By dinnertime, the sky had already darkened.
On Dazhu Peak, the rear mountain was covered in stretches of bamboo forest. The buildings where everyone lived were all on the front peak; the largest and most important was the main hall, Shoujing Hall, where Tian Buyi, his wife, and their daughter lived in the rear quarters. Beside Shoujing Hall was the covered corridor courtyard where the disciples resided. However, because their numbers were so few—more rooms than people—everyone had a room to themselves. Even the newly arrived Zhang Xiaofan had one. In terms of living conditions alone, Dazhu Peak rarely surpassed the other peaks of their sect.
All that remained were the Taiji Cave for cultivation practice, the kitchen, and the dining hall. At this moment, all the disciples had gathered in the dining hall. Du Bishu, the sixth disciple who was in charge of meals, carried the dishes to the table one by one—mostly vegetarian, with little meat. The disciples took their seats in order along the right side of the long table in the hall. Song Daren sat at the very front, while Zhang Xiaofan humbly took the last seat. At the head of the table and across from it were placed one large chair and two smaller ones, apparently prepared for Tian Buyi's family.
Zhang Xiaofan glanced at the empty seat beside him—the seat of Du Bishu, who was still busy. After a moment, Du Bishu finally finished bringing out the food, washed his hands, and sat back down to wait for their master together with everyone else.
Du Bishu looked quite young, with a thin, pointed face and large, triangular eyes that darted about shrewdly—he seemed very clever. After sitting down, he looked at Zhang Xiaofan and smiled. "Little Junior Brother, what's your name?"
Zhang Xiaofan answered honestly, "Zhang Xiaofan."
Du Bishu nodded and pointed at himself. "I'm your Sixth Senior Brother, Du Bishu."
Zhang Xiaofan respectfully called out, "Sixth Senior Brother."
Du Bishu cleared his throat, patted his shoulder, and smiled. "In a moment, you'll get to taste your senior brother's cooking."
Zhang Xiaofan saw the feast on the table, its aroma assailing his senses, and couldn't help swallowing a mouthful of saliva. He nodded vigorously.
Du Bishu suddenly smiled with a rather mischievous look and pointed toward the entrance of the hall. "Little Junior Brother, in a while Master, Master's wife, and Little Martial Sister will come in from there. How about we make a bet?"
Zhang Xiaofan was startled. The others at the table all turned their heads, smiles on their faces. Lü Daxin, the fifth disciple who sat above Du Bishu, laughed and said, "Old Sixth, has your gambling itch flared up again?"
He Dazhi, the thin-faced, capable-looking disciple beside him, smiled and said, "It's been too long since he won, so now he's trying to trick a child?"
"Go, go, go!" Du Bishu waved his hand repeatedly, ignoring the others, his face full of smiles as he spoke to Zhang Xiaofan. "Little Junior Brother, guess who among Master's family of three will be the first to step through this door? Mm, you just entered the sect, so I'll let you guess first. Don't say your senior brother is bullying you."
Wu Dayi, the second disciple sitting farther away, called out loudly, "Little Junior Brother, since it's a bet, you should first ask him what happens if you lose and what happens if you win!"
Du Bishu sniffed. "Afraid I'll renege? I, Du Bishu, travel the world relying on my good gambling reputation that's famed throughout the jianghu!" (Everyone laughed: "You've never won!") "Little Junior Brother, if you guess right, I'll help you chop bamboo for ten days. If you lose, you'll help me wash bowls for ten days. How about it?"
Everyone laughed again. Song Daren laughed and scolded, "No ambition."
Zhang Xiaofan saw that all his senior brothers wore kind smiles and had warm attitudes, not treating him like an outsider at all. A wave of warmth passed through his heart. "Okay," he said.
Du Bishu slapped his thigh, his entire person instantly radiating energy and looking revitalized. "Little Junior Brother, then tell me—Master, Master's wife, or Little Martial Sister—who exactly will enter first?"
Everyone's gazes fell on Zhang Xiaofan. Zhang Xiaofan calculated in his heart: the Qingyun Sect values respecting the master above all; surely it would be Master Tian Buyi who entered first. He immediately said loudly, "I guess it must be Master who comes in first."
Everyone burst into laughter. Lü Daxin shook his head and said, "To think that today Old Sixth actually managed to trick someone into a win."
Du Bishu was overjoyed. Looking at Zhang Xiaofan's confused face, he said cheerfully, "Little Junior Brother, let me tell you—every time Master's family comes, it's always Little Martial Sister who rushes in first. Haha, you'll come help me wash the dishes in a while."
