Half a month had passed since Zhang Fan's return from the secluded valley. He had now been a member of the Qingyun Sect for exactly three years, and his days of chopping bamboo had finally drawn to a close — though the results he handed in at the very end were enough to make even him blush.
In the half-month that followed that inexplicable journey into the secluded valley, Zhang Fan often found himself dizzy and light-headed, his Qi depleted and his blood drained, his whole body prone to exhaustion. He quietly suspected, in the privacy of his own thoughts, that it might have been caused by the massive hemorrhage he had glimpsed through the haze of his delirium on that day. Yet when he examined his entire body, not a single wound could be found. Uneasy and anxious, but too afraid to ask his Master, he could only bury the worry deep within his heart.
He said nothing, but his body told a different story. Poor as his efforts had always been, he could at least have cleaved through two of the great black-jointed bamboo stalks in days past; now, after only a handful of swings, he was gasping for breath and pouring cold sweat, unable to cut down even a single stalk by the time half the session was through. It was hardly surprising, in truth. That day in the secluded valley, the Blood-Devouring Bead had drawn away nearly half the essence-blood in his body; had he not always been of robust constitution, he would likely have been bedridden long ago. Even so, any hope Zhang Fan held of wielding his blade as freely as before was nothing but a fool's dream.
This state of affairs persisted for half a month before Zhang Fan finally felt a slight improvement in his body, his spirit and strength somewhat restored. By then, however, the bamboo-chopping task had also come to an end. On the final day, under the watchful eyes of Senior Brother Song Daren and the others who had come to evaluate his progress, Zhang Fan summoned every last ounce of strength and, just before the allotted time expired, managed to chop through a single stalk of Black-Jointed Bamboo.
Song Daren and the others exchanged glances, struck utterly speechless. Only Tian Linger stepped forward, grinning as she clapped him on the shoulder. "Fan, it's fine — having even a tenth of your senior sister's ability already puts you well ahead."
Zhang Fan could not help but smile bitterly.
At dinnertime, the disciples of Big Bamboo Peak gathered around the dining hall. After the couple Tian Buyi and Su Ru had taken their seats, Song Daren first reported on Zhang Fan's situation. Tian Buyi let out a cold snort without so much as glancing at Zhang Fan, while Su Ru smiled and said, "Fan, you've been with us here at Big Bamboo Peak for three years now."
Zhang Fan hurriedly called out, "Mother."
Su Ru let out a soft sigh. "Time really flies—three years have passed in the blink of an eye." As she spoke, she suddenly paused, then raised her voice and turned to the other six disciples: "Don't you all feel the same way?"
The disciples of Great Bamboo Peak shuddered in unison and immediately sat up straight.
Su Ru let out a snort. "Your junior disciples have all grown up, yet you lot have made not a single step of progress in these three years. Are you trying to anger me and your master to death?!"
No one dared to speak, but all eyes turned to Song Daren. Urged on by his fellow junior disciples, Song Daren steeled himself and said: "Master's wife, please rest assured — this time, we will definitely make you proud!"
Su Ru's face plainly bore the word "disbelief." She was just about to speak when Tian Buyi suddenly cut in: "Sixth."
Du Bi: "Master, you called for me?"
Tian Buyi said casually, "These past few days I've seen you waving your arms and jumping around in the kitchen with the pots and pans whenever you had a spare moment. What's going on?"
Du Bishu's face flushed red. He opened his mouth but couldn't find the words, and finally stammered, "How did Master notice?"
Su Ru called out, "Shu, what's wrong?"
Du Bi: "This disciple would like to see if those things can be made to move……"
Everyone was immediately stirred. The realm of "Object Command" was the fundamental foundation for cultivating Artifacts within Qingyun Sect's Dao arts — utterly unimaginable without first reaching the fourth level of the Jade Clarity realm of the Taiji Profound Clarity Dao.
Tian Buyi gave a slight nod. His expression remained impassive, yet a trace of delight still flickered through his eyes?
Du Bi: "It seems—it seems like it moved."
