The Path Toward Heaven

In the Daoist Hall in front of the cliff.

The Peak Master of Bihu, Chen Youtian, and two elders were talking about the matters of their peak. They were stunned when hearing the message sent by a disciple.

“Walk around?”

One of the elders said in a hoarse voice, “Do they take Bihu Peak to be the back garden of Shenmo Peak where they can come any time as they wish? This is very disrespectful.”

The Cultivation practitioners on the Green Mountain trained very hard. Apart from the important matters, it was seldom that the disciples went to other peaks to walk about and enjoy the sceneries, save for those young girls of Qingrong Peak.

Of course, if a disciple really wanted to walk about, nobody would stop him; but the problem was, Zhao Layue and Jing Jiu were not regular disciples, especially Zhao Layue, who was the peak master of Shenmo. For her to go to another peak without sending a message or acknowledging the visiting peak was a taboo.

Glancing at the elder, Chen Youtian said in a slightly mocking tone, “What did Bid Brother intend to say? You are still in a bad mood because the Precious-Tree House has been taken over by Shenmo Peak.”

Chen Youtian had just entered the Broken Sea State from the Free Travel State two years ago; he was the weakest peak master on the nine peaks of the Green Mountain, save for Zhao Layue.

The two elders had been in the Broken Sea State many years ago, so their Cultivation state was much higher than Chen Youtian’s, but they didn’t respond to his mockery.

The other elder said with a bitter smile, “Since losing the gifts from the Precious-Tree House, the disciples’ Cultivation has been affected immensely. Peak Master shouldn’t blame him for being upset.”

“We are in the worst situation right now among the nine peaks of the Green Mountain; but whom should we blame for it? It was he who had made the unforgivable mistake!”

Chen Youtian said wryly, “I was appointed as the peak master while still in the Free Travel State. It was really a ridiculous thing to do. But it means that the Immortal Sect Master and Sword Justice want us to shut up and behave properly. If you two don’t agree with them, you can go to the Hermit Peaks to ask a senior to come out and contest their decision.”

The elder said with a bitter smile, “Those seniors became a bunch of old bones long time ago. If we ask them to come out, should we worship them as ancestors?”

Chen Youtian said, “So what are you complaining about? You have no choice but to put up with everything for the next hundred years. I just pretend that I haven’t seen whatever he is doing or that he is here to walk about.”

The other elder snapped, “How long do we have to put up with things? The more we tolerate, the weaker we become. If something happens, how can we handle it?”

Chen Youtian sighed, “It’s more important than anything else to take good care of the great grandmaster. As long as he is around, the Immortal Sect Master will treat Bihu Peak with some dignity.”

…

…

There was a strong formation on the top of Bihu Peak. Though the lake looked clean and beautiful, there were many hidden dangers in it.

Zhao Layue realized where Jing Jiu was taking her, but that palace on the island in the lake was a forbidden land of the Green Mountain. She, as a peak master of the Green Mountain, couldn’t enter it without permission.

She suddenly sensed that Jing Jiu had already left; yet, as she turned around, she found he was still on the same spot, except that he didn’t show any life force.

The life force included the breathing, the contracting of muscles, and the flowing of blood.

Jing Jiu had turned into a lifeless stone.

Zhao Layue knew he had such ability, so she didn’t feel bewildered.

Back when Zhuo Yi attempted to kill her on Sword Peak, he had used this method to appear noiselessly.

However, she didn’t have this ability, so how could she pass this forbidden formation without disturbing anybody on Bihu Peak?

Jing Jiu handed her an object.

This was a small green bamboo board, the size of a Mahjong piece. It looked ordinary and didn’t exude any energy.

The extraordinary thing was, the forbidden formation around the Blue Lake had suddenly disappeared as Zhao Layue took over the green bamboo board; a passage was opened up in front of her.

Zhao Layue thought of one possibility, and asked in surprise, “Is this the Sect Master’s Command Board?”

“No,” replied Jing Jiu.

Zhao Layue turned the small green bamboo board over and saw an embroidered rooster painted on it.

“What is this?” she asked out of curiosity.

Jing Jiu said, “It’s the Devil Rooster.”

Zhao Layue felt it sounded familiar, and it seemed that she had heard of it somewhere.

