The Path Toward Heaven

A few days later, Que Niang came to the small courtyard with a pile of books in her

arms.

These books included the old scrolls and notes along with some new notes, which were

the results of analysis done by the elders of the Mirror Sect.

Jing Jiu didn’t take all of these books. He read them all in the small courtyard and

memorized all the important content.

It turned out that Yan Zhenlu was indeed the expelled disciple of the Mirror Sect. There

was a complicated story regarding the relationship between him and the Mirror Sect, but

it was not something Jing Jiu was interested in.

What he wanted to know was whether Yan Zhenlu’s Theory of the Mirror’s Flower or

Method of Splitting Mirrors was described truthfully in that booklet found on Shiyue

Peak.

After having calculated for four hours, Jing Jiu reached a conclusion: If Yan Zhenlu

proceeded according to his initial idea, the Method of Splitting Mirrors shouldn’t have

ended up as it was now. Somebody had changed something in the seemingly

insignificant part of the seventh split mirror; that person had switched the order of

process, causing an unnoticeable but fatal flaw in the Formation of the Dispersed

Smoke and Clouds.

The booklet was collected by Shiyue Peak 734 years ago, and his Big Brother started

contemplating the Formation of the Dispersed Smoke and Clouds 733 years ago. These

two events happened too closely to be dismissed as the coincidence, so there could be

only one conclusion: The booklet was brought to Shiyue Peak by his Big Brother, and it

was he who had changed the seventh split mirror in the Method of Splitting Mirrors. Yet

why would he do that?

Jing Jiu remained silent while gazing at the cold plums outside the window.

Zhao Layue seldom saw Jing Jiu in such an embittered condition, and it made Que

Niang feel a bit nervous as well.

Jing Jiu was unsure whether he should feel glad or disappointed at the moment, though

when he remembered that his Big Brother didn’t tell him about the change at the very

end, he believed that he should feel angry.

Since the Formation of the Dispersed Smoke and Clouds had a flaw, it must be

repaired, but he was unsure if he was capable of fixing it.

That senior master, Yan Zhenlu, had merely come up with the idea; he hadn’t attempted

it himself.

If it wouldn’t work out, he had no choice but to find another way to ascend.

He thought of all this as he looked at his right hand.

…

…

Before their departure, Que Niang bowed to the ground before Jing Jiu. Jing Jiu told her

that she could go to Green Mountain to visit him any time. As for playing Go, he thought

that he could simply bring her to the hermit peaks so that she could play it with Tong

Yan.

Yet, what Zhao Layue couldn’t understand was why Jing Jiu trusted this female disciple

of the Mirror Sect so much since he didn’t know her that well.

Jing Jiu didn’t even know how to explain it. In fact, it had something to do with “judging a

person based on the way they play chess”. However, if he told Zhao Layue this, it would

mean that he agreed with Tong Yan on the matter.

By the time they came back to Shenmo Peak, the Plum Meeting in Zhaoge City had

finished. A few days later, the Immortal Guangyuan came to Shenmo Peak to report

what had happened at the meeting, and Jing Jiu found out why Que Niang was so

worried about the meeting.

The cooperation between the imperial court and the major Cultivation sects included the

complicated allocations of resources for Cultivation. At every Plum Meeting, the quotas

would be adjusted slightly based on the contributions of various sects. For instance, the

quotas for the West Ocean Sword Sect and the No-Mercy Sect had been changed

considerably because of the changes of their relative strengths.

The Green Mountain Sect and the Center Sect had always sat on the highest spots in

the Plum Garden, and the resources for Cultivation in Chaotian would be provided to

them first. So they had no need to worry about their quotas being reduced.

However, a shocking event had happened at this year’s Plum Meeting: The Center Sect

requested to have the resources of Cultivation for the Green Mountain Sect reduced.

The reason the Center Sect offered sounded sensible enough. The various sects had

paid a steep price for suppressing the Underworld; the Green Mountain Sect had been

in charge of pursuing the devil men of the Underworld scattered in many places.