Zhang Xiaofan rubbed his head, couldn't help but laugh as well, and nodded. "Yes, Sixth Senior Brother."
Zheng Dali, the third-ranked disciple who was short and stout, smiled and said, "Old Sixth, aren't you ashamed?"
Du Bishu rolled his odd eyes. "What are you saying, Old Third? I didn't force him. Everyone bets willingly and accepts the loss, isn't that right, Little Junior Brother?"
Zhang Xiaofan nodded. Suddenly he heard Song Daren say, "Master is here."
Everyone's expressions became solemn. They all stood up, facing the door to welcome their elder. A moment later, Tian Buyi's short, stout figure appeared in the doorway. And behind him was...
Nothing!
He had actually come alone.
Everyone was collectively stunned. Du Bishu couldn't help but press, "Master, what about Master's wife and Little Martial Sister?"
Tian Buyi glanced at him and said indifferently, "Your master's wife took your little martial sister back to her family's home."
Everyone was astonished, but after a moment someone couldn't help laughing out loud. Watching Tian Buyi stroll in leisurely, Zhang Xiaofan wore an awkward expression, wanting to laugh but not daring to. Du Bishu was dumbstruck.
Tian Buyi sat in his large chair and waved his hand. "Let's eat."
Only then did the disciples sit down, each looking at Du Bishu with half-smiles. Tian Buyi glanced at Zhang Xiaofan and said to Song Daren, "Have you told him the sect rules and prohibitions?"
Song Daren nodded. "Yes, I told Little Junior Brother all twelve sect rules and twenty prohibitions. As for those basic cultivation methods, I saw that Little Junior Brother was somewhat tired from arriving today, so I plan to formally teach him tomorrow."
Tian Buyi nodded to show his agreement, then said to Zhang Xiaofan, "Seventh."
Zhang Xiaofan hadn't realized he was being addressed. Du Bishu beside him gave him a push, and he finally understood that Master was calling him. He hurriedly stood up. "Your disciple is here."
Tian Buyi shook his head, his confidence in this slow-reacting disciple dropping another few degrees. "You will follow your Eldest Senior Brother for now. Remember to study diligently. The sea of Dao is boundless; diligence is the vessel. Even if your aptitude is somewhat lacking, as long as you are steadfast and hardworking, you may not necessarily fail to achieve mastery. Do you understand?"
Zhang Xiaofan received this as if it were an imperial edict and respectfully replied, "Yes."
Tian Buyi waved his hand. "Eat."
Zhang Xiaofan was young and short. Holding a large bowl while sitting in his chair, he couldn't reach the dishes that were slightly farther away. However, Du Bishu beside him was quite kind, helping him pick up food several times, and whispered with a smile, "Little Junior Brother, eat more." Looking at his manner, he completely didn't care about losing the bet—he was indeed a man of his word.
Zhang Xiaofan was grateful in his heart and nodded repeatedly. After eating for a while, he secretly asked, "Sixth Senior Brother."
Du Bishu turned his head. "What?"
Zhang Xiaofan said, "Does Master's wife have a family home?" In his young heart, the people of Qingyun Sect were on the level of immortals—how could they have worldly ties?
Du Bishu spat softly. "Of course she does. Master's wife is also human. However, when Master says she went back to her family's home, he doesn't mean her actual family's home—he means she returned to our sect's Xiaozhu Peak, to Martial Uncle Shuiyue's place."
Zhang Xiaofan said in surprise, "What?"
Du Bishu lowered his voice. "When Master's wife was young, she originally came from the Xiaozhu Peak branch. She and the head of Xiaozhu Peak, Master Shuiyue, were martial sisters, and their relationship was extremely close. Later, somehow, Master's wife—a woman as lovely as a flower—actually married Master. I heard that back then, many of the male martial uncles of Qingyun Sect couldn't get over it..."
"Thwack!" A chopstick struck Du Bishu on the forehead with considerable force, leaving a red patch. The two of them jumped in fright. It turned out to be Tian Buyi, whose face was full of anger, now missing one chopstick from his hand. Du Bishu turned his head and stuck out his tongue at Zhang Xiaofan. The two dared speak no more and lowered their heads to eat frantically.
At this time, Song Daren said to Tian Buyi, "Master, this time the Sect Leader convened a gathering of the seven peaks. Why was Martial Uncle Shuiyue the only one who didn't come?"
