On Mount Zhongnan dwelt a Taoist immortal named Master of the Clouds,who had made his home on the mountain for several thousand years. One day, having nothing to do, he took a flower basket and went to pick medicinal herbs near Tiger Cliff‘

  As he rode off on a floating cloud, he suddenly noticed the emanation of an evil sprite shooting high into the sky in the southeast. Looking down from the cloud, Master of the Clouds sighed.

  “It's only a thousand-year-old female fox that's occupied the body of Daji to bewitch the king. She'll bring great calamities to the people unless she's exorcised. This is my duty, since my mission's to deliver mercy.” He called over his disciple, Golden Haze, and instructed ,“Bring me a withered pine branch. I'll make a sword out of it and take care of that lewd sprite."

  “Why don't you use your steel sword, Master?”

  Master of the Clouds smiled. “A pine sword’s entirely sufficient for the task. There's no need for me to use my steel sword to knock off a fox sprite."

  Golden Haze fetched a pine branch for his master, who whittled it into a wooden sword in a few minutes, and told the lad, “Look after my cave while I'm gone. I'll be back quite soon. ”

  He then left Mount Zhongnan, riding upon an auspicious cloud, and sped directly to Zhaoge. A poem recorded the event:

  Meanwhile King Zhou had become so dissipated by wine and women that he did not make a single appearance in court for more than ten months. The king's behavior both puzzled the ministers and caused much anxiety. Supreme Minister Mei Bo went to see Prime MinisterShangRong and Vice Prime Minister Bi Gan.

  “His Majesty’s so involved with wine and women that he totally neglects state affairs. This is a bad omen and the kingdom's sure to suffer as a result. We're his most powerful ministers and obliged to serve the country and people with loyalty. The king should have ministers to remonstrate with him, just as a father should have a son to point out his mistakes, and scholars, friends to correct them when they go astray. We must take action today. Let's call together\all the civil and military officials and ask the king to appear on the throne. Otherwise, we'll be failing in our duty,” he suggested, and the two prime

  ministers were in full agreement.

  King Zhou was drinking with Daji at the Star Picking Mansion when he heard the clamor of drums and bells. An attendant reported ,“Your Majesty's requested at the Grand Court.”He had no choice but to go. “My dear lady! Rest for a while. I'll return soon ,”he comforted Daji, who knelt down as he left.

  The king mounted his chariot and drove off to the Grand Court. Seated on his throne, he received cheers from his ministers and officials. He now felt great disgust at the sight of his

  two prime ministers,eight supreme ministers and Prince Huang Feihu, each holding files of reports for him to read.The king had indulged so long in wine and sex with Daji that he was of no mind to read so many reports. Knowing well that he couldn't read them all in a short time, he felt inclined to retire and go back to Daji.

  Before King Zhou said anything, however, Shang Rong and Bi Gan stepped forward and knelt down. “All the nobles are eagerly awaiting your decisions about their reports. Why has Your Majesty been absent from the court for so long, and why have you not shown any regard for state affairs? We can only assume that there's someone misguiding you. We pray earnestly that Your Majesty will pay more attention to state affairs, and less to your concubines. This goes against the will of your people and ministers, and we fear that Heaven will be so dissatisfied that famines, floods and drought will be visited on us. We sincerely hope that Your Majesty will stay away from women, avoid the minions, and be diligent in your duty. We hope, too, that you'll please Heaven, make the nation prosperous and the people rich, and allow the country to enjoy peace and the four seas to be blessed with boundless happiness.”

  “I know that the people of our kingdom are living in contentment and rejoice in their work. The only exception is the North Sea district, where Grand Tutor Wen Zhong's been suppressing a rebellion. It's a mere skin disease, and we needn't worry about it at all. I fully accept. your suggestions. However, all important state affairs have been taken care of by you as my prime ministers,and how can there be any backlog of work? Even if I hold regular court, I'll just let things alone, and it's not my way to talk so much," the king argued.

  They were thus debating when a messenger arrived from the Meridian Gate and reported,“An immortal has arrived from Mount Zhongnan, wishing to see Your Majesty about an urgent and confidential matter. Will you see him, Your Majesty?”

  “How can I be expected to have enough patience to read over so many reports from so many ministers? It would be better for me to have an idle chat with that Taoist,since that's

  bound to be more interesting than these garrulous ministers," King Zhou thought to himself, and ordered that the Taoist be ushered in.

