Jin Se Prologue

That year there were unpredictable weather patterns, snow covered whole mountains, which persisted through a month. Half of the JiangXin platform in Pingyang got torn down by the huge snow. The newly-crowned emperor, in just one month, pa.s.sed down three decrees that reflected on his own wrongdoings, and led the court himself to pay respects to ancestors and the many G.o.ds and buddhas at PuTi mountain, and to ask for orders from the G.o.ds.

The ninety second generation leader of Dacheng sect led the ceremony himself, praying to the G.o.ds for seven times seven forty-nine days until the clouds and snow finally dispersed. During that period on Yin Sheng lands, famished corpses were strewn on streets, their souls forming clouds that shot from the northern skies straight to the stars, leading constellations to shake, the seven sitting G.o.ds to move. Baihu(*) stole light from Ziwei(*), and the emperor star dimmed.

(*) Baihu and Ziwei are both star constellations

The Taoist master of Xuan sect on Jiulu mountain peeped at the G.o.ds' secret, and knowing a test from the G.o.ds was to come, placed himself in seclusion and rejected all guests for three months. It took until the beginning of spring before he re-opened his doors to lead the sect members to the royal palace to lecture and pa.s.s on the G.o.ds' secret; they only returned near the end of spring.

It was heard that on the way back, when the Taoist master and his students walked past a desolated mountain at night, they accidentally came across a mother wolf with snow-like fur. The wolf seemed to understand human, bending on four knees before the Taoist master and lowering her head to the ground, like she was praying. The Taoist master pressed on his fingers to calculate (*); knowing his destiny definitely included this chance occurrence, he let his students wait, and followed the mother wolf himself. Not long after, he returned with a baby boy wrapped in silk, who was not crying. Hanging on his neck was a piece of black metal, with the word '施' ('shi') written on it.

(*) it was believed people could calculate their own destiny, often through astrology

The mother wolf followed the group of people at a distance for more than thirty miles. Only when human villages became visible in the distance did she stop, howl, and look back one last time, looking like tears were falling from her eyes.

There was no witness that didn't marvel at this; they all thought this baby boy must carry great luck with him. The Taoist master gave him the name 'Wuduan', admitting him as his sole student.

(*) Wuduan can mean 'no reason'

That year was thesecond Daqian year.