2. Picking Peaches
 
Zhang Daoling had 201 disciples, but he tested them in order to impart the Tao to the genuine cultivator among them.
 
One day he led his disciples to a ridge named Staircase to the Clouds on Guming Mountain. He pointed at a peach tree growing in a crag and said, "I shall impart the Great Tao to the person who can pick peaches from that tree." The peach tree was growing in the middle of a very steep, rough rock between the clouds and the depths of a valley. Most of the disciples looked down at the tree from the ridge and were bathed in a cold sweat. They shied away from the challenge and replied, "It is impossible, Master."
 
Only Zhao Sheng thought differently. He thought, "Since Master told us to go get the peaches, there must be a way. Besides, my master is here. He would never let me fall into the abyss and die. A cultivator must have faith in his master and the Tao before he can reach the Great Tao." He made a leap of faith towards the peach tree and landed right on the tree. Everyone was shocked by his action.
 
One by one Zhao picked the peaches on the tree and threw them towards Master Zhang. Zhao picked 202 peaches in total, so Master Zhang and his 201 disciples would each have one. After Zhao finished picking the peaches, Master Zhang reached out to pull him up. All the disciples thought, "How can he possibly reach him from here?" But before their eyes Master Zhang's arms extended their length by three times and pulled Zhao up to the ridge.
 
After Zhao Sheng ate his peach, Master Zhang told his disciples, "Zhao Sheng was able to land on the tree because his mind was righteous. Now I, as your master, will try to do the same and see if I can make it. It will be great if I can pick a large peach from the tree. If I cannot land on the tree, I am not worthy to be your master and I shall die trying without regret." Everyone but Zhao Sheng tried to persuade Master Zhang not to do such a dangerous thing. Ignoring their pleas, Master Zhang made a leap, but he missed the tree and fell into the valley. Everyone turned pale with shock. For a very long time no one made any sound. Everyone decided that their master must have died and started weeping.
 
Zhao Sheng, too, was overcome with grief. There is a Chinese saying, "Master for a day; Father for a lifetime." If anything should happen to Master, how could he live on as a disciple? But then he thought, "Master is great, he is at a very high level. At the bottom of each valley there must be solid ground, even the deepest one. It is nothing to a cultivator that has attained the Tao. As a disciple, I must follow Master closely in all circumstances. I must not abandon Master and live alone." He closed his eyes and made another leap of faith into the valley.
 
Zhao lost the feeling of time. When he finally landed, he was not injured at all. In fact, he landed right in front of Master Zhang, who smiled at him as though he had been expecting him. There was a bed and a chamber there. Master Zhang said, "I knew you would come!" Master Zhang imparted the Great Tao to him for three days before they returned home. All other disciples were amazed and saddened by their loss of opportunity to obtain the Great Tao.
 
Finally, Master Zhang and Zhao Sheng ascended into the sky in broad daylight and became immortals. All the other disciples watched as they soared into the sky until they disappeared into the clouds.
 
赵升求道

（二）摘桃
 
张道陵有徒弟二百零一人，当他要传真道的时候，对弟子仍要考验。
 
他将众弟子领到鹄鸣山登云台上，对着悬崖峭壁中的一株桃树说：“有能摘到桃者，我将传大道与他。”这株树长在峭壁的半腰上，上接白云，下临深谷，众弟子伏在山顶向下望，股战汗流，莫不退却，皆曰：“不能得。”
 
这时只有赵升心想：“既然师父让摘，必有能摘之理。况且有圣师在此，绝不至让弟子摔死在谷下，修道者首先要信道信师，方能终得大道。”于是他纵身向桃树跃去，果然不偏不正，正好落在树上，众人为他惊了一身冷汗。
 
他将桃一一向山顶上的师父扔去，共得二百零二个。弟子各得一个，师父一个，留一个给赵升。上来时，张道陵用手去拉他，弟子们想：“手够得着吗？”只见师父的手臂瞬间加长三丈有余，一下就把他拉上来了。
 
赵升吃了桃，张道陵对大家说：“赵升心正，自能跃到树上。现今我这当师父的跳一下，看看能否摘得大桃。能得甚好，如不能得也枉称师父，虽死无怨。”大伙皆劝师父不能跳，唯赵升不言。张道陵不听劝，也像赵升那样向桃树跃去，然而却没有落在树上，而是坠入深谷。众人大惊，脸都吓白了。过了很久也没有回音，大家料定师父凶多吉少，无不痛哭流涕。
 
这时赵升也很悲痛。一日为师，终身为父，如果师父真有个三长两短，做弟子的岂能独活于世！不过他又想：“师父是有名的高师，山谷再深也有底，对于一个得道者又能算得了什么呢？不论何种情况，做弟子的都要紧随师父，绝不能苟且偷生。”想到这里，他双眼一闭，纵身跃下山谷。
 
也不知过了多久，赵升落在地上，一点儿也没有摔著，正好落在张道陵眼前。师父笑望着他，好像正在等他一样，地上有床有帐。师父说：“我知你必来！”于是向赵升传道三日，回旧居见诸弟子，众人惊悲不息。
 
后来师徒白日缓缓升天仙去，众弟子仰视良久，直至消失在云霄外。