The Path Toward Heaven

How could this be possible?

Standing in the stream and empty-handed, Xue Yong’e was too shocked to say anything.

He never thought that he would beat Gu Qing easily, but in his imagination, this would be an exciting and spectacular sword fight, and it would last a long time before the winner was announced.

Even though he was defeated, his defeat would be glorious one, attaining compliments from the masters and admirations from the peers of the Sword Washing Hall.

Who could expect such a result?

Gu Qing didn’t attack him when he was sword-less, but stood on the opposite side of the stream, holding his sword and waiting silently.

At last Xue Yong’e came back to his senses, his face growing hot.

This intense feeling of humiliation made him forget what had happened three years ago.

He shouted loudly.

The flying sword in the stream water suddenly flew up again, the water turning into white fog as a dozen sparks of flame burned on the shaft of the sword.

The burning flying sword, with its hot waves, headed toward Gu Qing!

This was the Six-Dragons sword style!

Xue Yong’e’s grand uncle was an elder on Shiyue Peak, so he learned this true sword style secretly!

Though his Six-Dragons sword style was far weaker than the force Gu Qing had used three years ago, Gu Qing couldn’t use any of the true sword styles of the nine peaks, so just how would he handle it?

Nobody noticed Gu Qing had somehow placed his left hand on the hilt in a two-handed grip.

The burning sword arrived!

Gu Qing bent his left knee slightly, turned his body to the side a bit, tightening his chest and abdomen muscles; he lifted his sword and hit with all his might.

He didn’t use wielding, or thrusting, or chopping.

He used swinging.

Gu Qing hit Xue Yong’e’s flying sword precisely with the swing.

Boom!!!

With that loud sound, Xue Yong’e’s flying sword flew with a long firing tail into the wild forest in the valley, one thousand feet away.

A few fireballs arose in the wild forest after the impact, but somehow the fire was put out abruptly.

Numerous surprised screams erupted from the cliff and by the stream.

Gu Qing turned around and left.

Now everybody remembered why it looked so familiar.

It was because the same scenario had played out here three years ago.

Lin Wuzhi looked at the remote corner in the cliff, shaking his head with a smile.

He thought this was Jing Jiu’s plan, but he didn’t know that it actually was Gu Qing’s choice.

You got up from where you fell down.

You got up the way you fell down.

The exciting cheers of monkeys echoed in the valley.

In fact, it was the monkeys who put out the fire, and at the moment they were pushing each other out of their way to get to the sword.

…

…

Standing in the stream with a pale expression and feeling bewildered, Xue Yong’e didn’t think of his sword, or his defeat.

Finally, he came back to his senses and recalled the event three years ago; he was worried that he might be disqualified now, like Gu Qing was, unable inherit the sword for learning the sword style secretly.

No voice came out from the cliff.

It was a common practice for the masters of the nine peaks of Green Mountain to promise to pass the true sword to their desired disciples in advance, so nobody would want to contest it.

If Shangde Peak and Tianguang Peak hadn’t contended with each other, Gu Qing wouldn’t have been a victim of sacri7i7

Xue Yong’e dared not stand there, so he returned to the stream bank, soaking wet with the stream water or some cold sweat.

Gu Qing was standing in the stream.

Hundreds of people were looking down at him in the cliff.

“Gu Qing, are you willing to learn the sword style with me?”

A voice suddenly blurted out.

This was the personal voice of the Peak Master of Yunxing!

The crowd was even more shocked to see Elder Bai Rujing of Tianguang Peak stand up and express his willingness to take Gu Qing as his disciple.

Nobody noticed in a corner in the cliff how Jing Ji’s expression turned colder when Bai Rujing stood up.

Without any hesitation, Gu Qing announced, “This disciple is willing to inherit the sword of Shenmo Peak.”

Countless gazes fell on that corner of the cliff, more precisely, on Zhao Layue.

This was something many people had already guessed; but they didn’t expect Gu Qing would insist on his choice after two elders in the State of Broken Sea offered their invitations.

They knew Zhao Layue was one year younger than Gu Qing.

Everyone believed Gu Qing would become the disciple of Zhao Layue in the next moment, but something surprising happened just ten.

…

…

“Let me do it,” Jing Jiu said.

“Okay,” Zhao Layue responded.

Walking to the cliff’s edge, Jing Jiu asked, “Are you willing to learn the sword style with me?”

Upon hearing this, an uproar occurred in the cliff.

