On a smaller but more well-decorated ship, an old Daoist sat meditating. It was a serene sight, an old man in a faded robe, his beard and long hair flowing in the wind, despite being settled in the cabin of the flying ship. He was alone in the cabin, seated on a curricular meditation mat. Behind his back was a shimmering depiction of an open field, around him grass sprouted, the wind blew, birds chirped. The door to the cabin slowly opened, and Tang Huaizhen slowly entered the cabin. A look of reverence filled his eyes as he sat in front of the old man.
He mimicked the elder and sunk into a meditative state. The old man cracked open a single eye, before slightly smiling. His eyes closed and the two men sat in silence. The old man’s depiction of the plains slowly faded away after an hour. Exhaling he calmly said “You have yet to put the Plains in your heart Disciple. You have reached Golden Core but do not see the forest for the trees.” he waved his hand and a scroll shot out of his sleeve. It hovered in front of Huaizhen before unfurling in front of him.
Huaizhen opened his eyes, frowning he stared at the scroll. “Master you have shown me the same painting a thousand times over. I don’t understand how to put it in my heart and body.” he grabbed the scroll painting and furled it closed before throwing it towards his master. The old man caught it in one hand and shook his head. “You still do not understand. This journey you must walk will be even more difficult, but perhaps it will show you the truth and allow you to put truly practice the Depiction of the Mountains and Seas.”
Huaizhen’s face stiffened, “Master you haven’t told me about this journey yet. Even when I was young you always spoke of it, and now it’s already time for it. Where exactly must I travel?” Huaizhen flashed a weary grin and scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
The cabin began to shake and a blinding light appeared behind the old man. Stepping out was a graying middle-aged man, dressed even more elegantly. Covered in golden dragons and a crown of coiled ones. Huaizhen’s face was filled with shock before he rose then quickly took to his knee. “Grandson greets the Emperor!” he shouted. “Am I that much of a stranger Huai’er? We are in private. Let grandpa see how you have grown.” the man smiled before pulling Huaizhen to his feet and grasping one of his shoulders. “Hmm, your foundation is steady, but you haven’t mastered the Deception yet.” he smiled “But still to reach Core Formation is already a blessing on our Tang.” Huaizhen looked up. “Grandfather, why are you here?” the Emperor sighed before motioning to the ground. Huaizhen sat down, crossing his legs as the Emperor glanced at the old man. “It is the destiny you were born with. The task you must take.” he sighed before shaking his head. “We owe a great debt to the Lord of the Myriad Beast Mountain. The journey you must go on is to repay that debt.” he looked into Huaizhens eyes. “Huai’er. I am sorry. Your talent would have made you Emperor. You would have reached the pinnacle of Sainthood, but your fate is not your own. Even I do not know how far you will travel and what things you must do. The Deception is the contract between us and the Mountain Lord.” he looked at the old man, “Brother Bai was the former holder of the contract, and now it falls upon your shoulders.”
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Huaizhen’s eyes grew wide and he stared at the old man, “Master is this true? Am, am I truly bound to this fate?” he spoke shakily. The old man had a look of sadness in his eyes. “Yes, Disciple. As my master was chosen, as I was, and as you are. It is our fate to answer the call of the Mountain Lord. Rarely do we do anything, but that has changed.” The Emperor stroked a bracelet on his arm and an engraved plate floated out and into Huaizhens arms. It had the image of a turtle carved into it, along with runes he could not understand. “This is the token entrusted to us by our ancestors. It will allow you to travel unhindered by most of the beasts you will encounter, but there will be trials you must go through. This smelting trial is a cover-up for this ceremony.” the emperor slowly spoke.
“You will travel for a long time, I do not know how far nor how deep you will go through the mountains. Further than anyone other than your martial lineage has gone. It could take weeks to years.” he sighed again. “Huai’er, this is for the good of our world, our people. All humans and Beasts and everything else. It is through the grace of the Mountian Lord that we have gone as far as we have.” he turned his back to Huaizhen. “You must do this. I am sorry.” the blinding like filled the room and the Emperor was gone.
Silence filled the room. Master and apprentice looked at each other. Sadness in their eyes. “Master,,,” the old man shook his head before passing Huaizhens a bundle wrapped in parchment. “When you find the plain for yourself, paint it.” he patted the young man on his shoulder. “I am a terrible master, I am sorry.” Huaizhen sat there, dumb struckt still. He was overloaded with information. His master walked and left the room leaving the young man sitting alone in an empty room. A bundle of inks and paintbrushes on the ground, and an ancient plate in his hands.