The crowd erupted in an uproar, everyone delighted and surprised. The Fifth, Lü Daxin, who sat beside him, clapped him hard on the shoulder, his face wreathed in smiles. Su Ru across from him was equally all smiles, laughing: "Good boy, who knew you'd make us proud — when did this happen?"
Du Bishu was swept up by the mood of those around him and relaxed as well. "Recently—just a few days ago—I was cultivating in my room when I suddenly felt, under the force of my psychokinesis, the water cup on the table shift. I began to wonder if I had broken through to the third level." He gave a slightly abashed smile at that, then added, "But I had no confidence in my own judgment and didn't dare believe it, so I kept testing myself quietly. I never expected Master to notice."
Tian Buyi smiled and said: "Here is the thing — between the Fourth and Third Levels of the Jade Clarity Realm, the difference in power is immense, yet when one first breaks through, there is no obvious outward change. You have a sharp and clever nature; late though you were to begin, you have managed to surpass those who started ahead of you."
Everyone laughed, congratulations pouring in from all sides, when Tian Ling'er cut in: "Sixth Senior Brother, have you decided which Artifact you're going to cultivate yet?"
Du Bi: "No, I only just learned from my master himself that I've cultivated to the fourth level—I haven't had time to think about it yet."
Su Ru smiled and said: "There's no rush. Take your time thinking it over these next few days. But you all know your master's temperament — he has never forced any of you to cultivate the celestial sword. Whatever you yourself enjoy, once you've made up your mind, go find the materials."
Zhang Fan stood to one side, consumed with envy, watching Sixth Senior Brother beam with a face full of teeth, when he heard Tian Buyi say: "Old Six."
Du Bi: "Master."
Tian Buyi said: "According to the old customs of our Qingyun Sect, disciples who have cultivated the Tai Chi Xuan Qing Way to the fourth level must descend the mountain to journey and broaden their horizons, while seeking fine materials and spiritual objects to forge their Artifacts. As for whether you can obtain a divine treasure that gathers the earth's Spiritual Energy — that depends entirely on your own fortune and destiny. Make your preparations; you will leave the mountain within the next few days."
Du Bishu froze for a moment, a trace of reluctance mingling with quiet joy in his eyes. He murmured softly: "...then thought of something else — Master, the meals here have always been prepared by this disciple. But once this disciple is gone..."
Beside him, Lü Daxin chuckled and said, "What are you afraid of? Before you formally join, you've still got me, haven't you? Don't worry—no one's going to starve."
Du Bishu and the others all burst out laughing, with only Tian Ling'er chiming in from the side with a grin: "Fifth Senior Brother, how can you have the nerve—your cooking used to give me nightmares every time I ate it!"
Lü Daxin's face turned red, and the crowd roared with laughter. When the laughter finally died down, Tian Buyi said mildly, "From now on, let Old Seven handle the kitchen."
Everyone was taken aback. Lü Daxin exclaimed in surprise, "Master, Junior Brother, he's still——"
Tian Buyi cast a sidelong glance at Zhang Fan. Zhang Fan hastily said, "Master, rest assured—I often help Sixth Senior Brother in the kitchen, so I already know how."
Tian Buyi gave a nod, said nothing more, and waved his hand: "Eat!"
※※※
Three days later, Du Bishu had finished packing, handed off every last matter in the kitchen, and headed down the mountain. Among all the senior disciples over these three years, Du Bishu had been the youngest, and the most spirited by nature,
Zhang Fan had been closest to him of all. Now that he was gone, a deep reluctance settled in Zhang Fan's heart, and it seemed to him that Big Bamboo Peak had, in an instant, grown a few shades lonelier.
Soon after, Zhang Fan began his second "assignment" at the Qingyun Sect — cooking.
That was the first time he had ever cooked a proper meal. He spent the entire morning alone in the kitchen, washing rice and preparing vegetables with cheerful industry, so absorbed in his work that noon had crept up on him unnoticed. When Tian Buyi and the others walked into the dining hall, they found the table laid with food just as it always was—yet Zhang Fan sat at the far end, hands clasped together, visibly trembling. Anyone could sense the anxiety radiating off him.
