Chapter Ninety-Nine: The Four Paulownias of Falling Phoenix Mountain

The moon slowly drifted westward in the night sky and sank little by little. Only when the cocks announced the dawn did Ye Hua start, slowly waking to the realization that the night had quietly slipped away.

Looking outside, he still saw a few cold stars glittering in the sky. He closed the volume in his hands, put it away, and slowly got down from bed to step out of the room. Looking eastward, he could already make out the faint whiteness of a fish belly; a new day was about to begin. In a few hours, he would have to leave the Zhang residence and head for the Grand Scripture Pavilion.

"Then... what on earth is Sister Zhang thinking?" Ye Hua let out a soft sigh and wandered at ease. Passing through the inner court and the outer court, he opened the gate of the Zhang residence and stepped out onto the street.

After a brief glance around, he saw that aside from the early-morning vendors moving back and forth, the pedestrians were sparse and scattered, lending the place a chilly desolation.

He had only gone a few dozen steps before he was about to turn left and continue on when a tall, thin young man came toward him. Seeing Ye Hua, the youth approached and bowed with clasped hands. "May I ask, brother, is this the Zhang residence?"

Ye Hua paused and looked at him. The young man’s eyes were bright with spirit, and his entire body seemed wrapped in a faint curtain of light. Ye Hua wondered inwardly, "Who knows where this cultivator came from? His realm and power do not seem low." He then said, "That is right. This is indeed the Zhang residence."

From a distance, the young man had already seen Ye Hua coming out of the gate, and now he smiled. "Brother, are you one of the people of the Zhang residence? May I ask your name?"

Ye Hua replied, "I am Ye Hua. I reside here temporarily. May I ask where brother has come from, and whether there is some matter at hand?"

The young man said, "So you are Brother Ye. I am Huan Ming, a disciple of the Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain. I have come to pay my respects to Lord Zhang Dongtian."

Ye Hua was startled and could not help exclaiming, "The Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain? Could it be the former pavilion master of the Grand Scripture Pavilion?"

Huan Ming gave a soft sound of surprise. "Indeed! How does Brother Ye know of him? That was already a matter of decades past."

Ye Hua smiled. "The four pines of Fallen Phoenix Mountain are famed throughout the world. His Majesty Emperor Zi Yuan once praised them, saying they were 'proud as cranes in the clouds, ancient as pines on the mountain.' Such things are known by all under heaven. Since you have come, Brother Huan, please come in at once."

With that, he extended an arm and gestured, intending to lead Huan Ming into the residence.

Huan Ming clasped his hands. "Many thanks, Brother Ye." And so, following behind Ye Hua, he entered the Zhang residence.

When they reached the outer court, Ye Hua said, "At present, Young Master Zhang is practicing in the martial training ground. I can take you there." Huan Ming bowed again in thanks. The two walked along a secluded path; after several hundred steps and passing through a stretch of artificial hills and rocks, they finally saw two people in the distance wielding magical implements in practice. It was Zhang Ke and Ma Fei.

Seeing Ye Hua leading someone over from afar, Zhang Ke and Ma Fei both stopped. They heard Ye Hua call out, "Brother Zhang, there is a guest here to pay a visit!"

Zhang Ke and Ma Fei found it amusing. This junior brother Ye did not know where he had brought back a guest from; it seemed he had just stepped outside and encountered a friend. The two walked up and, seeing the tall, thin young man behind Ye Hua, returned his salute with clasped hands.

Ye Hua smiled. "This Brother Huan Ming is a distinguished disciple of the Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain, and he has come to visit Uncle Zhang." Then he turned to Huan Ming and said, "This is Young Master Zhang of the Zhang residence, Brother Zhang Ke."

Huan Ming hurried forward and bowed. "I pay my respects to Brother Zhang!"

Upon hearing that he was a disciple of the Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain, Zhang Ke did not dare be negligent and quickly returned the礼. "I did not know Brother had come from afar, and failed to receive you properly. I beg your pardon for this rudeness. However, my father has been away for more than ten days already, so I am afraid your important business may have been delayed."

Huan Ming smiled. "In truth, it was I who came in haste, so it cannot be blamed on Brother. My master entrusted me with a letter and instructed me that it must be delivered in person to Uncle Zhang as quickly as possible. Since Uncle Zhang is not in the residence, giving it to Brother is the same." With that, he took from his breast a crimson lacquered letter, which Zhang Ke accepted respectfully and put away.

Zhang Ke then asked, "Has Brother only just arrived in the capital region?"

Huan Ming nodded. "That is right. I flew all the way from Lingnan and only just reached here. I feared falling short of my master’s command and dared not delay. Thus I came without regard for the hour, and have been discourteous, junior brother. I hope Brother will not blame me."

Zhang Ke smiled. "Brother, what are you saying? Since you have come to the capital region, was it not for the traveling-seminar contest?"

Huan Ming paused, surprised. "Exactly so. My master said that in this traveling-seminar contest, I must fight for a place. If I am defeated, then I need not return to see him again." He gave a wry smile.

