Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

At this moment, the sun rises in the east, casting rays of light across the sky. The area inside and outside Qingyun Valley is already packed with people. Qingyun Sect disciples and above, dressed in neat formal attire, stand solemnly in the square according to their respective halls, utterly silent except for the rustling of their robes in the mountain breeze.

Outside, there were even more outer disciples, representatives of affiliated families, and sect leaders and elders from various sects within the Qingyun Alliance who had been invited to witness the ceremony—a dense, dark mass of people, numbering in the thousands.

Everyone looked solemn and reverent as they gazed at the tightly closed palace doors and the several figures standing solemnly on the high platform in front of the palace.

On the high platform, Shen Mo, dressed in the sect leader's robes embroidered with flowing clouds around mountains and wearing a jade crown, had a solemn expression and an imposing presence.

Han Lin, Shi Tie, Zhao Qingyan, Su Xiao, Li Xiaocao and other core executives stood on both sides, all dressed in formal attire, with solemn expressions.

Chen Hao was also standing a little further back; today he represented Baibaoge and was also an important guest.

The auspicious time is approaching.

"Thump—!"

"Thump—!"

"Thump—!"

Three deep, resonant chimes, seemingly capable of piercing the soul, rose from the summit of Liuyun Peak, echoing among the mountains and cleansing the heart. Before the chimes faded, a heavy, distant horn call followed, desolate and ancient, as if it had come from the distant past.

"Open the—palace—door—!" Elder Han Lin, channeling his spiritual power, delivered a powerful yet aged voice that echoed throughout the valley.

"Creak—ya—"

The heavy palace doors, crafted from thousand-year-old sandalwood, slowly opened inwards, propelled by eight strongmen.

A richer, purer aroma, infused with sandalwood and an indescribable sense of ancient wisdom, wafted from the hall. The crowd's spirits lifted, and they eagerly awaited what was to come.

Deep inside the main hall, instead of a statue of a deity, stood a jade platform about ten feet high, carved from a single piece of "warm and spiritual jade".

On the jade platform sits a coffin that is neither gold nor jade, and its entire body exudes a restrained blue light. The coffin is extremely simple in style, with no decorative patterns on its surface, except for two ancient cloud-shaped characters engraved on the front – "Azure Clouds".

The coffin was not closed; the lid leaned to one side, revealing the interior. A skeleton, as clear as jade and seemingly asleep, lay quietly inside the coffin, which was lined with "Heavenly Silkworm Brocade." The skeleton's hands were folded over its abdomen, and in its palms rested a deep blue jade slip that emitted a warm, starlight-like glow.

Beside the skeleton, neatly arranged were some dull, cracked metal fragments, the remains of the "Measuring Ruler of Heaven".

Despite the distance, the vast, compassionate, and protective Daoist aura emanating from the bones and jade slips was clearly perceptible, enveloping the entire hall and inspiring awe in everyone, causing them to involuntarily hold their breath.

"Welcome—the remains of the Patriarch—back to their rightful place!" Han Lin sang again.

Shen Mo took the lead, stepped down from the high platform, and came to the palace gate, bowing respectfully.

Behind him, Shi Tie, Zhao Qingyan, Su Xiao, and Li Xiaocao, with solemn expressions, carried a palanquin made of "thousand-year-old sunken wood" and carved with patterns of flowing clouds and stars, slowly stepping forward. The palanquin was empty, symbolizing a welcoming gesture.

Shen Mo turned around, faced the coffin, bowed deeply again, and then stepped forward. With the gentlest and most respectful gesture, he lifted the crystal skeleton in the coffin, along with the jade slip in its hand and the fragments beside it, and placed them on the soft brocade cushion laid on the palanquin.

His movements were slow and solemn, as if he were performing a sacred ritual.

After settling in, Shen Mo took a step back and bowed again.

Shi Tie and his companions lifted the palanquin, their steps steady, treading step by step along the white jade-paved "Pilgrimage Path" towards the high platform outside the palace. Following the brushstrokes of the poem "Mayday," they embarked on an adventure together, "Gou Zai Fei Men Bian Shenhua" (A Myth of Being Cultivated in the Ruined Gate). Their steps seemed to resonate with some ancient rhythm, faintly harmonizing with the sounds of bells and horns.

