The Path Toward Heaven

The iron broadsword seemed to be sharpened anew; all the tiny gaps were eliminated. Except for the large gap in the middle of the blade, the rest of the blade looked as dazzling as a new one. A clean intent of broadsword spread out like the flowing water.

“Thanks very much,” said the Broadsword King, Cao Yuan.

“Not at all,” said Jing Jiu. “I’ve figured out some new magic methods over the past one hundred years; I’d like to test and see if they can help with your injuries.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a pure and desolate sword will emerged from his right hand and landed on the shaft of the large iron broadsword, mingling with its intent.

Whoosh!!!

A gust of wind kicked up in the small temple, and the painted golden layer of the dilapidated Buddhist statue quivered and was on the verge of falling off at any moment.

This was caused by the sparring between the strongest sword will and broadsword intent in the world.

Though Zhao Layue was a swordsman in the upper limit of the Broken Sea State, it was still too much for her. A few of her hairs fell off. She had no choice but to back out of the door.

Pah!!!

The door of the small temple was shut by a gust of wind.

…

…

It had been a long time before the door of the small temple was reopened. Jing Jiu walked out, his face pale, a blood stain visible on his damaged earlobe.

Zhao Layue shot a curious glance at him, wondering if the two of them had practiced sparring or if they had actually fought against each other for real.

Jing Jiu didn’t brother explaining to her. If that was a real fight, nobody in the world would be able to find out who was the winner.

The door of the small temple was closed again. The golden paint on the surface of the Buddhist statue had mostly fallen off; and yet, the statue looked much more vigorous than before.

Jing Jiu walked to the edge of the cliff and looked in the direction of the snowland in the distance, asking, “Was it hard to walk out of it?”

Zhao Layue came before him and asked, “Are you upset with me?”

“If you died in there, I would be very upset,” returned Jing Jiu.

Zhao Layue said, “Incidents like this will happen more often, because it’s the way I am.”

Jing Jiu said after remaining silent for a while, “Life and death is determined by fate. Maybe you’re right.”

She had trudged in the snowland teetering on the verge of life and death for a long time, and strengthened her belief that her path toward heaven would be different from Jing Jiu’s. The two of them might walk two separate paths, but she wouldn’t regret it. She had told Bai Zao many years ago that she had been fortunate to walk on the same path toward heaven alongside him for a while; like what Jing Jiu said to Gu Qing, he should be satisfied when the two of them were together.

…

…

Jing Jiu had no need to grieve even though he had been bidding farewell to those who passed away.

He didn’t feel nostalgia even though his path was the same as the one he and Lian Sanyue had walked.

This was merely a simple journey, similar to a human life.

Jing Jiu and Zhao Layue were strolling on the streets of Juye City with conical hats on, like what they had done many years ago.

The noises reached their ears from all directions, which became useful information after they processed and analyzed them. The battle between the Kunlun Sect and the Windy-Broadsword Church had ended a while ago. The Kunlun Sect had won three of the five fights and procured control of the Cold Mountain, this even having an effect on Juye City, destabilizing the entire area.

The sect master of the Kunlun Sect, He Wei, was relentless. He had wounded the Master of the Windy-Broadsword Church and killed one elder of the church in the last two fights of the battle.

The battle took place in last spring. It didn’t draw too much attention because of the other significant event in Zhaoge City at the time. In fact, it was a significant event itself.

After being pillaged by the imperial court and the orthodox Cultivation sects for more than one hundred years, the Cold Mountain seemed to have no more deviant magic treasure left; in reality, it still had some resources.

For instance, the spiritual source of fire under its ground was very appealing to many people.

The Kunlun Sect invaded the Cold Mountain and deployed new formations at the site where the Scorching Sun Gorge used to be. It was evident that the Center Sect was their backer.

Hearing this news, Zhao Layue felt a murderous intent brewing and intensifying inside her. “I want to eat hotpot in red soup.”

