The Path Toward Heaven

Jing Jiu stood before the window, holding a cup of tea in his hand. He was silent while watching the intermittently visible black eaves of Taichang Temple in the distance.

The tea in the cup had already gotten cold.

He didn’t like drinking tea that much. He was simply attempting to imitate the common folks to mull over something while holding a teacup.

Jing Jiu was thinking about the punishment imposed by the Water-Moon Nunnery and what that young woman said before he left.

In the end he still couldn’t figure it out, so he shook his head helplessly.

The event had already happened, and what he could do was move forward. There was no need to turn around to ask why.

Even if one learned about his life history, emotional experience, and the impulsive mistakes he had made, it was still meaningless. One shouldn’t spend time on these matters.

There was a knock on the door.

Jing Jiu walked back to the room from the window, and lit the sword fire by gently touching the sword candle with his right hand, and then the sword fire landed on the teapot.

Creak!!!

The old brother of the Jing family pushed open the door.

Jing Jiu didn’t refuse the other person’s request to come in, and he didn’t even ask for Jing Jiu’s permission, for he either knew the person or he had other reason to do so.

The visitor came in along with the gentle wind of the night, and the footsteps on the begonia flower petals didn’t make any sound.

The young woman in the fluttering clothing was very pretty, with a feeble expression and bright eyes that looked like a pool of clean water.

She seemed like a fairy descending from the heaven.

Jing Jiu gestured for her to sit down and picked up the boiling teapot to pour her a cup of tea.

Jing Jiu expected that they would send someone to comfort or persuade him, but he didn’t expect this person to come.

Bai Zao was the only daughter of the Sect Master of the Center Sect and Master Mistress and had a special status on the Cloud Dream Mountain. She actually possessed an important status even throughout in the Cultivation world.

The fact that she came to see Jing Jiu meant that the Center Sect expressed adequate respect.

Bai Zao thanked Jing Jiu in a gentle voice, and lifted the teacup for a sip. Her expression changed a bit.

She didn’t expect to drink tea that tasted so awful.

Even though the Green Mountain Sect didn’t care that much about drinking tea, they had the Precious Tree House to provide their supplies; they shouldn’t drink this kind of tea…

The key part was that this tea was obviously boiled improperly.

It was impossible for a pot of cold tea boiled by the sword fire to taste good.

Jing Jiu didn’t know what she was thinking. He thought that she didn’t know how to start, so Jing Jiu prompted, “Please speak.”

Bai Zao thought that he was actually an impatient person. As such, she needed to change her style.

“Wei Chenzi had difficulty breaking through the last stage of Yuanying State, and our sect hadn’t helped him in this regard. Since he was an elder of our Center Sect, it would be hard to win him over. Now that the Old Ones could achieve it, it means that they have penetrated further than we have imagined. The worst part is that the Old Ones seem to have connections to the Underworld.”

She said with a serious tone while staring into Jing Jiu’s eyes, “Therefore, our opinion is that this case should be investigated with greater caution.”

The Green Mountain Sect and the Center Sect were the leaders of the orthodox Cultivation circle, so they should view the assassination attempt on Zhao Layue from a broader perspective, and then make a judgment that would be the most appropriate.

Jing Jiu understood what she had just said, but he wasn’t very good at making judgment himself, or he didn’t think this was that important. “Why did you come to see me?” he asked.

“I heard of the incident in the old plum garden from my big brother Luo. Though he and I don’t quite understand the situation, it seems that the peak master Layue cares about your opinion very much.”

Bai Zao’s voice was rather gentle, but her tone was very sincere. “If you’re willing to remain reticent for the time being, or she is willing, this event won’t turn into something disastrous quickly.”

Jing Jiu asked, “Are you sure that Wei Chenzi was a member of the Old Ones?”

Bai Zao replied, “Sorry, I’m not at liberty to tell you.”

Jing Jiu said, “Even if we don’t say anything, the masters on the Green Mountain, including your parents, are not likely to let the Old Ones go so easily.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Zao revealed a hint of mocking grin.

Jing Jiu knew this grin wasn’t meant for him; so who was she meant for?

Looking at the night sky outside the window, Bai Zao said gently, “I know my parents, and also your masters. They are the same kind of people at their core. They’re unwilling to declare war because the Old Ones are hard to deal with; more importantly, they are accustomed to cultivating peacefully.”

The statement of “being undisturbed by the mortal affairs” had two meanings. The more important part was “unwilling to be disturbed by the mortal affairs”.

Jing Jiu understood what she meant, because he was that kind of person.