Everyone settled into their seats. Tian Buyi said nothing, but Su Ru glanced over at Zhang Fan, a faint smile spreading across her face. "Fan, how does it feel, cooking for the first time?"
Zhang Fan opened his mouth, yet could not think of what to say. Tian Buyi gave a grunt. "Eat." The disciples acknowledged in unison, raised their chopsticks to pick up food, and placed it in their mouths.
The dining hall fell into complete silence.
Zhang Fan was so tense his heart leaped into his throat, cold sweat trickling down his forehead. He whispered, "Master, Senior Brothers... they didn't do it well..."
"It's so delicious!" Tian Ling'er suddenly let out a delighted cry, unable to resist picking up another slice of bamboo shoot and placing it in her mouth. Zhang Fan was momentarily stunned — he looked around to see every one of his senior brothers beaming with smiles, nodding
They nodded incessantly, chopsticks darting like the wind, lavishing praise without end.
"I never expected Junior Brother to have such a trick up his sleeve — impressive, truly impressive!"
"Old Five, Old Five and Old Six together are both delicious, hehe!"
Even Tian Buyi helped himself to a few extra bites with his chopsticks, nodding slightly, a trace of warmth rising in his eyes. Zhang Fan took it all in, and felt a quiet satisfaction.
From then on, Zhang Fan stayed on in the kitchen. He had yet to show any particular talent in the cultivation of Dao techniques, but in the art of cooking he proved surprisingly gifted — his skills self-taught, with no master to guide him, cooking
The dishes he prepared were exquisite in flavor, far surpassing those of the others. Yet in his heart, so long as Tian Buyi gave the slightest nod of approval, that alone was the greatest joy he could know.
Time flew by, and another half year passed. As the Qingyun Sect's once-in-sixty-years "Seven Veins Martial Assembly" drew ever nearer, not only Su Ru but even Tian Buyi began pressing his disciples. Everyone focused
Zhang Fan devoted himself to cultivation, yet no one came to bother him—no one had any expectations of him anyway.
Zhang Fan didn't particularly mind. Each day he busied himself in the kitchen, drawing a measure of simple joy from the clatter of pots and pans. In his spare moments he cultivated the Dao arts on his own, and deep into each night he would practice the "Grand Brahma Prajña." His days passed in quiet peace.
During this time, the grey monkey he had brought back from the secluded valley had lived with him for half a year, and a deep bond had formed between man and ape. Zhang Fan had even given it a name—Ash. This
The name was just like his own — plain and ordinary, utterly unremarkable.
Ever since he began working in the kitchen, Ash had the advantage of proximity — always trailing after him into the kitchen, snatching a bamboo shoot slice here, grabbing a piece of fruit there, sneaking food all day long. After half a year,
Though it had grown a size plumper, Gray the monkey still had one rival on Big Bamboo Peak — Big Yellow, the great yellow hound that Tian Buyi had raised from a pup.
Somehow, the big yellow dog had always regarded this monkey with distaste. In the early days, every time it caught sight of Hui it would bark furiously, sending Hui scrambling for higher ground in fright. As time went on and the days grew long, it finally came to grudgingly acknowledge that Hui was a member of Big Bamboo Peak—yet whenever the two crossed paths, it would bare its teeth and put on a ferocious display, inevitably frightening Hui into a chorus of frantic squeals, whereupon Da Huang would let out a few proud barks, hold its head high, wag its tail, and saunter off to one side.
As autumn faded into winter, the air atop Big Bamboo Peak grew gradually colder. Only the couple Tian Buyi and his wife, whose cultivation had long since reached profound depths, remained untroubled by such ordinary shifts in cold and warmth; all the other disciples slowly began adding layer upon layer of clothing.
That day, the sunlight on Big Bamboo Peak was uncommonly warm and gentle. Zhang Fan finished his work in the kitchen and stepped outside, gave a long lazy stretch, then settled down beside a pine tree near the house. Leaning back against the trunk, he half-closed his eyes and basked contentedly in the sunshine.
After sitting for a while, just as he was growing drowsy and on the verge of dozing off, Zhang Fan suddenly heard a few barks from up ahead. Opening his eyes, he saw that Dahuang was also sprawled on the ground in front, lazily soaking up the sun—while Ash crept toward him step by step from behind.
