After a long and arduous journey, we finally arrived at the Mountain Gate on an evening filled with glowing clouds.
Looking from afar, the rolling peaks resembled a giant dragon winding and stretching, tinted with a dreamy, golden halo under the soft and brilliant afterglow of the setting sun. Between the peaks, pristine clouds drifted like gossamer, at times dense as cotton and at other times thin as smoke, appearing like secluded paths leading to a mysterious celestial realm. The ancient and towering Mountain Gate stood solemnly at the foot of the mountain; the vicissitudes of time had left deep grooves on the heavy stone gates, as if recounting tales of the past and exuding an aura of awe-inspiring antiquity and mystery.
With a mixture of apprehension and excitement, I closely followed behind Old Daoist, stepping forward bit by bit toward the Mountain Gate that seemed to bear countless unknowns and hopes. Every step felt as though I were walking on clouds—light yet incomparably heavy.
Upon stepping through the gate, a refreshing and pleasant breeze gently caressed my face, carrying the unique fragrance and tranquility of the mountains. All around were lush, verdant forests, with emerald leaves gently swaying in the breeze and making a rustling sound. Birds sang joyfully in the branches, their crisp and melodious voices sounding like celestial music, as if warmly welcoming my arrival. A winding path meticulously paved with bluestone stretched forward like a nimble blue snake, leading toward a majestic and solemn grand hall.
In the plaza before the grand hall, Master Xuanqing paused with steady strides.
"Xiaohu, today you officially enter my Chongzhen Sect, and I shall hold the initiation ceremony for you." Master Xuanqing's voice was solemn and dignified, ringing like a great bell beside my ears, every single word carrying a weighty significance.
My heart pounded with sudden acceleration, drumming like a rapid beat. I hurriedly dropped to both knees, pressed my hands flat against the ground, and pinned my forehead tightly to the earth. "Master, this disciple shall strictly heed your teachings and will not dare to slack off in the slightest!"
At this moment, the warm and mellow afterglow of the setting sun, like a golden veil, gently draped over the plaza, gilding everything with a charming and sacred golden hue. With a solemn expression, Master Xuanqing lit incense and candles, and the wispy blue smoke curled upward, slowly intertwining and diffusing in the air like threads of silk.
"With Heaven and Earth as witness, I, Xuanqing, now accept Wang Xiaohu as my disciple and bestow upon him the Daoist name Yiyun. May he uphold the righteous path, practice diligently and steadfastly, and inherit the doctrines of our sect." Master Xuanqing's voice echoed leisurely across the quiet and empty plaza, seeming to traverse time and space to resonate with Heaven and Earth.
Filled with utmost piety, I performed three heavy kowtows, every touch of my forehead against the ground carrying my full reverence and determination. The faint chill of the ground seeped through my forehead into my heart, making me acutely aware of the responsibilities and mission resting upon my shoulders. At this moment, my heart was filled with wonderful aspirations for the future and profound gratitude toward my Master.
After the ceremony concluded, Master Xuanqing led me into the solemn grand hall.
"Yiyun, from this day onward, you are a disciple of the Chongzhen Sect. Although our sect has few members, our Dao is profound and has a long history. Since you have entered our gates, you must strive to comprehend it with your mind and feel it with your soul." Master Xuanqing's voice reverberated within the empty hall, carrying an ethereal and profound quality.
I glanced around. Inside the hall, candle flames flickered, and the dim, yellowish light illuminated the ancestral tablets of past generations enshrined there; the names on those tablets seemed to gleam with the brilliance of wisdom and strength. The entire hall was suffused with a solemn and respectful atmosphere, causing me to involuntarily hold my breath and slow my pace.
"Master, this disciple will give his all, study diligently, and not fail your high hopes and expectations," I said solemnly, every word seeming to burst forth from the depths of my heart, charged with burning determination. Inwardly, I vowed to cultivate painstakingly within the Chongzhen Sect, achieve success, and bring honor to the sect.
Walking out of the grand hall, Master Xuanqing began patiently introducing the various corners of the sect to me.
"Over here is the Scripture Pavilion, which houses the classic secret texts of our sect—the crystallization of the wisdom of countless predecessors; over there is the Martial Arts Arena, the place where we practice martial arts and temper our bodies and minds on ordinary days." Master Xuanqing's voice was steady and gentle, flowing past my ears like a clear mountain stream.
