Zhu Xian

Chapter 4: Surprise Change

Chapter 4 Surprise Change A

Morning, the rain finally stopped.

The rain drops on the tree are crystal clear, slipping quietly from the edge of the leaves; dropping down, making a beautiful arc in the air, landing on Shaw Danon’s face.

Ice coldness woke Shaw Danon up, he opened his eyes, unconsciously cried out: "Master," but there is no one, only Baye asleep beside him.

Everything seemed like a dream.

But, judging by the broken Grasstemple, and his sleeping friend, he knew that it was all true.

He started thinking for a moment, shook his head, went to Baye’s side and shoved him hard. Baye’s mouth muttered a few words, slowly woke up, rubbed his eyes; before saying a word, he felt a chill hit and could not help but sneeze.

His eyes opened and looked surprised to find himself and Shaw Danon wet, resting under a pine tree; he could not help but feel stunned, said: "didn’t I sleep at home, how did I get here?"

Shaw Danon shrugged his shoulders and said: "I don’t know, but I am very cold; let go back quickly."

Baye has all sorts of questions on his mind, but it is really cold out. Immediately he nodded, got up and ran to the village with Shaw Danon.

Upon arriving at the village, the two find things to be not quite right; usually, by this time, the villagers should be up. Today, however, is extremely quiet; even shadows are not to be seen and, with the blowing of the morning breeze a faint bloody smell was in the air.

The two looked at each other, seeing surprise in each other’s eyes, while quickening their pace as they ran to the village. It doesn’t take long for them to reach the entrance of the village; the view reveals the ground in the middle of the village to be covered, more than forty families of Grasstemple village, two hundred people, old and young, men and women, are strewn about the ground; the bodies stiffened into corpses, rivers of blood, flies buzzing about, the stench of blood wafting through the air.

Baye and Shaw Danon, surprised to see such a terrible scene, out of shock, screamed and fainted.

? ? ?

After an unknown span of time, Shaw Danon awoke; suddenly sat up, panting, his hands trembling slightly. When he fainted, his mind was full of the faces of evil, bloody bones of the dead, many nightmares.

He calmed down, looked at the surroundings, saw this is a common room; two small windows, the room furnishings simple and clean, only a few pine tables and chairs, a kettle and cups.

Half of the room is taken up by four beds. Besides the one he is now laying upon, the bed next to him is also slightly messy; as though someone had just been sleeping. As for the other two, quilts are stacked neatly, meticulous.

Above each of the four beds, on the walls, hung a banner that read in large print:

Dao!

This place seemed like a common room inn, or a room for disciples.

Shaw Danon sat for a while; suddenly, his heart could not help but raise an idea: Perhaps, all of this is a nightmare, right? Maybe I’ve been sleeping here? Perhaps, out of the room, mother will, as usual, call and smile: "You little slacker!"

He slowly got out of bed, put on shoes, step by step, went over to the door.

The door was half shut; from the door, a light wind blew inside.

He walked step-by-step, the two hands holding tighter together. His heart beat fast, holding his breath; soon, he went to the entrance and placed his hand on the door.

At that moment, the door felt as heavy as mountains; sinking like iron.

He grit his teeth, "Ji ah" sound, opened the door.

The bright light from outdoor suddenly flooded in, causing his eyes to narrow. Sun shined on his body, with a slight touch of warmth.

But, his heart, suddenly fell into deep ice.

It’s a small courtyard outside the door; there are pine and cypress trees, brush, several flowers. In front there is a corridor leading to outside of the courtyard. Four feet in front of the door, there are a few steps attaching the courtyard and corridors.

At the corner of the steps, sat a lonely child with his hand holding his cheek, sitting there motionless.

Perhaps the door opening disturbed him, The child hesitated, slowly turned.

Baye.

Shaw Dannon’s mouth opened, there are hundreds of questions in his mind; but, when the words near the mouth, all turns into silence.

He wanted to shout aloud but, chest depressed, can not shout out.

Two lines of tears, just like that, quietly, slipping.

