Chapter Thirteen: Purchasing the Clouds

The two of them descended toward Shouyin Mountain. This mountain was extraordinary and mysterious; clouds of all colors would occasionally alight upon its slopes, while others, in strange and fantastic shapes, drifted away from its peaks.

“Shouyin Mountain is also known as Cloud Nest, just as your Mingzhi Mountain is sometimes called Green God Mountain. The latter is often an alias we disciples use for the sect when traveling incognito in the outside world.”

The closer they drew to Shouyin Mountain, the more Yun Qi felt as though he were immersed in a pool steeped in multicolored pigments.

Their cloud landed at a ferry called Tall Willows, where drooping willows formed a dense forest, thousands of emerald-green ribbons swaying in the wind. From afar, it looked like a billowing green cloud.

Luo Wanhua led Yun Qi deeper into the willow grove.

“What sort of cloud do you want?” he asked as they walked side by side.

“What sort of cloud?” Yun Qi shook his head, uncertain.

“For example, by the Five Elements—do you lean toward metal, wood, water, fire, or earth? Or speaking of flight: do you want to soar high, or fly swiftly? As for function, do you prefer one that gathers spiritual energy, or one that conceals you from sight?”

Yun Qi hadn’t realized there was so much to consider. He thought for a moment. “I suppose I lean toward fire. My teacher wishes me to open my Heart Palace first, and the Heart Palace is of fire. As for flight, I’d like one that soars high. As for other functions, I’ll have to see the price. I hope the cost won’t exceed one or two gold ingots.”

Luo Wanhua listened attentively, then, after a moment’s thought, clapped his hands and laughed. “I have it! How fortuitous!”

He looked at Yun Qi. “Do you trust me? If you do, let’s not browse the cloud market just yet. I have a senior sister who is about to sell a cloud. Come with me and see what she has to offer.”

Yun Qi smiled and nodded. “We’re from the same sect—why shouldn’t I trust you?”

Luo Wanhua smiled as well, then explained in detail: “My acquaintance is from the Ji generation, with the Dao name Xuan. She is actually a direct disciple of my acknowledged teacher. I only call her senior sister in private; truth be told, I’m not quite qualified. I haven’t opened my mansion yet, while she has already opened both Heart and Lung Palaces, wielding the power to ignite fire and melt gold!”

“Incredible!” Yun Qi responded with admiration.

“Senior Sister Ji Xuan is just now preparing to weave her second cloud—truly, fate has brought this opportunity, for both her and you. For certain reasons, she intends to shift from cultivating fire to cultivating metal. Her first cloud is a flaming cloud, crafted with many fine materials: fire-aligned, soaring high—just what you desire. Since she’s eager to sell it for materials to craft a new one, the price may be negotiated down to one or two gold.”

Yun Qi was very pleased to hear this.

After winding their way through the grove, they arrived at a cave-dwelling.

Luo Wanhua activated the sound-transmission spell on the door.

“Senior Sister Ji Xuan, it’s Wanhua. Do you have a moment?”

“I’m free. Come in.”

A woman’s voice drifted out, and the door swung open.

Inside, a Daoist priestess sat before a large loom, a golden shuttle in her hand. All around the cave, clouds were stacked in layers, resembling heaps of cotton.

Luo Wanhua introduced them. “Senior Sister Ji Xuan, this is Cheng Yun Qi, newly arrived on Lantern Street, registered under Mingzhi Mountain. He’s young, but his name is already well-known—he inherited the Su Kong breathing technique and can absorb energy in six breaths.”

At this, Pu Ji Xuan’s eyes shone bright as the golden shuttle in her hand. “So you’re the one who can breathe in energy in six breaths.”

Luo Wanhua turned to Yun Qi. “This is Daoist Ji Xuan.”

Yun Qi bowed deeply. “Greetings, Daoist Ji Xuan.”

Pu Ji Xuan nodded and asked Luo Wanhua, “What brings you here?”

“Senior sister, Yun Qi wishes to purchase a cloud. I recommended yours.”

“Oh?” The priestess’s eyes shone even brighter, and a smile lit her face. “My cloud is not cheap. You haven’t opened your palace yet; where would you get such funds?”