Hearing this, Zhang Ke laughed. "Brother, you worry too much. Since you have come for the traveling-seminar contest, this could not be more convenient. And since you have only just arrived, you likely have nowhere to stay. Why not lodge here for the time being, so that we may look after you?"

After a brief hesitation, Huan Ming said, "In that case, I shall trouble Brother."

Zhang Ke smiled. "Brother, what are you saying? Come, please come in at once." With that, he led Huan Ming toward the hall.

Ma Fei and Ye Hua followed behind. Quietly, Ma Fei asked, "Junior Brother Ye, is this Huan Ming really a disciple of the Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain? Why do I feel he does not quite seem like one?"

Ye Hua was puzzled. "How is that? Is there something wrong?"

Ma Fei grinned. "Nothing improper exactly, but I have never heard that the Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain has any disciples. I have only heard that he has one adopted daughter. Heh, and she is quite a figure—gorgeous in appearance and accomplished in talent, unmatched in our age."

Ye Hua could not help smiling. "Haha, Brother Ma, I had never heard of her either."

Ma Fei shot him a sidelong glance and sighed. "Too bad you cultivate in the pure and quiet lands of the Buddhist gate. You have never heard of all manner of elegant and romantic stories from the world of cultivation. Is that not simply being narrow in knowledge and shallow in experience?"

Ye Hua smiled. "Brother, do tell me more."

Ma Fei glanced at Zhang Ke and Huan Ming ahead of them and lowered his voice. "It is a long story. Ah..."

Ye Hua could not help growing impatient. "Must Brother keep me in suspense?"

Ma Fei chuckled. Seeing that the two ahead had already moved some distance away, he said, "This matter is known throughout the world, and people love to talk about it. That woman is called the Fairy Xue Qing. More than twenty years ago, she was born to Xue Cheng, the son of the famed immortal Lady Han Zhi of Hu Dong, and to Xue Xuan, the commander of Lingnan. Heh, though Xue Cheng later did not become husband and wife with Lady Han Zhi.

Lady Han Zhi was naturally resentful and wanted to fight him. Later, it was only because Xue Xuan asked the Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain to mediate that the matter was dropped, and from then on the child followed the Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain.

The affair caused a great uproar that year. Even then, the child drew everyone’s attention. Now more than twenty years have passed, and the child has long since grown into adulthood. I hear she has blossomed like a pure lotus in clear water, and with profound dao arts in cultivation, her fame has spread far and wide."

Ye Hua seemed to understand. "So that is how it is. I never knew the Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain had such an adopted daughter. Her background is truly a difficult one."

Ma Fei smiled. "Fairy Xue Qing may well have gained blessings through adversity. With the great renown of the Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain, and with his three sworn brothers besides, the name of the Four Pines of Yan Mountain shakes the universe! If Fairy Xue Qing recognizes the Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain as her father, how could the other three pines stand by idly? They would certainly teach her their dao arts."

Ye Hua nodded. "Yellow Pine, Green Pine, Autumn Pine, and Lonely Pine—the Four Pines truly can be said to shake the universe. Presumably that woman named Xue Qing has received their true instruction."

Ma Fei said with a laugh, "Of course. Among the Four Pines, even Green Pine, Master Taiyan, alone can be called a grand master of Jiangnan. He is also the teacher of the capital’s Four Young Lords, Zhang Fengyi among them, and stands in mutual support with the commander of the Liao Kingdom—truly with no one under heaven able to obstruct him. Let alone when the four act together; then there is none in this world who can withstand them."

Ye Hua sighed. "I only knew of the Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain. In those years, he served as Dao Ancestor at the Capital Martial Hall, and I heard from Venerable Changshan that it was this Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain who recommended him for the post of pavilion master of the Grand Scripture Pavilion. In truth, he and I do have some connection."

Ma Fei nodded. "Junior Brother going to the Grand Scripture Pavilion to cultivate is a rare opportunity. In that sense, you do indeed have some connection with the Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain."

Looking up, they saw that Zhang Ke and Huan Ming had already vanished from sight. They had fallen behind by quite a distance and dared not continue their idle talk, hurrying to catch up.

By the time they entered the main hall, Zhang Ke and Huan Ming were already seated and conversing merrily. Ye Hua and Ma Fei took their seats as well, and before long they saw Shi Lei, Gu Yunqi, and Zhang Lan enter together.

Even from afar, Shi Lei called out, "Where did the three of you run off to? So you were here. Up so early, and already plotting something? Heh."

Before Shi Lei had finished, he noticed that there was another tall, thin young man seated inside, smiling at him. His expression stiffened a little, and he said in a low voice, "So we have a guest."

Zhang Ke smiled. "Allow me to introduce everyone."

And so he introduced Ma Fei, Shi Lei, Zhang Lan, and the others in turn. When Shi Lei heard that the man was actually a disciple of the Recluse of Lan Ke Mountain, he was greatly startled and exclaimed, "Ah, so you are a disciple of the four pines of Fallen Phoenix Mountain! If that is so, then in the traveling-seminar contest, Brother is certain to secure a place!"

Huan Ming lowered his head modestly. "Brother is flattering me. My power is nowhere near that of any of the brothers here, not even by a tenth or a hundredth."