  Master of the Clouds entered the gate of the palace, walked over the Nine Dragon Bridge and strolled down the broad royal way. He was dressed in a long robe with wide sleeves and held a dust whisk in his right hand and a flower basket in his left. When he walked on his cloud, stars and planets trembled and shook. When he passed through the mountains tigers kowtowed before him, and when he traveled through the seas, dragons bowed and scraped before him. When he reached the entrance to the court, he said,“Your Maj-

  esty, this humble Taoist greets you. ”

  Seeing that the Taoist did not kneel down and kowtow before him, King Zhou was displeased. “I'm king, master of the four seas. Though he's a Taoist immortal, he also lives within my territory. How dare he act so rudely! He should be punished for this, though my officials would criticize me for being intolerant. Let me ask him some questions and see whether he can answer me properly," he decided.“Where do you come from, Sir?"

  “I come from the clouds and rivers,”the Taoist replied.

  “What do you mean by the ‘clouds and rivers '?"

  “My heart's as free as the white clouds, and my mind flows like water.”

  King Zhou was a witty ruler, and he asked a philosophical question ,“Where will you go when the clouds disperse and the rivers dry up?" “When the clouds disperse, a bright moon hangs in the sky and when the rivers dry up, a brilliant pearl appears before me."

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  King Zhou's rage turned to happiness, and he exclaimed with joy ,“At first I was rather displeased with the way you greeted me, but from your answers, I realize that you're a

  great and wise saint.”King Zhou told his attendants to show Master of the Clouds to a seat, and without further ado the Taoist sat down at the king's side.

  Master of the Clouds lowered his head respectfully and addressed the monarch,“Your Majesty knows only that a king must be accorded the highest honor, but has no idea that of

  the three religions- Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, Taoism is the most honored."

  “How is that?”

  “ Let me tell you. Among the three religions ,Taoism is the most highly esteemed. A Taoist neither makes obeisance to a king nor calls on dukes and high ministers. He resides in his hermitage and avoids the entrapments of political powers. He thoroughly rejects the vulgar world, regarding it as a net, and endeavors throughout his life to seek truth. He distances himself from fame and riches, he finds joy in forests and streams, he abandons all concepts of honor and dishonor, and he takes refuge in caves. He's got a blanket of stars above by night, and of sunshine by day. He wears cotton gowns, weaves hats of fresh flowers and plucks wild grass for mattresses. He drinks from sweet springs, eats pine and cypress seeds to ensure his longevity, claps his hands when he sings and sleeps in the clouds when the dancing's over. He discusses the Way, and essays and poems over wine with his friends. He disdains wealth and rejoices in purity and poverty. He lives a carefree life, spending his time discussing the rise and fall of dynasties.

  “Though the four seasons follow in an endless cycle, he can turn his white hair black and rejuvenate his old body. He helps people with medicinal herbs and saves them from death.

  He exorcises spectres and demons by means of charms and spells. He gathers refined emanations from both Heaven and earth and collects the essences of the sun and moon. He cultivates himself with the yin and yang and achieves rebirth by means of fire and water. Collecting the ingredients in the appropriate season, he refines the elixirs of life. He rides upon green phoenixes or white cranes and calls upon the Purple Jade Pal-

  ace of the Supreme Emperor.

  “Unlike the Confucians who seek positions as high ministers, Taoists see riches and political power as floating clouds. Unlike the Jieists who practise sorcery and witchcraft, the

  Taoists care only for the Way. Thus, of the three religions, Taoism is the most respectable.”

  King Zhou was delighted by what he heard, and said,“What you've said refreshes my spirit as if I had moved beyond the vulgar world, and really looked upon riches and

  power as floating clouds that would soon pass away. Where's the cave that you live in? And why do you come here to see me?”

  “I reside in the Jade Pillar Cave on Mount Zhongnan, and my name's Master of the Clouds. When I went out to gather medicinal herbs the other day, I noticed the aura of an evil sprite soaring up into the sky above your palace. Since I've always had feelings of good will towards Your Majesty and the people, I came here to rid the kingdom of this danger.”

  King Zhou just laughed.“The palace walls are tall and strong and the palace is closely guarded all the time. As it's situated in the city rather than in the forests and mountains, how

  could a spectre possibly get in? Perhaps you've made a mistake, sir."

