Chapter 3. The True Void
As soon as Su Zhen stepped into the hall, the door behind him turned back into a solid stone wall, cutting off the light from outside.
The hall was about thirty feet wide and fifty feet long with a very high ceiling, supported by four stone pillars. Near the far end, a raised circular platform stood, carved with strange symbols and patterns. The walls themselves gave off a faint, bluish glow, lighting the space with an eerie dimness.
Seated on the platform was a man wrapped in an ancient robe, so faded by time that no trace of its original color remained. Even from a distance, Su Zhen could make out the unnatural thinness of the man's body and the pallor of his skin. His long white hair trailed on the floor, and his beard vanished into the folds of his robe.
This is no ordinary man. I'd better show respect, Su Zhen thought.
He clasped his hands in a respectful salute, bowed at the waist, and said aloud,
"Su Zhen greets you, honored elder!"
The floor was coated in a thick layer of dust.
A male voice echoed inside his mind, as if coming from all directions at once:
"Come closer."
Straightening up, Su Zhen fought the searing fear in his chest and stepped carefully toward the old man, doing his best not to stir up clouds of dust with each step.
"Do not be afraid. I won't kill you."
"Thank you, honored elder," Su Zhen said cautiously.
As he approached the platform, Su Zhen noticed that the old man's lips did not move when he spoke. And then he saw the man's nails... they had grown so long they curled into massive loops.
It was clear now — this man hadn't left this room in decades.
"It was I who called you here through your dreams," the voice continued.
"Are you a sorcerer?" Su Zhen asked, his voice almost cracking.
"No. I am a cultivator of immortality. As you can see, I am in a pitiful state... and I wish for you to assist me."
"What would you have me do, honored elder?"
"I wish to take you as my disciple and pass on the secret techniques of my sect before I die."
"If it pleases you, honored elder, I dare not refuse," Su Zhen blurted out, feeling a wave of relief.
Seems like the old man doesn't intend to kill me... but I'd better stay on guard, he thought.
"Then bring me a blood oath and bow to me as your teacher," the elder instructed.
"A blood oath?"
"Yes. Take the sword lying under my right hand. Use it to cut your finger."
Su Zhen stepped onto the platform. The sword, still in its scabbard, stuck out from beneath a thick layer of dust. As he moved to pick it up from the side, he noticed something else—a dagger, buried deep into the elder's neck from behind.
"That dagger is the reason I remain trapped here," the elder said calmly. "Forget about it; it's not your concern."
"What must I do?" Su Zhen asked seriously.
"First, listen carefully to the oaths you must swear."
"My name is Ge Xu Tong (葛虚同), and I am an elder of the sect known as the Holy Sect of Refining the Void (炼虚圣宗).
If you wish to become my disciple, you must swear these vows:
First — to be loyal and obedient to your teacher, that is, to me.
Second — to follow the core rules of the sect's discipline.
The core rules are as follows:
— Do not practice demonic or questionable arts.
— Do not kill out of vengeance, hatred, greed, lust, or other deviations of the Heart.
— Do not reveal the sect's secrets to outsiders without the teacher's permission.
— Do not marry or engage in intimacy without the teacher's permission.
— Do not consume intoxicating substances without the teacher's permission.
— Do not seize others' property without the teacher's permission.
Shall I repeat them?"
"Yes, if it pleases you, honored elder," Su Zhen said hesitantly, swallowing hard.
The vows didn't seem overly difficult. Nothing unreasonable was being asked of him... yet this felt like an incredibly serious commitment.
Not even marriage was allowed without permission!
Elder Ge repeated the vows carefully, then added:
"This path is harsh. But the rewards are great.
You will learn martial techniques beyond anything your uncle Lin could ever dream of. Believe me—there will never be another opportunity like this."
A sudden, irrational resolve rose in Su Zhen's chest.
"Very well... I agree," he said.
"Good. Now cut your finger, smear the blood on your right palm, raise your hand, and repeat after me."
Su Zhen did as instructed.
After swearing the blood oath, he performed three deep prostrations before his teacher and rose.
When he lifted his eyes, he saw a faint golden aura shining around Elder Ge's head, flickering for a few brief moments before fading.
"Excellent! Excellent! I had no doubts about you," Elder Ge's voice rang out warmly inside Su Zhen's mind.
"But remember—this is no childish promise. It is the true oath, witnessed by Heaven itself."
"From this moment, I grant you the new Daoist name: Zhen Xu (真虚—True Void).
It once belonged to the third patriarch of our sect.
The sword is yours now. Consider it a gift."
"Thank you, Master," Su Zhen said, bowing low.
"Everything you have seen and heard regarding me must remain absolutely secret.
No one must know—not even your parents.
You have my permission to lie about it and deny everything if necessary.
Furthermore… Soon, the healer Bai from your town will come and offer to take you on as his apprentice. Accept his offer. Study the local plants and learn the skills of herbology. But do not make any promises or oaths to him, and do not speak of me or anything related to me. Come to me when everything settles down, in a week or two, and I will pass on the initial practice to you.
Now go. They're already searching for you."
"But... Master, what about the tiger outside?"
"Do not worry. It's gone. It was under my control to guide you here"
In Su Zhen's mind, the elder's laughter rolled like distant thunder.
"Uhh..." Su Zhen's jaw dropped.