However, the Underworld was quite inactive right now, and none of the resentful souls

could be found in all of Chaotian; so the Green Mountain Sect had nothing to do at the

moment. Why should they use so much of the resources? Not to mention that the

reduction of the quota for the Green Mountain Sect requested by the Center Sect was

minimal; in fact, it was so minimal that not even a small sect would care.

Still, a reduction was a reduction, no matter how minimal it was. If this request were

allowed, the Center Sect would seek to weaken the status of the Green Mountain Sect

further in the future.

The Green Mountain Sect couldn’t possibly accept such a request, of course.

The Immortal Guangyuan and Elder Yue Qianmen of the Center Sect quarreled

vehemently at the Net-Perception Temple; they were even on the brink of fighting each

other.

The dangerous outcome was avoided only after the Young Zen Master had spoken.

He told Yue Qianmen, “You’re no match for the Immortal Guangyuan, so yelling loudly

is useless.”

As the Immortal Guangyuan recounted the event to this point, he didn’t laugh, nor did

Jing Jiu or Zhao Layue.

Ping Yongjia’s laughter was stopped by a slap from Yuan Qü.

The Young Zen Master wouldn’t speak for the benefit of Green Mountain right now;

what he said must have a deeper meaning…or it was a warning to Green Mountain

Yue Qianmen was indeed no match for Immortal Guangyuan. In fact, no one among the

twelve valley masters on Cloud-Dream Mountain was a match for the Immortal

Guangyuan.

However, the Immortal Guangyuan was no match for the immortals Tan and Bai.

The Center Sect had two figures in the Heavenly Arrival State, plus the Unicorn; the

Green Mountain Sect had one in the Heavenly Arrival State along with a cat and a dog.

In comparison, the former seemed to be of somewhat greater strength.

Not to mention that no one knew how many elderly swordsmen might hide in the back

valleys of Cloud-Dream Mountain and how many divine animals like the King of Fire

Carps existed somewhere in Chaotian.

After a moment of silence, Jing Jiu asked, “What is the conclusion?”

“We’ll negotiate again in the autumn at the Fruit Formation Temple,” said the Immortal

Guangyuan. “The Immortal Bai will go there in person. We can ask Big Brother Sword

Justice to go to the negotiation.”

There were still many days before autumn.

He was quite familiar with the Fruit Formation Temple.

Jing Jiu said, “I’ll go.”

The Immortal Guangyuan was taken aback, wondering what it was Jing Jiu could

possibly do.

…

…

After the Immortal Guangyuan left, Jing Jiu shot Yuan Qü a glance.

Earlier, when Ping Yongjia laughed, he was slapped by Yuan Qü. Jing Jiu had seen the

incident, feeling a bit surprised. According to Yuan Qü’s temperament, he should have

laughed with Ping Yongjia at that moment. For some reason, he had become cleverer

and more composed now. Did he experience something in Zhaoge City?

“When I was in Zhaoge City, State Duke Lu had visited me.”

Yuan Qü went on, “He told me that the imperial court had been unstable this last year

and that those officials supporting Jing Xin had become active again.”

Jing Jiu thought that they should have had Jing Xin killed at the very beginning to avoid

such trouble in the future. “What about you?” he asked Yuan Qü.

He knew that the Sect Master asked him about the result of the Cultivation tournament

at the Plum Meeting. He replied in a low voice after some hesitation, “This disciple is

useless; I have only won second place.”

Jing Jiu was indeed disappointed, as he inquired, “Who was the first place winner?”

Yuan Qü replied with the lowered head, “It’s Big Brother Liu Shisui. He represented the

One-Cottage House.”

Jing Jiu didn’t say anything more after finding out that he had been defeated by Liu

Shisui.

…

…

Liu Shisui had spent the last year in a joyful mood; in fact, it was the happiest year he

had since he joined Liangwang Peak many years ago. The One-Cottage House was

quite suitable for him. Xi Yiyun and other big brothers were all gentlemen, and the

house master had paid a great deal of attention to him, teaching him many things,

including how to cultivate. He had also represented the One-Cottage House in the Plum

Meeting.

The thing he felt most joyful about was the fact that his Young Master had become the

Sect Master of Green Mountain.