“The residents of Juye City like eating meats; there are plenty of meats here. The hotpot in red soup is not the best way to eat meat. Let’s eat the boiled meat then,” suggested Jing Jiu.

Zhao Layue insisted while staring into his eyes, “I want to eat hotpot in red soup!”

“As you wish,” said Jing Jiu. He stretched his hand to rub her head a few times.

They entered a restaurant and ate the spicy hotpot that was not very authentic. Zhao Layue narrowed her eyes to indicate that she was quite satisfied with the meal. Then she called out the Thoughtless Sword to peel a fruit for Jing Jiu.

The Green Bird landed on the windowsill and said expressionlessly, “He Wei has come out. He is at the Scorching Sun Gorge.”

Zhao Layue asked her, “Aren’t you going to change back to human form?”

“It’s too miserable to be a human,” the Green Bird replied.

“But you can eat hotpot as a human,” protested Zhao Layue.

“I’m a vegetarian,” returned the Green Bird.

Zhao Layue said after some thought, “You don’t have to eat hotpot then.”

…

…

The scorching sun was hanging high in the sky, but it was still very chilly on the Cold Mountain. A dark figure was traveling at a high speed over the seemingly barren fields. It was the shadow of the Cold-Signal Bird in the sky.

The sect master of the Kunlun Sect, He Wei, sat on the Cold-Signal Bird while looking down at the ground passing backwards expressionlessly.

The disciples of a dozen small sects backed by the Kunlun Sect were cleaning up the ground on the mountains and in the fields, and more than two hundred sword practitioners of the Kunlun Sect were setting up the new formations at the site where the Scorching Sun Gorge used to be.

Though He Wei won the battle against the Windy-Broadsword Church and had the secret support of the Center Sect, he didn’t dare include the entire territory of the Cold Mountain under the control of the Kunlun Sect; it was because the imperial court and the Green Mountain Sect would in no way allow him to do so.

He had no choice but to strike very hard in last spring because of that event in Zhaoge City.

The Center Sect wouldn’t believe in his sincerity if he didn’t burn the “bridge” and was unable to go back.

He needed the Center Sect to believe in him because Zhao Layue was still alive.

It was most likely that Zhao Layue figured out that it was he who had sneak-attacked her.

If the Green Mountain Sect came and accused him of the offense, he would deny it no matter what. However, Jing Jiu was awake now…He didn’t want to take the risk at the moment, and it was also unclear when the Broadsword King would be healed.

Prior to that, he had to take care of the matter bidden by the Center Sect; in so doing, he would be able to obtain the magic methods of the back mountain of Cloud-Dream and even a bit of fairy energy and have a shot at breaking through the state to become a figure in a truly high state.

The Cold-Signal Bird arrived above the ruins of the Scorching Sun Gorge.

The elders and disciples of the Kunlun Sect saw their sect master and bowed to him reverentially in tandem.

Looking at the broad crevice of more than one hundred miles long, He Wei recalled the formidable sword wielded by Liu Ci in terror. “Hurry up, everybody,” he yelled tersely.

The elders and disciples of the Kunlun Sect nodded hastily.

He Wei suddenly changed the expression in his eyes. He called out his sword without hesitation and employed his most powerful sword move, heading toward a spot in the sky.

A bright and cold sword light appeared in heaven and earth, which was full of lethal intent and was unimaginably powerful.

The grass crumbs in the fields were hurled up, and the pebbles were rolling around wildly.

The disciples of the Kunlun Sect looked at the sky in bewilderment, wondering which remaining member of a deviant sect came here to spy on them.

He must have a death wish!

Crack!!!

The powerful sword light vanished in the sky; it seemed as if it simply melted in the sky like the snow did under the hot sun.

A faint sword light brushed past He Wei, leaving behind a white mark that looked like the melted snow.

He Wei’s right arm left his body anddropped toward the ground, fresh blood gushing out.

The sword light and the white mark merged into a point; then a figure materialized.

Jing Jiu stood in the sky a few miles away.

The white cloth was fluttering.