Zhang Fan was deeply puzzled. Da Huang often sneaked into the kitchen to eat, and the two of them had grown quite familiar with each other, so he knew perfectly well how things stood between the monkey and the dog. Yet today it seemed as though the sun had risen in the west — Hui had actually taken the initiative to approach Da Huang! Zhang Fan immediately perked up and fixed his gaze intently on the scene ahead.
Hui swiftly closed the distance toward Da Huang. Though Da Huang could not see what approached from behind, his nose twitched and he immediately caught the strange scent at his back. Turning his head, he instantly snapped his jaws wide, baring his sharp fangs, and let out a volley of sharp barks—"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
The grey one flinched back, apparently still a little frightened, but the monkey's eyes rolled around a few times; it raised its right hand and waved it back and forth in front of Da Huang.
At first, Dahuang paid it no mind and kept barking at Hui without pause. But a moment later, the dog's nose twitched a few times, as though it had caught a scent of something. Both eyes locked immediately onto Hui's hand—unblinking, unmoving—and it fell silent. Its mouth dropped open, tongue lolling out at full length, and even its tail began to wag without cease, a sign of goodwill.
Zhang Fan was utterly astonished. He looked over and couldn't help letting out a helpless laugh — Hui was clutching a meaty bone in its grasp, the savory aroma drifting richly through the air, faint traces of which he could catch even from a distance. He had set that bone aside to make broth, and knowing how much Da Huang loved it, he had carefully sealed it and stored it up high after cooking. Yet somehow Hui had managed to sneak off with a piece at some unknown moment and trotted over to curry favor with Da Huang.
Ash gave the bone a couple of shakes, then tossed it in front of Da Huang. Da Huang's mouth had already been watering; he immediately snapped his jaws around it and gnawed away without stopping, smacking and chomping with relish.
Grey watched Big Yellow in that state, let out two soft squeaks, and cautiously drew closer. After a brief hesitation, it reached out a paw and touched Big Yellow on the head.
Dahuang suddenly let out a low bark, and Hui quickly pulled his hand back. But before long, he could not resist and reached out toward Dahuang's head once more. This time Dahuang paid no attention, busy gnawing at a meat bone. Hui laid his hand on Dahuang's head and gently stroked the dog's bright, soft yellow fur. Dahuang actually seemed to find it quite pleasant — he gave a small shudder and let out a low sound, though already
No hostility.
Hui had grown a little bolder. Chittering with what seemed like a grin, he called out twice and began rummaging through Da Huang's coarse fur, apparently searching for fleas. Every so often Da Huang would turn his head back and — remarkably — give Hui a slow lick with his tongue. Between this monkey and this dog, an intimacy had blossomed faster than anything else could have.
Zhang Fan stood there completely dumbstruck, thinking to himself that Grey was truly clever—though it seemed he would have to hide his meat bones somewhere far more concealed from now on.
He was still turning this over in his mind when a sharp crack of displaced air suddenly sounded above his head. Two streaks of white light came racing in from the west. Dahuang seemed startled and broke into loud barking at the light. Hui reached out and gave it a couple of pats on the head, as if in comfort—unexpectedly, the gesture proved quite effective, and Dahuang fell silent at once.
Zhang Fan watched as the two streaks of white light fell upon the main hall. The formation light of the Hall of Tranquil Stillness flickered and dimmed, revealing two figures. One stood tall and upright, elegant and unrestrained, white robes billowing softly—strikingly handsome.
The other was a young man, somewhat shorter than him, appearing to be around fifteen or sixteen years of age.
Zhang Fan suddenly held his breath, a thread of long-forgotten sorrow rising slowly from the depths of his heart — for that figure ahead, which looked, once again, a little lonely.
"Jingyu?" He rose to his feet, voice gone hoarse, the name torn from his throat.
The young man shuddered, spinning around at once, eyes wide and mouth agape, as though a thousand things rushed to his lips — yet in the end, all of it dissolved into just two words:
"Fan!"