  Master of the Clouds smiled and said，“If you could recognize the sprite, it would never have dared to run such risks. It's only becauseYour Majesty cannot recognize it that it dares sneak into the palace and bewitch you. A great disaster will take place if you allow it to remain here. Here's a short poem I've composed about this:

  “What can we do if indeed there's a spectre hidden in the palace?"King Zhou asked.

  Master of the Clouds opened his flower basket, removed his pine sword and held it up to show the king.“This pine sword has magic properties. Though it emits no strong light

  that penetrates to the depth of the sky, it can turn any spectre to ashes within a period of three days.”

  Taking the pine sword in his hands ,King Zhou asked, “In which part of this palace will this sword be most effective?"

  “Hang it before the Central Palace Tower and observe the results in three days.”

  King Zhou ordered that his attendants do as the Taoist had directed, then turned to him ,“You're marvelous, telling about spirits and devils. Are you willing to give up your hermitage and come here to protect me? I'll give you a high rank and let your name be known to all future generations. Wouldn't this be better than living in poverty, unknown to the world?"

  Master of the Clouds thanked King Zhou but declined his invitation. “I greatly appreciate your kindness, but I'm a mere idler and know nothing about ruling a nation. I sleep until the sun rises high over the bamboos and wander barefooted in the

  mountains."

  “What good is that for you! It would be better if you could dress in purple robes and serve in the palace, for this would glorify your life and enable your sons to receive a good inheritance. You may live in luxury for the rest of your life."

  “I've got my own pleasures, Your Majesty. My body's light and my heart's free. I fight with nobody and know no tricks. I ignore politics, preferring to spend my days cultivating leeks. I never wear satin robes or jade-studded belts, and have no intention of serving at the palace as a minister. I'll never stroke the beard of the prime minister nor kneel down before the throne of the king. I've no desire for rich emolument or glory for my descendants. I prefer to reside in a small cave and wear old, worn-out clothes. I never enquire about the emperors of Heaven, earth or man. I dream only of being invited to the Feast of Immortal Peaches held in paradise or taking a midafternoon nap in the mountains. I don't care about the sun setting in the west or the bright moon rising in the east.”

  King Zhou sighed. “Sir, you're truly a man devoted to purity and quietitude.”

  The king ordered his attendants to fetch two big plates, one full of silver and the other of gold, and gave them to Master of the Clouds to use on his return journey. But the Taoist

  only smiled. “Your silver and gold are useless to me. Though I thank you very much, I cannot accept them. Here's another poem I've composed:

  His long sleeves swinging,Master of the Clouds bowed and strolled out.

  The ministers had been forced to wait with their petitions, but the visit of the Taoist had left the king thoroughly exhausted. Rising from his throne, he returned to his residential quarters, dismissing the court at the same time.

  When King Zhou reachedthe Fairy Longevity Palace, and Daji failed to come and meet him, he became very uneasy. He asked his attendants,“Why doesn't Lady Su come out to meet me?”

  When he was told that Daji had suddenly fallen ill and taken to bed, King Zhou rushed into the bed chamber, pulled aside the golden dragon curtains and looked down at his lover. Daji's face was yellow as gold, her lips white as paper, and she seemed to be having trouble breathing.“Oh! Daji! You were so healthy when I left here this morning. How is it you suddenly became ill? What shall I do now?”

  The fox sprite occupying Daji's body was actually suffering from the effects of the pine sword. It was evident that she had little time to live.

  Daji opened her eyes a little and spoke with a sigh ,“Your Majesty! I escorted you to the Grand Court this morning and went to meet you at noon. When I reached the Central Palace Tower I chanced to look up and saw a sword hanging high up there. I was shocked and began sweating all over, I'm now so ill that I may be unable to enjoy sexual pleasure with you anymore. For this I'm terribly sorry ,Your Majesty.” Tears poured down her cheeks.

  King Zhou was terrified and remained silent for a long while. “I was deceived outright by a sorcerer. Master of the Clouds presented me that sword. He told me that there was the aura of an evil sprite in the palace, and advised me to exorcise the menace by hanging up that sword. How could I have guessed that the Taoist was actually plotting to harm you!" He ordered, “Take down that wooden sword and burn it immediately, lest Lady Su be disturbed again."

  King Zhou comforted Daji the whole night through, never letting his attention wander from her.

  The Shang Dynasty grew weaker and weaker as a result of Master of the Clouds'failure to exorcise the spectre from the palace.

  If you want to know what happened after the sword was destroyed, please read the next chapter.