The Path Toward Heaven

Having heard what Nan Wang said, State Duke He and others felt helpless, thinking that the Green Mountain Sect could say something that was not only intimidating, but also strange.

The principal justice of the Fruit Formation Temple found the situation awkward and uncomfortable, so he said a few words of reassurance.

State Duke He pushed on the arm of the chair to get closer, and said in a low voice, “You shouldn’t start a war because of this!”

Eyebrows arched, Nan Wang retorted, “Why not?”

If it had been another Cultivation sect, they wouldn’t have been so keen to start a war, even if they had encountered the same event.

In the whole world, the Green Mountain Sect was the only one which had the qualifications and the acting style to choose to go to war to resolve its issue.

The atmosphere in the room became intense again, as the pressure built.

State Duke He said, “The Young Zen Master has said it. And I believe Peak Master of Qingrong must know it as well. Though it was Wei Chenzi who attempted the assassination, it was definitely not the intention of the Center Sect.”

Nan Wang gave a silent sneer, while the rest of the disciples of the Green Mountain kept silent.

What the Young Zen Master had said was correct.

The Green Mountain Sect did not believe that assassinating Zhao Layue was the collective will of the Center Sect, since doing would not benefit it.

Though Zhao Layue was someone with natural Dao quality, such genius wasn’t unusual in the history of the Cultivation world. For instance, there was currently another genius in Tianguang Peak whose name was Zuo Ruosui.

If Zhao Layue had been killed, the future of the Green Mountain Sect would suffer; but its current strength would stay the same.

The important thing was that she was the personal disciple of the Immortal Jing Yang, the peak master of Shenmo, and was a person of high birth and status.

If the Center Sect really wanted to kill her, it meant that they intended to have an all-out war with the Green Mountain Sect.

If that was the case, the Center Sect would strive to destroy the foundation of the Green Mountain.

Nan Wang wasn’t qualified to be the foundation of the Green Mountain, let alone Zhao Layue.

An assassination attempt by the Center Sect should be on the two critical figures of the Heavenly Arrival State, the Sect Master of the Green Mountain and Yuan Qijing.

Seeing the reactions of Nan Wang and others, State Duke He knew that the Young Zen Master’s comment was correct, so the worst crisis of the human race wouldn’t come about after all. The urgent thing at that point was to find the truth of the case and what price the Center Sect was willing to pay to rebuild the relationship between the two sects.

“If it was done by the Old Ones, it means that they have already reached their hands in the Cloud-dream Mountain.”

State Duke He deliberately changed the topic, asking, “To ask the Old Ones to do such a significant thing, how much would the behind-the-scenes people have to pay for their services?”

“There is another quandary,” the commander of the Pure Heaven Bureau added. “If it was the Old Ones who asked the demons of the Underworld to kill Wei Chang…Wei Chenzi to shut him up, why didn’t they do a better job of cleaning up the evidence? If the time was too tight, they shouldn’t have asked the demons of the Underworld to get involved in the first place. Even the Old Ones are unwilling to have the disgrace of collaborating with the Underworld.”

Nan Wang said, “I don’t care who or what is behind it. If it were the elders of your Center Sect who did it, then you should come out and say what you’re supposed to say.”

The room went deathly quiet again.

What Nan Wang meant was quite clear.

Now the Center Sect should come out and say something.

What they should say was of course an apology and the price they paid.

Everyone’s gazes were fixed, as they looked intently about the room.

There was a tall and large figure standing there.

Luo Huainan had been standing there since he had arrived at West Mountain Residence that morning.

All that time he hadn’t move, or had a sip of water, or taken any food. His attitude was very forthright.

Now the Green Mountain Sect had finally officially asked the question. He had no choice but to speak for the first time.

“Our Center Sect will take the full responsibility of the event.”

His remark was stated perfectly. Yet it was like most things in this world: the better it looks, the more unreal it becomes, because something indescribable is nearly impossible to substantiate. It becomes mythical.

Nan Wang retorted, her eyebrows arched, “Can you take this responsibility?”

With an unchanged expression, Luo Huainan said, “My master-mistress already went south after having learned the news. She should have been on Tianguang Peak by now.”

