Chapter 230: Helping You Rise to Red Stone

“Is that how it was…”

Zhang Xiaoqi pondered. Truth was, he had never seen his grandfather since he was born. He had no idea what he looked like. If the old man were still around, Zhang Xiaoqi imagined he’d be much kinder than Grandpa Dong from the street corner.

Chen Changsheng glanced over what he had written on the paper before him. He let out a sigh, then set the brush aside.

Xiaoqi snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the characters on the paper.

He froze for a moment.

Xiaoqi had seen the Great Master of his shop district write, but this gentleman’s calligraphy was even more beautiful.

Chen Changsheng asked: “For more than ten years back, your dad lived decently. But the troubled times ruined people. He lost his family fortune. Fortunately, though, he kept his life.”

Xiaoqi came back to his senses and asked, “Mr. Chen, it seems like you’ve known Dad forever.”

Chen Changsheng thought for a moment and nodded. “That’s true. I don’t recall how many years exactly, but when I first met your dad, he was about your age.”

“So long ago!” Xiaoqi gasped in surprise. But then something didn’t sit right. “Wait,” he shook his head. “But Mr. Chen, you look so young! Barely older than me.”

“I just look young,” Chen Changsheng said.

He picked up the letter from the table. As he drew his hand back, it transformed into a streak of Golden Light and shot far away.

Out of the corner of his eye, Xiaoqi caught something. He turned his head, but only noticed that the paper with Mr. Chen’s writing had vanished from the table. He didn’t give it much thought.

Chen Changsheng looked at Zhang Xiaoqi. “Truthfully speaking, he was much better off than your grandfather. At least he had a wife and child. Not like your grandfather, who only got to know his son in his twilight years.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaoqi shook his head. “Dad didn’t live well.”

“Things are indeed hard for him now.”

Chen Changsheng didn’t dwell on it and instead asked, “Did he tell you what you’d face coming up this mountain?”

Zhang Xiaoqi shook his head. Dad hadn’t told him anything.

Chen Changsheng looked towards the distant Green Mountain, its peak merging with the clouds, a perfect harmony.

Chen Changsheng pointed at the faraway mountains. “The mountain stands below the clouds, but above the clouds, there are more mountains.”

“Mr. Chen, do you mean there are mountains above the clouds?”

Zhang Xiaoqi stood up to look, squinting his eyes. He couldn’t see any mountains within the cloud-covered peaks.

“But… I don’t see any mountains,” he said, a bit puzzled as he looked at Mr. Chen. “Sir, maybe your eyesight is playing tricks on you?”

Chen Changsheng shook his head. “You’ll see them. Both your dad and your grandfather… In all the years I’ve known them, Chen has never been asked for a single favor by either. But your dad… he knelt and begged me.”

Xiaoqi jolted. The realization hit him. “So… Dad begged you to let me come up the mountain?”

Chen Changsheng nodded. “Yesterday, I saw your dad. I intended to find a solution to his current difficulties. But faced with two choices, he chose suffering. He left the opportunity… for you. You must understand how incredibly hard-won your chance to climb this mountain truly is.”

Xiaoqi smacked his lips. “What… what was this favor?”

Chen Changsheng suddenly turned around to face him.

“To see the Mountain Above the Clouds.”

Their eyes met.

Xiaoqi met that profound gaze, and a strand of Golden Light seemed to imprint itself onto the boy’s pupils.

His heart lurched, a momentary panic seizing him.

“Dong.”

It was as if the toll of a bell rang beside Xiaoqi’s ear.

In the blink of an eye, the scene before him dissolved into a vague sea of mist and cloud.

Panicked, Xiaoqi whipped his head around, searching the surroundings. “Where am I?!” he cried out in fright.

He spun around—and abruptly froze.

Before him stood a massive, towering mountain, shrouded in mist and cloud, obscuring its full height. Amid the swirling fog, streaks of white shot through the air—white cranes—spirits of the mountain, it seemed.