Tian Buyi snorted and picked up another pair of chopsticks. "Isn't it because that old Daoist nun is feigning illness? She sent people to tell Senior Brother Sect Leader that she had a headache and fever and couldn't come. And Senior Brother Sect Leader actually believed it. Hmph, if she had come today, even if I couldn't snatch something good, I might not necessarily have ended up with..."
He Dazhi, the fourth disciple seated below, coughed dryly twice and whispered, "Master, Martial Uncle Shuiyue's branch has never accepted male disciples."
Tian Buyi choked, then shook his head. "And your master's wife—as soon as she heard Shuiyue had some ailment, she immediately took Ling'er to see her, acting as if the sky were falling. Really now."
The disciples exchanged glances, all looking pleased. Song Daren hesitated a moment before tentatively asking, "Master, then how long do you think Master's wife will stay at Martial Uncle Shuiyue's place?"
Tian Buyi glared at him and said irritably, "What do you mean how long? She left today; she'll be back tonight."
"Alas!" Sighs rose from the disciples, each face showing disappointment. Tian Buyi looked around, snorted, and said to Song Daren, "Did Master's wife guide your cultivation again today?"
Before Song Daren could speak, Wu Dayi eagerly said, "Master, don't ask him. Eldest Senior Brother fled the scene today—utterly shameless."
Song Daren angrily said, "Nonsense! I was under Master's orders to help Little Junior Brother..."
"Boo..." Sounds of disapproval rose from everyone.
The meal lasted half an hour. After everyone left, Zhang Xiaofan had wanted to stay and help Du Bishu wash the dishes, but Du Bishu smiled and said, "Little Junior Brother, thank you, but I can handle things here myself. You won the bet, so rest assured—tomorrow I'll help you chop bamboo."
Zhang Xiaofan felt rather embarrassed and was about to say something when he heard Song Daren's voice: "Old Sixth, don't help him." As soon as the words fell, Song Daren walked in from outside and said to Zhang Xiaofan, "Little Junior Brother, come, I'll take you to your room."
Zhang Xiaofan nodded. Du Bishu, however, said from the side, "Eldest Senior Brother, what are you saying?"
Song Daren said, "Little Junior Brother has just entered the sect and needs to build a solid foundation. It's not yet time to be lazy."
Du Bishu scratched his head. "That's true. How about this, Little Junior Brother—consider this a debt I owe you. If there's anything you need me to do in the future, just say the word, alright?"
Zhang Xiaofan said, "Sixth Senior Brother, why don't we just forget it, anyway..."
Du Bishu's expression turned stern, and he said with righteous indignation, "What kind of talk is that? Am I the sort of person who can't distinguish right from wrong, loyalty from treachery? Since I promised you, naturally I must do it. Otherwise, I'll leave myself open to ridicule and be laughed at by all my senior brothers for nothing."
Zhang Xiaofan nodded, though in his heart he still didn't understand what this had to do with not distinguishing right from wrong or loyalty from treachery.
Song Daren took Zhang Xiaofan's hand. "Little Junior Brother, come, I'll take you to your new room."
The two walked out of the kitchen. The sky had already darkened, and a bright moon slowly rose, hanging in the eastern sky. They passed the entrance to Shoujing Hall. Zhang Xiaofan looked inside and saw that all the lights were extinguished, pitch black. Only moonlight spilled in front of the hall, giving it a rather gloomy atmosphere.
After walking a bit more, they returned to the corridor courtyard where the disciples lived. Song Daren brought him to the last room on the right and said, "Little Junior Brother, the room you woke up in during the day is where I live. The other junior brothers all live in order along the right side. Those seven rooms on the left are unoccupied." He paused, looked at Zhang Xiaofan, and said, "Living alone, are you frightened?"
Zhang Xiaofan shook his head.
Song Daren smiled. "That's the spirit. How can we men be afraid of loneliness? Come, let's go in." Saying this, he led Zhang Xiaofan inside.
Zhang Xiaofan looked at this unfamiliar place that would accompany him for a long time to come: a small courtyard with a green pine on the left and five or six tall, slender bamboos on the right, two or three persons in height. A small path was paved with pebbles in the courtyard, with grass lawns on both sides. The night wind blew, and the tree leaves and bamboo branches swayed gently. A faint, fragrant scent of fresh grass drifted over—very serene.
Song Daren opened the door, went in, and lit the lamp. "Little Junior Brother, come in."
