**Chapter 8: Golden Radiance City**
In the bustling streets of Golden Radiance City, a monk stood quietly by the roadside, holding a copper alms bowl. Passersby hurried past, never casting a glance his way, as if he were invisible to their eyes.
As a richly dressed young man swaggered closer, the monk suddenly stepped forward. A pedestrian nearly collided with him, shooting an annoyed glare and muttering, "Where'd this monk come from? I didn't see him just now."
The monk positioned himself before the young man, catching his attention. Just as he opened his mouth to chant a Buddhist invocation, a hand clapped onto his shoulder from behind.
"Buddhist master, this humble Taoist has a question," Chixiao said, grinning as he pulled the monk aside, heedless of the monk's furrowed brow.
Once they stepped away, the crowd seemed to lose sight of them entirely. Only the young man vaguely recalled being stopped, though he couldn't place by whom.
The monk extended his palm and bowed to Chixiao. "Amitabha."
Silence followed. Chixiao knew the monk's wordlessness was a nudge to leave, but he feigned ignorance. "Kongxiang, stop pretending."
"In your eyes, Brother Daoist, if I am Kongxiang, then I must be. If I am not, then I am not," the monk replied, subtly jabbing at Chixiao with his roundabout words.
"Ahem, don't be like that. I really have something to ask," Chixiao coughed, brushing past the awkwardness of his recent threat.
"I know I can't escape you. Ask what you wish, Brother Daoist," Kongxiang sighed, resigned to the persistent Taoist.
Unexpectedly, Chixiao's eyes flared with anger. "You dare call me Brother Daoist? If not for your meddling, my *fuchen* would've shielded Qingyun from the Tiger Immortal!"
The monk fell silent for a moment, then bowed again, chanting, "Amitabha. If you insist on wading into this mess, then consider my actions meddlesome. But I urge caution—disputes in the Dao realm are like walking on thin ice."
Chixiao snorted. "Treat me as a stubborn fool, not your Brother Daoist."
"I wouldn't dare. If you're a stubborn fool, you'd drag me down with you," Kongxiang shot back dryly.
"Enough nonsense. With your many incarnations, do you know where a *Void Roc Immortal* is?" Chixiao cut through the banter, getting to the point.
Kongxiang frowned, scrutinizing Chixiao with a rare flicker of concern. "Your injuries are that severe? You can't even divine the location of a Void Roc Immortal?"
Chixiao gave a wry smile, knowing he couldn't hide it. "I forcibly reversed fate to make the past plausible. A *Dao injury* like this—a spiritual wound from defying natural laws—doesn't heal easily. I could divine it, but forcing it might worsen the damage. So lately, I've been playing the ignorant Taoist."
Patting Kongxiang's shoulder, Chixiao winked. "Besides, I've got you, haven't I?"
Kongxiang's brow twitched in exasperation. "Extend your hand," he said flatly.
Chixiao, sensing help was at hand, eagerly stretched out his palm.
Kongxiang traced a few characters onto it, then looked up impassively. "Now, Brother Daoist, may I go accept a disciple with Buddhist affinity?"
"Haha, how could I delay you? Go, go! Good disciples are hard to come by," Chixiao beamed, waving as he stepped into a spinning mirror that had appeared unnoticed beside him.
---
Early in the morning, Qingxuan hurried out the door.
"Xuan'er," a gentle voice called just as she crossed the courtyard threshold.
Turning, she saw her father, Chi Song, standing in the corridor. His usual stern demeanor softened into a warm smile as he beckoned her over. "Your mother says you've been leaving early lately. Where are you off to?"
"Master's orders—I can't say," Qingxuan replied.
"Oh, Senior Sister Chi Yan's business? No need to tell, then," Chi Song said, understanding her other obligations.
He reached out to stroke her hair, smiling. "Father brought back a treasure from seeking Immortals. Want to see?"
As Judicial Elder, Chi Song oversaw not only sect rules but all Immortal disturbances within the Five Elements Sect's domain, a role as demanding as the sect leader's. His frequent travels often left Qingxuan without him for long stretches.
