The Path Toward Heaven

In the remote north, at the end of Me Sea, there was a range of mountains rising unexpectedly in the snowland, void of any trace of humanity, a place of desolation

Though they were known as a mountain range, the distance between the mountains was quite large, and they looked like the beetles climbing out of wheat powder.

The snowland was white, but the mountains were black. They were a singular color, so if one looked at them for too long, it would be uncomfortable on the eyes.

It was said that this used to be the original headquarter of the Wansong Sect, but it had been destroyed by the largest monster invasion, and not a trace of it remained.

It was close to the edge of the Snowy Kingdom here, so it was still cold, even in the early summer.

The chaotic winds above the highest clouds were especially cold, feeling like the cut of a knife. No matter whether one rode a sword or flew on a magic treasure, it would be hard for them to last long. And the flying sedan that could insulate itself from the cold was dangerous due to its slow speed. To fly freely here required the special treasures of the major Cultivation sects.

If a Cultivation practitioner flew in the sky, or landed on the highest peak in the northwest and was looking toward north, he would notice the movement of energy in the snowland across the area of three hundred square miles, especially around the black mountains, where once in a while, one could witness the strong wind tearing up the low hanging dark clouds and the reflections of sword lights and treasure lights. A tornado-like snow storm would occur on the surface of the snowland, accompanied by a horrible, ear-piercing screams and booming sounds, all of this looking like countless fireworks.

–This was the result of the young Cultivation practitioners in the Cultivation tournament of the Plum Meeting, seeking and killing the monsters of the Snowy Kingdom.

It was quiet around an isolated mountain, and it was even more deadly silent inside the mountain.

Sitting in a spot on the cliff, Jing Jiu watched the snowland in the distance, remaining reticent.

Some winter snow still remained atop the peak, frost forming on his eyelashes. However, it wasn’t the early morning, but the dusk.

There was a cave about a thousand feet away where four young Cultivation practitioners stood by a bonfire.

The bonfire had obviously just started. The flames were not high enough, and the light of the bonfire reflected what appeared to be looks of gloom on the young ones’ faces, making their worried emotions even more salient.

A young man in white Daoist robes with a gloomy appearance stood up and went to the outside of the cave, glancing briefly at the spot where Jing Jiu was.

A moment later, he walked back inside, shaking his head.

He was Lu Jin, the disciple of the Heavenly Mystery Sect. He was good at the Fire Method, suitable and important for fighting in the cold environment.

A square-faced young man sat at his side, furrowing his eyebrows slightly before he sighed in disappointment.

His name was Wu Mingzhong, a young disciple of the No-Mercy Sect. He practiced the rare method of the Sword Shield, which provided a good barrier. He wasn’t pleased with the current situation, but he couldn’t say anything due to the relationship between the No-Mercy Sect and the Green Mountain Sect.

Finally, someone couldn’t stand it anymore. He was a young Cultivation practitioner named Dai Ying, a young disciple highly thought of by the Kunlun Sect.

He wore black clothing and a green belt on his waist, which was magic rope of the Kunlun Sect, said to be made of the long bone of a green python and very powerful.

Dai Ying’s eyebrows were very straight, like his words: “If he won’t go with us tomorrow morning, we just leave him behind then.”

Lu Jing and Wu Mingzhong didn’t speak, but a young woman said hesitantly, “Should we wait a little bit more? He is a senior, so his consideration is probably more thorough. Besides, he won first place in the chess tournament, and his Cultivation state should be high. I heard that he had even beaten Big Brother Gu Han at the Sword Trial of Green Mountain.”

“I’d also like to know, what does a senior of the Green Mountain Sect want to do by hiding here every day?”

Dai Ying sneered while looking at her, “I don’t know how high his Cultivation state is, but if we stay here to accompany him, what about the Cultivation tournament?”

The name of this young woman was Ying Qingme, a disciple of the Chosen Star House, using the Star Pot as her magic treasure. Like the disciples of the Hanging-Bell Sect, she could play an important role for the group in the Cultivation tournament.