Zhang Xiaofan walked in and saw that the furnishings in the room were as simple and plain as those in Song Daren's room: a table, chairs, and a bed. There wasn't much else.
Song Daren said, "I cleaned up a bit today. You can stay here for now. Mountain living is austere, and you're still young, so you might feel lonely. But we who study the Dao must endure all kinds of tempering. From now on, you'll have to take care of your daily living by yourself."
Zhang Xiaofan said, "I understand, Eldest Senior Brother."
Song Daren nodded and looked around again. "If there's nothing else, I'll head back. You've had a tiring day; rest early."
Zhang Xiaofan responded and saw his senior brother to the door. Suddenly he remembered something. "Eldest Senior Brother, why is it that now that it's just gotten dark, none of the senior brothers have come out to walk around?"
Song Daren smiled. "You don't know—those of us who have studied here the shortest time have already been on Dazhu Peak for decades. Ordinarily we rarely go out, and we've long since explored every inch of Dazhu Peak, so we're all too lazy to walk around. Like Old Fourth loves reading, Old Second loves humming tunes, and the more diligent ones like Old Third cultivate in their rooms. Generally, no one comes out."
Only then did Zhang Xiaofan understand. Song Daren smiled, patted his head, gave him a few more words of advice, and turned to leave.
Zhang Xiaofan returned to his room and closed the door. In an instant, he felt the entire world suddenly grow quiet, without a single human voice. He silently walked to the table, sat blankly for a while, and having nothing to do, blew out the lamp, removed his outer clothes, and lay down on the bed. He tossed and turned; who knew how much time passed before he drifted off into a muddled sleep.
"Ah!"
In the darkness, Zhang Xiaofan let out a low cry, sat up with a start, and panted ceaselessly. Just now he had dreamed of returning to Caomiao Village, seeing his parents again, seeing his childhood playmates again, and the other uncles and aunties, all living in harmony. But suddenly, they had all turned into corpses, blood flowing like a river—utterly terrifying. His whole body shook, and he woke up like this.
He sat on the bed for quite a while. His breathing gradually calmed, and his eyes slowly adapted to the darkness. He saw that the window was slightly ajar, and a beam of faint moonlight slanted in, spilling onto the blue-brick floor like frost and snow.
Zhang Xiaofan lost all sleepiness. He got up, walked to the door, and with a creak, pulled it open and went out.
All around was silent; from some unknown place came faint sounds of insects chirping—one sound, two sounds, low and faint. The moonlight was like water, spilling over his body.
He raised his head to look at the sky and saw a sky full of stars, the moon hanging directly overhead, bright and luminous.
"I wonder how Jingyu is doing now, whether he also can't sleep?" He murmured this in a low voice, sighed, and was about to turn and enter his room when suddenly his chest felt loose, and an object rolled out from his underclothes and fell to the ground.
Zhang Xiaofan jumped in fright. He bent down to pick it up; it was that dark purple, lustreless round bead. There was a small hole in the middle of the bead—it seemed this was the one that Puzhi had threaded onto his jade prayer beads back then. These past days he had undergone great upheaval and had long forgotten this object. Only now did he remember that Puzhi had instructed him to throw this bead away.
Thinking of this, his heart suddenly ached with bitterness. His parents had left him nothing. Puzhi's bond with him was shallow, but that one night together had been like family. And this ugly bead was the only thing Puzhi had left him.
Zhang Xiaofan raised his hand, lifting the bead into midair against the moonlight. Bathed in the clear radiance of the moon, he saw that the bead's color had actually lightened somewhat, turning into a pale purple, semi-transparent state. He could faintly see a faint wisp of azure qi swirling endlessly inside, as if it possessed spirituality, wanting to break out of its shell. However, every time the azure qi approached the bead's surface, a small swastika character would light up there, blocking it back.
Zhang Xiaofan looked at it for a long time and, without realizing it, grew somewhat fond of it in his heart. And thinking that this was the only memento Puzhi had left, he truly couldn't bear to throw it away. After thinking for a long while, he untied a red string from around his neck—the one his parents had tied on him to pray for a long, safe life. Ordinary families would hang gold plaques and silver locks, but his family was poor, so they could only use a red string instead.
He then threaded the bead with the red string, tied it securely, and hung it against his chest, close to his skin. It didn't feel cold; rather, it held some warmth. He smiled to himself, then looked up again at the bright moon in the sky, turned around, walked back to his room, and went back to sleep.
His first day at the Qingyun Sect ended just like that.