Like what Jing Jiu had sensed, Liu Shisui wore a smile from beginning to the end when

he was making that bamboo chair.

“My Young Master had also won first place in the Cultivation tournament back then. But,

his opponents were much stronger than mine, and they encountered the turbulence in

the Snowy Kingdom. So I don’t intend to compare myself to my Young Master.”

Liu Shisui’s dark face glowed with joy.

Soon, he noticed that Xiao He’s smile was a bit forced and that the expression in her

eyes was kind of evasive. His smile stopped short as he asked Xiao He, “What’s

wrong?”

Xiao He replied in a slightly trembling voice, “The Immortal Taiping had come here

during the ‘spring rain’ last year.”

Liu Shisui pressed with narrowed eyes, “The Immortal Taiping?”

“It’s impossible for me to forget his face; he is that monk at the Fruit Formation Temple,”

said Xiao He, her head lowered. “Didn’t you tell me that he was the Immortal Taiping?”

“Why didn’t you tell me then?” Liu Shisui demanded.

Xiao He said after wiping her eyes, “I was too scared at the moment…Later I intended

to tell you, but you were so busy with studying…And I was also afraid that you might

blame me.”

Liu Shisui wondered why she didn’t tell him afterwards even if she was scared at the

time, and why she thought that he might blame her. “What was he doing at the

Thousand Mile Windy Corridor?” he asked.

Xiao He said in a low voice, “He hadn’t done anything, except that he picked some lotus

flowers and left.”

“What about you? What had you done?” asked Liu Shisui after a long moment of

silence.

He had lived with Xiao He for so many years; so he knew her very well. If she didn’t do

something she was afraid of telling him, she wouldn’t behave like this.

“I…I didn’t do anything. All I did was guide for him.” After Xiao He lifted her head and

saw the expressionless countenance on his face, the tears ran down immediately, as

she said tremblingly, “I was really scared at the time. He wanted me to take him to the

Python Pond; I didn’t dare refuse him.”

“Was it the Python Pond behind the Cottage House?” Liu Shisui pressed.

Xiao He nodded in confirmation, her face pale.

Liu Shisui had given her a pass board so that she could go to the One-Cottage House

and visit him. One needed a pass board to enter the Windy Corridor.

Liu Shisui fell silent.

Xiao He asked while weeping, “Are you going to tell the Cottage House?”

“No,” said Liu Shisui, shaking his head.

With tears in her eyes, Xiao He looked at him in disbelief.

Liu Shisui got up and walked to the desk, saying, “The house master knew that I gave

the pass board to you; but if he found out that you had brought the Immortal Taiping to

the corridor, you would die.”

Looking at his back, Xiao He displayed a sad expression on her face. “You’ve

changed…If you changed for me, I’m really sorry,” she said.

Liu Shisui sat down at the desk, and took out an ink-stick from his sleeve.

The ink-stick was covered with some golden lines, and it was also mixed with some

golden threads inside it. The ink-stick slid back and forth on the ink-stone noiselessly,

and later a liquid of golden and black colors was produced on the ink-stone, going

beyond simple description by words; it resembled his life.

He was a worry-free child in a village; later, he became a disciple of Liangwang Peak

who sought the justice and benevolence, and then spent many years with the Old Ones.

Though he knew what kind of a person he aspired to be, he had no idea what kind of a

person he was at the moment.

The special golden ink was ready. He took out a brush pen, dipped it into the ink and

began to write the letter.

This seemingly ordinary pen was none other than the precious treasure of the One-

Cottage House, the City-Guard Pen.

He’d been carrying the pen with him ever since Scholar Yan gave it too him .

Unfortunately, he had never been able to use it because his Cultivation state was still

not high enough.

His Cultivation state had improved a great deal after he studied for many years at the

One-Cottage House and participated in the Cultivation tournament at the Plum Meeting.

The City-Guard Pen had finally accepted him as its master.

Xiao He wiped off the tears and came up behind him. “Whom are you writing to?” she

asked uneasily.

“Young Master,” Liu Shisui returned.

He could conceal this matter from the house master of the One-Cottage, but he couldn’t

conceal it from his Young Master.