Hearing Dai Ying’s straightforward remark, the other three became speechless.

The issue was that, who would go talk to that person?

The light of the bonfire fell on their faces, shifting constantly.

“Since I raised the question, let me do it then,” said Dai Ying while gritting his teeth.

…

…

Jing Jiu glanced at this young disciple of the Kunlun Sect once.

After being together for more than ten days, he remembered his name was Dai Ying.

“I don’t feel right, so let’s stay for a few more days…”

He thought it a little more before adding, “…I’m just suggesting.”

“What if we don’t accept your suggestion?”

Dai Ying asked his question while staring into his eyes, feeling nervous.

Jing Jiu’s status was much higher than theirs, and he was also a celebrity. Most importantly, his reputation wasn’t so good.

All of the participating Cultivation practitioners at the Plum Meeting knew the of the goings-on in Zhaoge City, and they all were wondering if Jing Jiu was the person who had coerced that official of the Pure Heaven Bureau to commit suicide.

After a moment of silence, Jing Jiu said, “Let’s leave tomorrow then.”

Back in the cave, Dai Ying kicked the bonfire angrily to make it fly away.

His partners were startled, asking him what had happened. Did Jing Jiu force them to stay in the cave?

“Nothing,” Dai Ying said while breathing heavily.

He was in a bad mood.

He wouldn’t have held back had he known he didn’t have too; they were wasting so much time, and their performance in the Cultivation tournament wouldn’t suffer for it.

…

…

The dusk turned into the night. The snowy clouds had gradually dispersed, and the starlight shone on the peak, adding to the chill.

Jing Jiu watched the snow land silently, feeling nothing.

Here was the last line of protection for the human race for a great many years, but this was his first time to actually come here.

The main reason for him to participate in the Cultivation tournament was, as Zhao Layue said, to try to look for that person, though it was impossible to have hotpot here.

The assassination attempt in the Mingcui Valley and by the shadows of the Old Ones and the Underworld all had some hidden meanings, and that made him feel uneasy.

He could easily understand why that person wanted to kill Zhao Layue. Like what he had done many years ago, that person just wanted to prove to Jing Jiu that his path was the correct one.

Meanwhile, he wanted to use this event to entice Jing Jiu coming here to witness this icy cold and cruel snow land.

What was the meaning of all these?

…

…

In the early morning, the group had left the isolated mountain as they stepped onto the snow land.

Other groups participating in the Cultivation tournament had already gone to the deep parts of the snowland far ahead of them.

Usually, the snowland that had already been checked by other participants should be safe by now, but they were still very cautious.

It was quite a coincidence that all five of them, including Jing Jiu, had never had experience in the Cultivation tournament.

All of a sudden a surprised scream broke out.

The young woman named Ying Qingme jumped about one hundred feet away from an object, and she was too shaken to call out her Star Pot to protect herself.

Looking at the spot she was standing on, Dai Ying furrowed his eyebrows as he said, “It’s the egg of the snowy worm, not dangerous. It’s useless to kill them since they don’t count as part of the killing record.”

Having said that, he led the group forward, appearing quite confident.

It was late spring when they left Zhaoge City, and now it was early summer. The temperature was relatively high even though it was north of Me Sea. At this time, most of the monsters of the snow land would choose to sleep.

Jing Jiu walked over to a spot, wiping away the icy snow covering it with his sleeve and glancing at the egg that was the size of a fist, bearing three cracks and being wrapped in a semi-transparent white membrane, He could see some greenish hair through the cracks, and the edges of the cracks were full of still wet sticky fluid; it looked disgusting.

Jing Jiu picked it up with his hand, and he could feel a faint sucking force when his finger touched this egg.

He found it quite interesting and brought it closer to his eyes to check it more thoroughly.

Seeing this scene, Ying Qingme had a look of disgust on her pale face, wondering why he looked at such an ugly thing so meticulously?!