The Path Toward Heaven

…

…

Xiwang Sun said, “All these years, I have only asked you to do one thing, so I hope your answer won’t disappoint me.”

Xiao He of Ying City felt a bit nervous, saying, “It seems that Jing Jiu hadn’t told him about me; that’s why he hasn’t recognized me.”

She felt a faint pain in her shoulder when mentioning that name, as if that iron sword were still inside her shoulder.

Xiwang Sun said, “Very good. I hope that you won’t be discovered by him regarding your relationship with Jing Jiu when you are together.”

“Please rest assured. I’m certain that he hasn’t discovered anything,” said Xiao He of Ying City.

“What about you? Have you discovered anything?” asked Xiwang Sun.

Xiao He of Ying City replied, “I haven’t seen him contact anybody or that sword.”

Xiwang Sun remained silent for a moment before saying, “Don’t be too concerned about it; be casual. Don’t let him suspect you.”

“This subordinate understand,” said Xiao He of Ying City.

“No, you don’t, actually.”

Xiwang Sun said icily, “Even though you are a vixen, don’t attempt to seduce him. It’s because that boy has a tenacious Dao Heart, which is rare in this world. I don’t want you to be his liability or to climb into his bed. So forget about using those methods.”

Xiao He of Ying City felt uneasy, asking, “What should this subordinate do then?”

Xiwang Sun said, “Offer him your true affection, and let him feel for you. Remember, the affection has to be genuine.”

Having said that, he waved his hand, signaling her to leave.

The grand hall returned to quietness.

The light screen faded away.

His face became more distinctive.

Yet, he showed a perplexed expression on his face.

The First Child Sword was his master’s sword, and it had been lost here in Chaotian; but why was it in Liu Shisui’s hands? Was this the intention of the Immortal, his master?

Where did Liu Shisui hide the sword? Why had it not been discovered after a couple of years?

…

…

Xiao He left the Cloud Platform and went to Haizhou City.

Ever since she had taken this task, she moved here from Ying City. And she bought a restaurant with her.

Sitting in the private room of the restaurant and looking at the food on the table, she didn’t have any appetite for it.

Though she looked calm, she actually was very nervous. She was stroking the bracelet on her wrist ceaselessly with her fingers.

The bracelet looked quite ordinary and common, and its surface was smooth and felt a bit cold.

She had developed this habit over the years; she would stroke the bracelet constantly when she was in a difficult situation.

It was because it would make her feel immensely terrified by doing so.

And yet somehow, the terror was the best way of calming a nervous mind down.

At a night several days ago, Xiao He met Liu Shisui under the colorful lights at the Four-Seas Banquet the first time, and they became acquaintances afterwards.

She was aware that Liu Shisui was a person given high expectations by her organization. However, she didn’t pay too much attention to the task; it was because she was always good at what she did.

Yet, ever since she saw Liu Shisui, she had become nervous since.

Why was the jasmine flower on his cloth collar?

…

…

Soon, another year had passed.

The ocean wind blew as before. The men and women under the colorful lights might have changed, but the scenes were basically the same.

The Green Mountains were still the same as well. Tianguang Peak was still very high; Shangde Peak was still very cold; Shiyue Peak was still very noisy; and Shenmo Peak was still very lonely.

Shenmo Peak, like many years before, was as if being isolated from the world, except that Young Sister Yushan came occasionally to bring something to Yuan Qü.

All the rations for the four disciples and masters were brought to the foot of the peak by the disciples of Shiyue Peak and then carried up to the peak top by the monkeys.

The people on Xilai Peak were not busy with Shenmo Peak, because it seemed that Shenmo Peak never had any requirement for the Cultivation books.

Yuan Qü’s Undefeated State had stabilized.

Zhao Layue still experienced many changes brought about by the Free Travel State.

Gu Qing’s Cultivation state was even more advanced, and he had a better understanding of the Inherited Heaven Sword Style.

It seemed that soon Jing Jiu would be the one with the lowest Cultivation state on Shenmo Peak.

It was interesting to note that the other three would often ask Jing Jiu whenever they had questions about their Cultivation.

Jing Jiu felt it troublesome to answer questions one at a time; he thought it would be more efficient to give a lecture to all of them at the same time.

One day at dusk, that is exactly what happened on the peak top.

Jing Jiu was lying on the bamboo chair.

Zhao Layue was sitting at one end of the bamboo chair.

With the white cat lying in her bosom.

Cold Cicada on the white cat’s head.

Gu Qing and Yuan Qü were standing.

…

…

“Master, the operation of my Sword Source is not doing well since the third move; it seems that I can’t coordinate it with the sword style properly.”