Two children, just like that, silently, look at each other in the eye.

From far away, there came the singing of the birds in the blue sky, white clouds.

? ? ?

Shaw Dannon sitting on the steps on the other side, head down, watching the stone in the courtyard’s trail.

In the small courtyard, silence.

After long time, Baye said slowly: "I woke up earlier than you, there was several people in the room, I asked them; here is Mount Jadeon, Peak of Widow."

Shaw Dannon whispered: "Mount Jadeon"

Baye said: "Listen: they said, a few Jadeon disciples passing by saw the village, the village..." here, his voice could not help but choke up.

He put his hands firmly to rub his eyes, stretched his breath, then said: "Then, they found us in the village and brought us to the mountains."

Shaw Dannon’s mouth moved a little, but still did not lift his head, and said: "what are we going to do, Jing Yu?"

Baye shook his head sadly and said: "I don’t know."

Shaw Danon still wanted to talk; however, an unfamiliar voice suddenly intervened from behind: "ah, you all have woken up?"

They looked back at the same time and saw a young Taoist standing there, dressed in blue robes, a quite handsome individual. He trotted over, said: "Master would like to see you, he has some questions for you. Come with me."

Shaw Danon and Baye looked at each, stood up; Baye said: "Yes, big brother bring us please."

The young Taoist looked at Baye, nodded his head and said: "come with me."

Following the Taoist, they leave the courtyard; seeing a much longer corridor in front of them, every twenty feet lays a red pillar. Between each set of two pillars, there is an archway.

They went forward along the corridor; after a few arches and pillars, they find out that in each archway there are almost identical small courtyards which seem like a living place for Jadeon disciples.

Just from the scale, no less than a hundred of those small courtyard, clearly shows the high number of Jadeon disciples.

Taking a long while to get to the end of this corridor immense white walls and a door come into view below. Two large wooden doors made of thick plates, up to ten yards in height, no one knows where such timber was originally found.

The young Taoist didn’t say anything, probably going through here daily, numb to the sights unlike the two children.

As soon as they passed through the doorway the two children held their breaths; eyes looked up in wonder.

Here, appears an almost legendary wonderland.

A very large square lay in the center, the ground is all paved with white marble, light flashes. Distant white clouds swell, seem to coat the area like a veil, actually rolling past under foot. In the center of the square stands a giant bronze tripod every few hundred feet, divided into three rows, each row of three, a total of nine, the rules are placed. Smoke pours from the tripods, clear and not scattering into the air.

"Come this way," seeming to understand the minds of these two children, the young Taoist smiled, let them gaze for a moment, then woke them up and moved along.

"This is one of the Jadeon’s Six Scene, the ’Cloud Sea,’ the wonders are even greater, ahead!" The young priest walked onward.

Baye could not help but inquire: "What?"

The young priest pointed, said: "Rainbow Bridge."

The two children looked over, saw in the distance at the end of the square, behind hazy mist and clouds, seeing something shiny, they sped up their pace and traveled forward.

The sound of water became audible; followed by a few strange sounds like thunder, coming from an unknown place.

They grew closer and closer, the clouds as gentle as fairies and gently surround by their side, and gradually lift the veil, revealing a clear face.

A stone bridge was placed at the end of the square reaching, with no seat nor pier, across the sky; traveling from one side of the square, going upward, deep into the clouds, like a dragon into the sky. The gentle sound of water came, under the sunlight the whole bridge shone colorfully with the seven colors falling like a rainbow into the earth.

Shaw Danon and Baye stared.

The young Taoist smiled and said: "Come with me." Then headed onto the stone bridge.

Setting foot onto the stone bridge, the two children found that there was water running down on both sides of the bridge’s edge; very clear, but the middle remained dry. The sun shone through the clouds on the bridge but, also because of the water, the light turned into a brilliant rainbow.

Chapter 4 Surprise Change B

The Taoist looked at their excitement. He concerned, said: "You must be careful, if you accidentally fall down you will end up in the bottomless abyss, by that time we won’t even have a body to bury."