…

…

The noon sun hung high in the sky, and the surface of the lake was tranquil due to the windless conditions.

The clean lake water suddenly budged and washed to the lakeshore, and then receded.

Jing Jiu and Zhao Layue wadded out of the lake. Soon the stream water came out of their bodies, and their clothes dried after they walked a few steps on the lakeshore.

The tip of Bihu Peak pointed to a spiritual spot of the Green Mountain Formation; as such, the clouds and rain often occurred with thunder and lightning. The current calm weather was extremely rare.

The wild cats came out from the forest and palace and lay on the sandy beach by the lake, bathing in the sun. The scene looked quite awe-inspiring.

As Jing Jiu and Zhao Layue walked toward the palace, those wild cats didn’t heed them while narrowing their eyes.

Zhao Layue sensed an intimidating energy ahead. She felt a bit nervous as she thought of the rumor.

The closer they were to the palace, the stronger the intimidating energy grew.

But, where did this energy come from?

Jing Jiu walked to the front of the palace and sat down on the stone steps.

A white cat was crouching there, his chaotic long hair full of dusts.

Zhao Layue wondered if this cat was the one.

Seeing the dirty hair on the white cat, Zhao Layue remembered her own hair before, so her nervousness had lessened a little. She walked over and shot Jing Jiu a glance.

Jing Jiu indicated with his eyes that she shouldn’t be scared, and then he said to the white cat, “She is the current peak master of Shenmo, her name is Zhao Layue.”

The white cat didn’t open his eyes, still crouching lazily on the stone step.

Jing Jiu introduced him to Zhao Layue, “This is White Ghost, the Principal Guard of the Green Mountain. You can call him Liu Ada.”

Zhao Layue thought that she had guessed right. She composed herself and bowed to the white cat sincerely.

The Principal Guards of the Green Mountain had a much higher generation than the Immortal Sect Master, and they could be considered as the foundations of the Green Mountain for over ten-thousand years.

Yet, she thought the title of “guard” was too ordinary.

White Ghost opened his eyes, and glanced at Zhao Layue, the expression in his eyes indifferent and lazy.

All of a sudden, his eyes gleamed for a brief moment, squinting at Jing Jiu.

–The successor you have chosen is actually a girl! Have you changed your mind and think that ascension is meaningless and the human world is more interesting?

Jing Jiu didn’t know what was on his mind, saying, “Please look after her in the future.”

White Ghost put his head back on the soft front paws, because he didn’t want to pay attention to Jing Jiu, thinking he had been asked for so many times already, and that he wasn’t a nanny.

“I’m here to talk to you about something,” said Jing Jiu.

White Ghost thought this was pure nonsense, since otherwise he wouldn’t come here in the first place.

Jing Jiu said, “You are sleeping everyday anyways, why don’t you come to my place to sleep?”‘

White Ghost squinted at him once.

To say nothing of the Thunder-Soul Wood, the tip of Bihu Peak could draw the thunders and stars; why would I come to his peak where there was nothing? What would I eat there? What would I drink there?

“You won’t be with us too long, only about three to five years. If you agree to the arrangement, a half of the Precious-Tree House will be returned to Bihu Peak.”

Jing Jiu continued, “The Bihu Peak has served you generation after generation over the years, so you probably don’t want to see them suffer.”

White Ghost narrowed his eyes, thinking of something.

Jing Jiu’s hand landed on him.

White Ghost’s pupils had shrunk as small as the tip of a needle, and his hair stood up like the needles as well.

Sensing his powerful and terrifying energy, Zhao Layue became very nervous.

Yet, Jing Jiu’s countenance hadn’t changed, and he rubbed the cat.

White Ghost closed his eyes, accepting his fate once again.

Jing Jiu suddenly tightened his grip as his hand reached his neck, and then lifted him up.

White Ghost abruptly opened his eyes. He couldn’t put up with the treatment anymore; with a “Meow”, he was about to attack.

All of a sudden, he found himself in a warm place.

In Zhao Layue’s bosom.

White Ghost hesitated for a while, rubbing his face against her chest and pushing down with his front paws.

The feeling was pretty good, and the place was very soft.

He changed his mind, thinking what Jing Jiu said was sensible.