Chapter Twelve: Subduing Yin Mountain

The next morning, Yun Qi arrived at the entrance of a courtyard diagonally across from his own and waited there. It was only at last night’s banquet that he learned Luo Wanhua, a registered disciple, resided in this courtyard, and that he was stationed at Shouyin Mountain. They had agreed that Yun Qi would join him on his cloud chariot to visit Shouyin Mountain and purchase a cloud.

The main reason Yun Qi wanted to buy a cloud chariot now was for the purpose of absorbing vital energies. With a cloud chariot, he could feed on the sun’s fiery essence high in the sky, draw upon the vast lake’s watery aura above the waters, or absorb the woodsy energy of forest waves deep in the mountains—it would be most convenient. Besides, hadn’t he just received a reward?

He didn’t have to wait long before Luo Wanhua came out, a slender man fond of wearing wide robes with large sleeves that swayed dramatically as he walked.

Feigning annoyance, Luo Wanhua pointed at Yun Qi and said, “You, even though you’ve been granted a reward, you must still be prudent—there will be many places to spend money in the future, and buying a cloud today will cost you, won’t it? Last night, those brats from Guteng Street were meant to pay the bill, and we wanted to fleece them, so why did you pay secretly and make both parties feel so awkward?”

Yun Qi bowed repeatedly, smiling. “I dare not do so next time, I promise.”

Clearly, Luo Wanhua was in high spirits. With a flourish of his sleeve, he conjured a cloud of watery jade color.

He led Yun Qi aboard. The sensation beneath Yun Qi’s feet was much like Feng Jihu’s cloud—soft and springy—but this one felt cooler, like standing amid morning mist.

“This is my cloud chariot, called Rain Lake. Shouyin Mountain lies at the southwestern corner of our sect. We’ll head west, cross the Xiping Ridge, and when we see the endless sea of clouds, the tallest peak within will be Shouyin Mountain.”

So spoke Luo Wanhua.

At first, Luo Wanhua flew low, introducing Yun Qi to the sights and peaks of the sect along the way. They flew seven or eight miles northwest, where they saw hills ablaze with azaleas. Luo Wanhua told him this was Azalea Valley beneath them.

Yun Qi gazed upon Azalea Valley, an expanse of rosy blooms dazzling beyond compare.

After another ten miles west, Luo Wanhua looped his cloud southwards, avoiding an area lush with ancient trees and sparkling lakes.

He explained that this was Longevity Park, the dwelling of celestial birds and divine beasts. Ever since some female flood dragons accused sect disciples of spying on them bathing from above, no one dared fly directly over Longevity Park.

To the northwest of Longevity Park lay the Alchemical Court, where pills were refined, sold, and collected. Yun Qi looked at the gently sloping hills and saw palace buildings clustered together, people coming and going, blue smoke curling gracefully upward, and exotic fragrances wafting through the air.

Past the Alchemical Court, another five or six miles southwest, was the Gathering of Ten Thousand Immortals—residence of honored guests.

Luo Wanhua explained that within the sect, all peaks with “Wan” in their name housed different groups: the myriad disciples dwelled at Myriad Scepters Facing Heaven, the celestial birds and beasts at Longevity Park, and the honored guests at Gathering of Ten Thousand Immortals. Thus, disciples nicknamed them Little Myriad Mountain, Great Myriad Mountain, and Immortal Myriad Mountain.

Once past Immortal Myriad Mountain, Yun Qi began to glimpse the majestic Xiping Ridge looming through the mist, stretching north to south for dozens of miles.

They skirted the southern end of Xiping Ridge. Here, Yun Qi witnessed a wondrous sight: to the east of Xiping Ridge, the clouds lay level with the ridge itself, while to the west, they hovered midway up the mountain.

“The mountains are swathed in clouds and mist, but in truth, that is the sect’s grand protective array, called the Six Dragons Turning the Sun—Nine Heavens Cloud Forbiddance Array. Under its control, the clouds can rise or fall at will; rain and fog can thicken or disperse as desired. We’ve never seen the array’s true might, but we have certainly enjoyed its beauty.

