the rules impartially. Good." He pointed at the gate. "Do you know what this place is? This is the Myriad Ghosts Cavern! "Without the abbot's decree, anyone who enters without permission dies." Zhou Wuji said it lightly, but Wuhe's heart went cold. He swallowed and lowered his head to explain. "Senior Brother, we—we acted in the heat of the moment. Please, Senior Brother, be magnanimous and don't hold it against us." "We're all fellow disciples. One really can't start shouting about killing over a trifle like this." Zhou Wuji appeared most magnanimous. He said to Wuhe and the others, "Go kowtow to the Broken Army Star Lord who guards this place and admit your fault, and we'll let it go at that." Wuhe's face stiffened, but Zhou Wuji had a hold on him, and Zhou Wuji was so forceful that it chilled his heart and broke his nerve; for now he could only obey meekly. The Daoists went into the room, burned incense to the Broken Army Star Lord, knelt and kowtowed, their mouths running with apologies. When that was done, they were all in a sorry state, the arrogant bluster with which they had barged in entirely gone. "There is no greater good than recognizing one's fault and mending one's ways. You would all do well to remember this lesson—and those of the Discipline Hall especially should keep the precepts strictly." Wuhe and the others took the lecture with bowed heads, meek as Zhou Wuji's grandsons. It wasn't that they were truly so docile—Zhou Wuji's spiritual sense was simply too strong. With nothing but his sword intent he had broken their nerve. After a few words of reprimand, Zhou Wuji unhurriedly beckoned his disciple Yang Tieying over. "Did you hit someone?" "They cursed at me," Yang Tieying muttered. Zhou Wuji nodded, then said to Wuhe, "It takes two to make a quarrel. My disciple here is an honest sort; if he hit the man, there must have been a reason. "Junior Brother, since your Discipline Hall enforces the rules impartially—that man was so overbearing and used such foul language, he can't be let off lightly." Wuhe, cowed by Zhou Wuji like a grandson, was already thoroughly humiliated and bedraggled. How would he dare say another word? He could only nod and agree, again and again. After a few polite words, Wuhe led his men away in wretched, flustered haste. As they left, they were even thoughtful enough to shut the gate properly behind them. Once the Daoists had gone, Shangxing stared at Zhou Wuji with wide, astonished eyes. He had known his martial uncle was formidable, but this was the first time he had truly understood how formidable. The Discipline Hall, which in his eyes were as fierce as demons, were like children before a stern teacher when they faced his martial uncle—not one of them dared let out a peep. Yang Tieying was elated too. "Master, you're too strong! Too strong!" Zhou Wuji glanced at him. "With your little bit of skill, you should cause less trouble outside." Yang Tieying hitting someone was not really the problem; the problem was that he had so little sense of his own limits. At least he wasn't stupid—he had known to run back... Scolded, Yang Tieying lowered his head and answered in a mumble, not daring to speak again. Yiping came out and said, "That chief steward is truly detestable. No—Yixing may be stingy, but he wouldn't go this far. The chief steward must have been replaced. "Who's in charge now, I wonder?" Shangxing put in from the side, "Grandmaster, I heard that Grandmaster Yixing has gone to Feixuan Hall, and now Grandmaster Yigong serves as chief steward. They say he's the abbot's disciple." Yiping laughed heartily. "That Yixing, greedy and stingy both—so he's come to this!" Then he turned to Zhou Wuji. "Having offended the new chief steward, our days ahead will be hard." Bixing Hall wouldn't dare do anything openly, but skimping and delaying on supplies in every way would be trouble enough. Like withholding firewood, so that no meal could be cooked. A cultivator could take inedia pills for a short while, but could never use them every day. Never mind that inedia pills were expensive—going a long time without grain, the stomach couldn't take it. Cultivators were, after all, only mortals who cultivated; they were not immortals, and they could not do without food, clothing, shelter, and transport. Zhou Wuji paid these trifles no mind. Could a few living people really be starved to death? Zhihe was a dignified abbot and a Rank Five Scripture Master; surely he wouldn't stoop to such petty tricks. And in any case, doing so would accomplish nothing—it would only sicken people. A man like Zhihe would never do something so pointless. Whoever was behind it hardly mattered; the Myriad Ghosts Cavern wouldn't be needed for a while anyway. Once he had his ordination certificate, he would settle accounts with them. Zhou Wuji said, "I'll go out and look up a friend, and get the immediate problem solved first." Zhou Wuji also instructed Yang Tieying and Shangxing that if the Discipline Hall really came making trouble again, the two of them should go into the Myriad Ghosts Cavern. Passage into the Myriad Ghosts Cavern absolutely required the abbot's decree. If anyone really dared to stir up trouble, he would show them no mercy. Changing into a clean Daoist robe and hair ribbon, buckling on the White Rainbow Sword, and putting on a wide-brimmed bamboo hat, Zhou Wuji drifted lightly down the mountain. His true qi had risen greatly in level. Though he still could not fly, true qi wrapped his feet so that no dust touched them, and he moved as though treading flowing clouds and riding the wind; his steps were unhurried, yet he covered ground fast. In less than a quarter of an hour, Zhou Wuji had reached Yunyang City. It was nearly noon, the hour when the sun was at its fiercest, yet the city gate was still crowded with people and carts, bustling and lively. After all, this was a great city of a