Fang Jie walked along, glancing back at the chuckling, dark-skinned boy, Yan Kuang, following behind him, then shook his head and sighed repeatedly. To make the boy look more presentable, Fang Jie had him dressed in a brand-new servant's outfit—a blue robe, a small hat, and black boots—and was impeccably clean, but that couldn't hide his dark complexion and ugliness.
Fang Jie even suspected that the boy might be some kind of reincarnated demon.
Fortunately, the two large, drooping hairs hanging from his nose had disappeared under Fang Jie's forceful intervention. Even so, bringing him into the martial arts academy still drew waves of ridicule. While male masculinity wasn't particularly prevalent in the Sui capital, which servant wasn't a handsome young man with fair skin and rosy lips? The servant Fang Jie had brought along was not handsome at all; to say he wasn't pretty would be a lie.
Not long after Fang Jie entered the martial arts academy, news of him bringing a monkey as a page spread throughout the campus.
The dark-skinned boy wasn't shy at all; he laughed back at anyone who looked at him. His laughter, however, terrified the few female students in the academy.
He ran into Yu Xiao on the way. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Yu Xiao pulled him aside. Frowning, he glanced at the boy and lowered his voice, asking, "Where did you find someone like this as a page? This guy could scare people to death if he came out at night!"
Fang Jie chuckled sheepishly. "A fortune teller said I've been having bad luck lately, so I found this to keep around for protection… But don't worry, he won't scare anyone at night."
"Why?"
Yu Xiao asked. Fang Jie said seriously, "At night... we can't see him..."
Yu Xiao was taken aback, then chuckled, "This is the first time I've ever seen someone so dark. You know, if your page boy ran out naked at night and stood in any corner without disguise, no one would see him."
Fang Jie smiled and asked, "I heard the General will be leading troops into battle soon?"
Yu Xiao nodded, "His Majesty's decree has been issued, set for February 12th. I don't know what kind of day that is; I specifically checked the almanac, but there's nothing special about it. Neither good nor bad. But my father doesn't believe in these things; he's led troops for so many years and has never believed in ghosts or gods."
"There are no ghosts or gods, why believe in them?"
Fang Jie said, "If this battle were delayed, it would be better if you and I could both go with the General. With you looking after me, we might be able to achieve some merit."
Yu Xiao looked around to make sure no one was there, then whispered, "This battle might not end so quickly. When I talked to my father about it a couple of days ago..." "My father also said that if the Sui Dynasty can hold Manduqi, it will have to continue until the Great Wall is built. As long as the Great Wall around Manduqi isn't completed, the Mongol offensive will not cease. But how easy is it to build the Great Wall in the wild northwest? Although the Ministry of Works has recruited a large number of craftsmen to go to the northwest, and there's no shortage of stone and timber on Wolf's Breath Mountain… how could the Mongols possibly just stand by and watch our people build the Great Wall?"
Fang Jie nodded and said, "We're both hoping this battle will be won soon, and also hoping…" "After we finish our training, we can go to the Northwest to make a name for ourselves... It's such a dilemma!"
Yu Xiao smiled and said, "We won't lack for merit. If this war can be finished within two years, that would be a really good result. The court will inevitably have to deploy large armies to rotate through the Northwest, and the Mongols have suffered such a huge loss, how could they easily admit defeat?"
Fang Jie nodded and said, "Perhaps after the Great Wall is built, the Mongols will quickly learn how to fight siege warfare."
The two exchanged a few more words about the war in the Northwest, and Yu Xiao took his leave. Fang Jie led the young man towards the Martial Arts Academy, and they encountered Xie Fuyao when they were almost at the library. Xie Fuyao's expression when she saw the young man was exactly the same as Yu Xiao's; even this refined and composed person couldn't help but grin in surprise. "You've been out exorcising demons these past few days?"
Xie Fuyao asked him, "Was it that person you captured on Half-Moon Mountain...? If he lives on Half-Moon Mountain, then the reason why there are no wild animals there is cleared up."
"What a wicked mouth!"
