The Path Toward Heaven

Liu Shisui was of course a talkative person; otherwise, Jing Jiu wouldn’t have thought of him back when he met the young monk of the Fruit Formation Temple who was practicing the Vow of Silence.

But, his talkativeness hadn’t been as bad as it was that day.

He had had too many responsibilities and secrets over the last ten years. He was afraid that he might have said something that revealed the secrets. Because of the responsibility and the role of a tragic devil disciple he played, he spoke less and less, and that drove him almost crazy.

It wasn’t until this day when Jing Jiu’s bracelet was transformed into a sword that protected him, and countless flying swords of the Green Mountain headed toward the West Ocean, he finally didn’t have to play that role any longer. He was free to be himself now; so he would like to spill out all the things he had wanted to say but held back over the last ten years.

The manor cave was quiet, and nobody made a sound for a long time. Xiao He held him in her arms, rubbing his back softly.

Liu Shisui was a bit moved and a little nervous. He blushed even more now, with his hands hanging in mid-air rigidly.

Eventually, he couldn’t stand it anymore, stuttering with a shaky voice, “I…I am thirsty now.”

Xiao He moved away from him, and she laughed at him as she said, “You have talked so much; of course you feel thirsty.”

Liu Shisui didn’t dare look her in the eyes. He emptied the spring water in the tea cup with one gulp, then asked Xiao He, “How do you feel now?”

With the aid of the magic pill, plus the meditation, his wound had been mostly healed; most importantly, his Sword Source had recovered almost fully. So he should be able to ride the sword now.

Xiao He moved a little to check her bodily functions. Though her injury hadn’t been healed so much, she could at least move around now; so she nodded.

Liu Shisui helped her walk out of the cave into the cliff by supporting under her arm, saying, “Did I bug you when I told you that Young Master and Zhao Layue had many secrets?”

Xiao He thought inside her mind, “You actually know your problem.”

“In fact, I have another secret,” said Liu Shisui.

Xiao He thought, “Come on, again?!”

“But this secret is mine, so I can tell you.”

Liu Shisui led her into the forest by the cave, whistling once.

The flying sword returned to his side after having heard the sound; but it turned around now and then still looking in that direction, with its tip quivering slightly, as if it didn’t want to leave that place.

Liu Shisui walked to the spot in the forest where the ground had a slight bulge. As he clasped the fingers on his right hand in the air, a piece of soil rose up from the ground, exposing a sword underneath.

The shaft of the sword was thin and long, exuding a cold and blithe energy; it was indeed an extraordinary sword by the first sight.

It was the First Child Sword.

It was given to Zhao Layue by Jin Mingchen on behalf of the Emperor in the palace that night in Zhaoge City, and then Zhao Layue gave it to Liu Shisui in Guiyun City.

In a sense, Luo Huainan was killed by this sword.

Over the years, Xiwang Sun and many others were in search of this sword, but in vain.

It was because Liu Shisui had never used this sword.

Gazing at the sword, Xiao He was a little surprised.

One of the most important tasks she received from Xiwang Sun was to find this sword.

Who could have thought that Liu Shisui had hidden the First Child Sword in a forest one hundred miles outside Haizhou City.

…

…

Liu Shisui pulled the First Child Sword out from the ground, wiped it clean with his sleeve, and fastened it in his waist.

That bright small sword quivered slightly, flying around his body incessantly, as if it would want to have a go at the First Child Sword to test its strength.

Liu Shisui stopped the small sword’s attempt hastily, and was about to ride the sword while holding Xiao He’s hand, to leave this place.

It was then that a sigh rang out in his head.

He had heard the similar sigh when he escaped Haizhou City and rode the sword in the sky.

The sigh was mostly sentimental, but partly regretful and disappointed.

This sigh had a hint of sentimentality, but regret and disappointment were replaced by satisfaction and contentment.

Regardless of what kind of sighs, they were Xiwang Sun’s sighs.

The expression on Liu Shisui’s face suddenly changed, and he drew the First Child Sword from his waist without hesitation, a flame coming out from the sword and spreading in front of him.

The small sword sensed the danger. Its head raised up, ready to take off.

Crack!!!

A flash of lightning suddenly occurred in the cloudless blue sky.

The thunder and lightning landed on the cliff.

Boom!!!

Along with the loud sound, the rocks jumped and rolled in all directions.

