Wu Tong and his companions followed the crowd as they ascended Mount Hua. Along the way, they encountered two legendary eccentrics of the martial world—Daoist Whitebrow and Master Zhenkong—who joined their group. Upon reaching Lotus Peak, they found it already teeming with martial heroes from all corners of the realm. The wind stirred and clouds gathered; below the peak, heads bobbed in a sea of people, banners of every sect fluttered in the mountain air.
Suddenly, a cry pierced the commotion:
"Someone's picking the flower!"
All eyes turned. On a towering cliff, sheer and perilous, someone was attempting to pick the famed flower, heedless of the danger. A single misstep on such a precipice meant certain death. And just then—A shrill, tragic scream tore through the air.Like a kite whose string had snapped, a body plummeted from the cliff face, falling thousands of feet to a certain, gruesome end. There would be nothing left—no bones to bury.
An elder among the crowd solemnly remarked:
"The White Lotus grows only in crags and cliffside crevices. It blossoms once every twenty years—rare as the Tianshan Snow Lotus, a treasure sought but seldom found."
Whitebrow Daoist turned to Zhenkong Master and said,
"Wu Tong, we'd best not sleep out in the open tonight."
Zhenkong Master agreed,
"There's a Daoist on Chaoyang Peak. Let's visit him. We might find a place to stay."
Following the two, the party made its way to Chaoyang Peak. Passing through a mist-shrouded pine forest and down a hidden valley where no stray trees grew and the wild grass was lush, they reached a curious end of the woods. There, nestled in a mountain wall, was a hidden cave, veiled in vines and easily missed.
Whitebrow Daoist called out loudly,
"Master Jiuyang, are you within?"
From the cave came a calm voice:
"Is that Whitebrow visiting?"
Whitebrow replied,
"Indeed, it is I. A few friends and I passed by Mount Hua and the day has grown late. We hoped to ask your hospitality for a night."
Master Jiuyang answered warmly,
"To have friends visit from afar—what joy indeed! Please, come in."
They entered. At first, the cave was narrow, barely enough for a person to pass. But after a short distance, it opened up into a vast chamber—dozens of feet wide and over ten long, lit by moonlight streaming through a crack above. The interior glowed silver-blue under the moon's rays, a hidden world within the mountain.
At the center stood a dignified Daoist sage, robed in white, bearing an air of serenity and wisdom. He appeared in his seventies, refined in bearing and pure in spirit—Master Jiuyang, a reclusive cultivator who had dwelled here for many years.
He opened his eyes from meditation and said,
"Please, be seated."
He led them to a massive stone table already laid with wild fruits and mountain vegetables.
"You must be hungry from your travels," he smiled. "Let us eat."
Whitebrow Daoist was surprised:
"Master Jiuyang, you've prepared a feast! Did you know we were coming?"
Master Jiuyang laughed,
"I consulted the stars this morning and foresaw your arrival. Alas, I've no lavish banquet to offer—only the humble bounty of the mountain. Please enjoy."
Introductions were made, and the guests began to eat. The table offered kiwifruit, raspberries, blackberries, wild peaches and more. Master Jiuyang then brought out several jars of his homemade wine.
Whitebrow laughed,
"Zhenkong, surely a sip of this wine won't hurt? It's excellent!"
Zhenkong replied solemnly,
"Whitebrow, don't tempt me. Wine leads to ten sins and thirty-six faults for monks!"
Wu Tong, ever fond of drink, grinned,
"Even Emperor Taizong once decreed that monks could drink wine! And this is grape wine—not spirits!"
The eccentric "Western Madman" Situkong chimed in,
"It's just grape juice! Come now!"
Ling Xian'er graciously filled everyone's cups.Master Jiuyang raised his cup and smiled,
"A small toast for all!"
Even Master Zhenkong gave in and took a sip.Situkong beamed,
"See? Nothing to it! Just a bit of juice. Come, another!"
With that, Zhenkong broke his vow and soon, under Situkong's coaxing, drank cup after cup until he was thoroughly drunk. Whitebrow Daoist, though embarrassed, could not stop his companions from emptying all of Master Jiuyang's precious wine.
Thankfully, the host took no offense.
The Next Morning – Return to Lotus Peak
At dawn, they descended Chaoyang Peak and returned to Lotus Peak. There, beneath the summit, a figure proclaimed in a booming voice:
"I am Cui Fujun, Chief Arbiter of the Wulin Life-and-Death Judgement Hall.Today I come under commission to deal with the sacred White Lotus atop Mount Hua.My client has offered a generous price.Anyone may bid, and the highest bidder shall have the right to claim this priceless martial treasure."
This declaration stirred the crowd. Murmurs spread like wildfire. Though Cui Fujun's tone was casual, his words struck deep. The idea had now seeded in everyone's mind.
Suddenly, the Black Market King Sima Lun shouted,
"How much? I'll pay! Once taken, the flower belongs to me!"
Outrage rippled through the crowd.
The White Lotus Sect leader Huangfu Song snapped,
"How much? I'll pay too! Who says it's yours?"
Hearing that, the Western Sacred Matron Chen Jinfeng flared up. Seeing Huangfu Song reignited old wounds.
"So manly today, aren't you? Had you been half as bold back then, you wouldn't have vanished without a word!"
Just then, Zhu Feng, Sect Leader of Mount Hua, arrived and declared:
"This sacred flower belongs to Mount Hua—it is our sect's heirloom!"
Sima Lun sneered. He and Zhu Feng had an old grudge.
"Well said, Master Zhu. I admire your righteous tone. No need to bid, then.If your skills are so great, why not go pick the flower yourself?"
All eyes turned to Zhu Feng.
Put on the spot, facing the eyes of all heroes, Zhu Feng's expression shifted.He was suddenly at a loss for words.