"What treasure?" Qingxuan's eyes widened with curiosity, peering toward his robe.
Chuckling at her eager expression, Chi Song reached into his sleeve and pulled out a palm-sized white jade tablet, handing it to her.
Qingxuan took it, noticing the tadpole-like script etched across it. Astonished, she exclaimed, "Is this Cang Shusheng's complete *Dao Companions' Fate*?"
Watching her turn the tablet over in delight, Chi Song smiled indulgently. Though he had no interest in such story tablets, he knew Qingxuan adored them alongside her Taoist scriptures. This time, while handling an Immortal matter far off due to Chixiao's injury, he'd volunteered to go, seizing the chance to buy the set she'd long coveted.
Overjoyed, Qingxuan nearly dashed back to her room to read it but remembered her task to guide Qingyun. She stowed the tablet, gave her father a rushed farewell, and took flight. Mid-air, she pulled out a comb, using Dao power to tame her slightly curled hair into the desired shape.
Behind her, Chi Song shook his head with a laugh. "That girl, still so impulsive."
Then, his thoughts drifted to his senior brother's new disciple, and his brow furrowed. He harbored a quiet dislike for Qingyun, blaming him for Chixiao's *Dao injury*.
Yet, as a disciplined Taoist, Chi Song hadn't let it show during the discipleship ceremony, maintaining a stern face when Qingyun paid his respects. The most rational of the Chi generation, he wouldn't let personal feelings sway his fairness.
---
Drifting toward Qingmu Lake, Qingxuan felt Chi Yan's summons and pulled out her communication mirror. A miniature Chi Yan appeared on its surface.
"Qingxuan, take Qingyun straight to the *Enlightenment Chamber*. I've placed the Kunwu Stone inside so he can hear its Dao sounds," Chi Yan instructed.
"But Master, Junior Brother Qingyun hasn't learned to observe *yuan*. Even if he hears the Dao sounds, he can't see the Kunwu's patterns or align his *yuan* with them…" Qingxuan hesitated.
Chi Yan cut her off. "I know. He's made no progress. But time waits for no one. If he doesn't enter the Dao and cultivate the Kunwu soon, it'll be too late when Chixiao returns."
Understanding the urgency, Qingxuan bit her lip and nodded. "I'll take him there. What about the attendants?"
Though they wouldn't trouble her, leading Qingyun to the chamber would alert them, and Chi Song would hear of it instantly.
"I've dismissed them, claiming I need the chamber. Just guide him there," Chi Yan assured her.
"Understood," Qingxuan replied, relieved.
"He's at the lake. Hurry," Chi Yan said, waving as her image faded from the mirror.
Pocketing the mirror, Qingxuan gritted her teeth. Unbeknownst to others, she was fiercely competitive, always arriving before Qingyun. If he rose early, so did she, using her basic divination to predict his schedule. Sometimes, in her rush, he'd catch her combing her hair.
Today, delayed by Chi Song and Chi Yan, Qingyun had reached the lake first. Feeling outdone, her expression cooled, and she sulked inwardly.
At the lake, Qingyun was attempting to observe *yuan*. Sensing her arrival despite her silence, he opened his eyes.
Seeing her, he stood with a grin. "Senior Sister, you're here! I thought… oh, I guess I was early."
The word "early" drained her patience. Her tone edged with displeasure, she said, "Follow me. Master wants me to take you to the Enlightenment Chamber."
She turned and walked off, though she slowed slightly, checking if he followed.
Qingyun stood baffled, wondering if he'd upset her again.
Hurrying after her, he asked softly, "Senior Sister, is something bothering you?"
At first, he'd have stayed quiet, waiting for her mood to pass. But after days together, he knew she wasn't unreasonable. If he was in the right, she might sulk but wouldn't lash out.
Still, not knowing gnawed at him, especially since she might tease him later. He didn't mind her playful jabs, but now he cared about her mood.