Fang Jie rolled his eyes at him and said, "Don't you feel safe having someone like that around?"
Xie Fuyao chuckled, "Yeah, if this person were plastered on your front door, even ghosts and gods would be terrified."
Fang Jie didn't want to continue discussing the dark-skinned boy's appearance, and smiled, asking, "Why haven't I seen you around these past few days?" "At the Martial Arts Academy? I've looked for you in your courtyard several times, but you're not there."
Xie Fuyao said in a low voice, "I'm telling you, but you're not allowed to tell anyone else."
Fang Jie squinted and asked, "Did you become a womanizer?"
Xie Fuyao laughed and scolded, "Nonsense... My benefactor who taught me cultivation has arrived in Chang'an. Don't you think I should go to greet him? It's his first time in the capital, and he's unfamiliar with the place, so I helped him settle in. I also accompanied him to several scenic spots, and he only returned to the Martial Arts Academy early this morning."
"The disciple of Master Zhang from Wudang Mountain has come to the capital?"
Fang Jie was taken aback, his heart tightening for some reason.
"Yes, my senior brother is passing on his master's skills. For so many years, he has been guiding my cultivation. Speaking of which, my senior brother is more like a strict teacher. A few days ago, I received news that my senior brother was about to arrive in Chang'an, so I quickly went out to arrange accommodations and went out of Chang'an to greet him."
"Your senior brother came alone?"
Fang Jie asked. "No, there are a few more, but I don't recognize any of them."
Xie Fuyao smiled and said, "The disciples of Wudang are far more low-key than the Taoists of Qingle Mountain. Logically, my senior brother and the Red-Robed High Priest of Qingle Mountain are on the same level. But there's no such position as Red-Robed High Priest in Wudang, and my senior brother's robes are similar to those of the disciples. Even walking down the street, he'd be mistaken for an ordinary Taoist; no one would guess he's a disciple of Master Zhang of Wudang Mountain."
Fang Jie hummed in agreement, thinking to himself, the Taoists of Qingle Mountain should have returned to Yiqi Temple long ago, since the Martial Arts Academy's exams were completed in early summer last year. Master Xiao and Taoist Heli have been staying in Chang'an for eight or nine months already; why haven't they gone back? And now the Taoists of Wudang Mountain have arrived—why?
Fang Jie didn't believe the people from Wudang Mountain were just here for sightseeing.
...
Chang'an City was the most magnificent city in the land, stretching for hundreds of miles. It was the most prosperous place in the Sui Dynasty, with countless people coming and going. The Sui Dynasty revered Taoism, so Taoist disciples in grey robes and bound swords were a common sight in Chang'an. In the martial arts world, there was a saying about Taoism: "Eastern and Western Orthodox Schools, Temples Everywhere."
This meant that there were countless Taoist temples throughout the Sui Dynasty. But if one were to speak of the orthodox schools of Taoism, it would be the Yi Qi Temple on Qing Le Mountain in the east and the San Qing Temple on Wudang Mountain in the west.
Xiao Zhenren was appointed by the emperor as the leader of all Taoist schools, so in terms of fame, the Yi Qi Temple was naturally more prestigious. And since people value orthodoxy above all else, and the Yi Qi Temple was designated a sacred site of Taoism by the emperor, it was naturally the most authentic school. In this sense, the San Qing Temple on Wudang Mountain seemed to be inferior.
However, the fame of Zhang Zhenren of Wudang was in no way inferior to that of Xiao Zhenren.
Some even say that if Master Xiao hadn't been acquainted with His Majesty before his ascension to the throne, the title of leader of the Daoist sects wouldn't have fallen to him. It's said that Master Zhang is over a hundred years old and has five disciples, known as the Five Immortals of Wudang. The word "immortal" is a respectful title for Daoist practitioners; common people often address Daoists as "Immortal Master." But to be called an "immortal" in the martial arts world is naturally not easy.
Master Zhang hasn't descended the mountain since he was ninety. The daily affairs of Wudang Mountain are managed by his eldest disciple, Song Huiqiao. Song Huiqiao, the head of Wudang Mountain, is over fifty years old and highly respected. His words carry absolute authority in Wudang Mountain, just like Master Zhang's.