Luo Wanhua replied with a smile, “He can absorb energy in six breaths and is ranked fifth on the Southern Dipper List. The Academy naturally rewards him with gold.”

Pu Ji Xuan paused at her loom and looked at Cheng Yun Qi. “Splendid. How much are you willing to offer?”

“May I see the cloud first?” Yun Qi asked.

“Of course,” Pu Ji Xuan answered, smiling.

Suddenly, the embroidered red peony on her robe detached itself, fell to the ground, and transformed into a red mist. The mist gathered and condensed into a rosy cloud, radiating crimson light that stained the stone walls like the evening glow.

With a gesture, the priestess sent the crimson cloud floating beneath Yun Qi’s feet. The cloud lifted him up; standing within it was like treading on cotton, his whole body suffused with a gentle warmth—a most pleasant sensation.

At her command, the cloud set Yun Qi down, then morphed into a red thread ball, the end of which leaped onto his robe. In a blink, the red thread embroidered a coiled dragon pattern over his left chest.

Yun Qi immediately felt warmth filling his heart aperture, reminiscent of the sensation he’d had when first absorbing fire energy the day before. He touched the dragon pattern on his robe—it was slightly hot to the touch. He nodded in satisfaction.

“You’ve come to me, so I assume Wanhua has told you about this cloud. Its name is Cinnabar now; what you call it in the future is up to you.

“Cinnabar is a flaming cloud, fire-aligned, agile and spirited. It can rise to the first heaven without trouble, and covering a thousand miles in a day is a simple matter. When stowed, it becomes part of your robe, resonating with the Heart Palace. The Heart Palace is warmed by the fire cloud; the fire cloud is nourished by your heart’s blood—a mutual benefit between person and artifact.”

“I wonder if one gold would be enough for you to part with it?” Yun Qi asked.

Pu Ji Xuan couldn’t help but laugh. “The base of my Cinnabar cloud was gathered from the evening glow after a summer thunderstorm—most ethereal and light. The evening glow is restless, extremely hard to capture; it took me years just to obtain the material.

“Afterward, it passed through six thousand passes of my loom to take shape, supplemented with treasures: the crown fluff of blood dandelion, the flight feather of a scarlet ibis, the silk of the fire wolf spider, the heart’s blood of the Red Deer of Plum Mountain, and many others. The cost alone far exceeds ten gold! Even if it’s secondhand, one gold is much too low—don’t mention it again.”

“Ah, senior sister,” Luo Wanhua began, calm and unhurried, “Don’t take Yun Qi for a fool. Your cloud is indeed superb; even if you asked twenty gold, I’d believe it. But that’s not how the value is reckoned—you expended time and materials, but what you gained was more than just this cloud: you opened your fire palace, gained insight into fire, honed your cloud-weaving skills, mastered flight. Those achievements aren’t Yun Qi’s to pay for, are they?”

Pu Ji Xuan flushed with anger and embarrassment. “Well, Luo Wanhua, taking the outsider’s part against me—have you forgotten how I’ve treated you all these years? Fine, if my Cinnabar isn’t worth ten gold, but if I sell it for just one, it matters not to whom—soon enough, there’ll be a line stretching to Clock-Spirit Mountain to buy it!” She was so indignant that Yun Qi felt awkward; after hearing her reasoning, even he thought one gold was too little.

But Luo Wanhua remained unfazed. He shook his head and replied leisurely, “Dear elder sister, Yun Qi is no outsider—he was personally brought into the sect by Brother Ji Hu! Brother Ji Hu also instructed us to take good care of him. Why, Yun Qi now lives in the very chamber of Brother Ji Hu at Bingchen Courtyard!”

At this, Daoist Ji Xuan froze, then grew even more agitated. “Why mention him? That heartless one—left the sect in such a hurry and didn’t even say goodbye!”

Luo Wanhua only chuckled, offering no further reply.

Suddenly, Daoist Ji Xuan composed herself, coughed lightly, and said, “Very well, one gold it is. Should you have any questions about the cloud later, you may come to me. Since you are one he brought in, you must cultivate diligently. To make the Southern Dipper List by breathing in energy—remarkable, truly remarkable.” She giggled softly.

Yun Qi’s eyes widened. Ever since Luo Wanhua mentioned Brother Ji Hu’s name, this Daoist priestess seemed an entirely different person.