"It's not your concern," Qingxuan said, aware it wasn't his fault but unable to shake her irritation.
"Oh," Qingyun mumbled, unconvinced. He quickened his pace, trying to glimpse her face.
Qingxuan huffed inwardly and sped up, leaving him behind.
Seeing her slender figure pull ahead without waiting, Qingyun snapped out of his daze and chased after her.
**Footnotes**:
[24] **Dao injury**: A spiritual wound caused by defying natural laws, often from powerful Taoist techniques.
[25] **Enlightenment Chamber**: A meditation room for hearing Dao sounds, aiding in cultivation and enlightenment.
原始中文文本
金煌城.
許多行人來往的街道上,一名僧人捧著銅缽,靜靜站在街旁.路人來來去去,卻從未將視線投向僧侶,彷彿他們眼中,這裡並沒有人.
當一名錦衣富少搖搖擺擺地走近時,僧侶卻突然踏前一步.差點被他撞上的路人瞪了僧侶一眼,又摸著頭納悶,嘀咕著:「這和尚哪來的?怎麼剛剛都沒看見.」
僧侶站到錦衣富少前,吸引了對方注意,正要張口宣一聲佛號,卻突然從他身後搭來了一隻手,搭在僧侶的肩膀上.
「佛爺,貧道有話問你.」赤霄不顧僧侶微蹙的濃眉,笑嘻嘻地將他拉到一旁.
兩人一離開,路人又彷彿看不見他們.除了錦衣富少,隱約記得有人曾攔住自己,卻想不起對方是誰.
被拉到一旁的僧侶,伸出手掌,向赤霄躬身道:「阿彌陀佛.」
後續無話.赤霄知道,對方故意什麼都不提,就是讓自己趕快滾蛋,但他還是一臉沒看出來地向僧侶說:「空相,別裝了.」
「道兄眼中,貧僧若是空相,那麼便得是空相.不是空相,那貧僧就不是空相.」僧侶繞了一串,暗暗挖苦赤霄.
「咳咳,別這麼說,老道找你,是真有事.」似乎想起前陣子剛威脅過對方,赤霄連忙咳了兩聲,試圖帶過這份尷尬.
「貧僧自知躲不過你,道兄有什麼想知道,便問吧.」空相臉現無奈,對於這個死皮賴臉的老道士無話可說.
沒想到,赤霄卻是雙目一瞪,怒道:「你還好意思道兄道兄的叫,如果不是你暗作阻撓,貧道的拂塵怎麼會沒幫青雲擋住虎仙?」
僧侶沉默片刻,再次向赤霄躬身,宣了一聲佛號:「阿彌陀佛,道兄若真的想淌這渾水,那麼權當貧僧多事.但貧僧還是想勸一句,道境之爭,如履薄冰.望道兄謹慎.」
老道士哼了一聲,罵道:「你權當貧道是那好言勸不了的該死鬼,別當貧道是道兄了.」
「貧僧不敢.道兄若是該死鬼,那麼也必然會拉著貧僧一起.」僧侶不陰不陽地頂了回來.
「少廢話,你化身這麼多,知不知道哪裡有空鵬仙?」赤霄懶得和他鬥嘴,直截了當地問道.
僧侶卻是蹙起眉頭,仔細打量了下赤霄,臉上罕有露出一絲關切,問道:「道兄傷得如此重?竟連推算空鵬仙之所在都不能?」
赤霄知道瞞不過對方,只得苦笑道:「強行逆轉了果,讓過去順理成章.這樣造就的道傷,豈有這麼容易能好?貧道不是算不出空鵬仙的位置,只是強行推衍,恐讓傷勢加深.所以最近索性就當個不知天數的道士.」
拍了拍空相,赤霄朝他眨了眨眼,親暱地道:「而且,這不是還有你嗎?」
眉頭抽了抽,空相有些無奈,沒好氣道:「手伸出來罷.」
赤霄聞言,知道對方願意幫忙,連忙將手掌朝上伸了出來.