I looked around with curiosity, my eyes filled with novelty and eagerness. Every building and every corner seemed to conceal endless secrets and magical powers, waiting for me to explore and discover.
"Master, does our sect have any powerful spells?" Unable to suppress my inner curiosity, I asked eagerly.
Master Xuanqing smiled faintly, his gaze revealing wisdom and depth: "Spells are not valued for their multitude, but for their mastery. As long as you keep your mind free of distractions and cultivate with single-minded devotion, in time, you will naturally understand the mysteries within."
I nodded with a half-understanding, yet my heart brimmed with anticipation and fantasies about my future cultivation path.
Night fell quietly, and the stars, like brilliant jewels, densely studded the vast canopy of heaven, illuminating the entire sect. Lying on the humble yet cozy bed in my own room, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
"Have I truly become a disciple of the Chongzhen Sect?" I asked myself repeatedly in my mind, feeling as though I were still caught in an exquisite dream, unable to believe that all of this was so real.
Recalling the hardships of sleeping in the open and braving dangers along the way, and then looking at this mysterious and wonderful place where I now resided, I was overcome with emotion, my heart churning with a mix of joy and sorrow, sweet and bitter.
"From now on, I must cultivate properly and become a person of high virtue, great prestige, and immense divine power like Master." I secretly made up my mind, clenching my hands tightly into fists as if grasping the hope of the future.
In the profound silence of the night, my newly settled heart inevitably stirred with a deep longing for my parents. I thought of the warm and solid embrace of my parents when I was young, acting like a sheltered harbor where I could rest in peace no matter how the wind and rain raged outside. Their kind and gentle smiles, like the spring sunshine, warmed the cockles of my heart and made me feel endless care and shelter. Their patient and meticulous guidance, like a bright lamp in the dark night, guided the direction of my forward path so that I would not lose my way in life.
Yet now, they were no longer in this world, and I could no longer throw myself into their embrace, listen to their teachings, or feel their care. That past warmth and happiness had now become distant memories, to be silently cherished in the deepest recesses of my heart.
"Father, Mother, how wonderful it would be if you could see me enter the immortal gates now." I murmured softly, my voice carrying a trace of a tremble, and the corners of my eyes inevitably grew damp. Tears slowly slid down my cheeks, dripping onto the pillowside and leaving a patch of dampness.
Lost in these thoughts, exhaustion gradually overtook me, and I drifted off to sleep.
In my dream, I seemed to have returned to the familiar little courtyard where I once lived with my parents. The sun was bright, a gentle breeze was blowing, and the flowers in the courtyard vied in beauty and emitted waves of fragrance. My parents were busy in the courtyard—my father was repairing farming tools, while my mother was hanging out the laundry. Their faces overflowed with a happy and contented smile, a smile so radiant and familiar that it seemed capable of melting all the coldness and pain in the world.
"Xiaohu, come here quickly." My mother gently called out to me, her voice like celestial music, filled with deep maternal love and care.
I ran over excitedly, opening my arms wide, wanting to embrace them tightly and feel their warmth once more. Yet no matter how hard I tried, I could not catch their figures; they seemed like illusory bubbles that would burst at the slightest touch.
Suddenly, the scene shifted drastically: a fierce gale rose, dark clouds gathered, and the once-bright sky instantly turned dark and gloomy. The figures of my parents gradually blurred in the gale, swallowed by the darkness and disappearing into a boundless mist.
"Father! Mother!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, my voice appearing so small and helpless in the darkness.
I woke up abruptly from the dream, sat straight up, and panted heavily. Sweat soaked my clothes, and my hair clung damply to my forehead. I found my face covered in tears—tears that were bone-chillingly cold, as if able to freeze my soul.
Gazing at the cold moonlight outside the window, which spilled over the ground like water, my heart was filled with endless grief and longing. That moonlight seemed like the gaze of my parents, gazing at me gently and affectionately, granting me a shred of solace.
"I must cultivate diligently and not let down my parents' expectations. I want to make them proud in heaven," I said silently to myself, my voice firm and powerful.
That night, amidst the complex emotions intertwined with longing and determination, I spent my first night in the Chongzhen Sect. The moonlight, the dream, and the tears were all deeply branded into my heart, becoming the driving force behind my progress and an eternal memory.