million souls. Zhou Wuji had been on the mountain a long time; the sight of such prosperity lifted his spirits considerably. Once inside the city he found the Hengfeng Money Shop and told the clerk he was looking for Manager Jin Er. The clerk respectfully asked his name, then hurried off to announce him. Before long the clerk came running back, bowing, to lead the way. They went out through a side door, past the money shop's main hall, through two gateways in the walls, and around into a quiet little courtyard. A trellis stood in the courtyard, covered in grapevines; the dense green vines shut out the sunlight and made the courtyard much cooler at once. Several large vats stood nearby with fish swimming in them. The water and the living fish lent the courtyard another measure of coolness. Jin Ying had a wheat-colored complexion, apricot eyes, and peach-blossom cheeks, and was quite beautiful. Today she wore a gauze hat, a long robe beneath a thin gauze outer garment, and carried a folding fan—altogether the air of an elegant young gentleman. Seeing Zhou Wuji come in, blue robe fluttering, her eyes lit up at once. The more she looked, the more she found his features fine and his bearing open and clear, like a fresh breeze and a bright moon; just looking at him made the heart glad. From a distance she cupped her hands and greeted him with a smile. "Daoist Zhou honors us with his presence; my humble home is brightened." Zhou Wuji returned the salute. "Forgive my intruding on you so abruptly, Miss Jin." "You are far too polite, Daoist. You are an honored guest I could never get to invite. Please, sit..." After a few polite exchanges—Jin Ying carrying off the open, generous manner of a man—the two sat down beneath the vine trellis, host and guest in their proper places. At Jin Ying's word, a maid brought in a pot of chilled, refreshing sour plum drink. In the celadon cups the sour plum drink gave off wisps of cold, and the heat of the air condensed on the cups in a film of moisture. Zhou Wuji raised his cup and drank. Cool and sweet—one mouthful on a summer day and every part of him felt clear. His cultivation had grown ever deeper, and with the Heart Mirror reflecting inner and outer alike, he had fewer worries about what passed his lips. If something truly were wrong, he would sense it at once. Though he thought so, he did not drink much; a little caution was always good. Jin Ying spoke up first. "Sister Mingxiu has been gone many days without a word. Has the Daoist received a letter from her?" Zhou Wuji shook his head slightly. "She has only just arrived in Yunze; with all the business there, she probably has no time to write." He knew why Jin Ying had asked—not out of any great concern for Wuming, but to use a familiar person and familiar matters as a topic, quickly breaking down the barrier between strangers. It was a very effective conversational tactic. You had to admit that Jin Ying was worthy of her merchant background; her skill at this kind of exchange was out of the ordinary. With Wuming as a topic, the conversation warmed quickly. Zhou Wuji said with some feeling, "The Five Dragons Gang affair has changed the people and posts of Yunyang City as well." Then he asked, quite naturally, "Who is in charge of the Pacification Office now?" "Zhai Jun. I hear he came out of the Fire Phoenix Army—cold by nature, capable in his work, and said to be a Rank Five expert as well." Jin Ying introduced him warmly. "The man has real methods. In just a few days he had the Pacification Office straightened out, and everyone from top to bottom is docile as can be." Zhou Wuji understood at once: this Zhai Jun was no easy mark—that was how he could bring those old hands of the Pacification Office to heel so easily. Following the thread, he asked, "With this man running the Pacification Office, the various houses must be affected too?" Jin Ying thought for a moment. "Commandant Zhai is steady and experienced in all he does, and the various houses cooperate with him. Yunyang City is prospering; the situation is very good..." Zhou Wuji was a little surprised—young as she was, Jin Ying spoke so cautiously. But he understood: Zhai Jun had surely accepted gifts from the various houses, and everything went on as before. At least for now, the situation was stable. Jin Ying changed tack. "However, lately there have been killings by malevolent spirits in Yunming County, and it has caused a great stir. "They say the Demon Sect is behind the trouble, and the various houses are all somewhat uneasy about it..." Then, puzzled, she asked Zhou Wuji, "The Daoist hasn't heard of this?" Zhou Wuji shook his head. Trouble from malevolent spirits fell under the Lower Court's authority; the Lower Court must have known long since. Pushed to the outside as he was, he naturally would not hear of such important matters. If it made Jin Ying speak so seriously, Yunming County must have suffered heavy casualties. Still, this looked like an opportunity... Seeing that Zhou Wuji truly did not know, Jin Ying was both surprised and displeased. "A man of the Daoist's caliber, and the Lower Court won't put him to use—it is truly infuriating." Her respect for Zhou Wuji had nothing to do with Wuming; it was because she knew how formidable he was, and knew even better that he had uncovered the blood sacrifice and proposed the plan that caught Chen Dalu. Had the Pacification Office not been so incompetent, Zhou Wuji would have settled the Five Dragons Gang business single-handedly. Here was a man of uncommon intelligence, martial skill, and spellcraft, a first-rate figure even by Yunyang City's standards—and the Lower Court had pushed him aside. Then Jin Ying's face brightened again. "I heard news that the Celestial Master Mansion's commendation for the Daoist will arrive soon..." Smiling, she cupped her hands to him. "Let me congratulate you in advance, Daoist!"