“To the west of Xiping Ridge, the sea of clouds is dyed red by the setting sun—hence called the Red Sea. To the east, at sunrise, the clouds glow orange—thus known as the Orange Sea.

“I’ve also heard that the sect plans to build a Southern Ridge as well, though I know not when.”

Yun Qi nodded respectfully. At this moment, the Red Sea stretched beneath his feet, boundless and endless. But since the towering Xiping Ridge blocked the sun, the Red Sea was not red but a somber blue-gray, cast in the vast shadow of the eastern sunrise.

The clouds rippled gently in the mountain breeze, resembling an endless deep lake.

In this vast lake, a solitary peak stood tall, seeming to reach the heavens as one looked upward.

“That is Shouyin Mountain. Over two thousand cultivators reside there, and clouds crafted from here are praised in every corner of the land.”

Luo Wanhua pointed to the place where Shouyin Mountain met the Red Sea and explained, “That area is for capturing and gathering clouds—the training grounds for disciples of various masters. Their personal cultivation peaks are higher up.”

Yun Qi followed his finger and indeed saw people casting nets atop the sea of clouds—a marvelous sight, busier than Mingzhi Mountain.

“Let’s go.”

With that, Luo Wanhua took Yun Qi upward.

Soon, they soared past the height of Xiping Ridge and arrived above the second layer of clouds. Just as Feng Jihu had described, this was where countless sect members honed their spells, techniques, and arts—resonances of magic and flashes of weapon light filled the space.

If below the clouds was the elegance of immortals, then above was their might.

From below, the clouds over the heart of Sanqing Mountain looked pure and flawless, as fine as silk, but from above, they shimmered with the lingering brilliance of spells and flight, forming a prismatic Sea of Rainbows.

Above the Sea of Rainbows was yet another cloud layer, piled thick like cotton. Each cloud was as large as a hill, and the summit of Shouyin Mountain rose above even these clouds.

As they climbed higher, Yun Qi began to feel the cold—something he had not experienced since his youth, after he first absorbed spiritual energy.

They traveled through thick clouds, surrounded by a milky white expanse, with Yun Qi losing all sense of direction.

Suddenly, the world brightened, and Yun Qi instinctively shut his eyes against the dazzling light.

When he opened them again, the scene before him took his breath away.

Above, the sky was a clear blue, as deep as an inverted sea.

Below, clouds as white as milk stretched endlessly, like a plain after days of snow.

This cloud layer was called the Sea of Milk.

Between sky and cloud, golden sunlight streamed. Visible rays stretched from the crimson-gold sunrise in the east down to the eye, sometimes blazing gold, sometimes shimmering with myriad hues, dazzling to behold for long.

On the vast plain of white cloud, several peaks rose abruptly. The nearest was Shouyin Mountain, though here it was little more than a hill. To the south, a peak stood sharp as a sword; to the east, a mountain jutted like a turtle’s head from the cloud sea; to the north, a crystalline high terrace gleamed, perfectly regular.

In addition, three mountains stood at the very center of this snowy expanse—these were the true high peaks, towering above all others, arranged in a triangle, facing one another across the sky. Even at such altitude, they remained verdant, like three sacred immortals clad in green, holding up the heavens.

“The southern peak is Sword-Casting Mountain, the eastern is Ao-Crane Peak, the northern is the Flying Immortal Terrace of Lotus Paradise. And those three at the center—Jade Capital, Jade Splendor, and Jade Void—are the Three Jade Peaks.”

Luo Wanhua introduced each in turn as Yun Qi gazed in awe.

“Are there clouds above this as well?” Yun Qi asked.

Luo Wanhua nodded, answering with certainty, “The clouds above are hidden from sight, but as far as I know, there are at least two more layers up there. It’s said that the uppermost layer even nurtures spiritual astral winds, though few have ever been there—for at that height, outside the sect, it would be considered the Third Heaven.”

Yun Qi looked up, seeing no trace of anything, only feeling the boundless vastness above.