The Cultivation practitioners in the later period of their long life viewed the affairs in the world differently from the young people, and totally different from the common folks.

Bai Zao mistook his silence for something else, so she added, “We just ask you to remain patient for the time being and avoid hindering our whole plan. In fact, we are prepared to start a war with the Old Ones.”

Jing Jiu knew what she was talking about.

When he had asked her if they were certain that Wei Chenzi was a member of the Old Ones, he simply wanted to make sure.

That Liu Shisui ate that Devil Pill in the Muddy River outside Chaonan City a few years ago was the beginning of this preparation.

Yet he wasn’t sure who the “we” Bai Zao mentioned many times in her speech were.

Jing Jiu asked, “Who are you people?”

Bai Zao looked at him quietly for a long time.

It was very quiet in the room.

The bronze teapot, experiencing the quick changes of cold and hot temperatures, produced faint metallic sounds.

Just when Jing Jiu thought she wouldn’t speak again, her voice rang out once more.

“Big Brother Luo, Tong Yan, myself, Wanshu and a few more colleagues, Tong Lu of the West Ocean Sword Sect, and some young disciples of the Water-Moon Nunnery, the Fruit Formation Temple, the Kunlun Sect, and the Tonghua Temple.”

Bai Zao said in a calm tone, “From your Green Mountain: Guo Nanshan, Jian Ruoyuan, Gu Han, Ma Hua and some disciples of Liangwang Peak.”

This showed her unbelievable trust and honesty.

Jing Jiu now understood why Luo Huainan and Tong Yan hadn’t treated him so well.

“You have such a group…for what purpose?”

He wasn’t sure how to address this group formed by the talented disciples of various Cultivation sects.

“We have different ideas than our masters, but we are still young and not that strong, so we need each other for support.”

“What’s the difference?”

“Against the threat of the Snowy Kingdom, the human race has to unite and take some initiatives. We can’t just focus on cultivating in the deep end of the mountains.”

Bai Zao continued, “We have to make this world secure before we seek a life in the outside world; otherwise, it would be ‘avoiding the current world’.”

Jing Jiu commented, “You are a bunch of believers of the Broadsword King.”

Bai Zao said, “No, we simply respect the Broadsword King. However, we think his way of doing things is too hard. It would be difficult to achieve anything big without others’ help.”

Jing Jiu said, “It makes sense. He has probably never thought of achieving something big, though.”

Bai Zao was taken aback slightly, but she stated her purpose of the visit, “We started paying attention to you and Zhao Layue a few years ago, but we didn’t anticipate that something could go so wrong…”

That “thing” was of course the conflict between Jing Jiu and the disciples of Liangwang Peak.

Jing Jiu knew what she meant, shaking his head.

Bai Zao thought Jing Jiu was afraid of something, saying, “The masters know what we’re doing. Perhaps they want to see if we can achieve something.”

Jing Jiu said, “This is an bigger version of Liangwang Peak.”

“You can think of it that way.”

“I don’t like Liangwang Peak, so I don’t like you people either.”

“We don’t need your affection, just your cooperation. Between the orthodox Cultivation sects, especially between the Green Mountain Sect and the Center Sect, there is no reason for us to be confrontational. Is the confrontation just for the purpose of venting unnecessary angry? It’s meaningless. Besides, I sense that someone wants to force us to launch an attack on the Old Ones earlier, and then benefit from it.”

Bai Zao’s voice was very gentle, as if it were wrapped by the damp air of the late spring. It sounded quite comfortable, sincere, and persuasive.

Jing Jiu thought that your feeling should be correct, and then he thought of Liu Shisui whose whereabouts was unknown.

“I promise you I won’t do anything to the Old Ones, but you shouldn’t mention the other stuff anymore.”

This was clearly his decline of the invitation from these young Cultivation talents.

Bai Zao didn’t display any disappointment, or even alone anger, saying gently, “There is another matter.”

As far as she was concerned, this matter was the most important thing concerning her visit that night. In comparison, persuasion and invitation were more like the excuses.

Jing Jiu said, “Please tell me.”

“Is the relationship between you and Zhao Layue that of Cultivation partners?” asked she while staring into his eyes.

Jing Jiu answered, “No, we have never had such an idea.”

Bai Zao stood up and twirled around slowly, her arms reaching out sideways.

The starlight shone through the window and upon her body.

It wasn’t a dance move, though her white dress fluttered beautifully, and her body movement was quite charming, though it wasn’t so graceful.

She looked at Jing Jiu and showed the look that was for her man to appreciate. “What do you think of me?” she asked seriously.