Shaw Danon and Baye were both startled, then quickly calmed down, walked carefully.

This Rainbow Bridge was extremely long and high, the three walked along it, felt all the clouds around them gradually sink underfoot; they understood that they were getting higher and higher. The strange sound from up ahead still kept coming.

After walking for a while the clouds gradually become thinner; moving out of the clouds, seeing the blue sky stretching infinitely wide, with clouds now under their feet, floating lightly.

In front is where highest peak of Peak of Widow, Jadeon’s main hall "Crystal Hall" is located.

The mighty "Crystal Hall" is located at the top of the mountain with clouds surrounding it. A few cranes fly by, circling around in the sky; such celestial environment fills people’s hearts with admiration.

Rainbow Bride no longer continues rising into the sky at this time; arched in the air and landing on the ground next to the green pool. At the same time, Taoist songs faintly filter through the air out of "Crystal Hall." The strange sound from before grows ever more loud.

The three got off the Rainbow Bridge, next to the pool a set of large stone steps lead from the pool-side to the door of Crystal Hall. Green pond water, clear as a mirror, shadows of mountain clearly visible.

They got onto the stone steps and were about to walk toward the door; suddenly, a roar arose from deep within the pond, like the sound of thunder. It was the noises that had boomed earlier.

The young Taoist has taken precaution, leading with his left hand the body floats upward, wafting back twenty feet, far from the pond, and stopping in mid-air. There is, however, no way for the two children to escape; suddenly, their bodies are splashed with pond-water.

But, they do not notice their own situation, simply stare at the giant in front of them, about five yards high, with a dragon head and lion body, covered with scales; giant eyes and a large mouth with two sharp fangs shining in the sun, face grim, frightening to anyone.

The monster shook itself, flapping in the wind; another spray dashed up and then, as though it found something, the giant head stretched over.

Shaw Danon and Baye saw the monster had a head substantially bigger than both of them; In the sunlight, sharp teeth were clearly visible protruding from its mouth. Looking at it ever more closely, they grew really frightened; could not help but hold together tightly, the heart pounding heavily.

At this time, the young Taoist drifted back closer, placing a single hand in front of the chest, respectfully said: "Mister Spirit, Master specially summoned them."

Monster glared down at him, "rip," and snapped the nose; a big pair of eyes rolled as the Monster used its brains to ponder the situation. Then, ignoring the three, walked to the side; laying on dry ground in the pool, yawned, put its head down lazily, fell asleep under the sun.

The young Taoist told the two shocked children to continue walking, said: "Mister Spirit is an ancient animal tamed by our faction leader Master Jade Leaf a thousand years ago, called ’Water Kirin.’ That year, Master Jade Leaf expanded Jadeon, slaying evil, Water Kirin also helped us a lot. Now, he is the mountain protector, people call him ’Mister Spirit.’"

Finished speaking, he bowed to Water Kirin; Shaw Danon was day dreaming, but was pulled by Baye, giving him a look, then they also respectfully bowed to Water Kirin. Water Kirin didn’t look, motionless, but let out a loud snoring sound from his nose.

After completing the salute, the three moved on. Through the high stone steps a golden plaque can be seen, written upon it are the words: "Crystal Hall." Arriving in front of the mighty hall, the doors open wide, well-lit interio, enshrines Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun and Daode Tianzun the San Qing statues (note1).

In front of the statues, dozens of people stand within the hall, some in dao some in su (note2), seems like all are Jadeon. Before them there is seven large ebony chairs, three on each side; the center chair sits in front of all, but only six people are sitting there. The last chair, at the right, was empty.

Note 1: San Qing is the gods of Taoism, believe to be create this world. San mean three. Qing mean clear. So it mean those three gods, Yuanshi Tianzu, Lingbao Tianzun and Daode Tianzun, are already exist before the world is created.

Note 2: Dao mean Taoism, or something similar to that. Su mean normal people. In this sentence it saying how the people look like, some wear taoist clothes and some wear normal people clothes.