Liu Shisui and Xiao He dropped to the ground, with blood all over their bodies.

A figure drifted down from the sky.

He wore a bright yellow robe. His face was covered by the veil of pearls, but his eyes were calm and serene, his energy unimaginable, his aura like that of a king.

He was Xiwang Sun.

Whoosh!!!

The First Child Sword left Liu Shisui’s hand and headed toward Xiwang Sun’s face.

The veil of pearls swung slightly.

Xiwang Sun reached out his right hand.

He caught the First Child Sword easily.

The First Child Sword struggled for a while in his hand, but soon calmed down.

Xiwang Sun looked at a spot in the sky with the corner of his eyes.

The small sword hid behind a rock, ready to mount a sneak attack.

Sensing the gaze of Xiwang Sun, the small sword flew to the back of the mountain without hesitation, vanishing instantly.

“Good sword, running away so fast.”

Xiwang Sun praised the small sword. He was fully aware that it would take him a long time to conquer that small sword, so he gave up the idea.

He looked at Liu Shisui, his eyes showing both disappointment and appreciation.

“I didn’t expect to be deceived by a bunch of little kids.”

“How come you are here?” Liu Shisui asked with a pale face.

He was flabbergasted and at the same time baffled.

It was impossible as far as he was concerned.

The swordsmen of the orthodox Cultivation sects were attacking the Cloud Platform, and the secrets of the Old Ones would reveal to the world soon. Xiwang Sun, as the leader of the Old Ones, didn’t fight against the enemies over there, but instead pursued him over here. Yes, he had committed a betrayal that made him loathed by the Old Ones, but was it more important to kill him than to protect the Old Ones?

“It’s obvious that you people had been hatching this plan for years. Even if I stayed on the Cloud Platform, what more could I do over there?”

Seeing the expression on Liu Shisui’s face, Xiwang Sun knew what was on his mind, saying calmly, “Since it has already happened, there is no point in me giving up my life there.”

Liu Shisui said, “The most important thing you should do right now is to flee, but why did you want to pursue me?”

“Killing you is indeed an important thing; but there is another reason I followed you.”

Looking at the First Child Sword in his hands, Xiwang Sun’s eyes showed something very profound.

All he needed to do was to drop blood on the sword, and the First Child Sword would be his!

The destruction of the Cloud Platform was indeed an insurmountable loss for the Old Ones; but finding the First Child Sword was a worthwhile compensation. This sword was the true inheritance of the South Ocean. With the help of this sword, he would be able to break through the Cultivation state that had stagnated for many years. If successful, he would have no fear of those old guys at the Center Sect, or on the Green Mountain, or even his own Big Brother.

“Are you here merely for this sword? Those people on the Cloud Platform are your loyal subordinates; do you care about them at all? Is this sword more important than saving their lives?”

Liu Shisui got angry for no proper reason.

Xiwang Sun returned his gaze to Liu Shisui and said, “The Old Ones are knives, which are unimportant. The most important thing is the hand that holds the knives.”

The Cloud Platform was destroyed, so let it be.

The assassins and his subordinates were killed, so let them die.

As long as he was still alive and those who hid deeply within the sects and the imperial court were still alive, the Old Ones would keep going forever.

Moreover, no matter how well Liu Shisui had done his job, in the end he failed to discover those most important “knives” of the Old Ones.

Liu Shisui understood what Xiwang Sun had just said, his face turning paler.

“Those who died and will die today are the ‘knives’, but you are not.”

Xiwang Sun said to Liu Shisui sentimentally, “The Immortal appreciated you very much, so did I. I hoped that you would become the next hand that holds the knives.”

“Sorry to disappoint you,” said Liu Shisui.

“No, I’m not disappointed. You killed Luo Huainan, an important figure in your camp, just to win my trust. Only a ruler of the world has such determination and ruthlessness. I’m absolutely not disappointed in someone like you, and in fact, I quite appreciate you.”

Xiwang Sun added, “Unfortunately, I have no choice but to kill you now, because I have to avenge those who died today.”

A sigh suddenly occurred on the cliff.

The old scholar of the One-Cottage House walked out, and he said to Xiwang Sun, “I’m merely a knife in your eyes.”

Xiwang Sun was surprised to see him here, and he said after a moment of silence, “Mister Yan is not a knife. You are a pen.”