It would be reasonable for Zhao Layue to take Gu Qing as her disciple, since she had already entered the State of the Undefeated, and since, more importantly, she was the Peak Master of Shenmo.

Though Jing Jiu’s sword talent was exceedingly high, he hadn’t progressed as much, what with him still being in the State of Inherited Will…even lower than where Gu Qing was three years ago.

Why would Gu Qing be willing to learn from him?

While they were thinking about this, they heard Gu Qing’s answer.

“I’m willing.”

Gu Qing’s expression was very peaceful, without a hint of being forced.

All the surroundings fell silent.

…

…

The Inherited Sword Competition continued.

The disciples’ performances were outstanding, especially the young Yuan of Lelang County. He was always quiet and kept a low profile, but today he surprised everybody by displaying his State of Inherited Will. The masters of various peaks were engaged in vehement discussion and arguments, many of them wanting him as their personal disciple; even Liangwang Peak expressed interest in him.

Looking at Jing Jiu, Zhao Layue asked, “Take him?”

Jing Jiu nodded in agreement.

Three years ago, the youth Yuan had already asked if Shenmo Peak wanted to take the inherited sword disciple through Gu Qing.

Zhao Layue strolled to the cliff’s edge.

The argument on the cliff suddenly stopped.

The young Yuan grinned happily.

…

…

A sobbing suddenly occurred by the stream.

The disciples looked in that direction and found it was Sister Yushan.

Seeing the tears on her cheeks, her colleagues felt sorry and asked her, “What happened?”

Sister Yushan shook her head, wiped off the tears with her sleeve, and smiled forcefully, “I’m okay.”

Witnessing her slightly red nose, the disciples were perplexed, thinking it didn’t look okay, what had happened then?!

Seeing the young Yuan standing on the cliff, some of them thought they had figured it out, smiling, wordless.

However, they didn’t know Sister Yushan wasn’t sad because of that.

What she was sad about was that Big Brother Gu and young Yuan had become the inherited sword disciples of Shenmo Peak, and therefore…did that Shenmo Peak had already had enough disciples?!

There were only two people, Zhao Layue and Jing Jiu, on Shenmo Peak, so Shenmo Peak could only take two inherited sword disciples.

But she hadn’t even performed yet. What should she do? Should she wait at the Stream of Sword Washing for another three years?

Now was her turn.

She walked onto the green rock in the stream, holding her sword, and bowed to the masters in the cliff.

When she gazed in that corner, she couldn’t help but sob again, looking pitiful and cute at the same time.

…

…

Though she was struggling with negative emotions, Yushan performed very well. Her Cultivation state wasn’t great, but she displayed absolute control of the flying sword and when she rode the sword, her control over every detailed movement of the sword was precise, one could be say perfect.

Seeing the trace of tears on this young girl’s face, Mei Li felt sorry for her, but also happy, and walking to the cliff’s edge, she said, “Come to our Qingrong Peak.”

Most of the disciples on Qingrong Peak were female, so it should have been the best destination for Sister Yushan.

However, Sister Yushan didn’t respond, simply looking at that corner in the cliff.

Under the shadow of the trees, Jing Jiu shook his head imperceptibly.

Startled, Yushan turned her head toward Senior Master Mei Li and shook her head apologetically.

Uproar occurred in the cliff again.

Jing Jiu said to youth Yuan, “Tell her to choose Shangde Peak.”

Gu Qing didn’t quite get it, wondering how he could be certain that Shangde Peak would choose Sister Yushan?

Shangde Peak was damp and cold, plus there was Sword Jail, amongst other problems, and they hadn’t taken any female disciple for a long time.

Youth Yuan returned to the stream bank, talking to Sister Yushan in a low voice.

At this time, Chi Yan of Shangde Peak stood up, asking, “Are you willing to learn the sword style with me?”

Sister Yushan hesitated for a while, but eventually nodded.

Mei Li was angry, glaring at Jing Jiu.

The female disciples of Qingrong Peak, like their Senior Master Mei Li, liked Jing Jiu, but this time, they were upset with him.

Everybody could tell that Sister Yushan obeyed Jing Jiu’s order to choose Shangde Peak, though they didn’t understand why she listened to him.

Jing Jiu didn’t pay attention to those disapproving gazes, watching the cliff silently.

He didn’t find that guy among the disciples of Liangwang Peak and Tianguang Peak.

Bai Rujing took another inherited sword disciple earlier, so it seemed he had already given up on Liu Shisui.