空相隨即在他的手掌處寫了幾個字,然後抬起頭,面無表情地對赤霄說:「那麼,道兄.貧僧難得找到一位有佛緣的弟子,是否可以前去收徒了?」
「哈哈,那貧道怎麼好意思繼續打擾.快去快去,良徒難尋,不可錯過.」赤霄得償所願,眉開眼笑地背過身,朝空相揮了揮手,便走進一面不知何時已經在旋轉的鏡影裡.
＊＊＊＊＊＊
天色尚早,青璇趕著出門.
「璇兒.」她才剛跨過大院門檻,身後便傳來一聲輕喚.
青璇回過頭,看清楚來人身影後,立刻驚喜地叫道:「父親!」
叫住青璇的人,正是赤松.他站在院子兩側廊道內,似乎是看見青璇正要出門,才出聲喚住她.他一改平日不苟言笑的樣子,臉上堆滿了和煦的笑容.朝青璇招了招手,和藹地問道:「聽妳娘親說,這陣子妳都很早就出門,上哪了?」
「師父有命呢,我不能說.」青璇回道.
「哦,赤煙師姐的事情嗎?好罷,那不必說.」赤松清楚赤煙另外的身分,因此也沒有多問.
他伸手撫摸青璇雲鬢,笑問:「爹這次尋仙回來,可是替妳帶回了一樣寶貝.想不想看看?」
身為司法長老,並不是只管觀內規矩.五行觀保護的範圍內,但凡出現任何仙或不平靜的事,都歸赤松管轄.說到底,他的職位並不比掌門輕鬆,反倒更加忙碌.也因此,赤松時常在外奔波.從小,青璇總會一陣子沒見著父親.
「什麼寶貝?」青璇張大美目,好奇地看向赤松懷裡.
赤松見青璇這副嬌憨的模樣,笑呵呵地將手伸入懷中,掏出了一塊手掌大小的白玉璧,遞給青璇.
青璇接過白玉璧,只見上面刻著一行蝌蚪小文.她臉上露出詫異神色,驚呼道:「這是蒼書生的『道侶情緣』全套?」
看見青璇對玉璧翻來覆去,愛不釋手的樣子,赤松忍不住露出寵溺的笑容.雖然赤松對於這些故事玉璧沒有興趣,卻知曉青璇除了熟讀萬卷道經,平時也愛閱讀這些俠道玉璧.這次在稍遠地方出現了仙,因為赤霄道傷未癒,赤松便自告奮勇前去處理,也才有機會替青璇買回這套她朝思暮想的故事玉璧.
青璇樂得正打算回房觀看玉璧故事,卻突然想起自己要前去教導青雲的事.她連忙將玉璧收起,並慌張地向父親道別後,一飛身便朝目的飄去.她也顧不得趕到湖邊才梳理頭髮,人還在空中,便伸手從懷裡拿出梳子,運起道力將略為蜷曲的髮絲弄成想要的弧度.
後方,看著女兒逐漸遠去的赤松,搖頭笑道:「這丫頭,還是這麼冒冒失失.」
卻在此時,不知為何,赤松突然想起師兄新收的那位徒弟.忍不住蹙起眉頭,他心中其實對青雲有幾分不喜.赤松總是覺得,肯定是青雲不聽話,才會害得赤霄身受道傷.
雖然如此,但赤松是個謹守規矩的道人.拜師大典當日,他並沒有輕易顯露出內心的想法.只是在青雲向他行大禮時,沉著臉色應對.畢竟,赤松是五行觀赤字輩最為理性的道士,自然不會隨便讓自己的喜好去影響公平.
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飄在空中,趕向青木湖的青璇,突然眉間一動,感應到了赤煙的呼喚.她連忙自懷中掏出傳訊鏡,只見上面隨即浮現赤煙的小人.
「青璇,等會兒直接將青雲帶去悟道室.我已經將昆吾石放了進去,以便他聆聽昆吾石的道音.」赤煙甫一現身,便直接交代道.