This was nothing new to Gu Qing.

He had discovered this issue nine years ago when he started practicing the Inherited Heaven Sword Style given by Jing Jiu.

Back when he learned to dismantle the formation at the Precious-Tree House of Chaonan City, this feeling became more noticeable.

In other words, the Inherited Heaven Sword Style didn’t feel like a sword style, but more like…

“It’s more like a formation. You can consider the Inherited Heaven Sword Style a formation, and then readjust the operation of the Sword Source; the issue will be solved.”

Jing Jiu didn’t expect that Gu Qing to be so sensitive that he could discover the special trait of the Inherited Heaven Sword Style while still in the Undefeated State.

Gu Qing asked, “If I use the formation method to learn the sword work, how should I adjust it?”

“You can find time to go to Xilai Peak, to get some relevant books to read,” said Jing Jiu.

Yuan Qü didn’t quite understand, asking, “A sword style is a sword style; how could a sword style be a formation?”

Jing Jiu said, “The Seven-Plums sword style you’re learning was from the pen brushing of the One-Cottage House, and the Six-Dragon Sword Style Gu Qing used was related to the thunder method of the Great Marsh Sect.”

Yuan Qü asked, “Is it true that all the Dao methods can be converted into sword styles?”

“You can also think of it the other way around,” Jing Jiu said.

It meant that any true sword style of the nine peaks of the Green Mountain could be also used as a Dao method.

Thinking of the possibility, Gu Qing couldn’t help but feel thrilled, remarking, “It’s hard to imagine all this.”

Jing Jiu didn’t understand why their two disciples were so perplexed and shocked about it, saying, “The first lesson after you had entered the mountain gate taught you the basic rule that everything is a sword.”

All the disciples of the Green Mountain would get a book called ‘Sword Script’ for their first class by the Sword-Washing Stream after they entered the inner gate.

There were four words on the first page of the Sword Script.

Everything is a sword.

Gu Qing and Yuan Qü of course remembered it, but it wasn’t until now that they understood the true meaning of the four words. Those words indeed meant something, and weren’t just meant to sound pretty.

The white cat squirmed a few times in Zhao Layue’s bosom.

Zhao Layue thought of a rumor and asked, “I heard that there is another Cultivation state after the Heavenly Arrival, is that true?”

Gu Qing and Yuan Qü got intrigued as well.

“It’s the Possessed Heaven State,” replied Jing Jiu.

It was very quiet on the peak top.

After a long interval, Zhao Layue asked, “Any state after that?”

Shaking his head, Jing Jiu said, “That Cultivation state can only be imagined. Even the first grandmasters of various sects couldn’t reach that state; so there is no point in thinking of it.”

The white cat closed his eyes, as if he were sleeping soundly; but actually he was listening the entire time in silence.

He of course knew the Possessed Heaven State.

He also knew the Cultivation state that Jing Jiu didn’t tell them, which was the One of All.

They were from the meaning on the first page of the Sword Script.

That was also a sword.

Everything is a sword.

He was somewhat disappointed, because Jing Jiu hadn’t mentioned that sword till the end.

Where was that sword then?

…

…

The spring was arriving, and the banks of the Sword-Washing Stream were turning greenish; and soon the banks were dyed red due to the blossoming wild flowers.

The Green Mountain Sect hosted another Inherited Sword Competition, and Shenmo Peak didn’t take part in it again.

It was the fourth time the young master of the Hanging-Bell Sect came here to observe the competition. In the early morning after the end of the Inherited Sword Competition, she visited Shenmo Peak again.

This year she was invited to the peak top, and Gu Qing used the iron kettle to boil tea for her.

She was aware that this was a special treatment, and her mom or the great grandmaster might not even get such treatment if they came; she smiled heartily, quite suitable given her name.

Recalling what had happened in the old plum garden, Zhao Layue asked, “How is the great grandmaster’s health?”

Back then, De Sese went to the old plum garden to ask Tian Jingren about when her mother would marry again, and Tian Jingren told her through the child that it all depended on when the great grandmaster would be tired of this world. After persistent questioning, she got the answer of “ten years”. The time was close now.

“She is quite healthy.”

Looking at the bamboo chair outside the cave, De Sese said, “Someone was right back then; that old guy Tian Jingren only knew how to deceive people.”

Zhao Layue noticed that she wasn’t a young girl anymore, instead becoming a young woman. Her pouting lips were quite lovely when she spoke.

As Zhao Layue was about to say something, De Sese suddenly opened her eyes wide and asked, “Have you heard about that event?”