All eyes were fixed on the palanquin and the gleaming skeleton atop it. An almost frozen solemnity and reverence filled the air.

Many young disciples had tears in their eyes, and the older ones were also deeply moved. This patriarch, whom they had never met but who had sacrificed himself for the sake of all living beings, had "returned" in this way, profoundly touching the hearts of everyone present.

The palanquin was steadily carried up the high platform and placed behind the altar, which had been prepared in advance and covered with bright yellow silk.

Shen Mo ascended the high platform, facing east, and proclaimed loudly, "The auspicious hour has arrived! The sacrificial ceremony begins—!"

"Play—refined—music!"

The long-awaited procession of musicians began to play solemn, ancient, and melodious sacrificial music. The clear chimes, the melodious jade chimes, and the harmonious strings and bamboo instruments seemed to tell a story of the vicissitudes of time and a tribute to the sages.

"Offer incense!"

Shen Mo stepped forward first, took the three giant incense sticks, each as thick as a child's arm and made of "soul-nourishing sandalwood," from Han Lin, lit them, raised them high above his head, bowed three times to the remains on the palanquin, and then inserted the incense into the huge bronze incense burner in front of the altar. The smoke curled up into the sky.

Subsequently, core executives including Han Lin, Shi Tie, Zhao Qingyan, Su Xiao, and Li Xiaocao stepped forward in turn to offer incense and pay their respects.

"Read—the—eulogy—!"

Han Lin stepped forward, unfurled a scroll of sacrificial text woven with gold thread, several feet long, and, channeling his spiritual power, began to recite it in a booming voice.

The eulogy, written in parallel prose, is beautifully worded yet deeply moving. It recounts the glorious deeds and great spirit of the venerable "Qingyunzi" (the specific era and events are omitted), a master of Taoist arts with a heart for all living beings. To protect the peace of this world, he ventured into dangerous places to suppress evil spirits, ultimately passing away from exhaustion. It also expresses the determination and comfort of the later disciples of the Qingyun Sect to find his remains, welcome them back to the ancestral temple, inherit his legacy, and carry on the lineage.

After the eulogy was read, the valley fell silent, save for the sound of the wind and the wisps of smoke rising from the ground.

"All disciples—kneel—and bow—to—the Ancestral Master—!"

As the master of ceremonies announced the order, all the Qingyun Sect disciples in the square knelt down in unison, touching their foreheads to the ground, performing the grand ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows. The dark mass of people moved in perfect unison, solemn and dignified, without a single sound. Even many of the guests watching from the periphery were moved by the atmosphere and bowed in respect.

After the ceremony, Shen Mo stepped forward again, stood before the altar, faced the crowd, and spoke in a clear, resonant voice that echoed throughout the valley:

"Today, we welcome the remains of Patriarch Qingyunzi back to our sect and enshrine them in the Qingyun Hall, where they will receive the eternal incense offerings of our Qingyun Sect. This disciple will forever remember!"

"Our ancestral master's legacy protects all living beings; his spirit will forever illuminate our hearts! We, the entire Qingyun Sect, will always remember our ancestral master's teachings, taking it upon ourselves to safeguard the peace of this world and glorify the Dao lineage, diligently cultivating and forging ahead!"

"All disciples of Qingyun should always take our founder as their role model, never forget our original aspirations, and live up to our heritage!"

"All disciples of Qingyun must always remember that the Daoist tradition rests on their shoulders, and a heavy responsibility lies within them!"

"All disciples of Qingyun, be ever vigilant! The demonic calamity is not far off; we must strive to become strong!"

The voice was powerful and resounding, echoing through the mountains and resonating in the hearts of all the disciples.

"We will heed the teachings of our sect leader! We will never forget the legacy of our ancestors! We will glorify the Dao and protect all living beings!" Below the stage, thousands of disciples shouted in unison, their voices like a tidal wave, soaring into the sky, filled with heartfelt reverence, excitement, and high morale.

At this moment, the cohesion of the Qingyun Sect reached an unprecedented peak!

That ancient "Qingyunzi," with his tragic sacrifice and great spirit, truly became the supreme faith and benchmark in the hearts of all Qingyun Sect disciples!