The principal justice of the Fruit Formation Temple softly uttered a Zen mantra before saying, “This is good news.”

State Duke He was pleased to hear it, and said, “This is the best way.”

Nan Wang fell silent, and said nothing further.

The Master of the Center Sect was the top figure in the Cultivation world. If there was someone on the Cloud-dream Mountain with a higher status, then it would be his Cultivation partner in the same Cultivation state as his Heavenly Arrival State.

She was the master-mistress that Luo Huainan had mentioned.

As the wife of the Sect Master had gone to the Green Mountain Sect in person, their attitude was genuinely sincere.

The specific affairs would be discussed between her and the Sect Master of the Green Mountain, as well as Yuan Qijing. It was believed that the Center Sect would pay a steep price for the incident.

By comparison, the wager between Jing Jiu and Tong Yan in the Plum Meeting chess tournament regarding the crystal stone distribution was a mere insignificance.

State Duke He and the principal justice of the Fruit Formation Temple felt relieved at learning the sincere attitude of the Center Sect.

Seeing Nan Wang’s reaction, they thought the next urgent thing to do was to comfort Zhao Layue.

Nan Wang was aware what was on their minds, so she said directly, “What you’re thinking is incorrect. That wouldn’t be not enough.”

State Duke He asked, his expression changing slightly, “Who else?”

Nan Wang said, “Jing Jiu.”

Hearing this name, the people in the room were startled. They thought that Jing Jiu wasn’t qualified to be involved in such a significant event, though he was a special talent nurtured by the Green Mountain Sect and the personal disciple of the Immortal Jing Yang, and his fame had grown hugely after that chess game in the Plum Meeting tournament.

Luo Huainan looked calm. It seemed that he had already guessed who would be chosen.

“Young Senior Master Jing Jiu is a vindictive person,” said Yao Songshan.

The disciples of the Green Mountain nodded in unison.

Back when Jing Jiu had just come to the Sword-washing Stream, Liu Shisui was beaten several times by Gu Han when Liu went to see him. Later, at the Inherited Sword Competition, Jing Jiu avenged Liu Shisui by beating Gu Qing several times.

At the Sword Trial last year, Jing Jiu knocked Ma Hua of Liangwang Peak down to the ground in the stone forest, injured Gu Han severely, and in the end broke Guo Nanshan’s sword. All of these were acts of revenge.

By this time the news had reached West Mountain Residence.

The people had learned that Jing Jiu had gone to Zhao Manor House.

He left soon afterwards.

Nobody knew what he and Zhao Layue had discussed.

State Duke He felt and looked conflicted as he said, “The disciple of the Water-Moon Nunnery, Mo Xi, has had her four limbs broken and been thrown to his feet.”

Nan Wang glanced briefly at Luo Huainan, without saying anything.

Everybody understood what she meant.

This was how the Water-Moon Nunnery paid the Green Mountain Sect.

State Duke He and many others guessed that this must have been done by Guo Dong.

That young woman acted exactly like her master. Both were as formidable as the western wind.

Luo Huainan suddenly thought that it wouldn’t be a good idea to ask his young sister to persuade Jing Jiu.

…

…

Later, in front of Zhao Manor House.

Mo Xi was lying under Jing Jiu’s feet, full of blood.

She lifted her head and stared at Jing Jiu, her eyes filled with despair and hatred.

Jing Jiu raised his hand to motion for the caretaker of Zhao Manor House to come over, saying, “Send her back to the Water-Moon Nunnery in the same condition.”

The Water-Moon Nunnery had always gone on in a quiet and peaceful way until they had produced Lian Sanyue.

Jing Jiu was familiar with this bloody scene.

He also understood their intention.

It was enough that he had witnessed it.

Jing Jiu turned around and began to leave.

Quickly, harshly, Mo Xi shouted, “You really don’t want to know why I did it?”

“No.”

Jing Jiu kept on walking, leaving her behind.

Seeing Jing Jiu disappear in the darkness of the night, Mo Xi was stunned.

In the next moment, her sad cry could be heard in the quiet street. Nobody knew if it was because of the pain of regret – or something else.