Master Zhang's second disciple is Zhang Huiyi, his third disciple is Li Huishu, his fourth disciple is Liu Huizheng, and his fifth disciple is Liu Huiqing.
Master Zhang had only five direct disciples, and the thousands of Taoists of Wudang were all their disciples and grand-disciples. In terms of scale, the Sanqing Temple on Wudang Mountain was even larger than the Yiqi Temple on Qingyue Mountain. Moreover, the Sanqing Temple existed since the previous dynasty, making it even more ancient than the Yiqi Temple.
The one who taught Xie Fuyao cultivation and martial arts was Master Zhang's fourth disciple, Liu Huizheng. This man's demeanor was identical to the overall atmosphere of Wudang Mountain—low-key and humble. His journey from Wudang Mountain to Chang'an was unknown to the government.
Before arriving in Chang'an, he only sent someone to inform Xie Fuyao, who was studying at the Martial Arts Academy. Xie Fuyao was responsible for arranging everything, including food, drink, and lodging, all entrusted to this nominal disciple. Logically, Xie Fuyao should be considered Master Zhang's last disciple, but he had only met Master Zhang twice. After Master Zhang's ninetieth birthday, he never descended the mountain again.
Xie Fuyao arranged for the six members of her Wudang Mountain group to stay at the most prestigious Shunde Inn in Chang'an, a century-old establishment. The inn was large and clean, but the prices were astonishing. It was generally frequented by wealthy merchants from all over the country; ordinary people couldn't afford it.
However, for Xie Fuyao, this was nothing. Although the Xie family of Jiangnan had gradually declined, that referred to their status in the court. In terms of wealth, even if they couldn't compare to Wu Yidao, they were still among the top five wealthiest families in the entire Sui Dynasty.
Liu Huizheng appeared to be in his thirties, with a gentle face. He had been training under Master Zhang since he was seven, for thirty years now. Back then, Mo Wanwu, a professor at the Martial Arts Academy, confident in his own cultivation, challenged Master Zhang to a duel on Wudang Mountain. Master Zhang, not considering him rude, sent Liu Huizheng to fight on his behalf.
Liu Huizheng used the Four Symbols Finger Technique to break Mo Wanwu's ultimate move, and Mo Wanwu fled in shame.
Over the years, Liu Huizheng's cultivation had become even more refined and powerful. Unlike the Daoists of the Yi Qi Temple on Qing Le Mountain, who generally didn't concern themselves with Jianghu affairs, many Daoists from Wudang Mountain roamed the Jianghu, upholding justice. Therefore, the respect Jianghu people held for Wudang Mountain was actually greater than that for the Yi Qi Temple.
Liu Huizheng and his group of six included himself, a young Daoist boy, three others dressed in ordinary disciple robes (his three most skilled disciples), and an elderly Daoist who appeared to be at least seventy or eighty years old. His clothes were identical to Liu Huizheng's, clearly indicating a status comparable to the Five Immortals of Wudang, yet given his age, he couldn't possibly be a disciple of Master Zhang.
Judging from Liu Huizheng's respectful attitude towards him, this old Daoist seemed to hold a high position.
"Huizheng, how long will we stay in Chang'an City?"
The trembling old Daoist asked after sitting down in the room.
Liu Huizheng thought for a moment and replied, "I don't know yet, Master hasn't given any instructions."
"Sigh..."
The old Taoist sighed, "I'm so old, and I still had to travel thousands of miles to the capital. If I stayed any longer, I might just end up here, my old bones scattered. To die and not be buried on Wudang Mountain, just thinking about it makes my heart ache. If your master hadn't come personally, I would never have left the mountain."
"Uncle-Master...you're so healthy, why do you keep saying these things?"
Liu Huizheng smiled and said.
"Healthy?"
The old Taoist pursed his lips, "I'm almost ninety years old! Besides...who doesn't know the capital is a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers reside? This place...I really didn't want to come."