「可師父,青雲師弟尚未學會觀元.即使聆聽道音,也無法看見昆吾的規律.更不可能讓自身的元隨其所動⋯⋯」青璇有些不懂,這樣做真的有意義嗎?
赤煙打斷了青璇的話,說道:「貧道知曉.他這幾日毫無寸進.可歲不我與,如若青雲不能盡快入道,修行昆吾.那麼等到赤霄回來,就來不及了.」
青璇聽後,也知道師父是決定要將死馬當成活馬來醫了.她咬了咬下唇,點頭應道:「明白了,徒兒稍後便將他帶往悟道室.那麼值班弟子⋯⋯」
她試探地問道,雖說值班弟子並不會為難青璇.可由她帶領青雲前往悟道室,定然需要經過值班弟子,這是如何也瞞不住,到時別說已經外出的赤霄,剛回道觀的赤松肯定會第一時間知曉.
「貧道已經以需要使用悟道室為由,將他們支開.妳只需要直接領著青雲前往即可.」赤煙說道.
「青璇明白.」知道師父已經把所有細節都打點好,青璇立時答應了下來.
「好了.他已經到湖邊,妳也快些去罷.」赤煙小人擺擺手,示意青璇動身,然後身形便直接從鏡面上消失.
收起鏡子,青璇咬咬牙.外人不知,她實際上是個好強的性子.所以每天都比青雲早到,青雲早起一刻,她便跟著早起一刻.而青雲出院的行蹤,對於粗通推衍的她並非難事,早在前一天便能知道隔天青雲大約的起床時間.有時倉促趕到,還會不小心讓青雲看見她梳理頭髮的樣子.
她卻沒想到今日,經過赤松與赤煙一耽擱,竟然讓青雲先到了湖邊.不由得感到有些不服氣,面色也冷了下來,獨自生起悶氣.
青雲正在湖邊嘗試觀元.雖然青璇來到並未發出聲響,青雲卻若有所感地睜開了眼.
一睜眼便看見青璇,他高興地起身,迎上前說道:「師姐妳來啦,我還以為⋯⋯原來是我早到了.」
青雲一邊說,一邊不好意思地撓了撓頭.
青璇聽見「早到」二字,頓時連打招呼的心思都沒了.她話語間不自覺地帶上了幾許不滿,說道:「跟我走,師父讓我帶你去悟道室.」
話一說完,轉身就走.雖然如此,她還是刻意放慢步伐,暗自留意青雲是否能跟上.
青雲怔怔愣在原地,對於青璇態度的轉變一頭霧水,難不成自己不經意間又惹師姐生氣了?
他趕忙快步上前,輕聲問道:「師姐,是否有事煩心?」
若是初識之時,青雲必然不敢上前詢問,只敢默默地等待師姐消氣.然而多日相處下來,青雲已經知道了師姐的脾氣,說蠻不講理,那也不至於,反倒如果自己有理,師姐雖拉不下臉道歉,卻也只會獨自生氣,不會刁蠻任性.
可即使如此,若是青雲不問個清楚,心裡總是不安,更別說等會兒,可能又要被師姐藉機捉弄.雖說青雲並不介意師姐的玩鬧,青璇只會開些無傷大雅的玩笑.但此時此刻,青雲卻開始在意師姐的心情,想知道她心情為何不好.
「不關你的事.」青璇心底也清楚,這件事情不關青雲.只是心頭有股不知該向何處發洩的脾氣,面上總是很難春光明媚.
「哦.」青雲傻傻地應道.但他心底還是不太相信,連忙加快步伐,想要湊到青璇身側,偷瞧青璇臉色.
青璇心下冷哼了聲,腳下步伐更快.也不再理會青雲是否能跟上了,瞬間就和青雲拉開了距離.
眼看前方那道纖瘦的身影越走越快,一點要等自己的意思都沒有,青雲急忙收起思緒,快步追了上去.