“Dad! Mom!!”

Xiaoqi screamed frantically. No answer came. Utterly lost, he scrambled around on the sea of clouds, running back and forth, desperate to find the way home but seeing no path.

Mid-panic, a white crane flew straight towards him.

A piercing crane cry sounded near Xiaoqi’s ear.

He looked up and saw the Divine Crane gliding gracefully down, landing beside him.

Faced with the enormous bird, Xiaoqi retreated several steps. He wanted to run, but the crane seemed harmless. It lowered its head, almost beckoning him to get on its back.

Xiaoqi’s throat tightened. Slowly, hesitantly, he stood up.

“You…” He started to speak, then looked around wildly again as if seeking rescue.

Seeing his hesitation, the Divine Crane opened its beak and gently picked him up.

“No! Don’t! Dad! Dad!!” Xiaoqi yelled as the crane lifted him.

The Divine Crane spread its vast wings. Still holding the boy in its beak, it soared directly towards the Immortal Mountain hidden within the clouds.

Xiaoqi squeezed his eyes shut, terrified to look down. He struggled, but it was useless.

A short while later, the crane carried the boy through the cloud layer. The scenery within the mountain gradually materialized before them.

“Where are you taking me?! Put me down! Now!” Xiaoqi gasped for breath. But as he finally dared to look down below… he fell silent, stunned.

Dozens of palaces, perfect and imposing, stood upon the mountain ridges. Layer upon layer of towers and halls. And the Green Jade vibrant throughout the ranges seemed to pierce his very soul with their color.

Then he saw them: countless figures in white robes—Cultivators—riding Divine Cranes. Some stood upright on Immortal Swords. Others moved harnessed upon the wind. Thousands upon thousands of faces floated past Xiaoqi’s vision.

“This place… where…?” The wind roared in his ears, yet Xiaoqi remained utterly entranced.

Deep within the Immortal Mountain, he saw them: people riding clouds and mist; someone casually raising a hand to conjure fire; another cleaving a mountain peak with a sword; another yet summoning raging rivers with a mere gesture.

The crane flew with him on a full circuit above the Immortal Mountain. Xiaoqi couldn’t hide his utter astonishment. He absorbed every incredible sight, determined to etch it forever into his heart.

“Mountain Above the Clouds…” The words escaped Xiaoqi’s lips in a whisper. “It was real… The Mountain Above the Clouds.”

A distinct crane cry echoed from beyond the peaks.

The Divine Crane spotted someone in a Blue Robe within the mountain and swept down to land beside him.

The crane respectfully bowed its head to Chen Changsheng and then turned its gaze towards the boy in the courtyard.

Zhang Xiaoqi’s eyes were still tightly shut, his mind clearly still traversing the realms of the Immortal Mountain.

Chen Changsheng asked the crane, “Master Zhong couldn’t come? Was he held up by mundane affairs?”

The crane gave another cry and nodded its head.

Chen Changsheng nodded in understanding. He then regarded the boy in the courtyard. “This child has outstanding spiritual roots. He must not be missed.”

The crane bowed deeply to the man again. When it faced the young boy, an intense, eager heat flashed within its eyes.

A potential beyond the ordinary. Such talents were rare even in a thousand years.

“Huff… huff…”

Zhang Xiaoqi slowly opened his eyes. He was sitting on the ground, chest heaving as he drew ragged breaths. He seemed dazed, unable to settle for a long time.

The crane approached, stopping right before him.

Zhang Xiaoqi lifted his head. Seeing the Divine Crane so close, he stiffened. Dumbfounded, he turned to look at Mr. Chen standing nearby.

Chen Changsheng spoke calmly. “The Divine Crane has come for you.”

“You have glimpsed the Mountain Above the Clouds. Now, let it raise you to the heavens.”

Zhang Xiaoqi stared at the flawless jade-white crane before him.

His gaze became vacant. He just stared… fixed… utterly still.